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 offer earthquake coverage that not only helps pay you back for unexpected costs, but also gives you access to 24/7 travel assistance.

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

What's 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?

Yes, most of our plans offer varying levels of coverage for mishaps like trip cancellation and travel delay due to earthquakes.

If something unexpected happens during your trip like a flight delay or hospital visit, our earthquake insurance can reimburse eligible 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 have different benefit limits, with our Ultimate plan offering higher reimbursement amounts.

Here are the maximum amounts that each of our broader plans can pay out based on each benefit for eligible reasons:

Keep in mind that we can only reimburse you if your expenses are from an unforeseen eligible event. So, your claim reason needs to be a situation that you didn’t know would happen and is eligible for coverage under your policy. You'll find additional coverage details and restrictions for earthquakes in the description of coverage.

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

Our plans offer 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 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 include flight disruptions?

Yes, our Ultimate, Advantage, and Essential plans could help reimburse you if an earthquake causes issues with your flights — like cancellations and delays — for eligible reasons.

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

Trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage

With our Ultimate, Advantage, and Essential plans, if an eligible 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.

Your travel insurance with earthquake coverage can also help with other prepaid, nonrefundable, and insured expenses you won’t use because your trip is canceled or interrupted for eligible reasons, like nonrefundable tours.

Travel 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 can give you money back for things you need while you’re delayed for at least five hours (six hours with our Essential plan), like a hotel stay or snacks. So, keep in mind that you should save all the receipts from your travel delay purchases to send in with your claim.

What are some other ways earthquake insurance 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 can reimburse surprise costs from urgent health care expenses, problems with your luggage, changes in your plans, and more. And, with our optional upgrades, you can add extra coverage like adventure activities and cancel for any reason (cancel for any fortuitous reason in NY).

How can I reach the Travelex 24/7 assistance provider 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 assistance 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 provider. If you're in the U.S. or Canada, it's free to call 1-800-555-0870. From all other countries, you can call collect at 1-416-977-1803.

How can I receive earthquake travel alerts during my trip?

You may be able to hear 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 buy one of our plans with earthquake coverage, the best way to stay updated on travel alerts is through our Travel On app.

Once you register 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 for trip cancellation for any reason?

Yes, through our cancel for any reason upgrade — available only on our Ultimate plan.

With our base Ultimate, Advantage, and Essential 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 our Ultimate 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 two days before your departure date.

Important: Make sure you insure all your prepaid and nonrefundable trip expenses (your trip cost can't be more than $10,000) in your plan and insure additional travel arrangements within 14 days of booking them. You also need to get our Ultimate plan and cancel for any reason upgrade at the same time within 21 days of your initial payment for your trip and 31 days or more before your departure date.

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 provide coverage for 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 eligible 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 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 earthquakes 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 help 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 administrator, Zurich Travel Claims Administration, and get help filing a claim, you can use either of the below options:

• Phone: 1-800-501-4781
• Email: [email protected]

Lean on earthquake insurance if your trip plans change

At Travelex, we’re here for you if an earthquake threatens your vacation. With 24/7 travel assistance services, our assistance provider can offer 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.

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. CT at 1-800-228-9792.

Want to make your trip cost less vulnerable to earthquakes?

Travel with our earthquake insurance so you can relax and enjoy your vacation. Get a quote now.