Thousands of holidaymakers across the country are concerned for the future of their “week in the sun” whether they have booked with Aer Lingus or not. This is according to the experts at Peopl Insurance who say they have received a spike in calls in recent days from travel insurance policy holders querying their position if and when industrial action is taken. Would-be holidaymakers are also asking the insurance experts if there is anything at all they can or should do at this stage.
Speaking of the influx of calls in recent days Paul Walsh spokesman for Peopl Insurance:
“People are very understandably worried that the holiday they have been looking forward to and saving for might be scuppered. People very much feel in limbo – that they really have no control over the outcome and this is, of course, frustrating people and to be honest, causing a lot of anxiety. Holidays are expensive and most people simply can’t afford to be out of pocket – and they certainly can’t afford to rebook and pay for different flights, accommodation and so on.
Strikes – including air traffic control, pilot, airport baggage handling, airport security, and train and rail strikes – play havoc with people’s travel plans every year.
The general advice we want to get out there to holidaymakers is that they need to check their travel insurance policy ASAP, providing they have one, to see if they are covered, and if they are, to what extent. If a person or family needs to abandon their holiday, or if their holiday is delayed, or they miss a flight, as a result of an unexpected work stoppage or strike, some travel insurance policies will cover such eventualities, but other travel insurers don’t cover strikes and with some policies, the cover is more restricted than others.
If your policy has inadequate strike cover, or none at all, you are unlikely to be able to boost your strike cover by buying an add-on at this stage. Most travel insurance policies have a prior knowledge rule which means you will usually not be covered for any claim which arises as a result of a risk which you already knew existed prior to the date of booking your trip and/or travel insurance.
However all is not entirely lost: if you are departing from the EU, under EU law, you’ll usually be offered the choice of a refund or reroute if an airline cancels your flight[1]. But again this really only applies to your flight and you could struggle to get a refund for other elements of your trip, including accommodation and car hire.”
Peopl Insurance have set out the following guidelines which Paul Walsh says, “ apply to all holidaymakers – not just those impacted by the Aer Lingus issue. Everybody should take precautions where they can and most importantly – be informed”.
Action to take now…
- Check
Call your insurer and ask whether or not your policy includes coverage for strikes. Some policies may exclude strikes or only cover them under specific conditions. Check what provisions there are to cover trip cancellation and interruption due to strikes. Also check what impact delays caused by strikes could have on your cover.
- Be prepared and be specific
Set out any other specific questions you have for your insurance in advance and write them down before you make the call.
- Claims Aware
It can help to have some basic knowledge of how the claims process works in case you do need to make a claim. Filing away the necessary documentation is always a good idea and avoids the unnecessary headaches and stress of having to look for tickets, receipts and other documents in the event of a claim.
If you do need to make a claim, make sure that you contact your insurer as soon as possible.
- Stay Informed
Monitor strike news and keep abreast of any developments. Airlines and insurance providers often update their policies and advisories in response to developing situations. They may contact you via email with guidance so keep an eye out for any correspondence.
Stay in touch with Aer Lingus for updates on the strike and how it might affect your flight. They might offer rebooking options or other assistance.
Action to take at the point of booking your holiday…
Peopl say that aside from any action you might need to take now, it’s also important to keep a few things in mind at the point of booking your holiday.
- Consider Flexibility
When booking flights and accommodation, day tours, car rental etc, choose options that offer flexibility for changes and cancellations.
- Do not wait
Almost one in three travel insurance claims have arisen on foot of holiday cancellations and are made before the policyholder ever sets foot on an airplane or boat.
This is why it is so important that prospective holidaymakers take their cover out at the time of booking their holiday. Holidaymakers who only take out travel insurance a week or two before they travel – or, worse again, by doing so on their way to, or even from, the airport risk limiting the benefit of, or losing, their holiday cancellation cover.
