Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning - Travel Insurance Advice

Summary: The Tsunami alert which was issued yesterday after earthquakes struck off the coast of Indonesia has been cancelled.

11 April 2012 - An underwater earthquake with a magnitude of 8.7 has occurred off the north coast of Indonesia, leading to Tsunami warning being issued for countries and islands with coastlines on the Indian Ocean.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) has said that it has not determined yet whether a tsunami has been generated by the earthquake, but authorities have been advised to take appropriate action.

Travellers to countries with territory in the Indian Ocean are advised to:

• Listen to authorities in the country they are in for advice
• Avoid beaches
• Find out the type of warning system (eg. sirens) in place for Tsunami sightings
• Stay in contact with family and/or friends back home who will be concerned for your safety
• Follow local and international news for latest updates

Travel Insurance: Am I covered?

Delayed Departure and Abandonment

Customers are no longer covered for holiday abandonment

Missed Departure

Normal cover does apply. Up to symbol(pound)1,000

Medical Expenses

Normal cover does apply. Up to symbol(pound)10,000

Curtailment

No cover is available for customers who want to curtail their trips because of this incident, as this cover only applies for specified circumstances.

Personal Possessions / Baggage / Personal Money / Documents

Normal does apply. However, for customers who suffer a loss under these sections as a direct result of being caught up in this incident we will consider claims reported to the relevant authority on a case by case basis.

Amending/Transferring Polices

For Single Trip policies, White Horse Insurance Ireland Limited will permit the transfer of a policy to an alternative booking of the same duration and within the same geographical area, provided that travel commences within 30 days of the original departure date.

Contact Us

For further advice on making a claim for this catastrophe, we suggest calling the White Horse claims department on 0871 895 0074.

Emergency Contacts

To get in touch with your nearest British Consulate, you can find their contact details on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's website.