InsureMyTrip can now predict which travel insurance plans are most appropriate and relevant for those traveling during hurricane season (June 1 – November 30) to storm-prone destinations. The groundbreaking recommendation engine automatically filters thousands of options, enabling travelers to find the right travel insurance plan roughly 10x faster than comparing quotes manually online. This latest announcement comes as thousands of travelers are bracing for the potential impact of Hurricane Michael along the gulf.
InsureMyTrip is the first and only travel insurance comparison site using machine learning technology to create a personalized experience for travelers.
“Travelers understand the impact of storms — they can easily put trips in jeopardy. While there are travel insurance plans with specific hurricane-related coverages, travelers may have difficulty identifying those plans quickly online. Our groundbreaking recommendation engine now automatically showcases plans with robust hurricane coverage, empowering travelers to feel more confident with their travel insurance purchase,” says InsureMyTrip CEO Jim Grace.
This enhanced recommendation tool better identifies well-performing plans with specific hurricane-related coverage that also rate well with InsureMyTrip travel insurance experts. For example, only a few plans may include coverage in the event a traveler’s destination is under a hurricane warning issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) prior to the departure date*. The algorithm will automatically filter those plans and present them to the traveler in addition to other excellent options that provide robust trip cancellation coverage for bad weather.
Hurricane Michael and Travel Insurance
Travelers who purchased traditional travel insurance prior to Hurricane Michael forming may receive reimbursement of pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs if they must cancel a trip due to severe weather-related issues that are covered under the trip cancellation benefit. Here are some examples:
Flights are grounded: Many plans may cover a traveler when common carriers such as airlines or cruise lines cease service due to weather. The cessation of services typically must be for a certain number of consecutive hours, usually 24-48.
*The resort is in the path of a hurricane: A few plans will cover a traveler when the traveler’s destination is under a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued hurricane warning within 24-48 hours of the departure date. Other stipulations apply.
Hotel or resort is impacted: Many plans may cover a traveler when a hotel, resort, or vacation rental is devastated and made uninhabitable by a storm.
Home is badly damaged: Many plans offer coverage when the primary home of a traveler sustains destructive storm damage that renders the home uninhabitable.