Holiday insurance - help?

daftmistake

As the name might suggest, I recently made a (several?) daft mistake buying annual, multi-trip holiday insurance. I've realised that the insurance doesn't cover the duration of time for which I am away, it only covers 60 days at a time and I'm away for 65. I bought the insurance from the travel agent at the same time as my flights. I am two days out of the 'cooling off period'.

Is there anything I can do about the insurance other than resign myself to buying the whole lot all over again?

Do I have any recourse against the travel agent as they suggested inadequate insurance for my trip (and I failed to realise at the time)?

Thanks.

dacouch

Was the travel agent aware that the policy would not cover you eg at the time you bought the travel cover did you book a holiday or flight with them that was for more than 60 days?

They are required to sell you a policy that is suited to your needs.

Please be aware that if you use your current policy and you have a claim in the first 60 days of your trip the Insurers can still decline it as the intened trip is for more than the 60 days the policy covers

daftmistake

I bought the insurance from the travel agent two days after I had booked the return flights with them (the flights which were 65 days apart). I had dealt with the same store and the same particular person throughout all my (relatively extensive) plannings and bookings. For clarity, I booked the flights on a Tuesay, received an email from the person I dealt with (same day) reminding me about the discussion we had had about insurance and a visa, and then went and purchased the insurance on the Thursday.

The cooling off period has just expired.

Can you suggest any recourse? Thanks for your help so far.

dacouch

The Travel Agent (As has any one who is permitted to sell you an Insurance Policy) a duty to ensure the policy they arrange for you is suitable for your requirements eg they cannot sell a policy that covers redunancy to someone who is self employed.

When selling a policy they should also point out any major exclusions and supply you with information on the product. The cooling off period normally operates from when you RECEIVE the policy documents so if these were sent though the post it is generally from when you receive them (Its normally explained in the policy).

Travel Agents are not renowned for their knowledge of Insurance, if you feel they have not sold you a suitable policy when they were aware of your particular circumstances then point this out to the travek agent. If this does not work then complain to the FSA https://www.fsa,gov.uk who regulate the sale of Insurance. Travel agents are regulated by ABTA for the sale of Insurance (This will change to the FSA in the future). The FSA should however be able to advise you.

P.S Its not a great idea to buy travel insurance from a travel agent as a) They are normally very expensive b) They often do not know much about insurance c) They normally (Not all do) sell you a policy underwritten by Axa who are can often be a pain when it comes to a claim d) often don't have a variaty of policies

pedro123456

Thanks dacouch.

"Please be aware that if you use your current policy and you have a claim in the first 60 days of your trip the Insurers can still decline it as the intened trip is for more than the 60 days the policy covers"

Interesting that dacouch, how and why, can it be so though?
Insurance isn’t compulsory is it? So why wouldn’t we be able to say insure ourselves for 60 out of a 65 day holiday?
Indeed if we wished (not saying anyone would wish to) should we not be able to insure ourselves say 7 days out of a 14 day holiday?

What element of the IC's T&C support this?, it would be of interest to know. Is it the IC own ruling etc?

Zorro…….. Defender of the people against the oppressive Insurance Companies, I am not Zorro….

cogito

You really are an idiot.

The policy will clearly state the maximum duration of any single trip so it is axiomatic that it doesn't provide any cover for any trip in excess of that. Is that really so hard for you to understand?

pedro123456

Thank you cognito, i love you too.......'axiomatic' do you mean self evident..........big words do my box in and fool me.

Anyway I was asking dacouch thank you.

And for your info (for what it matters)I think you have got the wrong end of the long slender piece of wood, or the branch or stem cut from a tree or shrub. Or the piece of wood, such as a tree branch, Or possibly even the staff, baton, or rod......or do I mean Stick?, my guess is that it's axiomatic what I mean...........duno tho.


Zorro…….. Defender of the people against the oppressive Insurance Companies, I am not Zorro….

lisyloo

Can you suggest any recourse?

In the first instance you should talk to them, explain their mistake, ask for the price of a policy that does fit your needs and see if you can change it for the difference in price.

I would personally not be happy if they wanted to charge cancellation fees etc. as they shouldn't have sold you the wrong policy in the first place, buit don't start off expecting the worst.
Be charming and polite and see what they will do.

I had a problem with some earrings recently.
I was polite and got them altered free of charge.
No need for any agro.

If things don't work out them ask to speak to the manager and point out (still politely) that they are not allowed to sell you a policy that doesn't meet you needs and ask his/her to think about what they would like to do.
Then you can give them time and come back here for advice.
The problem for them is that they have probably sold another companys policy so it probably has to be cancelled.
It's THEIR problem and not yours, but give them a chance first of all and be polite.

dacouch

Basically pedro a travel insurance policy defines what a trip is (very basicall in effect when you leave the uk until you return to the uk). On an annual travel policy it will say it covers you for a trip of in this customers case 60 days. So the policy wording (Which is a contract between the client and Insurer) only covers a trip that starts in the uk and ends in the uk within the 60 days it says on their policy.

There are some rulings from the ombudsman where they have upheld and declined claims from people whose trip exceeded the maximum the Insurer gives as a maximum. If you search the ombudsman site using words such as "Travel, maximum, excede, trip" it will come up with some examples.