October 23rd, 2018 – Virtually overnight, Hurricane Willa intensified into a major storm bound for Mexico’s popular Pacific coast, taking many beach-bound travelers by surprise. With the aftermath of the storm yet to be seen, travelers may be concerned about upcoming trips, especially given the impact of recent storms Michael and Florence. But according to travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, now is not the time to buy a travel insurance policy for coverage from Willa.
“Hurricane Willa serves as a stark reminder that late-season hurricanes can still affect travel,” said Squaremouth spokesperson Megan Moncrief. “If a customer calls wanting to purchase a policy now, we advise them against buying because they won’t be covered.”
Once a storm is named, it is considered foreseen and no longer eligible for coverage on new travel insurance policies. Willa was named on October 20th.
Affected travelers who had a policy with hurricane coverage in place prior to October 20th may be covered to cancel their trip or return home early if they meet their policy’s requirements. Most travel insurance policies require the storm to render a traveler’s accommodations uninhabitable or cause flights or cruises to be canceled or significantly delayed.
While the threat of a storm alone is not a covered reason to cancel, some policies allow travelers to do so if there is a hurricane warning or mandatory evacuation in effect for their destination right before they leave for their trip.
Squaremouth created the Hurricane Willa Travel Insurance Information Centerto answer travelers’ questions with up-to-date coverage information as events unfold.
About Squaremouth
Squaremouth compares travel insurance products from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth’s comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com.