Making a claim

[babs135]

There is a strong possibility that we may have to cancel our upcoming cruise but I need some advice re the booking before I contact our insurers.  We still have 5 weeks before we are due to sail but with DH still in hospital I just don't know what is going to happen and we need to be prepared. 

 

There will be no problem regarding getting the necessary letter from the doctors but, and this is were it could get complicated, our travel plans are

 

DH and I will be sailing on the QM2, Regal Princess, 4 nights in New York and then home again on the QM2.  The potential problem is our daughter who will be flying out to meet us in New York for the four nights and then sail home (in our cabin) on the QM2.  The whole holiday is shown as one booking as we paid the full amount and DD paid us what she owed.  So she has no receipts, etc showing that she has paid for her part of the holiday.  Her travel insurer is not the same as ours.

 

So, could we claim for the whole amount through our insurers or will she have to go through her own insurance?  I'm assuming that the TA we booked the holiday through will be understanding enough to split the booking to show our daughter's itinerary and the fact that she has paid.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  And I'm still clinging to the hope that we will be able to make the trip.  Fingers crossed.

[Heidi13]

Insurance policies are so variable across the many companies. Afraid your best advice is probably reading the fine print very carefully regarding who is included, and the exclusions.

 

If you used a travel agent, they may be able to assist.

[MicCanberra]

Unfortunately, only your insurance company (and hers) would be able to tell what they will cover you for in this situation. Perhaps ask the cruise line what options your daughter has if you cancel first and then approach the insurance company.

It could be that your daughter claims her flights and you claim everything else.

[PrincessMaya]

So sorry to hear your husband is ill Babs. Here's hoping he makes a swift recovery and you can come after all! I can't think of a better place than they Caribbean to recuperate!😊

[babs135]

Sadly, although DH is now out of hospital, he has been deemed unfit to travel so we will have to cancel the holiday 

 

The travel agent won't/can't split the documentation and have informed us that cancellation will cost us 90% of the total cost, but have intimated that they would be prepared to talk to our DD's insurance company if necessary.  So it's now a phone call to our insurers, explain the situation and hope they understand that life isn't just black and white there are always shades of grey.

 

Wish me luck.

[MicCanberra]

Sorry to hear the bad news, Good luck with the claim.

[babs135]

We've both spoken to our respective travel insurers and they have made encouraging noises. Thankfully amongst all my emails from the travel agent I found the original quote which actually states how much our DD's cost was. This should make things a little easier.

 

If it's of any use to others I will keep people informed in case they find themselves in the sad circumstances of having to cancel a cruise.

 

[MicCanberra]

16 hours ago, babs135 said:

We've both spoken to our respective travel insurers and they have made encouraging noises. Thankfully amongst all my emails from the travel agent I found the original quote which actually states how much our DD's cost was. This should make things a little easier.

 

If it's of any use to others I will keep people informed in case they find themselves in the sad circumstances of having to cancel a cruise.

 

Cheers, I hope it works out for all of you and of course your DH recovers fully as well.

[babs135]

Final piece of documentation necessary for the claim process has been received - the medical certificate signed by our GP at the exorbitant cost of £50!!!!

Yesterday I remembered we had a shore excursion booked with Princess so rung them to ask for a refund.  Had to do it that way because our booking no longer exists.  The lady on the phone informed me that as they were already aware of the fact that we had cancelled the refund was being done automatically and even if I'd forgotten about it we would receive the money back into our account.  28 days she said; I checked this afternoon and it is already there!  At least this part has been easy.

More to follow as the claim goes through.

[MicCanberra]

Good news at least, good work getting all your ducks lined up for the claim.

[babs135]

Had a bit of a wobble re the claim overnight. DD's insurer (different to ours) told her that she couldn't claim the air passenger duty from them, but would have to go back to the travel agent and ask them for the refund (she was flying out to New York to meet us).  This reminded me that we had return flights New York to Fort Lauderdale and back as part of our package and I couldn't remember if I'd mentioned it to our insurers.  Gave them a ring this morning and no problems.  As the flights are part of the package they will be included in the claim.  We will just have to get our apd back from our agent.

 

Phew!

[MicCanberra]

lucky, keep at them and I am sure you will get a result.

[babs135]

Just four weeks after I made the claim I've received an email from our insurers to say that, apart from an excess (small), we will get a refund of the whole amount of our cruise.  To say I'm relieved is an understatement.  DD is still waiting on her claim; according to reviews of her insurers they are slow to pay out,  but she will chase them up on Monday. I don't envisage any problems other than they want to hang on to the money as long as possible!!!

 

DH is home and progressing, albeit slowly.  With hospital appointments well into Spring of next year I'm not sure when we will get away, but I do have my eye on a cruise in May 2020!!!  The irony of the situation is that with the return of the money we can now probably afford to upgrade to an outside cabin.  Our compromise to be able to cruise a lot has always been that we book an inside cabin.

 

All I will add to this thread is:

 

ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE

 

[john watson]

I think the issue about being forced to cancel a cruise and claiming on your insurance revolves around a few issues.  Firstly, who the named persons on your policy are.  Secondly the claim is not exclusively for the cruise it is for the whole holiday  package.   Insurance policy documents usually go into a huge number of clauses under which you can make a successful cancellation claim.  Reading these carefully can usually determine the appropriate way to make your claim.

 

In respect of a daughter was she named on your policy?  If she was, I am thinking she is part of your claim.  If not, her claim would be separate.  Her policy may have different clauses, however there is usually one which includes serious illness etc. of a close relative.  In particular if the said relative was due to travel would also be relevant as would being on the same booking.

 

Hope recovery goes well.

 

Regards John

Edited December 17, 2018 by john watson

[MicCanberra]

Great news Babs

[babs135]

To bring this thread up to date:

 

 

DD's insurance company have agreed with our daughter that their figures were wrong and she has now been reimbursed the full amount of her portion of the cruise, less her excess.  So huge sighs of relief all round and now we can concentrate on getting DH back to full health so that we can start cruising again.

What I would say to everyone is:

Make sure you have the right and adequate insurance. 

If you are someone travelling with parents but have different insurance companies, make sure you are covered if one or both parent has to cancel.

If you are travelling with someone who has different insurers but the booking is done as one, make sure you have written proof of what your portion of the total cost is yours.

Keep a copy of absolutely every email you receive from the travel agent/cruise line no matter how irrelevant it may appear to be. And if the lead name gets emails, ask them to send a copy to you, even if it's just repeating what you already have.

 

Hope this has helped any other people who have found themselves in the same situation as ourselves.  Now we can concentrate fully on getting DH back to full health so that we can start cruising again.

 

Happy New Year everyone and hopefully may it be a healthy one.

[MicCanberra]

Great news and good advice.