On Tuesday, October 20th, close to the end of this year's hurricane season, Tropical Storm Patricia officially formed in the Pacific Ocean, and has since strengthened to hurricane status. Hurricane Patricia has sustained winds of 200 mph and is threatening the Pacific coast of Mexico. While many travel suppliers and airlines are trying to reroute flights, some delays and cancellations are inevitable. TravelSafe understands those with plans to travel to this area will have questions about their coverage, and they are encouraged to call us 24/7 with any questions.
It is important to note, don’t rush out to buy travel insurance now to cover Patricia as TravelSafe plans do not provide coverage for a storm that was already named prior to the purchase of travel insurance. In this case, policies purchased on or after October 20th, 2015 will not cover losses related to Patricia.
Policies purchased on or before October 19th, 2015 may have coverage for this storm. Following are some general guidelines regarding the various coverages available:
Trip Delay
Additional meal and accommodation expenses may be reimbursed up to the amount provided by the plan if you have left home and travel is delayed 6 hours or more due to flight delays or cancellations. The dollar amount of coverage will be based on the plan you selected. Please refer to your policy documents for complete details.
Missed Connection
All of our plans also include the missed connection benefit if your flight is delayed for 3 hours or more. This benefit can reimburse unused land and water arrangements and additional transportation to catch up to the trip. The dollar amount of coverage for Missed Connection will vary depending on the plan you purchased. For more details, please review your plan documents.
Trip Interruption
TravelSafe plans offer Trip Interruption coverage for your travel arrangements if they are disrupted due to the storm and you must leave or return later than originally scheduled. Depending on the TravelSafe plan, covered reasons to interrupt the trip can include: 12 hour or more flight delay due to weather; home, work, or accommodations at your destination made uninhabitable; or a hurricane warning from NOAA within 24 hours of departure. Trip Interruption bases the dollar amount of coverage on the amount of trip cost you insured on the plan. To be certain that you have this protection, please review your plan certificate or call TravelSafe.
Trip Cancellation
Should your flight be delayed or canceled due to Patricia, TravelSafe plans can cover cancellation penalties if you are not able to travel for 12 hours or more. Based on the plan selected, TravelSafe can also cover you if your destination is officially declared uninhabitable due to the storm, if your home or work place is made uninhabitable, or if your destination is under an official hurricane warning issued by NOAA within 24 hours of the trip. The dollar amount of coverage is determined by the amount of trip cost you insured on the plan. Please read your policy certificate for specific information.
This information is a general overview of coverage benefits that may apply if travel plans are impacted by the storm. The coverage available for Hurricane Patricia and your trip will be based on the terms in your travel insurance plan. Please refer to your plan documents to learn more or contact TravelSafe with questions. Agents are available 24/7 and happy to help.
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