Does travel insurance cover earthquakes?

Dreaming of seeing rows of cherry blossom trees in Japan with views of Mount Fuji in the distance? Or maybe you’re counting down the days until your surf trip in Bali.

In earthquake-prone locations like these, you can have exciting adventures or a tranquil retreat — but your trip could also be at risk if there’s an earthquake.

If your plans change because of an earthquake, we can help you get your vacation back on track. At Travelex, our travel insurance plans with earthquake coverage not only help pay you back for unexpected costs, but they also give you 24/7 travel assistance from our expert team.

Read on to learn more about earthquakes and how our Travelex travel insurance with earthquake coverage can help you during your trip.

What is an earthquake and how can it impact my trip?

When an earthquake occurs, the ground suddenly and violently shakes because of the movement of layers of the Earth. The damage it can cause varies, ranging from minor tremors that barely shake a teacup, to catastrophic quakes that can collapse buildings, rupture gas lines, set off landslides, and trigger tsunamis.

If an earthquake happens before or during your trip, you could have flight cancellations and issues reaching or staying at your destination. Earthquakes can cause damage that makes you unable to stay at the hotel you booked, visit local attractions, use public transportation, and more.

Does Travelex offer earthquake insurance coverage?

We have two travel insurance plans with earthquake coverage: Travel Basic and Travel Select.

If something unexpected happens during your trip like a flight delay or hospital visit, our earthquake insurance coverage can reimburse eligible extra costs.

Still have questions about our travel insurance with earthquake coverage? You can call 1-800-228-9792 to get in touch with our customer service team.

What are the benefit limits for Travelex’s earthquake coverage?

Each of our plans with earthquake insurance coverage have different benefit limits, with the Travel Select plan offering higher reimbursement amounts.

Here are the maximum amounts that each plan can pay out based on each benefit:

Keep in mind that we can only reimburse you if your expenses are from an unforeseen covered event. So, your claim reason needs to be a situation that you didn’t know would happen and that's eligible on your policy.

What counts as an unforeseen covered event when it comes to earthquakes?

Our plans provide earthquake coverage for certain incidents you may not expect, such as:

• Your flight is canceled because an earthquake damaged the runway.
• An earthquake collapses your or your travel companion's primary home.
• You have to find a new place to stay at your destination because an earthquake damaged your hotel and made it uninhabitable.

Need more clarification on our travel insurance with earthquake coverage? You can speak to our customer service team at 1-800-228-9792.

Does Travelex’s earthquake insurance coverage include flight disruptions?

Yes, both our Travel Basic and Travel Select plans can reimburse you if an earthquake causes issues with your flights, like cancellations and delays.

Here are some ways that your earthquake coverage can help with specific flight disruptions:

Trip cancellation coverage

With our Travel Select plan, if an earthquake cancels or interrupts your trip because it makes your destination or primary home uninhabitable or inaccessible, we can repay your trip cost up to the maximum amount insured in your policy.

Our Travel Basic plan can give you trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage if an earthquake damages your main residence and you can’t access it or stay there.

Your travel insurance with earthquake coverage can also help with other prepaid and insured expenses you won’t use because your trip is canceled or interrupted, like nonrefundable tours. Plus, your earthquake coverage doesn’t only apply if your journey is interrupted: You can also get money back if your traveling companion can’t join you. If the person you were supposed to travel with can no longer take the trip because an earthquake made their primary home unlivable or inaccessible, your travel insurance for earthquake incidents can cover what they owed for the trip.

Important: Our claims team needs to know about your trip cancellation within 72 hours if you want to make a claim using earthquake coverage.

Trip delay coverage

Damage from an earthquake could delay your vacation, but you may not have to worry about your expenses while you wait to depart. Earthquake insurance coverage can give you money back for things you need while you’re delayed for at least 5 hours, like a hotel stay or snacks. So, keep in mind that you should save all the receipts from your trip delay purchases to send in with your claim.

Important: Your earthquake coverage can only apply to one delay during your getaway. If you have more than one delay on the same trip, we can pay you back for the most expensive delay.

What are some other ways earthquake insurance coverage can help me during my trip?

You can benefit from travel insurance with earthquake coverage in more ways than just reimbursement for flight disruptions.

