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Extreme weather events can impact us in many ways. We want to reassure you that if your travel plans are impacted by weather events, our team is here to provide expert care and support you if your travel has been impacted.

While we’re used to dealing with unexpected events that disrupt travel, we’ve received a significant number of claims relating to both the January flooding event and the ongoing effects of Cyclone Gabrielle which have resulted in the New Zealand government declaring a National State of Emergency. We ask our customers to be patient with our team, many of whom are also experiencing the effects of the weather themselves or among whānau.

The simplest, and quickest way to get in touch with us is by emailing info@scti.co.nz.

 

Important information about Cyclone Gabrielle

If you purchased your policy before Tuesday, 7 February 2023 at 5pm (NZT)

If your international travel has been impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, there is cover under our TravelCare policy for:

1. Cancelling or changing a journey before you leave - this includes cover for cancellation fees and prepaid travel costs if your trip is cancelled or changed due to an unexpected event. See Section D.2 of your TravelCare travel insurance policy wording.
2. Changing your travel plans when you’re on your journey – this includes cover for scheduled transport, accommodation, meals, airport parking and transfers, event tickets, activities and tour costs, and rental vehicle hire and fuel costs if you cannot reach your next destination on time, or if you need to cut your trip short and return to New Zealand. See Section D.3 of your TravelCare travel insurance policy wording. There is cover up to $30,000 per policy for travel interruptions under this policy.

If your domestic travel has been impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, there is cover under our Domestic travel insurance policy for:

1. Cancelling or changing a journey before you leave – this includes cover for cancellation fees and prepaid travel costs if your trip is cancelled or changed due to an unexpected event. See Section D.1 of your Domestic travel insurance policy wording.
2. Changes to your journey once you have left – this includes cover for scheduled transport, accommodation and tour costs if you cannot reach your next destination on time, or if you need to cut your trip short and return home. See Section D.2 of your Domestic travel insurance policy wording. There is cover up to $30,000 per paying person under this section, and claims must be for reasonable travel arrangements.

If you are on your journey and unable to get home due to the travel disruptions, you do not need to call or email us to extend your policy as it will automatically extend.

If you are asked to source alternative flights yourselves, it’s important that any new travel and accommodation arrangements are of the same class as your original bookings. If you are needing to upgrade your arrangements, then please contact us as we’ll only consider upgrades in emergency situations, and they need to be approved by us.

As with all insurance policies, terms and conditions may apply. For our terms and conditions (including information about exclusions, excesses and sub limits), we recommend you read the relevant policy documents to ensure our travel insurance products are right for you.

 

If you purchased your policy on or after Tuesday, 7 February 2023 at 5pm (NZT)

We will not be able to offer you cover for claims relating to this event as this event will not be considered an ‘Unexpected Event’ under the terms of your policy.

It is important to remember that you will still be covered for all other unexpected events that occur on your trip that are not related to this event in accordance with your policy.

 

When you need to make a claim

The quickest and simplest way to submit your claim is online. Here, you can also upload your supporting documents (such as receipts and invoices) and even check the progress of your claim status.

All claims will be assessed based on your policy cover. Certain limits, conditions and exclusions will apply. Please refer to your policy documents you received when you purchased your travel insurance.

When you are ready to submit a claim, you will also need to send us your supporting documents, such as:

• Original receipts for any additional expenses you may incur.
• Documents (such as itineraries) that show us the cost of your original and your altered travel plans.
• Documentation from your service provider confirming if a refund or credit is due to you, and how much this is. If no refund is due, you will need to provide evidence of this.
• Evidence of the cancellation / change in your original travel plans – your airline notification would provide this for you.

You can upload these documents when submitting your claim online. If you wish to submit your claim and provide these documents later, you can email them to us at info@scti.co.nz along with your claim reference number. Please note however that we will be unable to assess and make a decision about your claim, until we receive the documents we need.

 

In an emergency

If you need urgent assistance, please email our Emergency Assistance team at emergency@sctihelp.com or call +64 9 359 1600

We expect our Emergency Assistance team to be very busy over this period, so we ask you to be kind and patient should you need to contact them. Please only use this service for emergency queries.

 

Do you need extra care?

We are committed to looking after our customers who may be experiencing vulnerability. If you are experiencing vulnerability due to an unexpected weather event, please let us know.

 

For non-urgent queries about your policy

You can contact us by phone, email or via our online digital assistant Scout who also offers you the opportunity to live chat to one of our team online.

If you need to adjust the travel dates of your policy, we recommend you email us or contact us on live chat in the first instance.