Am I Covered by Travel Insurance in Case of a Natural Disaster?

Yes, there’s coverage for Canadian residents if a natural disaster such as a tornado, widespread flooding, cyclone, tsunami, wildfire or earthquake affects your travel plans or injures you.

However, you need to have purchased your policy before these forces of mass destruction have become known events.

What does travel insurance cover for natural disasters?

You may be eligible for coverage if:

  • You need to cancel or interrupt your trip because a natural disaster like a wildfire or flood makes your Canadian principal residence uninhabitable.
  • You need to cancel or interrupt your trip because the Canadian government or Health Canada issues a “defer travel” recommendation.
  • While travelling, you become injured during a natural disaster and require emergency medical care.
  • Your flight or other common carrier transportation is delayed by more than three hours because of inclement weather.

What do I do if my trip is affected by a natural disaster?

If you need to cancel your trip for a reason listed above, you must cancel your booking immediately and notify us within 48 hours.

If you are injured in a natural disaster, contact our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team as soon as possible. They can help get you to the nearest medical facility so you can get the treatment you need. You’ll need to call the team before you undergo any treatment. Also, if medically necessary, they can arrange to transport you home.

Note: You must be covered under your home province’s GHIP for the full duration of your trip, otherwise your emergency medical benefits are capped at $40,000.

If, while you are on your trip, a natural disaster or inclement weather delays your flight or train, you may be able to claim reimbursement for the essentials you needed to tide you over, like food, essential phone calls and taxis. Take note of the the per day and maximum limits outlined in your policy. You’ll need to submit original receipts for eligible expenses when you make a claim.

What may not be covered?

Most of this section can be summed up by the words “don’t do anything crazy.” But specifically, you won’t be covered if:

  • You’re a storm chaser or put yourself in a storm’s path.
  • You don’t follow the advice of the authorities.
  • You hang around the area at risk to watch what happens.
  • You buy a plan after an event becomes known.

This is only a summary of coverage and does not include the full terms and conditions of the policy. It is important you read and understand your policy as it contains benefits, conditions, exclusions and pre-existing condition exclusions. If you do not understand your coverage or if you have questions, just ask us.

Did you know?

Following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which overwhelmed large parts of Indonesia, World Nomads launched our travel philanthropy program, Footprints, which has gone on to raise over $3.2 million for community projects including disaster risk management in the developing world.

Our responsible travel section has more information on our Footprints program.


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