DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: My spouse and I deliberate to journey to Bonaire for scuba diving late final yr. Earlier than our departure, I went to the hospital with irregular bleeding. My urologist advised me to not journey, particularly overseas.
I canceled my airplane tickets on Delta Air Strains and my reservations at Belmar Bonaire Oceanfront Residences. Delta gave me credit score for future use, which I've used, so no downside there.
I contacted TripMate, my journey insurance coverage firm, to start my declare for the remainder of the journey. I've been ready for months for my refund. I've contacted TripMate a number of occasions and preserve getting the identical message that my case is below assessment. Are you able to please assist me with the refund?
— Stanley Wales, Perry Corridor, Maryland
ANSWER: TripMate ought to have paid you by now. I reviewed your declare. You had a journey insurance coverage coverage that coated cancellations for medical causes. You additionally had a be aware out of your urologist, on letterhead, explaining that you just couldn’t journey.
Now that’s a slam dunk if I’ve ever seen one.
So what went flawed? I believe your declare got here in at a busy time for TripMate. Easy insurance coverage claims take just a few days to course of below most circumstances. However higher-value claims (normally something over $1,000) must be reviewed extra rigorously, and also you might need to attend weeks and even months to get your verify.
I do know that as a result of I’ve additionally needed to wait months for my very own journey insurance coverage declare to be paid. It might take a look at your persistence, even should you totally perceive what’s occurring behind the scenes.
TripMate asks for 30 days to course of its claims. By the point you contacted me, you had waited far longer than that. You possibly can attain out to the corporate on to inquire a couple of delayed declare. For those who don’t obtain a response, you may contact somebody at a better degree. I listing the names, numbers and emails of the TripMate customer support executives on my shopper advocacy website at www.elliott.org/company-contacts/trip-mate/.
I contacted TripMate in your behalf. Just a few days later, you obtained a verify for the total quantity of your declare.
Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit group that helps shoppers resolve their issues. Elliott’s newest ebook is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler” (Nationwide Geographic). Contact him at elliott.org/assist or chris@elliott.org.