St. Petersburg, Russia Metro Explosion: Squaremouth Explains Travel Insurance Coverage for Concerned Travelers

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Apr 03, 2017, 17:06 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, April 3, 2017, an explosion on a metro train in St. Petersburg, Russia killed multiple people and injured many others, temporarily shutting down the city's underground transportation system. Travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, explains travel insurance coverage for affected travelers.

While the explosion is still under investigation, as of April 3, it has not been declared an act of terrorism by the United States.

Cancellation and Interruption Coverage, Pending Terrorism Investigation

An incident must be deemed an act of terrorism by the U.S. Department of State to be covered under the Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption benefits.

If the explosion is declared terrorism, insured travelers may be reimbursed for 100% of their covered trip expenses under the Trip Cancellation benefit if they meet the following requirements:

They must be departing within 7-30 days of the attack, depending on the policy
They must be traveling to St. Petersburg or a nearby city
They must have purchased their policy prior to April 3, 2017

Travelers currently in St. Petersburg may be covered to return home early under the Trip Interruption benefit if the explosion is declared an act of terrorism. This benefit can reimburse a traveler's unused trip expenses and additional transportation expenses incurred to return home.

If the explosion is not declared terrorism, only travelers who purchased Cancel For Any Reason coverage can be reimbursed by travel insurance to cancel their upcoming trip to St. Petersburg.

Cancel For Any Reason Coverage Explained

This benefit is an optional upgrade that must be purchased within 14-30 days of the traveler's initial trip deposit date
It allows travelers to cancel for reasons otherwise excluded and can reimburse up to 75% of their trip cost
To cancel a trip under this benefit, travelers must cancel their trip in its entirety at least 2-3 days before their scheduled departure date

Travel Delay Coverage May Already Be Available

Some travel insurance policies with the Travel Delay and Missed Connection benefits cover any delay of a common carrier. Both benefits require travelers to be delayed for at least 3-12 hours, depending on the policy.

Insured metro passengers affected by the explosion and closures may be eligible for the following coverage under these benefits:

Reimbursement for meals, overnight accommodations and local transportation during the delay
Additional transportation expenses to catch up to their trip

When filing a claim under the Travel Delay or Missed Connection benefits, travelers should have their original and updated itineraries and the receipts for additional expenses.

Squaremouth has launched the St. Petersburg Metro Explosion and Travel Insurance Information Center to keep travelers informed about coverage for this event. This resource will be regularly updated as more information becomes available.

ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

Squaremouth compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com

Available Topic Expert:
Steven Benna
[email protected]

SOURCE Squaremouth