Q. My spouse and I acquired a tour to Tuscany, Italy, for past Oct from Abroad Journey Journey. For an further payment, we also purchased cancel-for-any-cause insurance from their partner, Allianz. We experienced to terminate a week prior to the trip started because my spouse broke her ankle. We submitted a declare with Allianz and received an e-mail from the insurance plan organization a month afterwards, stating that it experienced completed its evaluate and “payment details” would be forthcoming from OAT.
We never listened to from OAT. When I referred to as them, I was instructed that we would obtain a examine in 45 days. We received no verify. I called yet again two months later on, and a consultant informed me that we would acquire a test inside a thirty day period. The check nevertheless did not arrive.
I identified as yet again. This time, OAT adjusted its story. A rep advised me that Allianz experienced not finished its processing of our claim. The following thirty day period, I spoke with a agent at Allianz who verified that Allianz had without a doubt finished its processing of my claim a few months ago. I knowledgeable a supervisor at OAT of this and was assured it would be resolved. I never ever read again from the firm, so I identified as all over again nowadays and was explained to nonetheless once again that I would receive a check out following month.
There are two troubles below. The very first is that OAT, either through incompetence or just deliberately, has delayed our refund for almost 5 months. The next will involve the travel insurance plan. I was astonished to master that even while I paid out a top quality of $1,398 to Allianz, OAT is the beneficiary of the plan, not me. Thus, it seems that Allianz compensated OAT, and it selected no matter whether or not to fork out me. If this is not illegal, it need to be.
We would like the price tag of the vacation refunded to us as promised. Can you support?
HOWARD GLECKMAN, Kensington, Md.
A. I’m sorry to listen to about your wife, and I hope she is all healed up by now. Coverage payments of this form should really get processed in a month or two, so you really should have acquired a test by now.
I’ve been getting much more grievances about these sorts of delays. With specific travel firms, when you buy journey insurance coverage with your excursion, the insurance plan payment goes to the company, which then pays you. That can produce a delay, particularly when there is a 2nd approval approach on the company’s aspect.
The resolution? Obtain your future travel insurance coverage policy immediately from a firm like Allianz. That way, if you have to file a declare, it will pay you immediately.
But back again to your issue. I listing customer service contacts for Grand Circle (operator of OAT) and Allianz on my shopper advocacy site, Elliott.org.
Why did your refund take so lengthy? You ended up submitting a claim for the duration of a occupied time for both equally Allianz and OAT. My advocacy business has been working with hundreds of delayed refund conditions and insurance policies statements that dragged on. The best technique for resolving a tardy coverage claim is patience and persistence — two key aspects of what audience have termed the Elliott Approach. I consider you necessary to let equally businesses know of your displeasure. Most of your interaction transpired by phone, and regretably, there’s no way to establish you created any phone calls unless you recorded them.
I share your soreness with vacation coverage promises acquiring paid out to the company alternatively than the consumer. This practice may well be authorized, but it absolutely isn’t equitable — and I do not see that it benefits the customer.
I contacted OAT on your behalf. A representative responded straight to me, blaming the delay on a “technical issue in the approved promises method among Allianz and Grand Circle.” You gained your examine of $10,954.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit corporation that helps consumers solve their complications. E mail him at [email protected] or get assist by getting in contact with him at elliottadvocacy.org/support.
