Travel Insurance Advisory

Issued 13 November 2024

Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, an active volcano in East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, has had increased volcanic activity and eruption from 7^th November 2024, including significant ash clouds. Volcanic activity may escalate with little or no notice, leading to flight disruptions and airport closures, including in surrounding provinces.

The eruption may cause significant impacts to travel to and from the region, and this is now considered to be a Known Circumstance.

If this event has directly impacted you and you require medical attention, please contact our 24-hour Global Assistance team at +61 1800 490 478 (global reverse charge phone number). We also strongly recommend staying updated through local media and heeding advice from emergency services.

SmarTraveller advice as at 13 November 2024:

• Adhere to exclusion zones around volcanoes and follow the advice of local authorities.
• Current Smartraveller Advice Level – Exercise a high degree of caution in Indonesia overall due to security risks.
• Further information – https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/indonesia 

Your Policy Coverage

If you entered into a policy before 4:19pm AEDT on the 13th of November 2024 and are already overseas:

• Your policy will operate as usual for regions in Indonesia not specified.
• Our priority remains to support our customers to the best of our capacity. We strongly urge you to prioritize your safety and heed advice from local authorities.
• Keep in mind, we have a general exclusion relating to reckless behaviour, and coverage may not apply if you intentionally or recklessly place yourself in situations posing a risk to your safety.

If you entered into a policy before 4:19pm AEDT on the 13th of November 2024 and are yet to travel:

• There is no cancellation coverage, due to this volcanic activity, while commercial flights continue to operate in the South East Asia area.
• If your specific travel plans have been directly affected by flight cancellation or delays, please call our 24-hour Global Assistance team at +61 1800 490 478.

If you entered into a policy after 4:19pm AEDT on the 13th of November 2024:

• We expect that you would be aware of the current situation in Indonesia, and of the SmarTraveller advice at the time.
• Your PassportCard policy does not cover Known Circumstance occurring at the policy’s inception. Volcanic eruption in Indonesia can also affect travel plans outside of Indonesia, given its proximity to Singapore and Malaysia. All flight cancellations or delays affected by these ash clouds are seen as a Known Circumstances. These can include (but not exclusively) flights between:
  • Australia – Indonesia
  • Australia – Singapore
  • Australia – Malaysia
  • Australia – Other South East Asian Regions
  • South East Asian Regions to Europe
  • South East Asian Regions to Middle East
  • South East Asian Regions to Wider Asia
  • If there is a change in the SmarTraveller advice to “Do Not Travel”, our policy excludes any claims if you chose to enter and travel in any region contrary to this warning, even if it was issued after you purchase your policy.

Free Extension of Insurance:

Should this event disturb your return plans and your policy was active before this notice, your insurance will extend at no charge until you can feasibly return home.  The maximum period that we will extend the Policy will be up to twelve (12) months from the date Your Policy first commenced as shown on Your Schedule.

Important general advice:

This information complements the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). Ensure you understand the terms, conditions, limits, sub-limits, and exclusions specified in the PDS, especially the ‘Benefits’, ‘Policy Conditions’, and ‘General Exclusions’ sections.

Contact us:

• For emergency travel or medical assistance during your journey, contact our 24-hour Global Assistance team at +61 1800 490 478 (global reverse charge phone number).
• For general inquiries about the event, call our Customer Service at 1300 123 413 during our business hours.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Please read our FAQ guide