does travel insurance cover volcanic eruptions

Travel Insurance
RoamRight Home

Victoria Zidwick a RoamRight Blog Author

Travel Insurance and Volcanic Eruptions

Volcanic eruptions are natural disasters that may be covered events under Arch RoamRight travel protection plans. From minor disruptions to catastrophic events, volcanos can affect travelers around the world.

How does travel insurance work during a volcanic eruption?

There are several travel insurance benefits that may come into effect during a volcanic eruption. These include trip cancellation, trip interruption, missed connection, trip delay, political or security evacuation, or accidental death and dismemberment.

While this post can serve as a summary of products, the purchased policy is the contract that specifically and fully describes your coverage, and certain restrictions and exclusions may apply.

Trip cancellation and trip interruption due to a volcano

Trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits may be triggered in the event of a volcano if:

Your or Your Traveling Companion’s primary place of residence or destination is made Uninhabitable and remains Uninhabitable during Your scheduled Trip, by fire, flood, or other Natural Disaster (such as a volcano) within 10 days of departure;
You or Your Traveling Companion who are military, police or fire personnel being called into emergency service to provide aid or relief for a Natural Disaster (such as a volcanic eruption); or
There is a mandatory evacuation ordered by local government authorities at Your Trip destination due to a Natural Disaster after the Effective Date of Your coverage. You must have 50% or less of Your Trip length remaining at the time the mandatory evacuation ends in order to cancel or interrupt Your Trip and for this benefit to be payable.

Even if your destination is not close to a volcano, such seismic activity can still affect travel plans. Many people in the travel industry can still remember the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, which significantly disrupted air travel across Europe, leaving millions of travelers stranded. Just recently in November, a KLM flight turned around due to volcanic activity in Mexico , and active volcanos in Bali have also caused flight cancellations this year.

Missed connection and trip delays as a result of volcanic activity

Missed connection covers you if you miss your trip departure because your arrival at your destination is delayed by a specified number of hours listed in your policy. Trip delay coverage provides reimbursement for additional expenses incurred during a travel delay by a specified number. These expenses may include additional hotel nights, meals and local transportation.

If a volcanic eruption is the cause of either a missed connection or a travel delay as outlined above, you may have coverage.

Security Evacuation due to natural disaster

Under Arch RoamRight’s Security and Political Evacuation coverage, you can have coverage for all reasonable evacuation expenses incurred for transportation to the nearest safe haven if you must leave your trip for a covered Political or Security event, including a natural disaster like a volcanic eruption. Following the evacuation, you can also have coverage for a one-way transportation ticket to your host or home country. It is important to note that there are a few countries that are excluded from coverage for this benefit due to ongoing security concerns. Read more about this benefit in our post, Security and Political Evacuation Travel Insurance: What is it, and what does it cover?

Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)

Tragically, natural disasters including volcanic eruptions can cause travelers to lose their lives or a limb.

Just last week, several tourist sadly lost their lives due to a volcanic eruption in New Zealand. At the time of the eruption, there were approximately 50 individual on the volcanic island and others severely injured, many of which were passengers on a cruise. If you have an Arch RoamRight policy and a tragedy happens, you can file an Accidental Dismemberment claim or your beneficiaries can file an Accidental Death claim under their travel insurance policy.

To purchase an Arch RoamRight travel insurance policy, visit www.roamright.com .

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.

travel insurance
Trip Planning
World Travel

Arch RoamRight recently launched two plans on our website; learn the differences between the plans.

New Requirements for U.S. Citizens Traveling to Europe Starting in 2021 Starting in 2021, Americans visiting many popular European countries will need to go through the ETIAS process.
Winter Storms & Travel Delays: How Travel Insurance Can Help The winter weather season is upon us, and that means more frequent travel delays. There is not much you can do to stop a winter storm, but you can help protect yourself from travel woes with travel insurance.

About the Author

Victoria zidwick.

Get A Free Travel Insurance Quote

Travel smarter with travel insurance from RoamRight. Get your free, no-obligation quote online today.

Coverage For: -- Optional -- General Travel Annual

Top Blog Authors

Diana Lambdin Meyer
Erin De Santiago
Jessica Festa
Keryn Means
Norbert Figueroa
Stephanie Yoder
Stephen Schreck
Terri Marshall

View all Blog Authors

Puerto Rico
United Kingdom
United States of America

View Countries with Blogs

Stay Connected!

About RoamRight
Money-Back Guarantee
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Fraud Notices

The RoamRight mark is used by Arch Insurance Company and owned by its parent company, Arch Capital Group (U.S.). Insurance coverages are underwritten by Arch Insurance Company, NAIC #11150, under certain policy series, including LTP 2013 and amendments thereto. Certain terms, conditions, restrictions and exclusions apply and coverages may vary in certain states. In the event of any conflict between your policy terms and coverage descriptions on this website, the terms and conditions of your policy shall govern. Click here for privacy notice .

Help and Support

Travel insurance and natural disasters – what you need to know

Article contents.

Stacey Mitchell

16 June 2023 | Updated 20 October 2023 | 6 minute read

A natural disaster can significantly disrupt your travel plans, whether it’s through delays and cancellations or if you’re put in harm’s way yourself.

Below, we explain what counts as a natural disaster, what’s covered by your policy and what’s not.

How travel insurers define a natural disaster

We refer to natural disasters as ‘catastrophes’ in our policy books .

In insurance terms they’re classified as events that:

were completely unexpected
happened due to natural causes
are unpreventable

Some of the events that fall under this category are:

storms and lightning
avalanches and landslides
earthquakes
volcanic activity (including ash cloud)
floods, tidal waves and tsunamis
medical epidemics or pandemics

Does travel insurance cover natural disasters?

It depends on the cover level you choose.

Travel insurance with natural disaster cover compensates you for certain travel and accommodation costs if your holiday is disrupted by a natural disaster.

Our lowest cover level (Admiral) doesn’t offer cover for catastrophes as standard, but Gold and Platinum cover includes cover for costs caused by delays or disruption because of a natural disaster.

Cancellation cover is only included if the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) change their advice to warn against all but essential travel to your destination before you leave.

Predicted natural disasters or ‘anticipated events’ aren’t covered. For example, a forecasted volcano eruption reported by weather officials before you leave for your trip, booked your holiday or travelled there.

We also won’t cover you if the local or national authorities have said it’s safe to travel to or stay at your destination.

How do I know it’s safe to travel?

Look at the FCDO website for regular updates and warnings on where is safe to travel. You can subscribe to get email alerts about your chosen destination.

Our travel insurance policies won’t cover any trips where the FCDO has advised against travel.

Your airline should tell you if your flight is cancelled because of a natural disaster event.

What to do if your accommodation is uninhabitable

First and foremost, get yourself to safety and follow the advice from local or national authorities.

Next, contact and seek compensation from your accommodation provider directly.

Your travel insurer will cover the costs if you’re forced to leave early, up to your policy limits, or the cost of alternative accommodation if you couldn’t reach your destination because of a natural disaster.

What to do if you’re stranded abroad

If your flight or other transport out of the area has been cancelled, speak to the providers directly to see what rearrangements or refunds they offer.

Your airline must offer food and drink if there’s a delay before they can get you a replacement flight. This depends on how far you’re travelling:

As long as you’re travelling to or from a UK airport, they must provide accommodation if you’re delayed overnight.

If your airline can’t fly you home and you can’t find one with another airline, there could be chartered flights organised by the UK government to help UK citizens get home safely. This is known as repatriation.

Check the FCDO website to find this information or contact the British Embassy in your location.

Most insurers will extend your cover if you’re stuck abroad because of a natural disaster.

Share with your friends...

Check out our related articles.

17 Mar 2023

Travel insurance explained

Woman with her head in her hands at airport with suitcase beside her

22 Jun 2023

Travel disruption cover – everything you need to know

Image of a black woman after a cancelled holiday

22 Aug 2022

Holiday cancellation cover and travel insurance

5 star defaqto rated platinum level travel insurance.

https://admiral.com/magazine/guides/travel/natural-disasters-and-travel-insurance

June 1, 2020

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after

Ukraine; Belarus; Moldova; North Korea; Russia; Israel

This is a test environment. Please proceed to AllianzTravelInsurance.com and remove all bookmarks or references to this site.

Use this tool to calculate all purchases like ski-lift passes, show tickets, or even rental equipment.

Natural Disasters: What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Get a Quote

{{travelBanText}} {{travelBanDateFormatted}}.

{{annualTravelBanText}} {{travelBanDateFormatted}}.

If your trip involves multiple destinations, please enter the destination where you’ll be spending the most time. It is not required to list all destinations on your policy.

Age of Traveler

Ages: {{quote.travelers_ages}}

If you were referred by a travel agent, enter the ACCAM number provided by your agent.

Travel Dates

{{quote.travel_dates ? quote.travel_dates : "Departure - Return" | formatDates}}

Plan Start Date

Share this Page

{{errorMsgSendSocialEmail}}

Your browser does not support iframes.

Popular Travel Insurance Plans

Annual Travel Insurance
Cruise Insurance
Domestic Travel Insurance
International Travel Insurance
Rental Car Insurance

View all of our travel insurance products

Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please see your plan for full details. Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply.

Insurance benefits underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: 2 Mid America Plaza, Suite 200, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181), rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233), rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101-C series or 101-P series, depending on your state of residence and plan chosen. A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) are the 2nd and 3rd highest, respectively, of A.M. Best's 13 Financial Strength Ratings. Plans only available to U.S. residents and may not be available in all jurisdictions. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are marks of AGA Service Company dba Allianz Global Assistance or its affiliates. Allianz Travel Insurance products are distributed by Allianz Global Assistance, the licensed producer and administrator of these plans and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance benefits and assistance services. Any Non-Insurance Assistance services purchased are provided through AGA Service Company. Except as expressly provided under your plan, you are responsible for charges you incur from third parties. Contact AGA Service Company at 800-284-8300 or 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233 or [email protected] .

Return To Log In

Your session has expired. We are redirecting you to our sign-in page.

Current Events

Is a volcanic eruption covered by travel insurance?

Last Updated: December 11, 2019 January 15, 2020

A volcanic eruption meets most travel insurance provider’s definition of a covered Natural Disaster.

Travel insurance policies with coverage for Natural Disasters can provide coverage if a volcanic eruption impacts your trip. This can include Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage, as well as Travel Delay coverage.

In order for cancellation or interruption coverage to be triggered, at least one of the following requirements must be met:

Your common carrier is delayed for a specified amount of time due to the eruption
Your destination is rendered uninhabitable
There is a mandatory evacuation at a your destination

In order for Travel Delay coverage, the eruption must delay your departing flight by at least 3-12 hours, depending on the policy. The Travel Delay benefit provides a daily dollar amount that can be used for necessary expenses during the delay. This amount typically ranges from $150-$200.

This information is time sensitive and may vary by policy. If you have questions about a specific policy, please contact us directly at 800-240-0369. Our customer service representatives are available from 8am to 10pm ET daily and are delighted to help.

Notes to editors

About Squaremouth: Squaremouth.com has insured over 3 million travelers. Using Squaremouth’s intuitive quoting and comparison engine , award-winning support team, and verified customer reviews, travelers can save time and money to find the best travel insurance policy for their trip.

Search Travel Market Report

Packaged Travel
Hotels & Resorts
Destinations
Retail Strategies
Niche & Luxury
Training & Resources
Brian Israel
Briana Bonfiglio
Dan McCarthy
Dori Saltzman
Jennifer Arango
Kelly Fontenelle
Keri-Anne Slevin
Louis Intreglia
Sarah Milner
Tom McCarthy

does travel insurance cover volcanic eruptions

Travel Insurance Doesn’t Always Cover Disruptions from Volcanic Eruptions

Mount Agung's eruption has caused travel chaos in Bali. Photo: Shutterstock.com

With Mount Agung simmering on the east end of Indonesia’s Bali paradise, travel agents booking clients to any destination with volcanic activity should refresh their knowledge of how a volcano impacts travel plans and the insurance they advise their clients to take.

This year, many destinations have witnessed more volcanic activity, including Sicily and Costa Rica .

In the case of Bali, the Denpasar airport was closed for two full days this week due to the ash and smoke that jeopardized the safety of aircraft flying in the region. As a result, more than 1,000 flights have been canceled and tens of thousands of tourists trying to head home were stranded, needing overnight accommodations and facing other expenses. Similarly, passengers heading to Bali for vacation had their trips shortened or canceled outright due to the lack of inbound air service.

On social media, many travelers from outside the U.S. stranded on the island were complaining that their travel insurance companies would not pay for any of their expenses because unbeknownst to them, the insurance companies had declared Mount Agung’s activity a “known event” in September, when the volcano first started rumbling.

Other insurance companies made the cutoff date this Saturday, when Mount Agung began erupting after a relatively quiet period. In a tweet to Travel Market Report, BHTP said that it would pay for claims for insurance coverage “purchased prior to 11.25.2017.”

“Volcanoes are one of the hardest things for travel insurance companies to deal with,” said Daniel Durazo, director, communications, USA, for Allianz Global Assistance. Allianz declared the volcano a known event on Nov. 27, and according to Durazo, his company has received “a handful” of calls from clients, and that “one or two claims” had been filed for reimbursement.

