Airport Parking and Hotels Reveals How Well Insurers Covered Those Who Were Affected

Now the dust has settled, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has put together a table highlighting which travel insurance companies covered policy holders as a result of claims linked to the recent volcanic ash cloud. Available in the ‘Know Before You Go’ section of the website, www.aph.com/volcanicash, travellers can compare 29 of the most popular UK travel insurance providers, to see if they would have been covered and what they would be entitled to.

Findings from the research show that many of the bigger names such as AA Travel Insurance, Churchill and Virgin only provided policy holders claiming expenses from the ash cloud, with an extension on their policy dates, even though policies were bought prior to the ash cloud erupting. However, other insurance companies, such as Halifax, Saga and Santander, were happy to help customers affected by the ash as a ‘good will gesture’ including payment for accommodation, food and travel arrangements.

If travellers are looking to renew their insurance policy, they should be aware of what the insurance company will cover. The research has found that some policies, such as All Clear, Aviva, Directline and Tesco, only offered £20 for the first full 12 hours after the delay and £10 for each following day. Columbus, on the other hand, refunded any unused accommodation or travel expenses between £1,000 and £7,500. A number of the banks also helped their travel insurance policyholders as well as their bank account customers, by providing overdraft extensions.

Nick Caunter, Managing Director of APH said: “Many travellers affected by the ash cloud discovered that their insurance companies did not cover many of their unexpected costs. Some were shocked by this, others resigned to the fact. This latest addition to our Know Before You Go series exposes the wide variation of levels of cover and we hope it is useful for travellers when they are next selecting a travel insurance provider.”

Airport Parking and Hotels Ltd is one of the UK’s leading booking agencies and this year celebrates its 30th year as a retailer and operator of pre-booked airport parking and travel extras. APH offers parking at all major UK airports, ports and Eurotunnel terminals plus airport hotels packaged with parking and airport lounges. APH is also a carbon balanced company and has, through the World Land Trust, helped purchase more than 1,000 acres of endangered rainforest.