Mexico City Earthquake

Issued: 20 September 2017

We are aware that an earthquake has struck near Mexico City which may have an impact on policyholders travelling to the area. First and foremost, our sympathies and thoughts go out to all those affected by this. We advise all customers who are travelling to or are already in the affected areas to take care and please do not hesitate to contact our emergency service if you require assistance. 

If you are currently travelling and need emergency assistance please call (+)61 2 8776 3010. We urge all people to remain up to date with the latest media advice.

The below information was issued on Wednesday 20 Septemeber 2017 and applies to your travel insurance policy with Zoom.

Please note we will assess all claims in accordance with the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and your Certificate of Insurance. Your cover will depend on the type of plan you purchased and your particular circumstances.

IF YOU PURCHASED A POLICY BEFORE 9AM (AEST) 20TH SEPTEMBER 2017:

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY TRAVELLING:

• If you have started your journey and your transport is delayed or cancelled or your accommodation is affected due to the Mexico city earthquake there may be provision to claim for reasonable additional travel, accommodation and meal expenses.

• 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

• Limits, conditions and exclusions apply under your policy and for full details you should refer to the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Certificate of Insurance you received when you purchased your travel insurance.

• If you have not yet departed, your policy includes cover for cancellation of your journey, or the unused portions of your journey, as a result of the earthquake.

IF YOU haven't departed yet:

• If your pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled, delayed or rescheduled as a direct result of the earthquake and you have not yet departed, you may be able to claim for cancellation or rearrangement of your journey (whichever is the lesser).

• We recommend you contact your travel agent 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.

IF YOU PURCHASED A POLICY AFTER 9AM (AEST) 20TH SEPTEMBER 2017:

Our policies do not cover claims for losses caused by something that you were aware of at the time of purchasing your policy. If you entered into a policy after 9am September 2017 we would expect that this was done with an awareness of the earthquake. For these policies, we will not, to the extent permitted by law, pay any claim caused by or arising from or in any way connected with the Mexico city earthquake. 

NEXT STEPS YOU SHOULD TAKE:

In the event of a claim covered by your policy, you must take all reasonable steps to mitigate your out of pocket expenses, particularly when altering your trip arrangements (including seeking compensation from any travel service providers), and provide all supporting documentation of the event and expenses incurred.  By reasonable we mean appropriate and consistent—for example if you have been using two star or budget accommodation on your trip to date, then we advise that the replacement accommodation you seek should be of a similar standard.

Australians travelling in Mexico are encouraged to plan accordingly.  We encourage you to follow Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) current travel advice for Mexico and register your details with Smarttraveller.