With Storm Eunice set to battle parts of the UK over the coming days, Britons are being urged to consider if journeys are necessary before leaving their house.
Recent weather reports suggest that the approaching storm could be the strongest to hit the UK since the Burns Day Storm in 1990 – when wind speeds reached 107mph in Wales. Parts of Britain will also be put under severe weather warnings by the Met Office due to widespread danger to life.
Several train services in the North have already been cancelled, and flights to and from the UK could be affected by the fierce winds.
Anyone departing (or arriving) from the UK and affected by Storm Eunice, either by train, coach, or plane, should check their travel insurance to see if they have cover for Force Majeure in the event their trip is impacted.
Force Majeure is often classed as an event that happens outside of your control. For example, this could include, natural disasters or major incidences such as storms, floods, earthquakes, and extreme weather conditions. Some policies also provide cover for political unrest, civil or military disturbances, nuclear catastrophes, insurrection, and rebellion.
Having this type of protection will allow travellers to claim for trip cancellation, curtailment, any unexpected expenses, such as medical costs or baby supplies, incurred as a result of a trip being affected. It’s worth knowing that most travel insurance policies do not include Force Majeure cover as standard. Therefore, this type of protection must be bought as a policy extension or add-on.
However, to successfully claim for these types of disruption costs, Force Majeure cover must already be in place before the incident is first announced or occurs. If the cover is purchased after the event is announced or happens, it would be classed as a ‘known event’ and would not be covered. Therefore, unfortunately, anyone looking to buy a policy that includes Force Majeure cover now, with the intention of claiming for the disruption caused by Storm Eunice, will not be covered.
For future reference, policies that include protection against Force Majeure can sometimes be more expensive. However, spending a few extra pounds on a policy that has this cover, could save hundreds in the long term, should extreme weather conditions, or any other unexpected events affect a trip.
As always, our team is here to help with all things travel-insurance-related. So, if you have any questions that we can help you with, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at hello@travelinsuranceexplained.co.uk, and we will do our very best to assist!
