Resuming my holiday. Am I covered?

fabfor

My wife and I purchased a Gold single trip travel policy from Columbus Direct (costing £455.00) for our 6 month retirement holiday in Mauritius . Just over a month into our holiday, we booked a 2 week return flight from Mauritius to the uk to attend the funeral of my wife's sister, who had died unexpectedly. We are about to put in a claim for our 2 week return flight costs. Columbus initially stated that we're not covered but later agreed to consider our claim (once submitted).
I get the impression that they've never had to deal with a case like this before. Our policy addresses "curtailment" but there is no mention of interruption. Columbus has also said that our policy will resume after our return to Mauritius (in a week's time) - but the wording states that the policy ends if we return early!
I'd be most grateful for any advice offered. Thanks, Frank

agrinnall

Get it in writing from Columbus.

fabfor

Thanks. Yes, we've been awaiting email confirmation from them since Friday and have just sent them a reminder.
We've also just found this on the policy wording: "2. reasonable additional travelling expenses incurred by you for returning to the country of residence (on the same basis as your original booking) earlier than planned (for a reason stated in YOU ARE COVERED 1 of this section)." Reason for hope ..?

FutureGirl

fabfor wrote: »

Thanks. Yes, we've been awaiting email confirmation from them since Friday and have just sent them a reminder.
We've also just found this on the policy wording: "2. reasonable additional travelling expenses incurred by you for returning to the country of residence (on the same basis as your original booking) earlier than planned (for a reason stated in YOU ARE COVERED 1 of this section)." Reason for hope ..?

This would only cover you for the additional travel costs of returning home early - not costs for returning to your holiday destination.

fabfor

Yes, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks futuregirl. My argument is that the cover should be for unavoidable, reasonable expenses resulting from, in this case, the death of a close relative. But I haven't been able to find any guidance on what the legal position actually is.

dacouch

fabfor wrote: »

Yes, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks futuregirl. My argument is that the cover should be for unavoidable, reasonable expenses resulting from, in this case, the death of a close relative. But I haven't been able to find any guidance on what the legal position actually is.

If you claim on the curtailment part of the policy for a flight home that in effect would be the end of the policy and the cover as it has completed it's purpose.

You may find the Insurers make a contribution towards your flights home or the full cost and they may agree to continue cover

fabfor

Thanks dacouch. That's why I'd describe this as more of an interruption/resumption than a curtailment. There must be loads of precedents but I haven't been able to find a single one on Google.

dacouch

fabfor wrote: »

Thanks dacouch. That's why I'd describe this as more of an interruption/resumption than a curtailment. There must be loads of precedents but I haven't been able to find a single one on Google.

The thing is your the contract between you and the Insurers eg the Policy does not provide cover for interrumption / resumption.

ThinkingOutLoud_2

Firstly, sympathy for your loss.

dacouch is right under normal trip insurance - if you can claim for curtailment and return home - the usually policy ends with that. There is no cover for the cost of getting home.

But, you are right to think this is not something that never happens - in fact Columbus and others recognise this by having "amended terms" applicable for those buying backpacker style policies covering ... "your first return home prior to the planned return at the end of the trip (except in the case of Backpacker policies, where if you return to your country of residence within the planned trip dates, cover will be suspended from the time you arrive in your country of residence and will only continue once you leave immigration control in the country of your next ticketed destination)."

I don't think you bought this type of policy. In any event, they do not cover the costs of that return via the UK - they simply allow you to do it without ending the cover. The usual end of cover on first return is because this is single trip policy. BUT as dacouch also says - maybe there is some room for seeking a sensible way forwards?

A) If they won't play ball as suggested, I think you have choice of trying to claim for curtailment (as you say the death was wholly unexpected ) and they will pay for the return to the UK. But, then you will have no policy and have to pay the costs to fly back to Mauritius.

OR I think you might reasonably ask them to allow you to return home and the policy to continue when you land back in Mauritius Beware that will/may not cover you in transit in theory as they only allow the original trip out and back. This leaves you with a policy but no return trip costs.

Whichever makes most sense, get it in writing...

fabfor

Thank you very much, dacouch and thinkingoutloud. I feel so much better informed.
Yes, no interruptions mentioned but they seem willing to allow the continuation of the policy (in spite of a clause stating that it ends on first return? I hope so). And as futuregirl's pointed out, we might be covered for single fares back to the uk on the basis of our original (direct) mode of travel - which, incidentally, would have cost almost as much as the (indirect) Emirates special offer Return tickets that we actually used. I'll post updates as soon as I hear from Columbus. Thanks again guys. :T

dacouch

The answer needs to come from Columbus, make sure you get it in writing.

If they help you out, remeber that when buying cover again in the future as the majority of Insurers wouldn't