Travel insurance refusal

EmSkinner

Hi
I had to cancel my trip to Cuba for the 16th March due to the Covid-19 and FCO preventing any travel bar essential, which obviously, is not essential. But my travel insurance is now saying that I am not covered, as the FCO did not not officially say that we could not travel. They are further saying that I cannot otherwise cancel due to not Beijing in the armed forces or having died.

Has anyone got any tips on what I can do? As it is over £900 for the price of the 10 day trip.

Aylesbury_Duck

Not really, if insurance won't cover it and the reasons for not doing so are factually correct.

Life__Goes__On

Could you copy the the rejection for the insurance company (taking out personal info)

minorman

My travel insurance (Leisure Guard,  the policy which has now expired) told me that our cruise in March 2020 which was cancelled by fred Olsen is not covered if either the cruise company cancels it or the FCO advises against unessential travel.  I was advised that there is a specific clause in the  small print about this that protects them.  It appears that getting travel insurance, whatever age you are is a total  lottery. There are so many "small print" (and I do mean SMALL PRINT) clauses that get  the  insurers out of paying out.  I have also found that using comparison sites is not  all it appears.  The comparison site asks you a standard set of questions, you get a series of quotes,  you choose one of the offers  and then once you connect to the company they jack up the price with another set of questions. You can not therefore get a fair price.
Having said that, the travel insurance "industry" would appear to be deeply in the doodoo. Particularly if they only do travel.  A friends son who works for one company says things are really difficult and he thinks his job, if not the company might go down the toilet.   The big question is, where do all the profits go in the good years ?  Somebody's pocket overseas ?

Caz3121

minorman said:

My travel insurance (Leisure Guard,  the policy which has now expired) told me that our cruise in March 2020 which was cancelled by fred Olsen is not covered if either the cruise company cancels it or the FCO advises against unessential travel. 

have Fred Olsen not issued you a refund?

Thrugelmir

minorman said:

 The big question is, where do all the profits go in the good years ?  Somebody's pocket overseas ?

Margins are very low in the travel sector. Shareholders invest for a return on their money. The same as you expect a return on your pension fund. 

josseynon

I have been refused, ironically at one point, because my insurer (MRL / Aegeas) said they would not cover for claims caused by travel to a country advised against by FCO (I told them I was not claiming for travel in spite of advice from FCO, I was not travelling because of the advice, and they then apologised for trying to use that clause erroneously and then pointed out a different clause). I am now claiming for being effectively quarantined. They WILL pay out for this but only with doc's note. I am arguing that we have been adivsed by govt not to take up docs time with non-essential matters and that Dr Chris Whitty is as senior a doctor as you can get an he endorsed that stay at home policy. I am claiming and making a complaint simultaneously and will be interested to see how they justify requiring a doctor's sign off for something applied nationally during such a time when doctor's are under such stress. I a enclosing the letter sent to us by the Prime Minister. Will take this to the Financial Ombudsman who I think will agree that refusing to pay out based lack of a doctor's letter, when doctor's are being made to work as ITU nurses is an unreasonable request. My firm has been supremely slippery on refusing to even register a claim. Am looking forward to taking them on.

minorman

Caz.  They offered a refund or a "double your money" cruise voucher to be used later.  We opted for the refund as we felt that being over 70 our lockdown would be a long one and also in case the company ceased trading.  We are still waiting for a response AND the cash !
Josseynon. Good luck.  I feel you have a long , if not difficult battle.  Here's our story re the cruise.  Annual travel insurance, with cruise option in place. And apparently it would cover me for covid.  No covid alarms, no gov. Warnings.  BOOK CRUISE.   Later on covid alarm comes up.  Cruise still on.  We were literally ready to walk out the door next day when we were contacted by fred Olsen to say cruise was off .. I should add that we are also in the same position regarding flights to OZ in November which were booked before it all kicked off.
So. I think first of all, leisure guard have looked for a way out and also putting me in a position where I don't want to renew which, because of what they said due to my wife being suddenly taken Ill they voided my insurance last week. I therefore could not renew.  Thus the OZ trip or the costs of it are lost.  My wife is of an opinion we should just take the "hit" and lose the approximately £4500 as she does not like to fight or want to.  Unfortunately I don't  think I can take these problems to any ombudsman or to court as she paid for it on her card.