Hurricane insurance companies



Are Natural Disasters covered in all Insurance Policies?



Annual travel insurance policies have become popular among holiday goers in UK, making it convenient for them to travel when and where they like, without the hassle of booking a travel insurance for every trip. It is assumed that these cheap insurance policies will cover them against any unfortunate accident, but sad to say, this is not true. While the documents may contain a number of exclusions, the least understood among them being termed as “acts of God”. What exactly is meant when an insurance company sites “acts of God”? What are the incidents that a travel insurance company does not stand liable for?

What is symbolized by “Acts of God”?

“Acts of God” originally denoted a clause that was featured in many insurance plans, such as housing, property, travel and so forth. Fundamentally it signifies “a sudden and violent act of nature that could not have been foreseen or prevented”, or in other words, natural disasters as follows:
  • Hurricane and tempests
  • Floods
  • Lightning Storms
  • Earthquake and Volcanic eruptions
Another event featured under the “acts of God” exclusion is mass outbreak of infectious diseases, (perhaps literally in reference to the Bible’s plague brought down by God on ancient Egypt!). The exclusion clause implies that if any such disaster classed under the act of God were to occur, the victim will not be entitled to compensation for the cost incurred there-of by the insurance company.

In recent times, the disasters claused under “acts of God” exclusions are termed as “natural disasters”, and may not always be covered in a travel insurance policy. As redundant as it may seem to read the entire policy, failure to do so may unnecessarily cost one a small fortune in medical, transport and repair expense. This can be supported by the fact that hundreds of holiday goers were stranded when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Florida, leaving them with no claim to compensation for costs incurred or for the cancellation of their trips.

If one is planning to travel to a natural disaster prone destination, it is advisable to talk to a travel insurance company so that one is protected by the insurance.

Are Acts of Terrorism and War included in insurance covers?

Apart from the acts of God exclusion clause, today’s terrorism filled atmosphere has brought war and terrorism under the exclusion clause. Similar to natural disasters, travel insurance will be invalid if there are costs incurred due to war or terrorism. Validate with the worldwide travel insurance company that you will be protected under the acts of terrorism clause before embarking on a travel to terrorist affected destinations. While some insurance company’s provide this protection, many do not. Many polices will be negated if the travel destination breaks out in a war or suffers from a civil unrest.

The Foreign Office website offers accurate and up to date information about potential hazards and political instability of every country in the world. Visiting this website to gain information about one’s choice of destination could be beneficial in avoiding being trapped in a war zone or having to cancel travel plans later.


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