Hurricane Season Makes Land Today
Travel insurance seen as smart hedge against year's hurricanes
RICHMOND, Va., June 1, 2009 - With federal hurricane forecasters predicting as many as 14 tropical storms for the 2009 season - which officially begins today - travel experts are advising Americans who are planning trips to hurricane-prone areas to be prepared, preparations that should include travel insurance.
"Ana, Bill, Claudette and Danny [the names of the first four storms of the season] are 'on their way,' and it's important that those who could be affected begin to take the necessary precautions," said Daniel Durazo, director of communications for Access America, one of the nation's leading providers of travel insurance. "Hurricane season does not mean you have to abandon travel plans to regions typically prone to hurricane activity, but it does mean that you have to be prudent when making those plans. For travellers headed to locales such as Grand Cayman, Cape Hatteras and certain islands in the Bahamas, travel insurance is a smart investment."
According to officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 2009 hurricane season, which lasts until November 30, is predicted to have between nine and 14 tropical storms, including four to seven hurricanes, one to three of which are likely to be major ones. There were 16 named storms last year.
HurricaneCity.com ranks the locations most likely to be hit by a hurricane according to the number of years between a storm or hurricane coming within 60 miles of that locale. The ranking method is based on storm-tracking charts dating to 1871. According to HurricaneCity's rankings, the cities and islands most likely to be affected by a hurricane or named storm are (top 10):
- Grand Cayman
- Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
- Abaco Island, Bahamas
- Grand Bahamas Island
- Andros Island, Bahamas
- Isle of Youth, Cuba
- Delray Beach, Florida
- Bermuda
- Cancun
- Grand Isle, Louisiana
With traditional travel insurance, customers sometimes find themselves in situations when they aren't sure if they are covered. Hurricanes are perfect examples of this. Access America's Cancel Anytime insurance fills in the gaps left by less liberal policies. With Cancel Anytime, as long as the insurance is purchased before the hurricane becomes a "named" storm, the traveler will be covered for the hurricane if they cancel or interrupt their trip. With Access America's Cancel Anytime product, travelers don't have to wait until the destination is deemed uninhabitable, a common restriction on standard travel insurance policies.
In addition to providing Trip Cancellation coverage ($10,000 max.), Cancel Anytime offers travelers the following benefits:
- Trip Interruption ($10,000 max.)
- Emergency Medical/Dental ($20,000 max.)
- Emergency Medical Transportation ($50,000 max.)
- Baggage Loss/Damage ($500 max.)
- Baggage Delay ($200 max.)
- Missed Connection ($500 max.)
- Travel Delay ($300 max.)
- 24-hour Hotline Assistance
Cancel Anytime is available only through Access America partner travel agencies.
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About Access America
Access America is the consumer travel insurance brand of Mondial Assistance. Access America travel insurance* and assistance products are purchased by millions of travelers each year, through leading travel suppliers including resorts, airlines, travel agents and through our website at AccessAmerica.com. Mondial Assistance is a global leader in specialty insurance and emergency assistance services. Four percent of the world's population or about 250 million people are served by Mondial Assistance businesses around the globe. In the United States, Mondial Assistance is a brand name of World Access Service Corp. As one of 29 business units, the U.S. operation serves major travel suppliers, health insurers, credit card, and entertainment companies with insurance products, international travel assistance, and concierge services. Mondial Assistance is part of the Allianz (NYSE: AZ) group of companies. For more information please visit: www.mondialUSA.com.
*Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company, rated "A-" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 or 52.401. Access America is a brand of World Access Service Corp., a company of Mondial Assistance. World Access Service Corp. is the producer and administrator of this plan.
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