Platinum insurance – payment for cancelling Eurostar trip if can’t use eVoucher

[Chas]

I have a Eurostar journey for 4 pax tomorrow morning which needs to be cancelled. Eurostar’s eVoucher is of limited use to me as its only valid for bookings made by 30 June, and for various reasons we won’t be able to reconsider this trip until at least this time next year (and even by 30 June, we won’t have firm dates). Booked on BAPP, and have Amex Plat so should be covered by that Travel Insurance. Amex’s Covid-19 Travel Disruption Advice says that I am covered if I am unable to receive a travel credit from my travel provider (Eurostar), but I am uncertain as to what I should do in this situation – I can’t be alone, so hoping someone can offer me advice as to the correct way to approach this… If I cancel my trip and take the voucher, am I invalidating my ability to make a successful insurance claim by virtue of having “accepted” the eVoucher? If I don’t show up for the train tomorrow (I can’t cancel without getting a voucher), am I invalidating my ability to make a successful insurance claim on the basis that I could have taken a voucher, albeit one that I couldn’t use?

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[JDB]

Chas wrote:

I have a Eurostar journey for 4 pax tomorrow morning which needs to be cancelled. Eurostar’s eVoucher is of limited use to me as its only valid for bookings made by 30 June, and for various reasons we won’t be able to reconsider this trip until at least this time next year (and even by 30 June, we won’t have firm dates). Booked on BAPP, and have Amex Plat so should be covered by that Travel Insurance. Amex’s Covid-19 Travel Disruption Advice says that I am covered if I am unable to receive a travel credit from my travel provider (Eurostar), but I am uncertain as to what I should do in this situation – I can’t be alone, so hoping someone can offer me advice as to the correct way to approach this… If I cancel my trip and take the voucher, am I invalidating my ability to make a successful insurance claim by virtue of having “accepted” the eVoucher? If I don’t show up for the train tomorrow (I can’t cancel without getting a voucher), am I invalidating my ability to make a successful insurance claim on the basis that I could have taken a voucher, albeit one that I couldn’t use?

Won’t your ability to claim on Amex Plat be determined by the reason you are cancelling? If you aren’t travelling because of the recent French travel restrictions, I’m not sure you would be covered. If one of the party is ill, you might be. It will be easier to determine how to proceed once you know the insurance position.

[Chas]

Cancelling primarily because of French restrictions, although there’s a further complication (see below). Amex’s Travel Disruption Advice says that I am covered under 4 circumstances: “2 – the destination government has imposed restrictions (i.e. quarantine or ban on foreign arrivals), and travel was booked before restrictions were announced” (it was). It then goes on to say that the following point must also be met: “You have already contacted your airline or travel provider to change dates or arrange a refund or to receive a travel credit and have been unsuccessful”. Which is where I am worried I will fall foul. The further complication is that I started to cancel other elements of the trip a week ago when my daughter tested positive, and her 10 days wouldn’t have finished before the trip started, although this is now moot given that the rules changed to 7 days after I did this, so she would have been able to travel after all had the French restrictions not been in place. I’ve successfully have got refunds for a “non-refundable” 1st night of a 5 night stay, plus various excursions and activities. There’s only a couple of places which have refused, so I’ve been trying everything I can to minimise having to make an insurance claim. I’m still hoping that my train will be cancelled, but they’ve all been running in the last couple of days, so doubt I’ll be that lucky.

[JDB]

Chas wrote:

Cancelling primarily because of French restrictions, although there’s a further complication (see below). Amex’s Travel Disruption Advice says that I am covered under 4 circumstances: “2 – the destination government has imposed restrictions (i.e. quarantine or ban on foreign arrivals), and travel was booked before restrictions were announced” (it was).

You will need to check with Amex as the general exclusions in the policy document at 1.9 points 14 & 15 say something slightly different than you have quoted. I can’t get my head round your daughter’s positive test, ie as to whether that overrides the general exclusion although the restriction on UK travellers would have prevented you travelling anyway. Hope you get it resolved/refunded satisfactorily .

[Chas]

JDB wrote:

Chas wrote:

Cancelling primarily because of French restrictions, although there’s a further complication (see below). Amex’s Travel Disruption Advice says that I am covered under 4 circumstances: “2 – the destination government has imposed restrictions (i.e. quarantine or ban on foreign arrivals), and travel was booked before restrictions were announced” (it was).

You will need to check with Amex as the general exclusions in the policy document at 1.9 points 14 & 15 say something slightly different than you have quoted. I can’t get my head round your daughter’s positive test, ie as to whether that overrides the general exclusion although the restriction on UK travellers would have prevented you travelling anyway. Hope you get it resolved/refunded satisfactorily .

Thanks JDB. I’ve spoken with Axa, who really struggled to give me an answer (but were very helpful in looking for information to help me). I really need to speak to the underwriters, who aren’t open until Wednesday. Eventually they found some information which gave the impression that I wouldn’t be covered “because it was a known event at the time of booking” (“it” being the Pandemic, not the French restrictions….!), and so wouldn’t give me confirmation that I could no-show for the Eurostar tomorrow and be able to claim for the cost. Looks like I’ll have to cancel and take the voucher, even though I will struggle to have confirmed dates for travel by the expiry date.