Thread: OT: Travel Insurance - Becca?

Janet Wilder wrote:
> Anyone considering buying travel insurance, please read this.
>
> READ your travel insurance policy carefully. Mine, from Access
> America®, had language that said that if there was any damaged luggage
> or valuables, I had to contact the airline, hotel, tour company, or
> whomever else was responsible for the damage within 24 hours of the
> actual damage.

Janet, I am so sorry your netbook was damaged by the TSA inspectors. It
is wise advice to check your policy. If you see any damage to your
luggage or your possessions, notify them immediately, whether you have
insurance or not. Like you said, it was not possible for you to notify
them within that period of time. Our laptop broke in November, but we
were not aware of this until we boarded the Oasis in Florida. We have
no idea how it broke, it was several years old.


So sorry this happened to you, but it is a lesson we can all learn from.


Becca

On Feb 18, 5:50*am, Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Anyone considering buying travel insurance, please read this.
>
> READ your travel insurance policy carefully. Mine, from Access America®,
> had language that said that if there was any damaged luggage or
> valuables, I had to contact the airline, hotel, tour company, or
> whomever else was responsible for the damage within 24 hours of the
> actual damage.
>
> I had a situation where my netbook computer was damaged beyond repair by
> TSA inspectors when I was screened for a flight boarding at 7:30 AM on a
> Wednesday. *I did not arrive at my destination in Barcelona, Spain until
> after 9 AM on Thursday. It was when I got to my hotel that I realized my
> computer was broken. *Though I immediately called the travel insurance
> company, and followed their directions to call the airline who then told
> me to contact TSA via their web site, the company has denied my claim
> because I “failed to contact TSA within 24 hours of when the damage
> occurred.” *I was on a plane and didn't know the item was damaged!
>
> Their clock started ticking from before I boarded the first plane. They
> refused to account for the time I was in the air and between the airport
> and hotel, not to mention the shift in time zones.
>
> This company provided me secondary coverage and there is still a chance,
> though quite slim, that I will recover something from TSA, however I
> want you all to see the kind of tricks some travel insurance companies
> can play on consumers. *Everything was fine with them until I insisted I
> file a claim just in case TSA took longer than 90 days to get back to
> me. Once they saw that there might be a necessity for them to pay, they
> dropped the claim.
>
> Consider what would happen if you were on *a long flight, like to
> Australia, and your luggage is damaged in transit. Should your claim be
> denied *because it conceivably happened more than 24 hours earlier and
> you didn’t contact the airline until after you got off the plane and
> found the luggage was damaged?
>
> The company I’ve chosen for our next trip has the provision to contact
> them “as soon as possible”. I called and asked what would have happened
> in the same situation with them and they would not have kicked out the
> claim because I reported it in a reasonable time.
>
> Be careful of exclusionary language. If you are not sure, call the
> insurance company and ask them to explain the language in the provisions.
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Way-the-heck-south Texas
> Spelling doesn't count. *Cooking does.

Not being all that up to date with US Laws is an opinion only.
However, the little I do remember ,if I were you .I would toddle off
to a competant lawyer.

This matter appears a weasel clause type issue .

From Memory you have been denied what we call here Natural Justice.
That said American laws are a nightmare especially where the
insurance company may be registered .
Have a look and do a bit of googling on the following terms

US Supreme Court:
1 Freedom Of Contract

2 substantive due process

IMO
Your judges incorporated the freedom of contract doctrine into the
Constitution by reading the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment bars upon
deprivation of liberty or property without due process of law

In your case you may be on safe ground saying that you were denied
due process etc

Good luck with it .
Within the land of litigation over there
you may just convince the insurance company to cough up rather than
enter into expensive litigation .