If an earthquake crumbles your trip plans, we can offer financial support for incidents like:

• An earthquake destroys your Airbnb home at your destination.
• You need emergency medical care after falling during an earthquake.
• The effects of an earthquake damage your suitcase.
• An earthquake splits road pavement and you’re involved in a traffic accident.

Along with flight issues, earthquake insurance coverage can refund surprise costs from urgent health care expenses, problems with your luggage, changes of plans, and more. And, with our Travel Select plan you can get even more coverage with optional upgrades like adventure sports and cancel for any reason.

How can I reach the Travelex 24/7 assistance team if my trip is impacted by an earthquake?

We’re here for you if an earthquake changes your vacation plans. You can contact us by:

• Tapping the emergency button in our Travelex Travel On app. Be sure to download and set up the app before you leave so it’s ready if you need us.
• Calling our 24/7 emergency assistance team. If you're in the U.S. or Canada, it's free to call us at 1-844-215-1672. From all other countries, you can call us collect at 1-647-775-8042.

How can I receive earthquake travel alerts during my trip?

You may be able to read about earthquakes in the news, but there are other helpful ways to stay updated with alerts while you’re traveling:

1. Our website

We may list earthquakes that could affect your coverage on our travel alerts page, so check it before and during your vacation.

2. Our Travel On app

After you’ve bought one of our plans with earthquake coverage, the best way to stay updated on travel alerts is through our Travel On app.

Once you’ve registered your trip within the app, it can send you instant notifications about security concerns, give you information on your destination, and more.

Tips: It helps to set up the app right after purchasing your policy so you can be in the know before you go on your trip.

Does Travelex offer travel insurance coverage for trip cancellation for any reason?

With our Travel Select and Travel Basic plans, you can cancel your trip for specific reasons listed in your policy.

Want to be able to call off your trip and get your money back no matter what the reason is? You can purchase the Travel Select plan and add our cancel for any reason upgrade to your policy. With this upgrade, we can reimburse you up to 75% of your insured trip costs ($7,500 maximum) after you cancel up to 48 hours before departure date.

Important: Make sure you insure all your nonrefundable trip expenses (your trip cost can be no more than $10,000) in your plan. To use this upgrade, your vacation can't last longer than 30 days. You also need to get the Travel Select plan and cancel for any reason upgrade at the same time within 15 days of your initial payment for your trip.

Why do I need earthquake insurance coverage if my scheduled airline may refund me?

You could try to get your money back from the airline after they cancel your flight because of an earthquake, but there may be a lot of hoops to jump through to get a refund. Even if you do get a refund, your airline won’t cover the other parts of your trip that you already paid for, like nonrefundable tours and hotel rooms.

This is why travel insurance with earthquake coverage can be a good choice: Not only could it pay you back for your canceled flight for covered reasons if your airline won’t, but it can also help offset the costs of other prepaid and unused trip expenses. Rather than just flight disruptions, earthquake insurance coverage can help protect your whole trip from start to finish.

Is travel insurance with earthquake coverage worth it?

It’s worth protecting your trip, because unknown and unexpected factors can affect any trip!

There isn’t always a warning before an earthquake, which can leave your trip plans up to chance. Travel insurance for earthquake events can help you travel confidently knowing that if something goes wrong, like your flight is canceled or you get injured because of an earthquake, our team can give you back your out-of-pocket costs and help you organize your trip plans.

How do I file a claim for earthquake coverage?

You can file a claim easily on our website. Just enter your policy confirmation number on our online claims portal and follow the prompts.

To talk with our claims team at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company and get help filing a claim, you can use either of the below options:

• Phone: 1-855-205-6054
• Email: [email protected]

Lean on earthquake insurance coverage if your trip plans change

At Travelex, we’re here for you if an earthquake threatens your vacation. With our 24/7 expert support, we can provide the relief you need while finding a solution to your changed plans.

It’s important that you understand your travel insurance earthquake coverage before your vacation starts so you know how it works — including benefits and exclusions — if you come across unexpected obstacles.

All your benefits are determined after you file a claim. If you have more questions about our travel insurance earthquake coverage, you can reach out to our customer service team from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST at 1-800-228-9792.

Want to make your trip less vulnerable to earthquakes?

Travel with our earthquake insurance coverage so you can have a smoother vacation. Get a quote now.