Unable to buy travel ins to cover cancellation due to Volcano eruptions?

[Tkbltracy]

When we went to Aulani, four years ago, we purchased DVC insurance, as we do for all of our trips annually. I was especially concerned since my elderly Mom was living at the time, that if we needed to return due to a covered reason, a medical condition for her, that we could get return quickly and our flight and remaining days of our points would be covered via the trip interruption clause for a covered medical reason. Are you saying that DVC insurance is not issuing insurance for Aulani in general or are you saying that a volcano erupting is not a covered reason? Flights are so $$$, I would definitely purchase DVC insurance if you have the opportunity!

If you buy the DVC insurance it will not cover anything that occurs due to the volcanoes erupting. The same goes for airline insurance. I messed up by not buying it at the time but oh well! Still going!!

 

[corgi_monster]

I suspect the smog in southern California is far worse for your health then any vog that you would encounter in Hawaii. Unless you are in a known danger area, the trade winds will blow the vog out to sea.


-Paul

This. I'm on Oahu and if it weren't for the news, I wouldn't even know the volcano was erupting and lava was flowing. I usually have itchy eyes and headaches on very voggy days. Any random week with Kona winds will see much higher vog levels than we are currently experiencing, at least on Oahu.

 

[buffettgirl]

This. I'm on Oahu and if it weren't for the news, I wouldn't even know the volcano was erupting and lava was flowing. I usually have itchy eyes and headaches on very voggy days. Any random week with Kona winds will see much higher vog levels than we are currently experiencing, at least on Oahu.

I agree. But today is gross, I'm not generally bothered by the vog at all, but the air feels very heavy and humid today. I also could just be getting a cold.

 

[jerseygal]

If you buy the DVC insurance it will not cover anything that occurs due to the volcanoes erupting. The same goes for airline insurance. I messed up by not buying it at the time but oh well! Still going!![/QUOTE Do not know specifics about volcano eruption. Check the DVC policy with Travelex with regard to airline reimbursements for a covered reason such as illness for both trip interruption and cancellation. The DVC policy covers airline and prepaid items such as shows/tours that you book in advance and are non refundable if you cant go on Trip for covered reason. Also, baggage and medical are covered with Travelex. Again, not for volcano eruption BUT for other covered reasons.

In regard to eruption of volcano, it didn't cross our minds frankly, when we traveled 4 years ago. However, the DVC insurance certainly has generous coverage for cancellation OR trip interruption. Check the Travelex Description of Coverage, especially under Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Benefits.
If there is a coverage reason, you will get reimbursed for forfeited, prepaid, non refundable payments or deposits. That covers airline, advance non cancellable items such as prepaid tours, etc, medical, generous baggage allowances. IMO, DVC insurance is very generous. We never travel without it. Medical is great in that even though you have insurance through a plan, you don't have to use your primary insurance first.It is NOT SECONDARY to your primary insurance. Our son became very ill in Vero with Strep Throat. We used an urgent care in Vero and our primary deductible is very high. Instead of using our primary insurance and facing an urgent care bill of about $200 which would have been out of pocket and applied toward our primary deductible, I paid the urgent care center with a credit card. I got a receipt, presented Travelex with my $200 bill, evidence of payment and received the $200 via check quite promptly. Especially for a trip to Hawaii where the flights are SO expensive and you may have prepaid non cancellable expenses, to me DVC insurance is a "no brainer". HOPING to return to beautiful Aulani in 5 years for a "very special anniversary"..

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don’t normally buy travel insurance for my dvc trips due to good health but I am becoming more concerned about Aulani being affected by the volcano eruptions/earthquakes. I called member services since I knew you could buy it up to 10 days ahead and they didn’t really know if I would be covered so they had me call Travelex directly. I was informed that since the volcano had already erupted if that caused an unforseeable closure or evacuation (tsunami maybe) that nothing would be covered. Does anyone know if that would be the case for all travel insurance? Not sure if there is anything to do but cross my fingers? My flights alone were $2000! I don’t know why I didn’t go ahead and purchase it at the time but I didn’t! I leave on June 3rd!

Like others I wouldn't be concerned.

However, on the note of adding coverage for natural disasters, unforeseen events like civil unrests, etc. This is very common when it comes to insurance policies. It's called a moratorium. Now all companies have different rules and policies for different things and this applies to auto/home/commercial/travel, etc. While it may be very unlikely that Aulani would be impacted by the eruption on the Big Island the insurance company looks at it from a risk standpoint and has opted to prevent coverage from being added (and usually modified depending on the type of insurance).

Just as a random example let's say a wildfire is in a certain area. An insurance company may place a moratorium on new business or increasing of coverage. This would make sense because some people would just simple add comprehensive coverage to their auto specifically for the threat of wildfire and then drop it once the risk is over. The insurance company is looking to prevent this type of behavior or be on the hook for new policies written. Same goes for an earthquake due to aftershocks and tremors. Purchasing flood insurance has its limitations before the policy kicks in, even home warranties do too, etc.