As Durazo explained, volcanoes can spew ash and smoke for “days, weeks or months. When does that cross the line to an imminent eruption” and trigger an insurance company to declare “a known event?” he said.

When Eyjafjallajökull, a volcano in southern Iceland, suddenly erupted in April 2010, hundreds of thousands of flights were canceled and millions of airline passengers were stranded for about eight days as smoke and ash blanketed Europe and the North Atlantic, making airline travel perilous.

“Most of the claims travelers made in 2010 were for travel delays, paying for additional food, transportation and lodging,” Durazo said.

Durazo recommends that travelers and travel agents call ahead to their insurer if they are traveling to a destination where there has been known volcanic activity, to understand if a “known event” has been declared. They also should determine what their policy covers, as different plans have different limits

For example, on Allianz’s most popular coverage, its “Classic” plan, the policy limit for travel delays is $800, with a daily limit of $200. The coverage pays for “additional accommodation/travel expenses and lost prepaid expenses due to a covered departure delay of six or more hours.” On its “Basic” plan, Allianz will only pay out a maximum of $300, with the daily limit being $150.

Another gray area is for travelers in the middle of their Bali vacation, but looking to leave because they fear for their safety. Currently, in Bali the government is only evacuating people in a zone about six miles from Mount Agung.

If a traveler vacationing in one of the popular resort communities 30-40 miles away from Mount Agung sought to be evacuated by their airline and make a claim to their insurance company, they very likely would not be reimbursed for any non-refundable elements of their shortened trip.

“Travel insurance doesn’t typically evacuate for non-medical reasons,” Durazo said.

Best Travel Insurance Policies for Places Prone to Natural Disasters (2024)

When it comes to natural disasters, Singapore is a sheltered island. How sheltered? Based on data from 2023, we have the 4th lowest disaster risk in the world . So on this island refuge, it can be easy for us to feel detached from earthquakes, tsunamis and cyclones.

But it’s a different reality for many of our Asian neighbours. For example, China lies where the Eurasian, Pacific, and Indian Ocean plates meet—a region with high tectonic activity. Between 1990 to 2024, Statista reports that China recorded 186 earthquakes, the highest number in the world. According to the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, the earthquakes that hit China account for one third of destructive continental earthquakes globally. Yikes.

Infographic: The Countries Hit by the Most Earthquakes | Statista

If you’re travelling to earthquake-prone places like China, Japan or Bali , you want to make sure your travel insurance policy covers you in the event that your trip gets affected by natural disasters. Here’s what you need to know.

Guide to Best Travel Insurance for Countries Prone to Natural Disasters

Best travel insurance for natural disasters
How do I choose the best travel insurance for an area prone to natural disasters?
What are some things that travel insurers might exclude?
How do I make a travel insurance claim if a natural disaster strikes?
Is it safe to travel to areas prone to natural disasters?

1. Best travel insurance for natural disasters

You won’t see a separate category for natural disaster coverage in travel insurance policies. Instead, insurers count natural disasters as one of several factors that may cause a trip cancellation, postponement, delay, or curtailment.

Let’s assume you’re going on a week-long trip to an ASEAN country. Here’s a summary of the non-discounted costs and coverage of different travel insurance policies for trip disruptions and inconveniences due to national disasters.

2. How do I choose the best travel insurance for an area prone to natural disasters?

Before you buy your travel insurance, you need to do research on the following:

What kinds of natural disasters that area is prone to
How your travel insurance policy defines natural disasters

The first question to ask is what kinds of natural disasters the place you’re visiting is prone to , if any. For example, is the area near an active volcano that might lead to a volcanic eruption? Does it sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place?

At this point, also look out for disaster warning announcements —if you’re forewarned that a natural disaster may occur but still go on the trip, you won’t be able to make insurance claims.

Additionally, don’t forget about natural disasters that you don’t hear about as often, such as hail, ice storms, landslides, heat waves, and wildfires. These are important to consider because not everyone may consider them natural disasters—including your insurers.

Once you know what natural disasters your destination area is prone to, check if your travel insurance policy defines them as natural disasters . Some insurers may limit their claims to trip disruptions due to specific disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis. If you have to cancel your trip due to a heat wave but your insurance policy doesn’t consider that a natural disaster, your claims won’t be approved.

For example, here’s how “natural disaster” is defined by AIG travel insurance :

aig-travel-insurance-natural-disaster-definition

Comparatively, MSIG travel insurance listed fewer types of natural disasters as examples and described natural disasters as natural events with catastrophic effects:

msig-travel-insurance-natural-disasters-definition

A good rule of thumb is to choose a travel insurance policy with a broad definition of natural disaster . Don’t assume this is always the case, especially if you’re buying travel insurance from an airline.

3. What are some things that travel insurers might exclude?

Travel insurers generally define natural disasters as any event or force of nature which has catastrophic consequences on the environment, finances or human life.

Most types of natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, typhoons, tsunamis, hurricanes and so on can fall under this category if they are serious enough. If you feel light tremors causing no damage, you’re unlikely to be able to make a claim.

Do note, however, that many insurers have exclusions on nuclear risks and exposure to nuclear radiation , even if this was caused by a natural disaster. For example, the Tohoku earthquake in 2011 caused the meltdown of three nuclear reactors, leading to the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Insurance would cover you for the earthquake, but may not cover you for the nuclear disaster.

The most important thing to note is that most insurers will not cover you if you already knew about the natural disaster risk in the area, but decided to book the trip or buy the travel insurance policy anyway . Insurers will usually include such announcements as travel advisories or warnings, such as this one from FWD:

fwd-travel-insurance-travel-advisory-flood-warning

So let’s say you have already read in the news that a volcano is about to erupt in a certain destination, and you go ahead and book a trip there anyway. If you end up having to cancel your trip because the volcano erupted, you are unlikely to get reimbursed for your travel expenses.

4. How do I make a travel insurance claim if a natural disaster strikes?

Recall that insurance policies don’t have a claim category for natural disasters. Instead, you’ll usually have to make a claim under one of the following:

Travel cancellation : You are unable to depart for your trip due to unavoidable, unforeseen circumstances.
Travel postponement : You already booked your trip, but are forced to change your travel dates and book another ticket for a later date.
Travel delay : You end up departing for your trip at a later time than scheduled, e.g. due to a delayed flight. Insurers stipulate the exact number of hours that count as a delay—usually 6 hours. Note: Don’t mix travel (i.e. flight) delay up with baggage delay !
Trip curtailment/shortening : You are already on your trip, and have to cut it short due to an unexpected event that happened during the trip.

Pro tip : You don’t have to pore through each travel insurance policy wording to find out these claim limits! View them easily on our MoneySmart travel insurance comparison page.

What kinds of expenses can be claimed under the categories above? Typically, a travel insurance policy should pay for additional travel and accommodation expenses incurred should your trip be disrupted due to a natural disaster in the country you’re in or travelling to.

If a natural disaster does occur while you’re travelling ( choy! ), contact your insurer as soon as possible, and preferably before incurring additional expenses like hotel bookings. They will advise you on the documentation you need to provide in order to make a claim, which might include receipts or police reports.

Finally, this has nothing to do with insurance, but it’s a good idea to call the Singapore Embassy in the country you’re in and ask for emergency contacts in case you need urgent consular assistance. You should also eRegister your overseas travel with the MFA so they can search for you if you go missing in any natural disaster ( choy! ).

5. Is it safe to travel to areas prone to natural disasters?

As we mentioned earlier, your insurance claims won’t be approved if you were forewarned about a natural disaster risk but chose to go on your trip anyway. So in this case, if you haven’t booked your tickets yet, you probably shouldn’t. But what if you’ve already booked your flight? Is it safe to go on your trip? Will you be refunded if flights are cancelled?

That was exactly what happened in October 2017, when it was announced that Mt. Agung in Bali was expected to erupt for over a month. After the last eruption in 1963 killed over 1,100 people, everyone in 2017 who booked a ticket to Bali was left wondering: Will I get killed if Mt. Agung erupts again? Should I still travel to Bali? If so, what can I do to protect my safety?

If a disaster warning surfaces after you’ve booked your tickets, here’s what you need to know:,

It’s generally safe to travel to another area in that country far from the disaster threat. In the case of Mt Agung, there are tourist spots in Bali far away enough to not be affected by the volcano. So if you don’t have plans to travel anywhere near the Bali volcano, you can still go ahead with your travel plans. Furthermore, the authorities will clear out people in the danger zone, and will put up red alert exclusion zones where the lava and ash may potentially reach. So, if you’re ever stumbling too near the danger zone, you’ll definitely know.
Flights will be cancelled and rescheduled by your airline. If the situation gets bad, your airline will cancel their flights to destinations near where the natural disaster is expected to occur. Flights booked that are deemed unsafe to proceed will likely be rescheduled without any additional fees. Of course, this is subjected to availability and fare differences. Alternatively, some airlines may also allow refunds.
Airports will be closed if the natural disaster occurs nearby. In the case of Mt. Agung in Bali, the volcano erupted on 26 November 2017, leading to the closure of the Ngurah Rai International Airport because of the ash cloud. While ideally you’d be ferried to other airports in neighbouring islands to take your flight out, there’s also the chance that a widespread eruption might affect road travel and neighbouring airports too. If the eruption warning came when you were already in Bali, your insurance will cover your expenses while you’re stranded.

Have you ever experienced a natural disaster while travelling? Did you buy travel insurance ?

Best Travel Destinations and What To Do There, According to MoneySmart Staff

How Much Does It Cost To Travel With Pets?

10 Data Roaming Plans in Singapore—Which is Most Worth It? (2024)

6 Things to Know About Travel Insurance for Extreme Sports and Outdoor Adventure Coverage (2024)

6 Best Travel Insurance with COVID-19 Coverage in Singapore (Apr 2024)

International edition
Australia edition
Europe edition

Iceland volcano: Will your travel insurance cover you?

Air passengers have been warned they could face a summer of delays as a result of the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The first wave of disruptions exposed all kinds of problems for consumers, so what can you expect if you are affected later this year?

What happens if my flight is cancelled?

It depends where you were flying to and from, and where the airline you were planning to use is based. Under European law, if you are planning to fly from within the EU or back to a country in the EU on an EU-based airline it is obliged to offer you a choice: you can either cancel your booking and get a refund or rebook on a new flight.

The refund should be made within seven days (although some passengers who had flights cancelled in December's bad weather were still waiting for their money several months later); rerouting should occur as soon as possible unless you agree to reschedule for a later date.

While you wait for your new flight you are entitled to meals and refreshments, hotel accommodation (if necessary), transport between airport and accommodation, and two free telephone calls. In April, Ryanair had to back down on plans to wriggle out of paying these costs.

What if I am flying from outside the UK on a non-EU airline?

If you are flying back to the UK from outside the EU on an airline based outside the EU – for example, you are flying from New York to Heathrow on American Airlines – the rules do not apply.

The Air Transport Users Council says many airlines will provide refreshments or overnight accommodation for passengers whose flights have been cancelled or are subject to a long delay, or transfer passengers to other flights, but very few will voluntarily pay compensation.

What if my flight is delayed rather than cancelled?

If your flight is delayed you could be entitled to meals and refreshments, and may be able to get a refund if the delay is more than five hours. If the delay goes beyond 12 hours your travel insurance should offer a payout. Saga's policy offers £35 on a 12-hour delay and a further £15 for each 12 hours thereafter, up to a maximum of £215. However, you must have checked in for the flight to be able to claim.

What if my flight is part of a package deal?

You should be given the same options. If the alternative flight offered by the airline will make a big difference to your holiday – for example, you are only going for three days and they are offering to fly you the day after your scheduled departure – you are entitled to cancel the whole deal and get a refund.

The advantage of booking a package holiday is that the whole deal is covered by regulations which mean that if you are unable to reach your hotel, that will be refunded at the same time as your flight.

Will I get compensation?

European law says if you are travelling within the EU or on a EU airline, you will be entitled to compensation if you are delayed except in "extraordinary circumstances". It seems pretty likely that airlines will be able to argue that delays resulting from the Icelandic volcano could not have been anticipated or prevented.

What if I booked a car and a hotel at the other end – will I lose out?

You won't get a payout from the airline if you have to cancel transport or accommodation at your destination, but you may not lose money. In the first instance you should contact the hotel or car hire company and see if you can change your plans or arrange a refund. If this does not yield results, contact your travel insurer.

Will my travel insurer pay up?

It depends on your insurer's small print. After the April disruption some insurers did agree to offer a payout – these included RBS and its associated brands Direct Line, Churchill, and NatWest; HSBC; and Biba.

Some insurers may still offer payments on policies bought before the initial problems began – for example, annual policies. However, most are now refusing to offer cover on policies bought since April's disruption.

Direct Travel Insurance is one insurer which says it will provide protection in some circumstances. A spokeswoman explains: "If the Spanish airports were closed today, you were planning to fly to Spain tomorrow and purchased a policy from us today then tried to claim because your flight had been cancelled, it is likely that your claim would be rejected.

