Travel agent rip off

richiethekid

A few months back myself and my fiancee booked a holiday in Spain for the first week in September, paying a deposit of £70. On January 1st we found out she was pregnant and her due date would be in August, so obviously the holiday was a non-starter. So she went back to the travel agent and explained the situation. They told her there were three options

1. Find someone else to take the holiday and transfer the names
2. Transfer the deposit to another holiday at a later date, so as not to lose it
3. Pay the remaining deposit (£150), then cancel the holiday and claim the deposit back on the travel insurance, which was purchased with the holiday

She was told (on two separate occasions) verbally by staff in the shop that we would be able to obtain a refund through the insurance, minus a percentage. So we decided this would be the best option and paid the remaining £150, then cancelled the holiday and filled in the necessary forms. Last week we received a letter from the insurance company saying that they wouldn't pay out, as pregnancy doesn't qualify as an illness. Had we checked the small print this would have been apparent, but I left everything to the missus, and as I said, the travel agent staff told her on two separate occasions that we would be entitled to a refund.

So now we are £220 out of pocket with absolutely nothing to show for it, while presumably someone at the local travel agent has a nice commission in their back pocket. Can anyone help? I told the missus to go to the local CAB for advice, but is it worth it? I would have thought we'd have a case, as they fed us false information in order to rip us off (and surely they have a code of conduct to abide by) but then again we didn't check the small print.

Any advice gratefully received.

mrcow

Hi Richie

I've just seen this and was wondering if you'd got this sorted out.

Your insurance company were trying to fob you off BTW! If your baby is due in August and the holiday is in September,then the airline will probably not allow you to fly anyway. Alternatively, you could easily get a doctor's note signing you off from travel as it would be so soon after the birth. No doctor would refuse this.

I've claimed on travel insurance before due to pregnancy and had no problems at all.

mrcow

richiethekid

Thanks for that chief, I'll keep it in mind. I was leaving it up to the missus cos she booked it in the first place, but she can't really be bothered so I'll sort it out myself. Maybe I'll try writing to the insurance company.

philyio

Out of interest where are you from Richie?

richiethekid

South Staffs; the travel agent in question was a branch of a major high street operation, in Cannock.

Apparently the insurance policy specifically stated that pregnancy wasn't covered, in which case, oops. Having said that I haven't seen the actual policy document yet. But if that is the case the only course of action would be to complain to the travel agent and never leave anything like that to the other half.

BrokeBrokeBroke

But she won't be pregnant then, she'll have just given birth. And I'm sure you're not allowed to fly for 2 weeks or something after having a baby.

richiethekid

Apparently documentation was supplied with the claim. My guess is that, as the insurance policy was purchased with the holiday (not a good idea, I know), it may well have been designed in such a way that nobody could ever actually claim on it. But until I see the actual policy document, I couldn't say for sure.