Yes Insurance Urges Holidaymakers to Add 'Trip Disruption' Cover to Travel Insurance in Wake of Mount Etna Activity

As thousands of travellers face cancelled flights, airport closures and extended delays following ongoing volcanic activity at Mount Etna, Yes Insurance is urging holidaymakers to check whether their travel insurance includes Trip Disruption cover before they travel.

Flights at Catania Airport, Sicily's main international gateway, have been suspended following ongoing volcanic ash emissions from Mount Etna, with hundreds of flights cancelled or diverted and thousands of passengers experiencing significant disruption during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year. The disruption has been described as the most severe to affect the airport in at least two decades.

The situation has left many travellers facing unexpected accommodation costs, delayed departures, rearranged travel plans and extended stays abroad, highlighting the financial impact that major travel disruption can have on holidaymakers.

Ciarán Mulligan, Ireland’s leading travel insurance expert who previously owned Blue Insurance and has launched a new start up travel insurance company, YesInsurance.ie, said: "The events unfolding in Sicily this week as well as the wildfires in Europe and dry riverbeds in Europe, demonstrate exactly why travellers should look beyond medical cover when choosing travel insurance. While nobody can predict natural events such as volcanic eruptions, holidaymakers can prepare for the financial impact that often follows. Major travel disruption can create unexpected costs and significant inconvenience, particularly during peak holiday periods."

Mr Mulligan said consumers should be selecting the best policy (Ultra) where trip disruption cover is included.

“We are seeing much later travel being booked this year due to the warm summer weather in Ireland and heatwaves in Europe. September and October are expected to be very busy for foreign travel this year," he said.

Real-World Impact of Travel Disruption

The ongoing situation in Sicily provides a practical example of how travel disruption can affect holidaymakers.

A holidaymaker due to fly home from Catania this week could face cancelled flights, additional hotel stays, extra transport costs and the expense of rearranging onward travel plans. Trip Disruption cover is designed to help protect travellers against the financial impact of unexpected events that significantly disrupt a trip, subject to policy terms and conditions.

Shane Kinahan, Chief Executive Officer of Yes Insurance, said: "The scenes emerging from Sicily this week are exactly the type of travel disruption that catches holidaymakers off guard. Most people book a holiday expecting to enjoy a break, not spend days dealing with cancelled flights, airport closures and unexpected accommodation costs."

Yes Insurance is encouraging holidaymakers to:

· Check their travel insurance policy before departure.

· Understand what trip disruption-related benefits are available under their cover.

· Keep copies of travel documents and receipts if disruption occurs.

· Contact airlines and travel providers immediately following cancellations or delays.

· Ensure they have suitable cover in place before travelling.

With thousands of passengers affected by the continuing disruption in Sicily, the company says the incident serves as a timely reminder that travel plans can change unexpectedly and that appropriate Trip Disruption cover can provide valuable peace of mind when events beyond a travellers’ control impact their holiday.