Travel insurance and the coronavirus outbreak.

Will travel insurance protect you during the coronavirus outbreak?

David Klement wants to know if his travel insurance will protect him during the coronavirus outbreak. Specifically, could it get him a full $15,506 refund for his Grand Circle Travel tour of India?

The question — “Will travel insurance protect me during the coronavirus outbreak?” — is driving travelers a little crazy during the pandemic. After all, they bought travel insurance believing it would fully protect them. And by “fully protect,” they mean being made whole if something catastrophic happened.

And then something catastrophic happened.

How long does a coronavirus refund take?

How long should I wait for my coronavirus refund?

Hang on! That’s what I told Laureen McCluen when she contacted me about her Airbnb reservation in Washington, D.C. She wanted to know how long to wait for her coronavirus refund.

McCluen plunked down $8,457 for her rental. She looked forward to a week in the nation’s capital, enjoying the museums and monuments and the cherry blossoms. And then coronavirus hit. You know the rest.

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How to score a free airline upgrade

Here’s how to score a free airline upgrade

Be honest – you stopped playing the airline upgrade game a long time ago.

And for good reason. Airlines demanded way too much in exchange for a slightly more comfortable seat: unquestioning brand loyalty, an encyclopedic knowledge of their arcane and constantly changing loyalty program rules, or a briefcase full of cash.

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Vacation rental disaster -- leaky roof and termites!

How to handle a vacation rental disaster

To say that Alan Muskat’s accommodations in Costa Rica were a vacation rental disaster would be an understatement.

“It was horrid,” Muskat says. Mosquitoes buzzed through gaping holes in the screens. Termites infested the kitchen. The roof leaked.

“Worst of all, it had fleas,” he remembers.

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