"However, if you bought a policy today for your holiday in July and your travel plans were affected by volcanic ash, it is likely that the claim would be paid as you couldn't reasonably know now that your plans would be affected in July."

Will insurance cover extra spending while I am stuck abroad?

Again it depends when you bought your policy and on the small print. If your airline offers to pay for accommodation the travel insurer will not do so too. If it has not, you may be able to make a claim.

What if my policy runs out before I get back?

The Association of British Insurers says that if you bought a single-trip policy your insurer will extend cover until you get home, usually up to a period of a month.

What about all the charges I rack up when I withdraw cash?

In April, some banks put arrangements in place to help customers stranded abroad and agreed to refund any charges for ATM withdrawals and to consider requests for overdraft and credit card limit extensions. If you need to contact your bank to check its stance, the number should be on the back of your debit or credit card.

Should I make alternative travel arrangements?

If you have booked an air ticket or holiday it's too late to change your mind. Unless you have a flexible ticket, your airline is not obliged to refund you if you choose to change your travel plans, and your insurer will not compensate you for a ticket you buy which goes unused.

What can I do if I am stuck abroad and my car is in an airport car park?

In April several car park operators said they would not use the delays as an opportunity to sting drivers for more feesand would honour the original charges as long as passengers could show evidence of when they were originally due back. Hopefully they will do the same again in future.

Travel insurance
Iceland volcano 2010 (Eyjafjallajökull)
Consumer rights
Air transport

Does Travel Insurance Cover Natural Disasters?

While travelers can purchase travel insurance plans up to the last minute before leaving on their trip, claims for losses due to natural disasters that are known events are never covered.

What’s a known event ?

When a snow storm is forecasted, it’s a known event.
When the hurricane is named, it’s a known event.
When a volcano eruption starts, it’s a known event.

This is, as you might imagine, a feature of insurance – it only covers those things that haven’t happened but are likely to cause serious harm or financial losses IF they do happen. This is why we buy insurance to cover our homes, our cars, and … our trips. It’s also why we recommend that you buy your travel insurance early .

A natural disaster is typically defined by travel insurance plans as “a flood, fire, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, volcanic eruption, blizzard, or avalanche that is due to natural causes.” But it’s important to note that not all of these disasters are included in every plan’s description of coverage. Some travel insurance plans specifically exclude events like volcanic eruptions and avalanches, for example, classifying them as ‘acts of God’ instead.

It’s important to note that a natural disaster is defined differently than bad weather – see how travel insurance covers bad weather .

Travel insurance coverage for natural disasters

Most travel insurance plans cover natural disasters with these coverage options:

Trip cancellation and trip interruption – benefits will be paid if mandatory evacuation or official public evacuation orders are issued due to natural disaster, or a natural disaster renders your principal residence or destination residence uninhabitable. It also covers cancellation or interruption of your place of employment is rendered unsuitable for business and you’re required to work.
Non-medical emergency evacuations (also called security evacuations) – if a formal recommendation is issued from local authorities, or the US State Department , for you to leave the country due to a natural disaster.
Missed connections and trip delays – if you miss a cruise or tour or are delayed more than a defined number of hours as a result of a natural disaster, benefits will be paid to reimburse your unexpected trip expenses and additional transportation costs.
AD&D and medical/dental care – if you are injured or killed while traveling as a result of a natural disaster, benefits will be paid to reimburse you, the medical facility who treated you, or your beneficiaries up to the travel insurance plan limits.
Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation – if you are injured while traveling on a covered trip and require medical treatment that cannot be administered locally, your travel insurance provider will coordinate and pay for you to be evacuated to a medical facility where you can be treated. If you are killed while traveling as a result of a natural disaster, the travel insurance provider will coordinate and pay for your body to be returned home.

Limits on travel insurance cover for natural disasters

As with all insurance plans, travel insurance places limits on the coverage it will pay out for natural disasters. Specifically:

Trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits are paid only if the traveler will lose at least 50% of their trip due to the mandatory evacuation orders.
If your destination is adversely affected by the storm, it must be uninhabitable in order to make a claim – not simply that it wasn’t as you expected or the pool was damaged (in that case, it’s the travel supplier’s responsibility to make it up to you).
Non-medical emergency evacuation coverage pays for all reasonable expenses incurred for your transportation to the nearest place of safety .
All coverage includes maximum limits that place a cap on the amount the travel insurance company will pay – anything over that amount will come out of the traveler’s pocket.

It’s important to understand that every travel insurance plan varies according to the travel insurance provider’s definitions and reading the plan carefully is the only way you’ll know exactly what coverage you have for natural disasters.

DamianTysdal

Damian Tysdal is the founder of CoverTrip, and is a licensed agent for travel insurance (MA 1883287). He believes travel insurance should be easier to understand, and started the first travel insurance blog in 2006.

How does annual travel insurance work?

18 September 2013

How does travel insurance work?

17 September 2013

Why does travel insurance need the airline reimbursement for my lost bag?

Travel with peace-of-mind... compare quotes for free.

Insurance: The Basics

About the Industry
Auto Insurance

Homeowners + Renters Insurance

Life Insurance
Financial Planning
Business Insurance
Disasters + Preparedness
Thought Leadership
Other Insurance Topics
Research + Data
Catastrophes
Crime + Fraud
Insurance Industry
Life + Health

Resource Center

Resilience Accelerator
Event Calendar
I.I.I. Glossary
I.I.I. Store
Latest Studies
Presentations
Publications
The I.I.I. Insurance Blog
Video Library
Learn More About Membership
Register for a Member Account
Learn More About Amplify

EN ESPAÑOL

Conceptos Básicos de Seguros

Connect With Us

Popular search terms
Home + Renters
Popular Topics
Disaster + Preparation

Popular Media

Please sign in to access member exclusive content.

Forgot Password?

Don't Have an Account? Register Now

Learn more about membership

Volcanic eruption coverage

A primer on volcanoes and insurance, in this article.

">What's covered
">What isn't covered

What to do after a volcano eruption

Active volcanoes in the u.s..

DOWNLOAD TO PDF

A volcanic eruption is one of nature’s most destructive forces, and can result in damage or destruction to homes, businesses, transportation and agriculture.

What's covered

Most home, renters and business insurance policies provide coverage for property loss caused by volcanic eruption when it is the result of a volcanic blast, airborne shockwaves, ash, dust or lava flow. Fire or explosion resulting from volcanic eruption also is covered.
Homeowners and business owners’ policies also provide coverage for property damage, vandalism or theft due to looting if the occupants are displaced.
There is typically a 72-hour waiting period before business interruption coverage kicks in.
Damage to vehicles caused by lava flow is covered under your auto insurance policy if you have comprehensive coverage, which is optional. Direct, sudden damage to engines from volcanic ash or dust is also covered under most policies.

What isn't covered

Most home, renters and business insurance policies do not cover damage from earthquake, land tremors, landslide, mudflow or other earth movement regardless of whether or not the quake is caused by or causes a volcanic eruption. Earthquake insurance is available from private insurers as an endorsement to a homeowners policy, and in California from the California Earthquake Authority , a privately funded, publicly managed organization.
Damage to land, trees, shrubs, lawns, property in the open or open sheds (or the contents of those sheds) is typically not covered.
The cost to remove ash from personal property is generally not covered unless the ash first causes direct physical loss to personal property. There is also no coverage to remove ash from the surrounding land.
there is direct physical damage resulting in suspended operations;
there is physical damage to other property that prevents customers or employees from gaining access to the business;
the government shuts down the area, preventing customers or employees from gaining access to the premises.
Damage that occurs to homes, businesses or vehicles over time due to volcanic dust is not covered under most policies.
Volcanic Effusion (i.e. volcanic water and mud) is not covered under a typical homeowners, renters or business insurance policy. However it is covered by flood insurance, available through the National Flood Insurance Program .
Remove ash and dust from the roof of your home as soon as it is safe to do so. Ash is heavy and can cause damage to your roof or gutters if allowed to accumulate.
Avoid prolonged driving in airborne or accumulated volcanic ash. Volcanic ash or dust can cause severe damage to your engine.
If your vehicle is exposed to heavy volcanic ash, change your air filter and have the vehicle checked by a qualified auto mechanic as soon as possible.
Remove ash from your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. Prolonged exposure to volcanic ash and dust can chemically damage the paint and glass.
Do not wipe or brush the ash or dust that accumulates on your vehicle or windows. Volcanic ash is very abrasive and can easily scratch your vehicle. Carefully wash the ash from your vehicle with a stream of water from a garden hose.

Active volcanoes in the United States are found mainly in Hawaii, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest. For example, Mount St. Helens in Washington State erupted on May 18, 1980, causing an estimated $31 million in insured losses, according to Munich Re. The eruption killed 57 people and wrought dramatic changes to the landscape. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Washington’s Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network maintain constant watch for signs of renewed activity at Mount St. Helens. Of all the active volcanoes in the U.S ., the USGS says it is the most likely to erupt again . Should such an eruption occur, projections show that ash from Mount St. Helens could ascend as high as 20,000 feet and drift as far away as California. Searing hot magma from such an eruption would melt ice and snow, possibly triggering flash floods and mudflows.

Travel Insurance & Natural Disasters - The Complete Guide

Natural disasters. They're a part of life and yet we're so incredibly unprepared for them when they do come along. The effects of a natural disaster can be truly shocking, hitting fast and leaving behind a trail of epic destruction. So can you ever really be guaranteed protection from the ires of mother nature? Yes, no and maybe, is perhaps not the cut and dry answer you’d like to hear. But when it comes to travel we all like to know that should the very worst happen, we'd have a life raft of sorts to get us home safely. According to most travel insurance plans natural disasters are typically defined as a “flood, fire, hurricane, cyclone, tornado, earthquake, volcanic eruption, blizzard or avalanche that is due to natural causes.” It’s worth knowing that not all policies will cover the same events, for instance, some may omit volcanic eruptions or avalanches, and it's important to note those exclusions.

In this handy guide you’ll learn all about travel insurance in regards to avalanches , bushfires , earthquakes , hurricanes , volcanoes , and storms . You'll find out what type of cover is available for each of the above and how to ensure you will be protected should the unexpected take place.

Looking to do a bit of natural disaster research? We also provide you with some helpful information as to where the worst types of events take place. Remember, the better prepared you are, the more informed your decisions can be.

Finally, if your holiday does take a hit we’ll tell you how to best salvage the situation. Knowing what’s required of you can take a load off should you run into trouble.

Travel Insurance And Avalanches

We all know the old adage; “you can't have too much of a good thing”. Unfortunately, you certainly can have too much snow! A sprinkling of snow falling on pristine landscape? Beautiful. A nice deep covering of snow on the mountain side ? Perfect for skiing and boarding! Tonnes of the white stuff plunging towards you down a mountainside? Not so good!

If you’re serious about skiing and snowboarding, you need to be aware of the dangers of avalanches. These marauding torrents of snow, ice and assorted mountainside debris might look spectacular from far away, but when you’re in the firing line of an avalanche, it ain't that pretty.

Getting caught in an avalanche can mean broken bones and belongings- and that's if you're lucky. When you're at risk of an avalanche, taking out comprehensive ski insurance is vital.

So what's the deal with avalanches?

Most people think of avalanches as a cascade of snow falling down a mountain, but avalanches can range in length and severity. A common avalanche is the “loose snow” type, in which low to medium density masses of snow move quickly down a mountainside.

Another type of avalanche is the “slab” variety, which occurs when densely packed blocks of snow roll down the mountain. This type is the more dangerous of the two, and can account for the majority of avalanche fatalities.

There are a multitude of factors that can cause avalanches, but there are two main ingredients; tall mountains and lots of snow! Avalanches occur when something triggers a collapse in a weak layer of snow, setting off a chain reaction which forces vast amounts of snow, ice and other debris down the mountainside at an alarming rate. Due to the unpredictable nature of snow fall and busy conditions at mountain resorts, this can happen at almost any time.

It's easy to become complacent when you are out and about in the mountains but don't underestimate the seriousness of avalanche warnings- these could save your life.

Where do avalanches happen?

Got a mountainous adventure coming up? Hover over the map to see if your elevated destination falls into a high risk zone.

The information in the map below is provided as a general guide only. Please refer to avalanche.org for up-to-date information.

Does travel insurance cover avalanches?

Avalanches can cause major disruption to your travel plans. That's where travel insurance comes in! Typically a policy will give you cover for any travel cancellations and expenses, loss of belongings, and the most important: personal injury.

These are some of the things you can claim for...

Cancellation (before you leave): If you've booked a holiday, only to find that you are no longer able to travel to your destination, you could be eligible to claim.
Cancellation (when already abroad): Avalanches can strike rapidly and without warning. When this happens, your travel plans may need to change quick sharp! If your accommodation becomes uninhabitable, if your flights are cancelled or if your transport is diverted when you have already left the country, your insurance should cover you for any additional costs incurred.
Alternative accommodation arrangements following an avalanche: Any additional hotel stays or other accommodation arrangements made due to the incident should be covered by your insurer.
Any extra costs linked to the avalanche: Hire car charges, missed bookings or any other costs that you incur as a direct result of an avalanche should also be covered.
Lost or damaged belongings: Any loss or damage to your belongings as a result of an avalanche won't leave you out of pocket, as they should be covered by your insurance policy.
Medical costs for personal injury: Costs associated with treatments, stays in hospital, medication or other expenses can soon mount up when you're abroad. Fortunately, your insurance will cover medical costs; just remember to keep a record of all expenses incurred.

