Travel insurance clause definition

Shanders72

Having issues with travel insurance claim (surprise, surprise)
Booked flights and accommodation separately for France in July. AerLingus cancelled flights.
Called Travel Insurance - Benenden but dealing with travelclaims ltd. - who at first assured me I was covered. Seemed pretty straightforward to me that I could get a refund from airline and Insurance would cover the accommodation deposit of just over £1000.
Claim was refused first time as FCO advice had changed by time of travel. Called them to say this wasn't the reason for canceling - this was due to flight cancellation.
Was then told it was refused due to the following clause which is very ambiguous, intentionally I'm sure...

Exclusions:

The provider (for example, an airline, hotel, ferry company and so on) not providing any part of the trip you have booked, (this could be a service or transport) unless the event is covered by this policy. If this happens, you should claim against the provider.

The rep was reading this as - if flight part was not provided they would not cover accommodation costs. Should claim against airline for accommodation.

Could also be read as - if airline cancel their part you must claim against said airline for their part - which makes more sense.

My reading of the policy is that if we had been delayed for >24hrs for any reason, we'd be fully covered but not if flights are cancelled - which seems silly.

I'm also confused by 'unless the event is covered by this policy.' What is 'event' in this context?

Can anyone give me a steer or have any prior knowledge of this? Pretty sure my chances of AerLingus covering accommodation are zero so I'm left to deal with Travel Insurance as I see it. And I'm aware they can be pretty unscrupulous, especially at the present time.

Thanks in advance

blindman

Was the accommodation open on the date you were supposed to arrive?
If so then No cover.
What was the FCO advice on that day?
If "OK to travel" then No cover.

You booked both separately so each is treated separately

Have you contacted the accommodation to see if they can refund\postpone\give a voucher?

Shanders72

FCO advice changed just before we were due to travel. Accommodation was open. Looks like I'm onto a loser then. Thanks anyway.

lisyloo

I don’t read it the same way. I read it that they won’t pay for cancelled parts.
i would put in a formal complaint. You have nothing to lose and they might be wrong.
was there no other way you could have travelled?

Shanders72

This is my point - it could be read in different ways.
Initially I read as the rep suggested but after a while I read it as - I'd need to claim against the airline for their part - which made more sense (not that it matters) I've complained already about it. Think it might be a process of knocking down objections as they arise.
Was no other way to travel bar a 14 hour journey. Also at that stage the FCO advice was in place as was the 2 week quarantine, and any new travel wouldn't have been covered by my travel insurance.

Shanders72

Still confused by 'unless the event is covered by this policy.' Doesn't make sense to me. 

You're not covered for this unless you're covered for this?

blindman

Shanders72 said:

Still confused by 'unless the event is covered by this policy.' Doesn't make sense to me. 

You're not covered for this unless you're covered for this?

There are TWO Providers here.
In your mind the flight and accommodation are linked.
In the insurance claim they are NOT, you can have one without the other.

The flight Provider cancelled their part and gave you the money-No insurance needed.
The accommodation provider still offered the accommodation so they upheld their part-No refund 

The accommodation loss is a Consequence of not been able to fly to the country so check to see if your insurance covers that (doubt...)
This is also what the insurers are pointing at in that you claim from the airline that they did not get you to the country so claim the accommodation from them (VERY unlikely)

This is the only negative of not booking a package. 


I believe everyone who has insurance claims rejected should complain to the Ombudsman as a LOT of Insurers have badly worded polices which I believe will not hold up to scrutiny.

Shimrod

Shanders72 said:

FCO advice changed just before we were due to travel. Accommodation was open. Looks like I'm onto a loser then. Thanks anyway.

It may be worth checking the actual terms of cover under FCO advice. My insurance allows for cancellation based on the FCO advice in place 31 days before travel commences (account linked travel insurance through Barclays).

Shanders72

Thanks all, there appears to be some correlation between flights and accommodation as I'd be covered for accommodation if flight is delayed for any reason.

StandingInTheSun

Shimrod said:

Shanders72 said:

FCO advice changed just before we were due to travel. Accommodation was open. Looks like I'm onto a loser then. Thanks anyway.

It may be worth checking the actual terms of cover under FCO advice. My insurance allows for cancellation based on the FCO advice in place 31 days before travel commences (account linked travel insurance through Barclays).

Yes, look into this. Nationwide was 28 days. Post Office 14 days. Look it up.