Travel delays on West Coast Main Line

The accident over the weekend on the major rail route between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly has sparked severe disruptions for travellers heading home after the Christmas break. More than 100 trains on the West Coast Main Line, to and from London Euston, were cancelled after overhead wires became damaged, blocking all tracks at Watford Junction on Sunday afternoon.

The latest disruption was caused when a light aircraft crashed into power cables, killing the two occupants and forcing the cancellation of many trains on the route between London and Manchester. Commuters will be hoping they do not see a repeat of last year’s chaos, when engineering work at key sections of the rail network were not complete, causing disruption well into the New Year.

So are you covered if you take out a travel insurance policy? Well, for those taking trips abroad and caught up on their way to the airport, then yes you may well be. Under most travel insurance policies, insurers will respond to claims for Delay and Abandonment as well as Missed Departure.

Some insurers provide cover for events beyond your control so if you have been delayed by the rail disruption, then your travel insurance will cover you for additional accommodation and travel expenses incurred to get you to your destination, so all is not lost. But do obtain a written report from train company if your rail journey is delayed or cancelled which you should include in any claim you make.

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