TRAVEL INSURANCE DOESN"T ALWAYS PAY OFF

[spongerob]

File a claim against the union. You were harmed in this instance. The employees who knowingly caused the disruption should be repsonsible. It's exactly the reasoning applied to filing against corporations. GO FOR IT! You will win.

[Brooklin North]

Credit card protest can be made after the bill is paid. I just did it today and got a $40. charge taken off that was put on 1-4 and paid end of Jan. I certainly would try it, also the cost of the insurance, since they didn't pay up.

 

I work for a Canadian Bank, in the Credit Card Fraud & Security Dpt. Here's what I know.

 

Visa International stipulates that disputes must be handled within a specific time period. It does not matter if you have paid your Visa account balance or not. September to January, is approximately 120 days. I would say to great of a time has passed.

 

Additionally, if the travel company and or the Insurance company and the cardholder have entered into an agreement your credit card carrier usually cannot intervene. The dispute is between the parties who entered into the agreement. Buyer beware !

 

But having said that, my heart goes out to you... I wish I could offer you better info... How awful !

[Copper_beeches]

Do you have one of those TV news agency "consumer watchdog" programs in your area? Maybe you can get them to help you?

 

In California I think it was "7 on your side", here it's "Help me Hank"... just a thought, they'd probably at least be able to tell you what legal recourse there is if any...

 

Good luck!

[Bargeo]

My heart just breaks for you!!!! I sure hope you can resolve the problem in your favor. Good luck!!!!!

[sailor05]

I know that some of the problems was due to employees calling in sick, but there was a big backlog of flights due to the winter storm that blanketed us here in the midwest. My mom also was delayed many hours on Christmas Eve, but we were told that it was a combination of weather/call-offs. So who's to say what actually was the cause of your delay?? Whatever suits them.

HMMM.....

 

Maybe someone from the airline could verify that it was weather related..just a thought.

 

Good luck

[bosteph]

I agree with other posters who believe that US Air has responibility here. Their "Terms of Transportation" stipulate that if the cancellation is not due to weather or Air Traffic then they will offer alternate travel including but not limited to ground transportation. Their website has an address and email for complaints. It must be done in writing (email counts).

 

That being said, they will most likely respond that the claim is denied due to weather or work stoppage (I'm betting on weather). Hopefully this information would assist in your claim appeal with the insurance company.

 

Good luck! :) It's unfortunate that companies can take your money, promise the sun and moon, deliver nothing and have no liability. The only thing they will take responsibility for is making the bank deposits.:rolleyes:

 

I'm glad that I'm driving...

[JSR]

I have filed for thousands of dollars for our bathroom cabinets when the company did not deliver and was reimbused in full. The payment was more then 120 days old and I had already paid Visa. You should defiantly try.

 

Also, Conde Nast Travel magazine (can not remember exact name) has an ombudsman that helps with these types of situations.

Good Luck

[ernie16]

Carol such a bummer:( I really feel for you and your situation. But it hardly surprises me as these dang insurance companies are all the same :mad: whenever they can find a clause to weasle out of paying they will go for it!!! Thank you for your thread, who would have thought?? Heck I thought that is what the insurance was for:confused: . I certainly wish you the best in your recovery attempt. Have you tried RCCL tosee if they will at least give you some type of cruise credit voucher for aother cruise??

[bluehorizonlover123]

I think it might be in your favor to hire an attorney to fight this matter with the insurance company. It is just a thought but maybe look in the phone and randomly call a few and tell them your problem and see if they think it is a case you can win. They don't charge for the advice and the phone call. Just worth a shot.

[rocktheboat]

CSA is not an insurance company, they are a travel protection company. They underwrite the policy. the insurance company they use is Stonebridge Casualty Insurance Company.

Their name says it all CSA Travel Protection.

 

I would take the airline to small claims court. I know in NY you can sue for up to $5000. I would bet the airline insurance company will see this as a nusince(sp) case and pay out.

