Worried about natural disasters while travelling? What insurance can cover
Global News
Demand in Canada for travel insurance is soaring with natural disasters disrupting tourism on top of another COVID-19 wave looming, experts say.
It’s a turbulent time to travel with wildfires continuing to rage in areas of Canada and Europe and hurricanes beginning to wreak havoc in what’s expected to be an active season.
As uncertainty swirls around natural disasters at home and abroad on top of another potential COVID-19 wave looming, the demand for travel insurance is soaring high, experts say.
“More than ever, the importance of a cancellation, interruption insurance is paramount in people’s minds now when they’re planning their trips because they don’t know what tomorrow brings — and it’s been a crazy season,” said Martin Firestone, a travel insurance broker in Toronto and president of Travel Secure Inc.
A record wildfire season has already disrupted many tourism businesses in Canada during the busy summer travel season.
In Europe, Greece has also for weeks been battling blazes that have killed more than 20 people and forced thousands to evacuate.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., Hurricane Idalia left a trail of destruction in Florida after making landfall and bringing a “catastrophic storm surge” on Wednesday.
TuGo, a Canadian travel insurance company, told Global News it hasn’t seen any “obvious spikes” in demand due to natural disasters specifically this year, but more people are interested now than they were before COVID-19 started.
“Travellers are purchasing coverage more than before the pandemic because they are now aware of the need for travel insurance due to COVID illnesses, flight cancellations and delays,” said Brad Dance, chief customer officer at TuGo, in an emailed response.
