Travel delay
Why does travel insurance matter?
Compensation for additional costs incurred while waiting for a delayed departure.
Once you get to your departure point (e.g. airport, port, station etc) a common problem, particularly in the busy summer season, is travel delay. Perhaps the departure time of your flight is put back several hours because the airport is very busy. Or in winter, sometimes flights and ferries are delayed because of bad weather.
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Did you know?
850 – Number of flights affected at Heathrow airport during one spell of bad weather in February 2009. (8)
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What does travel insurance cover?
Most travel insurance policies provide you with a small benefit in such circumstances, to go towards any additional costs you might have while waiting for your departure. There is usually a minimum qualifying period of delay before the benefit is payable, and this will vary depending on the individual policy. Valid reasons for delay are usually specified by the travel insurance policy, and cannot cover every possible reason.
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Did you know?
6 or 12 hours – Length of delay before policies typically cover delays.
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The most common reasons for unforeseen delays that policies do typically cover include:
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• Strikes
• Industrial action
• Adverse weather conditions
• Mechanical breakdown of aircraft
• Mechanical breakdown of sea vessel
• Mechanical breakdown of coach
• Mechanical breakdown of train
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Did you know?
60 hours – Delays experienced by passengers affected by the weather. (9)
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If you need to make a claim, you must get the carrier to confirm the reason and length of delay in writing.
More information about some of these reasons has been outlined below.
1 Strikes and industrial action
Winter sport insurance policies do not cover for delays caused by strikes or industrial action if the dates were known when you booked your trip.
2 Rescheduled flights
Winter sports insurance policies do not cover delays where the airline has cancelled a flight and rescheduled your trip.
(8) Travellers 60-hour wait at Heathrow. Evening Standard, 2009.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23632972-travellers-60-hour-wait-at-heathrow.do
[Accessed: 22/11/10]
(9) Travellers 60-hour wait at Heathrow. Evening Standard, 2009.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23632972-travellers-60-hour-wait-at-heathrow.do
[Accessed: 22/11/10]
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