Local Travel Company, Squaremouth, Wins International Customer Service Award for Pandemic Response

Last Updated: October 6, 2020May 22, 2023

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. October 5, 2020 — St. Petersburg-based travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, has earned an international Gold award for their response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Squaremouth was named the Most Customer Friendly Company of the Year by Best in Biz in recognition of the company’s commitment to its customers amidst the pandemic. Squaremouth’s dedication to travelers during the COVID-19 crisis has also earned them a spot as a finalist for ITIJ’s International Intermediary/Affinity Partner of the Year. 

Proactive Response to an Unprecedented Situation

Once COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in early March, Squaremouth activated emergency response action from every department. The first course of action was to contact all customers with an upcoming trip, in anticipation that their travel plans would be impacted. Squaremouth reports upwards of 30% of their customers were unable to take trips as scheduled following the pandemic declaration and subsequent travel bans.

“The travel insurance industry as a whole is trying to do right by travelers, by providing premium refunds or vouchers for a future trip, even though most policies were already in use,” said Megan Moncrief, CMO of Squaremouth.

Solutions for the New Future of Travel 

Traveler fears have changed following the COVID-19 pandemic, and potentially forever. Squaremouth’s data shows that coverage for contracting coronavirus and extensive cancellation protection are now top of mind for travelers.

• Amidst the pandemic, over a third of travelers are searching for a policy that includes coverage for contracting coronavirus.
• Purchases of pricey “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage have increased 552% from last year.

To help travelers pinpoint exactly what policies include the coverage they need for these new concerns, Squaremouth developed additional quote prompts and coronavirus-specific filters, that have been implemented throughout their search process. 

“So many travelers have already lost experiences, money, or both, this year. They are also hyper-aware of the vulnerability of travel. We never want them to spend even more money on a policy that isn’t going to help them if they need it,” adds Moncrief.

Squaremouth has also received regional and national recognition for its commitment to employees amidst the pandemic. After COVID-19 caused sales to decline over 90% earlier this year, Squaremouth took cost-saving measures which allowed them to retain their staff, earning them a Best Companies to Work For award from Florida Trend for the sixth consecutive year.