Information about Hurricane Hector and Hawai’i
Hurricane Hector is currently forming to the east of Hawaii. If the hurricane remains on its current trajectory and continues to build, the hurricane will brush the southern coast of the Big Island around Wednesday 8th August. We are urging travellers to take extreme care during their travels if Hawaii is on the agenda.
According to international news reports maximum winds have increased to 130 mph (215 km/h) with even stronger intermittent gusts. Hector is currently rated a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale which means it could cause significant disruption and damage if it were to reach populated areas.
Background information and advice on staying safe
Your safety is our first priority so if you are in any vulnerable areas please follow advice from local authorities (including evacuation orders). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and Safe Travel are the best place to check for up to date information about the hurricane.
How this will affect your travel insurance?
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 a number of circumstances that give rise to a claim. Whether or not you will be covered for claims and events relating to Hurricane Hector will depend on when you bought your travel insurance policy. Read on to find out more on the current situation. As usual all claims will be assessed based on your individual Policy Wording and any current travel advisories.
If you entered into a policy before 9am (NZT) Monday 6 August, 2018:
If you are currently travelling:
It is always our priority to be on hand to assist and help you wherever we can.
• 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 Hector, 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 Hector, 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 9am (NZT) Monday 6 August, 2018:
As it is featured in a number of national and international news publications, we would expect that this was done with an awareness of Hurricane Hector and the potential impact on your travel plans. For these policies, we will not pay any claim caused by or in any way connected with this event. This is because 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?
If you think you may have been affected and are wondering if you may be covered or not, give our Customer Care team a ring on 0800 800 048 or +64 9 486 0048. Our friendly team will be able to talk you through your options and shed light on whether or not you may be able to claim for any expenses incurred.
How to contact us
• If you have any general queries, please contact our Allianz Partners Information Hotline on 0800 800 048 or +64 9 486 0048.
• To make a claim visit our website www.claimmanager.co.nz
• We will publish this and any updated travel insurance advisories on our website: www.allianzpartners.co.nz