What if disaster strikes and I still decide to go?

If natural disaster strikes your destination after you buy your insurance but before you depart for your trip, your insurance will pay your cancellation costs. But if you still decide to go, you could have trouble claiming while you are there. Remember, to be eligible to claim, a natural disaster must make it impossible for you to travel due to situations like a state of emergency being called or your destination being uninhabitable. Most insurers have clauses in the contract that says they won't cover you if you knowingly put yourself in harm's way or travel somewhere the Australian government has advised travellers to avoid. Your best bet is to claim for your cancellation costs and either go somewhere else or wait until it's safe to travel to your original destination.

Can I cancel because of bad weather?

No. You won't be covered if you want to cancel your trip because of weather you don't like, for example your beach destination is experiencing minor thunderstorms. On the other hand, a cyclone that rips the beach apart would be an acceptable claim!

What else does travel insurance for natural disasters cover?

Travel insurance doesn’t just stop at paying you back for general travel expenses related to natural disasters. It can also cover you if you are injured in a natural disaster as long as your policy includes medical cover. Depending on your level of cover, this can include the following: Medical treatment Dental treatment A daily allowance for everyday hospital expenses Medical evacuation to the nearest hospital Repatriation to Australia if necessary

What if I have to cut my trip short mid-trip?

If you have to cancel your plans mid-trip, natural disaster cover really shines. Depending on your policy, you can find cover for the following: Any cancellation expenses from that point forward Additional travel arrangements like meals and a place to stay if you are stranded somewhere Whatever it costs to get you back onto your original schedule once the weather settles Flights back to Australia if your destination is uninhabitable Flights back to your destination at a later date if the disaster forced you to return home All the same rules for cancellation cover apply here: you're only covered if you purchased your policy before you knew about the natural disaster, it needs to be outside of your control and you must have no other way of getting your money back.