[Travel Insurance] Does it Cover Natural Disasters Like Typhoons and Earthquakes? What’s the Difference Between Buying Before or After Departure?

Natural disasters are generally understood as natural disasters, which can refer to large-scale extreme weather or environmental accidents that cause property damage, damage transportation or public equipment, or endanger humans. They generally include: earthquakes, wildfires, floods, hurricanes or volcanic eruptions.

Travel insurance is a comprehensive insurance that covers medical and emergency assistance, trip interruption, personal property and accidents, etc. Therefore, if you plan to cancel your trip due to natural disasters, it will be regarded as "trip cancellation" according to the terms of the travel insurance.Policyholders can claim non-refundable expenses from the insurance company such as air tickets, hotels or theme park tickets, etc.. byGenerali Travel Protection Premium PlanFor example, the maximum compensation amount for trip cancellation is HK$20,000.

If your trip is delayed due to a natural disaster, it will be considered "journey interruption/journey obstruction" and "delay protection" according to the terms of the travel insurance, and you can also file a claim. The differences between the two are as follows.

Journey interruption/journey obstruction:If a natural disaster occurs at a travel destination and the trip must be terminated or shortened early, and the traveler needs to return to Hong Kong early, this is considered a trip interruption or trip obstruction. Policyholders can apply for compensation for unused and non-refundable travel expenses, such as prepaid accommodation or transportation deposits. byGenerali Travel Protection Premium PlanFor example, the maximum compensation amount for trip obstruction is HK$20,000.

Delay coverage:If a natural disaster causes delays in transportation at your travel destination, thus affecting your itinerary, you can apply for compensation based on the delay coverage in the travel insurance terms. Including accommodation or transportation expenses, etc., the compensation amount is generally calculated based on the delay time of the journey, and must meet the minimum delay time stipulated in the policy (for example, HK$500 for every 6 hours of delay), so if you encounter such a situation, remember to keep the relevant receipts and documents as proof.

In addition to stating in the insurance terms that natural disasters are not covered,If you purchase insurance after a natural disaster has occurred or has been widely reported, you will not be compensated for claims related to cancellations, interruptions and delays caused by natural disasters.. Therefore, after purchasing a ticket and confirming the itinerary, you shouldGet insured as soon as possible, should not be purchased until the day before departure to reduce the risk of financial losses caused by natural disasters. Other protections in the policy such as medical, personal property and accident protection will not be affected.

1. Pay attention to the claim deadline

If the trip needs to be cancelled, delayed or interrupted, resulting in monetary losses, the policyholder should first apply for a refund from the booking operator, such as an airline or hotel. If you fail to apply for a refund, you can claim compensation from the travel insurance company. Please note thatThe claim period is generally within 21 or 31 days, and supporting documents need to be submitted, such as delay notices issued by the airline, tickets and boarding passes, etc.

2. News reports cannot be used as proof

When making a claim for a trip canceled due to a natural disaster, you also need to provide supporting documents, but pay attention to the relevantNews reports of natural disasters do not serve as proof, preferably from the website of an official agency of the destination, such as the Meteorological Office or Observatory.

3. Keep valid certification documents

Valid supporting documents play an important role in a successful claim, such as seeking medical treatment due to shortened travel or physical discomfort, etc.Relevant hotel receipts, medical certificates and other documents must be kept properly, to be submitted together with the claim.

4. Additional expenses are not covered

In addition to air tickets, hotels, etc., there are also surcharges involved when traveling.Such as fuel surcharges and taxes. However, these expenses are not included in the compensation amount of travel insurance。 

5. Leave a receipt if your baggage is delayed

If you need to buy extra clothing or even travel to the airport to retrieve your luggage due to delayed luggage, you can also file a claim with your travel insurance company. The policyholder should also keep all relevant receipts, and"Property Irregularity Report (PIR)" issued by the airline or related organization, to help speed up the processing time of claims.