InsureMyTrip Blog

It happens every year: the first official hurricane of the Atlantic season.  Somehow, even though we know it’s probably coming, it always takes us a bit by surprise.  As travelers, we do our best to be informed and prepared before it hits, and yet, when the first hurricane becomes a reality, there’s still that moment of mind-racing questioning, in which we ask ourselves: Do we have everything we need?  Is this going to change our plans significantly?  And if it does change our plans, does our travel insurance cover that?

As Hurricane Irene gathers strength, we encourage all travelers to re-acquaint themselves with their travel insurance policies.  (If you haven’t already purchased one, you won’t be able to get any coverage for Irene, but it may be advisable to take this storm as a sign of things to come and snap up an insurance policy for any upcoming trips you’re planning — since the chances of a one-hurricane season are pretty slim.)  Below is a quick reference guide to some of the hurricane-related topics we’ve covered on this blog recently, so you can refresh your memory on anything of which you’re unsure.  As always, we recommend that you call our Customer Care center at 800-487-4722 with specific questions related to your individual policy.

Read more about these topics on the InsureMyTrip blog:

Delays and Cancellations
Damage to your accommodations
Damage to your home or the surrounding area
Unique concerns

When asked what the most common concern of travelers might be, during Hurricane Season, most of our reps immediately answered; “They’re worried that they can’t get where they’re going.”  Inclement weather can, of course, close airports and other travel hubs, or cause a domino-effect of delays and cancellations rippling outward from affected cities and wreaking havoc with the plans of travelers even in areas with clear blue skies.  During Hurricane Season, it’s not hard to understand why travelers would be somewhat nervous about getting from Point A to Point B, or at least getting there in a timely fashion.

If  you’re concerned about hurricanes affecting the travel forecast in your city of departure, your destination city, or really, anywhere — that ripple effect is a tough reality of air travel — then travel insurance is one of the best investments you can make.  We suggest you become familiar with these types of coverage:

Trip Cancellation: This coverage, which is included in all of the package policies sold on InsureMyTrip.com, will help you recoup any pre-paid, nonrefundable expenses related to your trip if you cancel your plans due to a delay of 24-48 hours or more (make sure you understand what the specific time frame is for the policy you choose).

Trip Delay: Again, this protection is included in our package policies, and allows you to file for reimbursement of unexpected expenses you might incur as a result of a shorter (but still significant) delay– usually 6 hours or more.  If you need to purchase meals, for example, or pay for overnight lodging to avoid sleeping on the airport benches, travel delay coverage can help cover those incidental costs.

Of special concern is the possibility that your home or destination – -and logically, your travel plans — might be damaged by storms.  While many policies do state that a home or destination rendered “uninhabitable” by a hurricane would be a covered reason for cancelling your trip, we also urge travelers who are especially concerned about this possibility to look into CFAR.  CFAR, or Cancel for Any Reason coverage, would allow you more flexibility to change your plans as you see fit.  In some cases, minor storm damage to your home or destination might mean that you’re uncomfortable traveling, but may not meet the definition of “uninhabitable.”  If you happen to have purchased CFAR, you’d be able to cancel and receive reimbursement for your travel expenses in that scenario, while you may not receive the same benefit from a standard package policy.

It’s understandable for travelers to feel nervous about making plans during Hurricane Season, but the good news is that most of the major concerns you probably have can be addressed with a simple purchase: the right travel insurance policy for your needs.  We encourage you to speak to one of our licensed Customer Care Representatives,who can assist you in finding that policy, so you can secure your travel plans with confidence.

One of the reasons we’re so adamant about trying to stay in touch with our customers is that it’s often the experience of one traveler that helps us better serve the needs of all travelers.  One person’s experience can sometimes help us to uncover unique questions and concerns about travel insurance that might help somebody else in choosing the right policy for their trip.  That’s why, for many of our Customer Care Representatives, the most memorable Hurricane Season stories are the ones that involved slightly less common questions from travelers.

“I had clients call who were in Mexico at the time of a storm, and their hotel mandated that everyone had to evacuate.  Luckily they made it to the airport before it was shut down, so they were able to get home.  They used their trip interruption coverage to help recover their costs.” Lynne, Customer Care Training and Communications Specialist

Why it was unusual: Although Lynne’s clients were told by their hotel manager that they had to leave the property, there was actually no mandatory evacuation from the city in which they were staying.  While some travel insurance plans state that a mandatory evacuation is a covered event, many travelers could be confused by what a “mandatory evacuation” really means.  In this case, while the term didn’t apply, the travelers were still able to recoup the expenses involved in cutting their trip short, because uninhabitable accommodations — i.e., a hotel that’s closed and evacuated due to the storm — are often covered as reasons for trip interruption.

