For 6 months out of the year, hurricanes pose a serious threat to travelers taking their long-awaited vacations. Many travelers look for travel insurance to offset that risk during hurricane season, however finding the best travel insurance for hurricanes is important to make sure you’re covered.
The Best Travel Insurance for Hurricanes is Comprehensive
Travelers who are worried about a hurricane or tropical storm ruining their trip should search for a policy with the Trip Cancellation benefit. Most cancellation policies automatically include Hurricane & Weather coverage.
Trip Cancellation can refund 100% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses if you have to cancel your trip altogether before leaving your home. To search for travel insurance policies with this coverage, go to Squaremouth and select “Yes” when asked “Should this search include Trip Cancellation coverage?” By doing so, you will be prompted to enter the trip cost you would like to protect.
Getting a cancellation policy with comprehensive coverage also means you will have Trip Interruption coverage. This benefit covers the same events as Trip Cancellation, however coverage begins after you have left for your trip. If you need to cut your trip short, Trip Interruption can refund the cost of the unused portion of your trip, as well as the additional transportation expenses you incur to return home.
Because most policies are comprehensive, a cancellation-style policy will also have coverage for medical emergencies, travel delays, and luggage.
When You’re Covered if There is a Storm
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies can refund your trip costs if a storm significantly impacts your trip or prevents you from traveling. Each policy has specific situations that can trigger coverage. In order for coverage to begin, typically one of the following must occur:
- Your flight or cruise is delayed by at least 6-48 hours, or canceled outright
- Your hotel at your destination is severely damaged and deemed uninhabitable
- A mandatory evacuation order or a hurricane warning is issued at your destination
- Your home is rendered uninhabitable by the storm
Cancel For Any Reason: an Option for Added Flexibility
For additional flexibility, you may be able to upgrade a policy to include Cancel For Any Reason, which refunds you if you have to cancel for a reason not covered by Trip Cancellation. This can include simply changing your mind and not wanting to travel, fear of traveling, or loss of enjoyment at your destination, such as the beaches being less appealing than you were hoping.
There are, however, some stipulations regarding Cancel For Any Reason coverage:
- Cancel For Any Reason is only available for 14-30 days after making your first trip payment
- Your premium will typically increase by about 40%, and you must insure 100% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip costs
- You can be reimbursed up to 75% of those trip costs
- You must cancel at least 2-3 before you are scheduled to depart.
See this video on “Cancel for any Reason” here.