Looks like you had a no claim policy
Defined as you pay the premium and *they* dont pay the claim

HTH Cheers

Pits09 wrote:
> On Feb 18, 5:50 am, Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Anyone considering buying travel insurance, please read this.
>>
>> READ your travel insurance policy carefully. Mine, from Access America®,
>> had language that said that if there was any damaged luggage or
>> valuables, I had to contact the airline, hotel, tour company, or
>> whomever else was responsible for the damage within 24 hours of the
>> actual damage.
>>
>> I had a situation where my netbook computer was damaged beyond repair by
>> TSA inspectors when I was screened for a flight boarding at 7:30 AM on a
>> Wednesday. I did not arrive at my destination in Barcelona, Spain until
>> after 9 AM on Thursday. It was when I got to my hotel that I realized my
>> computer was broken. Though I immediately called the travel insurance
>> company, and followed their directions to call the airline who then told
>> me to contact TSA via their web site, the company has denied my claim
>> because I “failed to contact TSA within 24 hours of when the damage
>> occurred.” I was on a plane and didn't know the item was damaged!
>>
>> Their clock started ticking from before I boarded the first plane. They
>> refused to account for the time I was in the air and between the airport
>> and hotel, not to mention the shift in time zones.
>>
>> This company provided me secondary coverage and there is still a chance,
>> though quite slim, that I will recover something from TSA, however I
>> want you all to see the kind of tricks some travel insurance companies
>> can play on consumers. Everything was fine with them until I insisted I
>> file a claim just in case TSA took longer than 90 days to get back to
>> me. Once they saw that there might be a necessity for them to pay, they
>> dropped the claim.
>>
>> Consider what would happen if you were on a long flight, like to
>> Australia, and your luggage is damaged in transit. Should your claim be
>> denied because it conceivably happened more than 24 hours earlier and
>> you didn’t contact the airline until after you got off the plane and
>> found the luggage was damaged?
>>
>> The company I’ve chosen for our next trip has the provision to contact
>> them “as soon as possible”. I called and asked what would have happened
>> in the same situation with them and they would not have kicked out the
>> claim because I reported it in a reasonable time.
>>
>> Be careful of exclusionary language. If you are not sure, call the
>> insurance company and ask them to explain the language in the provisions.
>> --
>> Janet Wilder
>> Way-the-heck-south Texas
>> Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
>
> Not being all that up to date with US Laws is an opinion only.
> However, the little I do remember ,if I were you .I would toddle off
> to a competant lawyer.
>
> This matter appears a weasel clause type issue .
>
> From Memory you have been denied what we call here Natural Justice.
> That said American laws are a nightmare especially where the
> insurance company may be registered .
> Have a look and do a bit of googling on the following terms
>
> US Supreme Court:
> 1 Freedom Of Contract
>
> 2 substantive due process
>
> IMO
> Your judges incorporated the freedom of contract doctrine into the
> Constitution by reading the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment bars upon
> deprivation of liberty or property without due process of law
>
> In your case you may be on safe ground saying that you were denied
> due process etc
>
> Good luck with it .
> Within the land of litigation over there
> you may just convince the insurance company to cough up rather than
> enter into expensive litigation .
>
> Looks like you had a no claim policy
> Defined as you pay the premium and *they* dont pay the claim
>

I'm filing a complaint with the State of Texas Insurance Department.
They frown upon their citizens being cheated.

There is no doubt in my mind that this is a "weasel" clause. It is not
worth the price of hiring an attorney, however.

What struck me as dishonest is their refusal to entertain the claim
before the primary villain, TSA, has made their determination.

Anyway, I know folks here travel and I wanted to make sure everyone
reads their policy within the allotted time and if there is a provision
that strikes you as weasly, cancel and get another.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

Janet Wilder <kellie[email protected]> wrote:

>I'm filing a complaint with the State of Texas Insurance Department.
>They frown upon their citizens being cheated.

>There is no doubt in my mind that this is a "weasel" clause. It is not
>worth the price of hiring an attorney, however.

>What struck me as dishonest is their refusal to entertain the claim
>before the primary villain, TSA, has made their determination.

