Cancellation risk triggers travel cover warning

Some Air New Zealand customers who could be affected by a planned pre-Christmas strike may not be covered by travel insurance.

‘‘Travel insurance is designed to cover unforeseen accidents and disruptions related to and during a period of overseas travel. Because the strike has been announced publicly, it is no longer an unforeseen disruption,’’ the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) said.

The strike was first announced on December 7.

Anyone who bought travel insurance after this date may not be covered for issues caused by any of the proposed industrial action, ICNZ said.

Anyone who purchased travel insurance before December 7 would still have cover in line with their policy documents, it said.

The ICNZ was also warning travellers that if they cancelled or changed their travel to avoid the proposed strike before it went ahead, insurance would not cover costs.

Insurance company Allianz Partners said affected travellers should try to minimise expenses when rearranging their journeys due to strikes.

They should also keep all receipts for any additional transport, food or accommodation expenses, it said.

Comparetravelinsurance.co.nz director Natalie Ball said on Friday that travellers who had comprehensive travel insurance before the strike action was known should be covered.

Depending on the policy, travellers should also be able to claim new flight costs and flight change fees under ‘‘additional travel expenses’’, she said.