Hurricane Season Travel Insurance Claims Increased 40 Percent in 2017
by Richard D'Ambrosio /With 17 named storms and 10 hurricanes last year, travel insurance companies experienced a 40 percent increase in claims last year over 2016.
According to the US Travel Insurance Association (USTiA) on “certain high-volume days,” carriers handled more than double the call volume than typical, and processed more than five times the number of hurricane-related claims compared to 2016. In addition, companies reported an increase in claims filed online in 2017.
Two of the ten named hurricanes struck the continental United States last year, the first time in 12 years that the country experienced landfall from these powerful storms.
According to USTiA, member insurance companies “worked to increase their own capacity and make the process more efficient for affected travelers. Companies initiated "all hands on deck" and set up streamlined claim-processing systems to handle claims as quickly as possible.”
When purchasing travel insurance, UStiA recommends that travelers carefully review the policy and be sure they understand what is and is not covered. If they have questions about the plan and what is or isn't included, they should ask the insurance company.
Consumers can expedite their claim handling by including all the required documentation at the time they submit their claim. If they're not clear on what is required, they should call the company before submitting the claim.