Nearly half of Americans are planning to take a vacation this year and most domestic and international travelers are heading to warm weather destinations with many traveling during the spring and summer months. As your clients look forward to relaxation and abundant sunshine this season, it’s wise to note that some of the most popular places to visit in the U.S.— such as Florida, South Carolina and the beautiful coastlines of Hawaii—are also prone to hurricane-related travel risks. Through it’s rare that vacation plans are affected by natural disasters, helping your clients prepare for such events and ways bad weather might affect carefully planned itineraries can help them trust that you’re attending to each aspect of their trip.

When is Hurricane Season and What’s Qualifies as a Hurricane?

Hurricane season is June 1^st through November 30^th and typically peaks in mid-August to late October. Once an event has a wind speed of 39 mph it is considered a tropical storm, and when a storm’s wind speed surpasses 74 mph the event then qualifies as a hurricane according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Travel Tips and Emergency Preparation

Here are some helpful tips that your clients traveling during hurricane season or to hurricane-prone areas might want to keep in mind as they plan for their trip:

• Hurricanes and adverse weather can disrupt flights and your clients may be separated from their baggage. Travelers can minimize this inconvenience by packing necessities in their carry-on bags. Our travel insurance plans can reimburse them for the purchase of necessities if their bags are delayed for more than 12-24 hours, depending on their plan.
• It’s tempting to completely unplug on vacation, but advance warning about hurricanes is not always guaranteed. We recommend travelers keep up-to-date on the latest information about possible storms before and during their trip. Clients who planned ahead and purchased travel insurance have Trip Cancellation coverage available should they need to cancel their plans due to a covered event.
• If your clients are truly concerned about a hurricane impacting their travel plans, they may want to consider taking a cruise to their destination as cruises are more flexible than flights and can detour to alternative ports.
• Travelers whose vacation destination is located in a common hurricane zone might want to learn how to prepare for an emergency in case they unexpectedly get caught in a storm’s path. FEMA has created a dedicated website that describes how travelers can prepare by making a communication plan for their travel party, creating a kit equipped with necessities and knowing their resources so they can stay informed during the event.

Staying Up to Date about Potential Hurricanes and Natural Disasters

• FEMA, NOAA and regional resources, including state emergency response team sites like Florida’s, are good places for your clients to look for information about any storms approaching or impacting their destination.
• The Weather Channel’s Hurricane News section is another great resource where your clients can see if any storms are on the horizon and to get an idea of what the hurricane season has in store for travelers.
• Travelers can also refer to the United States Landfalling Hurricane Probability Project to learn the probability of a hurricane or named storm making landfall in a specific county.

Travel Insurance and Hurricanes

Our travel insurance plans provide coverage for a number of weather-related events your clients might encounter during hurricane season, such as mandatory hurricane evacuations, flight delays and/or cancellations and their personal home being made uninhabitable by a hurricane or natural disaster. Travelers who purchase protection plans also receive access to our 24/7 emergency assistance service.

A travel protection plan could make the difference between your client recouping some or all of their costs should hurricane-related mishaps occur. If your client purchases insurance, we recommend they always travel with a hard copy of their Description of Coverage/Policy so they can contact us, even if they can’t access the internet.

Once a hurricane is forecasted or it becomes evident that a storm will impact travel to your clients’ destination, the event is considered foreseeable. This means the insurance plan can no longer be purchased to cover financial losses that your client might suffer as a result of that specific storm. For this reason, it could be beneficial for your clients to purchase travel insurance sooner rather than later.

Armed with these hurricane preparedness tips, informational resources and a travel protection plan, your clients can leave on their vacations knowing they have options should a hurricane unexpectedly interrupt their plans. Though the chances of this happening are slim, being prepared is just one more reason for your clients to know they’re in good and hands and relax during vacation.

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

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The U.S. Department of State includes getting insured on its pre-departure checklist for international travelers — travelers who are also likely investing sizeable trip costs to schedule their plans abroad and therefore seemingly clear potential candidates to offer well-rounded travel protection plans. But what about your clients’ domestic trips? Knowing when to introduce travel insurance options to your clients traveling within the U.S. and the potential benefits available to them may not be as obvious. A variety of domestic trips can benefit from travel insurance, yet some domestic travelers may have more interest in purchasing a protection plan than others.

Here are a few types of travelers who may be at higher risk of experiencing an issue that could impact their travels or who may have a heightened interest in buying travel insurance.

Travelers with complex itineraries

Complex itineraries and tours may be at higher risk for loss as they could suffer from a domino effect if your client misses a leg, particularly at the beginning of their itinerary. Consider a multi-leg for a family of five. If your client’s trip is interrupted early on, additional expenses to get all five travelers caught up with their itinerary can accumulate quickly and making impromptu travel plans en route can be stressful. A travel insurance plan can help your clients catch up if their interruption is due to a covered reason such as a flight delay due to bad weather. Should your clients experience such a delay or interruption they can call CSA Travel Protection, your trusted partner, and discuss their plan details as they relate to their situation with a dedicated customer service team member who can help your clients decide how to move forward.

Seasonal travelers

If your clients are traveling during a time of year subject to adverse weather or to a part of the country subject to adverse weather, travel protection has multiple coverages that can reimburse for a variety of expenses should they have difficulty reaching their destination or getting back home due to a weather-related covered reason. For instance, your client can seek reimbursement for forfeited portions of their prepaid resort or hotel stay, additional transportation costs to reach their destination or return home and also their out of pocket expenses incurred while delayed such as accommodations, local transportation and meal costs. If you’re booking a trip for clients taking a winter ski trip to Colorado or a summer beach vacation to the hurricane-prone Carolina coast, travel protection may come in handy.

