While many fans have already organised their tickets, flights, accommodation, transportation and friendship bracelets, travel insurance is a must for fans heading to Sydney or Melbourne.
This summer has already caused weather chaos across the country, and Swift’s seven concerts are set to run as the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts more wild weather over the coming months.
Compare the Market’s travel insurance expert and the Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, no relation to Taylor Swift, said there’s one thing Swifties shouldn’t forget to organise if they are travelling to the concerts.
“These Taylor Swift shows are set to be some of the biggest concerts Australia has ever seen and fans are spending hundreds – if not thousands – of dollars on flights, concert tickets, accommodation and merchandise,” Mr Taylor said. “The reality is that we’re in the thick of a cruel summer of our own here in Australia, with wild weather impacting Aussies across the country.
“No one heading to these concerts anticipates being caught up in destructive storms, having their flight delayed, losing their luggage or facing a hurdle that prevents them from getting to the show on time, but the reality is that these things can and do happen.
“For example, we know that Cairns airport was recently closed due to wet weather; we’ve seen technical outages bring some of our busiest airports to a halt and there’s always a risk that you’ll arrive in Sydney or Melbourne without your luggage. Domestic travel insurance gives you that peace of mind that you may have some form of assistance if you incur additional travel expenses due to something outside of your control, if your luggage is stolen or goes missing or if you’re unable to use your pre-paid accommodation.”
However, Mr Taylor said anyone travelling to the concerts who is considering travel insurance should act sooner rather than later.
“Not all travel insurance policies are equal and while many can cover you up to a certain limit during a natural disaster or can provide cover if you purchase it as an extra inclusion, it’s vital to find cover before natural disasters turn into ‘known events’. Basically, you don’t want to wait until a major weather event is happening to take out cover, as you likely won’t be able to get cover. This is because insurers tend to provide cover for insured events, which are events that are unforeseeable or unexpected.
“Unless you can cover these expenses yourself – which could often be to the tune of hundreds or thousands of dollars – travel insurance can prove a valuable asset.
However, Mr Taylor warned that if the concerts are delayed or postponed, it’ll likely be an issue you need to take up with your concert ticket provider.
“As we saw late last year in Argentina – Taylor Swift was forced to postpone a sold-out show due to torrential weather,” Mr Taylor said. “If this happens, you’ll need to discuss your options with the concert ticket provider.
“In most cases, they will contact you directly with the relevant information to claim a refund or to attend a rescheduled show. Typically, if you’re unable to attend a rescheduled concert, you’ll be offered a refund. However, read the terms and conditions from your ticket provider carefully, as they usually won’t foot the bill for losses including travel or accommodation if a concert is cancelled or postponed. “
Mr Taylor’s advice for Swifties heading to the Eras Tour.
- Buy travel insurance cover as soon as you pay for your air-tickets or pay any deposits for accommodation, etc, as you never know what could impact you from attending a concert.
- You’re not leaving the country, so travel insurance won’t cover medical expenses. Domestic travel insurance doesn’t cover any medical expenses. You’ll still be covered by Medicare or your private health insurance in these cases.
- Cross your ‘t’s and dot your ‘I’s. Understand exactly which benefits are included in your policy or if you’ll need to purchase any as add-ons. There may also be exclusions, sub-limits and conditions that you need to take note of.
* Phillip Portman at Phillip.portman@comparethemarket.com.au
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