Flights cancelled after volcanic eruption in New Zealand

After a volcanic eruption in New Zealand we're highlighting what travel insurance cover is available if your flight is disrupted due to volcanic ash or other natural catastrophes.

An eruption at the Te Maari crater on Mount Tongariro has blasted gas and volcanic ash 2km into the air causing flights to be cancelled and delayed.

The eruption at Te Maari, on the country's North Island, is the second of its kind since August this year in an area which has been dormant for 100 years and has prompted an aviation alert increase from yellow to red.

Sara Page from GeoNet said the alert was upgraded because the eruption was underway with "significant ash in the atmosphere".

Air New Zealand said there may be delays or cancellations on domestic services to airports east of the mountain.

Passengers are being advised to check the airline's website for flight arrivals and departure information which would be constantly updated.

Travel insurance with volcanic ash cover

Although this volcanic eruption and the resulting volcanic ash does not look set to have an impact on flights over a large area, as the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud in 2010 did, it still highlights the unexpected nature of such events, as well as the importance of buying travel insurance to cover volcanic ash and other natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes.

We have noticed that sales of our Natural Catastrophe (Volcanic Ash) Cover has fallen as memories of the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud disruption become more distant, but this latest, unexpected eruption highlights how unpredictable the forces of nature can be.

It is impossible to tell when a volcanic eruption or earthquake may happen which could threaten to disrupt your well-earned holiday.

Our Natural Catastrophe (Volcanic Ash) Cover can be added to any of our single trip or annual travel insurance policies. It provides additional cover for cancellation, delay and additional expenses incurred due to unexpected catastrophic natural events such as volcanic ash, earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes.

In order to be covered by your travel insurance in the event that your holiday is disrupted by volcanic ash or another natural disaster, you must have purchased your travel insurance policy with natural catastrophe cover before the volcano erupts.

As nature is unpredictable it pays to make sure you are always covered by adding Natural Catastrophe (Volcanic Ash) cover to your travel insurance policy every time you travel.

Find out more about travel insurance with volcanic ash cover >>

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