jclinard

On 9/28/2022 at 4:02 PM, Babr said:

Any company will pay claims only for covered reasons. The challenge is to understand what those are. Start by reading the policy, then ask for clarification. The best practice is to work with a knowledgable broker/agent who deals with reputable companies.

 

You are probably right not to insure air fare. Airlines routinely issue vouchers, and the insurance company won’t pay once you have been compensated.

I've read several policies, and my conclusion is the only way they'll pay is if I die.  

I also only accept recommendations from people who know what color the insurance company writes their checks on.  Only a fool takes a recommendation based on how promptly the insurance company processes the payment.  

7 hours ago, textom said:

Last month we booked a trip with Viking Travel and insured our trip with their insurer TripMate/Generli's "Cancel for any Reason" policy ( GR425V). Don't buy this policy. We were unable to make the cruise because an air carrier cancelled the flight. Unbelievably this is not a "covered event" under this policy despite the fact that they have a "failure of common carrier" section in the policy. Their policy is so narrowly written as to exclude this ever increasing event. They have rejected our claim in whole.

People get on my case for telling people to only take insurance recommendations from people who know what color the checks are written on, rather than on how quickly they can deposit your premium.

I've stopped getting insurance for flights or cruises.  There is almost no way for me to collect, unless I die.  If that is the case, I don't need the money, nor would my heirs know there is a policy.

On 8/3/2022 at 7:42 AM, LGW59 said:

I have not used them but I just did obtain one of the policies deluxe (AIG/Travel Guard), for an upcoming cruise in October.  The overall cost for the deluxe plan, was 9% of the total cost of the cruise.  My TA highly recommends them and after doing a lot of on-line research they almost always have gotten very positive reviews.  Hopefully, I won't have to make a claim but I do feel I made the right choice based on what my TA has said as well as the research I have done.  Good luck

You might want to look at their cases with the Better Business Bureau.  

I recommend you only get recommendations from people who know what color they write their checks on.  

Be sure to get recommendations only from people who know what color the insurance companies write their checks on.

I doubt many people have issues getting the company to accept payment for the premiums.  

On 7/9/2022 at 4:40 PM, mpk said:

 

What's that old saying...  insurance companies are very eager when accepting your money.  On the paying out part, not so much.

Insurance companies are good at collecting premiums and denying claims.

People give me grief for stating you should only get insurance recommendations from people who know what color the company writes their checks one.  But I'll keep saying it.

People get mad at me for saying this, but my additional take-away is to only get insurance recommendations from people who know what color their checks are.

There is a reason why I only accept insurance recommendations from people who know what color the insurance company writes their checks on.

After a denial of insurance on a flight (where the company forced me to cancel the flight before I submitted a claim, just so I no longer had the option of waiting for a change in the flight schedule and reject the change, thus getting a refund that way), I carefully read the policy and realized there is no way I could collect on it.  My  heirs might be able to if I died, but they wouldn't know to file a claim.

I also requested copies of cruise insurance I had paid for, but the company ignored my first ten requests for a copy of the policy, and I decided if they didn't to after ten requests, they were unlikely to provide a copy on my 11th request.

The insurance agents / advocates here don't like me bringing that up, but they have yet to explain why I should only listen to people who know the color of the checks.  

1 hour ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

 

This IS the Cruise/Travel INSURANCE sub-forum.

And you are complaining here about an issue that "was not about insurance"?

I won't be responding to additional posts you make.

It's clear where the problem is at least in this particular case...

 

GC

Not at all.  There were two separate incidents, one with Expedia, and one with TravelGuard.

I won my fight with Expedia.  With TravelGuard, in order to apply for their insurance, I was forced to cancel my flights before they would process my claim.  They then denied my claim.  They had no intention of paying my  claim, but they also forced me to cancel my flights.  

Holding the tickets would have given me options.  In the best case, they would have changed their flight times or connections by a sufficient amount to where I could reject the change and obtain a refund (a route I've  taken before).  Worst case, I could have attempted to use the tickets from Las Vegas to Copenhagen.  I think I would have been denied boarding as Denmark wasn't accepting tourists due to COVID (this reason for canceling my tickets fell on deaf ears at TG, but their policy is to collect premiums and deny claims), but I could have shown up at the airport and made the attempt.  I had paid for the ticket, and it was business class, so it's not like I would be suffering in economy.  

As it stands, it was a lesson for me, which includes not buying insurance for flights in general, and not buying anything from TG in particular.  If you want to ignore the expensive lessons I learned, that's your business.  

On 6/18/2022 at 4:51 PM, klfrodo said:

Don't woryy GC. That poster that you're quoting is the one who tried to file a claim for a reason not covered but still throws shade at the insurance industry. Failed to take responsibility for his own actions.

You say "throw shade", I say "warn people to due proper research".

My Expedia issue was not about insurance.  It was about me canceling fully refundable tickets.  Instead of refunding, they gave me credits with a foreign airline.  They agreed it should have been refunded in cash, then didn't do anything about it.  In my case with the BBB, they agreed I should have been given a cash refund and said they would.   Then they didn't do it.  It was only my subsequent case where I changed tactics and stated they had engaged in bad faith that they decided to refund my fully refundable tickets in case.  

