A number of global travel destinations have become embroiled in political chaos or suffered natural disasters lately. As you look toward scheduling your future trips, it’s important to have the right travel insurance coverage – especially if you are considering spending a holiday in an area that has recently experienced trouble.
Some travel insurance plans will not provide coverage for certain regions of the world. Many travel insurance companies won’t sell you coverage if the destination is the subject of recent U.S. State Department travel warnings.
Options for Travelers
So, what are your options as a traveler?
Depending on the circumstances, you and your travel supplier may be looking at the situation differently.
- If your travel supplier plans to continue travel, but you are unwilling to travel due to the situation – your travel insurance plan should include ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage. In this situation, the travel supplier isn’t expected to provide a refund because they are holding up their part of the agreement.
- If your travel supplier is not going to travel, but you are still willing to go – then the travel supplier should offer a refund. In some cases, however, travel suppliers refuse to refund or want you to reschedule as an alternative. In these situations, trip cancellation coverage that includes covered reasons such as political unrest or terrorism can help you cancel your trip with a refund.
Some travel insurance plans provide coverage for non medical evacuations as well. A non medical evacuation, sometimes called a political evacuation, is arranged by the travel insurance provider and used to extract insured individuals from places of political unrest or increased violence.
As always, it’s important for travelers to understand the dangers and keep informed of happenings at their destination. Understanding the risks and understanding the specifics of your travel insurance policy can go a long way toward ensuring you enjoy your trip.
