A single hurricane making landfall can halt business operations, strand employees, disrupt supply chains and create a ripple effect that impacts far beyond the disaster zone.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
For business leaders, insurers, employers and travel risk professionals, hurricane preparedness should be based on potential operational disruption, not on the predicted number of storms. Effective risk management requires planning for impact rather than frequency.
A quieter hurricane season doesn't mean lower risk
Seasonal forecasts are not the guidelines that drive preparedness decisions; they simply provide business leaders with estimates of activity level. A below-average number of predicted storms does not translate into below average storm strength, indicating that a single hurricane can cause catastrophic damage even during a slow season; one major hurricane affecting a transportation hub can create widespread disruption across the U.S., Caribbean, and Atlantic travel routes, as well as businesses that operate in these areas.
Storm impacts often extend hundreds of miles beyond the forecast track and leave airports, cruise ports, highways, utilities and communications networks vulnerable regardless of seasonal totals.
Moreover, storm activity often occurs in bursts, with consecutive storms liable to overwhelm local emergency capacity even during quieter Atlantic hurricane seasons. For organizations to truly be prepared and protect employees and business continuity, business exposure based on operational dependency and traveler movement needs to be evaluated and planned for despite meteorological averages.
After years of heightened hurricane seasons that impact locals, travelers and businesses, insurers increasingly play a role in proactive risk management that reduces exposure before losses occur. Helping clients understand the scope and limitations of their insurance coverage before travel helps reduce uncertainty and enable informed decision-making during hurricane seasons.
This includes setting clear expectations around weather-related cancellations, trip and business interruptions, emergency evacuation, and medical assistance, as coverage varies based on policy and circumstance. Insurers and brokers should encourage preparedness before hurricane season begins, helping organizations strengthen travel risk strategies and improve business continuity planning.
Hurricane preparedness cannot begin when a storm is on the horizon. Whether predictions call for five storms or fifteen, organizations need to have plans in place that minimize disruption and protect employee wellbeing. For employers with traveling workforces to regions impacted by hurricanes, implementing a comprehensive travel plan and robust duty of care should be front and center for travel risk management. Organizations that prepare early will be better positioned to protect their people and minimize operational disruption when severe weather strikes.
Business travelers are increasingly vulnerable to secondary impacts
The greatest operational risk comes after landfall when infrastructure recovery can take days, weeks, or months. Business travelers operating in impacted areas face the risk of being stranded following an unexpected storm, leaving them in potentially dangerous situations and impacting business continuity.
These disruptions extend well beyond delayed flights. Business travelers' risk prolonged airport closures, hotel shortages, disruption to electricity and clean water supplies, transportation interruptions, and loss of mobile or internet connectivity, making it challenging to contact family, employers, or access critical information. In more difficult situations, employees could also experience delays in emergency medical assistance or evacuation, leaving them stranded without a risk management plan in place.
For organizations, these challenges can quickly escalate to dangerous situations for employees and impact critical business operations.
What effective duty of care looks like during hurricane season
Organizations need to move beyond reactive travel policies. Duty of care is more than getting employees to their destination; it is about proactively supporting them throughout the entirety of their trip and any disruptions that occur throughout hurricane season.
Effective planning begins well before departure, with organizations closely monitoring weather forecasts, evaluating the resilience of local infrastructure, and considering whether non-essential travel can be postponed when conditions become uncertain. Employee preparedness is another crucial piece of the duty of care puzzle. Business travelers must be equipped with emergency communication procedures, understand evacuation options, and have access to emergency contacts and resources before they leave.
Preparation cannot end once an employee reaches their destination. Organizations need to maintain real-time visibility into the traveler's location, maintain communication throughout the trip, establish communication channels, and develop contingency plans for rerouting, extending accommodations, and emergency evacuations before conditions worsen. Simultaneously, business continuity planning should account for the potential impact a severe storm can cause by identifying critical personnel traveling during hurricane season, building flexibility into project timelines, and coordinating response efforts with travel, HR, security, and insurance teams before disruption occurs.
Duty of care extends far beyond ensuring employees arrive safely. It requires organizations to support their workforce throughout the entirety of a trip, especially during severe weather disruptions and respond quickly to minimize risk.
