Travel Insurance Refuses to Pay

[jclinard]

I have yet to find somebody who has collected on a TI claim.  

 

I've completely read the policy and have spent many evenings reading complaints filed against them from the BBB.  What I've found in no circumstance in which they will pay.  Trip interrupted due to missed connection?  Take it up with the airline.  Airlines cancels flight?  You have to be happy with their credits.  Luggage lost?  Again, the airline.  Book travel a year in advance of COVID-19 and then the trip is canceled due to it?  They won't pay.  Tell you to take it up with the flights / hotel / car rental / cruise, etc to get refunds, and deny refunding the insurance because it's over the 15 days.

 

 I just read story after story like that.  I'm now enough of an informed consumer to know they won't pay.  

[Babr]

19 minutes ago, jclinard said:

I have yet to find somebody who has collected on a TI claim.  

 

I've completely read the policy and have spent many evenings reading complaints filed against them from the BBB.  What I've found in no circumstance in which they will pay.  Trip interrupted due to missed connection?  Take it up with the airline.  Airlines cancels flight?  You have to be happy with their credits.  Luggage lost?  Again, the airline.  Book travel a year in advance of COVID-19 and then the trip is canceled due to it?  They won't pay.  Tell you to take it up with the flights / hotel / car rental / cruise, etc to get refunds, and deny refunding the insurance because it's over the 15 days.

 

 I just read story after story like that.  I'm now enough of an informed consumer to know they won't pay.  

I can’t speak to all your examples because I don’t have enough information. I do wonder about the Covid cancellation. If the cruise line cancelled the trip, they compensated the passenger with cash or credit so there was no claim for insurance. If the passenger cancelled, he still had to cancel for a covered reason as specified in the policy. Fear of Covid was never a reason. Once again, not enough information to comment.

 

Reading only the complaints about insurance does not make you fully informed. It just reinforces your point of view. 

[jclinard]

19 minutes ago, Babr said:

I can’t speak to all your examples because I don’t have enough information. I do wonder about the Covid cancellation. If the cruise line cancelled the trip, they compensated the passenger with cash or credit so there was no claim for insurance. If the passenger cancelled, he still had to cancel for a covered reason as specified in the policy. Fear of Covid was never a reason. Once again, not enough information to comment.

 

Reading only the complaints about insurance does not make you fully informed. It just reinforces your point of view. 

I have to go with the only view my experience has given me.

 

Break my trust, I never forgive or forget.

[klfrodo]

1 hour ago, jclinard said:

I have yet to find somebody who has collected on a TI claim.  

 

 

You obviously haven't read this board because there are many examples of travel insurance paying off. Especially for those individuals who properly followed directions, properly submitted the evidence. About the only people upset are those who file a claim that was for something that wasn't valid. Oh, they thought it was valid, but, when reading the actual terms and conditions,,,, they were wrong.

Your claim and your expectations were not valid.

 

Heck, you can even read about my claim for a medical bill for $3600 being denied.

Yes, I think it should be covered, but I (me, myself, and I) possibly didn't follow proper procedure. That's on me. I'm an adult. I will accept that (if it turns out to be the final answer), learn from it, and take responsibility.

[Babr]

5 minutes ago, jclinard said:

I have to go with the only view my experience has given me.

 

Break my trust, I never forgive or forget.

I understand that, but I’d hate for you to reject travel protection out of hand. There are also stories of people who had last minute accidents or illnesses that caused them to cancel, and they had to eat the cost of the cruise. There are others who were stranded in foreign countries with hospital bills they could not pay. 
 

Now that you’ve read all those complaints, you know the questions to ask. Before you buy, talk to an expert. There is a professional who posts here from time to time. Ask specific questions. Make a list of your concerns. Does the policy cover this?  What happens if? Knowing what is covered and under what circumstances goes a long way to managing your expectations.

Consider it, especially if you have an expensive trip to a distant land.

 

[Philob]

On 5/12/2021 at 3:50 PM, jclinard said:

I finally got a response back from Allianz in response to my request for a copy of their policy.

