'Japan travellers may lose out if megaquake strikes'
Insurers may not pay out if trips to Japan are cancelled or cut short in the event that a feared "megaquake" in the country actually materialises, an industry representative said on Tuesday. On August 8, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern island of Kyushu, prompting Japanese authorities to issue their first-ever warning of an increased risk of a major quake in the near future. The Hong Kong Federation of Insurers has urged travellers to carefully study the fine print of their policies, adding that they may not cover disruption linked to a "known risk" such as any further quake connected to the one of last week.  "If the [insurance] scheme was purchased after the initial earthquake on August 8, then people may not receive compensation if their trip was cancelled or cut short," said the federation's chief executive, Selina Lau.  At Hong Kong airport, a man surnamed Lo and his family were checking in for their flight to Tokyo on Tuesday. Lo said they decided to go ahead with the 10-day trip after confirming their travel insurance was still valid. "We planned the trip for a very long time. I don't want to disappoint my kids and family. It is a bit risky, but we still want to go," he said. A woman surnamed Yip said she had "no choice" but to go ahead with her trip to Osaka as she did not want to lose the money she paid for the flights and hotels. “I booked the trip around five months ago and I could not apply for a refund now," she said, adding that her insurer had reassured her that the trip would still be covered.  "I have checked the consulate's phone numbers and if anything happens, I will deal with it when it comes," she said.