FORT WORTH, Texas — If you’re planning to travel this spring, there a few things you can do to protect your health and your wallet, with more and more coronavirus cases reported in Europe, the Middle East and right here at home.
The outbreak isn’t stopping Rebekah Nicewander of Dallas from taking a trip to Israel the first week of March.
“I’ve been so excited about it,” Nicewander said. “I have done my due diligence and researched coronavirus and all that stuff."
In addition to avoiding travel to China, the U.S. State Department is urging travelers like her to stay away from sick people, avoid animals and raw meat, wash hands often and use alcohol-based sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
The warnings come as airlines are grounding flights amid a growing number of coronavirus cases worldwide. The outbreak is estimated to cost airlines 30 billion dollars.
In an effort to not lose their investment travelers are turning to insurance.
Travel insurance website insuremytrip.com is reporting a 50% increase in calls and online traffic because of the coronavirus outbreak.
“We have not seen anything like this in quite a long time,” said Julie Loffredi, manager of media relations.
Policies labeled “cancel for any reason,” are the safest bet, Loffredi said.
“That’s designed to enable travelers to cancel for any reason,” Loffredi said. “That can include fear of coronavirus.”
A quick search shows coverage on a $2,000 trip runs between $130 and $200. Loffredi advises travelers who are interested to purchase them early for the best deal.
