Paid for a family group to travel as a gift - only offered partial refund for my share

Thrugelmir

ciderboy2009 said:

ventouxvixen said:

... and listed 14 guests on the booking form. 

I think this is the main problem.  All insurance companies will try to minimise what they have to pay out

Insurance companies will have seen the same scam attempted for decades. 

blindman

ventouxvixen said:

I have found nothing in my policy to confirm or deny the insurance company’s position although there are obviously references to The Insured, being me and my 4 immediate family members. At the time of the booking, travel to France was still prohibited by the UK govt, and the French govt too. A deferral (my preference) can’t be offered as the owners are selling the property after suffering too great a loss during a Covid. Unfortunately I paid by bank transfer and listed 14 guests on the booking form. 

As Sb says, complain to the Ombudsman.

This type of claim should not automatically be split between the parties as situations like yours are not uncommon.

This is just insurers trying to avoid paying out ( as per usual).

sueb20

I'm quite surprised by some of the answers to this and the other thread.
I can understand that in the event of a group booking where funds are pooled and one person makes a villa booking for all, then indivdual travel insurance should apply.
Surely though it can not be correct to only base the calculation of loss on the number a place sleeps. For example, for Easter 2019 I booked a 3 bed (sleeps 6) villa for myself, my husband and daughter. It cost less than a 1 bed apartment. (All 3 insured under same policy)  If this had been Easter 2020 would I really automatically only get half the cost back? Flights booked separately so who could prove how many intended to travel? 

Thrugelmir

sueb20 said:

I'm quite surprised by some of the answers to this and the other thread.
I can understand that in the event of a group booking where funds are pooled and one person makes a villa booking for all, then indivdual travel insurance should apply.
Surely though it can not be correct to only base the calculation of loss on the number a place sleeps. For example, for Easter 2019 I booked a 3 bed (sleeps 6) villa for myself, my husband and daughter. It cost less than a 1 bed apartment. (All 3 insured under same policy)  If this had been Easter 2020 would I really automatically only get half the cost back? Flights booked separately so who could prove how many intended to travel? 

At the time of booking perfectly normal to state and list who will be staying in the property.  

sueb20

Also perfectly normal not to be sure at the time of booking. I would expect plenty of families book a property with extra space with the thought that son and girlfriend may like to come along too (before asking them or booking any flights).
 I  have considered this for Easter 2021. Husband and I have flights for 2 weeks to Mallorca. I have considered at some point booking a villa for the 2 of us with room to accommodate at least 2 extra university aged children for at least part of the time. I wouldn't give names until nearer the time as I wouldn't know who and how many would be actually be in attendance! 

Thrugelmir

sueb20 said:

Also perfectly normal not to be sure at the time of booking. I would expect plenty of families book a property with extra space with the thought that son and girlfriend may like to come along too (before asking them or booking any flights).
 I  have considered this for Easter 2021. Husband and I have flights for 2 weeks to Mallorca. I have considered at some point booking a villa for the 2 of us with room to accommodate at least 2 extra university aged children for at least part of the time. I wouldn't give names until nearer the time as I wouldn't know who and how many would be actually be in attendance! 

Unfortunately human nature being what it is insurers unsurprisingly err on the side of caution. You can draw up endless scenarios which are irrelevant to the point being discussed.