For information relating to policies purchased prior to 27 June 2024, please check the Policy Wording provided with your purchase. You can contact us if you need this sent to you again. For policies purchased from 27 June 2024 please see below.
Yes, cover is available (with our Explorer Plan) if a natural catastrophe such as an earthquake, cyclone, flood, volcano, or tsunami affects your travel plans and/or injures you.
However, you need to have purchased your policy before these powerful forces of nature become a known event. So if you’ve done that, we’ll do everything we can to help you.
What is a ‘natural catastrophe’?
While the last thing we want to do is to talk about all the nasty weather that could come your way, it’s important for you to know what we define as a ‘natural catastrophe’ in our policy. The following are considered natural catastrophes: Volcanic activity, volcanic ash, earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, cyclone, flooding of more than 50 square kilometres, wildfire of more than 50 square kilometres.
Our Explorer plan can offer cover when a natural catastrophe or terrorism event occurs within 20 kilometres of your booked accommodation and:- your trip start date is within 7 days of when the event occurs; or
- your transport or accommodation is still disrupted when you are due to travel.
Does World Nomads travel insurance cover medical expenses of a natural catastrophe?
Yes. You must let us know how you are going and keep in contact with our Emergency Medical Assistance team until you no longer require treatment or assistance.
If you’re unlucky enough to be injured by a natural catastrophe, our Emergency Medical Assistance team can help you get to the nearest medical centre, so you can receive the medical attention you need. If you’re so badly hurt that the Emergency Medical Assistance team decides you need to go home, they can organise to transport you home. However, once you’re home, we’re not able to cover ongoing medical costs. You can find out further information here on how we help travellers with overseas medical treatment.
Does World Nomads travel insurance cover pre-trip cancellation if a natural catastrophe affects the area where I’m travelling to?
Yes, our Explorer plan can offer cover for your non-refundable travel and accommodation costs.
If my trip is interrupted, what can I claim for?
If you’re travelling on the Explorer Plan, and you’re caught up in a natural catastrophe, and you are forced to move from your pre booked accommodation, we can offer cover for additional accommodation expenses you incur in order to move to an alternative accommodation (at the same destination), as long as the policy and the affected travel arrangements were bought before the event.
If I come home early, can I get a refund on the rest of my policy?
As the policy is outside of its cooling-off period and you’ve travelled on it, there is no refund for that part of the premium for the unused period of insurance. You are welcome to make a claim for any additional expenses you might have incurred; however, no refund will be provided.
How do I make a claim?
Funnily, we get asked this a lot, so here’s something we prepared earlier: a step by step guide on how to claim. If you have questions about a claim, contact our Claims team.
How do I get help in the event of a medical emergency?
It’s important that you contact the Emergency Medical Assistance team as soon as you know you will be admitted as an inpatient for at least one night. Their details can also be found on your Certificate of Insurance.
How to keep safe following a natural catastrophe?
Here are some tips that may help if you’re in a natural catastrophe:
- Follow the advice of the local authorities and emergency services on the ground.
- Avoid downed power lines and disaster-caused hazards.
- Use battery-powered flashlights and lanterns rather than candles, gas lanterns or torches.
- Following a disaster, there may be rapidly moving water that can carry infections.
- Disasters resulting in massive structural damage can also result in exposure to chemical or biological or other contaminants (e.g. asbestos).
- In the case of earthquakes, do not return to your hotel/accommodation, or any building, if they are in any way damaged, as aftershocks could cause a collapse.
- Move to the nearest open area (oval, park) away from damaged buildings, trees or roads where power lines may have fallen.
- If you are in an area prone to landslides and mudslides (e.g. very steep slopes, canyons, high rainfall zones), be aware of any sudden increase or decrease in water level of a stream or creek that might indicate debris flow upstream. A trickle of flowing mud may precede a larger flow. Look for tilted trees, telephone poles, fences, or walls, and for new holes or bare spots on hillsides. Listen for rumbling sounds that might indicate an approaching landslide or mudflow.
How to avoid disease following a natural catastrophe?
- Diseases can spread very quickly post-disaster, so ensure you protect against injuries and infections by wearing sturdy footwear. Tetanus is a potential health threat for cuts and grazes, so make sure you see your doctor before you travel and update your preventative medications.
- Frequent handwashing helps keep germs at bay. (If a traveller becomes unwell within six weeks of returning home and has fever, rash, respiratory illness or any other unusual symptoms, advise a physician of having just returned from a disaster-affected region.)
- Drink only sealed, bottled, boiled or disinfected water. For more information refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
- In the event of diarrhoea, replace lost fluids with clean drinking water or oral rehydration solutions.
The policy isn’t designed to cover everything, so take the time to read the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions in the Policy Wording for full details so that there are no surprises if you need to use it. If you’re not sure if something is covered, get in touch.
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Before your trip, check the latest government advice for any travel alerts for your destination.