Give Me Liberty, or ...not. An Insurance Claim Live Blog

[marti314 496]

8 hours ago, mom2mybugs said:

@twangster this is bringing up awful memories of our dealings with Allianz last August.  We had to cancel our Europe trip 6 days in.  We decided there was no way we'd cancel just to cancel so we bought the classic plan.  Then my 15 year old attempted suicide while we were gone.  Allianz made every step difficult along the way and finally denied everything.  We lost over 10000.  We could have hired an attorney and tried to submit claims that were worded differently but in the end we just couldn't put that much effort in.  And this is what happens.  The insurance companies make you file and refile in hopes you give up every step of the way.  And you are organized...God help the unorganized traveler with no screenshots or documentation.  I understand... They are a business and their purpose is to make money but somewhere customer satisfaction and PR has to play a role in it 

   We have just bought cancel for any reason coverage through Allianz for our Cuba trip in 65 days.  If Havana gets canceleled as a port, I'm sure majesty will sail anyway and since the rest of the trip involves hotel rooms and we would never be able to book a cruise and airfare for similar price, we will probably just take wherever Royal decides to go and not even try the cancel insurance.  

   I know I would never be able to always fly and arrive 24 hrs before...I'm lucky I can do the night before on Saturday cruises.  Ugh.  The whole thing stresses me out.  

   I'm so sorry that this has been such an awful process and I hope you have better luck with the appeal.  Jane

I realize Allianz is a large bank also but, these guys are just plain greedy after reading all of this so far.

Fourth-quarter net profit was 1.70 billion euros ($1.92 billion) compared with EUR1.43 billion a year earlier, the company said Friday.

[HeWhoWaits 653]

On ‎4‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 2:02 PM, Andrew72681 said:

See if you can make the automated system explode, just respond with things that confuse the system, after all it never said integers only, so maybe try the first ten thousand digits of pi? 

That number would be too high. Certainly doesn't deserve a 3+ based on what we've read.

[Andrew72681 1,223]

41 minutes ago, HeWhoWaits said:

That number would be too high. Certainly doesn't deserve a 3+ based on what we've read.

Ok, then let’s go with √2. 😜

[Baked Alaska 826]

@twangsterI'm an optimist. I think you will prevail. Here's why. Simply, you appealed. My last claim was initially denied by IMG. I, too, had documentation that I didn't realize would be relevant. I contacted the appeals representative at itravelinsured.com, where I purchase all my travel insurance, and they got the ball rolling for me and notified me via email, phone call, AND mail that my denial had been reversed and that I was receiving what was due to me. Was VERY pleased with the service I received. Also, with itravelinsured, they helped me find a policy for a cruise over 2 years away. I didn't want to wait for our usual policy selection to be available as I wanted to get the "Cancel for Any Reason" and pre-existing conditions added. iTravelinsured.com made that happen. I've been using them for almost 10 years.

Edit to add: I also start coverage, the date and is effective date, when we drive out of our garage. So, even driving (the day before) to St. Louis for flight, is covered (not just the flight) but getting to STL which is about 1 hr 45 min from my garage.

Edited April 25, 2019 by Baked Alaska
Punctuation punctuation

[mom2mybugs 1,639]

Ok in a ridiculous side note to insurance issues...we just got required to prove to my husbands work insurance that the kids and I should be insured.   It’s all to keep our costs down of course but I had to submit not only the kids birth certificates but also a copy of our 29 year old marriage license.  A clerk signed filed copy, not a church one.  And file by May 14!   How many people will miss that?   Yesterday I got the letter making Jeff sign to confirm any other outside insurance doesn’t exist....OMG!!!!!    Jane

[Baked Alaska 826]

1 minute ago, mom2mybugs said:

Ok in a ridiculous side note to insurance issues...we just got required to prove to my husbands work insurance that the kids and I should be insured.   It’s all to keep our costs down of course but I had to submit not only the kids birth certificates but also a copy of our 29 year old marriage license.  A clerk signed filed copy, not a church one.  And file by May 14!   How many people will miss that?   Yesterday I got the letter making Jeff sign to confirm any other outside insurance doesn’t exist....OMG!!!!!    Jane

For trip insurance?!

