Travel insurance lessons taught by Tropical Storm Debby

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

Vacationers and other travelers discovered a great deal about coverage from this severe weather event.

Tropical Storm Debby never developed into a hurricane, but it did leave a number of lessons regarding travel insurance behind, as it showed the impact of extreme weather on the vacation plans of many individuals and families.

Now that the 2012 hurricane season is underway, it’s important to take the right precautions.

Debby was the fourth storm this year, and it will be far from the last. For that reason, travel insurance should be seen as a necessity for all travelers, at least until the storms are well behind them. This should be a part of a wider effort that they make in order to make sure that they remain safe throughout the severe weather events of the summer.

What many vacationers fail to recognize is that once the storm has been named, it will no longer be covered by their travel insurance policies. Tropical Storm Debby is lumbering its way through the Gulf of Mexico, as well as into the tip of Florida’s panhandle. However, vacationers who have waited until the problem has already recognized will not be able to obtain coverage against it. The key to protecting your trip is to buy the policy as early as possible, while an event can still be considered “unforeseen”.

In this particular case, flooding, torrential downpours, and winds gusting to speeds as high as 65 miles per hour are likely. Tornadoes could also result from this type of weather. As it makes its way north, it should begin to lose a great deal of its power, but the lesson it brings should not be missed. Storms are here, and more are coming. Buying a policy now is the only way to obtain protection against those that have not yet formed or been named.

Once your trip is protected with travel insurance against delays, cancellations, and other problems and hiccups, it’s important to know how to keep yourself safe, too. If a storm is approaching and your trip is covered, you may find it best to rebook the trip for another time, instead of trying to find an alternative to cancelled flights on the same dates. The coverage will likely extend to part if not all of the trip if a covered storm is the result of the cancellation. If you’re already there, make sure to stock up on emergency supplies, including a first aid kit and several days worth of water and food in case you need to go a few days cut off from the outside world. Remember that some hotels close during hurricanes, so it’s up to you to know your alternatives.

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