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You’re at the airport, ready to go and just found out your flight is not leaving on time. What you do next can make the difference between a successful claim for compensation or a refund, and a long night on an uncomfortable airline bench.
To avoid you added pain we have put together some information that will help if you’re stuck at an airport, what you’re covered for, and what you’re not covered for and some added tips.
If you think it could be more than just a short period of time, it’s worth finding out some information which can help if you need to make a claim, or claim compensation or a refund against the airline:
Traveller tip 1: if you are going to miss your flight because you’re just running late, that’s not an Insured Event. Under World Nomads policies, if an event is not specifically listed as an Insured Event, there is no cover for that event. Always make sure you read your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for a full description of the coverage, terms, conditions and exclusions that apply.
Ask the service desk to give you evidence of why it was delayed. Travel insurance covers certain events, so you’ll need to show it was one of these for any claim to be successful. If for example it’s because of bad weather, then ask them to put that in writing for you. Some of our travellers report service desks have given them proof on letterhead paper at the airport on the spot – and if they can't get their customer service and complaints contact details and initiate contact on the spot
If you have been out of pocket or incurred expenses because of the delay then your first port of call must be to seek compensation, help to rearrange or reschedule your plans or a refund from the airline or travel providers who have not been able to provide their services to you. And yes – if you decide to claim against your travel insurance policy for any costs you've incurred, then you’ll need evidence you tried to get a refund first. If you don’t have evidence, we’ll probably ask you for it which may delay any claim you make. We suggest you approach your airline or travel provider first.
Note: In Australia you have rights under consumer protection legislation called the consumer guarantee in certain circumstances if your flight is delayed or cancelled. These are enshrined in the Montreal Convention which applies to residents from many countries. You must accept any reasonable alternative options offered by the provider.
If you’re still out of pocket after contacting your airline or travel provider for compensation, you can make a claim under your travel insurance. We will consider all the information available to use and may a decision on your claim. As part of that process, the more documentation you have to show you have incurred expenses because of a covered event, the more easily and quickly we will be able to determine your claim.
This information may help if things go wrong, and you want to make a claim. All travel insurance plans are different, and cover will vary, depending on what’s happened, your Country of Residence, the plan you choose and any options or upgrades you buy. Your PDS will always have the full details of what you’re covered for.
If you have any further questions about what’s covered and not covered, just ask us.
Note: If your flight has been delayed or cancelled, or you’ve missed your connection, your airline or transport provider should always be your first phone call. You must make every reasonable effort to contact your travel providers as soon as possible to seek compensation or offers to rearrange or reschedule your plans. When applicable you should exercise your rights under consumer protection legislation before deciding to incur additional expenses, change your travel plans or make a claim with us.
You may be covered for reasonable and necessary additional expenses, such as transport and accommodation costs, if:
By ‘reasonable’ we mean the standard of transport or accommodation you were booked to use. If you had an economy class ticket on a flight you’ve missed, you can’t upgrade yourself to business without being able to prove that it was reasonable to do so in the circumstances.
Check your plan’s policy for the benefit limits trip interruption expenses - benefit limits vary between the Standard or Explorer plan
In many cases, if you miss a connection or your flight has been cancelled, your airline may automatically rebook you. Before you travel, download your airline’s app, and refresh that as soon as you realize you’ve got flight issues. The one thing you do not want to rush to do is buy a new flight.
Check out our cancellation travel insurance What’s covered article to find out what you may be covered for in case you need to cancel your trip.
Traveller tip 2: In many cases flight delays or cancellations have been caused due to strike action. If you would like to know what you may be covered for in case a strike leaves you stuck at the airport read our Help Centre article – Does travel insurance cover strikes?
If you end up stuck at in an airport due to a cancelled or delayed flight and you intend to make a claim for unexpected and unavoidable expenses. Some documents you may need to submit include:
See our article on how to make a claim for more information.
Travel insurance is not designed to cover everything, so take the time to read the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions in the PDS, particularly in the sections of cover that describe cover for 'cancellation' and 'trip interruption' so there are no surprises if you do need to use it.
Remember, if your airline offers you an alternative flight/transport, you are expected to take it, otherwise your cover may also be limited. You will need receipts for any expenses you plan to claim for.
Here and the main things that aren’t covered:
If you think your travel plans might be affected, you should:
This is only a summary of cover and does not include the full terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions of the policy. You should read your PDS in full, so you understand what is and isn’t covered. If you are unsure about your level of travel cover, please contact us.
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Phone: +61 2 8263 0470 or Phone: +61 2 8292 1470 (reverse charges via an operator from anywhere in the world)
Contact the teamBefore your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.