>Anyway, I know folks here travel and I wanted to make sure everyone
>reads their policy within the allotted time and if there is a provision
>that strikes you as weasly, cancel and get another.

If you used a credit card to purchase the travel insurance,
and it's been less than sixty days since the charge for
this appeared on your credit card statement, you would in
my opinion be entirely justified in instructing your bank not
to pay this charge.

Steve

Steve Pope wrote:
> Janet Wilder <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I'm filing a complaint with the State of Texas Insurance Department.
>> They frown upon their citizens being cheated.
>
>> There is no doubt in my mind that this is a "weasel" clause. It is not
>> worth the price of hiring an attorney, however.
>
>> What struck me as dishonest is their refusal to entertain the claim
>> before the primary villain, TSA, has made their determination.
>
>> Anyway, I know folks here travel and I wanted to make sure everyone
>> reads their policy within the allotted time and if there is a provision
>> that strikes you as weasly, cancel and get another.
>
> If you used a credit card to purchase the travel insurance,
> and it's been less than sixty days since the charge for
> this appeared on your credit card statement, you would in
> my opinion be entirely justified in instructing your bank not
> to pay this charge.
>
> Steve

I paid for the insurance ages ago. My DH has several pre-existing
conditions and this requires purchasing travel insurance within days of
making the reservation for the trip.

Thanks anyway, Steve.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

Janet Wilder wrote:
> I paid for the insurance ages ago. My DH has several pre-existing
> conditions and this requires purchasing travel insurance within days
> of making the reservation for the trip.
>
> Thanks anyway, Steve.
>

Call your travel agent and have him/her talk to the insurance company.


Becca

Becca wrote:
> Janet Wilder wrote:
>> I paid for the insurance ages ago. My DH has several pre-existing
>> conditions and this requires purchasing travel insurance within days
>> of making the reservation for the trip.
>>
>> Thanks anyway, Steve.
>>
>
> Call your travel agent and have him/her talk to the insurance company.

Didn't use a travel agent. I used to use a local one. She got thousands
and thousands worth of business from us for land trips, cruises,
cruise-tours, river barge, etc. When I needed her to intercede with the
insurance company we had when DH was in the hospital in Palermo, she
could not (or would not) do a thing. On the suggestion of the cruise
line folks I asked her to call her regional manager (I think that's who
it was) She said she did, but I don't believe she ever followed up on
anything. It was the gal in Miami from the cruise line who got Travel
Guard moving to get us out of Sicily. With all the business we have
given her, I never got as much as a bottle of cheap wine.

As for using a travel agent, I've learned that I can do the same things
myself for less money on straightforward trips, like booking a flight to
Barcelona, getting a hotel and booking a cruise and a flight home from
Galveston. I actually got a better air fare and a cheaper rate at the
same hotel as my friends who used travel services.

Our next big trip might require a TA as I want to put a few things
together. I do recognize that there are times to use a pro.

If you are interested, email me at [email protected] and we'll
chat. Trip will probably be in Spring or summer of 2011.


--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

Janet Wilder wrote:
>
> I paid for the insurance ages ago. My DH has several pre-existing
> conditions and this requires purchasing travel insurance within days
> of making the reservation for the trip.

What does this pre-existing conditions travel insurance cover... the
prepaid accomodation costs in case he becomes too ill to travel? And
if so why would this insurance be "required"... isn't all insurance a
*choice/option*? And why would you have purchased such travel
insurance *ages ago" if it's required to be purchased "within days"? I
can't imagine an insurer issuing such a policy "ages" in advance,
would be like attempting to obtain automobile insurance for newborns
because in sixteen years they may obtain an automobile. Please
enlighten.

brooklyn1 wrote:
> Janet Wilder wrote:
>> I paid for the insurance ages ago. My DH has several pre-existing
>> conditions and this requires purchasing travel insurance within days
>> of making the reservation for the trip.
>
> What does this pre-existing conditions travel insurance cover... the
> prepaid accomodation costs in case he becomes too ill to travel? And
> if so why would this insurance be "required"... isn't all insurance a
> *choice/option*? And why would you have purchased such travel
> insurance *ages ago" if it's required to be purchased "within days"? I
> can't imagine an insurer issuing such a policy "ages" in advance,
> would be like attempting to obtain automobile insurance for newborns
> because in sixteen years they may obtain an automobile. Please
> enlighten.

