Proof of 'non-flight' for travel insurance claim

brightpinkbee

Hi

My parents have submitted travel insurance claims for 2 holidays they had to cancel this summer due to illness. They have provided all of the medical info and it should be straightforward but the insurers are asking for proof they didn't board the flight and the tour operater are unable to provide it. Does anybody have any experience of this?

One of the holidays was a package holoiday booked through Thomson, the date of the holiday has passed but tickets weren't issued as the holiday was cancelled before they were due to travel and Thomson issued the cancellation invoice which detailed their flight had been cancelled.

The second holiday was to America but booked through an agent so they sorted out cancellation and again issused a cancellation invoice. This holiday was booked for later in the year so obviously we can't prove they didn't travel as the holiday date isn't here yet!

I'd appreciate it if anyone can offer some advice. I can understand insurers asking for these documents if flights have been booked and cancelled independently but not through an and agent and as part of a package. The insurers are being very awkward about this and saying they can't proceed with the claim without this. :mad: Is there somewhere else we should seek advice? The FSA perhaps?

Many thanks

dacouch

Have you sent the Insurers the cancellation Invoices from the tour operator ? (I assume the flights were part of the tour operators package)

brightpinkbee

Yes - the insurers have had the cancellation invoice, the original booking invoice and the medical letters for both cancelled holidays but still they're asking for further proof they didn't travel!

I've been through a travel insurance claim myself in the past and it was straightfoward - I just provided the necessary documentation. I can't understand why they're being so difficult here :mad:

dacouch

Assuming the flight was part of the package and they've had confirmation from the tour operator confirming cancellation of the package. Then refer them to this which is part of the "Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Practices"

"12. Creating extra paperwork
Requiring a consumer who wishes to claim on an insurance
policy to produce documents which could not reasonably
be considered relevant as to whether the claim was valid, or
failing systematically to respond to pertinent correspondence,
in order to dissuade a consumer from exercising his/her
contractual rights."

http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/business_leaflets/cpregs/oft979.pdf

Feel free to report the Insurers to their local Trading Standards, if you get the right person, they might be prepared to make a quick call to the Insurers for an elderly couple which would hopefully clear it up

Should this not work send them a letter marked "Official Complaint" which they have to investigate properly and report back to you, although this can take a while. Making an official complaint then allows you to go to the Ombudsman although this takes a very long time.