SCTI sees spike in turbulence-related travel insurance claims
SCTI sees spike in turbulence-related travel insurance claims | Insurance Business Australia
Travel
SCTI sees spike in turbulence-related travel insurance claims
Data reflects broader trends in safety concerns
Travel
By
Roxanne Libatique
Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has reported a significant rise in turbulence-related travel insurance claims.
Data from the insurer indicates a 700% increase in these claims since 2022, with $27,067 paid out for turbulence-related claims since early 2023.
Despite this spike, turbulence-related claims make up only 0.1% of all claims paid since January 1, 2023. Of these claims, 80% pertain to changes in travel plans, 12.5% involve medical issues, and the remaining claims relate to baggage and personal property.
Travellers worried about risk of increased turbulence
SCTI CEO Jo McCauley (pictured) said Australians are understandably worried about the risk of increased turbulence, given that the insurer’s latest data shows a rising number of turbulence-related claims.
“It would be incredibly scary to experience severe turbulence and even more so to become injured as a result. Should turbulence impact your travel plans or cause injury, having travel insurance means there’s one less thing to think about, while you navigate a highly stressful situation,” she said.
Travel insurance coverage for turbulence
SCTI reminds Australians that travel insurance typically covers claims related to turbulence, including costs for cancelled or rescheduled flights, out-of-pocket expenses, and medical expenses due to injuries incurred during flights.
The insurer has approved 85.7% of turbulence-related claims since the beginning of 2023.
“We have covered our customers for claims relating to turbulence, including a claim for over $20,000 when a customer was injured during a flight due to turbulence and had to cancel all travel plans and return to Sydney. These unexpected circumstances are exactly why we always recommend people shouldn’t travel without travel insurance,” McCauley said.
Turbulence-related claims
Significant turbulence-related claims since the start of 2023 include:
a traveller to Japan who encountered turbulence on the initial leg from Sydney to Hong Kong, resulting in injuries and the cancellation of planned tours in Japan and Korea. The customer was flown back to Australia once deemed fit to fly, with a total claim cost exceeding $20,000
another traveller to Japan who sustained injuries while asleep during turbulence, necessitating changes to their travel itinerary. The total claim cost was nearly $5,000
SCTI also recently reported a surge in Australian travel insurance bookings for Europe in line with the EUFA Euro 2024 football championships in Germany and the Paris Olympics.
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