Glad to. Insurance is, of course, an option. When we are paying
thousands of dollars for a trip, I opt to spend a few hundred and
protect my investment. It's not just health that can ruin a trip. Our
friends missed their connection to Hawaii because of weather delaying
their flight to Houston. They had trip insurance on their cruise that
they were supposed to board in Hawaii, but not no the plane fare. The
airlines could not get them on another plane until two days later. They
would, by then, miss their sailing. They lost every penny of the plane
fare. The airlines claimed they couldn't do anything about the weather.
Even a lawyer could not help them. Travel insurance would have paid them
back for the plane fare.

If you can't make a flight for whatever reason, the airline can give you
an open booking on a future flight but you will have to pay a few
hundred dollars for it and use it within a year. Insurance is usually
cheaper.

Why buy insurance so quickly? According to most travel insurance
companies, a pre-existing condition is anything that you have been
treated for by a medical facility (including taking a prescription drug)
within x number of months prior to the trip, usually 3. Let's say you
have high cholesterol. You take a prescribed statin drug. On a tour of
Europe you have a heart attack. The insurance company can say that you
had a pre-existing condition and not cover you. As an American, you are
not covered by other countries' social health care. You pay and it's dear.

In order to waive the pre-existing condition stipulations, you have to
insure your trip within x number of days from when you put the initial
deposit on the trip. Some companies require within 30 days some are a
bit longer.

Since my DH has Diabetes and a cardiac condition, we purchase our travel
insurance within a few days of having put our initial deposit on the trip.

Travel insurance, if it's the right kind, will cover your medical bills
if you get sick abroad. It depends upon the policy and/or the insurer if
you will have to pay in advance and get reimbursed, so if you are
considering this, make sure the carrier is "primary" They also have
provisions for medical evacuation, put I'm gonna tell you, from personal
experience, that it is really hard to get them to honor this part of
their contract. (For that reason we get a separate policy with Med Jet
who only does evacuations)

Beside medical coverage, trip insurance policies can cover you if you
miss a connection, lose your luggage, have your luggage damaged, can't
make the trip for covered reasons (someone dies, you are in the
hospital) Some also have provisions to reimburse you if the tour company
goes bankrupt taking your money with it.

You purchase the insurance based upon the cost of the trip. Sites like
insuremytrip.com are helpful to compare policies.

I hope my little tutorial was helpful


--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

The message <[email protected]>
from brooklyn1 <[email protected]> contains these words:

> Janet Wilder wrote:
> >
> > I paid for the insurance ages ago. My DH has several pre-existing
> > conditions and this requires purchasing travel insurance within days
> > of making the reservation for the trip.

> What does this pre-existing conditions travel insurance cover... the
> prepaid accomodation costs in case he becomes too ill to travel?

A common "pre-existing condition" is high BP, or surgery within the
last year, or diabetes. Just like life insurance, people who are a worse
risk
for the travel insurance company, pay a higher premium or have to meet
special conditions.

And
> if so why would this insurance be "required"... isn't all insurance a
> *choice/option*?

And why would you have purchased such travel
> insurance *ages ago" if it's required to be purchased "within days"? I
> can't imagine an insurer issuing such a policy "ages" in advance,

Obviously you don't travel longhaul . What she describes is standard
practice today.

The reason for booking longhaul trips far in advance is because
popular tours, hotels and flights fill up months ahead.
The reason for taking out travel insurance at the time of booking the
trip, is to protect yourself (and your payment)
against cancellation by either side.