 

"Thank you for contacting Allianz Global Assistance. We apologize for any inconvenience you might be experiencing; it is my pleasure to assist you today.
 
We received your inquiry regarding our service and coverage, but unfortunately, we were unable to locate your policy based on the information you provided. Additional information that may help us locate it includes: "

 

Followed by a list of things (policy number, etc.)

 

Apparently I have to buy their insurance before I'm allowed to read the policy.

 

Not happening. 

Allianz or AIG?  Your initial posts said AIG, now it's Allianz? 

 

Those are two different insurance companies.

[jclinard]

2 hours ago, Philob said:

Allianz or AIG?  Your initial posts said AIG, now it's Allianz? 

 

Those are two different insurance companies.

AIG was the company I used via Travel Guard.  Allianz was one of many companies I wrote to asking for copies of their policies so I could read them before I bought one.  Sorry for the confusion.  As I noted Allianz was unwilling to provide a copy.

[jclinard]

I can eat the cost of a cruise or airline tickets without issue.  
 

 I will never again eat the cost of insurance that has no intention of paying.  I have read the policy and the stories of people who tried to collect.  
 

Thinking you are insured is worse than not having insurance.

 

The only thing I will consider is medical, but I have a suspicion they won’t pay, saying I need to go through my own health insurance.

[Babr]

46 minutes ago, jclinard said:

I can eat the cost of a cruise or airline tickets without issue.  
 

 I will never again eat the cost of insurance that has no intention of paying.  I have read the policy and the stories of people who tried to collect.  
 

Thinking you are insured is worse than not having insurance.

 

The only thing I will consider is medical, but I have a suspicion they won’t pay, saying I need to go through my own health insurance.

Well, if you buy secondary coverage - yes, you will have to file with your regular insurance first. It will probably pay out-of-network rates if you are not in the US, which may be 80% depending on your policy. You’ll also pay any applicable deductibles. Your travel policy will reimburse those costs once you file with them. Or you could buy a policy that provides primary coverage.

 

My whole point in all of this is that you need to understand what you are buying. You don’t seem open to the idea. So be it.

 

 

 

[jclinard]

3 minutes ago, Babr said:

Well, if you buy secondary coverage - yes, you will have to file with your regular insurance first. It will probably pay out-of-network rates if you are not in the US, which may be 80% depending on your policy. You’ll also pay any applicable deductibles. Your travel policy will reimburse those costs once you file with them. Or you could buy a policy that provides primary coverage.

 

My whole point in all of this is that you need to understand what you are buying. You don’t seem open to the idea. So be it.

 

 

 

I did note I tried to get policies before buying it to no avail.  It never gets better than the marketing department and they have not been willing to send policies to review.

[Babr]

9 hours ago, jclinard said:

I did note I tried to get policies before buying it to no avail.  It never gets better than the marketing department and they have not been willing to send policies to review.

And I did note you can access that information on line. Just follow the links.

For you, I’d recommend you call Steve at tripinsurancestore.com. You don’t seem able to help yourself.

And neither can I.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Babr

[Hlitner]

12 hours ago, jclinard said:

I can eat the cost of a cruise or airline tickets without issue.  
 

 I will never again eat the cost of insurance that has no intention of paying.  I have read the policy and the stories of people who tried to collect.  
 

Thinking you are insured is worse than not having insurance.

 

The only thing I will consider is medical, but I have a suspicion they won’t pay, saying I need to go through my own health insurance.

I think you need to reevaluate your suspicions and thinking.  When you purchase any insurance the devil is in the details.  If you (and this is entirely on you) decide to buy insurance that clearly states (and it will be in the policy language) that it is secondary then you will likely need to first deal with your own health insurance (even if they reject the claim).  If you buy a policy that is "primary" (which would also be stated in the policy language) then you would simply file your initial claim with that primary company.   The bottom line is that you need to read the language or work through a reputable insurance broker (who can read the language and explain it to you).  

