Should your flight be cancelled due to volcanic ash there is no cover under your Travel Insurance Policy. In the event that an EU regulated airline cancels a flight, you are due to travel on, they are obliged to organise an alternative to allow you to reach your destination or to refund you the cost of the flight. If you are away when this happens and are trying to get home, EU regulated airlines are legally obliged to provide you with appropriate accommodation and three meals a day until they get you home if the delay is prolonged.
Q. Where can I get more information on my rights with regards to a cancelled flight?
You can go to the Commission for Aviation Regulation website www.aviationreg.ie or you can call them from Ireland on Locall 1890 787 787 or if you are outside of Ireland you can freephone them on 00800 678 91011.
Q. What happens with my accommodation should my flight be cancelled?
If you have booked your holiday as a package with a tour operator or travel agent and your flight is cancelled, they should offer you a full refund or reschedule your holiday at an alternative time. If you have booked your accommodation directly, you will need to contact the provider/owner of the accommodation. In most cases, you should be able to organise an alternative date to visit but this is at the discretion of the provider/owner.
Home Insurance: Protecting your home.
Did you know that, according to the Central Statistics Office, in the final quarter of 2010 alone, there were more then 6000 burglaries in Ireland? When you consider that 37% of home insurance customers have no burglar alarm installed and 16% do not have adequate locks, there is lot of room for improvement when it comes to securing our homes.
Here are some helpful tips:
• Develop a routine: In one third of burglaries the thief gained access through unlocked doors or windows. Develop a routine of locking all doors and windows and activating the alarm before you leave the house or go to bed. And never leave spare keys under the mat or flower pot for any reason.
• Ensure doors are sturdy: The outer doors to your home should be made of wood or metal and be an inch thick at the very least. Also ensure that your door frames are equally as strong.
• Fit a deadbolt lock in your exterior doors: It should be pick resistant making it near impossible for the burglar to gain access without the key.
• Fit a burglar alarm: It is always a smart idea to have a burglar alarm. Before you buy your alarm you should consult your home insurance company to find out which national standard your alarm needs to adhere to in order to avail of a discount on your home insurance premium. And always ensure to make proper use of it.
• Give the impression someone is home: When everyone is away, it’s a good idea to give the impression that someone is in. Leave a radio and some lights on around the house or on a timer that will switch them on and off. It is also smart to get a neighbour to call by regularly to check the house.
• Make plans for when you are away: When you go on holidays you should ask a neighbour to collect your post. Piles of letters and flyers serve as an advertisement that there is nobody at home. You may also want to organise for your grass to be cut.
It is also vital to have home insurance that is right for you and covers you adequately and provides peace of mind. For great value home insurance visit the: Getcover.ie home insurance section.
EU Gender Directive: Is my car insurance premium going up?
Men between the ages of 17 and 25 are much more likely to be involved in accidents in Ireland than those of the opposite sex. This is one reason why, to date, men have paid more for their car insurance. However, the EU Gender Directive has set out new requirements for the equal treatment between men and women across Europe. The new directive will have various effects among a wide range of areas in social life. Among other things, it will prohibit the use of gender as a criterion in the calculation of car insurance premiums and benefits for new contracts.
In short the directive will mean the following to the industry:
• Ignore gender: Car insurance companies will have to ignore the gender of an individual when rating their car insurance products.
• Premiums will change: The reality of the situation is that car insurance premiums will increase for women and decrease for men.
• Cover for women will change: Currently there are a number of products and promotions open exclusively to women. Companies who specialise in these products will have to seriously reconsider these.
The new requirements should begin to affect the market by June or July of this year. A 2004 EU directive had allowed car insurance companies to use gender-based prices as long as they were backed by statistical evidence. But this exemption was challenged and it has been judged to be wrong to charge people different premiums based on their gender.
This is in spite of all the evidence pointing to young males having riskier driving habits than young females. From the summer onwards men and women will pay the same premiums, regardless of the statistics.
To find out more about how this will affect your car insurance policy and to get great value in car insurance visit Getcover’s car insurance section or call: 1850 851 297
Car insurance: What to do in the event of an accident not involving injury.
If nobody is injured in a minor road accident, generally there is no need to call the Gardai. When in a minor road collision there are some important things to remember;
• Stay Calm: It is vital to keep a calm head. Check for injuries and damage to both cars.
• Warn Others: Turn on you hazard lights to warn other motorists to take care in passing the crash scene.
• Exchange Information: After the accident, be sure to exchange names and contact details along with car insurance company and policy number details. It is also important to swap licence plate numbers. Also make a written description of each car, including make, model and colour of the cars involved.
• Be Proactive: If the other driver drives off, say their license plate number out loud and repeat it until you can write it down.
• Photograph the Accident: Use your camera or camera phone to document the damage to all the vehicles. Detailed photos can strengthen the case you make to the car insurance company.
• Witnesses: If there were witnesses, try to get their contact information as they may be able to support your case and be key factors in deciding who pays for the damage.
• Review your policy: and make a list of questions and related information you want to know from your car insurance company.
• Immediately contact your car insurance company: They will send you out a form to fill in detailing where, when and how the accident happened. You will include your own and the other drivers details and a map detailing the exact specifics of where the incident happened, at what time and how.
And be warned: at the scene of the accident the other driver may agree to pay for the damages, however they may later change their mind. The driver may even claim injuries that weren’t apparent at the scene of the accident so it is vitally important to contact your car insurance company as soon as possible.
For great car insurance visit Getcover.ie’s car insurance section.
Travel Insurance: Hostelling Made Easy
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly holiday, hostelling is the ideal way – and if you plan ahead, there will be plenty of money saving options available to you.
Hostels may not be glamorous but they are affordable! These are some tips to ensure you have a hassle free holiday while hostelling:
• Wear a money belt: You won’t have access to a hotel room safe so a money belt will help protect your cash, credit cards, passport and money. However the right travel insurance will cover you should the worst happen.
• Pay in advance: Pay for as much as you can in advance to minimise the cash you have to carry.
• Travel light: Leave all unnecessary valuables behind.
• Research the hostel’s facilities: Facilities vary from hostel to hostel; some might have laundry facilities while others mightn’t. Some hostels may also require you to bring your own bed sheets!
• Use the hostel common room: Apart from being a great place to meet people it can often provide internet access which can be used to contact relatives. Some hostels also have ‘free food’ shelves which may supply tea, coffee and other light refreshments.
• Copy your documents: It is always a good idea to get your passport or any other important documents photocopied in case of loss or theft.
• Get travel insurance: Travel insurance will look after any potential distractions, such as illness or accidents leaving you to plan and enjoy the experience.
Hostelling allows the tourist to visit numerous destinations for low prices. While any number of mishaps can happen on any holiday, particularly a holiday that involves lots of travel, relative peace of mind can be acquired by finding the right travel insurance for you.
For great value travel insurance visit Getcover.ie’s travel insurance section
Home Insurance: Beat The Burglar
With burglaries on the rise, it’s more important than ever to safeguard your home whilst also having home insurance. Watch our informational video below for tips to ensure your fully protected.
Our video was also featured on www.independent.ie
Ski Insurance – The Things You Need To Know about your holidays
Ski trips are now very popular for those who want something different from their holiday. If your planning to hit the slopes, make sure to get ski insurance and watch our informational video below for tips on how you can enjoy the snow safely.
Our video was featured on www.independent.ie
Travel Insurance: Top Tips on Avoiding Travel Mishaps
Even the most seasoned travelers can make errors just before that all important trip. To ensure you have a smooth journey, purchase adequate travel insurance and watch our informational video below. Our video was featured on www.independent.ie