Topic: Travel Insurance

Mei needed hospital treatment while she was in Hawaii. Her insurance company declined to cover the hospital bill as it considered Mei went to hospital for a pre-existing medical condition. Did the insurance company correctly decline Mei’s claim?

Period of Insurance ended when traveller returned to New Zealand, meaning bags left overseas were disposed of outside the period of insurance.

Kevin and his wife travel with their daughter, Elisa, to Bali. When Elisa’s departure is delayed, she returns home later than expected. However, because Elisa’s return flights are to Australia, Kevin’s claim is declined.

Laura travelled to Canada to attend her nephew’s wedding. En route to the wedding, Laura stayed a night at a B&B. She left one of her suitcases in her rental car parked in the B&B’s carpark. The suitcase was stolen overnight. Laura’s insurer declined her claim for her stolen property.

The insured cancels her travel because she expected to receive a hospital appointment during the period of her travel.

Pauline, an international student from the United States, needed surgery to remove abdominal adhesions while she was in New Zealand. Pauline had received surgery for the same issue prior to coming to New Zealand. Does her travel insurance policy cover the cost of her treatment?

While on a ski trip in Japan, Justin’s friend and travel companion sadly committed suicide. Justin took his friend’s ashes back to New Zealand and attended the funeral. Justin’s travel insurer denied his claim for his extra travel costs because an exclusion clause in the policy excluded cover for losses resulting from suicide. Justin thought the exclusion clause should only exclude cover for losses arising from an insured’s suicide.

Michael waited until after he had booked his trip to Europe to organise travel insurance. Michael did not disclose a recent skin infection to his insurer. A short time later Michael’s skin infection flared up requiring serious treatment. Michael had to cancel his trip but his insurer refused to cover his cancellation costs saying the condition was pre-existing. Michael complains this is unfair.

Did the insured take reasonable care to avoid the theft of jewellery from a locked suitcase in an unlocked room in a private guest house?

Amy was in Thailand celebrating New Year when she was admitted to hospital. Although Amy had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol medical opinion was divided about the cause of her hospital admission with pesticide poisoning or gastroenteritis also possible causes. Was the insurer right to exclude Amy’s medical expenses claim?