Travel Insurance Claims
Posted on | December 30, 2009 | 9 Comments
Holidays abroad don’t always go without a hitch. Every year UK travel insurance companies receive thousands of claims for compensation from unlucky holidaymakers. The most common claims tend to be for lost baggage, cancellation or medical expense.
But being ambushed by monkeys, blazing brides and escaping hairpieces are examples of the more bizarre claims received by some of the UK’s largest travel insurers.
Here are the 10 oddest travel insurance claims:
1. Monkey Business
Malaysian monkeys caused romantic getaway mayhem when a couple returned to their chalet to find their underwear, clothing and belongings strewn across the resort and neighbouring rainforest. Fortunately the travel insurer paid the claim for the clothes-less couple.
2. Toupee overboard
One unlucky pensioner enjoying a cruise found his toupee overboard after a strong gust of wind lifted it off his head and blew it in to the sea. His travel insurance reimbursed him for the cost of his hairpiece.
3. Don’t get stung
A careless holidaymaker paid a painful price when he dropped his wallet down a drain in Natanya. The Briton’s claim wasn’t for his cash or credit cards though – it was for hospital treatment after he reached down the drain to rescue his wallet, and was stung by a scorpion. Luckily, his travel insurance covered the cost of the treatment.
4. The unhappy campers
An unfortunate family had a shock when they were on a camping trip in a remote field in Wales, following a parachutist from a nearby airbase missing his target and landing on their camping equipment, destroying it. The family weren’t covered for accidental damage, so unfortunately their insurer did not reimburse them.
5. Swimming smile
Whilst on a cruise, one sickly pensioner lost his false teeth over the side of the ship when throwing up into the choppy seas of the Bay of Biscay. The misplaced dentures were thankfully covered in his travel insurance policy under lost baggage, so his claim was paid.
6. Holy smoke
A British couple’s idyllic wedding soon took a turn for the worse when the bride’s dress was caught alight by a brick of coal that fell from the BBQ. The smart-thinking groom quickly picked up his new blazing bride, ran down the beach and threw her into the ocean. Fortunately the couple had taken out wedding cover before tying the knot, so they could claim on their travel insurance policy for their ruined wedding outfits.
7. Bad hair day
Whilst on holiday in Spain, a resourceful father had to rush his distressed daughter to the local hairdresser after she frazzled her hair on the oven in their apartment. The results were far from satisfying, leaving the poor girl running from the salon in tears. Her dad did try and claim on their travel insurance, but unfortunately was not reimbursed as they weren’t covered for accidental damage.
8. Bikini distraction
A man on holiday in Greece broke his nose by walking into a glass-panelled bus shelter, after getting distracted by two Greek goddesses in bikinis. His travel claim for hospital bills was successful.
9. Life’s a beach
Frustrated parents were shocked to find that their playing children had buried their £600 camcorder in the sand on a beach in Cornwall. Thankfully the insurer saw the funny side and refunded the cost.
10. Lotions and potions
The search was on for a wrinkle-free burglar in France after a woman had her cosmetics bag stolen, then later admitted she had transferred medical-strength haemorrhoid cream in to an empty moisturiser tub. Her claim for make-up, lotions and perfume was paid.
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Comments
9 Responses to “Travel Insurance Claims”
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December 30th, 2009 @ 9:59 am
Contact a local lawyer, sue there asses
December 30th, 2009 @ 10:26 am
Insurance claims for travel insurance work in the same way as other insurance claim works. Insured need to intimate his insure about the claim and then assistance will be provided by insure, In this usually all insurer have foreign tie-ups with insurers in foreign locations.
For more visit- http://www.insurancereview.in
December 30th, 2009 @ 2:27 pm
Are you legally responsible for his medical bills? I don't know the answer to this question.
You could talk to the hospital and ask about a more responsible price or you can use a medical claim review and settlement organization. If you visit MyMedicalcontrol.com they will try and negotiate a lower price for you. If they succeed you will pay them 30% of what they saved you, if they are not able to get you a better price you are not charged anything.
December 31st, 2009 @ 1:58 am
Well, you need to do two things: 1. read the entire policy coverage. 2. Look at the declination reason, and see if the reason they cite is in agreement with the policy wording.
If the policy only covers cancellations for XYZ reasons, and your reason is W, then taking further action isn't going to help you AT ALL – it's not in the contract.
If the polciy covers ANY cancellation reason except XYZ, and your reason is X, well, ITS EXCLUDED.
Travel insurance, like long term care coverage, isn't what people think it is when they buy it – you need to know EXACTLY what's covered, for how long, and why, BEFORE you hand over the money.
December 31st, 2009 @ 3:52 am
Generally insurance companies go by the word of the doctor, as they are supposed to have the last and major say in your treatment & care.
December 31st, 2009 @ 7:30 am
This question is often asked of "The Travel Doctor" in Brisbane's weekend newspaper travel lift-out. He always says that he's unable to recommend any personally and always advises to simply shop around. I know that many travel agents recommend "Cover-More" but I could not say whether or not your friend would be eligible.
One heart attack should not preclude someone from travelling overseas with insurance unless they now have an on-going condition. I don't know the details, so ring around and check. Good luck.
January 1st, 2010 @ 8:06 am
It could very well be true. Although they are different countries to where you are, we are in the UK and when we book to go to Ireland the company we book with insists on having our insurance details. Besides, as the first answerer says…they would be daft to travel without it as the cost of treatment is far more than the cost of the insurance. Accidents do happen…believe me, I broke an elbow last year, and a few weeks after that was healed I broke my foot…if I had been abroad I would have been in sh*t street without insurance!
January 1st, 2010 @ 2:40 pm
January 2nd, 2010 @ 7:01 am
The insurance company would probly just correct the mistake when they find it. Or, you could call to let them know of the mistake.