Does travel insurance cover strikes?

In short, yes, but different travel insurance brands may cover strikes in a different way. Read on to find out how.

Key takeaways

  • You can be covered by travel insurance if your flight is delayed or cancelled due to a strike.
  • If you bought your policy after a strike becomes a 'known event', you probably won't be covered.
  • You'll also need to make an effort to avoid a claim after there was a warning about the strike.

Does travel insurance cover strikes?

Travel insurance will cover costs associated with strikes or industrial action, under some circumstances. For example, if you bought your policy after an industrial strike becomes a 'known event', it's unlikely that your insurer will cover you for associated costs.

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Common exclusions for travel insurance for strikes

Here are a few of the common exclusions listed by travel insurance providers that will stop you from making a claim for losses resulting from a strike or industrial action.

  • Losses, liability or expenses are not covered if you did not take all necessary precautions to avoid a claim after there was a warning in the mass media of a strike.
  • You will not be covered under any section of the policy if you did not follow advice in the mass media or any government or other official body’s warning of a strike.
  • You will not have any cover under any section if the claim arises from a strike or industrial action that were public knowledge when you booked your trip.

Common policy wording for travel insurance for strikes

Here is a common way that an insurance provider might word their strike cancellation policy. The exact details will change from provider to provider, but this should give you some idea of how strikes and industrial action is typically covered.

  • Emergency Expenses: Covers your trip if disrupted because of cancellation, delay or diversion of your scheduled transport caused by power failure, riot, strike or civil commotion but only those expenses you cannot claim from someone else.
  • You will be covered for cancellation fees and lost deposits for pre-paid travel if your trip is impacted by a strike. You will also be reimbursed any reasonable expenses you incurred.
  • Additional expenses. We will pay Your reasonable Additional accommodation expenses (room rate only) and Additional transport expenses, at the same accommodation standard and fare class as originally booked, incurred on the Journey due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside Your control and resulting from: disruption of Your scheduled transport because of riot, strike or civil commotion occurring after the commencement of the Journey provided You act reasonably in avoiding Additional costs.

How do Finder travel insurance partners deal with strikes?

