How long should an insurance claim take to refund money

[thomaskuhn]

I recently had to cancel our cruise. We had a cancel for any reason policy through Global Alert. We canceled really early (Greater than 90 days out) so we were refunded 100% of our cruise deposit. The only expense that we really uncured was the $300 to refund our airline tickets back to Reward Points. Believe it or not, that was actually covered under the policy. So we submitted a claim on 4/29 with all documentation. On 5/27 they requested a confirmation of cancellation from the cruise line (which they got the company wrong) but I resubmitted the information along with a letter explaining the discrepancy anyway. The status once again states that it is now back in the claims department. How long should this really take?

 

Tom

Edited June 11, 2014 by thomaskuhn
spelling

[sirwired]

Taking an entire month just to ask for more documentation does seem a bit excessive. It seems almost like they are trying to "wait you out" until they can ask for documentation you'll be unable to obtain due to it being too long since the aborted trip.

 

Does the policy itself mention any timelines?

 

My experience with TravelGuard is that they usually asked for more documentation in a week or less, and once they got everything they wanted, cut a check in ten days or less.

[Keith1010]

All of this will vary but you would be best just to followup with the insurance company directly to see if they can give you an estimate as to when you will get the money back.

 

Keith

[thomaskuhn]

It is now 6/25, so it has been about 2 months and waiting. I just got off the phone with Tripmate, who is the Claims reviewer for my Global Alert insurance (Through Arch Insurance). He said to wait an additional 7-10 business days. This is ridiculous! I am sure not going to use Global Alert again. This is not even a complicated claim, just some airline mileage reimbursement. I could see it taking longer if they had to fly be out of the arctic circle or something.

[Keith1010]

Sorry it's taking longer but that is not totally unusual.

 

But there are many other companies out there to choose from. We use a different company that we have been please with.

 

Keith

[thomaskuhn]

Well, the results are in after 2 months and they declined our claim. I knew there was trouble when they left a message on my voice mail to call them to "Discuss" the results of the claim decision. Rat Bastards. Well I need to call and find out how they screwed us on this one. I will never use Global Alert again!! I mean, here is what the policy covers.

 

We will reimburse You for the following:

 

1. the amount of unused non-refundable prepaid payments or deposits that you paid for the Covered Trip; and
   
2. if You used frequent traveler awards (frequent flyers miles or hotel rewards) for any part of a Covered Trip, We will pay the fees incurred by You up to $150 for redepositing those awards in Your account if the Covered Trip is canceled for any of the reasons described above; and
   
3. if Your Travel Supplier cancels Your Covered Trip, You are covered up to $150 for the reissue fee charged by the airline for the tickets. You must have covered the entire cost of the Covered Trip including the airfare.
   

In no event shall the amount reimbursed exceed the lesser of the amount You prepaid for the Covered Trip or the maximum benefit shown on the accompanying Confirmation of Benefits.

[thomaskuhn]

Keith1010,

 

I Need to get trip insurance for our next trip. Could you PM me who you use?

 

Tom

Edited June 29, 2014 by thomaskuhn

[klfrodo]

Well, the results are in after 2 months and they declined our claim. I knew there was trouble when they left a message on my voice mail to call them to "Discuss" the results of the claim decision. Rat Bastards. Well I need to call and find out how they screwed us on this one. I will never use Global Alert again!! I mean, here is what the policy covers.

 

We will reimburse You for the following:

 

1. the amount of unused non-refundable prepaid payments or deposits that you paid for the Covered Trip; and
   
2. if You used frequent traveler awards (frequent flyers miles or hotel rewards) for any part of a Covered Trip, We will pay the fees incurred by You up to $150 for redepositing those awards in Your account if the Covered Trip is canceled for any of the reasons described above; and
   
3. if Your Travel Supplier cancels Your Covered Trip, You are covered up to $150 for the reissue fee charged by the airline for the tickets. You must have covered the entire cost of the Covered Trip including the airfare.
   

