Travelers may want to consider buying insurance

If you are planning a trip to London or elsewhere in the United Kingdom and haven't yet bought travel insurance that covers terrorist attacks, it's not too late to get coverage.

Most policies exclude destinations (often countries, not just cities) where a terrorist incident has occurred within the past three to six months, but Wednesday's thwarted airline bombing plot was a threat, not an attack.

Each policy varies, but the standard wording on terrorist attacks abroad (most policies also cover domestic terrorism) is that the incident must take place in a foreign city in which you are scheduled to arrive within 30 days — unless you're on a tour or cruise and the operator offers a substitute itinerary.

Insurance companies scrambled today to help travelers with policies that cover canceled flights.

"People are stranded all over the place," said Jim Grace, CEO of InsureMyTrip.com, a Rhode Island-based online seller of travel insurance policies.

Standard terrorism coverage doesn't cover cancellation coverage just because someone is afraid to fly, however, some airlines, including Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, are offering passengers refunds or the chance to rebook flights with no penalty.

Terrorism coverage clauses on certain policies kick in only when the government issues a travel warning or advisory.

The U.S. government (see www.travel.state.gov for information) now has 29 countries on its warning list, and today issued an advisory about airline travel to and from the U.K.

At least two insurance companies, TravelSafe and MH Ross, sell travel policies that allow cancellation for any reason, but the premiums are about 40 percent more than what travel insurance normally costs, Grace said.

Carol Pucci: 206-464-3701 or cpucci@seattletimes.com