BrandConditions for travel insurance for strikesApply
  • Additional expenses. We will pay Your reasonable Additional accommodation expenses (room rate only) and Additional transport expenses, at the same accommodation standard and fare class as originally booked, incurred on the Journey due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside Your control and resulting from: disruption of Your scheduled transport because of riot, strike or civil commotion occurring after the commencement of the Journey provided You act reasonably in avoiding Additional costs.
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  • Additional expenses. We will pay Your reasonable Additional accommodation (room rate only) and Additional transport expenses, at the same fare class and accommodation standard as originally booked, incurred on the Journey due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside Your control and resulting from: disruption of Your scheduled transport because of riot, strike or civil commotion occurring after the commencement of the Journey provided You act reasonably in avoiding Additional costs.
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  • Additional expenses. We will pay Your reasonable Additional accommodation (room rate only) and Additional transport expenses, at the same fare class and accommodation standard as originally booked, incurred on the Journey due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside Your control and resulting from: disruption of Your scheduled transport because of riot, strike or civil commotion occurring after the commencement of the Journey provided You act reasonably in avoiding Additional costs.
  • You will be covered for cancellation fees and lost deposits for pre-paid travel if your trip is impacted by a strike. You will also be reimbursed any reasonable expenses you incurred.
  • You will not be covered under any section of the policy if you did not follow advice in the mass media or any government or other official body’s warning of a strike.
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  • Travel delay and abandonment of trip. You are covered in the event that the departure of the carrier with which you have arranged to travel is delayed by at least twelve (12) hours due to strike.
  • Missed departure/connection. You are covered for reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses if a disruption to your trip arises because of a strike.
  • Missed departure/connection. You are covered for reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses if a disruption to your Trip arises because of a strike.
  • You will not be covered under any section of the policy if the mass media has indicated the existence or potential existence of circumstances that may affect your travel including strike or industrial action.
InsureandGo will pay claims as follows:
  • Additional expenses. The additional expenses if the cancellation, delay or diversion of your scheduled transport is caused by a strike and you are unable to have your losses reimbursed by someone else.
  • Travel delay expenses. Travel delay expenses if during you trip, your final international (internal if Domestic Cover) departure from or returning to Australia by aircraft or sea vessel, is delayed due to a strike.
  • You will not have any cover under any section if the claim arises from a strike or industrial action that was public knowledge when you booked your trip.
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Tick Travel Insurance will pay claims as follows:
  • Additional expenses. The additional expenses if the cancellation, delay or diversion of your scheduled transport is caused by a strike and you are unable to have your losses reimbursed by someone else.
  • Travel delay expenses. Travel delay expenses sections of its policies if during your trip, your final international (internal if Domestic Cover) departure from or returning to Australia by aircraft or sea vessel, is delayed due to a strike.
  • You will not have any cover under any section if the claim arises from a strike or industrial action that were public knowledge when you booked your trip.
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  • Emergency Expenses. Covers your trip if disrupted because of cancellation, delay or diversion of your scheduled transport caused by power failure, riot, strike or civil commotion but only those expenses you cannot claim from someone else.
  • Additional Expenses. We will pay Your reasonable Additional accommodation expenses (room rate only) and Additional transport expenses, at the same accommodation standard and fare class as originally booked, incurred on the Journey due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside Your control and resulting from: disruption of Your scheduled transport because of riot, strike or civil commotion occurring after the commencement of the Journey provided you act reasonably in avoiding Additional costs.
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  • Travel delay expenses. You are covered if your pre-paid scheduled transport is delayed, cancelled or rescheduled as a result of poor weather, strike, Industrial action and/or mechanical breakdown.
  • You will not be covered under any section of the policy if you did not follow advice from a government or other official body’s warning in the mass media of a strike.
  • Travel delay expenses. You are covered if your pre-paid scheduled transport is delayed, cancelled or rescheduled as a result of poor weather, strike, Industrial action and/or mechanical breakdown.
  • You will not be covered under any section of the policy if you did not follow advice from a government or other official body’s warning in the mass media of a strike.
  • You will be covered for cancellation and additional accommodation and transportation expenses that are the result of a strike.
  • You will not be covered under any section of the policy if you did not follow advice in the mass media or any government or other official body’s warning of a strike.
  • Additional Expenses. We will pay Your reasonable Additional accommodation expenses (room rate only) and Additional transport expenses, at the same accommodation standard and fare class as originally booked, incurred on the Journey due to an unforeseeable circumstance outside Your control and resulting from: disruption of Your scheduled transport because of riot, strike or civil commotion occurring after the commencement of the Journey provided you act reasonably in avoiding Additional costs.
  • 1Cover will pay for your additional accommodation and travel expenses on all levels of cover (other than essential and basics) for your reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses if a disruption to your journey arises from your scheduled or connecting transport is cancelled, delayed, shortened or diverted due to a strike.
  • Trip Cancellation and Interruption. Cancellation or restriction by the carrier of pre-paid scheduled public transport services, caused by severe weather, natural disaster, riot, strike or civil commotion.
  • Under the "other circumstances" section of your policy, you're covered for claims resulting from disruption of your scheduled transport because of a strike.
  • Boomers will reimburse your reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses resulting from your transport being cancelled, delayed, rescheduled or diverted because of a strike.
  • Webjet will reimburse your reasonable additional travel and accommodation expenses (room rate only) if a disruption to your journey arises from your scheduled or connecting transport is cancelled, delayed, rescheduled or diverted because of a strike.
  • You will be covered for cancellation fees and lost deposits for pre-paid travel if your trip is impacted by a strike. You will also be reimbursed any reasonable expenses you incurred.
  • You will not be covered under any section of the policy if you did not follow advice in the mass media or any government or other official body’s warning of a strike.

Note: This information was last updated August 2022

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Editor

Richard Laycock is Finder’s insights editor after spending the last five years writing and editing articles about insurance. His musings can be found across the web including on MoneyMag, Yahoo Finance and Travel Weekly. Richard studied Media at Macquarie University and The Missouri School of Journalism and has a Tier 1 Certification in General Advice for Life Insurance. See full bio

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2 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    DavidMarch 17, 2016

    We typically use a bank credit card to be eligible for their card insurance which lists cover for overseas and interstate travel, domestic hotel burglary, transport accident, extended warranty, purchase protection and price protection. The rules state that cover is under a Master Policy issued by Chubb.

    Are we in safe hands here please?

      AvatarFinder
      RichardMarch 17, 2016Finder

      Hi David,

      Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and we are not permitted to provide our users with personalised financial advice or make specific product recommendations. Not knowing the bank that policy was issued through I can’t speak to how and when it would cover strikes but generally if the strike is planned and known in the media, you won’t be covered for costs associated with cancellation etc.

      I hope this was helpful,
      Richard

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