Worried about earthquakes? What to know about cancelling holidays, according to insurance experts
Southern Europe is rumbling again. Popular holiday destinations around the Mediterranean, including Crete, Santorini, Sicily and Turkey, have all been affected by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions in the last month.
While the chances of being caught in a natural disaster still remain low, a recent spike in seismic activity has left many travellers questioning whether they should go ahead with their holiday or cancel.
The answer, experts say, depends on the fine print.
Here's what to know before you book – or cancel – your summer holiday.
In short: not usually.
Most basic travel insurance policies do not include coverage for natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods or wildfires.
'Travellers must be aware that most travel insurance policies won't cover earthquakes as standard, or any other natural disaster outside of anyone's control,' says Ernesto Suarez, founder of insurance provider Gigasure.
'While AI and data analytics are helping insurers measure the risk of these events happening more accurately, anything outside of an individual's control is very difficult to underwrite.'
But you won't necessarily have to eat the costs. Many insurers offer add-ons that can provide protection if your holiday is disrupted or cancelled by a natural disaster.
Related
Illegal hotels, pools and hot tubs: Santorini's 'building crimes' are a disaster waiting to happen
'It rumbles like a giant tiger in a cage': Experts on climbing Mount Etna during an eruption
'We have a range of different policies that cover unforeseen events that stop you going away, disrupt your holiday or force you to cut short your trip due to natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires,' says Simon McCulloch, commercial director at Staysure.
'It's important to understand that this typically applies when your trip is directly affected and if your holiday is non-refundable,' he adds.
Suarez says Gigasure's add-on includes coverage for additional accommodation, transport costs, pet sitter fees and a daily allowance for up to 10 extra days abroad.
If an earthquake or eruption disrupts your trip while you're overseas, help may be available, especially if you've purchased extended coverage. But McCulloch advises keeping your priorities in order before worrying about reimbursement.
'In cases where you're already abroad and a natural disaster strikes in your location, the most important thing is to get yourself to safety and follow the advice of local or national authorities,' he says.
Once safe, he recommends reaching out to the airline, tour operator or travel provider you booked your trip with to determine your next steps. 'They will be able to help bring you home early or move you to safe accommodation,' he says.
Those with additional protection may be able to claim for unused parts of their trip or extra costs due to delays.
'Our first priority is always to help support our customers who are currently in the affected area,' says Suarez. 'For those that need it, we extend our policy duration for up to 30 days or until they can return home safely.'
If you're feeling uneasy about a destination but it remains open to tourists, your insurance is unlikely to help.
'Earthquakes and other natural disasters can understandably make travellers nervous about trips they have booked and paid for, though whether you'll be covered by your travel insurance depends on the specific details of your policy and official guidance at the time of travel,' says McCulloch.
Related
Travel insurance expert warns these common holiday activities often aren't covered by standard plans
Spain and Portugal travel: What are my rights if my flight was cancelled due to the blackout?
'Before any trip, it's worth keeping an eye on updates from [national authorities such as] the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office,' he explains, referencing the UK's ministry of foreign affairs.
'If it hasn't advised against travel (or all but essential travel) to a destination following a seismic event – as was the case recently in Crete – then cancelling your trip purely out of caution is unlikely to be covered by your travel insurance.'
Suarez agrees. 'If someone chooses to cancel their trip because of a recent earthquake, it's unlikely that their travel insurance will cover them.'
Recent tremors in Turkey, the Greek islands and Italy have already caused concern among travellers. In Santorini, one of Greece's most visited destinations, local tourism officials estimate that arrivals could fall by as much as 25 per cent this year.
But many destinations will be as safe as they always are. The best approach to forecasting your summer travel is to stay informed, say McCulloch and Suarez.
Review your policy before travelling, speak to your insurer about what's included and monitor official advisories. If the worst does happen, the right insurance could help you recover your losses or get home safely.
'Natural disasters are unpredictable, but your insurance shouldn't be – as long as you take steps to make sure you're properly informed of the protection it provides,' McCulloch says.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Protesters against overtourism take to the streets of southern Europe
(Corrects number of new hotel beds in Venice in paragraph 7 to 1,500 (not 15,000) By Guillermo Martinez, Ana Cantero and Giulio Piovaccari BARCELONA/MADRID (Reuters) -Thousands of people took to the streets of cities in southern Europe on Sunday to demonstrate against overtourism, firing water pistols at shop windows and setting off smoke in Barcelona, where the main protest took place. "Your holidays, my misery," protesters chanted in the streets of Barcelona while holding up banners emblazoned with slogans such as "mass tourism kills the city" and "their greed brings us ruin". Under the umbrella of the SET alliance - Sud d'Europa contra la Turistització, or Catalan for "Southern Europe against Overtourism" - protesters joined forces with groups in Portugal and Italy, arguing that uncontrolled tourism was sending housing prices soaring and forcing people out of their neighbourhoods. Barcelona, a city of 1.6 million, drew 26 million tourists last year. Authorities in the north eastern Spanish city said around 600 people joined the demonstration there, some firing water pistols or setting off coloured smoke and putting stickers saying 'Neighbourhood self-defence, tourist go home' on shop windows and hotels. Outside one hotel, an agitated worker confronted the protesters saying he was "only working" and was not the venue's owner. There were similar demonstrations in other parts of Spain including Ibiza, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, San Sebastian and Granada. Protests in Italy took place in cities including Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Milan and Venice, where locals oppose the construction of two hotels that will add around 1,500 new beds to the city, the organisers told Reuters. In Barcelona, the city government said last year it would bar apartment rentals to tourists by 2028 to make the city more liveable for residents. "I'm very tired of being a nuisance in my own city. The solution is to propose a radical decrease in the number of tourists in Barcelona and bet on another economic model that brings prosperity to the city," Eva Vilaseca, 38, told Reuters at Sunday's demonstration in Barcelona, dismissing the common counterargument that tourism brings jobs and prosperity. International travel spending in Europe is expected to rise by 11% to $838 billion this year, with Spain and France among the countries set to receive record numbers of tourists. A protest in Lisbon was scheduled for later on Sunday afternoon.
