Topic: Travel Insurance

Complainant was unable to board her flight to Fiji because she did not have six months’ validity on her passport. The insurance company declined the claim on the basis that the complainant’s loss was not unforeseen and not outside her control.

Laurence’s father is diagnosed with bowel cancer in August 2013 at the same time Laurence starts planning an overseas trip for his family in July 2014. Sadly, Jim passes away on 5 July 2014 and Laurence reschedules the trip for later in the year. FSCL investigates whether there is cover for the rescheduling costs under Laurence’s travel insurance policy.

Return flights to South Africa booked for a travel period of 50 days. You misplace your Ipad 2 at Heathrow while in transit, and make a claim, to discover that you are only covered if your travel period is for 40 days or less.

While Olivia was on holiday she damaged her rental car. Olivia’s insurance covered all direct costs of repairing the car. However, Olivia was liable to pay the rental car company for other costs which were not classified as “direct costs” by her insurer.

Following the excision of a melanoma on Nigel’s hand, Nigel and Pam continued with their plans to take a cruise around Europe. However, 4 months later Nigel was unexpectedly told that he would require further surgery to completely remove the melanoma. Pam and Nigel cancelled their cruise. They submitted an insurance claim for the cancellation costs but the claim was declined.

You’ve booked a trip to travel to Australia with your elderly mother. You have to cancel the trip and your mother cannot travel without you. You tell your insurer this and then you book another trip to Rarotonga with your mother, during which your mother passes away. Your insurer then tells you there is only cover for people aged 59 years or less, and will not uphold your claim for additional expenses incurred. FSCL investigates.

Sophie travelled to Australia but only purchased her return ticket to New Zealand once she had arrived in Australia. When Sophie went to make a travel insurance claim her insurance company told her that she had not met its eligibility criteria to receive insurance cover.

Following Jason’s grandson in the United Kingdom being hospitalised, Jason cancelled his family holiday to Florida. Jason made a claim under his travel insurance policy for his lost deposit.

You start to suffer from symptoms of mercury poisoning while travelling overseas. You and your travel insurance company cannot agree on the quantum of your claim for ongoing medical costs incurred upon returning to New Zealand.

Jason was booked to travel from Wellington to Athens to take up a work opportunity.