BY TANYA ALBERT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Travelers headed to the Carolinas may want to pull out rental agreements to find out if they'll be financially awash if Hurricane Bonnie wipes out their vacation destination.
Since Hurricane Fran blew along the coast in 1996, hurricane insurance has become more popular for people planning vacations during peak hurricane season, said Chris Mackey, public relations director for the North Carolina Tourism Division.
And in some cases, properties automatically give a refund if a mandatory evacuation ruins the trip.
But it's not guaranteed.
"It varies from company to company," said Angela Daniels, vice president of public relations for the Outer Banks Tourist Bureau. "You need to ask that question when you book."
Often, when travelers make reservations, they are offered hurricane insurance immediately, Ms. Mackey said.
But if travelers, especially those traveling during peak hurricane season, aren't automatically offered insurance, they may want to ask about it, Ms. Daniels said.
For an extra charge -- sometimes as little as $20 to $25 -- vacationers can take out an insurance policy.
"For a very low cost, it gives you a peace of mind guarantee," Ms. Daniels said.
Tuesday, more than a half-million tourists and residents were told to leave the Carolina coast.
By Tuesday afternoon, traffic was bumper to bumper on roads headed inland from North Carolina's Outer Banks.
Hurricane-force winds of 115-mph could hit the coast by daybreak today.
At the Outer Banks Tourist Bureau, employees were busy Tuesday fielding questions about evacuations.
North Carolina Tourism Division employees were helping tourists find hotels inland.
"It's a wait-and-see situation," Ms. Daniels said.
Vacationers can get information on evacuations and road closures by calling the Outer Bank Tourist Bureau at (800) 446-6262 or the North Carolina Tourism Division at (800) VISIT-NC.
They can also visit these Web sites: http://www.visitnc.com or http://www.outer-banks.com
"But the best thing they can do is call the real estate agency to see what the conditions are," Ms. Mackey said.
Latest update on Hurricance Bonnie from Associated Press
