AXA Insurance..refused Claim

[jagmanx]

I have small Claim "in progress" with AXA.
The Claim under £200 and is for booked and not used items
2x Hotel 1x Train travel 1x Coach travel.
The claim has been refused as I chose not to travel.
Yes this is true but my decision was made following FCO advice to "avoid uneccessary travel".
I have replied (urgently) to AXA reminding of the date sequence and the FCO advice
I suggested that the policy wording implies my claim should be paid
I await a reply !
I also suggested that the premiums I pay are a waste of money !
This is the 3rd time they have "failed" (IMO)

• 2010 Iceland volcano..only paid out 1/3
• 2019 refused to pay for extra camp costs due to a puncture
• NOW

I will probably NOT use AXA again !
I appreciate it is in the interests of all that they only pay out what is legitimate.
I contend my claim is valid !

This happens to be my 3rd Finacial dispute in a year

• Sept to February Vodaphone (resolved but at considerable stress)
• Just recently STARLING in practice resolved easily and quickly
• AXA Travel (above

 

[trevskoda]

There all good at talking you money,paying out very little chance.

 

[GMJ]

Hi Phil

Why didn't you bin them after the 2019 no payment?

 

[jagmanx]

That was a dubious claim but dismissed.
They have provided me with yearly cover with trips up to 186 days and were cheaper than others.
As we have seen on the insurance thread this is not easy !
I now have no need of 186 days cover on a yearly multitrip basis
90 days single trip will do for Europe
If We go to Canada and USA it will be in 2022 (or never) so we will source single trip cover
My AXA renewal is/was due in August
I get 1 months cover free..I have instuctted them I do not need extended cover at the moment
So No payment for extra time will be taken.
My next need for travel insurance will be Summer 2021 !

 

[bartman]

The FCA advice is that this falls into the category of "disinclination to travel" (a phrase that only the insurance industry could concoct!), and that most insurance policies will not cover it. https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/insurance-and-coronavirus
Reading between the lines, it seems likely that unless you are prepared to pay substantially higher premiums, no insurance company would provide cover for your claim, so AXA are not alone.

 

[jagmanx]

It seems therefore Catch22 is in place
If I Travel and have a problem they will not payup (FCO advising not to travel)
I choose not to travel on FCO advice and they still do not pay up.

I understand the nuances but I will pursue AXA ad nauseum
We will see who fades fastest. Given I have time on my hands..
I will re-email AXA on a weekly basis.

 

[2cv]

Allclear paid up for my car hire when I followed FCO advice and returned from USA in March. Most policies have an exclusion for pandemics but they said that they were dealing with claims on a case by case basis.

 

[jagmanx]

I Copy

If your travel has been impacted by coronavirus, your travel insurance may be able to help. All travel insurance policies are different. But most include cover for customers where they have suffered a financial loss after the cancellation of travel arrangements in certain circumstances.

Where you have had travel arrangements cancelled because of coronavirus, but were unable to claim a refund from your travel provider, your travel insurance may help.

It is not clear cut But I have acted in good faith and only claimed a minimal amount EG i have not claimed airfare as that may well be carried forward

We shall see !

 

[polar bear]

I recently had a dispute with AXA when an uninsured, untaxed chap with no driver's license drove through the end of my 300-year-old workshop. They claimed I had insufficient cover for my property (they surveyed my out-buildings and included them at the same rate as rebuilding our house) They eventually paid out 70% of the claim. On renewal, I expected to be penalised. They put it up but invited me to reinsure at the old cover amounts. I phoned them to see why they had told me I wasn't insured for enough but invited me to continue with my old amounts. After changing my cover for rebuilding to unlimited I expected a hike in premiums. It cost me £30 less to insure at unlimited rebuild costs than the renewal quote at the old amount

 

[jagmanx]

Thanks PB I guess the message is to challenge them...Which as you may have read is what I am doing.
Come what may they will lose my business at least temporarily
However they may be my best option for Canada in 2022 or 2023 1 (AGE!)

 

[alwaysared]

Where you have had travel arrangements cancelled because of coronavirus, but were unable to claim a refund from your travel provider, your travel insurance may help.

This happened to my brother, he was due to go to Italy in August and phoned his insurance company to check if he was covered, they told him that if he cancelled they wouldn't pay out but if the travel company cancelled they would so he took a gamble and waited, sure enough the travel company cancelled and he got his money back. So reading the bit I've quoted from your post would confirm what they told my brother was correct.
Like I've said before, insurance companies are nothing but legalised Mafia

Regards,
Del

 

[jagmanx]

Yes, I booked everthing myself and only cancelled after the FCO advice changed to "Avoid all unnecessary Travel"
Thus Axa's claim whilst true is invalid.
But as you imply they are all slippery !

