One hotel in Singapore is offering a refund equivalent to one night's stay if it rains during your time there and, as a result, you cannot take part in a planned activity. This unique offer raises questions about the potential rise of insurance products compensating for weather-related events, especially in the current climate crisis.
The Intercontinental in Singapore has introduced a 'Rain Resist Bliss' package, which includes a refund provision. To qualify for the refund, it must rain continuously for more than 120 minutes within a four-hour daylight period. This offer is applicable only to guests staying in suites, with prices starting at 850 SGD ($633) per night for a junior suite and going up to 4,500 SGD ($3,349) for a presidential suite.
If guests meet the criteria for the rain refund, they receive a voucher equivalent to one night's stay in their current room category. However, this voucher must be utilized at the same InterContinental hotel in Singapore within six months.
This isn't the first instance of a hotel providing refunds for rainy stays. In 2019, hotels on the Mediterranean island of Elba offered a similar refund policy if it rained for more than two hours during the day in May and from mid-September to late October.
Some insurance companies also offer weather-related refunds. A French insurer, Aon, provides a 'sun guarantee' policy, where customers receive compensation if they experience fewer sunny days than expected during their holiday. Similarly, Sensible Weather, a climate risk technology company in the U.S. and U.K., offers a Weather Guarantee policy for activities dependent on good weather, such as golfing.
These innovative refund policies and insurance products are reshaping the concept of weather-related compensation, providing travelers and activity enthusiasts with added peace of mind when planning their trips and outdoor pursuits.
