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Political Unrest in New Caledonia

Important travel insurance information for Fast Cover travellers about these events, issued at 4:00pm on the 16/05/2024.

Political Unrest in New Caledonia

Political unrest has escalated this week, with political demonstrations and protests occurring in New Caledonia and a state of emergency being declared in New Caledonia on Wednesday, 15 May 2024. A curfew is in place for the Noumea metropolitan area between 6PM and 6AM and local authorities have advised to strictly limit movement throughout the day.

The La Tontouta International Airport has closed and flights have been cancelled until at least Friday 17 May 2024.

The Australian Government have now raised their warning level to ‘Exercise a high degree of caution' in New Caledonia overall due to protests and travel disruptions and 'Reconsider your need to travel' to in metropolitan Noumea and the RT1 road to La Tontouta Airport due to civil unrest, travel disruptions and limited essential services.

Are you overseas and need emergency help?

If you need emergency help, contact our Emergency Assistance team.

The Australian Government also offers 24-Hour Consular Assistance for travellers overseas.

Information about your policy

The below information was issued on 16 May 2024 and applies to your travel insurance policy with Fast Cover, underwritten by Certain Underwriters at Lloyds. 

As per our current  Product Disclosure Statement  one of the General Exclusions (General Exclusion 16) on our policies provides as follows:

"to the extent permissibly by law we will not pay under any circumstances if: 

16. Your claim arises from any act of war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities or warlike operations (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising, military or usurped power."

Select from the options below to find information for your current situation. 

  • Should you need medical advice or emergency medical assistance, please contact DFAT or alternatively you can also contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team.
  • Please follow the advice from local authorities and media.
  • If your trip has been disrupted, we recommend getting in touch with your travel agent, airline, accommodation provider etc. They might offer you the flexibility to modify your travel arrangements without any additional costs, or even the possibility of a refund. 

In the event of a claim, we will assess each claim on a case by case basis as everyone’s situation is different. Refer to the PDS for full terms, conditions, exclusions and limits that apply.

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  • We recommend getting in touch with your travel agent, airline, accommodation provider etc. They might offer you the flexibility to modify your travel arrangements without any additional costs, or even the possibility of a refund. 
  • You can contact us via email info@fastcover.com.au or call us on 1300 409 322 to discuss your options with regards to your policy. 

In the event of a claim, we will assess each claim on a case by case basis as everyone’s situation is different. Refer to the PDS for full terms, conditions, exclusions and limits that apply.

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There is no cover under your policy in this situation.  

Exclusions in our PDS that may apply to your situation

As per our current  Product Disclosure Statement, some of the General Exclusions (General Exclusions 4, 16 and 41) on our policies provide as follows:  

"to the extent permissible by law, we will not pay under any circumstances if:   

4. Your claim arises from you being aware at the time of purchasing the policy of something that would give rise to you making a claim under this policy. 

16. Your claim arises from any act of war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities or warlike operations (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising, military or usurped power.

41.Your claim arises from an event where a Travel Alert for that event was issued by us prior to the issue of your certificate of insurance. Events include (but is not limited to): strike, riot, hijack, civil protest, severe weather, natural disaster or contagious disease.” 

Why we do not provide cover in this situation

Insurance does not cover losses caused by something you were aware of when you purchased your policy. For example, this would be like trying to purchase car insurance after being involved in an accident.

Therefore, we will NOT pay any claim caused by or in any way related to this event if your policy was purchased after the above time and date.

Please note

1. If you have not purchased travel insurance yet, you are still able to, but you need to be aware the policy does not provide cover for any claims related to the event.

2. If you want to change or reschedule your trip, we suggest contacting your travel agent or travel provider (hotel, airline, cruise company, tour company etc) directly for assistance. They may offer to change your trip free of charge or for a small fee.

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What can I claim for?

As per our current  Product Disclosure Statement  one of the General Exclusions (General Exclusion 16) on our policies provides as follows:

"to the extent permissibly by law we will not pay under any circumstances if: 

16. Your claim arises from any act of war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities or warlike operations (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising, military or usurped power."

We recommend getting in touch with your travel agent, airline, accommodation provider etc. They might offer you the flexibility to modify your travel arrangements without any additional costs, or even the possibility of a refund.

How do I make a claim?

If you need to make a claim, you can submit your claim online. Visit our Claims page for information.

As everyone's situation is different, we will assess each claim on a case by case basis, and in accordance with the PDS and your Certificate of Insurance. Cover will depend on the type of policy you purchased and your particular circumstances.

Remember to:

  • Take reasonable steps to minimise your claim. Contact your airline or travel provider for assistance if you need to rearrange your travel plans.
  • Keep your receipts and any other supporting documentation e.g. travel provider cancellation letters. If you are claiming for additional meal, accommodation, and travel costs, please ensure you retain copies of all of your expense receipts.
  • Take measures to act in a responsible way to protect yourself and do everything you can to reasonably reduce your loss as much as possible.
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General Advice

For details about what your policy covers, please refer to your PDS. Policy terms, conditions, limits, sub limits and exclusions may apply under your policy.

We will assess all claims in accordance with your PDS and your Certificate of Insurance. Your cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased and your particular circumstances.

Questions
Question or enquiries?

If you have any questions or need help with your policy or have a new or existing Claim, please:

General information
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^ Price as at 27/10/2024 compared to the price calculated today for this policy.

* See Product Disclosure Statement for full terms and conditions and exclusions and limits that apply.