Hamilton Spectator
8 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Spaniards squirt water guns at foreigners in Barcelona and Mallorca to protest overtourism
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Protesters used water pistols against unsuspecting tourists in Barcelona and on the Spanish island of Mallorca on Sunday as demonstrators marched to demand a rethink of an economic model they believe is fueling a housing crunch and erasing the character of their hometowns. The marches were part of a coordinated effort by activists concerned with the ills of overtourism across southern Europe's top destinations, including Venice, Italy, Portugal's capital of Lisbon and several other Spanish locations. 'The squirt guns are to bother the tourists a bit,' Andreu Martínez said in Barcelona with a chuckle after spritzing a couple seated at an outdoor café. 'Barcelona has been handed to the tourists. This is a fight to give Barcelona back to its residents.' Martínez, a 42-year-old administrative assistant, is one of a growing number of residents who are convinced that tourism has gone too far in the city of 1.7 million people. Barcelona hosted 15.5 million visitors last year eager to see Antoni Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia basilica and the Las Ramblas promenade. Martínez says his rent has risen over 30% as more apartments in his neighborhood are rented to tourists for short-term stays. He said there is a knock-on effect of traditional stores being replaced by businesses catering to tourists, like souvenir shops, burger joints and 'bubble tea' spots. 'Our lives, as lifelong residents of Barcelona, are coming to an end,' he said. 'We are being pushed out systematically.' Around 5,000 people gathered in Palma, the capital of Mallorca, with some toting water guns as well and chanting 'Everywhere you look, all you see are tourists.' The tourists who were targeted by water blasts laughed it off. The Mediterranean island is a favorite for British and German sun-seekers. It has seen housing costs skyrocket as homes are diverted to the short-term rental market. In Venice, a couple of dozen protesters unfurled a banner calling for a halt to new hotel beds in the lagoon city in front of two recently completed structures, one in the popular tourist destination's historic center where activists say the last resident, an elderly woman, was kicked out last year. Squirts cause tension, and provide refreshment Protesters in Barcelona blew whistles and held up homemade signs saying 'One more tourist, one less resident.' They stuck stickers saying 'Citizen Self-Defense,' in Catalan, and 'Tourist Go Home,' in English, with a drawing of a water pistol on the doors of hotels and hostels. There was tension when the march stopped in front of a large hostel, where a group emptied their water guns at two workers positioned in the entrance. They also set off firecrackers next to the hostel and opened a can of pink smoke. One worker spat at the protesters as he slammed the hostel's doors. American tourists Wanda and Bill Dorozenski were walking along Barcelona's main luxury shopping boulevard where the protest started. They received a squirt or two, but she said it was actually refreshing given the 83 degree Fahrenheit (28.3 degrees Celsius) weather. 'That's lovely, thank you sweetheart,' Wanda said to the squirter. 'I am not going to complain. These people are feeling something to them that is very personal, and is perhaps destroying some areas (of the city).' There were also many marchers with water pistols who didn't fire at bystanders and instead solely used them to spray themselves to keep cool. Crackdown on Airbnb Cities across the world are struggling with how to cope with mass tourism and a boom in short-term rental platforms, like Airbnb , but perhaps nowhere has surging discontent been so evident as in Spain, where protesters in Barcelona first took to firing squirt guns at tourists during a protest last summer. There has also been a confluence of the pro-housing and anti-tourism struggles in Spain, whose 48 million residents welcomed record 94 million international visitors in 2024. When thousands marched through the streets of Spain's capital in April, some held homemade signs saying 'Get Airbnb out of our neighborhoods.' Spanish authorities are striving to show they hear the public outcry while not hurting an industry that contributes 12% of gross domestic product. Last month, Spain's government ordered Airbnb to remove almost 66,000 holiday rentals from the platform that it said had violated local rules. Spain's Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy told The Associated Press shortly after the crackdown on Airbnb that the tourism sector 'cannot jeopardize the constitutional rights of the Spanish people,' which enshrines their right to housing and well-being. Carlos Cuerpo, the economy minister, said in a separate interview that the government is aware it must tackle the unwanted side effects of mass tourism. The boldest move was made by Barcelona's town hall, which stunned Airbnb and other services who help rent properties to tourists by announcing last year the elimination of all 10,000 short-term rental licenses in the city by 2028. That sentiment was back in force on Sunday, where people held up signs saying 'Your Airbnb was my home.' 'Taking away housing' The short-term rental industry, for its part, believes it is being treated unfairly. 'I think a lot of our politicians have found an easy scapegoat to blame for the inefficiencies of their policies in terms of housing and tourism over the last 10, 15, 20 years,' Airbnb's general director for Spain and Portugal, Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago recently told the AP. That argument either hasn't trickled down to the ordinary residents of Barcelona, or isn't resonating. Txema Escorsa, a teacher in Barcelona, doesn't just oppose Airbnb in his home city, he has ceased to use it even when traveling elsewhere, out of principle. 'In the end, you realize that this is taking away housing from people,' he said. ___ AP Videojournalist Hernán Múñoz in Barcelona, and Associated Press writer Colleen Barry in Venice, Italy, contributed. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Worried about earthquakes? What to know about cancelling holidays, according to insurance experts