Janet

On Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:34:11 -0600, Janet Wilder
<[email protected]> wrote:

>brooklyn1 wrote:
>> Janet Wilder wrote:
>>> I paid for the insurance ages ago. My DH has several pre-existing
>>> conditions and this requires purchasing travel insurance within days
>>> of making the reservation for the trip.
>>
>> What does this pre-existing conditions travel insurance cover... the
>> prepaid accomodation costs in case he becomes too ill to travel? And
>> if so why would this insurance be "required"... isn't all insurance a
>> *choice/option*? And why would you have purchased such travel
>> insurance *ages ago" if it's required to be purchased "within days"? I
>> can't imagine an insurer issuing such a policy "ages" in advance,
>> would be like attempting to obtain automobile insurance for newborns
>> because in sixteen years they may obtain an automobile. Please
>> enlighten.
>
>Glad to. Insurance is, of course, an option. When we are paying
>thousands of dollars for a trip, I opt to spend a few hundred and
>protect my investment. It's not just health that can ruin a trip. Our
>friends missed their connection to Hawaii because of weather delaying
>their flight to Houston. They had trip insurance on their cruise that
>they were supposed to board in Hawaii, but not no the plane fare. The
>airlines could not get them on another plane until two days later. They
>would, by then, miss their sailing. They lost every penny of the plane
>fare. The airlines claimed they couldn't do anything about the weather.
>Even a lawyer could not help them. Travel insurance would have paid them
>back for the plane fare.
>
>If you can't make a flight for whatever reason, the airline can give you
>an open booking on a future flight but you will have to pay a few
>hundred dollars for it and use it within a year. Insurance is usually
>cheaper.
>
>Why buy insurance so quickly? According to most travel insurance
>companies, a pre-existing condition is anything that you have been
>treated for by a medical facility (including taking a prescription drug)
>within x number of months prior to the trip, usually 3. Let's say you
>have high cholesterol. You take a prescribed statin drug. On a tour of
>Europe you have a heart attack. The insurance company can say that you
>had a pre-existing condition and not cover you. As an American, you are
>not covered by other countries' social health care. You pay and it's dear.
>
>In order to waive the pre-existing condition stipulations, you have to
>insure your trip within x number of days from when you put the initial
>deposit on the trip. Some companies require within 30 days some are a
>bit longer.
>
>Since my DH has Diabetes and a cardiac condition, we purchase our travel
>insurance within a few days of having put our initial deposit on the trip.
>
>Travel insurance, if it's the right kind, will cover your medical bills
>if you get sick abroad. It depends upon the policy and/or the insurer if
>you will have to pay in advance and get reimbursed, so if you are
>considering this, make sure the carrier is "primary" They also have
>provisions for medical evacuation, put I'm gonna tell you, from personal
>experience, that it is really hard to get them to honor this part of
>their contract. (For that reason we get a separate policy with Med Jet
>who only does evacuations)
>
>Beside medical coverage, trip insurance policies can cover you if you
>miss a connection, lose your luggage, have your luggage damaged, can't
>make the trip for covered reasons (someone dies, you are in the
>hospital) Some also have provisions to reimburse you if the tour company
>goes bankrupt taking your money with it.
>
>You purchase the insurance based upon the cost of the trip. Sites like
>insuremytrip.com are helpful to compare policies.
>
>I hope my little tutorial was helpful

I wouldn't call it a tutorial, I already knew all that. I was simply
wondering why you said "required" when you meant to say *optional*.
And "ages in advance" I now understand is an exageration.