I've stopped buying insurance on flights as it's clear there is no circumstances where I can collect, unless I died.  In which case I won't need the money, and my heir's will not know to collect.

6 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

If we had a serious problem with an insurer (regular or travel), we'd skip the BBB (they have little power and in some cases do even less), and file a complaint with the State Insurance Commissioner's Office.  Insurance is regulated by the states...

 

GC

That's a good option.  I had a dispute with Expedia I took to the BBB.  They agreed I was in the right and promised a refund, which they then didn't issue.  I re-opened the case and filed a complaint against Expedia for bad faith.  They issued the refund.  They thought they could get away with shining me on about the refund because I'm a nobody, but I switched it so they'd have to explain to the BBB why they lied to them.  

3 hours ago, Yo Adrienne said:

Before our most recent cruise, we purchased full coverage (flight and cruise) travel insurance through Travelgard.  We've purchased travel insurance from them before, but this was the first time we've ever had to file a claim.  (Lucky us...!) 

 

There was a delay in our return to our final disembarkation port (due to weather), so we missed our flight home and needed to spend an additional night in a hotel, purchase meals, and rebook on another flight home (no change fee, but the price was higher--of course).  We paid out-of-pocket for all of these and kept all receipts.  Once we were home, we filed the claim for reimbursement for those extra items and included copies of all of the receipts.  I received confirmation and a case number...and a message saying that they usually respond within 10-15 business days.

 

It's now been about a month since I received the case number...and no word from them.  I called about a week ago and the woman I spoke to looked it up and said they had all of the information and everything had been received, but she had no update...and just said that they're running behind.  (I could tell I was speaking with someone working at a phonebank.)

 

Has anyone had any experience using Travelgard...and if so, would love to hear how it went, any details you can share, and suggestions of what to do next...?

 

Thanks so much, 

 

I stopped using TravelGuard after they denied my claim.  They're evil; they forced me to cancel my flights and get credits before they would process my claim.  After they denied it, I was stuck with the credits, instead of being able to wait for flight time changes and get a cash refund.  

I'd personally try filing a case with the Better Business Bureau.  

On 3/5/2022 at 10:28 AM, klfrodo said:

THAT stipulation is good information to have.

 

Funny to think about. It's not like the insurance company is going to reimburse you that money if the airline is giving an e-credit,,, But, IF they require all non refundable expenses to be covered for CFAR or waiver of pre-existing condition to be included, then we want max amount of payment.

Don't book with Expedia.  I bought refundable tickets and they ticketed me with non-refundable tickets to pocket the difference.  It took months and a LOT of effort to get a refund, and only because they lied to the BBB and I had the evidence to catch them in the lie.

I only buy medical.  After getting scammed by a travel insurance company, I decided to read the policies of the ones I had for a cruise I already paid for.  However, they ignored my e-mails asking for a copy of them (it got to be a game, where I'd send another e-mail, going from "Second Request" to "Tenth Request" before I decided they had no intention of sending me the policy I bought).

The most recent policy I did get clearly shows that there is no practical way to collect for trip costs unless you die, in which case you don't need the money.  I'm trying to find medical-only from a company where people have actually collected, but I'm not doing well on that search.

I've read through the policies and have come to the conclusion that there are no conditions other than death where you can collect.

My father told me about a cruise they had booked with my grandparents.  My grandfather developed a medical issue and couldn't travel.  The insurance company demanded 10 years of his medical records.  It was just the beginning.  The insurance company strategy is to keep demanding more and more information until they wear you out.  

I'm only interested in medical / evacuation, and even then I'm skeptical they will pay.

My bad experience at least has saved me a bunch of money in insurance on flights and tickets (after reading the policies, death is the only way to collect, and then I won't need the money).  I even did a test with my last cruise (I had bought the insurance before the bad experience) where I tried to ask the company for a copy of the policy I bought.  Ten times.  They ignored me.

That's why I'm only willing to take travel insurance recommendations from people who have collected on policies.  

2 hours ago, klfrodo said:

YOU tried to collect on a claim that was clearly spelled out in the Terms and Conditions for something that wasn't covered.

Same with me. The Terms and Conditions clearly spelled out that I was to call and notify them prior to any medical treatment. I did not do that. Therefore my claim was denied. I appealed and was denied. My State Insurance Commissioner wrote them and was denied. My State Insurance Commissioner agreed with the insurance company that I failed to follow procedures as spelled out in the policy.

Now, I also understand that when your wife is hurt, laying on the ground and bleeding profusely from the head that it is a bit difficult to stand there and remember to read your insurance policy to see what the next step should be,,,,,, but,,,, thems the rules.

Accept responsibility for your own failure to comply.

I was able to recover about 75% of my out of pocket expense thru another source. Why did I only recover 75% of my out of pocket expenses? Because I failed to fully comply with their Terms and Conditions also.

Everything in life has Terms and Conditions one must adhere to so one may receive 100% satisfaction.

