Travel insurance claim help

southy007

Hi, in April we were due to travel independently to Europe (1x Euro tunnel, 1 x hotel stay, 2x holiday parks, and 1x ferry home).  
After the FCO advised against all essential travel, I contacted my insurer, Insure and go, and they said in order to claim I would have to cancel and provide cancellation invoices. 
I cancelled all the travel individually, all were booked with non-refundable rates. I provided all documents and cancellation invoices showing that no money was owed back due to this. 
Fast forward over 4 months and now the insurer is saying that I have not provided written documentation that the transport or accommodation providers offered me a refund or voucher.  I was never asked to provide this, I cancelled as instructed and provided all invoices.
As I see it, in my policy terms and conditions it covers me for trip cancellation due to FCO travel advice, and that is what I claimed for. 
I have no contact details bar an email address for their claims department, insure and go have no phone number to ring them. I have emailed back stating my position at the moment, but they don't respond. 
 At this moment in time I neither have the time nor energy to start contacting all the providers again asking if even though I cancelled they will now give me a refund or a voucher, and even so a voucher is not a viable prospect as we would not be able to use this and as I see it I paid to be covered for trip cancellation, and I don't want you start asking/begging for a voucher I will be unable to use in future, which defeats the object of insurance. 
Any help or advice appreciated, or any ideas with how to progress this. 

blindman

southy007 said:

 At this moment in time I neither have the time nor energy to start contacting all the providers again asking if even though I cancelled they will now give me a refund or a voucher, and even so a voucher 
Any help or advice appreciated, or any ideas with how to progress this. 

How much £££ are we talking about here?
If your time is worth more than that, then fair enough.

Surely a quick (same content) email to all the providers would start the ball rollng?

I'm surprised you were told to cancel, instead of letting the providers cancel, as you would be in a better position to get money back, even if non refundable.

Do you have the instruction to cancel in writing ?

southy007

No I don't have it in writing, but asking the company again on their chat gets the same answer, as I booked them all independently and the ferries etc still travel in order to claim trip cancellation I would have to cancel and provide cancellation invoices. 
Even if this was not the case am I not covered for trip cancellation by myself? 

southy007

One more question, if this played out and I was now offered a voucher, that I could not use, how do I then claim for the original holiday that was not able to go on? Do you claim after the vouchers run out? Otherwise at the end of all this I'll still be out of pocket for a holiday that we could not go on.... Thanks again for help

sheramber

In circumstances where you are provided with coupons or vouchers (by hotels/airlines/tour operators etc) for the purposes of re-booking trips at a later date, be aware that this constitutes a monetary refund.
https://www.insureandgo.com/help/coronavirus

If you are not happy with your insurance company's decision you can follow the complaint procedure which should be shown in your policy documents.

blindman

southy007 said:

No I don't have it in writing, but asking the company again on their chat gets the same answer, as I booked them all independently and the ferries etc still travel in order to claim trip cancellation I would have to cancel and provide cancellation invoices. 
Even if this was not the case am I not covered for trip cancellation by myself? 

So in April all the things you booked were still operating?
IMHO it is always better to let the providers of the service cancel as you are then on solid ground for a claim against them and if they do not play, then your insurance.

Also the provider is more likely to provide evidence that you are not getting a refund in their cancellation email.

southy007

Yes the dates we were meant to travel both train and ferry companies still operated the crossings we would have been on. And the holiday parks were still open, but only to stay in lodgings. And the hotel was still open. 
The evidence we have supplied shows that no money was refundable. 
Has anyone guidance on the view of insurance companies.  I'm surprised that companies can force you to take a voucher as payment, even though that voucher will have terms and dates on that could make it unusable, therefore leaving a consumer in the same position as they were in before making a claim.