Winter Storm Jonas: Too Late to Get Travel Insurance for Blizzard, Says Squaremouth

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Jan 22, 2016, 01:33 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Winter Storm Jonas is expected to cause extensive travel delays this weekend as it hits the Northeast. Unfortunately, it is now too late to purchase travel insurance for any coverage related to the storm. Squaremouth, America's leading travel insurance comparison website, explains why, as well as what coverage may be available to those who already have a policy.

Winter Storm Jonas No Longer Eligible For Coverage on New Policies
On January 19, Winter Storm Jonas was named, meaning it became a known event in the eyes of travel insurance providers. Once this happens, providers consider delays and cancellations related to the storm as "foreseeable", and therefore coverage is unavailable. For this reason, any policies purchased after January 19 will not cover losses due to the blizzard.

"As news of Winter Storm Jonas has spread, we've received an influx of calls from customers now looking for travel insurance coverage, which is unfortunately no longer available," said Squaremouth Customer Service Director Jessica Harvey. "This winter has been relatively calm compared to last year, but Jonas has served as an unfortunate reminder that a storm can hit at any time."

Insured Travelers Have Options For Flight Delays, Cancellations
Travelers who purchased a travel insurance policy before January 19 may be able to receive reimbursement for lost trip expenses if their trip is impacted by Winter Storm Jonas. Those whose flights are delayed for an extended period of time, typically between 12 - 48 hours, or whose flights are cancelled altogether, may be covered under the Trip Cancellation benefit to be reimbursed for any prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses.

Travelers whose flight delays fall short of the time requirement for cancellation may still be covered for additional expenses during the delay. If the delay causes a traveler to miss a connecting flight, they may also be able to file a claim for the transportation costs to catch up with their trip.

Missed Flights May Not Be A Lost Cause
Typically, missing a flight due to bad weather or poor road conditions is not a covered reason to cancel a trip or claim for lost trip expenses. However, some travel insurance policies do include coverage for transportation costs to catch up to a trip if a documented weather condition, such as Winter Storm Jonas, prevents the traveler from reaching their point of departure.

ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH
Squaremouth is an online company that compares travel insurance products from virtually 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
Megan Singh
[email protected]
(727) 378-0983

SOURCE Squaremouth