In no event shall the amount reimbursed exceed the lesser of the amount You prepaid for the Covered Trip or the maximum benefit shown on the accompanying Confirmation of Benefits.

 

Well, Your misfortune will educate others.

However, The way I read your policy, you didn't get screwed.

The airlines mileage reimbursement fees are covered under the Trip Delay/Cancellation portion of the policy.

 

I don't see where you cancelled for a covered reason. Since you cancelled more than 90 days out.

The "Cancel For Any Reason" only pays up to 75% of all non refundable costs that you PAID. Your airline tickets were paid for with frequent flier miles. Frequent Flier miles have a $0 cost therefore have no value.

 

I'm going to guess that there is no insurance company out there that would have reimbursed your mileage rebanking fees when you "Cancel For Any Reason".

 

If you still feel like you got "screwed", you can always appeal and if that doesn't work, you can file a complaint with you State Insurance Commission.

Edited June 29, 2014 by klfrodo

[thomaskuhn]

That is a good and valid analysis. I will have to find out what their reasoning is. This could perhaps be the reason, and i will post some followup information for everyone after i find out the details.

[thomaskuhn]

I talked with TrapMate about this. I am still waiting for the official letter, but to summarize. The text of the "Cancel for Any Reason" with regards to airfare states:

 

We will reimburse You for the following:

 

1. 75% of the amount of unused non-refundable prepaid payments or deposits that You paid for the Covered Trip;
   
2. if Your Travel Supplier cancels Your Covered Trip, You are covered up to the cost of the airline ticket or the reissue fee charged by the airline for the tickets. You must have covered the entire cost of the Covered Trip including the airfare.
   

They basically said (aside from some nonsense about not purchasing within the window, which I did), that the mileage reimbursement fee from Delta is not considered a "reissue fee".

 

 

The only leg I have to stand on is that the document does not define what a reissue fee is.

Edited June 30, 2014 by thomaskuhn

[cruiseco]

 

1. 
    
   
2. if Your Travel Supplier cancels Your Covered Trip, You are covered up to the cost of the airline ticket or the reissue fee charged by the airline for the tickets. You must have covered the entire cost of the Covered Trip including the airfare.
   

 

Question: Who canceled the trip, you or the airline? It looks like the whole re-issue matter only applies to trips canceled by the airline.

[klfrodo]

Line item B

You must have included the entire cost to include airfare.

 

You insured $0 for airfare, therefore you are being returned the value of your $0 cost airfare.

Had you paid $2000 for airfare, you most likely would have been refunded the $2000 or the change fee if you just wanted to change dates.

 

The problem is that you were using frequent flier miles and cancelled for a reason other than a covered reason under Trip Cancellation/Trip Delay portion of your policy.

 

Which is good information to have for the next person traveling down this road

[klfrodo]

I remember my first battle regarding frequent flier miles.

I only needed about 1000 miles to make status one year.

So, I booked a 1 day quick turn around round trip ticket using miles.

 

Didn't get my status :eek:

 

Called up to find out why,,,, that's when I learned that mileage flights are considered non revenue tickets. I paid nothing, I earned nothing (mileage wise)

Now, of course I paid for those miles (was my argument) through loyalty and purchases. Valid argument in my way of thinking. Not a valid argument in the airline business way of thinking.

[Mr. Click]