On Feb 18, 8:31*am, Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Pits09 wrote:
> > On Feb 18, 5:50 am, Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> Anyone considering buying travel insurance, please read this.
>
> >> READ your travel insurance policy carefully. Mine, from Access America®,
> >> had language that said that if there was any damaged luggage or
> >> valuables, I had to contact the airline, hotel, tour company, or
> >> whomever else was responsible for the damage within 24 hours of the
> >> actual damage.
>
> >> I had a situation where my netbook computer was damaged beyond repair by
> >> TSA inspectors when I was screened for a flight boarding at 7:30 AM ona
> >> Wednesday. *I did not arrive at my destination in Barcelona, Spain until
> >> after 9 AM on Thursday. It was when I got to my hotel that I realized my
> >> computer was broken. *Though I immediately called the travel insurance
> >> company, and followed their directions to call the airline who then told
> >> me to contact TSA via their web site, the company has denied my claim
> >> because I “failed to contact TSA within 24 hours of when the damage
> >> occurred.” *I was on a plane and didn't know the item was damaged!
>
> >> Their clock started ticking from before I boarded the first plane. They
> >> refused to account for the time I was in the air and between the airport
> >> and hotel, not to mention the shift in time zones.
>
> >> This company provided me secondary coverage and there is still a chance,
> >> though quite slim, that I will recover something from TSA, however I
> >> want you all to see the kind of tricks some travel insurance companies
> >> can play on consumers. *Everything was fine with them until I insisted I
> >> file a claim just in case TSA took longer than 90 days to get back to
> >> me. Once they saw that there might be a necessity for them to pay, they
> >> dropped the claim.
>
> >> Consider what would happen if you were on *a long flight, like to
> >> Australia, and your luggage is damaged in transit. Should your claim be
> >> denied *because it conceivably happened more than 24 hours earlier and
> >> you didn’t contact the airline until after you got off the plane and
> >> found the luggage was damaged?
>
> >> The company I’ve chosen for our next trip has the provision to contact
> >> them “as soon as possible”. I called and asked what would have happened
> >> in the same situation with them and they would not have kicked out the
> >> claim because I reported it in a reasonable time.
>
> >> Be careful of exclusionary language. If you are not sure, call the
> >> insurance company and ask them to explain the language in the provisions.
> >> --
> >> Janet Wilder
> >> Way-the-heck-south Texas
> >> Spelling doesn't count. *Cooking does.
>
> > Not being all that up to date with US Laws is an opinion only.
> > However, the little I do remember ,if I were you .I would toddle off
> > to a competant lawyer.
>
> > This matter appears a weasel clause type issue .
>
> > From Memory *you have been denied what we call here Natural Justice.
> > That said *American laws * are a nightmare * *especially where the
> > insurance company may be registered * .
> > Have a look and do a *bit of googling on the following terms
>
> > US Supreme Court:
> > 1 Freedom Of Contract
>
> > 2 substantive *due process
>
> > IMO
> > *Your judges incorporated the freedom of contract doctrine into the
> > Constitution by reading the Fifth *and Fourteenth *Amendment bars upon
> > deprivation of liberty or property without due process of law
>
> > In your case *you may be on safe ground saying that you were denied
> > due process * etc
>
> > Good luck with it .
> > Within the land of litigation * over there
> > you may just convince the insurance company *to cough up rather than
> > enter into expensive litigation .
>
> > Looks like you had a no claim policy
> > Defined as you pay the premium and **they* dont pay the claim
>
> I'm filing a complaint with the State of Texas Insurance Department.
> They frown upon their citizens being cheated.
>
> There is no doubt in my mind that this is a "weasel" clause. It is not
> worth the price of hiring an attorney, however.
>
> What struck me as dishonest is their refusal to entertain the claim
> before the primary villain, TSA, has made their determination.
>
> Anyway, I know folks here travel and I wanted to make sure everyone
> reads their policy within the allotted time and if there is a provision
> that strikes you as weasly, cancel and get another.
>
> --
> Janet Wilder
> Way-the-heck-south Texas
> Spelling doesn't count. *Cooking does.

Janet I spoke to some folks in IATA .
They were reluctant to get personally involved with this at their
senior level.

However, they suggested that you check if the offending insuuance
company is an IATA member.
If so then a detailed letter of complaint (to Head office) will be
followed up .

