Considerations Regarding Earthquakes and Travel Insurance

For the majority of travel insurance policies, they will include emergency medical and evacuation coverage if a person gets injured during an earthquake. Another one of the benefits of having earthquake travel insurance is that if there were an earthquake prior to the flight, depending on the trip protection policy, an individual can cancel his trip or even return home early (if the earthquake happens after the trip has begun). Normally, a policy requires that the person was directly affected by the earthquake for coverage, and his/her current accommodations are no longer inhabitable because of extensive damage.

Before buying earthquake insurance, an individual should first look at the coverage and benefits of their policy. They should see what coverage will be available. In addition to emergency medical and medical evacuation benefits, a lot of policies also have 24-hour emergency assistance.

Where Do Earthquakes Strike?

An earthquake can happen anywhere, but the most likely hit areas happen near fault lines. A fault line is an area where two tectonic plates meet, and the largest quakes happen when the plates collide. For that reason, there are certain regions of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Soloman Islands, Japan, Indonesia and the Americas where earthquakes happen with greater frequency. Luckily, most major earthquakes only take place a few times per year. That means that short visits to a country are unlikely to cause a problem. In addition, modern technology has made it easier to detect where and when an earthquake will happen.

Will Travel Insurance Cover Earthquakes?

Before buying an insurance policy, people should first understand the terms of their coverage. If there are travel warnings and a person intentionally put themselves in harm’s way against government travel warnings, for example, trip protection will not cover what relates to those travel warnings. In addition, people have to remember that they need full trip protection for the best results. Travelers have to acquaint themselves with the terms of their policy.

For accommodation coverage, the person’s destination typically has to have become uninhabitable for him/her to make a claim. The hotel failing to meet up to expectations or a broken pool will not justify coverage. Understanding the terms of a policy ensures the best experience.