[mom2mybugs 1,639]

34 minutes ago, Baked Alaska said:

For trip insurance?!

No health insurance but really it’s the same stuff Allianz does...stall and require an increasing amount of paperwork in order to wear you out.  It must work for these companies but it is horrible PR.  Jane

[Rose City Cruiser 482]

Also good to know is If you have extended health plan with lifetime coverage from pension plans, the insurance company has the right to dip into that as well.  

[MotleyCruiser 400]

On ‎4‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 2:18 PM, SweetPea said:

We no longer buy travel insurance since we got the Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Your report made me go through the details of their travel protection you get automatically when you use the card to pay for travel, and I found nothing about a 24 hour rule for airport closure.

This is probably open to wild interpretation though:

 

Chase Sapphire Reserve card - $450.00 Annual Fee!!!!!  HOLY SMOKES!!

[Andrew72681 1,223]

1 hour ago, MotleyCruiser said:

Chase Sapphire Reserve card - $450.00 Annual Fee!!!!!  HOLY SMOKES!!

Yeah, but 300 of that comes back in a travel credit, it includes a priority pass membership, and more. 

[SweetPea 463]

32 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

Yeah, but 300 of that comes back in a travel credit, it includes a priority pass membership, and more. 

Yeah, exactly.  Between that and the insurance, we get our $$ back and then some. They have other nice perks too. Made sense for us since we travel a lot. 

[Andrew72681 1,223]

2 hours ago, SweetPea said:

Yeah, exactly.  Between that and the insurance, we get our $$ back and then some. They have other nice perks too. Made sense for us since we travel a lot. 

Already having the priority pass for other cards the reserve never made sense for me, I’ve kept the preferred in my wallet for five years now, but the new Amex gold means it’s gathering dust in there now. 

[Baked Alaska 826]

Do the AMEX and Sapphire Cards have the Cancel For Any Reason in their included travel insurance policies, or do those have to be added on? 

[Andrew72681 1,223]

6 hours ago, SweetPea said:

Yeah, exactly.  Between that and the insurance, we get our $$ back and then some. They have other nice perks too. Made sense for us since we travel a lot. 

I always love to hear people’s definitions of  “a lot”, I’ve got six flights next week and five the week after. I’m 58 nights into my 75 with Marriott for the year so should make that by the end of May. 

[WAAAYTOOO 9,437]

9 hours ago, Andrew72681 said:

 six flights next week and five the week after

That's absolutely insane !

[HeWhoWaits 653]

10 hours ago, Andrew72681 said:

I always love to hear people’s definitions of  “a lot”, I’ve got six flights next week and five the week after. I’m 58 nights into my 75 with Marriott for the year so should make that by the end of May. 

Sounds like you're in Sales.

[Andrew72681 1,223]

18 minutes ago, HeWhoWaits said:

Sounds like you're in Sales.

Yep, running a new snack food brand means my car spends more time in an airport parking garage than my actual garage at home. 

[SweetPea 463]

11 hours ago, Andrew72681 said:

I always love to hear people’s definitions of  “a lot”, I’ve got six flights next week and five the week after. I’m 58 nights into my 75 with Marriott for the year so should make that by the end of May. 

You win. 

[Andrew72681 1,223]

24 minutes ago, SweetPea said:

You win. 

Winning is subjective. I always assumed I’d learn how to sleep well in hotel beds. But even nine years in and about a thousand nights I still haven’t figured it out. 

It just means I can meet bonus spend thresholds faster with business expenses. On my last Amex bonus I made it in one transaction buying Syndicated grocery data. 

[marti314 496]

4 minutes ago, Andrew72681 said:

Winning is subjective. I always assumed I’d learn how to sleep well in hotel beds. But even nine years in and about a thousand nights I still haven’t figured it out. 

