Inclement weather refers to severe weather conditions, such as heavy rain, snow, and fog, that delay the arrival or departure of an airline, cruise line, or other common carrier. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), weather-related issues are responsible for roughly 75% of flight delays lasting longer than 15 minutes.
Inclement weather delays can be costly for travelers, resulting in unexpected expenses and cancellations. To protect travelers, many travel insurance policies include coverage for inclement weather through their Trip Delay and Hurricane and Weather benefits.
Definitions for the term “inclement weather” vary by travel insurance policy and are often determined by the plan’s underwriter, rather than by the provider. Understanding how your travel insurance policy defines inclement weather is essential, as this language will be used to judge if your weather-related claim is eligible for coverage.
Below are a few definitions from popular travel insurance plans:
Slight nuances in definitions can have a big impact on your coverage. To see how a plan defines inclement weather, visit the ‘Definitions’ section found in its Certificate of Insurance.
No matter what time of year you choose to travel, there’s always a chance that severe weather events can impact your plans. Fortunately, most travel insurance policies offer reimbursement if you suffer financial loss as a result.
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies will include the following inclement weather coverage:
If inclement weather causes your common carrier to be significantly delayed, your policy’s Travel Delay benefit may reimburse you for food and accommodation expenses incurred while you await your new departure time. For this coverage to be available, the severe weather must delay your trip by at least 3-12 hours, depending on the plan.
For trips that involve connecting flights, tight layovers, or strict departure times, one delay can spark a domino effect for the rest of your travel schedule. If you miss a connecting flight, cruise departure, or tour departure due to inclement weather delays, your policy’s Missed Connection may cover the cost of booking additional travel arrangements to catch up to your trip.
Severe weather may force you to cancel your trip altogether. Trip Cancellation can reimburse your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if your flight is delayed more than 24 hours due to inclement weather. Keep in mind that standard Trip Cancellation does not cover cancellations due to unfavorable weather that doesn’t impact travel. For example, you won’t be covered if you choose to cancel your golf trip due to impending rain. For more cancellation flexibility, we recommend purchasing a policy with Cancel for Any Reason.
In the event you need to return home early due to severe weather, such as natural disasters, you are eligible for reimbursement for any unused trip costs through your plan’s Certificate of InsuranceTrip Interruption benefit.
Inclement weather coverage is a common inclusion in travel insurance plans. More often than not, your policy will provide some form of protection if your trip is derailed by inclement weather and natural disasters.
There are a couple of ways to confirm that a policy you’re considering covers inclement weather disruptions: