Bali’s Mount Agung Blows Cover

Another day, another eruption!

Indonesia's active volcanoes have been rumbling on and off for years. Mount Agung (Bali), Mount Merapi (near Yogyakarta), Mount Rinjani, (Lombok) and Mount Sinabung (North Sumatra) have all been erupting frequently in past years causing dangerous consequences and travel disruptions. Specifically, on everyone's favourite island, Bali, Mount Agung has seen increased volcanic activity since late September 2017. And with most insurers maintaining their coverage exclusions for the volcano this means that if you purchased a policy for Bali after November 2017, most insurers will not cover you for cancellations, delays, or other claims related to Mount Agung, as it remains an ongoing known-event...So what are your options? And what should you do if no insurers are covering for Mt Agung?

Who is currently covering Bali Mount Agung?

As it stands, most insurers in the market are not covering for cancellations, delays, or other claims which are related to Mount Agung. The cut-off date as noted below in the table details the last time the insurer was known to be covering. The one exception is TravelCard whom are still currently covering for Mount Agung as of Friday 1st September 2019. Please note this information can change over time, so be sure to check before you buy a policy.

Table information correct as of 20/02/2024

General Advice Warning: The contents of this article were accurate at the time of writing. Insurers change their policies and underwriters from time to time, so some information may have changed. You should always read the Product Disclosure Statement of your chosen insurer to understand what is covered and what isn't. The information provided is of a general nature only and does not take into account any personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your personal circumstances.

What Will My Travel Insurance Cover?

You can still purchase cover for Bali for all other aspects of your trip. Comprehensive policies to Bali will continue to cover other unknown weather events and natural disasters, cancellations due to sickness and injury, scooter accidents, luggage theft, and a host more scenarios. Not sure which brand to go with? You can check out travel cover company ratings or customer travel insurance reviews on our site.

Tips For Travellers Impacted By Mount Agung

Stay safe: For travellers impacted by any volcano, it's important to stay safe and out of the exclusion zone. Keep in touch with family and friends about your welfare and whereabouts and make contingency plans in case you're affected. If you have been affected and require medical attention, make sure you contact your chosen insurers' emergency medical assistance team as soon as possible.

Keep checking Smartraveller: At all times, follow the advice issued by DFAT via its website smartraveller.gov.au. This is the best resource to understand the latest travel warnings.

Stay informed: Keep yourself as informed as you can in regard to flight rescheduling. If your travel arrangements have been affected, we recommend contacting your travel agent or travel provider regarding the best option in altering your trip. Make calling the airport or your airline a last resort, as call centres tend to be at maximum capacity at times of mass travel disruptions. Instead, make sure that your email and mobile contact information on your booking is up-to-date, and stay tuned to your airline's website and socials. If you arrive at the airport to find delays, pay close attention to announcements and flight boarding screens, as circumstances may change quickly.

Be flexible: During eruptions, many airlines offer flights to alternative destinations, such as Japan or Thailand, so flexible travellers may still be able to enjoy a beachside holiday if they can’t make it to their planned destination.

Stay positive: Whilst travel delays and disruptions can be a frustrating part of travel, travellers should remember that any flight embargoes due to ash clouds will be in place for the traveller’s own safety... after all, there are worse places to be stuck than Bali!

For more information, visit our Bali Volcano Guide.

Previous Volcanic Activity Updates

29 June 2018 update

InsureandGo, which briefly lifted their exclusion between 7:30 pm (AEST) on 6th June 2018 and 8:00 pm (AEST) on 8th June 2018. If you were one of the lucky travellers who did purchase a policy in that window, you are covered for claims arising from Mount Agung, provided that you purchased their natural disaster cover as an add-on to your policy.

22 November 2017 update

Don't say we didn't warn you! After months of activity and monitoring, Mount Agung, Bali, Indonesia erupted (albeit a small eruption). We hope you heeded our advice and took cover when you had the chance.

Back in September, when an eruption was deemed to be large and imminent, insurance companies imposed cut-off times for coverage for travel service disruptions resulting from Mount Agung. For the majority of insurers, this exclusion remained in place.

However, after a month of waiting and no blow, volcanic activity began to significantly decrease. On 30 October the Indonesian government downgraded the alert status for Mount Agung to the second-highest level, which saw some travel insurers lift their exclusion for Mount Agung.

Now that the volcano has actually erupted, the insurers that lifted their ban have imposed a new cut-off date. The table below provides the new cut-off dates imposed by insurers that previously lifted their ban.

Travel Insurance Brand Underwriter New Cut-off Date 1Cover, DUinsure, iTrek, Simply Travel Insurance, Zoom Travel Insurance Certain underwriters at Lloyd's Midday 22 November 2017 Insure and Go, Tick Travel Insurance Mitsui Somotomo Midnight 21 November 2017 TID (Travel Insurance Direct) and Nib Travel Insurance Certain underwriters at Lloyd's 8:05pm 21 November 2017 Please note: We are not aware of any travel insurer that is currently offering cover for disrupted travel services due to Mount Agung or any resultant ash cloud.

If you purchased a policy prior to insurer deadlines, or within their windows of opportunity, don't sweat it, you're covered. If you haven't purchased a policy yet, although you're not covered for Mount Agung, we suggest that you take out travel insurance. You'd be covered for non-volcano medical costs like being injured in a scooter accident, theft or loss of belongings, and more. Bali's international airport remains open and no schdeuled flights in or out of Bali have been affected so far. The mountain has spewed steam and ash with a plume rising approximately 700 metres from the volcano. The wind is blowing the cloud away from the island and airport.

