When a blizzard disrupted air travel in New England last winter, Kevin Heimlich learned a painful lesson about the limits of travel insurance.
Heimlich, who runs a marketing company in Boston, relied on the coverage from his credit card. He ended up stranded in Newark overnight on his way to a client meeting in Los Angeles.
So he filed a claim for his $370 hotel bill. Denied.
The reason? The cancellation stemmed from a “known event” — the airline had canceled his flight because of a storm forecasted two days before his trip.
“I had to spend a lot of time documenting and providing evidence to support my claim,” he recalls.
Travel insurance offered through credit cards often works the same as a standalone travel insurance policy, but it can offer more limited coverage, as he discovered. Eventually his credit card covered half his hotel bill.
Heimlich’s mistake is a common one: He was undone by the fine print.
As winter weather — the number one cause of all flight delays — bears down on travelers, a comprehensive travel insurance policy can be the only thing standing between a manageable delay and a financial disaster.
But not all coverage is created equal. Understanding the critical difference between a standalone policy and a credit card perk, and crucially, buying travel insurance before a storm is forecast, will determine whether you’re covered for a hotel and a new flight or left stranded at the gate.
The weather problem for travelers
When it comes to air travel, weather is a bigger problem than most people realize — and in places they might not guess.
Weather is the number-one cause of flight delays. Nearly three-quarters of all domestic flight delays are caused by weather, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Winters can be particularly bad. According to a Squaremouth analysis, the U.S. has seen 19 to 26 named winter storms in a single season, any of which can create chaos.
“These storms are all capable of disrupting flights, closing airports, and stranding travelers for days,” notes Squaremouth spokeswoman Lauren McCormick.
Don’t airlines help stranded passengers like Heimlich? Not for weather-related disruptions. In the US, most airlines will offer passengers a hotel voucher and transportation to the hotel or a meal voucher if the flight delay or cancellation was caused by a reason within the airline’s control.
“Many people don’t understand that a cancellation from the airline due to storms doesn’t equal coverage for the expenses,” says Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance.
In other words, if weather disrupts your holiday trip, you may be on your own. Remember that. You’ll hear it again.
Will bad weather affect my next trip?
A4A, an airline lobbying group, estimates that airline delays cost passengers billions of dollars a year.
Of course, the likelihood of a delay depends on where you’re traveling.
An analysis of Department of Transportation data by InsureMyTrip identified which U.S. airports are most prone to weather disruptions. The worst offenders were:
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Will Rogers World Airport – Oklahoma City (OKC)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
- McGhee Tyson Airport – Knoxville, TN (TYS)
- Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM)
“Winter weather is one of the biggest wild cards in travel,” says Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.
Winter weather delays can be surprisingly complex, too, says John Rose, chief risk advisor for ALTOUR, a global travel management company.
“It’s not just snow and ice,” he says. “It’s de-icing delays, equipment freezes, and air traffic slowdowns that ripple across the country.”
What your policy actually covers (and what it doesn’t)
Most comprehensive travel insurance plans cover three main areas: trip cancellation, trip interruption, and travel delays. But the details are critical.
“Good policies cover trip cancellations, delays, missed connections, and lost baggage,” Rose says. “But the key is when the storm was declared. If it’s a ‘known event,’ you’re not covered.”
That’s the fine-print trap that can catch travelers. Once a storm is named or forecast, new policies typically won’t cover it. This is why travelers should buy insurance when they book their trip, not when they see a bad weather system on the way.
If you have a significant delay, your insurance policy may reimburse you for meals, a hotel room, or other essentials.
“Most policies require that your travel be delayed for a specific number of hours, usually between 6 and 12, before benefits apply,” explains Terry Boynton, president of Yonder Travel Insurance. “That’s why it’s essential to read the fine print and buy a plan with clear definitions and generous delay coverage.”
Different policies provide vastly different coverage. For example, Travelex Insurance Services covers weather delays on its Ultimate, Advantage, Essential, and Travel Med Go policies.
“Our Ultimate, Advantage, and Travel Med Go plans offer travel delay coverage if you’re delayed for at least five consecutive hours,” says Brad Streff, vice president of direct sales at Travelex. “Our Essential plan offers coverage for six-hour delays or longer.”
But you already know where travelers get burned, right? The policy must be purchased before a weather event becomes known.
Steve Case, a consultant at Insurance Hero, has experienced this problem firsthand with clients. “If a snowstorm is forecast for Boston on December 15 and insurance is taken out on December 12 — after the storm has been forecast — the claim will be rejected,” he says.
The hidden costs of being stranded
Disruptions aren’t the only concern. Maria Knöbel, a physician who co-founded Medical Cert UK, sees a problem most travelers overlook: health costs during extended delays.
“The majority of policies are applicable in case of over 12 hours of the flight cancellation or a complete route interruption,” Knöbel says. “What people do not remember is that the waiting period could be very expensive.”
She recalls a patient stuck in Helsinki for 36 hours after an ice storm struck. “The insurance company paid $120 for food and one day in a hotel but refused to pay $480 for her medical expenses, since she suffered sinusitis from the freezing terminal air.”
The health risks are real, according to Knöbel.
“Poor sleep, dehydration, and cold exposure can increase infection risks,” she says. Knöbel estimates “an increase in respiratory infections associated with long travel delays by approximately 30 percent.”
Her advice? Review the definition of trip interruption and medical coverage in your policy. An addition of a small medical extension that typically costs less than $40 can save hundreds of dollars.
