USD insurance refund to a UK bank

SevenOfNine

I had an emergency procedure in a Jamaican hospital recently. Had to submit USD $11,000 (credit card) as a 'holding fee' whilst agreement was sought from my travel insurer to cover all costs.

This was done, but returning to UK I've discovered that the hospital presented the c/c transaction for payment - it's now sitting on my c/c account for payment! I've queried the transaction & had it temporarily suspended for 28 days.

After much intense discussion with travel insurer, who initially flatly refused to refund me, insisting they would be paying the entire hospital invoice (which they have been sent by the hospital, I've never even seen it), & I'd have sort out my own $11,000 refund direct with the hospital (they admit the hospital would probably take ages), the insurer has finally agreed to give it to me.

Hefty fees have already been applied by the c/c provider for this non-sterling transaction, so can anyone suggest a better place for a USD refund to be processed so I'm not stung for c/c fees twice? Assuming I can persuade the insurer NOT to refund to the c/c.

Searched around banking info & had a go with Google, but it all mainly seems to relate to spending, not one-off income.
I have accounts with:
Lloyds
Nationwide
TSB
Tesco

I'm thinking maybe I should just try a Section 75 with Barclaycard given that this transaction was meant to be 'holding' not processed, & payment was to be made by another source. I think I have enough paperwork from the insurer to prove that, but it's not helpful that the insurer haven't yet actually paid it (too busy trying to negotiate the inflated charge downwards first). They won't even give me a copy of the invoice!

Could you please be kind if this is too long or looks a ridiculous question. I had an operation in a foreign country, returned to find all this, had endless calls to the insurer & extremely stressed. Thanks.

dj1471

Just request a chargeback from your card issuer. You should get the fees back if you do this.

If the hospital refunds you you'll be hit with another set of fees.

Chino

dj1471 wrote: »

Just request a chargeback from your card issuer.

I don't see why a chargeback would succeed. The OP has already admitted that it was a "holding fee", so I don't understand why the OP is surprised that the hospital sought payment of this fee. It is clearly not a pre-authorisation, such as hotels might apply when someone books a room.

Perhaps the OP should be grateful that he or she received the treatment they needed in a foreign country and is (hopefully) now well instead of losing sleep over a few pounds of credit card fees.

SevenOfNine

Chino wrote: »

I don't see why a chargeback would succeed. The OP has already admitted that it was a "holding fee", so I don't understand why the OP is surprised that the hospital sought payment of this fee. It is clearly not a pre-authorisation, such as hotels might apply when someone books a room.

Perhaps the OP should be grateful that he or she received the treatment they needed in a foreign country and is (hopefully) now well instead of losing sleep over a few pounds of credit card fees.

The hospital have submitted a FULL invoice to the travel insurer, they were in contact with each other immediately, while I was being admitted the hospital took the details from my husband & phoned them to seek payment guarantee.

This was duly provided by the insurer but the hospital did not wait for it to arrive. Choosing instead to submit our holding deposit for payment.

Knowing they had already done that (we were unaware until our return home), it's odd that they have submitted this invoice in it's entirety, $11,599.99, with no mention of the $11,000 lobbed onto my card. They haven't even sent it to me, only to our insurer.

In comparison, we paid the ambulance company $500, also by c/c, understanding that this was a payment, not a holding deposit. They have sent an invoice for $2900, with our deposit of $500 indicated & requested payment of the balance of $2400.

The hospital haven't done the same, therefore they'll end up with £11,599.99 from the insurer & $11,000 from me (albeit perhaps temporarily, should they then get round to refunding me, what use will $11,000 converted to sterling be sitting on my credit card, it will take 6 months to use it up!).

The "few pounds" you have referred to is £255. I wouldn't have to be "grateful" I received the necessary treatment in Jamaica if the NHS hadn't cancelled a routine procedure (3 hours beforehand) scheduled for the week prior to our holiday. That routine procedure turned into something more major while I was away...…….but that's what good travel insurance cover is for. It's not luck.

PS Barclaycard have suspended the payment for 28 days, under "expected to be paid by another source" for the time being. As a full invoice has been submitted to the insurers I'm thinking about a Section 75.

