URGENT: Travel Insurance - missed departure!

johnnycab

My brother has missed his flight couple of hours ago, as he forgot his passport at home. What are his options with regards to travel insurance - he is insured with travelinsurance-web (on my stupid recommendation!). He has the passport now and is at the airport trying to get out again.

I have checked through the policy wording - it does not say anything about missing departure if you have left your passport at home. What is the correct procedure to follow at present? I know from personal experience that travelinsurance-web will play all their dirty games to avoid paying anything.

I would be really grateful, if anyone can help me find an answer to this problem.

Thanks

The following is from the policy wording:

MISSED DEPARTURE
This section does not apply to trips within your
country of residence.
Covered
You are covered up to the limit stated on your
policy schedule for necessary hotel and travelling
expenses incurred in reaching your booked
destination, if you arrive too late to commence
your booked trip from or to your country of
residence as a result of:
1) the vehicle in which you are travelling being
involved in an accident or breakdown or you
being delayed as a result of a major accident on a
motorway;
2) the public transport used being delayed.

Not Covered
1) the policy excess of £50;
2) if sufficient time has not been allowed for your
journey in order to meet the check-in time
specified by the transport providers or agent;
3) if you are not proceeding directly to the
departure point;
4) any costs claimed under Section 9, Travel
Delay and Abandonment, which relate to the
same trip;
5) anything listed in “Exclusions applicable to the
whole policy”.

Mrs_B_12

I don't think many policies cover people for being stupid and forgetting something so essential for travelling!

brodev

The last thing I would tell you to do is lie. Like telling them that your car broke down when you were taking him to the airport. I'm sure you would not do a thing like that.

vikingaero

I agree with Mrs B.

Missed Departure generally covers something like a catastrophic incident (such as a major crash which closes the motorway to your airport).

Forgetting your passport is just numbnutticus (I remember turning to ask my then g/f, now wife, if she had her passport with her as we rumbled up the off ramp on the M23 to Gatwick. "Oh no!" She replied. "I didn't think I needed it so I hid it away safely at home!" [cue one mad dash back home])

johnnycab

I would like to explain the situation a little bit, as I posted in a rush. Please accept my apologies - I posted here to get some quick answers, as I do not have any and generally do not like dealing with insurance firms, and always get taken for a ride.

I did mention my brother forgot his passport - it was actually his girlfriend's brother, who is 14 and was coming directly from his boarding school to the airport. It will not be a good thing to keep blaming the kid and telling him he is stupid for forgetting his passport as he was already in tears. Also, he is going to meet his parents and was looking forward to it. But, we are all covered by travelinsurance-web - so it is easier to ask a straight question whether as to you are covered or not.

Right now, they have been told that the whole flight is cancelled and they have to pay around £450 to get out and insurance seemed liked the only option. It would have been a lot easier, if it was my brother who had forgotten the passport as I could be really mean and tell him he is stupid and be done with it.

Brodev - my experience with travelinsurance-web has taught me that they do not like to deal with you even if you have a valid claim.

turtle2k1

You cannot claim on your travel insurance for not remembering your passport.

never_enough

Try to throw yourself on the mercy of the airline, beg, cry & ask for their help. They may be able to help.

johnnycab

never_enough wrote: »

Try to throw yourself on the mercy of the airline, beg, cry & ask for their help. They may be able to help.

I wish the first poster was as helpful as your suggestion, talk about kicking someone when they are down!

My brother did try that and told them exactly what had happened and threw himself at their mercy. The airline was quite helpful in the end and BA were apparently quite good too, as they were the only other carrier. But, unfortunately they did not have any more flights for the day...

Eventually, due to the time of the flights/connections on offer - they had to arrange alternative flights from Gatwick, pay lots of money and flew out about half an hour ago.

All is well, that ends well ;--))