What isn't covered?

Of course, there may be some exclusions that apply to your cover. Should the following occur on your travels you may not have provision to claim:

Choosing not to travel: Your insurance company will only pay out if your destination is classed as "uninhabitable" or your transportation is "significantly delayed". Simply deciding not to go because of a travel warning is not enough.
Claiming on known events: Once the avalanche is reported in the news, it becomes a known event. This means that any policy you purchase AFTER the event will not cover you for any costs incurred as a result.
Ignoring travel warnings: If you do not heed travel warnings - particularly governmental travel warnings - you are effectively straying into a danger area of your own accord. Insurance companies don't take kindly to this kind of recklessness, and your cover could be invalidated.

So you're snowed in! What to do?

1. Always heed travel warnings and take extra care in danger zones

Operators of ski resorts and other popular mountainous tourist destinations know their stuff. So it pays to always pay attention to their warnings at all times. While it is a myth that avalanches can be caused by sound, it is certainly true that they are often caused by unwary skiers wandering into danger areas. Note: You also run the risk of invalidating your travel insurance by not heeding clear travel warnings.

2. Sip 'n ski? Maybe not

Feel free to enjoy a drink or three after your ski session, but stick to non-alcoholic beverages before your hit the slopes! Avoid any temptation to ski after a few tipples; this can increase your risk of injury and impair your judgement, which is the last thing you need whilst navigating the white stuff. Again, any injuries incurred whilst you are intoxicated are unlikely to be covered by your travel insurance policy.

3. Contact your insurer as soon as it is safe to

Your insurance company needs to be kept up-to-date on all goings on. Keep in contact with them until you are safely back home. Recording all expenses will maximise your chances of a successful claim.

Don't get left in the cold following an avalanche, take out the right travel insurance policy and make sure you are protected!

Travel insurance and Bushfires

Bushfires, brushfires, wildfires, whatever you call them, large-scale fires can erupt out of the blue and cause major devastation to surrounding communities. With a tendency to spread rapidly, an uncontrolled fire combined with dangerous weather conditions can have lethal and unprecedented results.

Australia in particular is prone to some of the world’s worst bushfires thanks to hot, dry conditions and recent ongoing droughts. Those in the vicinity of a major bushfire are advised to stay informed, stay aware and avoid all known danger zones.

Does travel insurance cover bushfires?

What can my travel insurance cover in regards to bushfires.

Cancellation (before you leave): If you've booked a holiday, only to find that you are no longer able to travel to your destination, you could be eligible to claim.
Cancellation (when already abroad): Bushfires can strike without warning and spread quickly. When this happens, your travel plans may change rapidly! If, as a result of a bushfire, your accommodation becomes uninhabitable, your flights are cancelled or your transport is diverted (after you have already left), your insurance should cover you for any additional costs you incur.
Alternative accommodation arrangements following a bushfire: Any additional hotel stays or other accommodation arrangements made after a bushfire begins should be covered by your insurer.
Any extra costs linked to the bushfire: Hire car charges, missed bookings or any other costs that you incur as a direct result of the fire should also be covered.
Lost or damaged belongings: Any losses or damages to your belongings won't leave you out of pocket, as they should be covered by your insurance policy.
Medical costs for personal injury: Costs associated with treatments, stays in hospital, medication or other expenses can mount up when you're abroad. Fortunately, your insurance will cover your medical treatment; just remember to keep a record of all costs incurred.
Choosing not to travel because of a risk of fire: Your insurance company will only pay out if your destination is classed as "uninhabitable" or your transportation is "significantly delayed". Simply deciding not to go does not give cause enough to claim.
Claiming on known events: Once the fire is reported in the news, it becomes a known event. This means that any policy you purchase AFTER the fire has been widely reported will not cover you for any costs incurred as a result of the fire.
Ignoring travel warnings: If you do not heed travel warnings - particularly governmental travel warnings - you are effectively straying into a danger area of your own accord. Insurance companies don't take kindly to this kind of recklessness, and your cover may be invalidated.

It's getting hot! how can I claim?

Sure-fire tips to stay safe.

Be responsible: If everyone took steps to eliminate fires, the risk of fire danger would be far lower, so do your bit to limit any potential hazards. Don’t smoke in areas that are an obvious fire risk, pay attention to warnings and remain vigilant for any imminent dangers.
Be aware: It may be a good idea to make a specific bushfire plan if you're in a prone zone. Ensure everyone in your group knows what to look for, how to leave quickly, and where you can seek shelter if the worst happens.

Get fired-up for your trip, but don't get burnt! Follow these tips and enjoy an exciting, inspiring and, above all, safe holiday.

Where do bushfires strike?

Fires tend to strike in hot, dry destinations. There are a myriad of factors that can combine to cause a bushfire, but usually they are triggered by tinder-dry conditions and a spark from a dropped match, a lightning strike, or another seemingly innocuous event. That said, that doesn't mean a fire can't strike anywhere. Hover over the map to see if your travel destination is a typical "hot zone"! NOTE: The information in the map below is provided as a general guide only.

travel insurance and tremors: the truth about earthquakes

The Earth’s tectonic plates are constantly moving, at times even colliding with one another. This produces a tremendous amount of energy in the earth’s surface, creating huge vibrations, leading to earthquakes. Although we only tend to hear about the worst occurrences, thousands of little earthquakes actually take place each year.

Where do earthquakes occur?

Earthquakes can strike anywhere but they are particularly likely to happen near a fault line (a place where two tectonic plates meet). The largest quakes will usually occur when two plates collide. For this reason, regions such as New Zealand, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Japan, the Americas and Indonesia are highly prone to earthquakes. PLEASE NOTE: The information in the map below is provided as a general guide only. Please refer to earthquaketrack.com for up-to-date information.

World's worst quakes

The following earthquakes take precedence as some of the absolute worst of recent times.

Valdivia, Chile, 1960 With a magnitude of 9.5 on the Richter scale, this disaster goes down as one of the worst quakes ever. It killed 1,655 people, injured 3,000 and caused up to $550 million worth of damage to Chile. It also spawned a collossal tsunami that destroyed parts of Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and triggered a nearby volcanic eruption too.
Sumatra, Indonesia, 2004 The resulting tsunami of this 9.1 rated earthquake killed 227,900 people and displaced a further 1.7 million. The earthquake is reported to have affected over 14 countries, with its effects seen as far away as Antarctica and North Africa.
Sendai, Japan, 2011 This colossal earthquake and ensuing tsunami is recorded as the costliest natural disaster of all time. In addition to triggering a meltdown at the Fukoshima nuclear plant (resulting in a radiation leak) over 15,891 people lost their lives and a further 2,500 are still reported missing.
Christchurch, New Zealand , 2011 Closer to home, this earthquake came just six months after an even more powerful one. Occurring on a fault line that was shallow and close to the city, this quake was especially destructive, killing 185 people and injuring several thousand.
Anchorage, Alaska , 1964 As North America’s worst earthquake (and the second largest ever measured) this magnitude 9.2 quake ripped apart Alaska’s landscape. Despite the devastation, only 139 people died as the earthquake hit on Good Friday, when most people were at home or church.

Is it safe to travel to destinations where Earthquakes occur?

Luckily, major earthquakes occur only a few times a year and the odds of an earthquake occurring during a short visit are unlikely. Additionally, modern technology continues to improve and has made it easier to predict when and where an earthquake is likely to rumble.

Does travel insurance cover earthquakes?

If an earthquake has occurred at your holiday destination either before or after you’ve left home, you may be covered. But, before you travel it’s worth understanding the terms of your cover.

When you are covered

If the earthquake was not a known event when you bought your policy you would be covered for:

Cancellation (before you’ve left) : If you’ve not left yet, benefits will be paid if the earthquake forces you to cancel and claim for out-of-pocket expenses (provided the policy was purchased prior to the cancellation).
Cancellation (when already abroad) : If you are within the earthquake zone you will be covered for travel and accommodation costs involved in moving you to new accommodation (if your booked accommodation is deemed uninhabitable). If your flights have been cancelled you would also be covered for any additional flight costs.
Medical costs : Should you incur any injuries as a result of an earthquake, benefits would be paid towards your treatment.
Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation : In the event that you require emergency evacuation or medical treatment cannot be administered locally you would be evacuated to the nearest medical facility. Repatriation costs would also be covered In the event of your death.

When you’re not covered

Travel against warnings : If you intentionally put yourself in harm’s way and travel to a country or region against governmental travel advice, you do so at your own peril. You will not be covered for anything that relates to the travel warning.
Known events : Once an event is known in the mass media (i.e. big tremors have begun, a snow storm is forecasted or a volcano has erupted ) you wouldn’t be eligible to buy cover for any losses incurred, or claim to cancel your trip. Insurers will set cut-off dates, for instance travellers affected by the Nepal earthquake who had purchased cover prior to April 25, 2015 were eligible to claim. After the 25th, you could no longer purchase cover for the Nepal earthquake event.
Insufficient cover : Remember that Basic (or medical only) policies would cover for any medical claims in regards to earthquakes, but would not cover travel delays, lost luggage or trip cancellation as a result of an earthquake.
Claim for any reason : There would be no cover if your existing travel plans were not directly affected by the earthquake or if you just had a change of heart about your trip.
Accommodation cover : Your place of residence would have to be uninhabitable for you to make a claim (i.e. the hotel not meeting expectations or a broken pool would not suffice).

Natural Disasters Claim tips

Get it down on paper : If your flights have been cancelled or delayed due to an earthquake be sure to get any written proof of such events from your airline.
Contact your insurer : Before you go ahead and pay for any extra accommodation or flights check in with your insurer that they will cover any added costs.
Keep receipts : Your insurer will need some type of proof of payment in order to pay out your claim. Hold onto any boarding passes, receipts or credit card statements.

What should I do in an earthquake?

The recent devastating earthquake in Nepal killed and displaced thousands of people. Whilst a tremor this size is said to occur only once every hundred years, the quake had catastrophic consequences due to Nepal’s poorly built infrastructure. Whilst the odds of getting caught in an earthquake on holidays are unlikely, it’s always good to prepare for the worst. With popular tourist destinations such as Japan, Nepal and Indonesia all bearing the brunt of sizable earthquakes it’s important to have the facts and understand any necessary safety procedures.

Firstly, if you’re travelling to an earthquake-prone region you should buy travel insurance and get a good understanding of the fine print. As well, make sure you’re registered at Smartraveller . Get to know the emergency phone numbers procedures for the region and keep your passport and photo ID secured or with you at all times. If you happen to be living overseas when an earthquake strikes an emergency back-up plan can be a very wise idea.

Earthquake survival tips will vary but it’s worth understanding the local safety codes. For instance, in countries with modern infrastructure, such as Japan, it’s thought that the best place to be during an earthquake is under a table in the middle of a room . On the other hand, in countries with structurally unsound buildings, the rule of thumb is to evacuate immediately . Brushing up on the area’s safety procedures can make all the difference when it comes to your security.

Depending on the state of disaster around you it may be advisable to return home immediately. If you are safe but have found yourself stranded due to cancelled flights and damaged infrastructure, you may incur significant accommodation and travel costs. Although these would be reimbursed by travel insurance, it’s advisable to keep any additional expenses to a reasonable minimum and hold on to your receipts.

No matter how experienced or conscientious a traveller you are, an unpredictable event such as an earthquake can turn your holiday upside-down. Making sure you’ve got travel insurance and understanding any significant exclusions can be the first step in managing a natural disaster.

Travel insurance and hurricanes

Hurricanes are just strong winds, right? Wrong. By definition, winds must reach 120 kmph before they are classified as a hurricane. They are amongst the most indiscriminately lethal and devastating events that nature can throw at you. While hurricanes are relatively rare, they are powerful enough to ruin a holiday.

Where are hurricanes likely to strike?

Hurricanes can strike almost anywhere, but that doesn’t mean you need to cancel your trip and spend the holiday wrapped in a blanket under the bed. You just need to know the risks associated with: a) the location you are visiting, and b) the time of year. The Atlantic hurricane season usually lasts from May to September, but it is vital to read up on information specific to where you are going. Places such as the coast of North Carolina, the Bahamas or the Cayman Islands have hurricanes on average once every 1.5 years, so the risk is fairly high. Always keep an eye out for weather warnings and take heed of advice from the government before you travel. Our map shows the typical paths of tropical revolving storms.

World's worst hurricanes

The following hurricanes take precedence as some of the worst of recent times.