This sort of thing really gets up my nose .Corporate cowards still
get away with fiscal murder .
Re hiring legal counsel I wa snot suggesting that ,at this stage.
Perhaps get onto the insurance scammers and threaten it quoting as I
provided.
Since you wrote this I spoke to two partners of a heavy hitting NY Law
firm I speaking with daily
on other matters . Mentioned this to one whom I have known for over 34
years.
She tends to agree with my contention and reinforced the idea of a
strong letter from you to the insurance crowd
that you will "go hard" with them over this .

Its up to you whether spending the time & heart beats fighting this
entity or just chalk it down to experience .
The legal eagle later supplied this link in a later email to me
suggesting this may help you.
http://www.aicpcu.org/about.htm
Hope this helps
Cheers

Pits09 wrote:
> On Feb 18, 8:31 am, Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Pits09 wrote:
>>> On Feb 18, 5:50 am, Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> Anyone considering buying travel insurance, please read this.
>>>> READ your travel insurance policy carefully. Mine, from Access America®,
>>>> had language that said that if there was any damaged luggage or
>>>> valuables, I had to contact the airline, hotel, tour company, or
>>>> whomever else was responsible for the damage within 24 hours of the
>>>> actual damage.
>>>> I had a situation where my netbook computer was damaged beyond repair by
>>>> TSA inspectors when I was screened for a flight boarding at 7:30 AM on a
>>>> Wednesday. I did not arrive at my destination in Barcelona, Spain until
>>>> after 9 AM on Thursday. It was when I got to my hotel that I realized my
>>>> computer was broken. Though I immediately called the travel insurance
>>>> company, and followed their directions to call the airline who then told
>>>> me to contact TSA via their web site, the company has denied my claim
>>>> because I “failed to contact TSA within 24 hours of when the damage
>>>> occurred.” I was on a plane and didn't know the item was damaged!
>>>> Their clock started ticking from before I boarded the first plane. They
>>>> refused to account for the time I was in the air and between the airport
>>>> and hotel, not to mention the shift in time zones.
>>>> This company provided me secondary coverage and there is still a chance,
>>>> though quite slim, that I will recover something from TSA, however I
>>>> want you all to see the kind of tricks some travel insurance companies
>>>> can play on consumers. Everything was fine with them until I insisted I
>>>> file a claim just in case TSA took longer than 90 days to get back to
>>>> me. Once they saw that there might be a necessity for them to pay, they
>>>> dropped the claim.
>>>> Consider what would happen if you were on a long flight, like to
>>>> Australia, and your luggage is damaged in transit. Should your claim be
>>>> denied because it conceivably happened more than 24 hours earlier and
>>>> you didn’t contact the airline until after you got off the plane and
>>>> found the luggage was damaged?
>>>> The company I’ve chosen for our next trip has the provision to contact
>>>> them “as soon as possible”. I called and asked what would have happened
>>>> in the same situation with them and they would not have kicked out the
>>>> claim because I reported it in a reasonable time.
>>>> Be careful of exclusionary language. If you are not sure, call the
>>>> insurance company and ask them to explain the language in the provisions.
>>>> --
>>>> Janet Wilder
>>>> Way-the-heck-south Texas
>>>> Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
>>> Not being all that up to date with US Laws is an opinion only.
>>> However, the little I do remember ,if I were you .I would toddle off
>>> to a competant lawyer.
>>> This matter appears a weasel clause type issue .
>>> From Memory you have been denied what we call here Natural Justice.
>>> That said American laws are a nightmare especially where the
>>> insurance company may be registered .
>>> Have a look and do a bit of googling on the following terms
>>> US Supreme Court:
>>> 1 Freedom Of Contract
>>> 2 substantive due process
>>> IMO
>>> Your judges incorporated the freedom of contract doctrine into the
>>> Constitution by reading the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment bars upon
>>> deprivation of liberty or property without due process of law
>>> In your case you may be on safe ground saying that you were denied
>>> due process etc
>>> Good luck with it .
>>> Within the land of litigation over there
>>> you may just convince the insurance company to cough up rather than
>>> enter into expensive litigation .
>>> Looks like you had a no claim policy
>>> Defined as you pay the premium and *they* dont pay the claim
>> I'm filing a complaint with the State of Texas Insurance Department.
>> They frown upon their citizens being cheated.
>>
>> There is no doubt in my mind that this is a "weasel" clause. It is not
>> worth the price of hiring an attorney, however.
>>
>> What struck me as dishonest is their refusal to entertain the claim
>> before the primary villain, TSA, has made their determination.
>>
>> Anyway, I know folks here travel and I wanted to make sure everyone
>> reads their policy within the allotted time and if there is a provision
>> that strikes you as weasly, cancel and get another.
>>
>> --
>> Janet Wilder
>> Way-the-heck-south Texas
>> Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
>
> Janet I spoke to some folks in IATA .
> They were reluctant to get personally involved with this at their
> senior level.
>
> However, they suggested that you check if the offending insuuance
> company is an IATA member.
> If so then a detailed letter of complaint (to Head office) will be
> followed up .
>
> This sort of thing really gets up my nose .Corporate cowards still
> get away with fiscal murder .
> Re hiring legal counsel I wa snot suggesting that ,at this stage.
> Perhaps get onto the insurance scammers and threaten it quoting as I
> provided.
> Since you wrote this I spoke to two partners of a heavy hitting NY Law
> firm I speaking with daily
> on other matters . Mentioned this to one whom I have known for over 34
> years.
> She tends to agree with my contention and reinforced the idea of a
> strong letter from you to the insurance crowd
> that you will "go hard" with them over this .


