In Reply to: Travel Insurance posted by ellyrose on Sunday, 30. April 2006 at 03:40 Bali Time:
Last November I bought and paid for two e-tickets from Melbourne to Raratonga in the Cook Islands via Auckland 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. As we had already booked our accommodation direct with the hotel, 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 in Auckland for both ways however, no food is included.
On realising that our travel insurance was for only 16 days I rang 1 Cover and told them that our holiday is now 18 days due to airline re scheduling. I was told that our first 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 in case of other delays. (I've since found out that Air NZ are good at rescheduling)
My husband seems to think that we should have been able to claim on the original policy for everything.... except of course the first $100.
I posted this on another travel forum that I belong to and these are two of the answers.
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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.
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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 accommodation 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 accommodation free of charge.
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Any insurance experts on the BTF. I'd be glad of your input.
Cheers Geri