Travel Insurance

[ladybaglady]

(I've put this on a couple of posts - forgive me!)

My trip to Tenerife in July was cut short due to the bereavement of a close family relative. I was staying at a 5 star accommodation (half board) but flying with a budget airline - the holiday was booked with Thomas Cook but packaged by Seguro holidays. I arrived back in the UK exactly a week earlier than I was supposed to and when submitting a claim to my insurance I basically assumed I would receive 50% of the total cost of the holiday back. However, my claim was 'closed' with a cheque that offered me a FIFTH of the original cost of the accommodation.

I spoke to the insurance company (Axa) who advised me that the invoice I provided with the booking didn't give a detailed breakdown of the cost of the flights and accommodation separately, but that if I spoke to Thomas Cook/Seguro and I could get this breakdown then they could offer 50% of the accommodation cost back... failing that then they would apply a 'standard' 60/40 split assumption (60% = flights, 40% = accom) which was" written in their policy" � FYI I cannot find this anywhere in their policy.

Anyway, I spoke to Seguro (after unsuccessfully speaking to Thomas Cook) who said under no circumstances did they hold information regarding a breakdown of flights, etc - I did have a bit of an argument with the girl but to no avail.

Basically I am now looking for any information or assistance anyone can provide me with as to how to perhaps take this further as I suspect Axa will wash their hands (with glee) at the prospect of only having to pay out this (frankly, offensive!) amount of money.

[Ethel]

Did you have to pay extra for your return flight when you knew you would have to come home early?

If so, did you get any refund on the unused ticket?

[ladybaglady]

Yeah I paid extra for the flights home and received that back as part of their offer (which once you've taken off the �100 excess doesn't amount to much)

[JB]

I'm a bit confused! On what basis did you book your holiday? Was it as a package? What are the actual costs involved - what you paid and what they offered etc. I do have background in both travel and insurance, so with a bit more info may be able to make sense of it all!

[buildersmate]

Try this.
Say the holiday cost �1000 and Baglady paid an extra �200 for the extra flight home. Baglady was expecting 50% of the holiday cost back because 50% of it was lost, plus the �150 for the extra flight home. I.e. �650.

AXA are arguing that the original holiday cost proportions are �600 for the flights and �400 for the accommodation.
Frankly this random split in costs is irrelevant to your claim.

You are claiming one half of the flights cost lost (the original return flight at �300 according to AXA), �150 for the extra flight you had to book, and �200 for the 50% lost accommodation. Total �650.

AXA appear to be offering the cost of the lost accommodation (�200 - 20% as you say) plus the extra return flight home (�150). Total �350.

Go back and ask them why they are denying you the claim for the lost original return flight (�300). THAT appears to be the bone of contention - the 60/40 split is irrelevent. The above numbers are obviously invented to demonstarte the point.

[buildersmate]

Sorry - �200 in 3rd line for return cost home should read �150.

[JB]

Buildersmate - I can see where you are coming from, but you are making assumptions. Baglady clearly said that Axa's offer was 'a fifth of the original cost of the accomodation' - how does she know what the original cost was (was it booked in addition to a flight? Was it one of these pick and mix holidays?)She also pointed out that the accomodation was 5 star, whilst the flight was budget. If the holiday was bought as a package, both of these points are largely irrelevant. Also, without knowing the actual costs, and the basis of Axa's offer, it's nearly impossible to offer any assistance. Baglady - over to you!

[ladybaglady]

Thanks for the prompt replies guys - this is my first opportunity to read and respond to them...Holiday was �1600 - don't know the separate costs but flights home for two were �135 (which did get refunded) and Axa offered a 'grand' total of �380 back (�480 minus �100 excess).

It was a package holiday...

[ladybaglady]

Oh and that �380 also included unused parking refunded at �20... so according to Axa, off of a �1600 holiday we're only getting �360 back (after the excess)

[JB]

Was the �135 paid for early return flights a supplement to change your existing flights, or the full cost of completely new flights?