Is flood damage or disruption covered?
Bottom line: yes, but what you can claim depends on your product. Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass, you can cancel your trip or cut it short. Under LUMA Travel Pass, you can cancel before you leave.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
A flood at your planned destination is a covered reason to cancel your trip before you leave, or to cut it short and return home if it strikes mid-trip and stops you from continuing. You can claim back the non-refundable prepaid costs you lose and, if you return early, the unused part of your trip and the extra cost of the cheapest way home. You can also cancel, or return home early, if a flood completely destroys your home.Under LUMA Travel Pass
You can cancel your trip and claim back non-refundable costs if a flood causes the flight or other transport you booked to be canceled, or damages the accommodation you booked so badly that you cannot stay there. There is no benefit for cutting your trip short once you have left.
Am I covered if I am injured or fall ill in a flood?
Bottom line: yes under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass. Under LUMA Travel Pass, medical expenses and medical evacuation are not covered for injuries or illnesses caused by a flood.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
A genuine injury sustained during a flood is covered the same as any other accidental injury, for example if you cut your foot on hidden debris while walking through floodwater. Illness is covered too, such as leptospirosis, an infection you can catch from floodwater contaminated by rat urine. Both fall under your medical expenses and emergency assistance benefits.Under LUMA Travel Pass
Medical expenses and medical evacuation are not covered for injuries or illnesses caused by a flood. This applies to injuries you get during the flood, such as cutting your foot on debris in floodwater, and to illnesses you catch from floodwater, such as leptospirosis, even if they appear days or weeks later. Trip cancellation before you leave is a separate benefit and is still covered.
Coverage by product
Check your plan's Table of Benefits for the exact limit.
What is not covered?
- A special evacuation for safety alone, with no injury or illness involved. No LUMA product has a standalone non-medical evacuation benefit.
- Under LUMA Travel Pass, anything caused by a flood except trip cancellation, including medical expenses, evacuation, travel and baggage delays, and cutting your trip short.
- Flight delays where the airline's stated cause is not one your policy lists, for example crew or staff unable to reach the airport.
- A flood or related disruption that was already known or anticipated when you bought your policy.
- Canceling because heavy rain is forecast or because you are worried about flooding, when no flood has actually affected your trip.
- Cancellations or cut-short trips caused by government orders, such as an official airport closure.
- Self-arranged evacuation or transport, without going through your insurer first. Refer to your confirmation email for how to reach your assistance provider.
- Costs already recoverable from your airline, hotel, card issuer, or another policy.
What happens if…? Common flood questions
My flight is delayed because flooding has disrupted the airline's staff and operations. Am I covered?
Bottom line: not when the airline's stated reason is staffing or operational problems. Your delay benefit only pays for the causes your policy lists.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
Your travel delay benefit pays for each full 6 hours of delay beyond the first 6 hours, when the cause is:
- serious weather
- industrial action
- hijack
- a technical or mechanical failure
A delay the airline puts down to staffing or operational problems, such as crew unable to reach the airport, is not one of these causes. The same applies if your flight is rescheduled. Ask the airline for a written statement of the cause and length of the delay, because your claim is assessed on that statement.
Under LUMA Travel Pass
Delays caused by a flood, including flood disruption to airline staff and operations, are not covered.
My checked bags did not arrive because of flood disruption. Am I covered?
Bottom line: under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass, yes, whatever caused the delay, except on your flight home. Under LUMA Travel Pass, not when a flood caused it.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
If your checked bags arrive at least 6 hours after you land in a country your policy covers, you can claim for essential toiletries and clothing, whatever caused the delay. Before you leave the airport, get a Baggage Irregularity Report from the airline, and keep your receipts.
Under LUMA Travel Pass
Baggage delays caused by a flood are not covered. For delays with other causes, your policy covers essential purchases, except on your flight home. Get a Property Irregularity Report from the airline before you leave the airport and keep your receipts.
Flooding disrupted my flight before my trip. Can I claim?
Bottom line: it depends on where the flood is and which product you have.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
If the flood is at your planned destination, you can cancel your trip and claim back non-refundable prepaid costs. If the flooding is only where you are flying from, cancellation does not apply, but your travel delay benefit can if your flight is delayed and the airline states a listed cause, such as serious weather. Ask the airline to rebook or refund you.
