Does Travel Insurance Cover Natural Disasters? What the Experts Say

March 28, 2025 - Meagan Palmer

Traveling can be an exhilarating adventure, but unexpected natural disasters overseas can turn your plans upside down in an instant. If you’re wondering, “does travel insurance cover natural disasters?” understanding the answer is essential for safeguarding your journey and ensuring peace of mind. In this article, we’ll explore what travel insurance covers, the benefits you can access, common scenarios where coverage applies, and how to secure the right insurance protection for your travels.

Jumping Ahead

• What Are Natural Disasters?

• Does Travel Insurance Cover Natural Disasters?

• Other Benefits Triggered by a Natural Disaster

• When to Buy Travel Insurance for Natural Disasters

• Additional Travel Insurance Benefits

• Common Scenarios Travel Insurance Can Help

• Steps to Take If a Natural Disaster Occurs During Your Trip

• Tips for Choosing the Right Travel Insurance

• Travel Insurance and Natural Disaster FAQs

What Are Natural Disasters?

Simply put, natural disasters are forces of natural causes and severe weather. Common natural disasters include floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, extreme weather, etc. We’ll get into what natural disasters are usually covered under travel insurance later in the article.

Natural disasters can throw a wrench into your travel plans, leading to a chain reaction of disruptions that impact your safety and journey. Whether it’s unexpected delays, cancellations, or roadblocks, these events can keep you from reaching your destination, interrupt your adventures, or even derail your return home.

Does Travel Insurance Cover Natural Disasters?

The good news is that most travel insurance plans include coverage if natural disasters affect your trip. Some of these trip cancellation covered events might include:

• Your destination accommodations becoming unlivable due to a natural disaster

• A mandatory evacuation by local authorities at your destination

• Your residence becoming uninhabitable due to a natural disaster

• If you are called into military action due to a natural disaster

The key: The natural disaster must be unforeseen for coverage to apply. This means you’d need to have the coverage purchased prior to the natural disaster becoming a known event.

For example, most travel insurance plans with trip cancellation benefits include coverage if a natural disaster prevents you from getting to your destination. In this case, your nonrefundable trip expenses could be reimbursed if you end up cancelling your trip due to this reason.

Here are common natural disasters that are covered under most travel insurance plans:

• Hurricanes

• Typhoons

• Floods

• Volcanic Eruptions

• Tsnamis

• Fire or Wildfire

• Blizzards

• Landslides

• Avalanches

• Mudslides

• Tornadoes

• Cyclones

• Sandstorms

• Severe Hail Storms

• Named Winter Storms

Other Benefits Triggered by a Natural Disaster

Depending on how a natural disaster affects your trip, different benefits could be implemented. Let’s break down the most common ones.

Trip Interruption

We’ve already broken this down trip cancellation coverage, but what if you’re already on your trip and a natural disaster strikes your destination? Trip interruption benefits would function similarly to trip cancellation. These benefits would provide you a refund of your used nonrefundable trip costs if you have to cut your trip short due to a natural disaster. Additionally, if you have to rebook your return flight home, trip interruption could provide restitution of the additional costs to do so.

Travel Delay

If your flights get delayed or cancelled due to a natural disaster, travel delay benefits could apply if the delay is 6-12+ hours. A significant delay due to a documented natural disaster can usually trigger these travel insurance benefits, even if it’s not directly related to your carrier. This benefit would provide reimbursement of any extra hotels, meals, and local transportation costs while you wait for the next flight out.

When to Buy Travel Insurance for Natural Disasters

As we already mentioned, once a natural disaster has occurred, you can’t then buy a policy and expect it to provide coverage. You have to have travel insurance purchased before a natural disaster happens. The best time to get travel insurance that covers natural disasters is to buy soon after making your trip booking. That way, your trip expenses will be protected from that point all the way through your trip’s end. 

For example, let’s say you got an amazing deal on a cruise, but it sails during hurricane season. Even though you might be months away from actually traveling, buying the coverage early is wise. If you can’t get to the port of call due to a natural disaster or one of the destinations on the cruise itinerary has a mandatory evacuation, you could cancel your cruise and get a full refund of your nonrefundable costs.

