Bali’s Mount Agung erupts again: Will your insurance cover you?
However, no flights have been disrupted... yet.
Mount Agung in Bali is at it again, erupting in the wee hours of Sunday morning. The eruption sent a plume of smoke over 2km into the air, prompting concerns that this nuisance volcano would once again disrupt people's travel plans.
While no flights have been impacted, Mount Agung is at Level III (Standby) status and a restriction zone remains in place for a 4km radius around the Mount Agung Crater.
April 21, 2019 ~ Mount Agung Explodes Again ~ Bali, Indonesia #agung #eruption #volcano #indonesia #bali #mountagung pic.twitter.com/2ps4yXscZP
— Volcano Time-Lapse (@DavidHe11952876) April 21, 2019
The fact that no flights have been impacted by the ash cloud from Mount Agung is good news for school holiday travellers. However, those planning on travelling to Bali will want to monitor the situation closely.
This is not the first time that Mount Agung has blown its top, and it has erupted multiple times since the 2017 Bali ash cloud wreaked havoc on both flights in and out of the Indonesian island. Because of this many, if not most, travel insurers have placed an embargo on claims caused by Mount Agung since it's classed as a "known event".
While this means that your standard travel insurance policy won't cover you for disruption or cancellation costs caused by Mount Agung, it doesn't mean your entire policy is void. You're still covered for all your other benefits.
As far as non-standard policies go, you may be able to find cover with Cover-More's Cancel-For-Any-Reason (CFAR) policy, which it launched in April of last year.
Please note that Cover-More has announced a suspension of any new Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policies as of 5pm AEST on Friday 13 March 2020 in Australia and New Zealand, in the face of the global coronavirus crisis. If you've already purchased CFAR before this date, you'll still be covered as per the usual terms and conditions.Not long after bringing this product to market, Cover-More general manager for sales and marketing Mike Stein highlighted that this product could be perfect for Aussie travellers wanting protection against future disruptions.
"Thousands of Australian travellers who've booked holidays to Bali are worried and stressed Mt Agung may ruin their travel plans, but our new comprehensive policies mean they can plan their Bali holiday and, if the volcano remains active, cancel and rebook new travel or get a refund so they can travel at another time," Stein said.
However, there is a catch. These policies are only available through Flight Centre, helloworld, Magellan, Travellers Choice, independent travel consultancies and brokers.
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Picture: Getty Images
