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2010 Media Releases

Southern Cross welcomes media inquiries about any health related topics. Please contact:

Aimee Bourke, Communications Manager

Southern Cross Healthcare Group
Phone 09 925 6412; Mobile 021 410 411

aimee.bourke@southerncross.co.nz

Apr19

Iceland eruption - updated advice from SCTI

4/19/2010 3:21:00 PM by Aimee Bourke

If you can’t guarantee getting to your end destination – don’t go. That’s the advice Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) is providing to the hundreds of customers calling today.

Southern Cross Healthcare Group CEO Ian McPherson says, “SCTI had an increase of about 30% more calls on Friday and the same increase of e-mails over the weekend. With the call centre opening today enquiries have just skyrocketed.

SCTI are receiving over 110 calls an hour, double that of a normal Monday. Since Thursday we have had over 300 calls from people already travelling - who have sought advice about possible claims. However, by far the majority of calls are from those enquiring about future travel to or from Europe.

“People are extremely concerned, we are receiving calls from individuals who are very worried about their trips – some even two or three months out.

“There is key information that people are wanting to know and this can be found on our website www.scti.co.nz, so we urge travellers to check there first.”

The basics that travellers need to know are:

If people are overseas and caught up in this event, we will automatically extend their period of insurance until they are able to return to New Zealand

We advise people not to travel. We are recommending that customers claim for cancellation if they purchased their policy before the 15th April. If customers choose to fly from today, and they become stuck, there is no cover provided. This event has been well publicised – it is no longer un “expected”.

Dr McPherson says, “we are also advising that it is not ideal to travel, because if they do become stuck, there is limited accommodation and airports are closed. We don't want New Zealanders to be stuck in closed airports!

“We will of course be assessing the coverage for travel interruptions on a daily basis, we suggest customers do as well. For example, if the customer is travelling next Wednesday, check back the day before as the situation is always changing and airports may re open in a few days.”

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