TUI - Marella Cruises - mis-sold insurance

person1804

Issue:
* In past year, TUI has sold insurance from Allianz for its cruises; but if you call Allianz they reveal the insurance is not suitable for cruises. It does not include insurance against missed ports or being confined to your cabin and having to miss excursions (which are not cheap!).
* Also, the default sales option (with little no/warning) is to sell with cover at a level that can be below the level of the holiday being bought. For example, if buying a circa £2,000 per person cruise, the cancellation or "cutting short your trip" insurance still defaults to £1,500 per person

Thankfully, I discovered this before we got too close to setting off and bought cruise insurance from another provider, at the right level of cancellation cover for the cost of the holiday.

However, when I raised the issued with TUI they sought to palm them off as non-issues: "Are you actually planning to cancel?" (of course not! but then insurance is for unplanned risks!).

There is no means to make or escalate the complaint, yet, formally as TUI's complaints system is wholly reactive and operates after *returning* from the holiday. This is is *so* different to competitors who seek to act to make amends before/during the holiday to make things more pleasant: much more likely to get repeat custom!

Caz3121

Missed ports cover etc is often an additional add-on. I have an annual policy that does cover cruises but I pay extra for an add-on for missed ports (although despite having had missed ports have never bothered claiming)

the policy docs (https://www.magroup-online.com/TUI/GB/EN/TUI_GB_wording.pdf) do state 

The TUI travel insurance policy includes

cover under Sections 1 to 11 whilst

travelling on a cruise holiday. The policy

does not provide the extra cruise-specific

benefits that some specialist cruise travel

policies may offer, for example there is no

cover for missed ports of call or missed

excursions due to a change of itinerary.

If you require these benefits you would

need to purchase specialist cruise travel

insurance.

the website also states you can add 

Enhanced cancellation cover

(up to either £3,000, £5,000, £7,500 or £10,000)

As with many travel providers that offer insurance...it is usually best to purchase elsewhere for the exact cover you require

Ayr_Rage

Oops, another topic where the title needs an edit, change mis-sold to mis-bought because the buyer didn't read the full terms.

daveyjp

Like all insurance TUI will offer the basic for all their holidays and offer upgrades on the basic price.  Also like all insurance you need to read it and ensure it covers your needs.

When you look at other providers you will often see prices for bronze, silver, gold policies with varying levels of cover.

MyRealNameToo

person1804 said:

Issue:
* In past year, TUI has sold insurance from Allianz for its cruises; but if you call Allianz they reveal the insurance is not suitable for cruises. It does not include insurance against missed ports or being confined to your cabin and having to miss excursions (which are not cheap!).
* Also, the default sales option (with little no/warning) is to sell with cover at a level that can be below the level of the holiday being bought. For example, if buying a circa £2,000 per person cruise, the cancellation or "cutting short your trip" insurance still defaults to £1,500 per person

Thankfully, I discovered this before we got too close to setting off and bought cruise insurance from another provider, at the right level of cancellation cover for the cost of the holiday.

However, when I raised the issued with TUI they sought to palm them off as non-issues: "Are you actually planning to cancel?" (of course not! but then insurance is for unplanned risks!).

There is no means to make or escalate the complaint, yet, formally as TUI's complaints system is wholly reactive and operates after *returning* from the holiday. This is is *so* different to competitors who seek to act to make amends before/during the holiday to make things more pleasant: much more likely to get repeat custom!

Consumer insurance is almost exclusively bought not sold... it's a non-advised sale and so the duty is on the buyer to ensure the policy meets their needs not for the seller to assess the needs and advise on products. It is possible to do advised sales but it needs vastly more paperwork to justify the advice given and its potentially problematic if you are only selling a single product. Most places decide it's not worth the time and effort. 

It's your choice what level of cover you want. According to the poster above they offer £1,500 or £3,000 so if your holiday is £2,000 do you want to risk losing £500 by having the lower limit or do you want to overpay for your insurance and have an extra £1,000 cover you'll never be able to claim? 

