Important note: When Mt Rinjani erupted this year on 3 November 2015 it caused significant delays to travellers and indicated a continued risk of ongoing eruptions.
As the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (‘BOM’) and the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (‘DVAAC’) have ceased providing updates on Mt Rinjani’s volcanic activity we have deemed the event to be concluded as of 12pm (AEDT) Monday 21 December 2015.
If any further eruptions occur from Mt Rinjani, they would be considered a new event and would be coverable subject to the terms and conditions of your policy.
We will assess all claims in accordance with your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and your Certificate of Insurance. Your cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased and your particular circumstances.
If you entered into your policy before 5pm (AEDT) Tuesday 3 November 2015:
If you are currently travelling:
- If you have started your journey and your transport is delayed or cancelled or your accommodation is affected due to the Mt Rinjani volcanic ash cloud, there may be provision to claim for reasonable additional travel, accommodation and meal expenses.
- Limits, conditions and exclusions apply under your policy and for full details you should refer to the Product Disclosure Statement and Certificate of Insurance you received when you purchased your travel insurance.
If you have not yet departed:
- If your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a result of the Mt Rinjani volcanic ash cloud and you have not yet departed, you may be able to claim for cancellation or rearrangement of your journey (whichever is the lesser).
- We recommend you contact your travel agent or travel provider regarding the best option in altering your trip. Some travel providers may provide penalty free options to amend travel arrangements and we recommend you contact them for further details.
If you entered into a policy after 5pm (AEDT) Tuesday 3 November 2015:
- Our policies do not cover claims for losses caused by something that you were aware of at the time of purchasing your policy. If you entered into a policy after 5pm (AEDT) Tuesday 3 November 2015 we would expect that this was done with an awareness of the Mt Rinjani volcanic ash cloud. For these policies, we will not, to the extent permitted by law, pay any claim caused by or arising from or in any way connected with the Mt Rinjani volcanic ash cloud.
What next steps should I take?
- You should take all reasonable steps to minimise your expenses and this includes rearranging your journey where possible. By reasonable we mean appropriate and consistent—for example if you have been using two star or budget accommodation on your trip to date, then we advise that the replacement accommodation you seek should be of a similar standard.
- We will assess your claim under the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy. If you have a Cancellation only policy, your policy does not include cover for any additional expenses. If you have a Budget policy, please refer to your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for the precise benefits covered.
- You will need to submit all receipts for any additional transport, food or accommodation expenses. If you are claiming cancellation or additional expenses you will need to submit all documents showing what your original planned pre-paid arrangements were, along with any receipts and documents showing your new arrangements, and advice from the travel provider indicating the non-refundable portion of the journey. • Any compensation and/or refunds you receive from a third party (e.g. airline) for transport, food or accommodation will be deducted from any settlement if your claim is accepted.
- Finally, to help Australians avoid difficulties overseas, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) maintains travel advisories for more than 160 destinations overseas via its website www.smarttraveller.gov.au. DFAT’s travel advice provides accurate, upto-date information about the risks Australians might face overseas, assisting you to make well-informed decisions about whether, when and where to travel. We recommend that you stay up-to-date with its destination specific travel advisories for the country of your destination as your travel insurance cover may be affected if you travel to high risk areas or situations.
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