Complaint Review: Trip Assured

I purchased a land only package to Costa Rica with
Jet A Way Holidays for $2569 on Oct 11, 2005, along with insurance from Trip Assured for myself & 3 additional members of my immediate family
(The land only is valued at $2569 divided by 4 = $642.25/pp)

I bought my own air from OLE Travel on Oct 12 for $2138.80 for the 4 of us I called Trip Assured & asked, that since my policy with them allowed $1500/per person coverage, would they also cover the air & was told yes.I called in total 3 times, confirming that the air would be covered:

Once when I bought my policy, once when I received the Trip Assured Insurance packet & once BEFORE I cancelled
All 3 times I was assured that the air was covered

I have a history of degenerating spine & have had 2 infusions

However, the discs that were operated on were L4-L5
I began having familiar symptoms with my back about 2 weeks later.I knew, that although the disc ((L3-4) was never in trouble before, my history would indicate that somewhere down my life, I would deal with future discs. I had not seen my doctors regarding my spine since my last operation-Sept 16 2003 When I called to cancel on Nov 2, giving great thought to my future choice:

I was very clear that this was a new symptom to a back with history-a disc-that had NEVER been in trouble before. I didn't hear back from Trip Assured, after completing the insurance claim on Nov 2, until Dec 1 I was told that the air was not coveredI saw /spoke with my Dr Oct 20.

When I called then, I was told by Paula that the employee (Margaret?) who informed me that my air was also covered was in error. I pointed that that was an internal problem: an employee of Trip Assured represents them & therefore is accountable for any information I was given.I was told to cancel my airline tickets & send them to Trip Assured & they would return them as a "courtesy".I called OLE to cancel & Patrice at Ole reminded me that the tickets were non refundable.I told her I knew that, but in order to process the claim, Trip Assured told me I had to cancel the tickets I called Trip Assured back & told them again that the tickets were non-refundable

I believe "Pat" told me that "They had a relationship with consolidators " & would be able to receive a credit.Pat called me back & said to go ahead & cancel & send Trip Assured the tickets

Then I went through 3 months of jumping through every hoop they gave me-all my Drs, hospital reports.. I complied without hesitation to everything. Finally, when they exhausted THEIR loopholes, they said I did not call w/in 72 hrs of being advised by my DR.

If this was the reason for denying the claim, why didn't they just say that at the beginning? They thought I would tire of getting Dr reports.. & I persisted, so they threw this in as a last resort

They said if I didn't like it, we could go to arbitation for another $150. There are 76 claims filed against them at the Knoxville BBB & the State Attny is investigating them as well

Karyn
suncook, New Hampshire
U.S.A.