Confused?  Here’s what to ask: What happens if  a hurricane hits while I’m on vacation, and I can’t stay in my hotel any longer?  What kind of coverage would I have if I left early?

“This is kind of an unusual one, but it’s something I think people should really be aware of.  I spoke to some travelers who were supposed to be spending the night on a sailboat while the hurricane was coming through.  They were covered, fortunately, because it was a charter boat – but I want to make sure people know that they have to ask questions about getting coverage for something unique like a stay on a sailing vessel, because it’s not the type of thing that is covered by every standard policy.” –Darryl, Customer Care Representative

Why it was unusual: Cruising might be a popular travel choice, but spending just one or two nights on a private boat isn’t for everyone.

Confused?  Here’s what to ask: If there is anything about your travel plans that you think may be somewhat unconventional — unusual accommodations, adventure sports, wilderness experiences, whatever it may be — please share that with a Customer Care Representative.  You may want to say something like, “I’m not sure if this is significant, but I’m planning to spend the night on a raft going down the Nile…what happens if the river floods unexpectedly and I can’t fulfill my plans?”  As Darryl’s experience with the charter-boat passengers illustrates, there may be specific coverage readily available for certain things, while others may require a bit more research, or may not be covered at all.  It’s best to know well in advance of your trip whether or not your exotic plans can be protected by travel insurance, so there are no surprises in the midst of your adventure.

“I do remember speaking with an insured that had purchased (one of the policies offered on InsureMyTrip.com).  There was a hurricane warning and she was able to cancel her trip and receive the cost of the trip back.  She wanted us to know how extremely happy she was that she had spoken to a knowledgeable customer care specialist who had suggested purchasing one of the policies that offered cancellation due to a hurricane warning. “ –Nancie, Customer Care Representative

Why it was unusual: As Nancie points out, not every package policy will cover you if you decide to cancel your trip based on a hurricane warning alone.  Many of them stipulate that a hurricane must actually occur, and cause certain complications for travelers, for coverage to kick in.  However, we do have some plans that extend the cancellation coverage to travelers who want to change their plans based on a warning, so this particular customer was fortunate to have made an informed choice.

Confused?  Here’s  what to ask: If you really feel that you’d be among the people who would want to cancel due to the threat of a hurricane, then it’s absolutely worth asking one of our Customer Care Representatives to explain to you about not only policies that will cover cancellation due to a hurricane warning, but also Cancel For Any Reason coverage, which provides a broader spectrum of protection and may be the most comfortable choice for some travelers.

The bottom line: We can never know too much about your travel plans.  The more information you provide to us as we’re helping you research your options, the better able we’ll be to provide you with a policy that truly meets all of your unique needs as a traveler.  Call one of our Customer Care Representatives at 800-487-4722 to receive personalized service and answers to all of your travel insurance questions.

Ed. Note: May 22-27, 2011 is National Hurricane Preparedness Week.  As part of our series of archived information from past blog posts regarding the best travel insurance tips for hurricanes and other inclement weather, we offer the following post on what to know if a disaster hits home.  Given the current news about devastating tornadoes, floods, and various kinds of damaging weather throughout the United States, it seems a timely piece of information.  Here’s hoping all our travelers, and their loved ones, stay safe and well.

Bri, Marketing

Often, when people think about travel insurance policies, they consider what kind of coverage they might need if something happened near their destination, or if there happened to be some issue with their transportation, whether by land, sea, or air. Rarely does anyone consider what would happen if they woke up on the morning of their planned departure to find their basement awash in flood water, or their local airports shut down by a hurricane, blizzard, tornado, or locusts.  (Hey…it could happen.) (more…)

Bri, Marketing

Much has been said, on this blog and elsewhere, about the unimaginable devastation that’s occurred in Japan over the past several days.   However, what no one seemed to anticipate, back on Day 1 of the crisis, was that we’d soon be discussing not natural disasters, but man-made ones; not earthquakes and tsunamis, but a tangible nuclear threat.  From where I sit, it seems that the entire travel community is embarking on a somewhat familiar, though entirely unpredictable moment in time — as the ongoing radiation crisis unfolds, there’s no telling how much of an impact it may have on flights, transportation, accommodations, tourism, and the confidence of travelers themselves. (more…)

Unsurprisingly, our Customer Care representatives have been fielding quite a few calls over the past few days about the escalating civil unrest in Egypt.  While we covered the basics of the State Department’s travel warning and some other related topics in yesterday’s post, we felt it was important to cover in more depth a few of the most common questions and concerns our customers are voicing at this time.

