Insurance companies report spike in terror-related travel cover

DO YOU have an upcoming trip planned to Europe? Have you considered cancelling your trip due to fear of terrorism?

It’s understandable that you might feel apprehensive about your holiday in the spate of recent events across the continent. Tensions are high following terror attacks in Brussels, France and Germany, not to mention the attempted coup in Turkey.
Comparison website CANSTAR, which researches and rates financial products, says more and more Australians are looking for insurance policies that specifically cover terrorism. Analysis of more than 30,000 users over the past year shows spikes following each attack: a jump was recorded last November, coinciding with the horrific events in Paris, while the figures rose more than 20 per cent last month in the wake of the attack in Nice and the uprising in Turkey.
It’s important to know you can be insured for terrorism, should you find yourself in the midst of a crisis. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Do your homework
When planning your trip, it’s important to think ahead. Know what countries you’ll be visiting, and what activities you’ll be doing. Most policies cover you for the basics, for example, if you lose your luggage or break your ankle.
However, details of extra costs such as adventure activities or specialist medical care may be tucked away in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). The same goes for covering terror-related incidents.
“It’s all about reading the PDS,” said Justine Davies, of CANSTAR. The company’s research proves it’s essential to do your homework.
“Of of the 281 travel insurance policies we rate, 144 cover injury as a direct result of terrorism, and 101 cover repatriation as a direct result of terrorism,” she said. “Only 21 cover cancellation costs as a direct result of terrorism.”

2. Register your travel
It’s always a good idea to register your plans with Smartraveller. The website is an initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and it helps if officials need to contact your family in the event of an emergency.
You can also research the countries you’re visiting on the website, so you know the current threat level, and subscribe to receive travel advice updates so you’re aware of the latest incidents.
“Knowing some basic facts, such as where terrorists have attacked before, days of national significance that could be potential targets, and local emergency phone numbers, allows the traveller to make better decisions,” a DFAT spokesperson told news.com.au.
For example, she said those who subscribed to the France advice knew of the attack in Nice within two hours. That’s critical in helping travellers review their plans.
3. Use your brain
It’s understandable that terrorism frightens us, particularly given the depth of coverage we get in today’s media. However, the chance of being caught in an attack is extremely low.
“In some ways it’s akin to being scared of sharks when you go swimming,” said Justine. “The chances of a shark attack are very low but we’re horrified by the concept.” She says it’s far more likely that you’ll make a claim for a stolen wallet or lost luggage, than terrorism.
However, every place poses its risks. “You should be willing to choose a new destination if you or your travelling companions are not willing to accept the risk,” said the DFAT spokesperson. Travellers should be vigilant about their personal security, and take sensible precautions. That includes avoiding demonstrations and protests, respecting local customs, obeying the law - and yes, getting insurance.
“Every traveller is responsible for their own decisions,” she said. “Remember, if you can’t afford insurance, you can’t afford to travel.”

F1: Lewis Hamilton wins the 2016 Formula 1 German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring

MERCEDES Lewis Hamilton surged ahead at the start of the German Grand Prix on Sunday and held on to win the last race before the summer break and increase his championship lead.

Hamilton, second on the grid, was faster off the mark than teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg, who started from pole but dropped to fourth before the first corner.
Hamilton, a three-time Formula One champion who has won the title the last two seasons, now takes a 19-point lead over Rosberg into the four-week break, after trailing Rosberg by 43 points earlier in the season.