Worrisome travelers

Risks are risks and many of the potential problems international travelers face remain for domestic travelers. Travel protection provides coverage for specific covered events that might impact your client’s plans and these events could happen to any traveler any time, such as  cancelled or delayed flights due to adverse weather; cancellations or interruptions due to a sickness or injury of your client, their traveling companion or a family member; or lost, damaged or delayed bags. Depending on your client’s primary health insurance coverage, it may also be important that they purchase travel insurance for emergency assistance services and emergency medical transportation. Many primary insurers provide out-of-network emergency care, but some might not and others might not provide coverage for hospitalization. If your client has limited primary coverage or isn’t sure, it may be  better for them to be safe rather than sorry by purchasing supplemental medical coverage via travel insurance from a reputable provider, like CSA.

Cost-conscious travelers

When offering travel protection to a domestic traveler, your client might say they aren’t spending enough to need to insure their plans. The thought of losing prepaid arrangements for a week-long trip to Bali may likely cause more stress for your client than the thought of losing weekend arrangements in New York City, yet the cost of travel insurance is greatly influenced by your client’s trip cost. So if your client’s domestic trip cost is relatively small, their travel protection plan cost will likely be relatively small as well.

You never know who might want to buy a travel insurance plan for valuable coverages, services and peace of mind. Offering travel insurance to all of your clients encourages them to consider their options so they can make the best decision for themselves and their travel investment and enjoy their trip to the fullest. If your clients have any questions about how a travel protection plan can benefit them, they can always contact our Customer Service Department, available seven days a week, at 1-800-348-9505.

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

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When Amazon introduced its Amazon Prime credit card in January, the online retailer included travel insurance, 24/7 concierge service and roadside assistance among the card’s benefits—features found in many of today’s leading credit cards. While credit card-provided travel insurance can seem like a prudent approach to avoiding additional travel expenses at checkout, it can be important for your clients to note the differences between these complimentary credit card features and more robust travel insurance plans offered by providers specializing in the space.

Here are some good questions for your clients if the topic of credit cards versus travel protection comes up:

1. Does your credit card include trip cancellation protection?

If your client, a family member or a traveling companion has to cancel due to a sickness or an injury, their credit card probably won’t be able to help if it doesn’t include trip cancellation. Trip cancellation provides coverage for certain unexpected events that force your client to cancel their arrangements and trip cancellation coverage offered by third-party travel insurance providers typically covers for flight delays and cancellations due to adverse weather among a number of other potential mishaps such as a documented theft of their passport or visa. Only about 15% of credit cards include trip cancellation coverage and even those that do typically include a limited number of covered events compared to third-party travel insurance and won’t cover pre-existing medical conditions.

2. Do you need out-of-network medical coverage or emergency assistance and transportation?

Depending upon their primary health insurance plan and where they’re traveling to, your client may want (or even need) to secure additional medical coverage before they depart. While they likely aren’t planning to use it, it’s wise to consider the risks of leaving home without coverage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical evacuations by air ambulance can cost $50,000-$100,000. Some countries and travel operators even require a minimum amount of medical coverage in order to issue their visa or allow your client to board. While many credit cards provide travel accident coverage at no additional cost most do not include coverage for medical expenses and evacuations.

3. Who do you need coverage for?

Most credit cards limit benefits to the cardholder’s spouse and children whereas purchasing a separate travel insurance plan allows your client to choose who they’re buying coverage for. CSA Travel Protection, your trusted partner and a reputable insurance provider, offers travel insurance plans that can insure up to 10 people and your client has the opportunity to add each traveler to the plan at purchase. If your client is traveling with extended family or friends they may want to ensure everyone in their party has adequate trip delay, baggage or medical coverage, which credit card coverage can fall short on providing if their traveling companions are unable to meet the card’s limited definition of family member.

Key coverages and plan flexibility are significant reasons for your clients to explore travel insurance options in addition to their credit card’s benefits. Travel insurance sales grew nearly 13% last year and that growth is predicted to continue through 2017, illustrating travelers’ increasing demand for these third-party products and credit cards’ inability to close important coverage gaps. Before you finalize your next booking, encourage your client to do their research, weigh their options and make an informed choice for themselves and their traveling companions.

Travel insurance plans are administered by Customized Services Administrators, Inc., CA Lic. No. 821931, located in San Diego, CA and doing business as Generali Global Assistance and Insurance Services. Plans are available to residents of the U.S. but may not be available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and services are described on a general basis; certain conditions and exclusions apply. Travel Retailers may not be licensed to sell insurance, in all states, and are not authorized to answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. This plan provides insurance coverage for your trip that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. The purchase of this plan is not required in order to purchase any other travel product or service offered to you by your travel retailers. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker. This notice provides general information on Generali Global Assistance’s products and services only. The information contained herein is not part of an insurance policy and may not be used to modify any insurance policy that might be issued. In the event the actual policy forms are inconsistent with any information provided herein, the language of the policy forms shall govern.

Travel insurance plans are underwritten by: Generali U.S. Branch, New York, NY; NAIC # 11231. Generali US Branch operates under the following names: Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A. (U.S. Branch) in California, Assicurazioni Generali – U.S. Branch in Colorado, Generali U.S. Branch DBA The General Insurance Company of Trieste & Venice in Oregon, and The General Insurance Company of Trieste and Venice – U.S. Branch in Virginia. Generali US Branch is admitted or licensed to do business in all states and the District of Columbia.

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