Volcanic ash - insurance - booking diy

[Katies Dad]

2Tiggies, this is the first time we have never taken out insurance when booking. I have learnt my lesson

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

You probably know but they do 3 options.
http://money.marksandspencer.com/premium-club/overview/
This is £10/month give free insurance & 48 x £2.50 drinks vouchers/year, triple M&S points & other gifts. Although cover is OK I prefer benefits of their annual policy.

Annual, 2 policies. Cheaper one only covers upto 17 day trips(benefits not as good either), no use for us. I am going for the dearer one that covers upto 45 days. http://money.marksandspencer.com/insurance/travel-insurance/premier-cover/

Also £8 cashback thru Quidco.

Thanks for the summary Wayne

 

[a jay]

I could do with some advice on this too. We have booked a flydive package with VH for July 2011 the villa has been booked with holidays direct. We are wondering if we should cancel the villa and book a package through VH? At the time of booking i also did'nt have travel insurance Interested to know what anyone else would do. We have got time to play with as we don't go until next summer. Is it worth me looking into travel insurance NOW (i know that finding an insurance policy who will cover the volcanic ash will be like finding gold dust) or is it a case of "too late closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted" This might seem a really, really silly question but does it make any difference because we've booked through VH and not VA

 

[pinkhart]

I could do with some advice on this too. We have booked a flydive package with VH for July 2011 the villa has been booked with holidays direct. We are wondering if we should cancel the villa and book a package through VH? At the time of booking i also did'nt have travel insurance Interested to know what anyone else would do. We have got time to play with as we don't go until next summer. Is it worth me looking into travel insurance NOW (i know that finding an insurance policy who will cover the volcanic ash will be like finding gold dust) or is it a case of "too late closing the stable door now that the horse has bolted" This might seem a really, really silly question but does it make any difference because we've booked through VH and not VA

You are in the same position as us. We have the flydrive booked through VH so if we got stuck in Florida due to an ash cloud we would be looked after (after a fashion!). We decided yesterday to go ahead and book our accommodation through Complete Orlando (OKW with free dining!) and hope that we can get insurance. As you say we have plenty of time and if it turns out that we can't get insurance we may change our plans. I don't think many places offer insurance more than a year out so we will wait until the autumn.
I did email our insurer from last time (Columbus Direct) and this was their response (English obviously not first language):

Upon your query, we can confirm that if any policies booked as the volcanic eruptions are being known, you will not be covered under the following:


* You booked a holiday and you are only due to leave in the next couple of weeks/months and unforeseen the volcano has erupted and it was continuous from the existing eruption, you will not be covered under the insurance.

* However, if and when you are due to leave and it is a new eruption that has happened, you may be viable to claim under the insurance for Travel delay and Trip Abandonment Section 9 under the insurance.


I hope this is of assistance.