Hurricane Pauline, 1997 Working it's way up the Mexican coastline, Pauline dumped torrential rainfalls with 16" of rain in Acapulco alone! The relentless downpour caused disastrous land slides in some of Mexico's poorest villages, killing roughly 250-400 people and leaving a striking 300,000 people homeless. Beyond all the lives destroyed, Hurricane Pauline caused a massive amount of damage, exceeding $7.5 billion.
Hurricane Mitch, 1998 Winds of up to 285km/h battered Florida and Central America for two weeks in 1998, doing over $6billion worth of damage and claiming 11,000 lives.
Kenna, 2002 A category 5 hurricane, Kenna was the 3rd most intense Pacific hurricane to ever strike Mexico's West Coast. 140 mph winds and a 16-foot surge devastated the coastline, causing $101 million dollars in damage.
Hurricane Katrina, 2005 In terms of devastation, Katrina is notable, ranking as the most costly natural disaster in the history of the United States. It also ranks as one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the U.S, killing 1,833 and injuring thousands more.

Does travel insurance cover hurricanes?

It's getting windy! In most cases travel insurance does cover you for natural disasters. The following are some of the typical events you can claim for.

Cancellations before you leave: Non-refundable hotels, extra trips or added extra costs to your holiday that you cannot recoup can be claimed for. As well, you have provision to claim any extra expenses if you are forced to cancel your holiday before you have left.
Cancellations when already abroad : You will also have provision to claim if you are forced to cancel your holiday once you are already abroad. Provided you are within the designated disaster area, you can claim for the funds required to find alternative accommodation in a safe area.
Medical costs : Medical costs should always be covered, even on the most basic of insurance plans. Any injuries you incur as a direct result of the hurricane will be covered, provided you have not invalidated your insurance policy. Emergency medical evacuation will usually also be covered.

What could blow my cover?

Even if your travel insurance does cover losses, damage or injury caused by a hurricane can still be invalidated. Here’s how:

You might think of hurricanes as random, rampaging monsters, but in fact the weather bureau will often give out warnings well in advance of a hurricane. Always heed weather reports and travel warnings; if you are specifically advised not to travel because of a hurricane warning, your insurance company is unlikely to cover you in the event of a wind-related mishap!

Something else that could pose a problem is taking out insufficient cover. You wouldn't wander into a rainstorm without an umbrella, so don't stray into hurricane territory without appropriate insurance. Basic travel insurance will cover you for medical bills only, leaving you unable to claim for damaged belongings, cancellations or other monetary losses in the event of a hurricane. Top tip: Keep an eye on the cut-off dates for claim submissions, and keep a copy of your insurance policy's fine print with you at all times. You don't want to be precluded from claiming because of a technicality!

When the wind picks up, what do I need to remember?

A handy rule of thumb; to ensure a successful claim, keep everything! Keep a record of every event that occurs as a result of the hurricane and get documented evidence or confirmation from airlines, local authorities, hotels or other businesses.

After you contact your insurer, don’t make any large payments until you receive confirmation that the payment will be covered. Keep a record of your communications and ask your insurer to do the same.

Once you’ve got the green light from your insurer, make the payment, but don’t forget to hold onto your receipts! All insurance companies will need proof of purchase before they agree to a payout, so keep hold of any evidence of the transaction, whether that is receipts, bank statements or any other documentation.

travel insurance and storms

We love a storm! There’s nothing like being safe and sound at home when the rain starts to fall and forks of lightning start to flicker on the horizon. But what about when storms get out of hand? Big storms can be bad news for anyone, but for travellers, they can be disastrous. A good storm makes for a great photo-opportunity, but when that storm grows in severity, your travel plans can be ruined as a result.

Where am I at risk of storms?

Storms can affect you virtually anywhere in the world. Whether it's a catastrophic cyclone in Fiji, torrential tornado in Toronto or horrendous hail storm in New York that shuts down road traffic or a snowstorm that freezes the tarmac and grounds flights, storms can have a devastating effect on international travel.

How dangerous can a storm really be?

You should never underestimate the powerful impact of a storm. A storm can combine all the very worst weather conditions and wreak havoc on those unlucky enough to find themselves in its eye. The following weather conditions can prove incredibly dangerous and should be treated with utmost caution:

Lightning : Lightning strikes are rare enough to be uncommon - but common enough to pose a threat. Each year 10 people die in Australia as a consequence of lightning strikes in addition to over 100 injuries. When lightning approaches, seek shelter and stay away from anything that might attract a strike.
High winds: Getting blown away by a high wind is fairly unlikely, but getting struck by a falling object as a result of high winds is a significant risk. If you are caught in a storm, seek shelter as quickly as possible. If you are already inside, stay there and stay away from windows.
Flash floods : When heavy rain meets an overworked urban drainage system or saturated high ground, all that water has to flow somewhere. Flash flooding can be destructive and dangerous to boot. When floods occur It's advisable to find shelter immediately and don’t be tempted to wade into this often filthy, disease-ridden water. Do you notice the pattern here? If a storm hits, stay inside!

Does travel insurance cover storms?

Travel cancellations, injuries, damaged belongings, spiralling costs; all of these can result from a particularly bad storm. This is why cover is crucial for your trip; you can't always predict which way the weather can turn.

There is a veritable deluge of things that you can claim for in the event of a storm, here are some examples:

Travel cancelled before you leave : If a major storm happens in your holiday destination before you leave, this is likely to put your travel plans on standby as flights to and from the destination may be affected by poor visibility. As long as you have kept all the paperwork relating to your travel plans and to your insurance policy, you should be able to claim. You must have purchased your cover BEFORE the storm!

Being stranded: While storms are usually predictable, they can also happen suddenly, which can cause a bit of a headache if you are mid-trip. If a storm has cancelled or grounded your flights, you may find costs beginning to spiral as you make alternative travel and accommodation arrangements. It is important to contact your insurance company as soon as you are affected whilst keeping a record of all correspondence and additional expenses you incur.

Personal injury or loss of belongings: If the worst happens and you get caught in the vicinity of an treacherous storm, keep a record of all medical treatment received and all belongings damaged or lost. Contact your insurance company immediately and keep a record of all communication.

Choosing not to travel: Your insurance company will only pay out if your destination is classed as "uninhabitable" or your transportation is "significantly delayed". Simply deciding not to go because of bad weather does not give enough cause to claim.
Claiming on known events: Once the storm is reported in the news, it becomes a known event. This means that any policy you purchase AFTER the storm has been widely reported will not cover you for any costs incurred. Insurers cut off dates will vary, so it's wise to pay close attention to these details.
Ignoring travel warnings: If you do not heed travel warnings, particularly governmental travel warnings, you are effectively straying into a danger zone on your own accord. Insurance companies don't take kindly to this kind of recklessness, and your cover may be invalidated as a result.

How can I claim for a storm event?

If you get caught in a storm, or if a storm causes mass travel cancellations, you will want to claim back the costs incurred. Follow these tips to make this process as seamless as possible:

Don't be a stranger : So a storm hits and your travel plans are cancelled, or maybe heavy winds have given you a nasty injury and relieved you of some of your personal belongings. What should you do? First things first; contact your insurer. In order for them to do their job they need to be kept informed of every little detail.
Hoard, hoard, hoard : Paid for medical treatment? Get a receipt. Had to purchase a second flight? Keep the ticket. Your insurance company is going to want to see evidence of all those added expenses. Even if you’re used to being a light-travelling citizen of the world, be sure to gather any relevant proof required to make a claim. Doing so will only assist you in receiving the correct compensation.

Read your policy documents: The best way to understand your cover and the claim process is to look at your Product Disclosure Statement.

Travel insurance and volcanoes

There are several reasons why Hollywood loves a volcano; they are big, loud, spectacularly scary and also very deadly, making them perfect for a starring role in an action movie. Unfortunately, it is for these same reasons that an erupting volcano can be a pretty dangerous beast.

On the other hand, volcanoes are easy to spot (they are huge, immovable mountains after all) and their temper tantrums are fairly easy to predict. That said, their eruptions still manage to catch people off guard now and again, and even a dormant volcano can pose some serious hazards of its own (take for example, the continuing Bali ash cloud ). If you are planning on entering one of Planet Earth’s volcanic danger zones anytime soon, you'll need to take note of the current travel warnings and get yourself insured early. As well, you'll need to make sure that your insurance covers injury, travel cancellation or loss of property; don’t just assume it does!

Where do Volcanoes Occur?

Volcanoes occur at the edge of tectonic plates. These plates are always moving, causing a large amount of friction where two plates meet. Often, one plate is forced beneath the other in what is known as a subduction zone. This process creates enormous amounts of heat and pressure, melting the rock beneath the Earth's surface, which is then expelled via an eruption. The fault lines of the Pacific rim have created some of the world's most famous - and infamous - volcanoes, included those found on the west coast of South America and in Krakatoa in Indonesia. Pleased note, the information in the map below is provided as a general guide only. Please refer to volcanodiscovery.com for up-to-date information.

Some of the World's most well-known Volcanoes

Mount Ruapehu: This magnificent volcano is in fact the biggest single source of fatalities from natural disasters in New Zealand. Located on New Zealand's North Island, Ruapehu ranks among the world's most frequently erupting volcanoes.
Mount Erebus: Bet you didn't know that volcanoes exist on Antarctica. Mount Erebus is named after the Ancient Greek god of darkness. This bad boy has been in a state of eruption since 1972!
Mount Pinatuba: This unassuming volcano made history as the second-largest volcanic eruption in history in 1991. Located in the Philippines, Pinatuba is still well and truly active, but eruptions seem to be slowing.
Mount Bandai: This active volcano was formed by a huge eruption in 1888. Bandai has inspired countless pieces of Japanese art and culture.

So it's all lava and fire, right?

Absolutely not! Volcanoes are like bumper-size picnic hampers full of just about everything Mother Nature can throw at you. Obviously it is the big, firework display pyrotechnics of volcanic eruptions that grab the headlines, but they account for only a fraction of the dangers posed by volcanoes. Ever heard of tephra? These nasty little things are pieces of volcanic rock and solidified clumps of ash that get blasted out of a volcano when it erupts. Add acid rain and pyroclastic flows (slow-moving lava flows that decimate everything in their path) to the mix and you’ve got yourself a recipe for extreme danger.

But it is the clouds of noxious gases and ash released by a volcano that are likely to cause you the most hassle. Recent eruptions in Bali and Iceland sent disruptive clouds drifting for hundred miles, grounding flights and delaying thousands of frustrated travellers.

But if the volcano is not erupting, I’m fine?

Does travel insurance cover volcanoes, when are you not covered.

There may be some exclusions that apply to your cover. The following could invalidate a claim...

Choosing not to travel: Your insurance company will only pay out if your destination is classed as "uninhabitable" or your transportation is "significantly delayed". Simply deciding not to go is not reason enough to claim.
Claiming on known events: Once the eruption is reported in the news, it becomes a known event. This means that any policy you purchase AFTER the eruption has been widely reported will not cover you for any costs incurred.
Ignoring travel warnings: If you do not heed travel warnings - particularly governmental travel warnings - you are effectively straying into a danger area of your own accord. Insurance companies don't take kindly to this kind of recklessness, and your cover may be invalidated.

Natural disaster travel insurance exclusions

Like every type of insurance there are conditions you need to pay attention to. In the majority of cases Australian travel insurance policies do cover you for unforeseen natural disasters that affect your holiday. However there are a few insurers where you need to pay attention to their conditions of cover as explained in the below. Insure4Less: Cover for hurricane, storm or other natural disaster only when it threatens your safety such that official evacuation orders are issued or that your pre-booked accommodation is rendered uninhabitable. InsureandGo: Medical cover due to any natural disaster is automatically covered however for cancellation you must purchase this option as an additional extra. No Worries : Only covers for natural disasters in Australia. Tick Travel Insurance: To include unexpected Natural Disaster as a claimable event, you must have purchased this option and the option must be shown on your Policy Schedule.

Travel insurance purchase as an afterthought You wouldn’t be covered if you decided you needed to purchase after a travel warning had been issued. For example, if you heard about a hurricane warning in the mass media and only then did you decided to buy insurance, you couldn't cancel your holiday and claim for any out of pocket expenses.
Intentionally putting yourself in harm’s way If you decide to visit a destination with a heightened travel warning and you were aware of the risks but decided to go anyway, it’s unlikely that you would be able to claim.
Deciding not to go You are unlikely to be covered for wanting to cancel your trip ‘in response’ to a travel warning. For example, if a destination is known to be experiencing problems and a travel alert is heightened before your trip commences, you wouldn’t be covered for any claims relating to cancellation if you just decided not to go.
General exclusions Most standard travel insurance policies have a set of general exclusions that apply to your cover. So regardless of when a travel warning is issued, and whether you took advice from the government or not, you may find you will not be insured for certain events. General exclusions that tend to be across the board include: Strikes, riots, civil protest and political instability, any act of war, terrorism, any event to do with nuclear or chemical weapons, contagious diseases and/or epidemics or pandemics.

Natalie Smith

Having travelled to over 40 countries, studied tourism management and worked as a flight attendant for over three years, Natalie knows more than a thing or two about travel! She’s an adventure-lover, whose favourite trips have been trekking Machu Picchu and volunteering in an animal shelter in the Amazon. Qualified in Tier 2 General Insurance General Advice and specialising in travel insurance for the last five years, she in passionate about helping travellers get the most out of their holiday.