It just means I can meet bonus spend thresholds faster with business expenses. On my last Amex bonus I made it in one transaction buying Syndicated grocery data. 

How did this thread become about who has the travels the most / has the most nights / best credit card for travel?!?!?

[Baked Alaska 826]

39 minutes ago, marti314 said:

How did this thread become about who has the travels the most / has the most nights / best credit card for travel?!?!?

Agreed! I'm still wondering if any of these fancy schmancy travel credit cards have Cancel For Any Reason included in their policies, given thread is about travel insurance.

[Andrew72681 1,223]

3 minutes ago, Baked Alaska said:

Agreed! I'm still wondering if any of these fancy schmancy travel credit cards have Cancel For Any Reason included in their policies, given thread is about travel insurance.

No. No credit card I’ve heard of has CFAR, even with separate travel insurance that’s hard to come by at any decent price. 

[karl_nj 145]

7 hours ago, Andrew72681 said:

No. No credit card I’ve heard of has CFAR, even with separate travel insurance that’s hard to come by at any decent price. 

 

In addition, most cancel for any reason plans only cover 50% to 75% of the cost.  And you generally have to cancel a couple of days in advance --  so even if this twangster scenareo happened ot someone who had this coverage, they would have been denied for CFAR anyway.

 

[Baked Alaska 826]

1 minute ago, karl_nj said:

 

In addition, most cancel for any reason plans only cover 50% to 75% of the cost.  And you generally have to cancel a couple of days in advance --  so even if this twangster scenareo happened ot someone who had this coverage, they would have been denied for CFAR anyway.

 

MMmmmm. No. My CFAR, if you will, ends embarkation day (and trip interruption starts with all the medical and other coverages). Have used it twice. 75% back is better than 0%.

[karl_nj 145]

2 minutes ago, Baked Alaska said:

MMmmmm. No. My CFAR, if you will, ends embarkation day (and trip interruption starts with all the medical and other coverages). Have used it twice. 75% back is better than 0%.

 

Maybe it depends on the state? When I looked up the policy for Travel LX in NJ, there seems to be a "donut hole" where Cancel For Any Reason requires 2 days before the departure date, and Interruption For Any Reason doesn't kick in until 2 days after the departure date.  Not sure what coverage there is in the middle.  I could just be reading it wrong.

https://www.itravelinsured.com/forms/iTIPolicyWording_T210-IP-LX-0417.pdf

 

Cancel for Any Reason Benefit

If You cancel Your Trip for any reason not otherwise covered by this Policy, benefits will be paid for seventy-fivepercent (75%) of the Prepaid, forfeited, non-refundable Payments or Deposits You paid for Your Trip provided:(a) Your Payment or Deposit for this Policy and enrollment form are received twenty (20) days of the date Your initial Payment or Deposit for Your Trip is received; and;(b) You insure one hundred percent (100%) of the Prepaid Trip costs that are subject to cancellation penalties or restrictions and also insure within twenty (20) days of the Payment or Deposit for those Travel Arrangements the cost of any subsequent Travel Arrangements (or any other Travel Arrangements not made through Your travel agent) added to Your Trip; and(c) You cancel Your Trip two (2) days or more before Your Scheduled Departure Date.These benefits will not duplicate any other benefits payable under the Policy or any coverage(s) attached to the Policy.

Interruption for Any Reason Benefit

If You interrupt Your Trip, forty-eight (48) hours or more after Your actual Departure Date, for any reason not otherwise covered by this Policy, benefits will be paid, up to: seventy-five percent (75%) of the total amount of coverage You purchased, to reimburse You for the Prepaid Payments or Deposits for unused non-refundable land or water Travel Arrangements.These benefits will not duplicate any other benefits payable under the Policy or any coverage(s) attached to the Policy.

 

The more I read the fine print on all of this insurance, the less I want to purchase it in the future 🙂