How long to settle a travel insurance claim?

NowRetired

While on holiday last month my wife had an accident and needed to get an x-ray and plaster on her foot.

I contacted the insurer and was told I had a valid claim so I gave them the details.

Then nothing.

I am going away on holiday again next month (one advantage of being retired) and need to arrange travel insurance again, this time I am getting a yearly policy.

However if the insurance company I am waiting on to pay my claim either decides I have no claim or takes a long time to pay out I want to go elsewhere.

Should I get in touch with them and ask how long it will be before they settle my claim?

Or should I just make sure whoever I go with is not associated with them in any way and tell them why I am getting insurance elsewhere?

InsideInsurance

The challenge that most insurers face is that (a) claims handling is a moderately skilled job and takes a fair amount of training etc and (b) claims tend to be very seasonal in nature. The result of this is that most insurers accept that they will have some backlogs in their high season (winter in most insurances) and some quiet staff during their low season.

Given the holiday was only "last month" and it takes time for you to send post etc it doesnt sound as if they are being that slow given the time of year. A phone call to them may give you a better idea of where you are in the queue but with many insurers the customer facing telephone staff and the decision makers are separate teams of people so not always the most accurate information is available