As I travel alone, I’m going to take that as a warning I can’t expect a stranger to follow the insurance guidelines.  Given a low probability of collecting under those circumstances, I may drop insurance completely.

And with your post, you've proven exactly why people should be getting travel insurance recommendations from people who have collected (or at least tried to) collect on the policy.  I tried to collect and I was denied.  You tried  to collect and were denied.  The only useful recommendations are from people who tried to collect and actually received the benefit.  

With AIG I appealed, was denied, pointed out I could not legally fly to Copenhagen and was denied, and finally got a refund from Air Canada.  I read their travel insurance policy and decided there was no circumstances upon which they would actually pay a claim.  That's why I'm not buying travel insurance for flights anymore.  The only condition I could meet would be if I died, and then the money won't mean anything.  I doubt my heirs would even be informed they could collect on the policy.  

For my February trip I bought refundable tickets instead of insurance.  Travel Guard may have scammed me once, but they won't get a penny from me ever again.  It may have cost me an extra $500 or so, but at least if that trip is canceled I can get a refund.  

1 hour ago, klfrodo said:

I would imagine that this is your post and the one you are referencing.

There were many experienced and professional people on that thread who explained what went right and what went wrong.

They politely explained that AIG wasn't going to pay out since you received a voucher.

A few also explained what potential options you had to challenge the AIG ruling.

I'm not sure if you followed up or not.

What I do know is that you adamantly felt and still feel you were right and that everyone else is wrong. Even though it has been clearly explained.

 

I recently had a medical need in Mexico. My claim was denied also. Why? Because I failed to consult with the insurance company BEFORE we went to the ER. Was that denial fair? Not in my opinion. However, the policy clearly stated that I needed to seek their permission prior to any covered service. I sought opinions from various sources and they agreed that the insurance company was in the right.

So, do I keep whining and crying because it wasn't fair like I'm a 1st grader? Or do I just take it and learn from it?

Myself? I learned from it and share my experience hoping I can help others from preventing the same mistake.

2 hours ago, klfrodo said:

They don't pay out for claims that were not covered. That also covers 99% of the bad reviews on BBB.

 

 

They didn't pay my claim.

As I said, it would be far more useful to get recommendations for insurance companies that paid their claims instead the ones that just sold policies.  Buying a policy is easy.  Collecting on it is hard.

It might be useful to gather responses from people who have actually collected on policies instead of just bought them.  It's easy to buy insurance, but you can learn the hard way the insurance company has no intention of paying like I did.  Do not use AIG Travel Guard.  They won't pay.  Look them up on BBB to see the horror stories.  

15 hours ago, Babr said:

If you are convinced that travel insurance will not pay your claim, don’t buy it. You can rely on your primary medical coverage and whatever travel benefits your credit card offers. That may not work any better for you, but at least it won’t cost you any more than you are already paying for premiums and annual fees.

As you can see on this link, insurance paid only $72.51 on a claim over $680.  If they are only paying pennies on the dollar, it almost seems foolish to buy travel medical insurance.

11 hours ago, klfrodo said:

And what do you think about the possibility is

1. Since they are "Complaints" on the BBB site (BTW, I've never read or rarely read kudo's on the BBB website)

2. That the possibility exists that the author of the complaint did not truly understand the terms and conditions of the policy that they purchased.

 

Such as this thread here 😉

Travel Insurance Refuses to Pay - Cruise/Travel Insurance - Cruise Critic Community

1) by a landslide.  The complaints are clear that by having a trip cost that exceeded the policy limit they were not covered, not even up to the limit of the policy.  

5 hours ago, Babr said:

 

Only if you are trying to get the pre-existing condition waiver. Otherwise, if you miscalculate they will  pay up the limit you insured, no more.

 

The amount is based on non-refundable, pre-paid expenses.

Reports I've read from the BBB denial of claims state differently.  

Don't they refuse to pay if you aren't insured for the entire amount of your trip?

14 hours ago, 6rugrats said:

I have received a payout for travel insurance claims for Travelguard, Nationwide, Travelsafe, IMG and from my credit card company (Chase).  I have received much more back than I ever paid in premiums.

I'm amazed that you have so many claims.  The only time I would ever have had a claim (other than the one that was denied) was on a trip I did not pay for (family thing), where Olympic Air was so far delayed going out of Athens our connection in New York was missed.  That resulted in an overnight stay in New York, and the moron customer service agent booked us to Dallas the next day.  I say Dallas, because the agent just wanted to kick the problem to somebody else, as there was zero seats available from Dallas to Las Vegas.  The airline picked up the cost of the hotel rooms (and a few meal vouchers), so I'm fairly certain the travel insurance company would have refused to pay on the basis that the airline covered our costs.

As it stands and with the investigations I've done, I see zero reason to insure my flights.  Provisions for payment is so limited I can't see a situation where I could ever collect, unless I died, in which case my heirs wouldn't even know about the insurance and won't collect, and, besides, I wouldn't have any need for the cash anymore.  The only insurance I would consider going forward is foreign country medical, and I'm having a hard time researching that.