Travel insurance claims - positive or negative experiences?

nafe12

After spending the best part of the weekend pouring through various policy documents -- and not being able to decide a company....

Just wondering if any members have had particularly POSITIVE or NEGATIVE experiences in their claims process?

EssexExile

Columbus Direct were fine when they paid me £6000 a couple of years ago. The problem was getting information from BA to send to them.

HoofeHearted

+1 for Columbus Direct. Paid out for all lost days of cruise package, medical fees and return Business Class from Thailand after my wife broke her leg whilst on a shore excursion. :money:

Gloomendoom

I had to claim on a Barclays policy a couple of years ago for missed departure (return leg) and was astounded how straightforward it was and how quickly the money was paid (3 days). I actually only claimed the cost of re-booking the tickets but they pointed out that I was also entitled to claim the extra accommodation costs back too.

My only other experience of claiming on travel insurance was years ago with insurance bundled in with a package holiday. It was like getting blood out of a stone. I gave up in the end.

victor2

Claimed twice off BUPA travel insurance. Couldn't make one trip because I was hospitalised a little before we were due to go. No problem.
On another we had to cancel and re-book because a non-blood relative (in-law) at the destination passed away just before we were due to travel. Airline didn't want to know (even though we wanted to re-book with them) because it wasn't a blood relative, BUPA had no problem, paid up very quickly for the lost cost and just said to send them a copy of the death certificate when we returned.

katejo

victor2 wrote: »

Claimed twice off BUPA travel insurance. Couldn't make one trip because I was hospitalised a little before we were due to go. No problem.
On another we had to cancel and re-book because a non-blood relative (in-law) at the destination passed away just before we were due to travel. Airline didn't want to know (even though we wanted to re-book with them) because it wasn't a blood relative, BUPA had no problem, paid up very quickly for the lost cost and just said to send them a copy of the death certificate when we returned.

In the 2nd example, did the relative die of a pre existing condition or something new? Usually insurance doesn't cover this.

katejo

nafe12 wrote: »

After spending the best part of the weekend pouring through various policy documents -- and not being able to decide a company....

Just wondering if any members have had particularly POSITIVE or NEGATIVE experiences in their claims process?

I have only made 1 claim with Insure & Go. It was small for some medical treatment when i suffered a vomiting bug in Turkey. They did pay up but took a while over it. If I remember correctly, they claimed not to have documents which I had sent.

victor2

katejo wrote: »

In the 2nd example, did the relative die of a pre existing condition or something new? Usually insurance doesn't cover this.

It was cancer, we had planned a visit to see her as we knew it was terminal, but she passed away earlier than anticipated. I explained the situation to the insurers and they said it was covered. That was several years ago, maybe they're stricter now.

Katiehound

Explorers Insurance. Not their own claims dept but a firm they use- (can't remember name) Once I had got all the paperwork together they dealt with claim within 5 working days and paid direct to bank a couple of days later- that was last year. Had to cancel cruise- about £1200 and a lost deposit on another cruise.
Was impressed

Had a claim a year earlier with a different firm (and different medical reason) and it was dire.

katejo

victor2 wrote: »

It was cancer, we had planned a visit to see her as we knew it was terminal, but she passed away earlier than anticipated. I explained the situation to the insurers and they said it was covered. That was several years ago, maybe they're stricter now.

Sorry to hear that but really surprised that you got that payout.

sandsy

Bupa - claimed for cost of 1 night's accommodation when flight cancelled and arrived at destination 24 hours late.

Declined initially then paid when I quoted policy conditions at them which I wasn't impressed with. Only realised at point of payment that excess applied per person so payout was negligible.