Missold Travel Insurance?

Chris1980_2

Hi all, my first post.

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions about what I can do about the following...

I returned from a holiday last October during which I had a large sum of cash stolen from me. I got a police report immediately so I could make a claim on my travel insurance when I returned. However, when I made my claim I learnt that the policy I had taken when I booked my flights didn't even cover me for loss of cash so it was rejected. I never knew this as the company I booked with didn't even give me any policy wording or an opportunity to upgrade the insurance to the right level of cover. I feel like I've been robbed by them too!:mad:

The policy has blatantly been missold to me but what can I do about it?

I'd be most grateful for any help anyone can give me on this!

dunstonh

Mis-sold means that you were advised to take something out that didnt suit your needs. Were you advised to take this out or did you buy it?

A lot of travel insurance policies do not include money cover as its covered by many household policies. So, they offer money cover as a bolt on or as an improved version of their policy.

The policy has blatantly been missold to me but what can I do about it?

There is nothing in your post to suggest a mis-sale. Blatent or otherwise. Typically, travel insurance is not sold but bought so the blame lies with the buyer not the seller.

If you bought by phone, then they will use the tapes to show it wasnt mis-sold (i'm assuming it wasnt as call centres are generally quite well scripted to prevent mis-sales). If you bought online then it is your responsibility to know what you are buying. If you bought through an adviser then the adviser would typically find your needs and recommend the right policy to suit.

Chris1980_2

Ok so maybe missold is the wrong word as I wasn't 'advised' to take it out.

But I still feel scant regard was given by the company when I bought it. I did in fact buy it online. I booked the flight a few weeks before I departed which didn't give me much/any time to shop around. I opted to have the insurance thinking it would be adequate, but the site offered no details of what level of insurance I was even getting. So how am I supposed to know if I want to cancel or upgrade it (not that I would have had time to do so)? All I got was a few emails saying your flight is at so and so time etc. I only learnt that the policy is pretty useless after I returned.

I feel somewhat ripped off and it seems this company can get away with it because of (A) my ignorance and (B) I'm a normal human being who has to work hard and doesn't have time to sort out every last nano-detail.

dunstonh

I opted to have the insurance thinking it would be adequate, but the site offered no details of what level of insurance I was even getting.

Have you got a link to the site? All the sites selling travel insurance (or other insurances) include a policy booklet or key cover stats so you can compare and see what you are getting. I believe that is a requirement.

I feel somewhat ripped off and it seems this company can get away with it because of (A) my ignorance and (B) I'm a normal human being who has to work hard and doesn't have time to sort out every last nano-detail.

A normal human being would look at what they are buying before they pay for it. Unfortunately, your excuse about not having time is not the fault of the retailer.

soolin

With insurance, as with many things it does pay to know what you are doing. It can prove costly, as it has done in this case if you buy the first thing you see without checking out what it is that you require.

I don't think that buying something unsuitable online can be classed as the fault of the insurance company at all,unless you can show beyond doubt that there were no links to pages or explanations that showed the level of cover you were being quoted for.

You mention that this was a large sum of money which in itself might be considered unusual enough to maybe have taken a little extra care in choosing the correct policy. Do you have any household insurance and if so can you claim on that?