Not all plans are created equal
When it comes to insurance, one size doesn’t fit all. (Remember Heimlich’s flimsy credit card coverage?)
“A common mistake is assuming all coverage is the same,” notes Robert Gallagher, president of the US Travel Insurance Association. “Many travel insurance plans offer a ‘free-look period’ during which you can review the policy and cancel it if it doesn’t meet your needs.”
The differences between basic and comprehensive plans can cost you thousands.
“All plans are not equal,” Rose warns. “Some only reimburse if the airline cancels; others cover if you decide not to travel due to extended delays.”
Fineas Tatar, co-CEO of an executive assistant company, has his team research policies for every executive trip.
“Some policies only apply if a delay exceeds 12 hours or if the airline cancels outright,” he says. “Others exclude acts of nature unless you upgrade to a comprehensive plan. We’ve seen the difference between a $30 add-on that saves thousands and a basic plan that pays nothing for weather delays.”
Tatar recalls one executive with back-to-back meetings across Chicago, New York, and Boston last winter.
“His first flight was grounded by snow, but because his executive assistant had chosen a policy that covered weather-related cancellations and hotel changes, the rebooking and reimbursement process was straightforward. What could’ve been a 48-hour scramble turned into a same-day reroute and a kept client meeting.”
Premium plans typically cover up to $2,000 per person for trip delays, while budget plans may only cover $500. Comprehensive policies might cover canceled flights up to the full cost of the ticket, one to three nights’ accommodation if stranded, and meals up to $30 to $50 a day, Case notes.
The cancel for any reason option
For maximum flexibility, there’s “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) coverage — but it comes at a price.
A CFAR upgrade lets you cancel for any reason, including bad weather concerns. But you must buy it within 10 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit, and it only reimburses 50 to 75 percent of your costs.
The cost? CFAR typically adds 40 to 50 percent to your base policy price. For a $200 policy on a $5,000 trip, you’d pay an additional $80 to $100 for CFAR coverage.
Daniel Durazo, director of communications at Allianz Partners USA, underscores the importance of timing with a CFAR policy.
“Be sure to purchase your travel insurance as soon as you book your trip since it’s meant to offer protection against sudden and unforeseen situations and weather events, not after a storm becomes a known threat,” he says.
When do you need travel insurance for weather delays?
“Anyone traveling during the winter months — especially through high-risk airports like Chicago O’Hare, Denver, or Boston — should strongly consider travel insurance, even if your flight is domestic,” Boynton says
Some travelers only buy insurance during the winter months. Consider Khris Steven, who runs a digital marketing agency. He purchased $89 of basic travel insurance for a February trip to Minneapolis. A snowstorm closed the airport for two days.
“Insurance paid for three nights in a hotel at $210 per night, all meals up to $50 a day and my rebooking charges of $380,” Steven recalls.
Total payout: $1,090. His claim was processed in eight days.
Steven only buys insurance for trips from November to March to snow-belt cities and skips it for summer travel or to places with stable weather.
“If the hotel is nonrefundable and the flight is more than $600, the insurance pays for itself after one weather cancellation,” he says.
Jamie River learned a similar lesson when she traveled from Seattle to Vermont to visit her family.
“A snowstorm delayed my first flight by 3 hours,” says River.
Insurance covered the hotel near O’Hare and meals while River waited. But it took six weeks to get reimbursed. Cost of the policy: $187, which covered about $1,200 in prepaid, nonrefundable expenses.
When to skip travel insurance during the winter
You can likely skip a comprehensive policy if your plans are flexible and you haven’t prepaid much. If your tickets are refundable or you’re using a credit card with strong travel protection, you may have enough coverage. But be warned: credit card coverage is often secondary (meaning it pays out after other insurance) and typically has longer delay triggers—requiring a 6- or 12-hour delay before benefits begin, versus 3 or 6 hours for many standalone policies. (As Heimlich learned, credit card coverage doesn’t always live up to its billing.)
Another deciding factor is cost. If the trip costs less than $500, then insurance may not be worth it.
“If you have flexible plans, maybe skip the insurance,” says Deepak Shukla, CEO of Pearl Lemon Adventures.
Special considerations for winter travel
The best way to protect your winter trip, of course, is to avoid having a delay.
“Delays and cancellations happen more often later in the day, particularly at smaller airports or in colder regions,” says Carol Mueller, vice president of marketing at Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. “Whenever possible, book earlier flights.”
If there’s one recurring theme, you’ve probably already guessed it: Timing is critical. Purchasing travel insurance as soon as you make your first nonrefundable payment for the trip ensures maximum protection against cancellations or interruptions. It merits repeating.
The bottom line on travel insurance and weather delays
The key is understanding what you’re buying. Read the exclusions. Know the waiting periods. Understand what “severe weather” means in your specific policy. And as we’ve established, buy it early — before that winter storm shows up on the forecast.
“Winter travel brings its own set of challenges, from snowstorms that ground flights to icy conditions that close runways and delay crews,” notes Raymond Yorke, a spokesman for Redpoint Resolutions. “Even seasoned travelers can find themselves stranded or rerouted when winter weather hits.”
The question isn’t whether winter weather will disrupt travel. It will. The question is whether you’ll be one of the travelers who planned for it — or one of the ones stuck in an airport terminal, watching their vacation budget melt away.
Travel insurance for winter weather won’t eliminate risk, but it can mitigate it. And for anyone with significant money tied up in nonrefundable winter plans, that transfer might be worth every penny of that premium.
Just make sure you buy it before the storm shows up on the weather map.