Travel Insurance question

Mrs_pbradley936

A friend has just cancelled a flight because his mother-in-law is close to death.

Flight was booked 2 weeks ago and family given news of likely demise last week.

On the phone the insurance (via NatWest Bank) said it would pay out so long as the necessary verification was obtained. Flight then cancelled but yesterday insurance says old dear been in nursing home for months so not paying out.

No body denies she has been in a nursing home following a stroke but they were not told of imminent death until a few days ago.

Any suggestions as to how to handle this?

Thanks

huckster

Cancellation due to the near death of a close relative is covered, provided you did not know of a life threatening condition before arranging the Insurance. So any claim is totally dependent on a Doctors report , saying that that no one could have anticipated her condition being life threatening.

Sometimes Doctors don't tell relatives of their loved ones life expectancy when they fall ill. I experienced similar with a relative in a care home where their Doctor just said that they were trying to make them as comfortable as possible, given their age/general health. They did not say that they were going to die, so don't make any plans to go on holiday etc.

See if you can get a helpful letter from the persons Doctors that might help and if the Insurers still don't want to pay out, then ask them for their final response, so the matter can be referred to the FOS. Would the Doctor be able to confirm that at the time you booked the trip and the Insurance, that the life threatening condition could not have been anticipated ?

Quentin

Presumably the stroke is the problem, as it was pre-existing.

(Unless she did report it to the insurer?)

Assuming that she knew about the stroke but didn't tell the insurer they seem to have acted properly in not paying the claim.

Mrs_pbradley936

Quentin wrote: »

Presumably the stroke is the problem, as it was pre-existing.

(Unless she did report it to the insurer?)

Assuming that she knew about the stroke but didn't tell the insurer they seem to have acted properly in not paying the claim.

No the stroke is not the problem. Lots of people go on for years after a stroke.

Quentin

They do.

Nevertheless a stroke is a pre existing condition which should have been declared.