Our Travel Insurance Comparision Helps You

Save time, worry and loads of money.

Stay up to date with our latest news, deals and special offers.

Your privacy is important to us.

Comparetravelinsurance.com.au is Australia’s leading comparison site solely focused on travel insurance.

Our comparison is a free service that allows users to compare quotes in a few simple steps based on limited personal criteria. Comparisons supplied are not a recommendation or opinion about the suitability of a policy for a user. Comparisons are default ranked according to price and users have the ability to sort by popular cover levels. Whilst we compare a vast range of policies, we do not compare all providers in the market. This site compares the following brands: 1Cover, AllClear, Budget Direct, Downunder, Fast Cover Travel Insurance, Insure4Less, InsureandGo, iTrek, Simply Travel Insurance, Ski-Insurance, Travel Insurance Saver, Travel Insuranz, Wise Traveller, Zoom Travel Insurance . The directors and shareholders are common with companies i-Trek Pty Ltd, Zoom Travel Insurance and 1Cover Pty Ltd including it’s subsidiary brand Ski-insurance. CoverDirect takes all reasonable care when preparing this information but does not warrant its accuracy. Pricing information is supplied by the providers who participate on this site and should be verified with the insurer before you purchase. This site links users to the website of the provider to verify quotes and access the relevant PDS to understand what is, and is not, covered by a policy prior to purchase.

CoverDirect Pty Ltd owns and operates this website under AFS Licence 383590. Located at Level 12, 338 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia.

For further information view our FSG and Terms of Use . Contact us by calling 1300 659 411.

Loading Quotes...

Please login or register to continue. It'll only take a minute.

There was an error logging in, please try again.

Enter your email and password

There was an error on your registration, please try again.

Don't you have an account?

Just checking you are a human

Friendly Call Centre

0330 053 3747

01279 967019

Monday to Friday 9am - 7pm. Saturday and Sunday 9am - 5.30pm. Customer service: Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm." class="underline" >Opening times

{ if ($data.searchOpen) $refs.searchInput.focus(); })"> Search
Get quote Retrieve quote

Natural Catastrophe Cover

Travel insurance cover for disruption caused by hurricanes, fire, flood & volcanic eruptions.

Natural catastrophe cover from Total Travel Protection is an optional extra which can be added to any of our travel insurance policies.

It provides extra travel insurance cover for cancellation and unexpected additional expenses caused by a catastrophic natural event, which is unknown and unforeseen at the time you purchased your travel insurance or booked your holiday, whichever is the latter.

The following natural events are covered:

volcanic eruption

Natural catastrophe cover is available to add to any of your Silver, Gold or Platinum policies and includes the following cover:

Cover for cancellation up to £1,500 per person

Provides cover for any part of your outward, onward, return journey or whole trip which is cancelled due to a natural catastrophe.

Additional expenses to enable you to return home up to £150 per day (£1,500 in total) per person

Provides cover for reasonable additional accommodation (room only) costs and transport expenses, up to the standard of your original booking, to enable you to return home if the public transport you are booked on is cancelled or delayed due to a natural catastrophe and an alternative is not provided within 24 hours, or in the case of connecting transport, not provided within a time frame that allows you to continue with your original itinerary

Please note: Cover does not apply if your holiday forms part of a tour operator's package. In this instance it is the responsibility of your tour operator to look after you and get you home.

Terms and conditions apply: The full terms and conditions of this cover are available to view when you are choosing which options to add to your policy. They will also be sent to you when you purchase cover.

Natural catastrophe cover can be added to our Gold and Platinum policies

Retrieve quote
{ if ($data.searchOpen) $refs.searchInput.focus(); } )">

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Motor Vehicles
Home & Household
Car Hire Insurance
Travel Insurance
Protect your Family
Protection in Later Life
Protect your Business
Specialist Life Cover and Protection
Leisure Insurance
Hobby Insurance
Vehicle Insurance
Credit Cards
News and Reviews
News and Contact

Vehicle Hire
Life Insurance & Protection
Money & Utilities
Offers & Info
Car Hire Excess Insurance
Collision Damage Waiver Insurance
Car Club Excess Insurance
Motorhome Hire Excess Insurance
Van Hire Excess Insurance
Car Insurance
Van Insurance
Business Van Insurance
Learner Driver Insurance
Short Term Car Insurance
Home Insurance
Landlord Insurance
Student Insurance
Gadget Insurance
Wedding Insurance
Business Premises Insurance
Business Vehicle Insurance
Business Protection Insurance
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Public Liability Insurance
UK Car Hire
Spain Car Hire
France Car Hire
Car Hire FAQ's
Collision Damage Waiver
Supplementary Liability Insurance
Car Hire Insurance FAQ's
Van Hire Locations
Van Hire FAQ's
Motorhome Hire
Our Car Hire Checklist
Motorhome Hire Insurance
Campervan Hire Insurance
Short Term Rental Van Insurance
Self Drive Hire Business Insurance
Winter Sports Travel Insurance
Cover for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

Volcanic Ash Travel Insurance

International Rail Travel
Eurotunnel & Ferry
European Car Insurance
European Breakdown Insurance
Travel Money
Airport Parking
Airport Lounges
Airport Transfers
Life Insurance
Life Insurance for the Family
Joint Life Insurance
Review your Life Insurance
Life Assurance covering High Risk Activities
Mortgage Protection for the over 60's
Level Term Mortgage Protection
Life Assurance for Business Owners
Keyperson Protection Insurance
Life Assurance for Smokers
Life Assurance for Ex Smokers
Life Insurance and Long Covid
Life Insurance for Vapers
Guaranteed Life Cover for under 40s
Bicycle Insurance
Jetski Insurance
Boat Insurance
E-Bike Insurance
Dinghy Insurance
Camera Insurance
Clay Pigeon Shooting Insurance
Sport Insurance
Winter Sport Insurance
Lifestyle Excess Insurance
Kitcar Insurance
Classic Car Insurance
Campervan Insurance
Motorbike Insurance
Annual Travel Insurance
Short Term Travel Insurance
Tracker Mortgages
Buy to Let Mortgages
Remortgages
Multi Property Buy to Let Mortgages
Personal Loans
Credit Rating & Scoring
Interest Free Purchase Cards
Interest Free Balance Transfer
Credit Building Cards
Low Income Credit Cards
Energy Comparison Service
Phones, TV and Broadband Comparison
Student Broadband and Fibre Offers
Business Gas and Electricity Offers
Our Student Hub
Temporary Car Insurance FAQ's
Student FAQ's
Car Hire Companies Reviews
Car Hire Insurers Reviews
Car Insurance Companies Reviews
Travel Insurers Reviews
Latest News from MoneyMaxim
Car Hire Offers
Car Hire Insurance Offers
Flight Offers
Ferries & Eurotunnel Offers
Travel Insurance Offers
News and Articles
Contact Us - online chat or email

Compare Travel Insurance covering Volcanic or Strikes. Policies start at a small cost and prevent stress and worry in the event of unexpected disruption.

Cover for Travel Delay, Abandonment and Missed Departure as a result of volcanic ash available for Silver and Gold policies with Volcanic Ash Bolt On.

Above cover provided up to the limit stated on your policy schedule.

No claims eligible without the Volcanic Ash Bolt On.

Additional cover available with Gold policies if you include the Emergency Travel Upgrade.

Online Screening for pre-existing medical conditions

Annual or Single Trip Policies with extra discounts when purchased through MoneyMaxim

www.columbus-direct.com/volcanic

Natural Disaster Cover add-on
Cover limits in the event of travel disruption caused directly or indirectly by a natural disaster such as a volcanic eruption including volcanic ash clouds
Missed departure and extended accommodation cover included.
Single trip and annual policies available
Can cover many medical conditions

www.insureandgo.com

Airspace Closure Cover provides benefits for delays both on departure and return to UK.
Also available is Travel Disruption Cover, which can cover strikes and other perils.
Single trip and annual policies

www.aviva.co.uk/ti-airspaceclosure

Add Natural Catastrophe Cover to your policy to get cover for Volcanic Ash clouds and other events such as hurricanes or earthquakes.
Cancellation cover up to £1500

www.insurewithease.com

You need to add Natural Disaster Cover to your policy for cover for volcanic eruptions and ash clouds. Only available with Gold policies.
Up to £1000 cover for alternative accommodation if you need to be moved.

www.allcleartravel.co.uk

Add Trip Disruption cover to cover natural disasters as well as airspace disruption
Cover for delays, missed connections and is you have to cut short your holiday.
Single trip and annual policies

www.postoffice.co.uk/travel-insurance

Travel Insurance which covers the risks relating to the possibility of travel disruption from volcanic ash clouds or strike action is often sought after. Unfortunately this is often after an event has occurred (such as a volcanic eruption or strike being announced), and then travellers' options are more limited. Sometimes though you may be travelling to a country which has had eruptions in the recent past.

Following three major volcanic eruptions in Iceland since Spring 2010 there has been steady interest in policies that will provide additional cover. In 2015 there were travellers stuck for uncomfortably long periods in Bali, Lombok and East Java in Indonesia following an eruption in the region. In 2017 more eruptions took place on Bali and a volcano on Tenerife caused concern. Most recently, in 2023, there has been more volcanic activity in Iceland which is still being monitored.

Given the fact that such events appear to be occurring more regularly and that they can last for a considerable period (the Chilean volcano which erupted in 2011 caused disruption to flights over a 5 month period), canny travellers are ensuring that their insurance policy covers them for such eventualities, especially as they arrive so quickly, and therefore reduce options for holidaymakers to cover themselves once an eruption has occurred.

Many insurers have now excluded cover for 'Volcanic Ash' incidents unless specific cover is taken.

Do be aware that if you are taking a package holiday your tour operator will be responsible for looking after you and getting you home. However the more comprehensive of the policies listed below are ideal for the growing number of travellers who book flights and accommodation independently.

Single Trip Policies

Annual policies are also available.

Please note that there are often criteria in order to claim. Delay claims are usually only considered after a minimum of 12 hours delay for example. Cancellations as a result of volcanic eruptions may only be eligible if your accommodation is within a certain radius. Please read all terms and conditions of any travel insurance policy carefully before purchasing.

Travellers do need to be aware that, although the laws relating to airlines' responsibilities have been clarified and tightened recently, if you are stranded following a volcanic ash event, this doesn't mean your hard-earned cash is not at risk if you fall foul of such an event. Some of the main ways you can still be out of pocket include:

Your flight from the UK is cancelled due to an eruption - you may be reimbursed for your ticket cost but other expenses such as your hotel bill, car rental, cruise ship costs may not be paid if you fail to show up as arranged.
Your flight may not be covered by EU legislation - rights only apply on any flight from an EU airport and those to EU airports from outside of the European Union on an EU airline. (EU in this definition includes all EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.)
"Codesharing flights" passengers get the same rights as passengers of the airline they travel with never mind who issued the ticket. So a passenger with a BA ticket travelling on an American Airlines flight into the EU would not be entitled to the assistance.
If you have two separate tickets rather than a through ticket (i.e. two single tickets covering your journey) if you miss your second flight due to a delay on your first you may still have to pay for any rearranged travel arrangements from your transit airport.
Add on insurance policies can give you more opportunity to make your own arrangements rather than having to rely on the efficiency of your airline - but do discuss your plans with your insurer before going solo!

We detail below some of the insurers who now offer these 'add ons' which can, as well as covering volcanic ash, also cover previously unknown risks including natural disasters, volcanic ash clouds, wildcat strikes, flu pandemics and more besides - as long of course you 'add them on'.

Policies which provide 'extra cover' options

Columbus Travel

Special MoneyMaxim promotion - 5% off Annual Policies, 2% off Single Trip policies in addition to Columbus 10% online discount

Normally Columbus do not cover any claims for travel delay, abandonment, missed connections or missed departures as a result of Volcanic Ash. They do offer a Volcanic Ash upgrade to Silver and Gold policyholders which removes this restriction for such claims.

Policyholders who buy the Columbus Direct Gold policy can upgrade to an option which offers both the Volcanic Ash upgrade and an Emergency Travel Upgrade which helps passengers pay for alternative ways home or emergency accommodation in case of being stranded overseas. The maximum claim per policy is £4,000 of expense.

Columbus will cover pre-existing medical conditions.

See the Columbus Direct website for full information.

InsureandGo Travel Insurance

InsureandGo offer an Natural Disaster Cover upgrade which can top up your travel insurance for an additional premium. This policy add-on includes cover for extended delayed departure, missed departure and extended accommodation cover.

InsureandGo are a UK firm of travel specialists who have been helping their customers insure their holidays for over 20 years.

Aviva have an upgrade policy costing around £5 per single trip policy for each traveller, or £12 per traveller on annual policies (although for families they will only charge for a maximum of two children) that will cover 'Airspace Closure' - for any reason from terrorism to the actions of a volcano, hurricane or pandemic. More information can be found on the Aviva website. Aviva cover those up to 79 years old, but don't cover pre-existing medical conditions.

Aviva sell the upgrade online - click to say that you want their Airport Closure option - which means you also get a 10% online discount.

Provides additional cover for a range of events that might cause disruption to your travel plans such as strikes (outbound leg only), snowfall, Foreign Office advice, food poisoning and pandemics.