[dougp26364]

Have you tried filing a complaint with your states insurance comissioner? That would be one of the first things I would do. You'll need to write a detailed letter, include the insurance companies name, dates and times of phone calls made and received, what you have been told by the insurance company and any other pertinent information such as a policy # if you have one. I would also send a copy of the policy along with my complaint letter. Next, I would call the insurance company back and let them know that you have filed an official complaint against them. Sometimes this alone will get some action.

[Merion_Mom]

I have never bought insurance and been on 10 cruises. I know they are going to try to get out of paying if they can do it. could you have driven to another city and gotten a flight out of there.

Dear blue horizon: PLEASE do a search on my name and pull up the posts from December 26 forward. (title includes: JEWEL) I tell IN GREAT DETAIL about what I went through trying other airlines and other methods of travel! Warning: It WILL be painful to read!

 

Carol

[Merion_Mom]

Try pleading your case with the Ombudsman at Conde Naste Traveler.

This is definitely on my list of options.

 

Have you tried RCCL tosee if they will at least give you some type of cruise credit voucher for aother cruise??

Oh, YEAH, tried that route. Tried it on December 26th, December 27th, December 28th.......and again on February 25th. I got NOWHERE. I'm not even sure I actually got any sympathy. My email of 12/26 wasn't even responded to until 2/25!

 

Carol

[dc-snoopy]

CSA is not an insurance company, they are a travel protection company. They underwrite the policy. the insurance company they use is Stonebridge Casualty Insurance Company.

Their name says it all CSA Travel Protection.

 

I would take the airline to small claims court. I know in NY you can sue for up to $5000. I would bet the airline insurance company will see this as a nusince(sp) case and pay out.

 

Not necessarily. The guarantee from your airline ticket agreement is that should they have to cancel your flight they will rebook you on another flight to get you to your destination. There is no guarantee that you will get there in the same time period. The OP's problem as she stated was that she couldn't make arrangements with the airline to get her to the port in time to meet the departure time of the cruise.

 

The airline's argument was that they could have gotten her there six hous later and they would have guaranteed that. They would no guarantee that they can get her to her destination in a certain time frame. This is one of the reason many of us travel on the night before our cruise departs. Thus, if needed, we could even take a bump to the next day (first flight of the day). They would probably contend that she had not given herself enough time between the flight arrival and the ship departure to guarantee her arrival in the event of a rescheduled flight.

 

Not that it isn't problematic for the customer or that she did anything wrong, but I can see the arguments from the airline.

[Merion_Mom]

Not necessarily. The guarantee from your airline ticket agreement is that should they have to cancel your flight they will rebook you on another flight to get you to your destination. There is no guarantee that you will get there in the same time period. The OP's problem as she stated was that she couldn't make arrangements with the airline to get her to the port in time to meet the departure time of the cruise.

 

The airline's argument was that they could have gotten her there six hous later and they would have guaranteed that.

(this all happened on a Saturday night) Actually, they said that there wasn't another flight with seats available until TUESDAY!!!!

They would no guarantee that they can get her to her destination in a certain time frame. This is one of the reason many of us travel on the night before our cruise departs. Thus, if needed, we could even take a bump to the next day (first flight of the day). They would probably contend that she had not given herself enough time between the flight arrival and the ship departure to guarantee her arrival in the event of a rescheduled flight.

Actually, again, this wouldn't have helped. They started cancelling flights on Friday, and continued with more cancellations on Saturday, and more on Sunday. If I had been on a Friday or a Saturday flight instead of a Sunday flight, USAir still couldn't have helped me.

Not that it isn't problematic for the customer or that she did anything wrong, but I can see the arguments from the airline.

 

Carol

[dc-snoopy]

(this all happened on a Saturday night) Actually, they said that there wasn't another flight with seats available until TUESDAY!!!!Actually, again, this wouldn't have helped. They started cancelling flights on Friday, and continued with more cancellations on Saturday, and more on Sunday. If I had been on a Friday or a Saturday flight instead of a Sunday flight, USAir still couldn't have helped me.

 

Carol

 

Wow...and normally they would even try to book you on another airline, but with the extent of the blockout and cancelling the majority of flights, they probably couldn't afford to guarantee that many tickets or spend that much time rebooking people.

