Mt Kilauea, Hawaii, USA Volcanic Eruption

Issued: 18 May 2018

Mt Kilauea Volcano Hawaii erupted on the Big Island on 3 May 2018.  This ongoing event has been widely publicised and we are closely monitoring the situation.

Volcanic ash is a serious safety concern for aircrafts, and airlines are keeping a close eye on Kilaueau's activity and the quality of airspace. For a full list of affected flights or travel interuptions please refer to your airline or travel service provider.

IF YOU PURCHASED A POLICY BEFORE 6:30PM (NZST) 4TH MAY 2018: COVER IS AVAILABLE

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY TRAVELLING:

• If you have started your journey and your transport is delayed or cancelled or your accommodation is affected due to Mt Kilauea's volcanic activity, there may be provision to claim for reasonable additional travel, accommodation and meal expenses depending upon the policy purchased.

• Limits, conditions and exclusions apply under your policy and for full details you should refer to the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Certificate of Insurance you received when you purchased your travel insurance.

• If you have not yet departed, your policy includes cover for cancellation of your journey, or the unused portions of your journey, as a result of Mt Kilauea volcanic activity.

IF YOU haven't departed yet:

• If your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a result of the Mt Kilauea volcanic activity and you have not yet departed, you may have provision to claim for cancellation or rearrangement of your journey (whichever is the lesser).
   

• We recommend you contact your travel agent or travel provider regarding the best option in altering your trip. Some travel providers may provide penalty free options to amend travel arrangements and we recommend you contact them for further details.

CLAIMS INFORMATION:

• In  the event of a claim covered by your policy, you must take all reasonable steps to reduce the cost of the claim and provide all supporting documentation of the event and expenses incurred. To lodge a claim, complete the Zoom claim form.  For any questions, please contact Zoom Claims Enquiries.

• We will assess all claims in accordance with your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and your Certificate of Insurance. Your cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased and your particular circumstances.

IF YOU PURCHASED A POLICY AFTER 6:30PM (NZST) 4TH MAY 2018: COVER IS NOT AVAILABLE

• Our policies do not cover claims for losses caused by an event that you were aware of at the time of purchasing your policy. If you entered a policy during the times noted above, we would expect you would have done so with an awareness of the heightened volcanic activity. For these policies, we will not, to the extent permitted by law, pay any claim caused by or arising from or in any way connected with the Kilauea Volcano or subsequent volcanic ash clouds.

NEXT STEPS YOU SHOULD TAKE:

Take all reasonable steps to mitigate your out of pocket expenses, particularly when altering your trip arrangements. By reasonable we mean appropriate and consistent—for example if you have been using two star or budget accommodation on your trip to date, then we advise that the replacement accommodation you seek should be of a similar standard.

Kiwis travelling to the USA are encouraged to plan accordingly, follow current government travel advice for Hawaii and register their details with SafeTravel.