We were supposed to sail with Celebrity on June 2 for 12 nights from Amsterdam. Add to that we were supposed to fly with United from EWR to AMS on May 29. We were traveling with friends who had booked our pre-paid hotel in Amsterdam. On May 28 I had a cardiac cath that was obviously not planned and we had to cancel. I actually cancelled the cruise and the airfare on May 27 when I was told I had to have the procedure the next day. I called our insurance carrier, Tin Leg, to start the claim process on May 30. They sent the claim forms that day. On June 9th I saw my doctor for my follow,got the medical stuff filled out and mailed the claim on on June 10. On July 2 I got an email from Tin Leg claims telling me they had just received my claim and would process it and it would take 21 busniess days.... I called, spoke to a customer service rep who looked the claim up and said "oh, they need proof of payment for your canceled hotel". I got that from our friends who had now returned from the cruise and scanned it and emailed that night. On July 8 I emailed Tin Leg again to make sure they got it, on July 10 I emailed customer service at Squaremouth.com who I bought my policy from because Tin Leg customer service has stopped responding. Other than an automated email from Squaremouth, nothing more. My claim for cruise fare, airline change fee and pre-paid, non-refundable 3 day hotel stay in Amsterdam was just under $7,000. I am glad I paid for insurance, but I won't pay for again with these people. My claim is pretty cut and dry.......taking two weeks to look at it and process the payment is one thing but when you stop responding to my questions it is time to tell the world.

[Mr. Click]

We had to cancel our Baltic cruise scheduled for June 2 with TAT flight on May 29 because I had a cardiac cath on May 28. Filed all of the paper work with Tin Leg's claims folks on June 9--the quickest I could get my doc to fill out the forms. Since then they have been very very slow to respond. Now, after way too many phone calls and emails to the web site managers we used to buy the policy and to Seven Corners--Tin Leg's claims people I finally got some news today... They will pay for: our cruise fare less the $500 Celebrity Gift card we got from Amex and the $300 airline change fee but as of now they will not cover the $791 we lost on a non-refundable hotel room in Amsterdam because it was made and paid for by our friends who we travel with often. I have provided them with a copy of the reservation showing both names, a copy of the hotel bill showing it was paid and is not refundable and copies of my friend's credit card statement. The fight will resume tomorrow on the phone...but rest assured that the replacement trip I booked the other day for May of 2015 is not going to be insured with Tin Leg or thru the web site that was so highly recomended. The web site's customer service manager has worked to get things moving to settle this pretty cut and dry claim but I am really tired of hearing about industry standards for settling these things.... They sure are quick to take your money.. not so quick or fair in settling up.

[D4]

...they will not cover the $791 we lost on a non-refundable hotel room in Amsterdam because it was made and paid for by our friends who we travel with often. I have provided them with a copy of the reservation showing both names, a copy of the hotel bill showing it was paid and is not refundable and copies of my friend's credit card statement.

 

I'm not surprised they won't reimburse you for the hotel room because you don't have a credit card receipt in your name for it. For all they know, your friends paid for your room as a gift to you. I think this is one of those live and learn things.

 

I hope your health is better now.

[Mr. Click]

My health is better now...and yes it is a live and learn thing but they were provided with documentation showing me paying for our friends airfare, them paying for the one hotel stay. My biggest complaint is the total lack of customer service Tin Leg has provided. Tried to call them around noon today EDT and after 5 minutes on hold got a recorded message that their office is only open M-F 8am to 5pm, please leave a message.. WHen the claim first started I asked them how I should handle the pre-paid hotel issue and they said just include a note explaining it.......

Oh, my health is fine now, two nice stents were put in and I feel great, ready to go cruising in May 2015. It has typically taken 10 days for them to acknowledge receipt of the documents they have asked for.. documents that were emailed.

[Philob]

It has typically taken 10 days for them to acknowledge receipt of the documents they have asked for.. documents that were emailed.

 

Glad you're feeling better.

 

Just curious did you email the claims documents to a general email address like claims@ins.com or to a persons email namehere@ins.com?

[Mr. Click]

The original claims docs when via USPS because they contained original forms that were signed by my doc....It took Tin Leg 10 days to get around to sending me an email telling me they got the papers....Then they requested more paperwork and that was emailed directly to a specific person who I had talked to on the phone after the 10 day float. That person never returned calls or emails asking for confirmation that he got the documents. After dealing with the selling web site again I did finally get an email telling some of the claim was approved for payment and more paperwork would be needed for the rest to be approved. That was last Tuesday. I called the claims number that day, got the our office is only open from 8am to 5pm message--it was noon PDT, 3pm EDT. Left a message and never got called back. Total PITA dealing with these people.