Global Microsoft software: The aviation sector was one of the worst hit by the outage, with several airlines including domestic airlines like IndiGo, Vistara, Akasa and SpiceJet affected as billing systems were negatively impacted. While some resorted to manual searches, the losses were too great. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed across airlines in India.
Claims payable under travel insurance
If you have a travel insurance policy, you can file a compensation claim. “A major technical disruption in cloud services by a major IT corporation has led to massive flight delays and cancellations domestically and internationally. Any delay or cancellation of scheduled flights by airlines will be covered under travel insurance,” says Vivek Chaturvedi, chief marketing officer and head of direct sales, Go Digit General Insurance. You can file a claim even if the airline has issued compensation for the inconvenience. “If the cancellation and delay is covered as per the terms and conditions of the policy, we will pay the claim (irrespective of any action taken by the airlines),” says Ashish Sethi, head, SBU, health and travel, Bajaj Allianz general insurance.
If your airline has cancelled your domestic or international flight citing ‘interruption caused by disruption’ without giving you adequate notice (the minimum period prescribed varies by insurer and policy), you can file a claim. “You may need to provide written proof from the airline about this. However, if the information is available to the insurer through a public source (as is the case in this case of interruption-related cancellation), such proof is not required,” says Chaturvedi. Delays beyond the specified time limit are covered. However, it will be helpful if you note the conditions for the claim to be considered valid. The features and clauses will vary depending on the insurer, product type and the add-ons you have purchased.
For example, Bajaj Allianz’s domestic travel policy will compensate you for delays of more than six hours, unless you buy a flyer at an additional premium. “In this case, delays of more than 30 minutes to two hours are also covered, depending on the variant chosen,” says Sethi. The policy will pay for meals and accommodation not provided free of cost by the airline. In the case of Digit Insurance, if a domestic flight is delayed by more than 75-120 minutes, the product will pay a fixed amount up to the sum insured. “In the case of international flights, if the flight is delayed by more than four hours normally the insured will have the right to make a claim. However, if the airline has informed you of the flight delay at least six hours before the scheduled departure time, the claim may not be admissible,” says Chaturvedi. A travel insurance policy also covers losses incurred if the insured person misses a connecting flight. It further states, “The insurer will pay for additional accommodation and travel expenses you have to pay to reach the next destination… You may be required to provide written confirmation from the airline stating the reason for the delay in your flight.”
