So what IS the point of travel insurance? Daily Mail
Malcolm Tarling, from the Association of British Insurers, says: 'It is unclear how long this ash cloud is going to cause problems, so the message has to be: check with your insurer before you buy a policy.'
Meanwhile, campaigners have demanded sweeping reforms to protect travellers from suffering again from the chaos that marooned more than 150,000 Britons abroad and left a similar number stuck here.
As another cloud threatens the skies over Britain, legal experts are calling for existing travel laws to be thrown out and new, tougher consumer protection to be put in place.
They want a one-stop ombudsman who will investigate complaints about travel firms and insurers to find out who should fork out when things go wrong.
And they want the laws to be redrawn to ensure that all travellers - whether they book independently, through an agent or on a package tour - are treated equally.
Many who were left stranded by the ash cloud chaos are now battling with their airlines and insurers for recompense. For most, there should have been a system in place which meant their airline would pay their expenses if they were stuck abroad - and those left in the UK would be able to rebook at no extra expense to themselves.
