If your travel is disrupted by a natural disaster

Updated 23 May 2011 - Iceland Volcano Grimsvotn

For policies bought and trips arranged before 23 May 2011:

If you have been unable to travel
If you had a trip abroad booked that you were (or have become) unable to take because of the closure of airspace, we will pay claims for those elements of your trip for which you cannot get a refund. This doesn’t apply if your provider has a contractual or legal obligation to give you a refund. We will pay up to a maximum of £5,000 per person and we will not pay the first £50 per person. This is most likely to apply to you if you booked your accommodation separately from your flight and not as part of a package. The general exclusions, general conditions and making a claim sections of your policy still apply. These can be found towards the back of your policy booklet.

If you experienced a delay in your travel 
If your flight either to or from the UK was delayed due to the decision to close airspace, we will pay the delayed departure benefit. This is £25 per person for each full 12 hours of the delay up to a maximum of £250 per person. The general exclusions, general conditions and making a claim sections of your policy still apply. These can be found towards the back of your policy booklet.

For policies bought on or after the 23 May 2011 and for trips booked after the 23 May 2011

If you do not have travel insurance or have not yet booked a trip
No cover will apply to this Ash Cloud Event if you take out a policy or book a trip on or after 23 May 2011.

If you do need to make a claim, please call us on 0845 640 5194. Because of the fluctuating impact of this situation we may be experiencing particularly high call volumes, so please be patient if this happens. We always do our best to answer all our calls as quickly as possible.

We hope this information along with the questions and answers below gives you a clear view of our approach to dealing with this situation. Below is some additional information that may be of help. But if you have any other questions please call us on 0845 640 5190 and we will be happy to help you.

Updated 16 March 2011

With a number of natural disasters happening recently, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis, we hope the information below makes it clear how your LV= travel insurance cover may help if a natural disaster affects your trip.

Before you do anything, always contact your booking agent, tour operator or transport provider first to find out the latest information for your travel arrangements. If the transport has been cancelled, indefinitely postponed or the airport / station / port is closed, you may be told not to go to your departure point.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) may provide information (visit www.fco.gov.uk/en/). If the FCO advise against travel to a destination your LV= travel policy will not cover you if you then choose to go there. However, you are covered to make a claim for the cancellation of your trip.

No cover will apply if you take out a policy or book a trip after the disaster has been reported in the media. In all cases, if you’re unsure if you can make a claim, please call our claims line on 0845 640 5194.

Delayed Departure Benefit

If you're delayed at your departure point (the point you'll be leaving the UK from or the point you're travelling back into the UK from) we'll pay the delayed departure benefit of £25 for each 12 hours of delay, up to a maximum £250.

This benefit is provided for things like refreshments and phone calls, so it doesn't apply if you’re at home. However, if you're not allowed into the departure point and have left home and can't return home, we will pay this benefit.

This cover will also apply if you go to your departure point but aren't able to check in.

Cancellation/Abandonment

If the FCO advice is not to travel

If you're planning to travel to a destination that the FCO advise against travelling to, you can cancel your holiday and claim for the costs you can't get back from anywhere else, up to £5,000 (including a maximum of £400 for excursions). If you choose to travel, your policy will not cover you for anything.

If you're already on your trip and in a destination that the FCO advise against travelling to, there is no cover for you to cut your trip short. However, if the FCO advice is to leave the area you're staying in, you can claim for the parts of your trip that you haven't used and can't get back from anywhere else, but we won't cover any additional costs you have to pay to get back home.

If you choose to cancel your trip after being delayed for more than 24 hours (abandonment)

If your transport from the UK to your destination does not leave for more than 24 hours after the original scheduled departure time you can choose to abandon your trip. We'll pay you what you have paid for the parts of your trip you can't get back from anywhere else, up to £5,000 (including a maximum of £400 for excursions). If you're flying, your airline should pay you back the flight cost.

If you make a claim we'll need to see evidence that you're not going to get your money back from anywhere else, for example a letter from your booking agent, travel and/or accommodation provider confirming this.

If you choose to continue your trip after being delayed for more than 24 hours

If your departure is delayed or cancelled and not rescheduled to go for more than 24 hours after your original scheduled departure time and you want to travel rather than abandon your trip, we will consider claims for lost costs that you can't recover elsewhere or additional costs you need to pay to continue with your trip (whichever is less). We'll only pay claims on this basis if they are less than we would have had to pay if you had chosen to abandon your trip. Any additional travel or accommodation must not be of a higher standard than your original booking.

Questions and Answers

If you’re still in the UK

Q: We're due to go on holiday but the flight has been cancelled. Can we claim what we've paid for our holiday?
A: If you booked your holiday as a package through a tour operator you should be able to get a refund from them. If you booked elements of your holiday separately, the cancelled flight should be refunded by the airline but you may not be able to get the money back for other parts of your trip, for example the accommodation.

As soon as you know you might have to reschedule or cancel your trip you should contact the provider of each element of your trip to see what alternative arrangements can be made. If the provider won't give you your money back and they're not under a legal obligation to do this, you can make a claim on your policy. We'll need to see evidence that you’re not going to get your money back, like a letter from the provider.

Q: My flight has been rescheduled – can I change my policy to cover the new trip dates?
A: Yes, we can change your policy cover as long as you call us before the trip start date shown on your policy. Please call us on 0845 640 5190 so we can make the change.


If you're already abroad

Q: I'm unable to fly home – what am I covered for?
A: You can claim the delayed departure benefit of £25 for each 12 hour delay, up to £250. Other accommodation and subsistence costs may be met by your tour operator or airline.

Q: I can't get home and am staying in a hotel. Can I make a claim for the hotel charges?
A: There’s no cover on your policy for this situation, but you can claim the delayed departure benefit which will help towards some of these costs. If you've not been able to get home because your flight is cancelled you may be able to claim compensation from the airline.

Q: My policy cover end date has past – am I still covered?
A: Your policy will be automatically extended provided you return home as soon as possible. If you're travelling under a visa you should also make sure this remains valid and if necessary get it extended.

Q: Can I make my own way home and claim the cost of the extra transport?
A: We won't pay additional costs for you to make your own way home. If you choose to do this rather than wait for your transport provider or tour operator to arrange for you to get home, you are responsible for the extra costs you have to pay.

Q: I’m going to run out of my medication, what should I do?
A: As soon as you realise this is likely to happen you should see if the medication you require is available at a local pharmacy or local hospital or doctor. If you need help to find a hospital or doctor, check with the British Embassy (contact details can be found on the FCO website www. fco.gov.uk) or call the travel insurance assistance line on +44 1243 621537.

Your NHS prescription won't be recognised abroad. You'll need to provide the name and dosage of the medication you're taking. If the cost to buy additional essential medication for the period you're delayed returning home is more than £50, we'll pay the cost you have to pay over the £50.

Q: I'm going to run out of money because of the delay – what should I do?
A: Ask a relative or friend if they can transfer money to you using a commercial money transfer service. The British Embassy can tell you how to do this or you can contact the travel insurance assistance line on +44 1243 621 537 for help. If you have a credit or debit card, cash can be withdrawn from cash machines abroad. Any charges you have to pay to get additional cash can’t be claimed back.

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