More on Croatia and MBNA

shammond

Ideas really appreciated. My husband booked a self-catering holiday in Croatia. We're not going and trying to get money back. At present-

• our insurer says ask the accommodation to move the dates or get recompense from credit card company. 
• He paid on MBNA. They don't appear at all helpful. They take the view that while we have not had the goods - we cancelled. He could record  a dispute - but any point? 
• Accommodation says we knew the payment was non-refundable. They won't refund or offer different dates. 
• Any suggestions welcome about anything we now might do. My feeling is there is little value in an MBNA credit card and we might put a bad review on the Croatian website - to warn others. But is there anything more practical that would actually produce some kind of financial return?  

Browntoa

Not cancel your holiday yourself.

Your should have waited for everything to get cancelled .

It's not your credit card company or insurance company fault you cancelled. 

Disinclination to travel is normally not covered by insurance or section 75

silvercar

Disinclination to travel? Your call whether the risks of catching coronavirus and/or the idea of self isolating for 14 days on your return are worth keeping your holiday intact.

Upsidedownandaround

Your only option would appear to be going back to your insurer and updating them that you can't recover the money however as said you probably won't be covered.

Not sure why you feel it's appropriate to leave a bad review on the Croatian website to warn others. I'm sure most people understand what non-refundable means without needing to be warned.

shammond

Just to be clear, I agree this is our call. If we travel to Croatia as planned, our insurance is invalid & we have to self-isolate for 14 days on return. We would be travelling against FCO advice and my health record isn’t good enough to justify that kind of risk. I too know what non refundable means, but I did anticipate the Croatian accommodation being prepared to reschedule. They’re not.

bradders1983

Your health issues and the UK government regulations are, to be blunt, none of their concern. This is why they arent rescheduling. Sorry 

sheramber

Does our insurance not have cover for FCO advice not to travel?  That would be your only route for a claim.

Voyager2002

This ought to be covered by your insurance. However, insurance companies (like all of us) are keen to save money, and so expect their customers to "mitigate their losses", in this case by recovering whatever is possible from the airline, credit card or accommodation provider. You have done what was required and can now go back to your insurer with details of all the losses you have managed to recover (by the sounds of it, zilch).

shammond

Zilch is right. And about 36 hours ago this is pretty much what I thought. Insurance co is saying their main focus is healthcare expenses, and they anticipate other costs being recovered from credit card company. At that stage we start to go around in a circle again.  My guess is to pursue the matter we would have to go into dispute with insurance co and then be referred to insurance ombudsman for arbitration. We also might have to do same thing with credit card company too - without a particularly strong case. I’ll give it more thought..

bagand96

shammond said:

My guess is to pursue the matter we would have to go into dispute with insurance co and then be referred to insurance ombudsman for arbitration. We also might have to do same thing with credit card company too - without a particularly strong case. I’ll give it more thought..

It's not "without a particularly strong case" with MBNA. There is no case. Section 75 only covers you if the supplier has failed to deliver goods or services. The accomodation is available. MBNA won't step in as they have no reason to. 

It's an insurance claim, if you are covered for cancellation for FCO advice.  Your insurer is stalling and trying to avoid paying out. By all means complain to them and take it to the ombudsman if necessary, but doing the same with MBNA will be a waste of your time. 

Nebulous2

You need to read your insurance policy. Look under ‘cancellation’ and see what it says you are covered for. Some policies cover you for cancelling if FCO say to avoid all but essential travel and you are within 28 days of travelling, some don’t. That is your best bet.