Avoid Viking Trip Mate Insurance

[flcruiserces]

We took a Viking Alaska Cruise in June.  The trip was insured via Trip Mate sold by Viking.  Our flight was impacted by the United Airlines meltdown.  We were two days late getting to Vancouver and missed all of our two day pre-cruise extension.  After filing a claim with Trip Mate we learned that Trip Mate ONLY pays for trip interruption for three reasons: 1.  Weather.  2.  Mechanical plane problem  3.  Unannounced Strike.  
ALL other reasons for a trip interruption are “not covered”.  While the United problems started with weather in the North East, our flight (along with thousands more) from Denver to Vancouver was canceled because there was not a flight crew available.  No flight crew is not covered by Trip Mate trip interruption so Trip Mate denied payment.

if you look at Trip Mate reviews anywhere online, you would never use Trip Mate in the future.

[klfrodo]

A few questions but first of all a comment. If you look at reviews for any Travel Insurance company, you would never buy travel insurance. Why? Cause people are pissed when their claims are denied for something that wasn't even a covered event.

 

Now to the questions.

1. What were the covered travel dates? Are you 100% sure that the pre-cruise dates were even covered. I ask because many policies bought from the cruise lines direct only are effective for the dates of the cruise.

 

2. Are you 100% positive that "Trip Interruption" was the correct claim to file? I'm thinking that if you filed under "Trip Delay", that might be a more appropriate claim. See definitions and/or explanation of the difference here. Get the Best Trip Insurance Details, Advice (tripinsurancestore.com)

 

3. If you are pretty/kinda sure that your claim should be covered, you can always file a complaint with your State Insurance Commission whose job it is to protect citizens of each State from getting hosed over by insurance companies. The web site for Tennessee would be here File a Complaint (tn.gov)

[jclinard]

I've stated before that the only surefire way I can see to collect on travel insurance is to die, at which point you won't need the money.

 

After I got stung, I made it a point to read the policies and look at reviews.  I sometimes try to warn people that insurance won't pay (under situations similar to my denial).  The trouble is, people want to believe they are covered, so they ignore me.  I figure I'll let them learn the hard way.