Travel insurance only offering a 50% refund and not allowing a date change

HockeyDevil

Hello all! 
This is my first post so be nice! 
Me and my family were due to fly to Orlando in September, but due to the current situation both here and in America we have taken the decision to change our holiday to next year. 
We were originally meant to go last September, but obviously that never happened. 
Now I have tried to amend our dates on our travel insurance policy, which is with Holiday Extras (I've used them before and never had an issue). 
Last year they amended the dates no problem and kept everything as we had it. BUT now they are saying that we are outside of there criteria to be able to change dates and the best they can do is to offer us a 50% refund. 
I made it clear that I would be happy to pay any extra if they were to move our policy to next year, but they are having none of it and basically saying our only option is the 50%. 

I've now raised a formal complaint with them as this seems to be very bad in light of the current situation. I fully understand that companies like this are losing out as well as us consumers, but this to me seems like daylight robbery, especially as I have told them I would be happy to pay extra if it came to it. 

Has anyone else had any dealings like this? I'm thinking if I don't get a response that I am happy with to go to the financial ombudsman, but I'm not that great with these things and am finding it a little stressful to deal with at the moment. 

[Deleted User]

It seems a very fair offer from them. They can't continue to provide extended cover for free and they're under no obligation to sell you another policy that is outside of their risk criteria. 

Certainly no daylight robbery. Or even robbery during the hours of darkness. FOS won't force them to insure you.

Westin

It actually seems a fair approach in my mind.

Your travel insurance would have been valid and covering you and your family from the purchase date.  Whilst you have thankfully not had to claim you could of had that been necessary.  Thankfully no one in your party has had a serious illness or medical condition but had they then your insurance would have been in place for a claim. 

Not sure you can really expect a refund in full just because you have not travelled and your trip was postponed.   50% off your new policy seems a good half way point.

Upsidedownandaround

Perfectly fair. I'm surprised they have actually acted this reasonably. You have had the benefit of cover from your insurer for what sounds like almost a year and they are still offering you a 50% refund.

HockeyDevil

Thanks zx81 and Westin, 
Yeah I just find it a little frustrating as from our point of view, we haven't received anything, and they do offer date amendments but due to us already having to change it once they are not willing to do it again. 

[Deleted User]

HockeyDevil said:

Thanks zx81 and Westin, 
Yeah I just find it a little frustrating as from our point of view, we haven't received anything, and they do offer date amendments but due to us already having to change it once they are not willing to do it again. 

That's a common misunderstanding of travel insurance.  You've received cover ever since you bought the policy.

Travel insurance doesn't only cover your bag going missing on arrival or someone falling into a swimming pool.

HockeyDevil

Deleted_User said:

HockeyDevil said:

Thanks zx81 and Westin, 
Yeah I just find it a little frustrating as from our point of view, we haven't received anything, and they do offer date amendments but due to us already having to change it once they are not willing to do it again. 

That's a common misunderstanding of travel insurance.  You've received cover ever since you bought the policy.

Travel insurance doesn't only cover your bag going missing on arrival or someone falling into a swimming pool.

Thank you, yeah I have to admit I didn't think about it like that, I was thinking about it more of the actual trip being what we had paid for

niktheguru

Is this an annual travel insurance or a single trip policy?
If its just a single trip policy and you haven't claimed or had any reason to use them, then i can understand where you're coming from.
If its an annual policy then of course you need to take out new or extended cover.