Insuring Against a Rainy Day (or Two)

Hate the idea of rain ruining your vacation? You can now get insurance against that possibility via the Internet.

Worldwide Weather Insurance Agency, with offices in New York ([800] 500-5801), London and Sydney, has offered such insurance for several years--along with business insurance for sports events, agriculture and other weather-sensitive areas. But it just began offering it online in late December, allowing for lower premiums than available through “snail mail,” a spokesman said.

As an example, a $60 premium was quoted last week for a 13-day, $2,000 Nassau vacation starting Jan. 21, with any rainfall to be measured at the Nassau government station.

There are two types of policies, both guaranteeing full refunds: in one case, if it rains every day, and in the other, if it rains half the days or more. And there are many conditions. For instance, rain must be at least 0.01 inch and fall between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (prime play time for tourists, a spokesman explained). And Internet quotes expire after 15 minutes; then you have to input all your information again. The site is at https://www.weatherins.com.