How Travel Insurance Works with Hurricane Dorian and Travel to the Bahamas

The first category five storm of 2019, Hurricane Dorian made its way through the islands of the Bahamas and up the coast of the Carolinas in early September. With the category 5 hurricane leaving a trail of destruction in the Bahamas, travel plans to the area have been affected by the storm and it is untold how long it will continue to be affected in the aftermath.

Current State of the Islands

The islands of Grand Bahama and the Abacos received the worst of the storm*. These areas of the Atlantic took the brunt of the storm-force winds and torrential rains, resulting in extensive property damage and major flooding. Certain commercial and residential areas in the region have been deemed uninhabitable due to the extent of property damage and lack of access to resources resulting from the storm.

New Providence Island, the island that receives the most tourist traffic, remained largely untouched by Dorian and has reported that most hotels and resorts are up and functioning. However, other destinations in the group of islands have reported that they will be closed until future for repairs, such as stays in Elbow Cay and Pelican Bay.

Travel Insurance and Hurricanes: How it Works

Hurricanes can strike hard, and they can strike fast. When planning a tropical vacation getaway, a hurricane rendering your hotel or resort uninhabitable may not be the first thing on your mind. With Arch RoamRight, if you purchase a travel insurance policy for your trip before the point at which a storm is named, certain travel insurance benefits can be applied.

Trip Delay

Flights to a region right before, during and after a hurricane may be affected due to weather conditions or the conditions on the ground. In the case that your flight is delayed or canceled due to such conditions, trip delay is a benefit that may provide coverage if you are delayed for a specified time period while en route to or returning from your trip due to a covered Travel Hazard, such as a hurricane. For most Arch RoamRight plans, that delay must be six or more hours. However, the time period may change depending on the plan, so it is important to be familiar with the benefit for the plan you purchase.

Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation

In the case that conditions are bad enough to mandate you to leave the area or completely cancel your trip before departing, Trip Cancellation may provide coverage. This can include if entry to your destination is not possible due to travel restrictions, uninhabitable accommodations, and other reasons.

Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR)

There is likely to be damage to a community after a major natural disaster such as a hurricane. However, as long as your destination is habitable, it is not under a mandatory evacuation at the time of your trip, and there aren’t any road closures preventing you from reaching your destination, you may not be covered for trip cancellation.

A common reason for cancellation we see after a hurricane is travelers cancelling because the island and its beaches are not aesthetically pleasing, or are not in top-shape. That is not a covered reason for cancellation.

However, while the reason listed above is not covered by a standard travel insurance policy, you can still get coverage for them with the optional Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade.

CFAR coverage is an optional upgrade that can provide reimbursement up to 75% of your trip cost if you have to cancel for any reason at all prior to 48 hours before your scheduled trip departure.

In order to be eligible for Cancel for Any Reason coverage, you must:

1. Purchase your insurance coverage within 21 days of your initial trip deposit;
2. Insure 100% of the cost of all travel arrangements that are subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions by the travel supplier; and
3. Cancel your trip 48 hours or more before your scheduled departure date.

Cancel for Any Reason is available with Arch RoamRight’s Preferred, Elite, Pro and Pro Plus plans.

You can learn more about Cancel for Any Reason and how it could provide coverage for your trip on our website.

Visit the official website of the Bahamas to learn how you can contribute to restoration efforts, and visit our website to learn more about hurricane coverage, and how to file a claim if your travel plans have been affected by Dorian.

* Information about the current state of the island at the time of publication was found at https://time.com/5669725/bahamas-after-hurricane-dorian/

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.