Am I covered for claims relating to volcanic ash?
For new policies bought on or after 18th June 2010
Please note that Direct Line policies do not provide cover for travel delays and/or cancellations caused by a recommendation or order by any government or travel authority. An example of this would be if an aircraft was not allowed by the Civil Aviation Authority (because of volcanic ash in the airspace) to leave, or land at, its scheduled airport. You would then not be covered for delayed departure, missed departure or abandoning your trip as a result of that situation. For policies bought before 18th June 2010
If you already had a policy before 18th June 2010 and have suffered a delayed flight, please call us on 0845 246 8680.
Travel Insurance customers affected by the volcanic ash - Direct Line advice for travellers
The volcanic ash can cause intermittent disruption for some people trying to leave or return to the UK. In the first instance, customers are advised to check with their airline or tour operator about the status of their flight. If a customer has booked the trip through a registered ABTA travel provider, they can contact the registered ABTA provider who may allow recovery of their costs through the ABTA scheme. If an airline cancels a flight, then customers should speak to their airline about rearranging their flight or obtaining a refund. If a customer is stranded abroad, because of a cancelled or delayed flight, the airline may have an obligation to provide support, including refreshments or accommodation. If a customer has booked the trip on their credit card, they can contact the issuer of the card as the Consumer Credit Act (CCA) may give rights to recover their costs through the issuer. We automatically extend the period of insurance on our policies for up to 7 days for customers that are stranded abroad. Customers who are unable to use their existing policies will also be able to change the travel dates on their policy to reflect their new travel arrangements, if they have had to rebook due to travel disruption caused by volcanic ash, at no additional cost as long as they have not submitted a claim.
18 June 2010
Related links:
Advice for customers affected by the Goldtrail Travel Ltd collapse
Advice for customers affected by the British Airways strikes
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