 

[TJBi]

I Copy

If your travel has been impacted by coronavirus, your travel insurance may be able to help. All travel insurance policies are different. But most include cover for customers where they have suffered a financial loss after the cancellation of travel arrangements in certain circumstances.

Where you have had travel arrangements cancelled because of coronavirus, but were unable to claim a refund from your travel provider, your travel insurance may help.

It is not clear cut But I have acted in good faith and only claimed a minimal amount EG i have not claimed airfare as that may well be carried forward

We shall see !

I think that the "Where you have had travel arrangements cancelled..." is clear; it does not say "Where you have cancelled travel arrangements...". However, it would be interesting to know what the policy states (if anything) regarding travelling against FCO advice.

 

[jagmanx]

I think that the "Where you have had travel arrangements cancelled..." is clear; it does not say "Where you have cancelled travel arrangements...". However, it would be interesting to know what the policy states (if anything) regarding travelling against FCO advice.

I cancelled on the "Do Not Travel" advice from the FCO. If this is not covered by insurance then the policy is inadequate !

 

[MOJO]

We booked multiple hotels, cars and flights on Expedia for a three month trip through South America to start mid Sept.Not a package, all separate bookings. They tell us to wait until two weeks before departure to see what the FO advise but also what the various bookings are willing to offer. Possibly refunds, vouchers or zilch. After all options exhausted then time to find out if our Nationwide bank account travel insurance will pick up the pieces. Fun times ahead.
With regard to single trip policies we used to use Insure & Go Backpackers Bronze policy. Might need them again for the six month Canada tour.

 

[jagmanx]

Thanks ..Yes Good luck
As with my claim you only cancelled on FCO guidance
IMO insurers are legally bound to pay out BUT......
And yes Single trip (3 months) might well suit us next summer and most summers and ahead for Canada/USA(6 months) Hospital cover only !
I have asked THUM about medical (only) insurance

 

[MOJO]

Let me know how THUM works out.

 

[Rec]

I agree with you, it is not disinclination to travel as FCo advised no travel. They can't have it both ways and not cover you if you travel, but not cover if you cancel using same FCO advice!

FCA site states
Deciding not to travel to areas that the FCO has not advised against visiting
You should check your travel insurance policy to understand what is covered. Travel insurance does not usually cover ‘disinclination to travel’ (which means you have decided not to travel but the FCO advice has not changed to advise against travel). If you have decided not to travel, your travel insurer will not offer compensation.

Essential and non-essential travel
Anyone planning to travel should check Government advice(link is external). You will need to speak to insurance providers and discuss the cover that will best suit your needs. There may be instances where cover is not available. If you are travelling against Government advice, your travel insurance will not be valid unless it is essential.

 

[jagmanx]

So the latest

• as posted before they have refused my claim
• they have not replied to numerous emails
• the claim is now marked as closed despite my challenge

From the Lloyds/Axa website

Travel insurance update: Coronavirus
Your Travel Insurance Policy has an exclusion which prevents you from claiming for any circumstances known prior to purchasing a policy or booking a trip which may cause a claim. Late on 11th March 2020 the World Health Organisation confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) has reached pandemic status therefore it is reasonably foreseeable that it may give rise to a cancellation claim.

As an annual multi trip policyholder please be aware any trip booked after 18 March 2020 will not have cover for any cancellation claim in relation to Coronavirus including, but not limited to, your diagnosis of Coronavirus, due to FCO advice or flight cancellation caused by Coronavirus.

We will continue to cover any medical claims because of Coronavirus if you are travelling to an area where no FCO advice against travel exists.

Any trip booked up to and including 18 March 2020 on annual multi trip policy will benefit from normal cover as stated in the Terms and Conditions.

Next step is compaints department

 

[TJBi]

So the latest

• as posted before they have refused my claim
• they have not replied to numerous emails
• the claim is now marked as closed despite my challenge

From the Lloyds/Axa website

Travel insurance update: Coronavirus
Your Travel Insurance Policy has an exclusion which prevents you from claiming for any circumstances known prior to purchasing a policy or booking a trip which may cause a claim. Late on 11th March 2020 the World Health Organisation confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) has reached pandemic status therefore it is reasonably foreseeable that it may give rise to a cancellation claim.

As an annual multi trip policyholder please be aware any trip booked after 18 March 2020 will not have cover for any cancellation claim in relation to Coronavirus including, but not limited to, your diagnosis of Coronavirus, due to FCO advice or flight cancellation caused by Coronavirus.

We will continue to cover any medical claims because of Coronavirus if you are travelling to an area where no FCO advice against travel exists.

Any trip booked up to and including 18 March 2020 on annual multi trip policy will benefit from normal cover as stated in the Terms and Conditions.

Next step is compaints department

If you booked prior to 11/03/2020 and cancelled after FCO advice to avoid unnecessary travel to the country in question was published, you appear to have an excellent case. Does the policy small print require you to refer to insurers prior to cancelling?