Storm warnings: Preparedness is the key in hurricane season

06-25-2006

 

Will it be Gordon, Isaac, Nadine or Patty? Which storm will put the damper on your summer vacation?

	Weather report After last season's ravages, broadcast media have expanded their coverage of impending storms, but here are other online resources to help you keep track of the weather situation: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- www.nhc.noaa.gov. Atlantic Tropical Weather Center -- www.atwc.org. Weather Underground -- www.wunderground.com. AccuWeather -- hurricane.accuweather.com. Travel insurance The Web sites www.InsureMyTrip.com and www.quotetravelinsurance.com let you compare quotes and coverage on more than 100 policies provided by 16 insurers. Name game Assigned names for 2006 storms: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie and William.

Two weeks ago, tropical storm Alberto drenched Florida and North Carolina, ushering in the 2006 hurricane season. People have been dealing with big storms forever, but last year's record-setting season commanded everyone's attention. There were 28 named storms, including 15 hurricanes, several of which caused catastrophic damage, most notably Emily and Wilma in Mexico's Yucatan, and Katrina and Rita along the Gulf Coast.

The good news, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is that this summer should be somewhat less active, with a predicted 13 to 16 named storms. The bad news: It expects that eight to 10 of those will become hurricanes, with up to six attaining Category 3 or higher.

Where these storms strike land and what damage they inflict is anyone's guess, making planning to avoid them something of a crapshoot. From June 1 to Nov. 30, no coastal location on the Atlantic seaboard from Maine to the tip of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico or any Caribbean island is immune to the threat of a hurricane. Inland locations may be less likely to suffer as much wind damage, but hurricane-spawned flooding can wash out vacations hundreds of miles from the coast.

You've probably already made plans for this summer's vacation. And even if you'll be heading to a storm-prone area, chances are you'll have no weather-related problems other than sunburn. Still, it pays to be prepared to deal with whichever way the wind blows. With that in mind, here are stormy issues to consider.

Selecting a destination

In the Caribbean, the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) off the southern tip of the Lesser Antilles; Trinidad and Tobago; and Margarita Island, off the coast of Venezuela, have only a 2 percent chance of encountering a serious storm. On the other hand, it makes sense to avoid Grand Bahama in Bermuda and the Virgin Islands in September, statistically the busiest time for hurricanes in those regions.

Or pick destinations for times they're less likely to be hit.

This season, AccuWeather chief forecaster Joe Bastardi is predicting that "early in the season, the Texas Gulf Coast faces the highest likelihood of a hurricane strike. As early as July and through much of the rest of the season, the highest level of risk shifts to the Carolinas."

Then the likely setting will shift. From mid-August into early October, he continues, "the window is open for hurricane strikes to spread northward to the more densely populated Northeast coast. At the very end of the season, southern Florida also faces significant hurricane risk."

Buy some protection

Travel suppliers generally have contingency plans to provide customers with some protection, both during storms and their aftermath. But taking advantage of these protections can be a challenge.

Start by checking in with accommodation providers as to whether they have a storm policy. For example, will they let guests stay there during a hurricane? Many hotels won't, forcing travelers to rely on the local government for emergency shelter.

Some resorts in hurricane-prone places offer financial guarantees. Resort chains such as Sandals and Superclubs let guests who have their vacations interrupted by a hurricane rebook (for up to a year) an equivalent stay at any of their properties. There are, however, plenty of fine-print stipulations: They won't provide refunds, and guarantees generally do not cover air fare.

Air travel is another issue. When facing an impending hurricane, airlines generally implement storm policies that permit passengers to cancel flights without penalty and rebook within a given period of time, usually eight to 10 weeks.

Cruise lines generally reroute their itineraries to steer ships away from big storms, so your vacation will probably go on. But as some cruise passengers discovered last year, these changes can still play havoc with their arrival and departure plans, not to mention the on-board experience.

Most cruise lines and tour operators now offer supplemental insurance policies to travelers. But it's important to remember that these policies provide only coverage for particular aspects of the trip, and they come with lots of fine print that is subject to various interpretations that may further limit compensation.

That's what Eileen Pistelli of Pleasant Hills discovered when she took a weeklong Apple Tours vacation last July in the Yucatan with her husband; daughter, 20; and son, 17. After two days at their all-inclusive hotel near Tulum, they were warned of the approaching Hurricane Emily. Advised by Apple representatives that there would be no flights out of the Cancun airport, they were evacuated from their bungalow to one of the resort's conference rooms.