Under LUMA Travel Pass
If a flood causes the airline to cancel your booked flight and you cancel your trip, you can claim back non-refundable costs. This does not apply when the cancellation follows a government order, such as an official airport closure. You also cannot claim costs the airline refunds you.
My hotel flooded during my trip and I cannot continue as planned. Will I get my prepaid hotel nights back?
Bottom line: under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass, yes, if you return home early. Under LUMA Travel Pass, there is no cover once your trip has started.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
If the flood stops you from continuing your trip and you return home early, you can claim the unused, prepaid part of your trip, including hotel nights you could not use, and the extra cost of the cheapest way home. If you move to another hotel and carry on with your trip, the policy does not pay for the new hotel or for the nights lost at the flooded one. There is no daily allowance for disrupted hotel stays. Ask the flooded hotel for a refund first, because anything it refunds cannot be claimed.
Under LUMA Travel Pass
There is no benefit for this once your trip has started. Your insurer's assistance team can help you find and book another hotel, but the cost is yours. Ask the flooded hotel for a refund of the nights you cannot use.
My hotel flooded before I left. Can I cancel?
Bottom line: yes, under all three products.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
A flood at your planned destination is a covered reason to cancel. You can claim back the non-refundable prepaid costs you lose.
Under LUMA Travel Pass
If a flood damages the accommodation you booked so badly that you cannot stay there, you can cancel your trip and claim back non-refundable costs.
In both cases, ask the hotel and your other providers for refunds first. You can only claim what they do not refund.
I bought my policy after the flood was already known. Am I covered?
Bottom line: not for disruption caused by that flood, under any product.
Events that were already happening or expected when you bought your policy are not covered, so you cannot claim for delays, cancellations or a cut-short trip caused by that flood. Your other benefits still apply, for example medical treatment for an unrelated illness or accident.
What is the difference between heavy rain and a flood?
Bottom line: heavy rain is the weather, and a flood is when water covers land that is normally dry, such as streets, roads or buildings. Your policy treats them differently.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
- Flood: a flood at your planned destination is a covered reason to cancel your trip or cut it short.
- Heavy rain: heavy rain on its own is not a reason to cancel. If it delays your flight, your travel delay benefit can apply, because serious weather is a listed cause.
Under LUMA Travel Pass
- Flood: a flood is a covered reason to cancel when it cancels your booked transport or makes your booked accommodation uninhabitable. Apart from trip cancellation, nothing caused by a flood is covered.
- Heavy rain: heavy rain on its own is not a reason to cancel. If it delays the first flight of your trip, your delay benefit can apply, because adverse weather is a listed cause. If the delay is caused by flooding, it is not covered.
When does heavy rain count as a flood?
Bottom line: what counts is whether flooding actually affects your trip, not how much rain falls.
Your claim is assessed on whether flooding affected your planned destination, your booked transport or your booked accommodation. A forecast of heavy rain, or rain that does not disrupt your plans, is not enough. To support a claim, keep official flood warnings, news coverage of the flooding, and written confirmation from your airline or hotel of how your booking was affected.
Does a flood need to be declared a disaster or catastrophe for my policy to apply?
Bottom line: no. Your policy does not require an official disaster declaration.
Under LUMA Asia Pass and LUMA World Pass
A flood at your planned destination that disrupts your trip is enough. An official declaration or warning is still useful evidence for your claim.
Under LUMA Travel Pass
Any flood is treated the same way, however large or small. Trip cancellation applies when the flood cancels your booked transport or makes your booked accommodation uninhabitable. Nothing else caused by a flood is covered.
What should I do if a flood affects my trip?
- 1
Get to safety first.
Follow local authority guidance, move to higher ground, and do not walk or drive through floodwater. Check in with your accommodation or tour operator.
- 2
Seek medical attention immediately if you are injured or feel unwell.
Do not wait to see if it is serious, especially after contact with floodwater.
- 3
Contact your insurer before arranging anything yourself.
Refer to the email you received when you purchased your policy. It has all the instructions and contact numbers you need to proceed with your claim efficiently.
- 4
Get written proof from your airline and hotel.
Ask the airline for a letter stating the cause and length of any delay or cancellation, and get an irregularity report before you leave the airport if your bags are late. Ask your hotel for written confirmation if it cannot accommodate you.
- 5
Keep every document.
Medical reports, receipts for emergency purchases, booking confirmations, and any official warning or news coverage of the flood.
- 6
File your claim promptly, as soon as you can.
Do not wait until you are back home to start the process.
