Travel-delay, abandonment, and disruption cover are included in your travel insurance, here is an overview of what that means when your flights are disrupted, and what you should do to make a successful claim.
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When Does Travel Delay and Abandonment Apply?
Travel delay
You are covered up to the amount shown in your benefits schedule if the departure of your booked flight is delayed by at least:
8 hours for Elite level of cover, and for each 8 hours thereafter up to your schedule maximum.
12 hours for Standard and Super level of cover, and for each 12 hours thereafter up to your schedule maximum.
Abandonment
If your departure from your home country is delayed for more than 24 hours and you choose to abandon your trip, instead of a payment for delay, you are covered for the cost of the trip, up to the maximum claimable under cancellation or curtailment based on the level of cover stated for Standard, Super, or Elite.
You are not covered for:
- A claim caused by a strike if it had started or been announced before you arranged this insurance or booked your trip.
- Failing to check-in on time.
- Flights are withdrawn as the result of a recommendation or instruction from the Civil Aviation Authority, or a similar authority.
© Kerry McCarthy – in transit during our FIRST delay 0f TWO in the same trip! Find out how we handled making a claim.
Catastrophe and Travel Disruption Cover Explained – Elite level only
Extended cancellation or curtailment
This applies if the Travel Advice Unit of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or the World Health Organisation (WHO) or regulatory authority in a country to/from which you are travelling decides to:
- Prohibit all travel or all but essential travel in relation to your destination
- Recommend evacuation from your destination
This only applies if the advice is given after you purchased this insurance or booked the trip, and in the case of curtailment, after you had left your home country to commence the trip.
Extended travel delay and abandonment
The cover detailed in travel delay and abandonment is extended to include suitable additional travel and accommodation costs (room only to the equivalent standard or lesser standard) incurred in reaching your overseas destination and/or in returning to your home country as a result of:
- The public transport on which you were booked to travel being cancelled, delayed for more than 24 hours, diverted or re-directed after take-off.
- You being denied boarding (because there are too many passengers for the seats available) and no other suitable alternative flight could be provided within 24 hours.
- You elect to abandon your trip and return home following delays that have required you to find alternative accommodation for at least 2 nights.
FAQs
What should I do first if my flight is disrupted?
1: Contact the airline: ask whether the flight is delayed, cancelled or being re-routed; a cancellation usually means you will be offered a refund or alternative flight. Also ask what food, accommodation and transport the airline will provide if you’re waiting.
- Check your travel insurance policy: Travel delay, abandonment, or catastrophe and travel disruption sections will outline the cover available to you depending on whether you have Standard, Super or Elite level of cover. Be aware that exclusions may vary between levels of cover.
3: Notify your insurer early if you’re likely to claim: ask whether you are required to obtain a particular document from the airline, and check the policy’s claim deadline. How to make a claim with us will depend on whether your policy starts with AN24 and SN24, or AN23, SN23 and LS23
4: Check Eligibility for EU flight Compensation: You may be entitled to the statutory EC261 Flight Delay Compensation – which is an automatic payment for delayed and cancelled flights. You could get this as well as compensation through your travel insurance.
What evidence do I need to retain when my flight is disrupted?
- boarding passes and booking confirmation
- cancellation/delay notifications
- emails or messages from the airline
- receipts for food, hotel and transport
- evidence of the reason for the disruption, if available.
You may also be able to claim for missed bookings and excursions
If a delay meant that you missed out on a pre-paid bookings, tours, or experiences this may also be covered in your travel insurance. When you notify any of the booking agents or suppliers ask them to send cancellation/no show confirmation by email as soon as possible. Make sure that booking and reference numbers, names, and dates are included for clarity – this way the claim handlers can match it to the booking easily.
What are the main limitations and exclusions to be aware of when claiming for flight disruption on travel insurance?
Your compensation will depend on the level of cover purchased. For accurate information about the amount that you can claim for see your Worldwide Travel Insurance policy wording, which would have been emailed to you when you bought cover. The level of cover you purchased will be outlined in your Travel Insurance Cover Letter in the same email.
Not every cause of delay is covered. Individual policies may restrict cover to specified causes such as adverse weather, industrial action or mechanical/technical failure. Natural disasters, airspace closures, crew shortages and other events may require specific cover or may be excluded.
There are monetary limits and excesses. Even where a claim is valid, there will be a maximum amount that can be claimed depending on level of cover and circumstances, plus you will have to pay an excess to make a claim..
For details on how to make a claim visit our Travel Insurance Claims page or call us on 01892833338 to discuss the next steps.