Thanks for the suggestion. I will be sending the insurance company a
strong letter. The letter will also notify them that I have filed a
complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance.

> Its up to you whether spending the time & heart beats fighting this
> entity or just chalk it down to experience .

I'm that pissed, that a few postage stamps and a bit of printer ink
won't be a problem.

> The legal eagle later supplied this link in a later email to me
> suggesting this may help you.
> http://www.aicpcu.org/about.htm
> Hope this helps

I did look at the IATA and I don't believe travel insurance companies
are members. AICPCU is all about getting certified to sell insurance,
from what I can see.

The website, insuremytrip.com lists the name of the parent company of
the travel insurance and they will also get a letter.

If nothing else I will be wasting the time of their employees and
probably costing them more in man-hours than my claim for a $300
computer that no-doubt had depreciated.

I have posted my story in a few important travel sites, mainly hoping to
educate fellow travelers about reading the fine print, but if it deters
any business, it's their own fault.

Thanks so much for your interest in this matter. I agree with you that
we consumers should not let corporations stomp all over us, so this li'l
ol' Texas grandma will be fighting back. <g>


--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

Janet Wilder <[email protected]> wrote in news:4b7c64af$0$1231
$[email protected]:

> Anyone considering buying travel insurance, please read this.
>
> READ your travel insurance policy carefully. Mine, from Access America®,


(Snip bad insurance company story)

Wow!!

I purchase travel insurance for *any* trip I'm making, local(statewide),
interstate, or international..... and I have *never* had a problem like
that.

How could the TSA inspectors damage it beyond repair in the screening
process??

Did they drop it on the floor, or something like that? Anything that we
carry onboard is screened, but it's usually no more than 3 foot away from
us at any given time, and then only when it's inside the x-ray
machine..... we put it in, and we take it out.

But as for the tooing and froing between insurance company and TSA.....
if/when I make a claim, I make it to the Insurance company, and they
investigate it....... and then send us the money.

I don't have to chase anything.


Makes me extra glad I live in the 'Lucky Country' :-)


--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

Killfile all Google Groups posters.........

http://improve-usenet.org/

http://improve-usenet.org/filters_bg.html