Europe Travel Alert: No Travel Insurance Coverage Until a Terrorist Attack Occurs, says Squaremouth

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, May 1, 2017, the U.S. Department of State issued a travel alert for Europe due to the continued threat of terrorism. It comes at a time when traveler interest in terrorism coverage is at an all-time high, according to leading travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth.

Despite the travel alert, travel insurance can still be purchased for trips to European destinations, but in order for coverage to be triggered, a terrorist attack must occur.

A Travel Alert is Not Enough
Even with the increased risk of terrorism in Europe, the travel alert is not a covered reason for a traveler to cancel their trip under the Terrorism benefit.

"The threat of terrorism is not enough to trigger coverage," said Squaremouth spokesperson Megan Singh. "In order for a traveler to be covered by the Terrorism benefit, they must be unable to take their trip because of a terrorist attack at their destination."

An attack must meet the following requirements to be covered by the Terrorism benefit:

• It must be deemed an act of terrorism by the U.S. Department of State
• It must occur within 7-30 days of the traveler's departure date, depending on the policy
• It must occur in or near a city listed on the traveler's itinerary

Terrorism Coverage is Still Available
Travelers can still buy a policy with the Terrorism benefit to be covered for an upcoming trip to Europe, as long as they purchase their policy before an attack occurs.

Travelers who want to be able to cancel without a terrorist attack occurring must purchase a policy with the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade. This optional upgrade reimburses up to 75% of a traveler's trip expenses if they cancel for a reason that is not otherwise covered, but it typically increases a policy's premium by about 40%. The upgrade is only available within 14-30 days of a traveler's first trip payment and requires them to insure 100% of their prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses.

The Europe travel alert specifically mentions the recent attacks in France, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. For more information on travel insurance coverage for each of these incidents or terrorism coverage in general, visit Squaremouth's Terrorism and Travel Insurance Information Center.

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 insurance products side-by-side. More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com

Available Topic Expert:
Steven Bennasbenna@squaremouth.com
(727) 619-7262

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SOURCE Squaremouth