Trainline.com Insurance Warning

Former_MSE_Andrea

Buyer beware

Book rail tickets on booking website thetrainline.com and you could find yourself paying more than you need if you're not careful.

Once you've clicked "continue" on your chosen journey the price you're given automatically includes the cost of insurance with Columbus Direct (the boxes are already ticked). It's up to you to untick them.

What's the alternative?

If you really do feel you need to insure your rail journey in the UK the Cheapest Travel Insurance article, although aimed at travelling abroad, should point the way to the cheaper insurers.

chrisbray

I often buy tickets from trainline and did notice this insurance added when the final price came up.I noticed a couple of days ago that they had changed this and it is no longer checked.Unless they remembered my last few purchases.

Fortyfoot

Thanks, good warning,
Fortyfoot

ncrossland

Also beware, if there are two of you travelling, both using railcards.

Their system will only discount ONE of the tickets - but only tells you this if you click on the 'fare detail' screen. So you could end up paying 33% too much for one of the tickets.

The solution? Plan your journey through nationalrail.co.uk and click through to thetrainline at the last stage of the process - where it correctly discounts your fares.

baldbopper

I got caught with the added insurance but I read the small print and there is the usual insurance cooling off period of 14 days, so you can cancel it

Fatboy_NSS

ncrossland wrote:

Also beware, if there are two of you travelling, both using railcards.

Their system will only discount ONE of the tickets

That's not correct. Under the box where is asks what type of railcard it asks how many of you have them. If you both have railcards then you will both get the discount, but if only one of you has one then you will correctly only get one discount.

MylesBetter

An even bigger problem with TheTrainLine is depending which way you go to single fares depends on what price tickets you are offered for VIRGIN Value 1st tickets. VIRGIN have acknowledged this top me and hope to fix it a quick as possible but that was 3 weeks ago. My adivce is always go in via return fares with the "direct services only box" unchecked. If you want to play have a go yourself. Liverpool to London and see what VIRGIN Value 1st tickets are offered against departure times depending whether you go via return fares or single fares with the direct services box checked and unchecked.

kfh54

Also note that you might not be offered the cheapest available fare on thetrainline.com and could be better off checking the individual provider's website, eg Midland Mainline £15 return to London from Leicester is not available on thetrainline.com, you have to look on midlandmainline.com.

Grumpy_old_man_2

I decided to buy Columbus Insurance asTrainline promise that it covers for loss because of missed or delayed trains. The isnurance company are now refusing to pay out because I actually arrived at my intended train destination (albiet 9 hrs late) due to train failures. They say that as my journey started from home at the intended time no claim for missed departure is permissible. The fact that my delayed train caused me to miss a flight is not covered. I am taking this through the complaints procedure, but it takes the gloss off my holiday.

Grumpy_old_man_2

baldbopper wrote:

I got caught with the added insurance but I read the small print and there is the usual insurance cooling off period of 14 days, so you can cancel it

See my note about insurance company refusing to pay out

Muma_Jones

And if you ever need the insurance...? The insurance only covers half of the cost of the ticket!!! Made me so furious. After months of jumping through hoops and producing everything that was asked of me (doc notes etc) they agree to refund me. But what a surprise, through various eons of small print and loopholes it only comes to half the amount of the tickets. 'Refund' Columbus Direct you are a joke. i shall never pay additional amounts to upgrade to insurance policy covered by Columbus Direct.