There are tentative signs that more Americans are itching to get on the road or an airplane again. Hoping to reconnect with family or friends, or just enjoy a change of scenery, about 22% of respondents in a poll last month said they expect to travel for leisure this summer, and an additional 25% said they're considering traveling in the fall.
But with the resurgence of vacation bookings comes trepidation. A recent survey of traveler sentiment from the luxury travel company Indagare shows that people are feeling hopeful, yet anxious.
So what's the best way for travelers to protect themselves financially when booking a vacation, given concerns about a second wave of the virus, widespread economic uncertainty and, for some, money already lost on trips planned earlier this year?
First off, forget about most standard travel insurance policies if the anticipated reason for canceling is coronavirus-related. They typically don't cover pandemics. Even for the most common covered reason of unforeseen illness, injury or death, each policy will have different definitions of what illness or injury is, who has to be sick to qualify and what kind of documentation is required.
Just one out of about two dozen insurance providers listed on aggregator Squaremouth offered coverage related to alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That may change, with more insurers eventually offering coverage for some of the impacts of future pandemics tied to CDC warnings or alerts, according to Squaremouth's Kasara Barto. Still, it's a long way off for those booking now or in the near future.
Also, skip the travel protection that pops up when buying airline tickets. It's generally even less comprehensive than standard travel insurance policies, while also being pricier.
That said, one type of add-on to a standard comprehensive travel insurance policy, called “cancel for any reason,” may give some travelers some peace of mind. This is especially the case for those who are planning expensive, once-in-a-lifetime trips, or who are finding they can't negotiate some degree of flexibility when booking a flight, hotel or rental home. As with any insurance, it's important to understand the fine print and exclusions.
Cancel-for-any-reason insurance is expensive: People will pay 12% to 14% of the cost of the trip, compared with about 8% to 9% for a standard travel policy (with factors such as age, length and cost of the trip taken into account). And providers of cancel-for-any-reason policies will usually only cover up to about 70% of the trip cost. Travelers often have to buy the policy within a certain period of time of an initial trip payment, and cancel the trip at least 48 hours before departure.
Also beware that cancel-for-any-reason policies have become hard to find, as many providers have stopped offering the additional coverage. Check websites such as Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip to compare and contrast the coverage.
One other point: Cancel for any reason isn't actually for any reason, apparently. Several travel advisors said they've heard that if clients tell the insurer they're canceling because of the coronavirus, they won't be covered, but if they say it's for personal reasons, they will be.