Aussie family’s urgent warning to travellers after they were almost left stranded in Bali
- Aussie family was stuck on an island near Bali
- Travel insurer Allianz paid for their helicopter flight
An Aussie dad praised his family’s travel insurance for paying $5,000 to fly them off a small island in Bali after poor weather left them stranded.
Melbourne diver Stuart Griffith was holidaying on Gili Trawangan, east of Bali, with his wife and young daughter when they almost missed their flight home on Sunday.
The family had spent five days on the island and were due to catch a boat back to the mainland when the weather hit.
‘All the boats were cancelled due to rough seas,’ he wrote.
‘If it wasn’t for our travel insurance we’d still be on Gili Trawangan instead of sitting at a bar at the airport waiting to board.’
Mr Griffith explained the family’s travel insurer, Allianz, paid almost AUD$5,000 for a private helicopter to take the family from the island to the mainland.
Melbourne diver Stuart Griffith’s family was flown out from Gili Trawangan, east of Bali, on a $5,000 helicopter flight (pictured, the family boarding the helicopter)
‘We had comprehensive cover with Allianz and because a helicopter was the only way for us to make our flight, they covered the IDR50,000,000 cost,’ he said.
‘Spoke to a few other [tourists] on the island who said their insurer used loop holes to avoid paying it.
‘One told me his insurance wouldn’t cover it because the Harbour Master’s order stated “bad weather” but the policy stated “storm” as the required cause.
‘Point is, it matters which insurer you choose. Cheaper is not better.’
More than 150 commenters were amazed by the insurer’s response with many confused how Mr Griffith had his claim cleared so quickly.
‘I’m surprised the insurance just didn’t say they would pay for your overstay and new tickets,’ one person wrote.
Mr Griffith responded: ‘[Our] policy stated “pay the reasonable travel cost up to $10,000 to avoid missing a pre-booked flight”.
‘As it was the only way off the island it was deemed reasonable. I also couldn’t stay as I have a business I need to get back to running.’
The family’s travel insurer, Allianz, paid for them to take a helicopter off Gili Trawangan (above) to catch a flight back home to Melbourne on Sunday
Another commenter asked: ‘So Allianz coughed up the money for this within hours?’
Mr Griffith said: ‘The claim has been approved, we had to cover it on the credit card and they will reimburse us.
‘The claim was initially lodged when the boats were first shut down and we booked the helicopter three days ago.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Allianz for comment.
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