Hi I'd just like to throw this open to the board and I'd like your thoughts on it. I hope you understand me as I'm having a job trying to explain in to my husband.
Firstly I'm in Melbourne Australia but I'm thinking the principles of insurance are much the same, world over.
Last November I bought and paid for two e-tickets from Melbourne to Raratonga in the Cook Islands via Auckland (the only way for us to get to Rarotonga) with Air New Zealand. I bought travel insurance for the length of our 16 day holiday with $100 access.
I rang Air NZ recently for seat allocation and was informed that they have rescheduled our flights to and from Melbourne and Auckland... our flights no longer existed. We were left with no option but to go the day before arriving Auckland at 11:59pm and a 16 hour layover in order to connect with our original flight to Raro. Our return flight was also affected and now we arrive home a day later. Air NZ eventually offered us hotel accommodation for both ways but no food.
Yesterday, I realised that our travel insurance was for only 16 days so I rang the insurance company and told them that our holiday is now 18 days due to re scheduling. I was told that our policy had to be cancelled and I had to go to the next level of a 24 day policy at extra charge. I also decided to remove the $100 access (@ $22 per person) This was a price difference of $69 for two days extra insurance.
My question is... Given that I had $100 access on previous insurance and could claim for reasonable food expenses. Because I now have a new policy with no access do you think I am still able to claim for reasonable food expenses while stuck in New Zealand? My husband seems to think that I should have been able to claim on the original policy for everything.... except of course the first $100.
I do hope you understand it because I am completely lost.
Cheers Gerib
under your new policy you will not have a delay as you are aware of flight times etc. this will be viewed as part of your holiday.
under your old policy you would have presumably have been able to claim for delay/cancellation.
i would go back to your insurance company/broker and explain all facts and try and reach some compromise.
removing the excess would not make any difference to your claims for food/delays unless there is a specific excess on this section of your policy-which is not usual.
under your old policy you would have presumably have been able to claim for delay/cancellation.
i would go back to your insurance company/broker and explain all facts and try and reach some compromise.
removing the excess would not make any difference to your claims for food/delays unless there is a specific excess on this section of your policy-which is not usual.
Hi
How about contacting Air NZ and explaining that due to them rescheduling your flights you have now had to extend your holiday by two days at extra cost to yourselves i.e. Insurance Cover , and although they have very kindly agreed to supply hotel accomodation for the two extra days you would also very much appreciate it if they could run to supplying some food. They have obviously accepted it is their responsibility by offering you the two days accomodation free of charge.
Regards Jackie
How about contacting Air NZ and explaining that due to them rescheduling your flights you have now had to extend your holiday by two days at extra cost to yourselves i.e. Insurance Cover , and although they have very kindly agreed to supply hotel accomodation for the two extra days you would also very much appreciate it if they could run to supplying some food. They have obviously accepted it is their responsibility by offering you the two days accomodation free of charge.
Regards Jackie
I am a little puzzled as to why you only purchased for the period of your holiday. In my experience cover is normally bought for a period longer than the actual holiday. This then takes account of unexpected changes. Flight delays/changes, strikes etc.
As you have now changed you insurance I doubt you can claim for meals. It is something you know about when you take out the insurance and therefore would not be covered.
I agree with the comments re Air NZ - that is your bets option.
fwh
As you have now changed you insurance I doubt you can claim for meals. It is something you know about when you take out the insurance and therefore would not be covered.
I agree with the comments re Air NZ - that is your bets option.
fwh
Hi
I really appreciate everyones output on this and I will take notice of everything you all have to say.
fwh... I have travel insurance with <1cover.com.au> which I did over the internet. I have used them before and have never had to claim (nor have I ever claimed off any other travel insurance) I just punched in my travel dates and up came 16 days and I accepted their quote.
I did this because we are reasonably well travelled and we holiday overseas from Australia twice a year... usually flying with Thai (love Thai) Malaysian, Qantas, BA and more recently Virgin Blue to the Pacific Islands of Vanuatu and Fiji. Never have we have never experienced such a re scheduling that forced us to add two days to our travel times ... so it's never been a concern.
I guess 1cover insured us for the initial 16 days... anything over that was different.
Cheers Geri
I really appreciate everyones output on this and I will take notice of everything you all have to say.
fwh... I have travel insurance with <1cover.com.au> which I did over the internet. I have used them before and have never had to claim (nor have I ever claimed off any other travel insurance) I just punched in my travel dates and up came 16 days and I accepted their quote.
I did this because we are reasonably well travelled and we holiday overseas from Australia twice a year... usually flying with Thai (love Thai) Malaysian, Qantas, BA and more recently Virgin Blue to the Pacific Islands of Vanuatu and Fiji. Never have we have never experienced such a re scheduling that forced us to add two days to our travel times ... so it's never been a concern.
I guess 1cover insured us for the initial 16 days... anything over that was different.
Cheers Geri
There's normally no need to purchase cover beyond the end of your holiday. If you are delayed (and certainly if you are delayed for a reason that gives rise to a claim) cover is normally extended until you get back.
To be honest, I think the insurance company are being very* reasonable and Air New Zealand borderline reasonable. Still worth asking them if they will make an ex-gratia payment.
Don't know if it the case in Australia but here in the UK two holidays a year usually makes it well worth while to buy an annual policy - then no worry about dates at all.
*Assuming they have not charged you for a complete new policy but just the difference between the two.
To be honest, I think the insurance company are being very* reasonable and Air New Zealand borderline reasonable. Still worth asking them if they will make an ex-gratia payment.
Don't know if it the case in Australia but here in the UK two holidays a year usually makes it well worth while to buy an annual policy - then no worry about dates at all.
*Assuming they have not charged you for a complete new policy but just the difference between the two.
Hi I've just rung 1 cover and they said "that because I'm still in Australia and I know about the flight changes, this is not seen as an unforeseen delay" So I needed to extend the insurance policy to a 24 day one. Just as well I did or else we would have been under insured (heaven forbid) then it would have been a cat fight and us without a leg to stand on.
I did check out the year policy as we are travelling to Thailand in October but their price was more expensive than taking two separate policies out.
Thanks again for all you advice it was much appreciated.
Cheers Gerib
I did check out the year policy as we are travelling to Thailand in October but their price was more expensive than taking two separate policies out.
Thanks again for all you advice it was much appreciated.
Cheers Gerib
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