Insurers saying won’t cover flight cost if offered refund credit, any advice?

lloydm7

Hi there,
My partner and I were due to go to Vietnam in March but had to cancel due to FCO advise. The actual flights still went ahead. It wasn’t a package holiday, we had booked flights and hotel ourselves separately using a credit card.

Singapore airlines have offered refund credit (which we don’t want). Credit card says can’t use section 75 if have been offered a credit note. Our travel insurance (which we extended a few weeks before we went to make sure it covered ravel disruption) have just got back to us saying that due to “advise from the underwriters” they can not compensate us if we have been offered a voucher that can be used at a different date. This holiday was specifically to get engaged and to celebrate a 30th birthday so we don’t want to go away over the next 12 months instead. I would have thought we’d be entitled to have our money back from our insurers. 

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Anyone successful been compensated? Any advise on what we can do? 

Stay safe x

Fighter1986

I'm just in the process of examining this with Canadian WestJet who forcibly refunded ticket values into a "Air Dollars" account.

I've checked Canadian and British law, and both state that the airline is not permitted to do this without the customers express and specific consent at point of cancellation of flight.

I'm going to see what we get from the Credit Card company and the Travel Insurance company, and if nothing from either I'll point out to them that it's actually illegal for the airline to force us to take "Air Dollars" without our consent, and forward them the applicable laws pertaining to this.

You might wish to do the same. A bit of googling should find you the requisite laws / regulations you need to quote in your correspondence to the insurers / credit card company. 

Life__Goes__On

lloydm7 said:

Hi there,
My partner and I were due to go to Vietnam in March but had to cancel due to FCO advise. The actual flights still went ahead. It wasn’t a package holiday, we had booked flights and hotel ourselves separately using a credit card.

Singapore airlines have offered refund credit (which we don’t want). Credit card says can’t use section 75 if have been offered a credit note. Our travel insurance (which we extended a few weeks before we went to make sure it covered ravel disruption) have just got back to us saying that due to “advise from the underwriters” they can not compensate us if we have been offered a voucher that can be used at a different date. This holiday was specifically to get engaged and to celebrate a 30th birthday so we don’t want to go away over the next 12 months instead. I would have thought we’d be entitled to have our money back from our insurers. 

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Anyone successful been compensated? Any advise on what we can do? 

Stay safe x

As the flights flew, I think your only option is either vouchers or try again with your insurers.
You could I write back to the insurer and  ask if you take the travel vouchers would you be covered for any COVID-19 disruption.
I very much doubt they will say you would be covered, as it is now a known event.
If they do come back saying you wouldn't be covered,  then use that against them,  saying it would be unfair to  take a voucher when you would no longer be covered,so not a like for like replacement.  If they still don't pay out,  complain  and take it to the Ombudsman.

 

Fighter1986

Thank you @Life__Goes__On , this might not be my thread but this argument may pay dividends in my case, too.

Fingers crossed and good luck everyone

Life__Goes__On

Fighter1986 said:

Thank you @Life__Goes__On , this might not be my thread but this argument may pay dividends in my case, too.

Fingers crossed and good luck everyone

My view is it may/ may not work,   it costs nothing to try and go to the Ombudsman (but costs the insurer).
And even if I didn't win,   I would know i at least tried.