| Steve Williams, head of travel insurance at | | | | insurance to cover me for things like this, so how |
| Confused.com, offers up his thoughts on the | | | | can insurers say I'm not covered? Well, part of |
| volcanic ash chaos: Over the last week I can | | | | me thinks the same thing. But, insurance providers |
| definitely say I've seen my fair share of news | | | | are describing this incident as an "Act of God". |
| and commentary about the volcanic ash spewing | | | | This technically means an event outside of human |
| out from Iceland. Now, as flights have begun to | | | | control and hence gives them a legal basis to |
| take off again, I'm reflecting on the issues this | | | | decline claims as a volcano, it can be argued, fits |
| unprecedented event has thrown up, and how the | | | | this definition. If you ask me, it's a pretty poor |
| situation has been handled. | | | | argument which may cause people to lose faith in |
| Since the volcano erupted, airlines have been | | | | insurers and make them question the point of |
| claiming they are losing millions of pounds every | | | | having a travel insurance policy at all. |
| day, and, whilst I sympathise with them, they | | | | The Aftermath Of The Volcanic Ash Chaos: So |
| have a legal obligation to their booked passengers, | | | | what now? Insurers will likely spend months |
| and should have a contingency plan in place for | | | | wading through claims against the chaos and this |
| instances like this. | | | | may have a negative knock-on-effect to the |
| At the same time, the travel insurance industry | | | | detriment of consumers. What I mean by this is |
| could also have taken a uniform approach to | | | | that, potentially, a large wave of claims will be paid |
| dealing with the travel chaos, but at present, this | | | | by insurers. But, should this happen, my prediction |
| is not the case. It's at times like this that people | | | | is that the cost of travel insurance will rise to |
| expect their travel insurance policies to provide | | | | cover the losses they will suffer. |
| for them, but it seems some people will be | | | | This is bad news for customers, but perhaps |
| disappointed. Travel insurers are adopting | | | | some good could still come out of it. With all the |
| differering approaches to what they will cover in | | | | negative headlines about insurers using the "Act of |
| relation to volcanic ash claims. | | | | God" clause to avoid paying claims, maybe they |
| If you want to know what our travel insurance | | | | will see this as an opportunity to offer policies |
| providers are saying about what is covered and | | | | that cover for every eventuality. But if this is |
| what isn't, you can see all responses we received | | | | something we, as consumers, want, we should |
| from our partners on our Editor's Blog. In the | | | | also be prepared to pay more for it. |
| meantime, you might be thinking; ‘I buy travel | | | | |