Warning for would-be Bali travellers of possible Mount Agung eruption
With the possibility of a Bali ash cloud on the horizon, what happens with your travel insurance?
Trouble's brewing in Indonesia as the long dormant Mount Agung volcano looks like it may erupt.
If Mount Agung were to erupt, it could lead to another volcanic ash cloud over Bali, similar to the Mount Rinjani ash cloud that disrupted travel to the region last year.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) raised the alert level status of Mount Agung from Waspada (level 2) to Siaga (level 3) on Monday 18 September 2017 Central Indonesian Time (WITA) .
In a statement for the BNPB, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that areas within up to 7.5 kilometres "must be empty of community activities." Those living in the area have been told to "prepare a bag containing clothes, food, valuables that will be used to evacuate if at any time Mount Agung erupted."
Mount Agung last erupted on 12 March 1963 and was responsible for the death of roughly 1,100 people.
No flights have been cancelled as yet and there have been no updates on the Australian government's Smartraveller website, but you should continue to monitor the situation if you're planning on heading to Bali.
But, will you be covered if your trip is affected by an eruption from Mount Agung? Below is a table of conditions relating to Mount Agung from Australian travel insurance brands.
“Sadly it became untenable for us to continue offering cover due to the circumstances,” Sylvester said.Travel Safety Expert Phil Sylvester said Travel Insurance Direct experienced a 200% increase in calls from customers regarding the eruption of Mt Agung.
What do these dates mean?
If you took out cover before Mount Agung was classed as a known event by the brands listed in the table, depending on your policy, you may have provision to claim for interruptions and delays caused in the event of a natural disaster such as a volcanic ash cloud.
If you enter into a policy after the date specified in the tables above, the travel insurance brand won't pay claims related to Mount Agung. However, this doesn't mean you won't be able to claim for situations not relating to Mount Agung.
If you have any questions about your cover, you should read through your product disclosure statement or contact the issuer of your policy.
Mount Agung Update
22 November 2017 update: The Mount Agung volcano has begun erupting, and cover restrictions regarding the elevated threat posed by the eruption are starting to trickle in. This table will be updated once advice on cover is posted to a travel insurance brand's website. All times in the table are in AEST. Please check with individual brands to see if they are offering cover before buying a policy.
Information last verified at 4pm 27 November 2017.
| Brand | Covered for Mount Agung | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| AIG | Policies issued before 22 September 2017. | Policies issued after 22 September 2017. |
| Columbus Direct | Policies issued from 21 June to 21 September 2017. | Policies issued after 21 September 2017. |
| 1Cover | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| DU insure | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| Easy Travel Insurance | Policies issued before 2pm Thursday 21 September 2017. | Policies purchased after 2pm Thursday 21 September 2017. |
| Fast Cover | Policies issued before 4pm 20 September 2017. | Policies issued after 4pm 20 September 2017. |
| Go Insurance | Single-trip policies and trips booked under Annual Multi Trip before 12pm on 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12:01 pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| Insure4Less | Policies issued before 2pm Monday 18 September 2017. | Policies issued after 2pm Monday 18 September 2017. |
| iTrek | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| NoWorries | Policies issued before 16 September 2017. | Policies issued after 16 September 2017. |
| Online Travel Insurance | Policies issued before 7am Tuesday 19 September 2017. | Policies issued after 7am Tuesday 19 September 2017. |
| Simply Travel Insurance | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| Ski-insurance.com.au | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| Southern Cross | Policies issued before 10am Friday 22 September 2017. | Policies issued after 10am Friday 22 September 2017. |
| Travel Insurance Saver | Policies issued before 2pm Thursday 21 September 2017. | Policies issued after 2pm Thursday 21 September 2017. |
| Travel Insurance Direct | Policies issued before 8.05 pm Tuesday 21 November 2017. | Policies issued after 8.05 pm Tuesday 21 November 2017. |
| Travel Insuranz | Policies issued before 2pm Monday 18 September 2017. | Policies issued after 2pm Monday 18 September 2017. |
| Woolworths | Policies issued before 4pm Wednesday 20 September 2017. | Policies issued after 4pm Wednesday 20 September 2017. |
| Worldcare | Policies issued before 7am Tuesday 19 September 2017. | Policies issued after 7am Tuesday 19 September 2017. |
| Kango Cover | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| Under 30s Travel Insurance | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
| Zoom Travel Insurance | Policies issued between 9am on 6th November 2017 and midday 22 November 2017. | Policies issued after 12pm on Wednesday 22 November 2017. |
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