not booked travel insurance yet

A question about : not booked travel insurance yet

Hello here is my situation apologies if there is an easy answer to this somewhere but I have been looking and getting very confuddled!!

We have booked flights via easyjet 1 week return to Portugal in July
We have booked accommodation via owners direct (sharing with another couple who also have already booked their own insurance as she is pregnant but presumably this would be for their part of accommodation costs if they cannot get permission to fly)
We have not yet booked our travel insurance
The day after we come back we are booked to go to campbestival which I would dearly like to have covered incase we cannot get back from Portugal due to ash cloudness!!
What is the best way to do this?? Would the camp bestival trip be covered be covered under multi trip/annual travel insurance or will it not matter because we didnt book our insurance before the ash cloud stuff started??

Also any advice on the best insurance for self booked trips (as opposed to packages) will be most welcome!!

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Best answers:

• Any insurance you take out now will not cover you for ash related events.
• Hi, we're in a similar kind of boat...
  Flying out to Barcelona next monday (24th) for a week. Have already booked and paid for hotels, and music festival tickets for when we get out there. Already have a cheap multitrip policy from flexicover but can't imagine it would cover much at all. I'm looking at the HSBC policy and wondering if it would be likely to pay out for the hotel and tickets if the volcano means we won't make it, even if I book it at short notice (it will currently let me do so on the website).
• Hi
  Is there anyone who will cover the ash disruption now? I would expect to pay a premium but it could be worth it. I did catch a news article on the radio who said that a company would cover ash related disruption but didn't hear who it was...
• Hi - I am in the same position but haven't booked a flight yet nor insurance. We are joining friends in their time share early September - so no accommodation costs - but cannot do a package of course - and will be obliged to book a flight separately - is it likely then that if the ash hangs around for the rest of the year we would loose flight costs and any other outgoings if we were delayed there and back as no insurance will cover???
• I've booked flights and hotel separately and am also looking to take out travel insurance. According to the Guardian, the following were still offering to cover the ash last week:
  Columbus; Direct Line; HSBC and its subsidiary First Direct; Marks & Spencer; Saga and Santander.
  I have spoken to M & S and they stated that they will cover you as long as the airports you are travelling from/to are open at the time you take out your insurance. Advice I was given was that with the current situation you might want to wait a couple of days. Also, you will need to take out the Premier insurance with cover for independant traveller. Before you act on this, please contact them yourselves to make sure you are given the same information. If I decide to go with M & S I will certainly ring again to check that this is the case.
• Just spoke to M&S Money and they ARE covering for the ash cloud if you book today.
  It's a bit more expensive than I'd usually pay but it's nice to know I'll be covered!
• Hi Sunshine - could you just confirm for me that M&S have confirmed that they will pay for ash cover if you buy their cover today - it will be great if they do !
• Yippee - Yes.. just talked to M&S .. do provide cover. Give them a call they are very helpful. Thank you Sunshine - I can sleep soundly now Much appreciated
• Yaaay glad I could help!
  That makes two of us who can sleep soundly!
  Have a fab holiday
• I've just talked to M & S again. They have confirmed that they are covering for ash cloud today as long as your airport is open and, also your actual airline's flights to your destination are ok. When I phoned yesterday I wasn't told the information about individual airline. Basically it seems it is down to the person making the booking to make the decision as I did question would I be covered if there was a delay to today's flight as a knock on effect from yesterday's closures but was told if there are any delays from the ash you might not be covered. My corresponding flight is currently showing as leaving on time but I'm going to check back before booking to make sure the flight did leave as scheduled.
  Also, please remember you must add the independant traveller to your insurance to receive cover.
• I`ve got a little confused! (nothing new) not sure from the postings if M & S are covering the ash cloud or not. We travel to Orlando in August (and havn`t sorted out our insurance yet. Are also flying with US Airways.
  I`ll be most grateful for any more info. Many thanks
• I have now booked through M & S - I phoned again as I was booking it as I was concerned as we are travelling with different airlines on our outbound/return journey. I was told that as long as airport you are departing to and returning from are open when you book you should be covered. I also queried what I had been told earlier in the day - i.e. that the plane left on time. The equivalent flight we are booked on left half an hour late today - the lady I spoke to confirmed that this would be looked on as a normal delay, i.e. not associated with volcanic ash.
  My advice would be to phone up M & S just before you book (it's cheaper to do it online) to get confirmation. They do record the conversation. I still feel it is a little bit open to interpretation as haven't got anything in writing but decided to pay the extra. One of the ladies I spoke to was very clear in what they would cover - e.g. any extra accommodation and new flights, etc. if you are stuck abroad; they will not reimburse your original flight costs as you would be expected to claim these from the airline (not sure what woudl happen if the airline is not EU). Don't forget, you must take out the Independant Travel which is shown as an addition to the normal policy.
  Hope this helps.
• brid 13th did you find insurance to cover accomodation and festival tickets??? we are going to primavera too and need to get insurance! thanks! x
  Quote:
• Thanks flightinfo, I`ll give M & S a call. Got a quote the other day and it was Ј200+ for Worldwide cover (dearer than most, but if it offers glimmers of hope with regard to covering more than other policies then it will be worth it)