Travel Insurance for terrorism related issues

[dmitri]

Hi team,

Has anyone made a travel insurance claim for issues relating to high terror alerts or anything of the sort? Myself, wife and 4 month old are booked to travel to Brussels and Brugge in early February, but are thinking of a destination change due to the high terror alert warning. Any help is much appreciated.

cheers, Dmitri

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi team,

Has anyone made a travel insurance claim for issues relating to high terror alerts or anything of the sort? Myself, wife and 4 month old are booked to travel to Brussels and Brugge in early February, but are thinking of a destination change due to the high terror alert warning. Any help is much appreciated.

cheers, Dmitri

I'd suggest the best option to suit your specific policy would be for you to give them a call and ask what your options are.

 

[opusman]

Generally I think terrorism is not covered but you would really need to check your policy.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Great post dmitri - great question - we have a corporate policy that covers all our staff - I will be having a chat with our broker am tomorrow to clarify.

 

[amaroo]

FWIW TID will only payout when the Gov issues "Do Not Travel" warning ... all others would most probably be the same.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

FWIW TID will only payout when the Gov issues "Do Not Travel" warning ... all others would most probably be the same.

That's interesting... you'd think they wouldn't pay out if you ignored a 'Do Not Travel'?

 

[amaroo]

That's interesting... you'd think they wouldn't pay out if you ignored a 'Do Not Travel'?

Clarification - payout based on your cancellation cost. If you ignore the warning - you'd be stuffed.

They won't cough up for cancellation unless the warning is "Do Not Travel"

The warning "reconsider your need to travel" = your call, but don't bother calling us for compensation.

This is TID policy for Paris/Turkey - first hand advice received from TID. As always, YMMV

See here for Gov warnings Travel advice explained - Smartraveller

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Clarification - payout based on your cancellation cost. If you ignore the warning - you'd be stuffed.

They won't cough up for cancellation unless the warning is "Do Not Travel"

The warning "reconsider your need to travel" = your call, but don't bother calling us for compensation.

This is TID policy for Paris/Turkey - first hand advice received from TID. As always, YMMV

See here for Gov warnings Travel advice explained - Smartraveller

Ah okay. That makes sense.

 

[OzEire]

"Reconsider your need..." is still a fairly stern warning. Do you 'need' to take a holiday there, at that precise time ? Some necessary work travel, and essential personal travel might be in line with that advice but a lot of non-essential travel wouldn't. However insurance, and government travel advice, are not always in sync.

 

[dmitri]

All good info thanks, I've been on the smart traveller site and so far there is only a warning for Belgium.

https://smartraveller.gov.au/countries/belgium

 

[amaroo]

"Reconsider your need..." is still a fairly stern warning. Do you 'need' to take a holiday there, at that precise time ? Some necessary work travel, and essential personal travel might be in line with that advice but a lot of non-essential travel wouldn't. However insurance, and government travel advice, are not always in sync.

A big part of me thinks these warning get mixed up with politics, diplomacy and special events like 100th Anzac Day.

On Thursday the advice for Paris was "reconsider ....", Friday it was "exercise a high degree of caution" .... really, whats happened between Thursday and Friday

 

[ICUDr]

My father and I are supposed to travel this Wednesday. BNE to Paris with Qantas. PAR - MAD - BOG on Iberia. With a 6 days stop over in Paris..

Called Qantas... No refunds, only option is to fly via BNE - LA for an extra $700 each and make our way to BOG.. We already paid $2700 for BNE - PAR + $1700 PAR - BOG each =(

Called 1Cover: acts of terrorism or war are no cover under our policies. See T&C
You could cancel and apply for a refund but you may or may not get a refund..

So.... we are going to Paris! Au revoir mon ami x

 

[MEL_Traveller]

They won't cough up for cancellation unless the warning is "Do Not Travel"

And even then the insurance company is pretty much limited with regards to loss... most airlines will allow you to cancel/change FOC if there is advice 'do not travel', and hotels the same. So the insurance company is pretty well limited in therms of its liability.

 

[amaroo]

My father and I are supposed to travel this Wednesday. BNE to Paris with Qantas. PAR - MAD - BOG on Iberia. With a 6 days stop over in Paris..

Called Qantas... No refunds, only option is to fly via BNE - LA for an extra $700 each and make our way to BOG.. We already paid $2700 for BNE - PAR + $1700 PAR - BOG each =(

Called 1Cover: acts of terrorism or war are no cover under our policies. See T&C
You could cancel and apply for a refund but you may or may not get a refund..

So.... we are going to Paris! Au revoir mon ami x

Go for it!

I'm taking my family to Paris/Rome over xmas - both are publicly targeted cities. Unless the Gov issues DNT warnings - we're going...

 

[marki]

A big part of me thinks these warning get mixed up with politics, diplomacy and special events like 100th Anzac Day.

On Thursday the advice for Paris was "reconsider ....", Friday it was "exercise a high degree of caution" .... really, whats happened between Thursday and Friday

Really there are high threat alerts all over the EU
Security agencies know a bit more then they typically let on.

 

[marki]

My father and I are supposed to travel this Wednesday. BNE to Paris with Qantas. PAR - MAD - BOG on Iberia. With a 6 days stop over in Paris..

Called Qantas... No refunds, only option is to fly via BNE - LA for an extra $700 each and make our way to BOG.. We already paid $2700 for BNE - PAR + $1700 PAR - BOG each =(

Called 1Cover: acts of terrorism or war are no cover under our policies. See T&C
You could cancel and apply for a refund but you may or may not get a refund..

So.... we are going to Paris! Au revoir mon ami x

Days back they (Qantas)were offering free travel cancellation but they said not many were taking the offer.

 

[amaroo]

Really there are high threat alerts all over the EU
Security agencies know a bit more then they typically let on.

Well, clearly, they have a track record of not knowing everything. Can't see much difference between Thursday and Friday last week... still a SOE and the defence force is still roaming the streets of Paris.

 

[ICUDr]

I called Qantas and that offer was for passengers traveling up to the 20th.

 

[marki]

Well, clearly, they have a track record of not knowing everything. Can't see much difference between Thursday and Friday last week... still a SOE and the defence force is still roaming the streets of Paris.

Does not mean they don't bungle things up.

 

[Fiches Mouser]

Go for it!

I'm taking my family to Paris/Rome over xmas - both are publicly targeted cities. Unless the Gov issues DNT warnings - we're going...

Absolutely. No need to cancel travel to Paris. I'll be there in a couple of weeks and can't wait. Happy to do my bit to help its tourism sector recover