I’m planning to travel to Egypt within the next few days, but I didn’t purchase travel insurance.  Can I buy a policy now?

Probably not.  There’s a reasonable likelihood that you’d run into difficulty with your plans due to the ongoing instability there; that makes this sort of akin to trying to get flood insurance for your house when the water is already trickling into the basement.  Situations like this one are among the many reasons we always urge travelers to purchase their insurance when they are making their initial trip arrangements.

I’m supposed to be traveling to Egypt quite soon, and I do have a travel insurance policy.  Why did your Customer Care Center tell me that I can’t get reimbursed for canceling my trip?

Civil and political unrest are not included in the standard coverage under most travel insurance policies.  While there are several policies that do cover expenses incurred if you’re delayed as a result of civil unrest, most do not allow you to cancel your trip because of current instability in the region.  Any exceptions to this rule generally come into play only if there is a terrorist act in your destination city or a city on your itinerary.  However, if you happen to have purchased a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) policy, then you should be able to cancel your trip and receive reimbursement.

I’m not actually planning to travel to Egypt, but I’m thinking about booking a trip either to another country in the Middle East or with flights that may connect through Middle Eastern cities.  What kind of travel insurance should I consider?

This is the question we hope all potential travelers are asking themselves right now.  Most of the major news outlets have been reporting for several days now that it appears that political uprisings, such as the one in Egypt, have been planned in many other countries — Syria, Jordan, and Yemen among them.  It would be wise for travelers whose plans may take them to, or through, any part of the Middle East to be proactive in the face of these reports and make sure that they purchase appropriate coverage for any upcoming trips.   We highly recommend calling our Customer Care center at 800-487-4722 to discuss the best coverage options for your specific itinerary as soon as possible.

I heard that it would probably be impossible from now on to get any kind of travel insurance for trips to Egypt.  Is that true?

Happily not!  Travel insurance is intended to provide protection for all different kinds of scenarios; civil unrest is only one small piece of the whole travel insurance puzzle.  In fact, the major take-away lesson from these events is that in general, civil or political unrest is the kind of “wild card” occurrence that most likely wouldn’t be covered anyway, unless you have a Cancel for Any Reason policy.  That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get travel insurance for a future trip to the pyramids, though — far from it.  The more likely causes of travel woes — illness, injury, delays, and other relatively routine but still unforeseen events — can still befall you in Egypt, or anywhere in the world.  Travel insurance is still available to cover you for those concerns, and will continue to be available, despite the current political situation.  Although it’s hard to think about the more mundane things that can happen when something major grabs the headlines, it’s just as important now as it ever has been to think about the big picture and protect yourself against every eventuality, even the things that seem small when compared to the cataclysmic events of the past few days.

As always, we urge all travelers to carefully review their needs and call us to discuss the best options for insuring any upcoming trips, regardless of where in the world they may be traveling.  While events like the civil unrest in Egypt certainly put travel insurance in the spotlight, our goal today remains unchanged from what it always has been: to provide every possible protection for your trip, so you can continue to explore the world with confidence.

Bri, Marketing

If you’re reading this, I suspect you, like most of us, have been keeping up with the news surrounding this weekend’s State Department Travel Alert.  For those who haven’t yet heard, here’s a quick recap, from the government’s travel security website:

“The State Department alerts U.S. citizens to the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe.  Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks.  European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions.” (more…)

John, Customer Care Manager

Cruises tend to be popular with IMT travelers, and because so many of the most desirable cruise destinations are in potential hurricane hotspots, we often hear from customers who are hesitant to book a voyage for themselves or their loved ones at this time of year.  Fear not, cruise-goers: there are several travel insurance solutions that can make you feel more comfortable hitting the high seas. (more…)

Bri, Marketing

Savvy travelers are probably already aware of three new strike threats looming in the air travel industry.  AirTran and American Airlines have both recently announced votes that will allow their union leaders to call strikes in the near future, while Spirit Airlines pilots are already on strike.  These new announcements, following in the wake of the British Airways stoppages, are bound to give travelers a moment of pause. (more…)

Bri, Marketing

With summer fast approaching, many of you are probably planning sun and sand getaways to popular destinations such as the Gulf Coast.  We’ve heard from several customers already that the recent oil spill in that area may inspire them to change their minds.  Before you decide not to book what could be a perfectly lovely vacation, we thought we’d point out  that CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) policies can offer some extra peace of mind, no matter what your travel plans may be. (more…)