US Travel Reaches All-Time High Amid Rise in Covid Variants

Last Updated: September 21, 2021April 19, 2024

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. September 21, 2021 — A spike in US travel has coincided with rapidly spreading coronavirus variants.

Pent up demand for travel – combined with rescheduled trips and historically busy summer months – led to the highest number of American travelers in recent history. Travel insurance comparison site, squaremouth.com, reported record sales in August, with an increase of over 120% from 2019.

By September, at least two new major variants had already impacted countries across the world. That same month, Squaremouth reported 40% of its travelers were heading to Europe, the location that currently leads the world in Delta variant cases.

The parallel may have travelers wondering what to do if history repeats itself. Squaremouth answers travelers’ top questions about insurance coverage as Covid variants evolve.

Can I buy coverage for new coronavirus variants?

• Travel insurance can still be purchased to cover concerns surrounding Delta, Mu, and other variants of the coronavirus
• Most travel insurance policies on squaremouth.com provide cancellation and medical benefits for contracting Covid-19, including all variants

What if I no longer want to travel because of the new variants?

• Not wanting to travel due to a concern of getting sick is not a covered reason to cancel a trip under the standard Trip Cancellation benefit
• Travelers who want this flexibility must have purchased a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policy
• Travelers who haven’t booked yet, or who have booked a trip within the past 2 weeks, may be eligible for this upgrade. Trips booked several weeks or months ago are likely ineligible for CFAR

What if the new variants cause my destination to close its border?

• Border closures are not covered under standard Trip Cancellation coverage
• The Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is also the best option for travelers who want cancellation coverage should their destination close their border to US tourists

What if I contract Covid-19 while traveling?

• Most travel insurance policies on squaremouth.com provide medical benefits for contracting Covid-19, including any of its variants
• Most policies can also provide additional travel-related benefits for travelers who are quarantined and unable to return home as scheduled