Travel insurance information and civil unrest expected to occur in Bangkok and parts of Thailand from 13 January 2014 onwards.
The following information concerns political protests and civil unrest expected to occur in Bangkok and parts of Thailand from 13 January 2014 onwards.
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 12 midnight (AEDST) Monday 6th January 2014:
If you are currently travelling:
- If you have started your journey and your transport is delayed, disrupted or cancelled due to the Political Protests and civil unrest that occurs in Bangkok and parts of Thailand from 13 January 2014 onwards, there may be provision to claim for reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses.
- If you have started your journey and your journey is delayed or cancelled due to the Political Protests and civil unrest that occurs in Bangkok and parts of Thailand from 13 January 2014 onwards, there may be provision to claim for Cancellation Fees & Lost deposits for unutilised prepaid travel 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 you travel insurance.
If you have not yet departed:
- If your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a result of the Political Protests and civil unrest that occurs in Bangkok and parts of Thailand from 13 January 2014 onwards and you have 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 12 midnight (AEDST) Monday 6th January 2014:
- 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 12 midnight (AEDST) Monday 6th January 2014 we expect that this may have been done with an awareness of the Political Protests and civil unrest occurring in Bangkok and parts of Thailand from 13 January 2014 onwards. 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 Political Protests and civil unrest occurring in Bangkok and parts of Thailand from 12 January 2014 onwards where you knew of the expected Political Protests and civil unrest at the time of purchasing the policy.
What next steps should you 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, (DFAT) maintains travel advisories for more than 160 destinations overseas via its website www.smarttraveller.gov.au. DFAT’s travel advice provides accurate, up 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.
Contact us
Emergency Assistance
If you are in anyway harmed or require Emergency Assistance, please contact our in-house Medical and Travel Assistance desk on the following numbers
Thailand - 001 8006 121 082
Within Australia – 1800 010 075
Alternatively, dial reverse charge (“collect”) via the local operator on: + 61 7 3305 7499
