19 January 2022

On 15 January 2022 there was an eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in the Kingdom of Tonga. It has created an ash cloud of approximately 260km and triggered tsunamis in Tonga and Samoa.  Tsunami warnings were issued in New Zealand, Hawaii, Japan, Fiji and the whole western seaboard of the North American continent.  Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology issued marine warnings for Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and NSW.

• Please consider your safety first and follow advice from local authorities.
• If you have been affected by the volcanic eruption in the Kingdom of Tonga or the resultant ash cloud or Tsunami, and require medical assistance, please contact our Emergency Assistance team on +61 7 3305 7499.
• If your travel arrangements have been affected by this event, we firstly recommend contacting 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.
• If your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a result of the volcanic eruption or the resultant ash cloud or Tsunami and you have a travel insurance policy that provides coverage for delays or cancellation of travel arrangements, you may be able to claim for additional travel, accommodation and meal expenses. Please ensure you keep all receipts and proof of purchases to submit with your claim.
• Please refer to your Policy Disclosure Statement and/or Credit Card complementary insurance booklet for the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply.
• If you have any queries about your policy benefits please contact our Allianz Global Assistance Information Hotline on 1300 725 154.
• Keep up to date on advice from travel providers by visiting their websites directly.
• Please make yourself aware of the advice issued by DFAT via its website gov.au. Always monitor the media and other sources about possible new security risks.

• If your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a result of the volcanic eruption or the resultant ash cloud or Tsunami and you have a travel insurance policy that provides coverage for delays or cancellation of travel arrangements you may be able to make a claim for cancellation or rearrangement of your journey (whichever is the lesser). Please refer to your Policy Disclosure Statement and/or Credit Card complementary insurance booklet for the terms, conditions, limits and exclusions that apply.
• We recommend you 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 we recommend you contact them for further details. Contact our Allianz Global Assistance Information Hotline on 1300 725 154 if you would like to clarify your policy entitlements.

If you entered into a policy after 10am AEST on 19 January 2022, we would expect that this was done with an awareness of the volcanic eruption and its resultant ash cloud and tsunami and the possibility of these issues affecting travel in the region.  For these policies, claims that arise due to the volcanic eruption and resultant ash cloud and tsunami (for example, flight delays or cancellations) will be assessed in accordance with your policy wording, but exclusions or limits on cover may apply depending upon the circumstances.

Policy coverage and benefits vary based on individual circumstances. We encourage travellers to read their travel insurance Product Disclosure Statement and/or Credit Card complementary insurance booklet to understand what they are covered for and any limits and exclusions that apply.

We will assess all claims in accordance with your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Certificate of Insurance. For complementary travel insurance, we will assess all claims in accordance to the current information booklet for your credit card.

Keep all receipts for any additional transport, food or accommodation expenses you incur. If you are claiming cancellation or additional expenses, you will need to submit documents showing what your original pre-paid arrangements were, along with any receipts and documents showing your new arrangements, and advice from the travel provider indicating the non-refundable portion of the journey.

Where possible, ensure any replacement accommodation and additional expenses are of a similar standard to that which you had planned and pre-paid.

Please note that any compensation and/or refunds you receive from a third party (e.g. airline) for transport, food or accommodation, will be deducted if your claim is accepted.

Make your claim online at www.travelclaims.com.au

• If you have any general queries, please contact our Allianz Global Assistance Information Hotline on 1300 725 154.