Insurance website claims to offer something policy wording precludes. Misleading?

GideonS

My flight in December was delayed nearly 24h due to fog. As a result I was unable to pick up my hire car at the destinatination and had to hire another last minute at a higher price. So, I was keen to make a claim for the difference - after all it's exactly this sort of circumstance you get insurance for, right? 

The website of my provider lists out on it's trvel policy home page the "key benefits" of it's policies include "Delayed or missed departures - If you're delayed or miss your transport due to unforeseen circumstances, we'll cover reasonable costs for accommodation and travel" 

So, great - looks like I'm covered. BUT when I go to make a claim all they will offer is a fixed payment of £25 per person per 12h and no associated costs of the delay.

Clearly it is misleading of them to call out features at a high level they then don't offer in their policies. Do I have any recourse?

DullGreyGuy

Do you have a link to both the website and the policy wording? 

I would expect there to be one section of cover that is "Delayed or Missed Departure" which covers the additional costs incurred due to problems with your outbound flight. 

Its not very common but some insurers have a second non-indemnity based section on delayed departure that is normally a token payment payment for long delays (like the £25/12hrs/person you mention) thats effectively a payment for loss of enjoyment/inconvenience. You can claim off both the sections for the same event, the former covers actual losses and the later just some extra money.

GideonS

https://www.admiral.com/travel-insurance#:~:text=and lost luggage.-,What's covered,-Here are some

Policy wording says "We will pay you up to the policy limits shown in the policy schedule for every

complete 12 hours that your pre-booked aircraft, ship or train is delayed after the departure time shown on your travel

itinerary because of strike, industrial action, severe weather conditions or a mechanical breakdown."

BUT I have spoken to a claims rep who said I could not claim for travel or accomodation on a delay and they only offer the flat incovenience payment. They said the wording on the website regarding reasonable travel costs related to "missed" but not "delayed" - but I guess they can select which circumstance they don't cover depending on who they speak to! 

heatherw_01

I had the same insurance policy and I looked into it a while back and I found the same as you!
They offer £25 for each 12 hours you are delayed and up to £250 or up to £3,000 if you decide to abandon your trip following a delay of more than 24 hours.
Nothing about covering travel and accommodation, even though they say that on their travel insurance page.

This is the policy book for anyone interested: https://eui-pdf-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/admiral/TR-APB-012-Travel-Policy-Book.pdf

DullGreyGuy

Certainly seems to be a disconnect between the website and the policy book. Can see the policy wording back in 2023 and whilst stylistically very different it's the same limited delay cover but their site changed in mid last year to the extra wording around delays.

It would put them in a weak position were they to decline a claim on that basis if shown that their website had misleading text.