Fiji Travel Insurance Warning
NEWS RELEASE
3 November 2000
FIJI TRAVEL INSURANCE WARNING
Mike Henry (NZ Ltd), specialist travel insurance brokers, are again warning people who are travelling to Fiji or currently in Fiji that there are insurance restrictions in the event of military or political unrest.
Steve Nichols, managing director for travel at Mike Henry NZ Ltd, says there is an insurance exposure that travellers need to be aware of.
"Travellers going to Fiji or currently in Fiji are not covered for any claims that are a direct or indirect result of events arising from the military or political unrest there. It is a general exclusion in all travel insurance policies that any Coup related situations will not be covered. In the case of the situation in Fiji, this will include any disruption or loss arising from any 'on-going unrest'."
Steve Nichols says the exclusion could affect people in obvious ways. "Those travellers who have not departed and want their tickets refunded due to coup related unrest will be out of pocket. Alternatively people could have their travel disrupted in Fiji and require additional accommodation and incur associated expenses if they can not get planned flights home."
Steve Nichols says Mike Henry (NZ Ltd) has already paid out $600,000 in Coup related claims for people cancelling trips and suffering loss of deposits prior to the Coup becoming a foreseeable event.
Steve Nichols says apart from the exclusions relating to Coups and suchlike, insurance policies will operate normally for things like sickness, loss of luggage etc, as long as they are not directly resulting from the Coup or on-going hostilities.
Steve Nichols says while many people have taken the opportunity for a cheap holiday in Fiji, they need to be reminded that it is a politically unstable place at the moment, and they travel at their own risk as far as the Coup is concerned.
ENDS
For further information, please contact: Catherine Beard Principal, Comsar Communications, Tel (04) 389 0544, Mob (021) 633 212
Mr Steve Nichols, Managing Director, Travel, Mike Henry Ltd Tel (09) 377 5958, Mob (021) 974 510