Travel agent offers advice for families worried about coronavirus and summer vacation plans

PITTSBURGH — Many familiars who were cooped up in their homes for months during stay-at-home orders are itching to travel and go on a summer vacation.

However, with coronavirus hot spots emerging in popular vacation destinations like Texas, Florida, Arizona and the Carolinas – some families are worried about getting sick.

“There’s definitely some concern over these increase number of cases,” said Mollie Fitzgerald, co-owner of Frontiers International Travel.

Fitzgerald said some families have changed their plans to avoid flying and instead are opting to stay closer to home. International travel likely won’t be happening for a while.

“Their (foreign government’s) perception of our spike in cases and number of cases is very concerning abroad and I haven’t seen positive news that’s going to change anytime soon,” she said.

Some people who had to cancel a trip this summer are rescheduling for the same time next year. That means there’s little space at many top hotels, beach houses, villa rentals and small cruises.

“Now is the time to jump on that and plan a little further ahead than you normally would, especially for summer 2021 because there is very little space even now,” she said.

Here are 5 points about travel insurance/protection that Fitzgerald believes travelers should think about:

1. Travel insurance is something we recommend for every traveler. It covers unforeseen medical events (for you, an immediate family member, or a travel companion) that may preclude you from taking the trip. Many policies will cover medical events that occur while you’re traveling and include evacuation assistance. Generally, policies will reimburse you for the non-refundable costs associated with cancellation for a covered reason.
2. It is important to note that, regardless of the insurance carrier, “epidemic” & “pandemic” events are excluded from covered reasons, as is “fear of travel” due to these circumstances.
3. There IS, however, a type of travel insurance called a “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) policy that is available, but these policies are considerably more expensive, especially for older travelers. Most CFAR policies will only reimburse 75% of a trip’s non-refundable cost, so many travelers struggle to see the value proposition. There is also a cap to the total coverage amount which further limits its appeal.
4. The desire for flexibility is a key trend in travel right now. In response to COVID-19, many suppliers (hotels, tour operators, airlines, etc.) have implemented more flexible terms and conditions. This manifests as relaxation of deposit and/or final payment deadlines, more flexible cancel terms, waiving change penalties.
5. The best offense is always a good defense – we recommend that travelers ask to receive the most up to date policies in writing before committing financially.

Here’s how the coronavirus could affect your travel plans Here’s how the coronavirus could affect your travel plans

© 2020 Cox Media Group