Hamilton has won six of the past seven races and now has 49 career victories.
“What a race, what a fantastic start. It was just about keeping it cool,” Hamilton said after his third German GP win.
Daniel Ricciardo was second, ahead of Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, the first time these two Red Bull drivers shared the podium. Red Bull pushed past Ferrari into second place in the constructors’ standings.
Rosberg also picked up a five-second penalty for pushing Verstappen off the course and had to settle for fourth, after winning the Hockenheim race two years ago from pole.
“It is a tough one, really difficult,” Rosberg said. “The start went completely wrong, none of it was good,” said Rosberg, who swept the first four races of the season but has won only one since.
Rosberg said he was “surprised” to get the penalty and that it had cost him “dearly” because he was unable to challenge the Red Bulls after that.
He sat out the penalty on his third pit stop but the team appeared to have kept him behind for longer than the five seconds. “When a day goes completely wrong all those things come together,” he said.
The incident came on lap 29 after both Rosberg and Verstappen had pitted. There was a lot of wheel-to-wheel racing before Rosberg went wide and forced Verstappen off the track.

Star centre Andrew Bogut plays in Boomers final Rio Olympic warm-up win against China

THE Australian men’s basketball team have been buoyed by the return of star centre Andrew Bogut, who had his first hit out in more than six weeks in the Boomers’ 82-53 Olympic Games warm-up win against China.

Bogut took straight to the court with his knee heavily strapped against the Chinese and played the first six minutes of the match in a good sign he’ll be right to participate in the Boomers’ Olympic campaign.
And it didn’t take long for the newly-minted Dallas Maverick to be in the thick of the action, the 31-year-old remonstrating with China’s NBA draft pick Qi Zhou for apparently elbowing him in the face.
Bogut went on to play nine minutes and finished with three rebounds and an assist.
Joe Ingles led the way for the Boomers and looked in fine touch with a game-high 21 points on nine of 12 shooting as well as six rebounds.
Coach Andrej Lemanis used 11 players in the Australians’ final warm-up fixture, point guard Patty Mills sitting out the match. Assistant coach Luc Longley was happy to see Bogut back on court.

“I think his first game back from an injury is always difficult. We’re fairly happy with how he moved, how he looked on the court and will build from that,” he said.
Former NBA No.1 draft pick Bogut had been under an injury cloud but was named in the Boomers’ squad for the Games, the Australians desperately seeking his defensive nous and physicality to improve their chances of a maiden men’s Olympic basketball medal in Rio.
Bogut had sustained a knee injury after a heavy fall during the fifth game of Golden State’s losing NBA final series against Cleveland and had not played since mid-June.
He was subsequently traded to the Mavericks for the 2016/17 season.
A championship winner with Golden State, Bogut has spoken little about his injury over the past month, and has instead been in the headlines more for a Twitter feud with Australian women’s player Liz Cambage.
The Boomers offered up a mixed bag in their last four matches, bookending the clashes with wins over world No.4 Argentina and China but suffering substantial losses to Brazil and Lithuania.
Australia’s Olympic campaign starts with a match against France on August 6, the US also featuring in their group.
“We’re ready (but) we haven’t played great yet,” Longley said.

Kyle and Jackie O sign new five-year contract with KIIS FM

KYLE and Jackie O could both earn up to $5 million each year for the next five years after signing a new contract with ARN.

According to industry sources, the KIIS FM breakfast duo could earn up to $25 million each by the end of the contract which is dependant on ratings.
Although Kyle and Jackie O negotiated their salaries separately, it’s understood they’re being paid an equal amount.
There are rumours that the popular duo were approached earlier this year by 2Day FM, the station they walked out on in 2013 after more than a decade, but Kyle has made it quite clear he’d never return to his old stomping ground.
“There was never a doubt in my mind KIIS was our home for the long haul, because I made it!” Kyle said in a statement released overnight.

“It’s my baby. Jackie and I are still doing what we love and doing it better than ever.”
2Day FM has since struggled to fill the void left by Kyle and Jackie O’s departure.
In 2014, Merrick Watts, Jules Lund, Sophie Monk and Mel B hosted the 2Day FM breakfast show but struggled in the ratings.
They were replaced the following year by Dan Debuf & Maz Compton who also failed to lift the ratings.
There was yet another change in November last year when Rove McManus and Sam Frost took over the lucrative breakfast slot.
They currently have a 3.9 per cent audience share compared to Kyle and Jackie O which is the number one FM breakfast show with a 10.4 per cent audience share.