The following information concerns Cyclone Yasi and the associated airport closures in Northern Queensland. This advice applies to travel insurance policies issued before Wednesday 2 February 2011.

If you wish to cancel or amend your pre-booked travel arrangements as a result of the cyclonic activity, we recommend you contact your travel agent or travel provider regarding the best option in altering your trip. We understand some airlines are providing penalty-free options to amend travel arrangements, so we also recommend you contact your airline for further details.

We will assess all claims in accordance with your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), and cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased. The following advice relates to Comprehensive travel insurance policies.

There is no cover for cancellation or rearrangement expenses for policies issued on or after 2 February 2011 if the cancellation or rearrangement arises from the cyclonic activity and associated airport closures.

What do you need to know about your policy?

If you are currently travelling:

• Your policy includes cover for reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses when scheduled transport services have been cancelled, delayed, shortened or diverted as a result of the cyclonic activity.

• There is no cover for additional travel and accommodation expenses if your scheduled or connecting transport has not been cancelled or delayed.

If you have not yet departed:

• Your policy includes cover for cancellation expenses when:

  - your scheduled transport services have been cancelled

  - your accommodation has been declared uninhabitable by the cyclonic activity

  - you are unable to reach your accommodation or destination.

• If you have not yet departed, we may cover the costs to rearrange your journey to depart at a later date if this is your preferred option so long as these costs are less than the costs to cancel your journey.

If you are injured as a result of Cyclone Yasi we can help.

If you need medical advice or emergency medical assistance please contact our 24-hour Emergency Assistance team on +61 2 8320 7999 reverse charge or 1300 409 322 free call within Australia.

What next steps should you take?

• You should take all reasonable steps to minimise your expenses and this includes rearranging your journey where possible.

• Read the Product Disclosure Statement that you received when you purchased your travel insurance policy. This will give you more detail about what your policy provides cover for and what it does not. For example, if you have a Cancellation only policy, your policy does not include cover for additional expenses.

• Please submit a claim form with relevant supporting documentation to us for consideration.

• You will need to submit all receipts for any additional expenses. If you are claiming cancellation or additional expenses you will need to submit all documents showing your original planned pre-paid arrangements, as well as receipts and documents showing your new arrangements and the non-refundable portions of your journey.

• Any compensation or refunds you receive from a third party for transport, food or accommodation will be deducted from any settlement by us if your claim is accepted.

Contact us

• If you have questions or queries, please contact our Information Hotline on 1300 409 322.

• We will publish this and any updated travel insurance advisories on our website: www.fastcover.com.au