Travel Insurers Warn Against Buying a Policy for 5G Rollout Now

Last Updated: January 18, 2022July 18, 2024

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 18, 2022 — The scheduled 5G rollout is the latest hit on an already fragile travel industry. Travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth.com, says coverage may be available for policyholders who are impacted, but urges against rushing to buy a policy now.

While most policies on squaremouth.com include “mechanical failure and equipment failure” as a covered event under the Trip Cancellation benefit, it isn’t yet clear if this situation would fall under this language. Likewise, inclement weather is commonly covered, however this would only become applicable if an airline points to poor visibility as a reason to cancel a flight.

Many policies have more lenient coverage related to airline disruptions under Travel Delay and Missed Connection benefits, which can provide reimbursement for expenses incurred during the delay, including additional food, lodging and transportation costs.

In every case, whether or not coverage is available will depend on the specific reason the airline provides for the cancellation.

In recent months, travelers have experienced widespread disruptions from some of the country’s biggest airlines, sometimes with little explanation as to the cause of the delay or cancellation. This can cause an issue from an insurance standpoint, as the official reason presented by the airline must match one of the policy’s listed covered reasons.

Squaremouth says it is probably too late to buy a travel insurance policy now for a trip planned in the coming weeks that may be impacted by the 5G rollout.

Travel insurance policies can only cover unforeseen events. While the 5G rollout hasn’t officially occurred yet, it has been widely publicized. At this point, insurance providers may already consider its impact “known” or “expected”, meaning coverage is void.

If it is delayed again, coverage may become available again, depending on the information provided by the networks and airlines.