Whilst strikes are not covered on the home bound leg, the Aviva policy will provide its standard cover in this respect. If you want to have the option of having alternatives for a homeward leg if a strike is called by airline staff consider the Columbus policy .

Visit the Aviva website for full details . . So which policy is best for you? It really depends on the level of cover you want to take - Cancellation only, Cancellation and Get You Home / Extra Accommodation costs in case of a Natural Disaster, or whether you want the latter with Strike cover included too. It's really up to you!

These policies do change so always read policy documents carefully before purchasing.

This content was last reviewed on 18/12/2023

Image courtesy of: TeddyBear[Picnic] at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Moneymaxim aims to inform its visitors through its journalistic sourced information, but things change rapidly in our market and we cannot guarantee everything will be perfectly up to date. Please do be aware you use the information at your own risk, that the information provided is not financial advice and that your own independent research is essential to make sure that any product or service used is right for your circumstances. We cannot accept liability for any decision you take as a result of information provided on moneymaxim. This service is free to you but to operate this service moneymaxim may receive commissions from the partners you are referred to.

Moneymaximiser Limited trading as moneymaxim is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA FRN 496690). Moneymaximiser Limited, registered in England No. 6706021. Registered Office: 8 Market House, 19-21 Market Place, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1AP. Telephone 01183 218197.

Ed Perkins on Travel: Travel insurance: What you really need

Y ou've probably seen a lot of stories explaining why you need travel insurance. They concentrate on speculating about all the really bad stuff that might happen before or during your trip. Although the bad stuff is important, focusing on it is misdirected: You need travel insurance for only one reason – money.

Insurance is all about money. It can't stop a war or quiet a volcano, all it can do is make sure that you don't lose money due to that war or volcano. So the formula is simple: If you have more money at risk than you can comfortably walk away from if something bad unexpectedly happens, you need insurance. If you don't have money at risk, fuggedaboutit.

Most of you face two big potential money risks — risks that could amount to many thousands of dollars:

Loss of nonrefundable prepayments and deposits if you have to cancel a trip before you leave home or while you're traveling because something bad happens to you or a family member. These days, many airfares let you retain the value if you cancel, but cruises, tours, vacation rentals, and many resort hotel packages involve totally nonrefundable advance payments or stiff cancellation penalties. Trip-cancellation/trip-interruption (TCI) insurance covers the risk of losing those payments if you have to cancel.
High transportation costs if you suffer an accident or illness during a trip that necessitates special transport home. Travel medical insurance (Medevac) covers you the costs of repatriation, as high as the cost of a private jet, if you can't get home the way you arrived. It also covers hospital and doctor costs if your regular health insurance doesn't cover you while you're traveling. This is especially important for seniors who depend on Medicare, which does not cover outside the United States.

Many forms of travel insurance cover nuisance items such as a hotel bill if your air connection is canceled or buying stuff you need if your baggage is lost. But in total dollar risk, these items are chump change — and your regular insurance or credit card may cover them, anyhow.

You need to know a few technicalities of travel insurance, as well:

Travel insurance is "named peril" insurance: It pays only if the bad stuff that happens to you is specifically included in the fine print.
Travel insurance covers only unexpected bad stuff. It won't cover a volcano eruption if the volcano is erupting at the time you buy the policy. And it won't cover you if grandma dies due to an illness she was suffering when you bought the policy.
Most policies exclude coverage if anyone covered by the policy cancels because of a pre-existing medical condition. Many policies, however, waive that exclusion if you buy a policy covering the full value of your trip with a week or two of the time you make your first payment.

A comprehensive bundled policy, including both TCI and Medevac, usually costs 5 percent to 15 percent of the total trip costs. The price of most such policies is based, in part, on your age, with rates getting very high past age 70.

You can buy "cancel for any reason" TCI, often as an add-on to a regular policy, in effect removing the "named peril" limitation. It usually won't cover the full amount — maybe 50 percent to 75 percent — but it lets you decide when to cancel.

You can, of course, avoid the big money risks entirely: Don't have any money in the game up front. Over the last few years, I've never needed TCI because I never had any big bucks at risk: I've been flying on frequent-flyer miles, which I could redeposit if I had to cancel, and made only no-deposit hotel reservations. But you can't do that with cruises, vacation rentals, and many tours.

If you need travel insurance, don't blindly take whatever your airline, cruise line, or tour operator suggests; instead, check the big online travel insurance agencies that publish elaborate side-by-side comparisons of different policies, including insuremytrip.com, quotewright.com, squaremouth.com , and others.

(Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at [email protected] . Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com .)

Travel Insurance

Car Hire Excess
Coronavirus
Members Area

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Coverwise policies provide cover for disruptions caused by volcanic ash clouds, tsunamis, earthquakes or other such natural disasters?

Cover is available on our Silver, Silver Plus, Gold and Platinum policies purchased on our direct website or via our UK call centre as an optional extra called Travel Disruption.

This cover enhances the protection currently in place under the cancellation, departure delay and missed departure sections of the policy, in circumstances such as tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and/or volcanic ash clouds, earthquakes, explosions, avalanches and hurricanes.

Please follow our link to the policy wordings to view full details.

Information

News and Press
Customer Reviews
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
How to claim
Policy Documents
Environment

Accessibility
Terms and Conditions
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

More From Forbes

Iceland’s beauty awaits after unfamiliar rental car decisions.

Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Share to Linkedin

Booking a rental car can be confusing, particularly deciding whether to accept or reject insurance coverages and other add-ons. It can be extra confusing for Iceland-bound travelers who must decide whether to purchase two unfamiliar coverages — gravel protection and volcanic ash and wind protection — before hitting the road to see the country’s unique scenic wonders.

Arna Skúladóttir, a marketing official for Holdur Car Rental, says the coverages are not as complicated as they may first seem to renters, and rental car personnel provide lots of helpful safety information at the airport counter. Holdur Car Rental, a Europcar franchisee, has been renting vehicles since 1966 and, with more than 7,000 vehicles, says it’s the largest auto rental operator in Iceland.

Drifting snow can make motoring conditions difficult on the main ring road from Reykjavik, Iceland. ... [+] (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)

“The gravel roads in Iceland can be pretty rough, with river crossings and narrow, rocky paths that can easily damage cars if you're not careful,” Skúladóttir says.

Renters can usually “steer clear” of gravel-related damages or wind and ash damages “by avoiding travel during stormy conditions or simply getting out of their way,” she says. “They're not all that frequent and don't stick around for too long. Typically, they pop up in sandy spots like the South Coast and the Highlands.”

Driving through a sandstorm “can totally wreck the vehicle's paint, plastic bits, windows, lights and more,” she says. “None of the insurance companies in Iceland cover these kinds of damages.”

A volcanic eruption that began March 16 on the Reykjanes Peninsula has forced the closure of all roads leading to Grindavík, located about 34 miles southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city. Grindavík is evacuated, but the eruption, according to Iceland’s Visit Iceland tourist board, does not pose an immediate threat to people.

“All Icelandic airports are open, and all flights to Iceland are operating on schedule,” Visit Iceland says. “The impact of these types of fissure volcanic eruptions is limited to specific, localized areas near the eruption site.”

iOS 17 5 Apple Issues Update Now Warning To All iPhone Users

Biden vs. trump 2024 election polls: trump leads biden by 1 point, latest survey shows, ios 17 5 iphone update now live with important new features.

Skúladóttir recommends Holdur renters who aren’t traveling to the Highlands — Iceland’s vast uninhabited area — to buy her company’s medium protection package. It provides protection from collisions, thefts, gravel damage and ash and wind damages, and currently costs about $120 for a seven-day rental.

Iceland offers motorists three types of roads — paved, gravel and F. The F roads are mountain roads accessible only with four-wheel-drive vehicles during the summer.

Most roads in cities and towns are paved, and the speed limit is usually 90 kilometers per hour (56 miles per hour) on highways, according to Hertz’s website. Many of the country’s roads are gravel, and potholes are common, the car rental company warns.

First-time motorists in Iceland might want to follow Skúladóttir’s travel recommendations.

“The Golden Circle is perhaps the most iconic and accessible route in Iceland,” she says. “This 300-kilometer loop takes you to three of Iceland's most famous attractions: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss Waterfall. The roads are well-maintained, and the route is well-marked, making it an ideal choice for those looking for a hassle-free drive with plenty of awe-inspiring sights along the way.”

A car travels on an ash-covered road in Iceland. (Photo: HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP via Getty Images)

Another “must-drive route,” she says, is the South Coast, stretching from Reykjavik to Vik.

“This route takes you past black sand beaches, dramatic sea cliffs and impressive waterfalls such as Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss,” Skúladóttir says. “While some parts of the road may be narrow and winding, it's, overall, a relatively straightforward drive with plenty of places to stop and admire the scenery.”

For travelers seeking “a more off-the-beaten-path adventure,” she adds, “the Westfjords offer some of the most remote and rugged landscapes in Iceland. The roads can be narrow and winding, but the views of towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls and tranquil fjords make it well worth the journey for those comfortable with more challenging driving conditions.”

Skúladóttir says it’s always wise to check road conditions and weather forecasts, especially during the winter when snow and ice can make driving more challenging.

Editorial Standards
Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
Content that otherwise violates our site's terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
Actions that otherwise violate our site's terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

Stay on topic and share your insights
Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
Protect your community.
Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.

Today's news
Reviews and deals
Climate change
2024 election
Fall allergies
Health news
Mental health
Sexual health
Family health
So mini ways
Unapologetically
Buying guides

Entertainment

How to Watch
My watchlist
Stock market
Biden economy
Personal finance
Stocks: most active
Stocks: gainers
Stocks: losers
Trending tickers
World indices
US Treasury bonds
Top mutual funds
Highest open interest
Highest implied volatility
Currency converter
Basic materials
Communication services
Consumer cyclical
Consumer defensive
Financial services
Industrials
Real estate
Mutual funds
Credit cards
Balance transfer cards
Cash back cards
Rewards cards
Travel cards
Online checking
High-yield savings
Money market
Home equity loan
Personal loans
Student loans
Options pit
Fantasy football
Pro Pick 'Em
College Pick 'Em
Fantasy baseball
Fantasy hockey
Fantasy basketball
Download the app
Daily fantasy
Scores and schedules
GameChannel
World Baseball Classic
Premier League
CONCACAF League
Champions League
Motorsports
Horse racing
Newsletters

New on Yahoo

Privacy Dashboard

Watch: Brilliant lightning appears to hit erupting volcano in Guatemala

ANTIGUA, Guatemala – Crowds that flocked to watch the Volcano of Fire erupt last month were treated to a crazy light show when lightning apparently struck the mountain top.

Listen to the crowd that was already buzzing with excitement watching one of the most active volcanoes in Central America erupt with ash and glowing lava. A storm overhead set off lightning flashes every now and then.

The ash plume was expanding, and you can hear the cameras clicking rapidly. Then a bolt appears to reach from a cloud, creates a spiderweb of branching bolts then explodes and lights the night sky. Thunder echos across the landscape accompanied by the wonderment of the crowd.

"What are the odds?" posted the photographer on social media.

Well, the odds are actually better than he thought. The different sizes of ash accelerating through the cloud rub against each other and produce static electricity. It is like rubbing a balloon on your sweater to generate a shock. So, volcanoes can actually produce their own lightning.

‘VOLCANO OF FIRE’ ERUPTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA

"Similarly (to a thunderstorm ), in a volcanic eruption cloud, there are small particles of volcanic material colliding with one another at high speeds, and these collisions can result in separation of charges in the volcanic cloud that result in lightning," said scientists at the University of Hawaii's Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes.

FOX Weather Senior Producer and Meteorologist Greg Diamond went through the video frame by frame.

"Based on this image, I believe the lightning originated from the ash cloud first," Diamond said.

CAN VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS AFFECT THE WEATHER?

The erupting volcano sent ash, particles and heated gas almost 1,000 feet high and more than 18 miles away, according to the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology of Guatemala. A 2013 study found that electrically charged ash particles travel hundreds of miles from the vent.

"When the opposite charges build up enough, the insulating capacity of the air breaks down and there is a rapid discharge of electricity that we know as lightning," wrote NOAA's National Severe Storms Lab . "(The actual breakdown process is still poorly understood.) The air breakdown creates ions and free electrons that travel down the conducting channel."

The conducting channel is an inch or 2 in diameter, according to NOAA . For ash plumes and most thunderstorm clouds, the actual lightning flash is a combination of negatively-charged stepped leaders. Each reaches out in rapid succession about 150 feet, looking for a positive surface.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

About 450 feet from the positive area, the leader connects with a developing positive charge, sometimes called an upward streamer. When the two finally connect, the results are explosive. That creates the conductive path for the rapid discharge of electricity and flash.

"They essentially acted as stepped leaders and when they connected with the positive charges within the storm cloud, it led to the massive return stroke," said Diamond.

The human eye can't make out the fast stepped leaders that travel around 200,000 mph.

"The highly visible return stroke moves upward through the leader channel at about 200 million miles per hour," stated the NWS. "The combination of the stepped leader and return stroke happens in just a fraction of a second."

