Hurricane Frances

[huckleberry house]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by josephinekelly
Just one of those things to be aware or be made aware of - like a passport valid for six months before the trip. Ooops, nearly did that one too! [/quote]


Josephine, do I take it that now wouldnt be a good time to tell you that your passport didnt need to be valid for 6 months, only 90 days or as long as the duration of your stay [msnembarrased]


Lesley

[jolliffee]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by josephinekelly
That is very true Carla. One cannot help wondering why they so specifically exclude this when it is so rare, much more so than illness or accident, and want extra for this. Just one of those things to be aware or be made aware of - like a passport valid for six months before the trip. Ooops, nearly did that one too! Must get dressed and leave this computer. I think I have been suffering from computer withdrawal for the past two weeks away.... Nice not to be constantly looking at projected hurricane paths though - if I never see another chart, it will be too soon for me!
[/quote]

Hi Josephine.
I have been reviewing my insurance policies travel specifically. I have a free one with National Westminster Plus a annual world cover with First Assist that covers me for acts of war etc (belts and braces).

I wonder if you tried another approach; I suggest you look at the Cancellation/Curtailment and Travel Delays section of your policy. If you work on cause and affect:

The airline cancelled your flights the affect being you missed you villa days that are equal to £’s . and should be recoverable via one or both of these benefits.

Don’t use Force Majeure, it’s irrelevant to your claim

[josephinekelly]

Really? I din't know either of those things. Re earlier post, I got Virgin refund and eventually flew to Dallas the next day and then drove to Florida, so airline finance is fine. The car hire refunded anyway and it seems I had a particularly unnecessarily over-generous villa owner (which may or may not turn out to be true). Also it seems I have a freshly renewed but again entirely unnecessary passport transaction. Perhaps I really should stay at home and enjoy my senior moments!

Seriously though, I will take the advice and look for a better policy next time,perhaps the one recommended, if I ever recover from this trip (it was ll00 miles each way by road - or four days including night stops if you look at it another way!) Saw quite a bit of America though....

[Carla]

Josephine, I think that at the time you would have renewed your new passport, there was a problem due to the Americans insisting that everyone had either a biometric passport or a visa for any passports renewed from October 2004. Many Brits renewed their passports early, to avoid having to have either of these things. The Americans have since changed their policy on this and extended the deadline to October 2005 (I think).

[josephinekelly]

Thank you Carla, maybe it wasn't a senior moment after all, but I had certainly forgotten that is why I did it - I remember now. You are a very kind and reasoned person I feel. I would like a holiday where I am organised, collected, deposited at destination and taken home again - all by someone else! Not quite old enough for that yet, but I am looking forward to it eventually....

[Carla]

Awww, shucks! Thanks Josephine. I've gone all shy now.[msnembarrased][msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]

[blott]

I think I posted this before but, as far as I can see, both esure and insureandgo cover hurricanes and adverse weather in their policies - there have to be others that include this. However, I would advise anyone to check this out for themselves before purchasing insurance to ensure that the small print meets their needs.

As home owners we can only advise our guests to take out adequate travel insurance but have no way of knowing whether they do so or not. If they have purchased insurance and this does not then cover something which occurs, then they have to take responsibility for this decision and not the home owner.

[Calamity Jane]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Carla
Awww, shucks! Thanks Josephine. <span style="color:red">I've gone all shy now</span id="red">.[msnembarrased][msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]

[/quote]

Carla..I have never known <span style="color:blue">you</span id="blue"> to be shy, ooops perhaps its the wrong Carla.

[josephinekelly]

Actually I just don't know how this thread arrived at insurance anyway. I just posted a few experiences which I thought would raise a smile during the epidemic of hurricanes.... But as we have all said, if it raises awareness of the need for good insurance which covers hurricanes, airline staff strikes (check-in staff were threatening to walk out around that time), terrorism etc, then it can only be a good thing. I have copied the names of the companies mentioned and will most certainly check them out next year.

[jolliffee]

I was smiling but we got worried when you mentioned lack of insurance refund plus a couple of other throwaway comments. These can lead to confusion, and as you rightly point out if it has raised the greater awareness of the need to be fully insured, wherever you go, then it’s not a lost moment.[msnsmile2][msnsmile2][msnsmile2]