According to Mrs. Pistelli, most of the resort staff had been sent home before the storm struck, leaving remaining guests largely to fend for themselves. Emily's eye passed right over the resort. Buildings lost roofs, the electricity went off, and there was no cell phone or Internet access. After enduring the 14 hours of the storm, the Pistellis were given no option other than to spend the remaining days and nights of their trip at the damaged hotel, under conditions that could hardly be described as the vacation they paid for.

Since they had previously purchased the TripMate insurance coverage offered by Apple (for $69.99 per person), when the Pistellis got home, they applied for compensation for their ruined vacation. The insurer's ruling: technically their vacation had not been interrupted, and the hotel had done everything possible to accommodate them under the circumstances. Despite appeals, the family received no compensation.

Frustrated by the experience, Mrs. Pistelli said, "We may never travel with Apple again, but if we do, at least we'll be very sure what their insurance policy covers."

According to Timothy Mullen, senior vice president of Apple, the company learned a lot from the Emily experience. "We actually won a humanitarian award from Pennsylvania for our response when Wilma struck in October. We got special permission to fly 14 planes into Cancun to ferry out our clients." And for 2006, Apple has introduced a "Weather Guarantee" to its "AV-OK" insurance coverage. It offers a free replacement vacation for clients whose trips are interrupted for 24 hours or more because of a Category One storm or higher, which includes both accommodations and air travel.

But there are limitations, and the coverage applies only to hotel stays between Aug. 15 and Oct. 31. "It's actually a great time to visit the Yucatan," Mr. Mullen said. "There's less humidity and some great bargains."

Concerned travelers also can buy general trip interruption insurance issued by a third party, through their travel agent, traditional insurance provider or an online broker. These policies provide compensation if your vacation is interrupted or canceled for a variety of causes, including named storms. Some policies cover extra expenses incurred by vacationers forced to find other shelter or evacuate in the face of a storm. A few compensate travelers for deposits lost if they decide to cancel their trip in advance because of weather-related concerns.

According to Dan McGinnity, spokesperson for Travel Guard International, an underwriter of travel insurance, "It's wise to buy interruption and cancellation coverage whenever you put down substantial deposits for a trip." Unlike policies from travel suppliers, he said, "third-party coverage provides protection door to door, ship and shore. And once the policy has been issued, there are no blackout dates, say within 72 hours of departure, as is common with many supplier-issued policies."

The premium for this trip interruption insurance is determined by the cost and duration of the trip, the age of the traveler, as well as specific problems covered. Mr. McGinnity says whatever happens has to be both documentable and has to impact your destination or arrangements. You can't cancel a trip just because you decide you don't want to go." Advance planning is also essential. "Once a hurricane is forecast for your destination, you won't be able to buy coverage for the effects of that particular storm."

What to do when there

Anyone who has experienced a major storm knows that nothing operates normally when the wind begins to blow.

If you find yourself on vacation and staring down the barrel of an approaching hurricane, the steps to take depend a lot on where you are and how you got there.

Whether you arrived on a commercial flight or drove the family car, it's important to follow weather forecasts and pay attention to local authorities. Don't wait until the evacuation order is given to hatch your escape plan.

Have extra cash, in case ATMs and credit cards can't be used. Take a cell phone and battery charger (one that will work at your destination if you're outside the United States). Use them to call ahead to book lodging in a location out of the storm's projected path. After the storm blows by, you may be able to resume your vacation.

If you have a car, make sure the gas tank is filled and stash an emergency kit in the trunk -- items such as food, a flashlight, drinking water, blankets, extra clothing, first-aid kit, prescription drugs and toiletries.

If you have flown to your destination and find yourself facing a hurricane evacuation, try to get to the airport ahead of the crowd. Take your cell phone, as well as phone numbers for your travel agent, tour operator or airline.

Another point: Although major online travel agencies such as Expedia and Travelocity promise hassle-free hurricane assistance, many experts recommend booking through a regular travel agent. That won't protect you from a storm but may make it easier to get help during the crisis.

Finally, be aware that in the wake of last season's onslaughts, many auto rental companies have quietly changed their insurance coverage to make renters more responsible for damage to vehicles due to "acts of nature or God," such as earthquakes and storms.

As if you didn't have enough to worry about.

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