 

There are reasons for these kind of rules.  Policies that are secondary payors are often able to be sold at a lower cost then a primary policy.  I have often sung the praises of GeoBlue who came through and quickly paid our medical claim for treatment in Asia.  Geoblue was primary and I was not even asked to submit anything to my normal health insurance (which was a Medicare Advantage plan).  If that Geoblue plan had been secondary I would have needed to first file a claim with my regular provider (Aetna), wait weeks until they rejected most/all of the claim, and then file all that information with Geoblue.  Either way I would have been reimbursed, but the extra effort and time dealing with two providers would not have increased the fun.

 

So my advice to you is that if you do not want to read through all the various policies (you can find this stuff online) just call a decent travel insurance broker (such as Steve Dasseos who often posts here) and he can easily explain the pros and cons of each insurance option and find you a primary policy if that is your wish.

 

Hank

[Philob]

18 hours ago, jclinard said:

AIG was the company I used via Travel Guard.  Allianz was one of many companies I wrote to asking for copies of their policies so I could read them before I bought one.  Sorry for the confusion.  As I noted Allianz was unwilling to provide a copy.

Thank you for the clarification.  FYI: You'll find insurance companies in general are unwilling to give copies to non-policyholders.

 

When I shopped for homeowner insurance I asked about a specific coverage and the agent took out the "book" and showed me the section of the policy I was asking about. I asked if I could take it home to read and she said it was the only copy she had and it was from her own policy. The company won't give the agent "sample" copies. 

 

When shopping for insurance for clients I get "sample" copies of endorsements, but never a full copy until after they cash the check.

 

A retired underwriter told me that the version you read may not be version you get. Or what you read is amended by endorsements that you didn't get or read. The only one that matters is the one they delivered. 

 

Which is why it is important to have a good agent at the beginning of the process. At the middle to answer your questions. And be able to guide you through a claim.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Philob

[jclinard]

1 hour ago, Philob said:

Thank you for the clarification.  FYI: You'll find insurance companies in general are unwilling to give copies to non-policyholders.

 

When I shopped for homeowner insurance I asked about a specific coverage and the agent took out the "book" and showed me the section of the policy I was asking about. I asked if I could take it home to read and she said it was the only copy she had and it was from her own policy. The company won't give the agent "sample" copies. 

 

When shopping for insurance for clients I get "sample" copies of endorsements, but never a full copy until after they cash the check.

 

A retired underwriter told me that the version you read may not be version you get. Or what you read is amended by endorsements that you didn't get or read. The only one that matters is the one they delivered. 

 

Which is why it is important to have a good agent at the beginning of the process. At the middle to answer your questions. And be able to guide you through a claim.

 

Insurance is like a box of chocolates.  You don't know what you're going to get until you bite into it.

 

[Babr]

While it is true that insurance of any kind is complex, I do not accept the premise that you are stuck buying a pig in a poke. The information is there if you’ll make the effort to find it.

 

I think travel insurance companies do not send out policies before purchase because it is not necessary. The certificate of insurance is available for viewing online. Some policies may offer the option of paying an additional premium for CFR, upgrading level of medical, changing from secondary to primary, or some other coverage such as extreme sports that makes you policy unique, but the guts of the policy is readily available. Anybody can see the basics such as definition of terms, covered reasons for cancellation, exclusions, pre-existing conditions, or default coverage. In addition, there is an examination period after purchase in case the coverage is not exactly what you expected.  
 

With all that, it is still easy for the layman to miss an important detail. That is why it is important to consult a knowledgable broker. Not only can that person help you find the right policy, he can help you file a claim when trouble arises.

 

I don’t buy that the OP was scammed by an insurance company that refused to explain its policy. I think he had a bad experience for which he is partly responsible.

 

 

[jclinard]

2 hours ago, Babr said:

While it is true that insurance of any kind is complex, I do not accept the premise that you are stuck buying a pig in a poke. The information is there if you’ll make the effort to find it.

