Rare Ulladulla Tornado: What It Means for Domestic Travel Insurance
A rare tornado has swept through the New South Wales coastal town of Ulladulla, causing significant property damage and bringing down trees. For Australians with upcoming travel plans to the South Coast, domestic travel insurance may provide cover for cancellations and disruptions if plans are directly affected.
Domestic travel insurance can cover up to $10,000 or more in non-refundable cancellation costs if a natural disaster like a tornado makes your pre-booked accommodation uninhabitable.
What Happened
A rare and sudden tornado struck the popular tourist town of Ulladulla on the NSW South Coast, damaging local properties, blocking roads, and downing trees. Emergency services were deployed to assist residents and clear debris, with localized power outages and travel disruptions reported.
How Travel Insurance Can Help
If you purchased domestic travel insurance before the tornado occurred, you may be covered for trip cancellation or rearrangement costs if your accommodation was damaged or roads are impassable. Policies can also cover rental vehicle excess if your rental car was damaged by falling trees or debris during the storm. Check your policy's Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for specific natural disaster inclusions and excess amounts.
Common Questions
Yes, most comprehensive domestic travel insurance policies cover cancellation or disruption costs caused by unexpected natural disasters, provided the policy was purchased before the event occurred.
If your pre-booked accommodation is rendered uninhabitable by the storm, you can typically claim non-refundable expenses, up to your policy's limit, to cancel or relocate.
Domestic policies often include rental vehicle excess cover, which can reimburse you for the excess fee charged by the rental company if the vehicle is damaged by debris.