Top travel mistakes to avoid during hurricane season

09.09.2024 - 20:41 / thepointsguy.com

Vacations ... aren't they great? There's nothing like heading to a beautiful tropical island in the Caribbean, Florida or the Gulf Coast in the summer or fall. Vacation can be wonderful — that is, until a seasonal tropical weather event or hurricane hits your destination. Then a vacation can become a huge headache or something even worse.

Since the 2024 hurricane season is predicted to be one of the most active on record, it's important to be prepared to travel during the prime hurricane season. What's one thing that can help when a tropical weather event strikes? Travel insurance.

"Travel insurance has become an essential part of travel planning for travelers vacationing in the Caribbean or Southeast seaboard during the Atlantic hurricane season [June through November]," says Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com.

Related: Hurricane season is here: TPG's storm guide for travelers

But even if you've bought coverage or thought a credit card travel insurance policy covered you, a lot can still go wrong.

Want to avoid a hurricane headache? Read on for the top travel mistakes to avoid during hurricane season.

"Some people don't realize that hurricane season isn't confined to the summer months," says Beth Godlin, president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice.

In reality, hurricane season runs through Nov. 30, according to Godlin. So, you'll want to keep an eye on the weather and your travel insurance all the way through to the start of December.

If there's one thing you should remember about protecting your vacation investment during hurricane season, it's this: Once a storm is named, it's too late to buy travel insurance.

There's an important reason behind this.

"Insurance covers the unexpected," says Jenna Hummer, public relations director of Squaremouth (a company that provides comparisons of travel insurance from major U.S. providers, "so once something is considered 'foreseen' — in this case, when a tropical storm or hurricane has been named — you can no longer get coverage for that storm."

It's no surprise, then, that every travel insurance expert I interviewed had the same advice if you're planning to travel during a period when hurricanes could occur. They recommend buying your coverage as soon as you book your trip.

If you're seeing reports that a hurricane is about to land in your destination or may close your home airport, you've likely already missed the window to cover your trip.

"A common misconception is that if a hurricane occurs near your destination, you can cancel your vacation and be covered," Hummer says.

But the fact that a hurricane made land fall at your intended vacation destination before you did does not necessarily mean that you can cancel and be reimbursed.

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