Warning! re travel insurance

carinska

We normally use Journeywise Travel Insurance, and bought a policy online again this year for a week's holiday at the start of July. Thankfully we had no need to make a claim. Just over 3 weeks after our return home we received a letter (which had not been delayed or anything, as it was dated 2 days prior to the date we received it, so had come out no probs in 1st class post). The letter told us that the card we had used to purchase the policy had not been accepted (because it was Visa Electron and they only accept Visa credit cards) and therefore we had no policy!!

When I bought the policy online, we received a confirmation email, giving us a policy number, claims telephone numbers etc, which I duly printed off and took on holiday, believing us to be safely insured! The advantage of buying online is, to my mind, the fact that you can do it fairly last minute and be insured immediately. This year it was about 3-4 days before our departure, possibly not enough time for a letter to come out, but definitely enough for an email or phone call.

I am so thankful that nothing happened on holiday that required us to claim, and of course I wrote a letter to them complaining about the delay in telling us the card had not been accepted. Today I received back one of the most poorly written letters I have ever received!! Spelling and grammar errors all over the place, on cheap plain paper, no company logo or watermark. The explantion given was that our first letter re a card not having accepted must have been "lost in the post".

I won't be using the company again and I would urge others to think about it very carefully!! I found them through searches on the comparison sites recommended here, and took that I suppose to be a sign that they were reputable. But the letter looked like it came from a WP in someone's bedroom!

RoCas

Thanks for the warning - if I had received policy documents and confirmations as you did I would have assumed I was covered too!

We usually use http://www.direct-travel.co.uk who generally turn out competitive. We've had to make a claim and they handled that well too. I don't know if they accept Visa Electron, though.

carinska

Thanks, will have a look at them for next year! Electron is a hassle as a few places don't take it, but they normally tell you straight away if it's not been accepted, not a month later!

Melissa22_Mum

In other words someone made a major cockup and got the cleaner (no offence intended to cleaners) to type up a quick, crap sorry letter! Lost in the post? I don't even use that one, anymore, for late payments:rolleyes:

alanjuk

I notice that you say that the advantage of doing it online is that you can do it at the last minute, I used to think this too but now I buy it as soon as I have booked my hols, flight etc. The reason? In case I need to cancel for any unforeseen reason. If I’ve booked my flights etc and then cant make it due to family illness or whatever and I’d not purchased my insurance I’d get no refund.

lottee

We usually use http://www.direct-travel.co.uk who generally turn out competitive.

Just been online for a quote, great price, and the cover looks good aswell. Thanks

dbuk44

Agree with earlier posts; I found http://www.direct-travel.co.uk cheaper for single trips.

However because I need to make two this year www.barclays.co.uk worked out cheaper. If a single trip is 14 days or more, you get a free upgrade to an annual multi-trip policy. Oh.. and quidco is now offering £8 cashback on this!

esuhl

Always read the terms & conditions too. I used to use Insureandgo... until I found this unacceptable clause:

"Claims will not be covered at all if you or any person whose condition may give rise to a claim are suffering from or have suffered from any diagnosed psychological or psychiatric disorder or depression."

(Original text at http://www.insureandgo.com/travel-insurance/downloads/Standard-Policy-Wording.pdf)

So if I get hijacked, mugged, or involved in any other situation beyond my control I won't be insured since ten years ago I was prescribed anti-depressants. Absolutely incredible.

What about if I hadn't suffered from depression, but am mugged by someone who's depressed? Surely their condition "may give rise to my claim", so does that mean that no one would be insured if attacked by someone who's depressed?

I can't believe that these T&Cs are legal. Insurance companies are quite unscrupulous.

C_Ronaldo

i use insure and go,

Jake'sGran

RoCas wrote:

Thanks for the warning - if I had received policy documents and confirmations as you did I would have assumed I was covered too!

We usually use http://www.direct-travel.co.uk who generally turn out competitive. We've had to make a claim and they handled that well too. I don't know if they accept Visa Electron, though.

I have a feeling they would have been covered as they acted in good faith and received a policy i.e. a contract had been established. As I see it, the fact that they had got it wrong with the card is their problem and I just can't see how any claim could have been denied. Their case would never have stood up in court or the small claims court as applicable. Unfortunately, my problem is just getting insurance so I cannot by on line. Pre existing medical problems is the pits and it takes so long on the phone

trets77

very shocking esuhl

. i currently use the lloyds tsb platinum account travel insurance which i get free with my bank acount. never made a claim but it worries me being free even though on the big print it appears to match up to other policys.

anyone ever cliamed with this travel insurance?