How to secure terrorism coverage
According to a recent report from US travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth, searches for travel insurance with terrorism coverage are up 136 per cent compared to last year, and the percentage of customers purchasing travel insurance using the site’s ‘terrorism’ filter has nearly tripled.
In light of these findings, Squaremouth has explained to customers what to look for. It has highlighted that before any specific requirements come into play, the incident must first be deemed an act of terrorism by the US Department of State to qualify for terrorism coverage.
Subsequently, the requirements that must be met are: the attack must occur within seven to 30 days of your departure date, it must occur in or near a city on your itinerary, and your travel insurance policy must be in place before the attack occurs.
"Fear of terrorism, or the speculation of a potential attack, is not enough to trigger cancellation coverage," confirmed Squaremouth spokesperson Rachael Taft. "However, if a terrorist attack occurs at your destination shortly before your trip, you may be covered to cancel if your travel insurance policy includes terrorism coverage."
Squaremouth director of customer service Jessica Harvey has reminded customers that her team is there to help. "Customers often call us to talk through the different options and to make sure they understand the coverage they're getting," she said. "Each policy has its own requirements for terrorism coverage, and we can point out any differences."