Travel insurance added by default

busybee100

When booking a four day break in Paris I didn't notice extensive travel insurance had been added to the holiday price. I received the receipt notification and confirmation email which had all the obvious information at the top and a 'click here' to print out details to bring with you.

Everything looked ok so I left it (as we are not travelling until June) and printed it out last week. At this point I saw the extended insurance listed on page 2.

When I rang customer services I was told I must have chosen the insurance option, but on checking the companies site it adds insurance by default, not the standard option but the more expensive extended insurance. There is no tick box to confirm you have seen it's been added and the notification email lists it seperately as an option (away from the main details - so I either missed it or didn't think it relevant) and there is no mention of a cooling off period.

This is completely at odds with what I thought was meant to happen when purchasing insurance, in fact the policy I bought from Moneysupermarket did have a cooling off period and I have now cancelled it (until I sort this one out).

I have written to the company and this is their reply:

Thank you for your email.

I kindly inform you that as you have made your booking yourself using our website, it was your responsability to check the contents of your booking before confirming. As per our booking terms and conditions, the insurance is non refundable and non transferable, therefore we regret we cannot remove the insurance from your booking.

Kindest regards,

Is this correct? No cooling off period or a need to confirm my acknowledgement?

Thank you in advance for any advice.

lisyloo

How long since you made the booking? This is cruicial information.

There is no tick box to confirm you have seen it's been added

But did you not notice the price was more than expected?

To be honest I am unsure where you stand because
package holidays have NO cooling off period.
Insurance does have a colling off period.
I'm unsure of whether they can claim the insurance is part of the package.

Ultimately if you don't go through a travel agent and do DIY then it's up to you to check.
I scrutinise mine thoroughly and often get someone else to check I have the right dates etc. becasue flights etc. cannot easily be changed if you make a mistake.
Even if everything else was cleverly hidden, you should have noticed the final price was wrong, so I doubt you'll have any joy with complaining about their website. I suspect all the information is there even if it's not brought to your attention, it usually is.

So how long many days has it been.

huckster

On the Easyjet site, it adds Travel Insurance by default. You have to de-select it, if it is not required.

If the website you used was clear enough that Insurance was included as standard but you had the option to remove, I don't see the problem. There should also be some legal terms and conditions, which gives information about cancelling the Insurance option. I am not sure you have a cooling off period for Insurance that you arrange in this way.

If you want to clarifty whether a cooling off period applies, call Consumer Direct.

lisyloo

But there will be a time period.
You are unlikely to have > 14 days in any event, that's why I asked about the timescale.

busybee100

lisyloo wrote: »

How long since you made the booking? This is cruicial information.


But did you not notice the price was more than expected?

To be honest I am unsure where you stand because
package holidays have NO cooling off period.
Insurance does have a colling off period.
I'm unsure of whether they can claim the insurance is part of the package.

Ultimately if you don't go through a travel agent and do DIY then it's up to you to check.
I scrutinise mine thoroughly and often get someone else to check I have the right dates etc. becasue flights etc. cannot easily be changed if you make a mistake.
Even if everything else was cleverly hidden, you should have noticed the final price was wrong, so I doubt you'll have any joy with complaining about their website. I suspect all the information is there even if it's not brought to your attention, it usually is.

So how long many days has it been.

Thanks for your swift reply

I booked on the 13th March (over the 14 days now I know).

The cost was less than when I had previously checked as they were running promotions.

Is it classed as a package if no travel is included, only hotel and passes?;)

busybee100

huckster wrote: »

If you want to clarifty whether a cooling off period applies, call Consumer Direct.

Ok. Thank you

lisyloo

You don't get a legal cooling of period for ANY holiday bookings whether it's a hotel, flights, cruise or whatever.
Some hotels will allow cancellations but that's through their own choice and not a legal right. Some bargain deals have NO cancellation at all. Most holidays have a sliding scale so you pay deposit up until a certain time period then 50% up to 100% depending on the timescale (the more notice they have the greater the chance of selling the place).
You normally get a 14 days cooling off period with an insurance policy.

If you aere past 14 days then you would be past any cooling off period anyway.
Your only hope would be to show an error on the site.
But am I right in thinking it was on the paperwork you printed from day 1?
In which case, I can't see you would have a case.
I sympathise that they have tried to hide this in a cynical manner, but sadly I don't think that's going to be illegal.

If they put the price down, then I wouldn't be too bothered, but learn a lesson from it.
I've had similar experiences of being caught out, I'm sure we all have.
Some sites don't make it obvious they are shipping goods from the US and that's very naughty.
So you've just been caught out by a slightly dishonest organisation.
We all need to be careful, but especially holidays are important because of the lack of any rights to cancel.
On other goods there are distance selling regulations etc. so there is some protection.

busybee100

I've 'phoned Consumer Direct and I'm very impressed. A very professional woman took the details then went off to speak to someone else, came back and suggested I write a breach of contract letter as I hadn't realised what I was purchasing and I had no intention of buying insurance. Apparently I may have another option because I paid by credit card and I should also send the credit card company a letter.

I'll keep a copy of the other insurance I bought and cancelled as 'proof' and just go through the motions now expecting it to go to court.

I hear what you're saying Lisyloo, when we spend so much time on here looking out for ourselves, I was so disappointed with myself when I realised, but I feel as if I have to take it further because if I've been caught out then some other person will be. And, it must be deliberate to have insurance by default, it shouldn't be allowed.

I will definately be more careful in future when booking holidays I didn't know they weren't covered as tightly as other things.

Now I need to find out how to do a screen shot so it's over to technical:D

slightlyconfused1

Hi

I have booked a lot of flights on line and insurance is always added further down the page and you always have to deselect it. When you go to the next page to pay, in my experience, it lists the insurance also along with any other extras you have selected - giving you another chance to spot and deselect it.

If it was not as obvious as this, ie hidden in the small print in terms and conditions, you will hopefully be able to argue your case and have it refunded. I think it is disgraceful if this is what they have done

It is really easy to make a mistake when booking on line, last time I nearly booked connecting fights from the wrong airport.

lisyloo

expecting it to go to court.

I would suggest you get all the printouts you need as they may change their website.

However how much did you lose?
I guess if you feel you want to do it on principle, but you should be aware that you court fees could exceed what you have lost even if you go small claims and you won't be able to claim time off work to go to court.

busybee100

slightlyconfused1 wrote: »

Hi

I have booked a lot of flights on line and insurance is always added further down the page and you always have to deselect it. When you go to the next page to pay, in my experience, it lists the insurance also along with any other extras you have selected - giving you another chance to spot and deselect it.

If it was not as obvious as this, ie hidden in the small print in terms and conditions, you will hopefully be able to argue your case and have it refunded. I think it is disgraceful if this is what they have done

It is really easy to make a mistake when booking on line, last time I nearly booked connecting fights from the wrong airport.

Hi slightlyconfused1
Thanks for your reply. Dread to think the damage I could do with conecting flights:rotfl:Definately a lesson learned for me, I'll be ready for them next time:D

lisyloo wrote: »

I would suggest you get all the printouts you need as they may change their website.

However how much did you lose?
I guess if you feel you want to do it on principle, but you should be aware that you court fees could exceed what you have lost even if you go small claims and you won't be able to claim time off work to go to court.

Hi lisyloo
It was 'only' £51 (and Topcashback is tracking at £54;)) but when I put so much time and effort into making the most of what we've got I could kick myself for falling for this.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner I need either a secretary or a nanny:D

I'll keep the thread updated as I learn more