Specific Policy Terms

Since each policy has its own specific policy terms, not all coverage is the same. Taking time to understand the coverage before purchasing could save you from getting the wrong policy that doesn’t actually provide coverage for what you need.

“It’s not enough to simply assume your policy covers natural disasters in the way you think it does”, says Terry Boynton, co-founder and president of Yonder Travel Insurance. “Before selecting a policy, take the time to read the policy certificate to better understand how it provides protection in the event of a natural disaster and what is expected of you during the claims process.”

Additional Travel Insurance Benefits

Non-Medical Evacuation

For travelers concerned with a natural disaster hitting during their trip, opt for a plan that includes natural disaster evacuation. This benefit offers coordination and payment of emergency transportation to a safe place or back home, if deemed necessary. Usually, this would occur if you were in “imminent physical danger” at your current destination. 

Pro Tip: Usually, you would have to call the 24/7/ emergency provider for assisting and coordinating the emergency evacuation for this coverage to apply.

Why is this travel insurance benefit important? The biggest takeaway is that non-medical evacuation is different than an emergency medical evacuation. The medical version relate to whether you’re seriously ill or injured and won’t provide coverage for a natural disaster. 

CAP Tripside Assistance Plan

There is another add-on option for travelers looking for the ultimate flexibility when it comes to evacuations for extreme weather. It’s called the CAP Tripside Assistance plan. It’s a flexible travel security coverage that provides emergency transportation and assistance for even just threats of a natural disaster or other kind of security event. 

Your comprehensive travel insurance plan provides well-rounded coverage already, but not all plans include natural disaster evacuations. If yours doesn’t and you have concerns about needing emergency assistance, the CAP plan is a great add-on product. Plus, it allows you to be transported directly back home, rather than just to the next nearest place of safety. Learn more about the CAP Tripside Assistance plan.

Common Scenarios Travel Insurance Can Help

Hurricane Disruption Example

You’ve been looking forward to a relaxing beach vacation, but just days before your trip, a hurricane strikes and destroys the hotel where you were supposed to stay. Fortunately, your travel insurance includes coverage for natural disasters, allowing you to cancel your trip and receive a full repayment for your nonrefundable expenses.

Pro Tip: Planning on cruising during hurricane season? Check out our comprehensive guide on how to be prepared if a hurricane affects your cruise.

Earthquake Emergency Example

You’re exploring a vibrant city when a sudden earthquake strikes, leading to the local government issuing an emergency evacuation. Thanks to your travel insurance, you’re covered for additional expenses incurred, such as emergency accommodations and transportation to a safer location. The insurance company also provides 24/7 assistance, helping you navigate the situation and ensuring you have the support you need during this unforeseen event.

Steps to Take If a Natural Disaster Occurs During Your Trip

If a natural disaster impacts your trip, staying calm and taking proactive steps is key. First, check for updates from your airline, hotel, or tour operator, as they often provide information on cancellations or changes.

If you are unsafe and need immediate assistance, call the 24/7 emergency assistance line included with your travel insurance. If you don’t need to be relocated, they can at least provide some advice on next steps in an emergency.

Pro Tip: Plug this number into your phone prior to your trip for easy access in emergencies. It can usually be found in your travel insurance confirmation documents.

Next, contact your travel insurance provider to understand your coverage and file a claim if necessary. Keep all receipts and documentation related to your expenses during this time, as they will be important for your claim.

Additionally, stay informed through local news and government alerts about safety measures, warnings, and required retreat orders. Here are some resources to note:

Real-Time Information on Natural Disasters

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

US Department of State Travel Information

Lastly, reach out to family or friends to keep them updated on your situation, ensuring you have a support network while navigating any challenges.

If you need to file a claim, be sure to read our guide on filing a successful travel insurance claim.

Tips for Choosing the Right Travel Insurance

One of the best ways to find travel insurance coverage for natural disasters is to use a comparison site like Yonder Travel Insurance. Our site allows you to shop the top travel insurance policies all in one place. But on the flip side, you can simplify the options available by selecting the filter on the quote results page called “There’s a hurricane or natural disaster at my destination”.

Not only that, but if you want your plan to include natural disaster emergency transport insurance, you can also select the filter called “Political events or natural disaster”, like in the screenshot below.

If you need help choosing the right policy for your trip, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of friendly humans.

Travel Insurance and Natural Disaster FAQs