Travel to Puerto Rico Amidst Earthquakes and State of Emergency

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Jan 07, 2020, 19:14 ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Puerto Rico, causing island-wide power outages, damage, and leading to a state of emergency. With more earthquakes anticipated, travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, explains travel insurance coverage for travelers with upcoming trips to Puerto Rico.

Travelers Heading to Puerto Rico within the Month

Travelers with looming trips to Puerto Rico may be covered to cancel if they purchased their policy before the earthquake struck, specifically if the damage or power outages impacted their accommodations. While an earthquake alone isn't enough to trigger standard trip cancellation coverage, travelers whose accommodations are uninhabitable due to power outages or damage from the earthquake may be covered to cancel their upcoming trip. Likewise, travelers unable to reach their accommodation safely due to road damage or closures may also be covered to cancel.

With a state of emergency declared and earthquakes expected to continue, travelers with upcoming trips to Puerto Rico may now be looking for travel insurance coverage. Unfortunately, if they are traveling within the next few weeks, coverage for the previous earthquake, as well as any aftershocks or otherwise related-events, is no longer available. In order to be covered for these earthquakes, a policy must have been purchased before the earthquake occurred on January 7, 2020.

Collapsed Tourist Attraction Not Enough to Trigger Coverage

While the collapse of popular tourist attraction, Punta Ventana, may be disappointing, cancelling this excursion is not enough to trigger the trip cancellation benefit overall. More-so, travelers may be concerned about their future trips to Puerto Rico, however not wanting to go, even because of safety concerns, is not a covered reason to cancel.

Later Trips to Puerto Rico May Be Covered

For travelers heading to Puerto Rico later this year, coverage may still be available for future quakes, as long as they are not related to those which have already occurred. Depending on the timing and magnitude of future earthquakes, insurance providers may consider them as aftershocks connected to the current earthquake or as separate events.

Squaremouth launched the Puerto Rico Earthquake Travel Insurance Information Center with up-to-date information for travelers whose trips are affected by the earthquake, including answers to FAQs. While coverage may be limited today, it can change as the situation evolves.

ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

SQUAREMOUTH compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare travel insurance policies side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com.

Available Topic Expert:
Kasara Morison
[email protected]

SOURCE Squaremouth