Hotel refusing to refund booking cost - Can I use travel insurance to raise a claim?

myrealusernameunavailable

Hello all, 
We had a Swiss holiday planned for end of July which is now not going to go ahead. The property we booked for 5 days in Switzerland was for a non-refundable stay. On enquiring with the hotel, they have simply refused to refund any cost. We booked via Expedia but they are of no help either as they claim to be bound by "hotel's policies when it comes to refunds".
Additionally our outbound flights (EasyJet) from UK to Switzerland is now also cancelled by the airline. Under these circumstances (with outbound leg cancelled) can an argument be made that there is no realistic way to travel to the destination in the first place? Any chance someone could help me with understanding what my options are here?  I have travel insurance which was valid at the time i made the hotel booking in Oct 2019 - it is still valid.  Is there a way i could claim via  insurance. 
Thanks in advance 

JGB1955

The hotel is available.  There are no restrictions on travel to Switzerland, nor are there quarantine requirements once you arrive.  Presumably you will get a refund from EasyJet for the outbound flight.  Are other flights/routes available?  If you paid by credit card you won't be able to claim a chargeback, so it looks like you'll have to speak to your insurance company.

macman

Was this booked as a package, do you have an ATOL certificate? What do you mean by 'not going ahead? Have the hotel cancelled you? Or do you want to cancel?
If, as I suspect, you booked separately, and, assuming the hotel has cancelled you, then your claim for the hotel is with expedia, not the hotel. Ask for a full refund in 14 days. The response of expedia is inexplicable.
If no response, do a chargeback on your card. Insurance claim is the last resort and they'll expect you to have exhausted all other routes first.

macman

It's not clear from the OP's post if the hotel is available or not. They simply said 'the hotel refuses to refund': which they are within their rights to do, as the OPs contract is with expedia, not the hotel. Clearer info needed.
Insurance will not pay out unless travel is not possible or the OP had proof of a medical reason not to travel.

myrealusernameunavailable

JGB1955 said:

The hotel is available.  There are no restrictions on travel to Switzerland, nor are there quarantine requirements once you arrive.  Presumably you will get a refund from EasyJet for the outbound flight.  Are other flights/routes available?  If you paid by credit card you won't be able to claim a chargeback, so it looks like you'll have to speak to your insurance company.

Thank you - please can i ask is there a specific reason i wont be able to claim a chargeback? I did pay on my credit card for this reservation. 

myrealusernameunavailable

macman said:

It's not clear from the OP's post if the hotel is available or not. They simply said 'the hotel refuses to refund': which they are within their rights to do, as the OPs contract is with expedia, not the hotel. Clearer info needed.
Insurance will not pay out unless travel is not possible or the OP had proof of a medical reason not to travel.

Until a week ago, the hotel was not accepting guests but they have started accepting guests from 01st of July.    

myrealusernameunavailable

macman said:

Was this booked as a package, do you have an ATOL certificate? What do you mean by 'not going ahead? Have the hotel cancelled you? Or do you want to cancel?
If, as I suspect, you booked separately, and, assuming the hotel has cancelled you, then your claim for the hotel is with expedia, not the hotel. Ask for a full refund in 14 days. The response of expedia is inexplicable.
If no response, do a chargeback on your card. Insurance claim is the last resort and they'll expect you to have exhausted all other routes first.

Sorry for the confusion - the holiday was booked separately. Flights with EasyJet and hotels via Expedia. And no - the hotel has not cancelled us. 

JGB1955

Thank you - please can i ask is there a specific reason i wont be able to claim a chargeback?

If the service (hotel) is available then I don't think the hotel are at fault.  On the other hand, if the hotel has cancelled, then the chargeback should be applicable.  It would be helpful if you could explain why the holiday 'is now not going to go ahead'.

sharpe106

Who cancelled if you cancelled then they can fall back on the terms and conditions. If they cancelled due to being shut then you could do a chargeback.

phillw

myrealusernameunavailable said:

Additionally our outbound flights (EasyJet) from UK to Switzerland is now also cancelled by the airline. 

You have an obligation to your travel insurance company to mitigate your losses.
Is anyone else running flights?
If so then you should talk to your insurance company about claiming for the increase in flight cost.
If not, then I'd say it was reasonable to put in a claim with your insurance company for the hotel as you are being prevented from going.
If you had an annual policy when you booked and you let it lapse, then I don't think you'll be able to make a claim in either case. But you should speak to the insurance company.
You can still try to book alternate flights though.

myrealusernameunavailable

JGB1955 said:

Thank you - please can i ask is there a specific reason i wont be able to claim a chargeback?

If the service (hotel) is available then I don't think the hotel are at fault.  On the other hand, if the hotel has cancelled, then the chargeback should be applicable.  It would be helpful if you could explain why the holiday 'is now not going to go ahead'.

Ok - thank you. I was earlier this year diagnosed with medical conditions (comorbidities) which puts me in the at risk category for covid-19. Hence my phrasing that the holiday "is now not going to go ahead" - mainly down to my unwillingness to take risk.