As year-end holidays near, Europe and the U.S. Midwest have suffered two major December snowstorms. California faces new floods and mudslides. Travel Insured reminds travelers to add insurance to their trip booking before a storm is predicted to obtain course.
East Hartford, CT, December 22, 2010 – Early winter weather has wreaked havoc twice in December on airports in Europe and parts of the upper Midwestern U.S. Northern European airports and railways were disrupted during weekends starting Dec. 3 and Dec. 18, and were struggling to recover full service before Christmas. Minnesota and Wisconsin were hardest hit on the Dec. 11 weekend, and again on Dec. 19 and 20. Now storms are flooding southern California with heavy rain and deep snow only days before Christmas.
Travel Insured International reminds travelers that storms in progress are no longer unforeseen and cannot be covered by new purchases of Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption or Trip Delay coverage. But travel insurance is highly recommended to protect against future winter storms expected to be arriving soon. While Santa Claus faces few delays thanks to priority air traffic control clearance and his unique flight navigation system, commercial flights and the winter travelers who fly them are not so lucky.
Travelers must purchase their travel insurance before a snowstorm is identified on the weather map for their trip to be protected against disruptions resulting from that approaching storm. Travel Insured identifies insurance coverage as taking effect “if you are prevented from taking or continuing your trip due to specified unforeseen events." "Unforeseen" means not anticipated or expected and occurring after the effective date of the plan.
Coverage for Winter Storms
All of Travel Insured International®’s plans in the Worldwide Trip Protector line, as well as its Airline Ticket Protector plan, provide Trip Cancellation coverage up to the prepaid cost of the trip when weather causes complete cessation of the insured traveler’s common carrier service for 24 or more consecutive hours. Trip Interruption coverage for the same 24-hour common carrier disruption due to weather can be up to 100% or 150% of the trip cost depending upon the selected Travel Insured plan.
An insured, however, can purchase a Cancel for Any Reason option when buying a Worldwide Trip Protector or Trip Protector Gold plan allowing them to cancel up to 48 hours prior to departure for any reason with coverage up to 75% of prepaid, non-refundable trip cost.
All of the same plans provide Trip Delay coverage when the common carrier is delayed, including for weather, for a minimum of either six or 12 hours depending upon the specific plan purchased. Unforeseen expense reimbursement of up to $100 or $200 per day, depending upon the selected plan, can help pay accommodations, meals and added transportation costs due to the covered trip delay.
Several Travel Insured plans, including Worldwide Trip Protector, Trip Protector Gold and Airline Ticket Protector, provide Missed Connection coverage when a common carrier is delayed, including for weather, for three or more hours, and the Trip Protector Lite Expanded plan provides the Missed Connection coverage for a delay of six or more hours.