Travel Gaurd Insurance

[tl12356]

Our experience was awaking to say the least.

My mother in law passed and we had to re schedule our cruise.

We had no reason to cancel just re schedule for a later date.

Our travel agent told us verbally that we would be covered for any change fees with the airfare and cost difference for the later cruise.

Low and be hold the agent was not working there at the time of claim was issued.

The insurance company told us that the change fees and additional costs were not covered....$400.

The cruise was covered but not the change fees for air flight and additional fees associated the the later date.

With a little work and lots of patience we were able to show the insurance company that we were misled.

 

What we learned and something we want to pass on to you....Get all statements in writing.

 

This was the first time we got insurance for a vacation, and would never book a trip without their help.

Edited January 24, 2015 by tl12356

[cherylandtk]

Your post demonstrates why it is critical that everyone read and understand the insurance Description of Coverage document and not rely on hearsay from someone who may be woefully un-informed.

 

The increased costs for rebooking a more expensive trip are not covered in any travel insurance policy. Good to hear your perseverance paid off.

Edited January 25, 2015 by cherylandtk

[Trekker954]

Interesting to know this. We have TG for our upcoming April cruise. Due to a court subpoena, we may have to reschedule (actually looking at next month now).

 

Luckily I was using miles for our air. However, I was more wondering about in country air change fees, some excursions we may lose money on and of course there will be some deposit issues with the cruise itself if the line will not just move us over.

 

So we take out enough insurance to cover the entire trip if we have something happen where potentially (the day before we can't go) and lose everything. But how does one make a claim for just lost deposits, and change fees vs. full payments. Is it just better to make a full claim so you get it all back and not tell the insurance company you are rescheduling and some of the tour guides etc are working with you to reschedule at no cost.

 

I would think its better for the insurance companies to work with you and just cover the change fees and/or lost deposits rather than the full price.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Trekker954

[pema]

Interesting to know this. We have TG for our upcoming April cruise. Due to a court subpoena, we may have to reschedule (actually looking at next month now).

 

Luckily I was using miles for our air. However, I was more wondering about in country air change fees, some excursions we may lose money on and of course there will be some deposit issues with the cruise itself if the line will not just move us over.

 

So we take out enough insurance to cover the entire trip if we have something happen where potentially (the day before we can't go) and lose everything. But how does one make a claim for just lost deposits, and change fees vs. full payments. Is it just better to make a full claim so you get it all back and not tell the insurance company you are rescheduling and some of the tour guides etc are working with you to reschedule at no cost.

 

I would think its better for the insurance companies to work with you and just cover the change fees and/or lost deposits rather than the full price.

If you use air miles will you be able to transfer those miles to another time of air travel ?

[cherylandtk]

Linda,

Technically what you describe and what the OP did is a cancellation. Using funds and credits (and perhaps insurance proceeds) on a similar trip but a different date is irrelevant to the claim other than their use in determining what amounts are refundable and what amounts are not. If tour guides, the cruise line and airlines allow you to use funds on a subsequent trip, AND you can go on that future trip and use the funds, then they are refundable for insurance purposes. If not, then you get them back in your claim. But in that case you will need to provide documentation that the tour guide, cruise line and airline have refused to issue a refund and that you cannot use the future credit. Can't have it both ways. Something to consider when purchasing ancillary travel and determining how much to insure.

Edited January 27, 2015 by cherylandtk

[6rugrats]

If you use air miles will you be able to transfer those miles to another time of air travel ?

 

Most frequent flyer programs will allow you to cancel and redeposit the miles. However, most of them will also charge you a few to do this. I have had this redeposit fee covered by Travelguard.

[Trekker954]

I have elite status with the airline and the redeposit fees were waived. Thankfully considering I had twelve, yup, twelve awards for this trip. So far only two are still pending redeposit, due to four changes in flight numbers, times, etc. (thanks AA/USA merger snafu). I'm sure they'll figure it out, if not I have everything documented.

 

Due to moving the trip up I wasn't able to get decent award flights, so we purchased the tickets. Aside from the air tickets we had to buy (that wouldn't be covered) we are only out a about $150. I'd rather just eat that and modify the date, rather than claim that.

 

I just sent TG an email explaining the situation, attached the subpoena and asked if I could just modify the dates. I certainly don't want to need or use the insurance, only a disaster at this point will keep me from getting on the flight and/or cruise.

 

There was a modify page on their website, but I didn't want to dink around with that until I know they can do it. I believe I also read in the fine print (never sure how to interpret verbiage, something about within 15 days of the policy - I think we took this out 16 days ago). I also will probably need to up the coverage now for the 2K ea for all of our flights.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

[GeezerCouple]

I have elite status with the airline and the redeposit fees were waived. Thankfully considering I had twelve, yup, twelve awards for this trip. So far only two are still pending redeposit, due to four changes in flight numbers, times, etc. (thanks AA/USA merger snafu). I'm sure they'll figure it out, if not I have everything documented.

 

Due to moving the trip up I wasn't able to get decent award flights, so we purchased the tickets. Aside from the air tickets we had to buy (that wouldn't be covered) we are only out a about $150. I'd rather just eat that and modify the date, rather than claim that.

 

I just sent TG an email explaining the situation, attached the subpoena and asked if I could just modify the dates. I certainly don't want to need or use the insurance, only a disaster at this point will keep me from getting on the flight and/or cruise.

 

There was a modify page on their website, but I didn't want to dink around with that until I know they can do it. I believe I also read in the fine print (never sure how to interpret verbiage, something about within 15 days of the policy - I think we took this out 16 days ago). I also will probably need to up the coverage now for the 2K ea for all of our flights.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Something to think about in the future, when you decide which insurer and which specific policy to use, would be to think about getting a policy that automatically allows one to change to a different trip if your plans change (of necessity or just mere choice).

TravelInsured has such policies, although there are obviously some limitations, such as only one change per policy, within a year, change made before original departure date, etc.

Also, these policies allow one *some* flexibility in the actual travel dates for the same trip. So if one changes the "same" trip by a short time, or changes flight departure/arrival dates, or hotel choices, then one either needs to do nothing (if costs & dates are the same) OR just notify the insurer (in our case, we'd notify Steve et al. at TripInsuranceStore.com) of the new dates.

 

The "change trip entirely" can be to any other location, etc.

We've used this a few times.

 

As with any policy, one needs to know exactly what is or is not allowed, etc.

 

Good luck!

 

GeezerCouple

[Trekker954]

Easy peasy. TG just modified our dates. Lets hope we don't need it. But I guess like Geezer said, if its before the travel date, it isn't a big deal. And to think I almost didn't ask and assumed we lost that insurance fee.

 

Its interesting, my daughter and I, both in law enforcement have noticed, that while the court did not care that my daughter had a expensive vacation planned, they do not normally move trial for someone's vacation.

 

However, the tour guides, hotels, in this case RCI, air, and insurance seemed willing to help us move the vacation forward due to the subpoena and I believe because it was a pedophile, child pornography case.

I think if it were just a drug case, money laundering or illegal alien case, we'd be filing for the insurance and scrambling to get something else booked later in the year.

 

Typically we only get travel insurance for big vacations that require us to fly somewhere an involves multiples tours and flights.

 

When we sail out of our backyard (Port Everglades and Miami or even Canaveral) we never get it. So far, we haven't run into any problems.

 

Happy sailing everyone. Thanks for the input