The effects of the volcanic eruption in Iceland have caused inexplicable expense, stress and heartache for thousands of British travellers and holidaymakers worldwide. This has been exasperated by the fact that the majority of insurance companies refused to pay out over the disruption. Aviva, a leading insurance company has decided to incorporate a new insurance policy into their travel insurance package. Holidaymakers will now have the option to ‘add on’ additional cover to protect them against cancellation caused by the volcanic ash as well as terrorism. Cover will cost between £5-£10 per person depending on the trip and will provide up to £5000 of cover. Policy holders will have to attempt to recover the lost monies from their holiday provider before making a claim, however the new insurance is likely to at least give travellers a little sigh of relief.
The ‘add on’ cover will be available from 1st June for new customers. Existing policyholders looking to renew will be able to buy the additional cover from that date.
Travel Manager at Aviva, Jerry Finch spoke about the policy saying, “We appreciate the need to provide protection for additional risks that have not been previously covered by insurance. So we have broadened our cover beyond the impact of volcanic ash on flights to include any reason for airspace, port or airport closure. This would include examples such as terrorism, prevention of terrorism or even a pandemic situation, such as bird flu.”
He added “This should help customers feel more confident of their position as they look either to go on holiday soon or plan to book one later in the year. We are providing our customers with the freedom to choose the cover they feel would be right for them.”