Southern Europe is rumbling again. Popular holiday destinations around the Mediterranean, including Crete, Santorini, Sicily and Turkey, have all been affected by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions in the last month. While the chances of being caught in a natural disaster still remain low, a recent spike in seismic activity has left many travellers questioning whether they should go ahead with their holiday or cancel. The answer, experts say, depends on the fine print. Here's what to know before you book – or cancel – your summer holiday. In short: not usually. Most basic travel insurance policies do not include coverage for natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods or wildfires. 'Travellers must be aware that most travel insurance policies won't cover earthquakes as standard, or any other natural disaster outside of anyone's control,' says Ernesto Suarez, founder of insurance provider Gigasure. 'While AI and data analytics are helping insurers measure the risk of these events happening more accurately, anything outside of an individual's control is very difficult to underwrite.' But you won't necessarily have to eat the costs. Many insurers offer add-ons that can provide protection if your holiday is disrupted or cancelled by a natural disaster. Related Illegal hotels, pools and hot tubs: Santorini's 'building crimes' are a disaster waiting to happen 'It rumbles like a giant tiger in a cage': Experts on climbing Mount Etna during an eruption 'We have a range of different policies that cover unforeseen events that stop you going away, disrupt your holiday or force you to cut short your trip due to natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and wildfires,' says Simon McCulloch, commercial director at Staysure. 'It's important to understand that this typically applies when your trip is directly affected and if your holiday is non-refundable,' he adds. Suarez says Gigasure's add-on includes coverage for additional accommodation, transport costs, pet sitter fees and a daily allowance for up to 10 extra days abroad. If an earthquake or eruption disrupts your trip while you're overseas, help may be available, especially if you've purchased extended coverage. But McCulloch advises keeping your priorities in order before worrying about reimbursement. 'In cases where you're already abroad and a natural disaster strikes in your location, the most important thing is to get yourself to safety and follow the advice of local or national authorities,' he says. Once safe, he recommends reaching out to the airline, tour operator or travel provider you booked your trip with to determine your next steps. 'They will be able to help bring you home early or move you to safe accommodation,' he says. Those with additional protection may be able to claim for unused parts of their trip or extra costs due to delays. 'Our first priority is always to help support our customers who are currently in the affected area,' says Suarez. 'For those that need it, we extend our policy duration for up to 30 days or until they can return home safely.' If you're feeling uneasy about a destination but it remains open to tourists, your insurance is unlikely to help. 'Earthquakes and other natural disasters can understandably make travellers nervous about trips they have booked and paid for, though whether you'll be covered by your travel insurance depends on the specific details of your policy and official guidance at the time of travel,' says McCulloch. Related Travel insurance expert warns these common holiday activities often aren't covered by standard plans Spain and Portugal travel: What are my rights if my flight was cancelled due to the blackout? 'Before any trip, it's worth keeping an eye on updates from [national authorities such as] the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office,' he explains, referencing the UK's ministry of foreign affairs. 'If it hasn't advised against travel (or all but essential travel) to a destination following a seismic event – as was the case recently in Crete – then cancelling your trip purely out of caution is unlikely to be covered by your travel insurance.' Suarez agrees. 'If someone chooses to cancel their trip because of a recent earthquake, it's unlikely that their travel insurance will cover them.' Recent tremors in Turkey, the Greek islands and Italy have already caused concern among travellers. In Santorini, one of Greece's most visited destinations, local tourism officials estimate that arrivals could fall by as much as 25 per cent this year. But many destinations will be as safe as they always are. The best approach to forecasting your summer travel is to stay informed, say McCulloch and Suarez. Review your policy before travelling, speak to your insurer about what's included and monitor official advisories. If the worst does happen, the right insurance could help you recover your losses or get home safely. 'Natural disasters are unpredictable, but your insurance shouldn't be – as long as you take steps to make sure you're properly informed of the protection it provides,' McCulloch says.
