Cyclone Michuang: Chennai Rains Remind Us Why Insurance Matters

Cyclone Michuang wreaks havoc in Chennai, resulting in over 9600 people being shifted to relief camps! Pounding across the city of Chennai and its neighbouring districts, cyclone Michuang revived haunting memories of the devastating December 2015 floods. According to TV news reports, many Railway passengers were stranded when the Southern Railways had to cancel several long-haul trains including those heading to the city, which were instructed to end service at Chengalpattu. The city’s infrastructure was further tested when hundreds of Railway passengers underwent tremendous inconvenience, as per news reports. 

For airline passengers heading to Chennai or flying out of the city, their travel plans were thrown out of gear as Chennai Airport remained closed, and nearly 300 flights had to be cancelled, which left more than a thousand passengers stranded. As per the latest news, Chennai Airport reopened this morning on December 5th (Tuesday) at 9 am.  

Cyclone Michuang: East Coast Railway Rolls Out Safety Measures

Meanwhile, TOI City has reported that East Coast Railways spanning Odisha, parts of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh have undertaken thorough preparations to meet the challenges caused by cyclone Michuang. Notable steps taken include:

• Field staff have been instructed to foot patrolling with a special focus on vulnerable areas 

• Opening its Disaster Management Cell at specified HQs

• Diesel locomotives are kept ready for use in case of power failure

• Prompt restoration of train traffic and railway track if it is impacted

Cyclone Michuang: How Insurance Works As a Shield 

At a time when natural disasters like floods wreak havoc, many houses are damaged, precious lives are lost and vehicles are damaged. This is also a time to revisit one’s financial resilience as all these damages can be covered if one plans for a safety net. Be it delayed or cancelled flights, damaged homes and cars, or hospitalisation expenses in case of an emergency, insurance provides a secure financial net for policyholders. Most importantly, understanding natural disaster coverage is critical. Check your policy to know what is covered. 

For instance, flood protection coverage may not be included in third-party coverage, whereas it is covered in a comprehensive plan. This requires affected parties to be thoroughly informed about the cover they are opting for and what it does not include.

Insurance coverage works as a shield that safeguards households against natural disasters and unforeseen situations such as cyclones, tsunamis, etc. Staying well-informed and up-to-date about different types of covers will be a good start to understand what works for one’s budget and lifestyle.