Latest posts for the topic "check the small print on your travel insurance"

check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:35:09 GMT

We have just had to cancel our holiday due to a family bereavement. We thought we were covered for this reading our policy but they have rejected our claim because of a previous hospital stay several months before. What it essentially means is that if you have to cancel or come home early becasue of ilness/death of someone and thst person has had a hospital stay up to 12 months prior you are not covered, even ,as our policy states thereis no need to contact them regarding this. The policy has to be read several times in full and is easily open to misinterpretation. I am just thankful that we had not got to the airport and boarded our plane as we would not have been covered and had to cover our expenses to travel back home.This is the second year in a row this has happened to one of our party so lightening does strike twice. I would hate this to happen to anyone else and urge you to check the small print of your policy, no one knows what is around the corner and you may not be covered for something youassume you are.

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:12:10 GMT

I've had some long winded discussion on here regarding travel insurance. For the very season's you've stated here, I rarely bother.

When you read contracts in full, you'll be gobsmacked for how little you are actually covered!!

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:03:21 GMT

... and is it me, or have insurance policies rocketed this year!!

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:58:22 GMT

bloody small print.

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:07:14 GMT

SnowLily, if you believe that the ts & cs were genuinely confusing, or easily open to misinterpretation, then say that to the insurance company ~ but be really precise, do not add any bits and pieces.
Ask that they reconsider, and state that you believe that you have grounds for complaint with the financial ombudsman. (Of course, you will have to wait for their response prior to approaching the FO. You also will need a copy of their reply).
I had a discussion this year, when investingating my annual travel needs. admitedly they were, in some ways complex, but several companies could meet the needs.
In the course of the process, I phoned several companies, and asked detailed queries.
As a result, one company has changed and clarified it's Ts & cs.

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:20:22 GMT

Thanks Dave, Complaint has already been raised- we have to wait 40 days for them to respond before contacting FO. What makes us more cross is the letter from them advising us "We understand you may be disappointed.........." er no!We are Bereaved! OH has spoken at great lengths to the complaints dept about how they need to ditch their standard template.
Anyhow hope you had a great birthday and having a great time over there!

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 09:19:10 GMT

Goodluck Snowlily, and sorry to hear about your bereavement. I'm reading the suggestions from Dave Mac with interest, as I too will be making a claim from my insurance co following an accident last month which meant I had to cancel an already-booked trip for this month.

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:30:50 GMT

I hope all goes well for you SnowLily but just a general word of caution about T's&C's and claims being knocked back.

As a fairly experienced chap in the insurance world, although not necessary with travel insurance, it is fair to say the way insurance is handled has changed over the years. More often that not with domestic insurance inc travel etc, you will only deal with a telesales or non-insurance experienced person, i.e. not the underwriter or the decision maker.

So my advice, if you think you have been wronged, is not to take no for an answer and follow their complaints procedure. Good luck.

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:40:12 GMT

Snowlily. Very sound advice from Dave and Catford. You need to be persistent and very clear with these people. I get the impression that the first response will nearly always be a fob off (and sometimes the second response as well). However, if you persist and they sense that you know what you are doing and can present your case well, they will not want it going off to the Ombudsman. Good luck with your claim.

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:31:12 GMT

well the latest on this is a rejection letter from the complaints team. Not sure they can have investigated this as they have stated as they have not asked for many details.ANd the only attempt to contact us was on the day of the funeral. Ombudsman here we come. Wish us luck!
Will be searching for a travel policy that is actually worth having and will cover us for cancellation due to death of a relative. if we had actually been heartless and gone on the flight and flown straight back we believe from discussion with the them would have been covered not only for the cancelled holiday but costs to get us back.Last year one of our party did not go as a close relative died 2 days before departure ironically the same date and time as my mother in law. What are the odds on that??

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:08:43 GMT

Snowlily, I believe you have some powerful personal points that might strike home, if directed at the right target.

Were I to be the managing director of the insurance company, and I received a response from you stating ~ "We were not disappointed, we were bereaved", and that a second response was received on the day of the funeral, I might be cutting through everything here.

If this is like the banking ombudsman, there will be a pretty stiff fee for the company to pay, win or lose. Also, any bad publicilty may cost them 10 times any payout.
Suggestion. Write a response.
a) As you have previously stated, you now confirm this case is going forwards to the Ombudsman
b) You are currently framing a letter to the managing director, (name him), about the clear insensitivities of the case.
c) Because you feel strongly about the poor wording of the Ts & Cs, you are now active in "framing a case to present to the media", warning them about the company. (Do a bit of homework, and find out the best media, a TV travelshow, a TV consumer program, a couple of major weekend newspapers, inc Tony Heatherington, Mail on Sunday) Name the media that you will be contacting.

Finalise by re-stating your outrage at their insensitivity.

It may be that I should have PMd you with this, but I have had to deal with rough justice from an insurance company, and I suspect many others will have too.

Re:check the small print on your travel insurance

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:53:57 GMT

I am sorry to read of your bereavement and that you are having such a time of it right now. :(
My point is that it's worth checking the xs on insurance policies. I broke my wrist skiing at Christmas and will be making a claim but with an xs of GBP100 on most parts of the policy I will not get back what I thought I would ! An example is that my wedding ring had to be cut off and the cost to repair is GBP90 therefore I will get nothing for that. I also didn't realise its an xs for each and every part of the claim not the total amount. No I have not had to claim before on a policy and hence the ignorance!!!!
So there you go- read the policy, check the details and remember none of us think we will ever claim but accidents do happen and then you can be significantly out of pocket.
Good luck with your claim.