Hurricane Dorian, the strongest storm this year, has travelers scrambling to get out of its path, halt trips, or postpone upcoming travel plans. Today, hundreds of flights are already canceled in the Southeast US with more expected as the storm nears. Due to the storm's wrath, InsureMyTrip reports a 20 percent jump in call volume from travelers seeking guidance.

Travel Impact Summary:

• The storm moves closer to Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas
• Charleston International Airport closes, Orlando International Airport set to reopen Wednesday
• Some travelers forced to evacuate or wait out the storm until flights resume
• Online searches related to hurricane coverage grew 8x since Dorian was named, call volume up (Source: InsureMyTrip)
• Concern grows over popular tourist destinations, some travelers seek to cancel trips, file claims

Hurricane Travel Insurance Coverage Explained

Here are examples of how insurance may enable travelers to receive reimbursement of pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs if they must cancel a trip due to severe weather-related issues that are covered under the trip cancellation benefit:

Cancel trip due to weather: when common carriers such as airlines and cruise lines cease service due to weather. Many plans require that the cessation of services be for a certain number of hours, usually 24-48.

Cancel due to a hurricane warning: when a destination is under a NOAA-issued hurricane warning.*

Cancel because of storm damage at destination: when a hotel, resort, or vacation rental is devastated and made uninhabitable by a storm. InsureMyTrip is already receiving inquiries from travelers seeking to file claims due to canceled trips to the Bahamas.

Cancel because home is destroyed by storm: when the home of a traveler sustains destructive storm damage.

Cancel trip for any reason: this is an optional time-sensitive benefit available on some plans,  that allows travelers to cancel a trip for any reason. Reimbursement is usually 50-75% of the pre-paid, non-refundable trip cost. This benefit includes specific eligibility requirements.

The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season lasts till November 30. Travelers concerned about hurricanes should purchase travel insurance early. Once a storm starts forming, it's considered a foreseeable event and insurance coverage will no longer be available to cover losses related to that storm. Only a few plans offer coverage for a NOAA-issued hurricane warning.

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