Yes, there’s cover if a natural disaster such as an earthquake, cyclone, flood, volcano, tsunami, or asteroid hitting earth that affects your travel plans and/or injures you.
However, it goes without saying that you need to have your policy before these forces of mass destruction become a known event. So if you’ve done that, we’ll do everything we can to help you.
Yes. If you’re unlucky enough to be injured by a natural disaster, our emergency assistance team can help you get to the nearest medical centre, so you can receive the medical attention you need. If you’re so badly hurt that the emergency assistance team decides you need to go home, they can organise to transport you home. However, once you’re home, we’re not able to cover ongoing medical costs. You can find out further information here on how we help travellers with overseas medical treatment.
No. The Bupa Global Travel cancellation benefits are cancellation due to your own illness, or that of your close relative or travelling companion.
Unfortunately there is no cover with a Bupa Global Travel policy.
If there’s a natural disaster where you’re staying and the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs or British Foreign and Commonwealth Office recommends evacuation, we can evacuate you to the nearest safe country or back home. The insurer, Bupa Global Travel, will make this call at the time.
As the policy is outside of its premium refund period and you’ve travelled on it, there are no refunds. You are, however, welcome to make a claim for any additional expenses you might have incurred.
Funnily, we get asked this a lot; so here’s something we prepared earlier, a step by step guide on how to claim
It’s important that you contact your emergency assistance team as soon as you can so that they can help you out. Their details can be found in the following page as well as on your certificate of insurance.
Following a disaster there may be rapidly moving water that can carry infections. Disasters resulting in massive structural damage can also result in exposure to chemical or biologic contaminants (i.e. asbestos).
In the case of earthquakes, do not return to your hotel / accommodations, or any building, if they are in any way damaged as aftershocks could cause a collapse.
Move to the nearest open area (oval, park) away from damaged buildings, trees or roads where power lines may have fallen.
If you are in an area prone to landslides and mudslides (i.e. very steep slopes, canyons, high rainfall zones) be aware of any sudden increase or decrease in water level on a stream or creek that might indicate debris flow upstream. A trickle of flowing mud may precede a larger flow. Look for tilted trees, telephone poles, fences, or walls, and for new holes or bare spots on hillsides. Listen for rumbling sounds that might indicate an approaching landslide or mudflow
Disease can spread very quickly post disaster, so ensure you protect against injuries and infections by wearing sturdy footwear. Tetanus is a potential health threat for cuts and grazes so make sure you see your doctor before you travel and update your preventative medicaltions.
Frequent hand washing helps keep germs at bay. (If a traveller becomes unwell within six weeks of returning home and has fever, rash, respiratory illness or any other unusual symptoms, advise a physician of having just returned from a disaster-affected region.)
Drink only sealed bottled, boiled or disinfected water. For more information refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website (http://www.cdc.gov/).
In the event of diarrhoea, replace lost fluids with clean drinking water or oral rehydration solutions.
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