CANCELLATION COVER: DO YOU MAKE THE CUT?

TRAVEL INSURANCE; YOU KNOW YOU NEED IT, BUT ARE YOU ENTIRELY SURE HOW IT WORKS?

IF AN EVENT IS KNOWN BEFORE YOU GO, HERE'S SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Firstly, it's important to know that you’re only covered for cancellation due to unforeseen events, not situations you were aware of before you booked your trip.

For instance, as you are keenly awaiting your trip to Fiji, you discover that a hurricane has hit, playing havoc with your travel plans. At this point it may occur to you to buy travel insurance as you now need to cancel your trip and are set to lose out on a whole lot of cash.

However, while you may still buy travel insurance, you would not be able to claim on any cancellation benefits for your trip as you were already aware of the hurricane when you bought your policy.

On the other hand, had you already purchased a policy with cancellation benefits prior to hearing the news of the hurricane, you would most certainly be eligible to claim on cancellation.

CANCELLATION COVER: WHERE IT APPLIES

Don’t lose out if you have to cancel your trip. We offer cover for cancellation costs if you can no longer travel or have to return home early due to the following unforeseen events:

Accidents en-route: You can't predict when a road or rail accident is going to delay you. Luckily, we cover you if you've missed your flight or pre-booked transportation due to an en-route motor vehicle, railway or marine accident.

Flight cancellations: Rain, rain go away, come back another day! Unfortunately, rain can turn your travel skies grey and lead to flight cancellations. But hey don't worry, if your flights are cancelled due to severe weather TINZ will pay to get you on another plane to your intended destination.

Missed accommodation: If you were delayed (for a covered reason) and unable to reach your pre-booked accommodation we will cover you for any lost deposits or pre-payments. Phew!

Extreme events: Natural disasters, terror attacks, hijacking, riots and incidents of civil unrest can be scary and emotional events to be involved in. We cover you for any additional accommodation and travel expenses you incur due to these events. The event must have begun after the insurance policy was issued.

Severe illness or injury: Needing medical treatment on your well-deserved break in a foreign land is hardly ideal. With TINZ, we provide 24/7 emergency assistance no matter where you are in the world. And we pay for your travel expenses to return home or be repatriated if a medical practitioner notifies us that you are unfit to continue with your trip.

Family emergency: Getting home is your number one concern if a close relative falls ill, is severely injured or dies.  If you are forced to return home or cancel your trip, we cover you for any additional travel expenses and prepaid deposits that you incur. Please keep in mind that you would not be covered if the family member in question was over the age of 85 or suffered from a pre-existing medical condition.

Disruption of journey: Delays are a common frustration when travelling. If your flight or transport is delayed for more than six hours you would be entitled to claim on any additional accommodation and food that you may need after this time. You may claim up to $200 at the end of the initial six-hour period and $200 for each full 24-hour period that the disruption continues.

Alternative transport expenses: Got a place to be? If your pre-arranged transport is cancelled or delayed and you need to reach a booked event such as a sport match or funeral any alternative form of transport you require to get there will be reimbursed.

Take note

It’s important to keep in mind that travel insurance would only reimburse you for the portion of your trip that is non-refundable. Additionally, TINZ holds the right to request some form of proof for your delay or cancellation (i.e. medical certificates, police report or airline certification). Please see the Policy Document for full cancellation terms and conditions.

WHEN WOULDN'T I BE COVERED?

Then there’s the nitty-gritty of cancellation cover- the exclusions that may be overlooked but are important to understand. The following events would not be covered by us:

Airline delays and cancellations: One of the most common misunderstandings is that cancelled flights- no matter the cause, are covered by your travel insurance policy. In fact, if your airline cancels your flight it is their responsibility to compensate, reimburse, or find an alternative flight for you. For example, if your flight is cancelled due to a mechanical fault, you would not be covered by your TINZ policy.

Running late: Did the alarm not go off? We're all guilty of a sleep-in but TINZ cannot cover you if you miss your pre-booked transportation because you were running late. This includes missed connected flights during transit; once again this would be a case to take up with your airline.

Missed accommodation because of cancelled flights: Did your airline delay you for a day or two? If your flight is cancelled due to mechanical issues, delays or overbooking on behalf of your airline, as above, it would be your airline’s responsibility to compensate you for lost, pre-booked accommodation costs.

Change of mind: We don’t cover you to cancel your trip for any old reason. If you’ve decided that you just don’t fancy going anymore, that’s on you. TINZ does not cover you simply because you've decided not to travel. But if you’re looking to change your dates or travel destinations, you can contact us about changing the details of your policy.

Annual leave: If your employer cancelled your leave forcing you to cancel your trip TINZ would not cover your costs it would be your employer’s responsibility to cover your costs.

Visa refusals: Have you been denied entry? If your destination visa is rejected and you've already paid for your flights and accommodation you wouldn’t be covered. It’s up to you to verify that your visa requirements have been met before you book your holiday. In some cases, your airline might refund you your ticket, as they're not allowed to fly passengers to a country without a visa.

Cancelled tour: If your booked tour is cancelled due to low group numbers it would be up to the tour company to reimburse you.

Epidemics and pandemics: All of our policies contain exclusions in relation to an actual or likely epidemic or pandemic or the threat of an epidemic or pandemic. 

Known events: Firstly, let's get you up to scratch with the term ‘known event’. A known event can take many forms, from a once-off natural disaster to an ongoing epidemic. Examples of some known events include the eruption of the Mt Agung and Whakaari/White Island volcanoes, and more recently, the global spread of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19.  Travel insurance is designed to cover you for ‘unforeseen’ events, which you were not aware of at the time of purchasing your policy.

CUT TO IT: CANCELLATION COVER CONCLUDED

Whether you’re a veteran vacationer or a first-time flyer, it’s worth taking the time to really get to grips with cancellation cover and how it works. Whilst you can’t always plan for the unexpected, a good understanding of your travel policy can help to smooth over any holiday hurdles. Please see our Policy Document for full terms and conditions on cancellation cover.