ROMFORD, England, April 20, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — With the Association of British Insurers warning that many policies will not offer cover to those affected by the UK and European airspace closure due to the volcanic dust cloud, Chris Blackman, Head of Product Development at AllClear has confirmed that those claiming under the travel delay and trip abandonment sections of the AllClear Personal travel policy, WILL be eligible to make a claim.
Chris explained: “Where a traveller has booked a holiday package through a tour operator, there is generally an obligation for the tour operator to provide an acceptable alternative or a refund, but where someone has simply booked a flight and made their own arrangements for accommodation and perhaps car hire – an increasingly popular trend nowadays with the ease of internet bookings – the airline will only compensate for the airline ticket. This leaves the traveller picking up the bill for a hotel room or villa which he can’t get to, though no fault of his own! This is where a reputable travel policy is important for those wishing to limit their losses. Disappointment on losing the holiday is bad enough without having to payout for accommodation not used. ”
Chris continued: “Clearly, this incident is costing the airlines and tour operators millions of pounds and it’s probable that not all will survive, so the next issue could easily be a spate of financial failures. Thankfully, there are some Travel Insurance companies who have followed AllClear’s lead in providing cover for this eventuality too, but not all, so travellers are urged to choose their travel insurance wisely if they are planning to book a trip over the next few months”.
Choosing the right Travel Insurance is personal because everyone is individual. However, the following questions may help short list the one for you:
1) Is Medical Expenses cover adequate? GBP5 Million should be
plenty, even for USA. Any more than this and you may be paying for
something you'll never need.
2) Does the policy have Dynamic Packaging Insurance? Package tours
booked through a travel agent are usually protected by bonding such as
ABTA or ATOL. But if you tend to book your travel on the internet in
separate transactions - Accommodation, Flight, Car Hire, Excursions,
etc., if one of the companies suffered financial failure, you may lose
without this cover.
3) If you have any medical history, does it provide cover in the
event of a medical emergency whilst away? Many policies exclude cover
for most medical conditions. Some specialise in providing cover, even
for severe medical conditions.
4) If you have just reached the age where many companies class you
into the next age band and your quote for a policy has risen sharply,
shop around. There are companies such as AllClear who price age year
by year, with gradual changes in premiums rather than huge steps.
Savings could be significant.
5) Are there options to add or remove cover for Cancellation,
Baggage, Winter Sports, Golf, etc? Only pay for what you want or need.
Flexible options are useful in reducing unnecessary cost if you
already have cover elsewhere such as on your home contents insurance.
For further information visit http://www.allcleartravel.co.uk