We just see the discharge – a bolt that appears to flicker.

Scientists studied the Fire Volcano during a 2018 eruption and found that the eruption started around 2 p.m. Ash was emitted before 5 p.m. and the first volcanic lightning strike was at 6:14 p.m. The lightning continued through 10 p.m. The researchers counted 75 unique flashes.

The June 3, 2018, eruption killed 165 people and 260 more are still missing, according to Guatemalan authorities.

Original article source: Watch: Brilliant lightning appears to hit erupting volcano in Guatemala

Google's new Gemini 1.5 Flash AI model is lighter than Gemini Pro and more accessible

Gemini 1.5 Flash isn't really meant for consumers. Instead, it’s a faster and less expensive way for developers building their own AI products and services using tech designed by Google.

'No Botox, no peels, no fillers': Salma Hayek's go-to ingredient for ageless skin is in this $10 cream

The bark of the 'Mexican skin tree' is known for its regenerative properties.

Patreon and Grammarly are already experimenting with Gemini Nano, says Google

Mobile app developers, including Patreon and Grammarly, are already integrating with Gemini Nano, its smallest AI model, the company announced during the Google I/O 2024 developer keynote on Tuesday. The companies, along with other select developers, were invited to work with Gemini Nano through an early access program announced last year, the company said. In the coming months, Google says it will open up the Gemini Nano model to more developers.

Jason Kelce joins ESPN's 'Monday Night Countdown' show on multi-year deal

Kelce retired in March after 13 years in the NFL with the Eagles.

LearnLM is Google's new family of AI models for education

Google says it's developed a new family of generative AI models "fine-tuned" for learning: LearnLM. A collaboration between Google's DeepMind AI research division and Google Research, LearnLM models — built on top of Google's Gemini models — are designed to "conversationally" tutor students on a range of subjects, Google says. LearnLM is already powering features across Google products, including in YouTube, Google's Gemini apps, Google Search and Google Classroom.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn addresses his throwback shirt featuring headdress feathers: 'A great lesson'

The franchise declined comment to multiple media outlets about the shirt prior to Quinn's statement.

Save up to 50% off on complete golf sets, Nike shoes, shorts and more at Dick's huge spring sale

Tons of great gear at great prices to help you enjoy the warmer weather. Save on complete golf sets from Top Flite, Wilson, and Cobra, and apparel.

Refresh your closet with this flowy, wrinkle-resistant $28 top: 'I ended up ordering four colors'

Put that boring T-shirt aside: Amazon shoppers say this pretty option is easy to dress up or down, and it comes in plenty of summery hues.

New Yahoo News/YouGov poll: With Trump's trial underway, most Americans now believe he falsified records to hide hush money payment

The survey also shows a dip in the former president’s favorable rating — from 45% in March to 41% today.

Biden expects China to retaliate to new tariffs. Here's what that might look like.

Joe Biden told Yahoo Finance he thinks China will retaliate to sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports, but he expects any trade conflict to be manageable.

How a VA cash-out refinance works

A VA cash-out refinance replaces your old mortgage with a new VA loan and lets you tap into your home equity. Learn how a VA cash-out refi works.

Google experiments with using video to search, thanks to Gemini AI

Google has already admitted that video platforms like TikTok and Instagram are eating into its core Search product, especially among younger Gen Z users. Now it aims to make searching video a bigger part of Google Search, thanks to Gemini AI. At its Google I/O developer conference on Tuesday, the company announced it will allow users to search using a video they upload combined with a text query to get an AI overview of the answers they need.

Google Veo, a serious swing at AI-generated video, debuts at Google I/O 2024

Google’s gunning for OpenAI’s Sora with Veo, an AI model that can create 1080p video clips around a minute long given a text prompt. Unveiled on Tuesday at Google’s I/O 2024 developer conference, Veo can capture different visual and cinematic styles, including shots of landscapes and time lapses, and make edits and adjustments to already generated footage. “We’re exploring features like storyboarding and generating longer scenes to see what Veo can do,” Demis Hassabis, head of Google’s AI R&D lab DeepMind, told reporters during a virtual roundtable.

Android's Circle to Search can now help students solve math and physics homework

Google has unveiled a new Circle to Search capability at I/O 2024.

Google is bringing Gemini capabilities to Google Maps Platform

Gemini model capabilities are coming to the Google Maps Platform for developers, starting with the Places API, the company announced at the Google I/O 2024 conference on Tuesday. The summaries are created based on Gemini's analysis of insights from Google Maps’ community of more than 300 million contributors. The new summaries are available for many types of places, including restaurants, shops, supermarkets, parks and movie theaters.

Google is building its Gemini Nano AI model into Chrome on the desktop

At the Google I/O 2024 developer conference on Tuesday, Google announced that it is building Gemini Nano, the smallest of its AI models, directly into the Chrome desktop client, starting with Chrome 126. Google itself plans to use this new capability to power features like the existing "help me write" tool from Workspace Lab in Gmail, for example. The company says it's the recent work on WebGPU and WASM support in Chrome that enables these models to run at a reasonable speed on a wide set of hardware.

Google Search will now show AI-generated answers to millions by default

With the new features, Google is positioning Search as more than a way to simply find websites. Instead, the company wants people to use its search engine to directly get answers and help them with planning events and brainstorming ideas.

Lucky Mariners fan catches foul balls on consecutive pitches

Some of us have never come close to catching a foul ball at a game. This fan got two in a row.

Used car prices held flat in April 2024 while payments increased

CarGurus found that interest rates helped drive the average payment up in April 2024 while overall pricing remained steady.

IMAGES

Does Insurance Cover Volcano Damage?
Is Volcanic Ash Covered By Travel Insurance?
Consumer Alert: Does trip insurance cover volcanic eruptions in Hawaii
Find Out Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Volcanic Eruptions
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Volcanic Eruptions?
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Volcanic Eruptions?

VIDEO

FEMA
Travel Tips: What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

COMMENTS

Does travel insurance cover volcano incidents?
While both our comprehensive plans include travel insurance volcano coverage, the benefit limits and conditions vary between the two. Here are the benefit limits for each plan: Coverage. Travel Basic. Travel Select. Trip Cancellation. 100% of insured trip cost, up to a maximum of $10,000. 100% of insured trip cost, up to a maximum of $50,000.
Travel Insurance and Volcanic Eruptions
There are several travel insurance benefits that may come into effect during a volcanic eruption. These include trip cancellation, trip interruption, missed connection, trip delay, political or security evacuation, or accidental death and dismemberment. While this post can serve as a summary of products, the purchased policy is the contract ...
Travel Insurance for Trips Near Volcanoes
Would travel insurance cover interruptions or cancellations? Our travel insurance experts are shedding some light on what to expect if a volcano eruption does interrupt or disrupt your trip. Consider Protecting Your Trip with Travel Insurance. If a volcano hasn't erupted yet, but a possible eruption is imminent, many insurance providers will ...
Travel insurance and natural disasters
Predicted natural disasters or 'anticipated events' aren't covered. For example, a forecasted volcano eruption reported by weather officials before you leave for your trip, booked your holiday or travelled there. We also won't cover you if the local or national authorities have said it's safe to travel to or stay at your destination.
Does Travel Insurance Cover Volcano Eruptions?
Some, but not all, travel insurance plans give the insured the right to cancel their trip and get a refund if their trip must be cancelled due to a natural disaster like a volcano eruption. To know if your travel insurance plan covers volcanic eruption, start with the definitions section, which will look like this: Then, check the coverage you ...
Compare Travel Insurance That Covers Volcanic Ash
In 2010, a volcanic eruption in Iceland caused havoc across Europe, as thousands of flights were cancelled, leaving people stranded or unable to go on holiday. ... Volcanic ash travel insurance offers cover to anyone who suffers from a cancelled or delayed flight in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption. It isn't a policy in its own right, but ...
Natural Disasters: What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
How Your Travel Insurance Policy Defines a Natural Disaster. Allianz Global Assistance defines a natural disaster as "a large‐scale extreme weather or environmental event that damages property, disrupts transportation or utilities, or endangers people, including without limitation: earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, or volcanic eruption.".
Natural disasters and your travel insurance: how are you covered?
If your travel insurance does offer cover, then you'll usually be able to claim for travel disruption, delays and cancellations. ... For wildfires and volcano eruptions, evacuate the area and try to cover your mouth and nose; If something does happen, try not to panic. Local emergency services are always there to lend a helping hand and guide ...
Is a volcanic eruption covered by travel insurance?
A volcanic eruption meets most travel insurance provider's definition of a covered Natural Disaster. Travel insurance policies with coverage for Natural Disasters can provide coverage if a volcanic eruption impacts your trip. This can include Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage, as well as Travel Delay coverage.
Travel Insurance Doesn't Always Cover Disruptions from Volcanic Eruptions
Travel agents need to be careful about advising clients when purchasing travel insurance to destinations with active volcanoes.
Travel insurance
Key points. Travel insurance could help cover travel disruption caused by natural disasters and extreme weather, but it's important to check the policy documents. Try to get compensation from your airline or tour operator first before you claim on travel insurance. If you're stranded abroad, your travel insurance provider can give you ...
Best Travel Insurance for Natural Disasters (2024)
Travel Insurance: Maximum coverage due to events such as natural disasters ... For example, is the area near an active volcano that might lead to a volcanic eruption? Does it sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 90% of the world's earthquakes take place? At this point, ...
Volcanic ash and your travel insurance
After last year's problems, some travel insurers introduced separate or bolt-on cover for volcanic ash delays and cancellations, meaning customers travelling on a "vanilla" policy with the same ...
Does Insurance Cover Volcano Damage?
Most homeowners insurance policies have an exclusion for damage resulting from earthquakes, landslides, mudflows, earth tremors or other earth movements regardless if the earthquake is the cause or the result of the volcano eruption. Earthquake coverage is usually available either by endorsement for an additional charge or by purchasing a ...
Iceland volcano: Will your travel insurance cover you?
The continuing volcanic eruptions in Iceland are causing disruption to flights across Europe. Will your travel insurance cover you? Hilary Osborne. Wed 12 May 2010 10.50 EDT. Air passengers have ...
Does Travel Insurance Cover Natural Disasters?
Some travel insurance plans specifically exclude events like volcanic eruptions and avalanches, for example, classifying them as 'acts of God' instead. It's important to note that a natural disaster is defined differently than bad weather - see how travel insurance covers bad weather. Travel insurance coverage for natural disasters
Volcanic eruption coverage
A volcanic eruption is one of nature's most destructive forces, and can result in damage or destruction to homes, businesses, transportation and agriculture. What's covered Most home, renters and business insurance policies provide coverage for property loss caused by volcanic eruption when it is the result of a volcanic blast, airborne ...
Volcanic Eruption Coverage: What Is & Isn't Covered
Most homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for property damage caused by a volcanic eruption. This means that regardless of whether your home was damaged during the initial volcanic blast or the residual ash or lava flow, insurance will help cover the cost of replacement or repairs. However, most policies won't cover damage due to ...
Travel Insurance & Natural Disasters
According to most travel insurance plans natural disasters are typically defined as a "flood, fire, hurricane, cyclone, tornado, earthquake, volcanic eruption, blizzard or avalanche that is due to natural causes.". It's worth knowing that not all policies will cover the same events, for instance, some may omit volcanic eruptions or ...
Natural Catastrophe Cover
Travel insurance cover for disruption caused by hurricanes, fire, flood & volcanic eruptions. Natural catastrophe cover from Total Travel Protection is an optional extra which can be added to any of our travel insurance policies.
Volcanic Ash Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance which covers the risks relating to the possibility of travel disruption from volcanic ash clouds or strike action is often sought after. Unfortunately this is often after an event has occurred (such as a volcanic eruption or strike being announced), and then travellers' options are more limited.
Ed Perkins on Travel: Travel insurance: What you really need
Travel insurance covers only unexpected bad stuff. It won't cover a volcano eruption if the volcano is erupting at the time you buy the policy. And it won't cover you if grandma dies due to an ...
Frequently Asked Questions
This cover enhances the protection currently in place under the cancellation, departure delay and missed departure sections of the policy, in circumstances such as tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and/or volcanic ash clouds, earthquakes, explosions, avalanches and hurricanes. Please follow our link to the policy wordings to view full details. If ...
Does travel insurance cover natural disasters?
Our policies cover you for earthquakes, fires, floods and hurricanes in certain aspects of the policy. You can choose to extend this to include explosions, tsunamis, landslides, avalanches, volcanic eruptions, snow and storms by opting to include the Travel Disruption Extension to qualifying policies. For more information on our terms ...
Iceland's Beauty Awaits After Unfamiliar Rental Car Decisions
"None of the insurance companies in Iceland cover these kinds of damages." A volcanic eruption that began March 16 on the Reykjanes Peninsula has forced the closure of all roads leading to ...
Watch: Brilliant lightning appears to hit erupting volcano in ...
Scientists studied the Fire Volcano during a 2018 eruption and found that the eruption started around 2 p.m. Ash was emitted before 5 p.m. and the first volcanic lightning strike was at 6:14 p.m ...