The Bahamas After Hurricane Dorian: What Travelers Need to Know about Travel Insurance Coverage

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Sep 03, 2019, 19:03 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the weekend, Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the Bahamas as a deadly Category 5 storm, causing severe flooding and destruction on the northern Grand Bahama and Abacos islands. After 3 days of catastrophic weather, many popular hotels and ports in affected areas have closed indefinitely, leaving travelers uncertain about their upcoming Bahamian getaways.

Travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, explains travel insurance coverage for those with future trips to the Bahamas following the devastating storm.

What is Covered

Your Accommodations are Uninhabitable
Most cancellation-style policies will refund travelers who are forced to cancel their trip because their hotel or rental was rendered uninhabitable due to the storm. In order to qualify as uninhabitable, most policies require the accommodations be without electricity or water, have structural damage or experience significant flooding.

Your Destination is Inaccessible
Some policies may provide Trip Cancellation coverage if storm-related damage renders a traveler's destination inaccessible. If a traveler is unable to get to a destination by their original mode of transportation, typically due to road, airport or port closures, they may be covered to cancel their trip.

You Upgraded Your Policy
Travelers who don't meet the above standard requirements for Trip Cancellation coverage may still have coverage related to the storm if they purchased a Cancel For Any Reason policy. This upgrade allows travelers to cancel their trip for reasons not otherwise covered by the standard Trip Cancellation benefit, and will reimburse a majority of their expenses.

What's Not Covered

You Purchased a Policy After the Storm Was Named
Travel insurance only covers unforeseen events. Once Dorian was named on August 24, it became foreseen, meaning new policies purchased after that date will not refund trips cancelled by the storm or it's aftermath.

Your Fun Activities Got Cancelled
While closed beaches and cancelled activities can throw a wrench in plans for an island getaway, standard travel insurance policies never cover loss of enjoyment. As long as a traveler can make it to their destination on time and their hotel or rental is safe, they likely will not be refunded to cancel their trip. Only travelers who bought the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade can cancel due to loss of enjoyment.

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
Jenna Hummer
[email protected]

SOURCE Squaremouth