 

I think travel insurance companies do not send out policies before purchase because it is not necessary. The certificate of insurance is available for viewing online. Some policies may offer the option of paying an additional premium for CFR, upgrading level of medical, changing from secondary to primary, or some other coverage such as extreme sports that makes you policy unique, but the guts of the policy is readily available. Anybody can see the basics such as definition of terms, covered reasons for cancellation, exclusions, pre-existing conditions, or default coverage. In addition, there is an examination period after purchase in case the coverage is not exactly what you expected.  
 

With all that, it is still easy for the layman to miss an important detail. That is why it is important to consult a knowledgable broker. Not only can that person help you find the right policy, he can help you file a claim when trouble arises.

 

I don’t buy that the OP was scammed by an insurance company that refused to explain its policy. I think he had a bad experience for which he is partly responsible.

 

 

My attempts at being a better informed consumer by doing comparison shopping, reading policies in advance so I can see if it provides the coverage I want is being thwarted.  
 

Just for fun, I wrote to the insurance for my upcoming cruise and asked for a copy of the policy I bought (I booked and paid before this happened).  No response,

[fwdpost]

NCL just cancelled my cruise, but my agent said that the insurance is no refunded, only allowing me to transfer it to another cruise. Isn't that fraudulent, since I am 80 and may not be able to make another cruise in the next two years period offered?

[Babr]

27 minutes ago, fwdpost said:

NCL just cancelled my cruise, but my agent said that the insurance is no refunded, only allowing me to transfer it to another cruise. Isn't that fraudulent, since I am 80 and may not be able to make another cruise in the next two years period offered?

Not sure it was fraudulent since it did not involve deception. Perhaps you were not aware of what might happen if the cruise were cancelled because it had not happened to you before.

 

Was it cruise line insurance or third party?

[jclinard]

8 hours ago, fwdpost said:

NCL just cancelled my cruise, but my agent said that the insurance is no refunded, only allowing me to transfer it to another cruise. Isn't that fraudulent, since I am 80 and may not be able to make another cruise in the next two years period offered?

 

Travel Guard refused to pay and refused to transfer it.  $143.00 wasted.

[rbslos18]

On 5/19/2021 at 8:14 PM, jclinard said:

My attempts at being a better informed consumer by doing comparison shopping, reading policies in advance so I can see if it provides the coverage I want is being thwarted.  
 

Just for fun, I wrote to the insurance for my upcoming cruise and asked for a copy of the policy I bought (I booked and paid before this happened).  No response,

I have taken 36 crises and have been insured for each one. I have received the policy  either via a link online or years ago via the mail without exception.

I suggest using a good agent who will make sure you get the proper policy and help if there is a claim.

[jclinard]

I'd like to change to a local one, but the online agency I use holds my FCC credits.

[wrk2cruise]

17 hours ago, jclinard said:

I'd like to change to a local one, but the online agency I use holds my FCC credits.

 

Which cruise line?  With Celebrity FCC's are in your name and have nothing to do with the travel agent.  I'd ask the TA for a copy of the FCC numbers for your records.  Then you should be free to use them with whatever agency you please.

 

If they don't provide I'd ask the cruise line to provide you with the numbers or at least explain to you their policies regarding TAs and FCC.

 

 

[jclinard]

3 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Which cruise line?  With Celebrity FCC's are in your name and have nothing to do with the travel agent.  I'd ask the TA for a copy of the FCC numbers for your records.  Then you should be free to use them with whatever agency you please.

 

If they don't provide I'd ask the cruise line to provide you with the numbers or at least explain to you their policies regarding TAs and FCC.

 

 

Royal Caribbean.  About six thousand dollars.  Seven if you include the credits for onboard services.

[wrk2cruise]

There is no reason the FCC can't be used with another agency.  RCL rules should be the same as Celebrity.   In fact Celebrity actually emailed it to me not my TA.   I believe TA kept their commission for the cancelled cruise anyway.

[QueenofEverything]

I always get trip insurance thru insuremytrip dot com.  The policy options come up and you can compare them side by side.  You can also click on a link and look at the entire policy before you buy it.  They also give you thousands of reviews on the policies and you can even separate them by who actually had to file claims.