 

In this instance, you might actually have a legitimate case against the airline, but I would consult with a lawyer. It's probably worth the consultation fee to find out if you can recover from the loses that the flight cancellation with no rebooking offered caused you.

[Merion_Mom]

Gosh, this is probably becoming boring, but here goes:

 

They DID *try* to re-book me. There was NOTHING available. I was online and on the phone for hours and hours and hours and hours. Several of those hours were spent with USAir reservation agents. There was NOTHING. USAir would only look at airlines who code-share with them, but I went to every travel website and every airline website in the country. NOTHING.

 

As for lawyers, I know lots of 'em. I could get a consultation for free, but I am still trying to do this without resorting to lawyers. I am definitely going to call USAir on Monday, when they finally reopen their customer service department, and ask if they will put something in writing that will satisfy the insurance company.

 

Carol

[dc-snoopy]

Okay, sorry to drag on. Obviously you have a pretty solid plan of action and have considered most alternatives. Sorry for making you go over everything you did...and most of all...good luck!

 

Please let us know what happens...

[Merion_Mom]

Silly Snoopy! I meant boring for all of you nice people who are kind enough to read and contribute your sympathy and suggestions to this thread! I love hearing from all of you, and appreciate your efforts to help, and if I can supply any information which enables YOU to help ME, I am happy to provide it.

 

Carol

 

"They like me, I think they're swell......isn't it remarkable, how things work out so well?"

[stillfrantic]

I suggest to you that you contact your States Insurance Comissioner and they will advise your how to file a proper complaint and they will work on your behalf. Let us know!!

 

Yep. That was what I was going to say also.

[Spanky My]

Could you explain why RCCI would not let you board the ship at key west? I am wondering why you could not meet the ship anywhere and board if you have a valid ticket for the cruise. Just curious.....

[Seapup]

So if the dock workers go on strike does this mean thousands of cruisers are out of luck?:eek:

 

As for you claim, dont give up! Go to your State Insurance Commision. File a claim for review. Send a letter, Fed Ex , to the insurance company and tell them what you are doing and that you are going to fight them. At the bottom of that letter cc: the Federal Trade Commission. Send the FTC a copy as well. Fed Ex is the best way to track this stuff.

 

Yes this takes time and may not have a great outcome but the more you fight the better your chances of getting money back.

[brn2crz]

Could you explain why RCCI would not let you board the ship at key west? I am wondering why you could not meet the ship anywhere and board if you have a valid ticket for the cruise. Just curious.....

 

For a interesting ?? look at some of the discussion by a possible repeal back in 98.

http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/Trans/hpw105-65.000/hpw105-65_1.HTM

 

Starting on,or about page 16.

[LoriLinay]

Just a note to let you know how happy I am how this thread is going. Seems whenever anyone has an issue lately, a good number of people come out and rip on the OP. It's great to see Carol getting the support she deserves. She's a friend and ag ood person. This situation seriously SUCKED for her, and it was frustrating reading on the 26th as it all played out..It's just painful reading now that they are denying her what she is owed. Carol did EVERYTHING she should have done and they still walked all over her.

 

We are all behind you Carol. Keep us updated on everything!!!

[Driftwoodgal]

Merion_Mom,

 

Just curious, you said that you didn't have a TA, did you book everything through RCI? Aren't they supposed to get you to the ship if a flight is cancelled? I was under the impression that if you booked your flight on the same day as the ship leaves and you miss that flight that they would get you to the ship at the next port of call. If that isn't true then what is the advantage of booking your air through RCI? Lots of people on our last cruise had to bump up their flights to make sure they didn't get trapped by the big snow storm that shut down lots of airports up North.

 

I am so sorry about your loss of money and the disappointment of not getting your vacation. I know that if this happened to me I would be losing my much needed recharge to my batteries as well as money that I lose when I close my business to cruise. I hope you keep us all posted as to what happens so we can learn by your experience, and know what questions to ask when we buy travel insurance.

 

Someone did post about contacting your State Insurance Board. They can be a great help if there is any coverage.