Takmon

SevenOfNine wrote: »

Hefty fees have already been applied by the c/c provider for this non-sterling transaction, so can anyone suggest a better place for a USD refund to be processed so I'm not stung for c/c fees twice? Assuming I can persuade the insurer NOT to refund to the c/c.

SevenOfNine wrote: »

The "few pounds" you have referred to is £255.

Another good example of why you should always get suitable cards with no foreign transactions fees for when you are travelling abroad. I'm surprised you didn't have a credit card already because you seem to regularly post on here.

It won't help with your current problem but you might as well apply for a credit card now with no foreign transaction fees if you plan on travelling again in the future then at least you have one.

SevenOfNine

Takmon wrote: »

Another good example of why you should always get suitable cards with no foreign transactions fees for when you are travelling abroad. I'm surprised you didn't have a credit card already because you seem to regularly post on here.

It won't help with your current problem but you might as well apply for a credit card now with no foreign transaction fees if you plan on travelling again in the future then at least you have one.

We've travelled all over the world, never used a credit card once, not for anything. I have a Barclaycard (for it's cashback) & Nationwide (credit limit wasn't even close to high enough) & 4 debit cards, used the Nationwide debit card a couple of times a few years back, but nothing else. Different era to you I suspect.

I'll certainly have a look around for a credit card that will allow a £20k limit, no non-sterling transaction fee, but will never be used unless this happens to me again - I suppose once in 45 years of foreign travel hasn't been bad going. :beer:

jonnygee2

Just request a chargeback from your card issuer. You should get the fees back if you do this.

If the hospital refunds you you'll be hit with another set of fees.

You can only process a chargeback after you have asked for a refund. For a chargeback to be successful, part of the required evidence is normally evidence that you asked for a refund and were refused.

I'm thinking maybe I should just try a Section 75 with Barclaycard given that this transaction was meant to be 'holding' not processed, & payment was to be made by another source. I think I have enough paperwork from the insurer to prove that,

Paperwork from the insurer wouldn't be relevant to Section 75, or a chargeback, because the insurer are not the merchant. The hospital is the merchant. What paperwork and communication do you have from them?

I really think you should be trying to sort this out directly with the hospital. They have taken the payment, they are the ones that need to refund it.

Chino

SevenOfNine wrote: »

I'm thinking about a Section 75.

OK, but you have yet to explain which contract terms the hospital breached. Your posts give the appearance that you are healthy and well, so your section 75 claim presumably wouldn't relate to the quality of the treatment that you received from the hospital.

By the way, £255 is chicken feed if it means that you're still able to enjoy life ("The "few pounds" you have referred to is £255.").

Takmon

SevenOfNine wrote: »

We've travelled all over the world, never used a credit card once, not for anything. I have a Barclaycard (for it's cashback) & Nationwide (credit limit wasn't even close to high enough) & 4 debit cards, used the Nationwide debit card a couple of times a few years back, but nothing else. Different era to you I suspect.

I'll certainly have a look around for a credit card that will allow a £20k limit, no non-sterling transaction fee, but will never be used unless this happens to me again - I suppose once in 45 years of foreign travel hasn't been bad going. :beer:

Which card do you use to pay for things abroad and withdraw cash? I hope your not saying you take cash with you and exchange it at a poor exchange rate before you travel :eek: .

SevenOfNine

Takmon wrote: »

Which card do you use to pay for things abroad and withdraw cash? I hope your not saying you take cash with you and exchange it at a poor exchange rate before you travel :eek: .

Yes, exactly that.

In the old days it was travellers cheques, then we simply stopped buying tat, duty free, excursions to look at ruins, riding elephants/camels, jumping into sinkholes & dangling from a parachute over the sea. More of a 'veg out at an all inclusive" now, only spending is on tips. Leftover numerous weird currency has gone in a charity box.

Have taken your advice though, looking at Halifax Clarity (if they will give a big enough limit & we'll just use it on rare occasions in UK to keep it ticking over). Checked the difference between that with no fee (on the Mastercard converter) & Barclaycard with fee & it Clarity was £222 better.

Hospital have emailed to say they'll repay 'deposit' as insurer has paid whole fee, Barclaycard have ensured me that if the refund does not work out at the same as the payment that is suspended, then they'll get the difference back for us so we are not out of pocket.
:beer: