When Hurricanes Strike Home: How Travel Insurance Can Help Travelers Living in Harm's Way

Earlier this month, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed they are expecting a busy finish to the 2023 hurricane season.

On August 26, Hurricane Franklin formed and has since strengthened into the first major hurricane of the Atlantic season. Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida's Big Bend yesterday, before becoming a tropical storm and affecting parts of Georgia and South Carolina.

As a result, travelers are growing increasingly concerned about severe weather events impacting their trips. For most, these concerns involve their destination, but for those living along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, these concerns hit closer to home. 

Squaremouth.com, the nation's leading travel insurance marketplace, explores what travel insurance coverage travelers should consider if they're taking a trip this hurricane season and live in disaster-prone areas of the country. 

Coverage If a Hurricane Strikes Your Home Before Your Trip

If a hurricane impacts a traveler's home or ability to travel prior to their departure, they may be covered as long as they bought their policy before the storm was named. 

Most travel insurance policies include Hurricane & Weather coverage within the Trip Cancellation benefit. Under this coverage, travelers can cancel their trip and receive 100% reimbursement for their prepaid, non-refundable trip costs, such as flights, hotels, and tours.

In order for this coverage to apply, one of the following scenarios must occur: 

• Their primary residence becomes uninhabitable as a result of a hurricane
• A mandatory evacuation order is enforced at their departure destination
• The hurricane forces their common carrier to suspend services for at least 6-48 hours, depending on the policy

Coverage If a Hurricane Strikes Your Home While Traveling

While travel insurance can't cover damage to a home, it can help travelers recoup some of their trip expenses if they choose to end their trip early to return home.

Travelers who learn their home has been hit by a hurricane while they are away may be covered by the Trip Interruption benefit to return home. This benefit can refund unused trip costs, as well as additional transportation expenses to book new flights home.

Tips For Those Traveling During Hurricane Season

Traveling during hurricane season comes with added risks. Squaremouth shares key travel insurance related tips to those living in, or traveling to, destinations with a history of hurricane activity: 

• Include Cancellation Coverage: Only travelers who insure their trip expenses will have Trip Cancellation coverage. If you are concerned about a hurricane impacting your trip, make sure to insure your non-refundable trip costs.
• Purchase Your Policy Early: To be eligible for coverage, you must buy your policy before the storm is named. To ensure coverage can apply, it's important to purchase your policy early. 
• Keep All Documentation: In the event you need to file a claim, it's important to save all related documents related to your travel disruption.