The policy documents will state how to complain. 

person1804

Comments above appear to be from those "in the industry"; rather than fully objective.

1. TUI sell "package holidays". The package sold here is a cruise; not any other type. A "reasonable person" would read enough and trust enough that appropriate insurance is being sold to match the package.
2. TUI and Allianz do not offer such add-ons as described. As stated, Allianz made it plain on that the insurance was "unsuitable for a cruise": that's fairly clear as an indication TUI mis-sold when offering it as part of a package *with* *a* *cruiae*
3. Top-ups. A client or customer should not have to be playing a game on under insurance - especially given all the clever automation that has been possible since 1980s...

In short, negligence on the part of TUI remains in play on the grounds that a reasonable person (the person on the Clapham omnibus / bendy bus) is, statistically, unlikely to be either a travel agent or a lawyer!

person1804

Ayr_Rage said:

Oops, another topic where the title needs an edit, change mis-sold to mis-bought because the buyer didn't read the full terms.

Whoops! A remark by someone who missed. The part where a cruise *package* holiday is being bought via a system that push sells the insurance as *part* *of* *the* *package*? Equivalent might be pushing flights that arrive at ship's departure venue 2 hours too late or another country entirely. Whole point of package is it should be integrated and effective! That's why busy people buy them: otherwise, as have done before, would buy parts separately!

The "Trades Description Act" used to be a thung; these days people get off on selling photos of a product on Amazon and telling people that's what they were shown on the website: surely they did not expect to receive the item shown in the photo itself!

swingaloo

person1804 said:

Comments above appear to be from those "in the industry"; rather than fully objective.

1. TUI sell "package holidays". The package sold here is a cruise; not any other type. A "reasonable person" would read enough and trust enough that appropriate insurance is being sold to match the package.
2. TUI and Allianz do not offer such add-ons as described. As stated, Allianz made it plain on that the insurance was "unsuitable for a cruise": that's fairly clear as an indication TUI mis-sold when offering it as part of a package *with* *a* *cruiae*
3. Top-ups. A client or customer should not have to be playing a game on under insurance - especially given all the clever automation that has been possible since 1980s...

In short, negligence on the part of TUI remains in play on the grounds that a reasonable person (the person on the Clapham omnibus / bendy bus) is, statistically, unlikely to be either a travel agent or a lawyer!

Well I am certainly not 'in the industry', Im retired and have had several jobs, none of which include travel, insurance or sales.

So here is my take on your situation- 

A reasonable person would make sure that the product they are spending money on is fit for the purpose they want the product for. TUI have not been 'negligent' they have simply done what most companies do and try to sell you an add on. Not illegal or unfair. 

You are not 'Playing a game on under insurance'. You are however responsible for checking that what you have paid for is suitable cover. 

JGB1955

It looks to me like the policy offered DOES cover cruise holidays - it just doesn't cover the 'extras' such as cabin confinement, missed ports etc etc.  These are usually an add-on.  The basic holiday (and, essentially, medical evacuation from the ship) should be covered by the basic policy.

jimjames

person1804 said:

Comments above appear to be from those "in the industry"; rather than fully objective.

Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't mean they are in the industry. I'd say the replies are fully objective unlike the original post that has the emotional attachment of being annoyed with the situation. Some very experienced posters replied, I think it would be worth you taking their comments on board.

Caz3121

person1804 said:

2. TUI and Allianz do not offer such add-ons as described. As stated, Allianz made it plain on that the insurance was "unsuitable for a cruise": that's fairly clear as an indication TUI mis-sold when offering it as part of a package *with* *a* *cruiae*

many people travel on cruises without taking specific cruise add-ons (irrespective where they purchase their insurance)
It is not 'unsuitable' for a cruise holiday - it is unsuitable for those that require cover for missed ports, cabin confinement etc and they tell you that in the policy documents
With any policy seller - they offer you a policy type, you read it and check if it is suitable for your needs (before purchasing), in your case as you want the extras they don't provide so you don't buy it from them and purchase elsewhere
It was mis-bought not mis-sold