The airlines continue to monitor Bali flight paths and if any volcanic ash makes it way into Bali airspace planes may be grounded and flights disruptions experienced.

6 November 2017 update

Cover for Mount Agung Bali is Available

Travel Insurance Brand Underwriter Date Exclusion Lifted 1Cover, DUinsure, iTrek, Simply Travel Insurance, Zoom Travel Insurance Certain underwriters at Lloyd's 9:00am 6 November 2017 Travel with Jane Hollard Insurance Company 9:00am 31 October 2017 Insure and Go, Tick Travel Insurance Mitsui Somotomo 3:20pm 31 October 2017 TID (Travel Insurance Direct) and Nib Travel Insurance Certain underwriters at Lloyd's 3:00pm 30 October 2017 Please note that whilst the exclusion for these providers has been lifted. Some limitations may apply. For all new policies purchased, cover is available. However for existing policies purchased prior to 6 November, previous bans in place may still apply.

Please note that this information is current at the time of writing. We continue to monitor the situation and any changes in cover from the various travel insurance brands. We will update this page when new information becomes available.

5 November 2017 update

As the Christmas holiday season fast approaches, comparetravelinsurance.com.au has experienced an influx of queries on cover for Bali. This comes on the back of the threat level of Mount Agung being lowered by Indonesian authorities from level 4, to level 3 on Sunday 29 October 2017.

The exclusion zone for the volcano has been reduced and tremors significantly decreased over the past few weeks.

Importantly for Bali bound travellers, cover for this beast of a mountain is now available. Some insurers have begun to reinstate cover for new travel insurance policies sold, some have lifted their restriction on both new and past policies purchased, while others are sitting tight as they continue to monitor the situation.

Natalie Ball, Director of Comparetravelinsurance.com.au says:

“This is fantastic news for Aussies heading to Bali in the upcoming holiday season as they can now get cover once again. Resultant ash cloud from an eruption has the potential to keep planes grounded for weeks, so now is certainly the time to take cover”.

“From 23 September until now, Bali bound travellers were unable to obtain cover for travel delays or cancellations relating to Mount Agung due to the likelihood of an eruption no longer being unforeseen".

The mounted fears took it's toll on the holiday island's tourism with a reported 70,000 tourists cancelling their plans to travel to Bali in October.

On 30 October, Travel Insurance Direct announced that they were providing cover in the event of any new eruption or volcanic activity regardless of when customers purchased a policy.

Tick Travel Insurance’s exclusion was lifted on the 31st October. This means they would cover for any new event for policies purchased after this date.

InsureandGo is now covering travellers who purchased travel insurance with their natural disaster add-on.

Effective from 6 November, 1Cover and new player in the market Zoom Travel Insurance have lifted their ban, meaning that anyone that purchases a new policy would now be covered for Mount Agung.

Ball says “In the lead up to one of the busiest travel periods of the year, insurers will be keen to keep their customers. It will be interesting to see if any other insurers follow suit in the next few days. Insurers are, in effect, bookmakers on this."

With expert volcanologists adding that eruptions are unpredictable, no one really knows whether or not this beast of a mountain is going to blow.

Volcanologist Janine Krippner, who has been monitoring the situation from the U.S. has praised the work conducted by the Indonesian volcanology monitoring team on twitter. ” I'd again like to express my respect for the great job that the Indonesian volcanology monitoring team has done with #Agung.” Krippner said "The problem with Agung is we can't tell if this is actually, certainly going to erupt. This volcano hasn't stopped. Whether that will continue to go and actually produce an eruption, I'm throwing my hands up in the air with that one."

Ball concludes “Our advice to our customers is to always purchase travel insurance sooner rather than later! As soon as you’ve booked your flights and accommodation, travel insurance should be the next thing on your list to ensure that you are covered for scenarios exactly like this. For policies in place prior to a natural disaster becoming a known event, you’d be covered".

Australians travelling in and around Bali are encouraged to follow Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)current travel advice for Bali. It is always a good idea to register your details with https://smartraveller.gov.au/ too.

Exclusions That Could Blow Your Cover

Ball says that a thorough understanding of your policy is key to peace of mind.

“While we strongly recommend obtaining travel insurance no matter where you’re headed to, you should always read your policy to understand any relevant exclusions that could blow your cover.”

For example, Columbus Direct (underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyds) will not cover for natural disasters surrounding volcanic activity at all. And No Worries (also underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyds) only covers natural disasters in Australia.

Importance Of Comprehensive Cover

Looming flight disruptions could mean Bali travellers find themselves stuck in Bali for longer than planned, or stranded at home unable to begin their holiday.

Travellers should consider the level of cover they purchase to ensure they are covered for transport and accommodation expenses should they experience delays or cancellation of travel plans due to natural disasters such as a volcanic eruption.

Ball says, “As a general rule, lower-priced, basic policies would not provide cover for cancellation or travel delays. When in doubt, buy comprehensive travel insurance sooner rather than later to make sure you’re covered if you need to cancel your trip.”

“The price variation between a basic and comprehensive family policy for a week to Bali can be as little as $20 dollars. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.”

Travellers who do find themselves with disrupted travel plans without the appropriate level of cover should seek compensation from their airline.

Ball concludes:

“Whilst travel delays and disruptions can be a frustrating part of travel, travellers should remember that any flight embargoes due to ash clouds will be in place for the traveller’s own safety...after all, there are worse places to be stuck than Bali!”

“And remember, don't let natural disasters blow your cover. Travel insurance ensures your trip is still a blast!”

See our comprehensive guide on travel insurance and natural disasters for more information.