Information
Hurricane Dorian is currently a Category 4/5 storm that is approaching Florida and Georgia. Currently over the Bahamas, it is expected to be close to the Florida coast on Monday 2 September before affecting South Carolina later in the week. It is being reported that it has high sustained winds of 200-240 km/h and a State of Emergency has been declared in Florida. Through this Hurricane Dorian Travel Advisory, we are urging customers to take care during their travels.
Safety is your first priority so if you are in any vulnerable areas please follow advice from local authorities (including evacuation orders) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and follow https://www.safetravel.govt.nz for up to date information about the Hurricane (as and when this is updated).
How will your travel insurance policy respond to this situation?
Your policy provides a number of benefits, conditions, limits and exclusions that may be relevant to your travel plans. Your cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased and your circumstances. We will assess all claims in accordance with your Policy Wording and your Certificate of Insurance.
If you entered into a policy before mid-day (NZT) Monday 2 September, 2019:
If you are currently travelling:
It is always our priority to assist our customers where possible and within our ability to do so.
If you need medical advice or emergency medical assistance please contact our 24-hour Emergency Assistance team. Speak to the local operator and ask to be put through reverse charge to +61 7 3305 7499.
If your transport is delayed or cancelled or your accommodation is affected due to Hurricane Dorian, you may be able to claim for additional travel, accommodation and meal expenses.
Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply under your policy. For full details, you should refer to the Policy Wording and Certificate of Insurance you received when you purchased your travel insurance.
If you have not yet departed:
If your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled by your travel provider as a result of Hurricane Dorian, you may be able to make a claim for cancellation or rearrangement of your journey. Please refer to your Policy Wording for the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply.
If your travel arrangements have been affected, 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 they should be able to provide further details.
If you entered into a policy after mid-day (NZT) Monday 2 September, 2019:
We would expect that this was done with an awareness of Hurricane Dorian. For these policies, we will not pay any claim caused by or in any way connected with this event. Our policies do not cover claims for losses caused by something that you were aware of at the time of purchasing your policy.
What next steps should you take?
You should try to minimise your expenses including rearranging your journey where possible. If you have been using, for example, two-star accommodation on your trip to date, then any replacement accommodation should be of a similar standard.
Keep all receipts for any additional transport, food or accommodation expenses. If you are claiming cancellation or additional expenses you will need to submit documents showing what your original planned pre-paid arrangements were, along with any receipts and documents showing your new arrangements, and advice from the travel provider indicating the non-refundable portion of the journey.
How to contact us
- If you have any general queries, please contact Allianz Partners on 0800 800 048 or +64 9 486 0048.
- In an emergency, contact Emergency Assistance on + 64 9 486 6868
- To make a claim visit our website www.claimmanager.co.nz
- We will publish this Hurrican Dorian Travel Advisory and any updated travel insurance advisories on our website: www.allianzpartners.co.nz