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I recently filed a claim through my HSBC premier card. For weeks they seem to come up with a different reason to delay/question every aspect of the claim. I understand they need to ask questions but the process has been over the top and questions/queries are repetitive and at time border on the ridiculous.
Today they have refused the claim with the following wording. For context, my flight was delayed leaving me missing a series of following flights, plus I was unexpectedly stranded at Luxembourg overnight.
Any advice would be appreciated, please.
“Your travel insurance provides cover for the extra accommodation and travel costs you may have to pay, should you arrive at the departure point too late to board your pre-booked transport. This is subject to the conditions stated in the terms and conditions of your policy.
C. Unexpected costs
What we’ll cover
Travel disruption
We’ll cover unexpected additional travel and accommodation costs to allow the insured person to continue their trip or to get home at the end of their trip, if their pre-paid travel plans are disrupted for the following reasons:the insured person is unable to reach their departure point or their pre-arranged accommodation due to a natural disaster, severe weather, fire, or explosion
a natural disaster, severe weather, fire, explosion or an outbreak of food poisoning means the insured person is unable to use their pre-booked accommodation
the insured person’s travel or accommodation provider becomes insolvent
the insured person’s pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled or delayed for more than 12 hours from the time shown on their ticket or diverted after departure
the insured person is denied boarding because there are too many passengers and no alternative is available for more than 12 hoursMissed transport
If the insured person misses their pre-booked transport because of an unexpected transport delay, such as the vehicle they’re travelling in breaking down, or public transport being delayed or cancelledFrom the information you provided it would appear that you missed your scheduled departure as a result of a delay of 1 hour and 47 minutes. Unfortunately your policy does not provide cover under these circumstances and we are unable to consider your claim.
Your travel insurance provides cover for the extra accommodation and travel costs you may have to pay, should you arrive at the departure point too late to board your pre-booked transport. This is subject to the conditions stated in the terms and conditions of your policy.
C. Unexpected costs
What we’ll cover
Travel disruption
We’ll cover unexpected additional travel and accommodation costs to allow the insured person to continue their trip or to get home at the end of their trip, if their pre-paid travel plans are disrupted for the following reasons:the insured person is unable to reach their departure point or their pre-arranged accommodation due to a natural disaster, severe weather, fire, or explosion
a natural disaster, severe weather, fire, explosion or an outbreak of food poisoning means the insured person is unable to use their pre-booked accommodation
the insured person’s travel or accommodation provider becomes insolvent
the insured person’s pre-booked travel arrangements are cancelled or delayed for more than 12 hours from the time shown on their ticket or diverted after departure
the insured person is denied boarding because there are too many passengers and no alternative is available for more than 12 hoursMissed transport
If the insured person misses their pre-booked transport because of an unexpected transport delay, such as the vehicle they’re travelling in breaking down, or public transport being delayed or cancelledFrom the information you provided it would appear that you missed your scheduled departure as a result of a delay of 1 hour and 47 minutes. Unfortunately your policy does not provide cover under these circumstances and we are unable to consider your claim”.
@Angelamc11 – it’s difficult to comment without any background, but from the last para saying that because the delay in question was only 1h47 so your claim can’t be considered, is their position that you left insufficient time which they are using as a get out?
This would be per the exclusion “any claim where the insured person hadn’t allowed enough time, or done everything they reasonably could, to get to their departure point for the time shown on their itinerary”. This exclusion applies to the missed departure and travel disruption sections. This is obviously rather subjective and fact specific, but if this is HSBC/Aviva’s position, you would need to counter their stance.
I had a connecting flight DUB-MUN-LUX and the first flight was delayed 1 hr 47 min. So I missed the connecting flight and arrived into LUX 4 hours later than planned, resulting in an overnight stay as I missed my evening flight home from LUX. I was there in plenty of time for the first delayed flight.
I rebooked the missed evening flight for the next morning.
The seem to be applying T&C’s for travel delay, rather than missed transport – the latter does not stipulate this 12 hour delay.
It seems ridiculous that you need to be 12 hours delayed to be eligible for the insurance.
It seems they have engaged in a series of delays and mental gymnastics to refuse the claim. This is following several repetitive requests for documents from airlines and hotels to confirm the details of the claim, including the airlines refusal to pay out.
They argued it was the airlines responsibility. Then they argued it was a 1 night trip within the UK. Then they wanted a booking confirmation for a hotel stay I had to book in person. Not to mention several phone calls with agents who seemed totally clueless each time as to what actually happened.
Now this. It feels shambolic and has left me irritated.
What exactly did you claim for? Did you claim from the airline first? They would have been liable for accommodation and F & B costs regardless of the resason for the delay, as long as your journey was all on one booking.
@Angelamc11 – yes, the Missed Departure section seems to be the appropriate one. With the greater specificity of the routing, I’m taking it you were on two separate tickets or why did the airline legitimately reject your 261 claim? If it was on two tickets the time might not be considered sufficient.
The connecting flights were on one ticket with Lufthansa and they rejected the claim for the same reason of the timings.
Could you please state the exact planned itinerary of your trip and then what actually happened, starting from when you departed the UK and ending when you returned to the UK?
@Angelamc11 – it would appear that Lufthansa has rejected your claim on a false premise – they should owe you compensation unless there were any extraordinary circumstances behind the delayed arrival into Munich. I don’t think LH would be liable for your extra hotel night in Luxembourg, but the compensation would at least contribute something towards that. You can either pursue that, first pressing LH but then going to the Irish Aviation Authority if necessary and either wait for the outcome, then go to HSBC again or run the two simultaneously, of course dropping the other claim if settled.
I think you’re due EU261 conpensation for the 4hrs late arrival in Lux. Unless LH can come up with an exempt reason for the delay out of DUB.
They can weasel out of your overnight accommodation in Lux though as that was your final destination on that ticket. However any decent travel insurance should pay that as the flight delay caused you to miss onward transport that was arranged with a decent gap. Decent insurance should also cover any extra costs to rebook the onward transport.
I think you’ve got the intern handling your insurance claim. I’d write them 1 stern letter with a summary of what they owe then detail supported by exact docs, hotel receipt etc., even if previously submitted.
Note how long you’ve been in correspondence wirh them and the extensive detail you’ve already provided them at their request. I’d state if claim not approved in full within 28 days and fully paid within 10 days after that then you will refer this claim to the Insurance Ombudsman. State this should give them a generous amount of time to contact you should there be anything further they require in addition to what you have previously provided, in order for them to punctually settle your claim.
[Insurance Ombudsman probably costs them a few hundred pounds if a claim is referred. I’d like to know who the underwriter is so I can avoid policies underwritten by same underwriter.. wondering if Axa has grabbed HSBC’s business.]
PS i see the EU261 claim as separate from the insurance matter and would pursue both.
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