Travel insurance - the process of changing itinerary due to injury

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Never made a claim on Travel insurance (TI) before

Context:
Travel party 5
Next travel sectors,: Shinkansen Nagano - Kyoto, Kyoto 3 nights, Shinkansen Kyoto - Tokyo and Tokyo -NRT
Flights: NRT-KUL-SIN-SYD (20Feb)

1/5 in travel party - fractured tibia requiring plaster and crutches and surgery back in Australia

Have medical certificate certifying fitness to fly, but did not say J seats required or when return flight should be undertaken. Everything in Japanese so unable to understand what anyone says.

Want to book earlier QF HND-SYD QF26 direct in the next few days. (JL/NH 2x price of QF for same day)
Ive asked TI to approve this which will cost circa AUD$6500 for 2 passengers (1 as escort)

What do other TI do?. Seems like mine is more reactionary than proactive - just acknowledging my claims and the information I sent. they have not said "Ok this is what we recommend"

Regards

QS
 
I note that InsureandGo also say:

If you need to make a claim,we will require you to:



    • a) provide us with original invoices, receipts and other vouchers relating to your loss or expenses. It is the responsibility of the insured person to provide receipted proof of value for any lost, stolen or damaged items.
    • b) produce your Policy Schedule.
    • c) provide us with all the information we require in
      English or officially translated into English.
That’s if you don’t contact them first. Which is what they suggest you do. Then they take over. In an emergency then you seek medical attention first of course but contact them or get someone else to contact them as soon as possible. And that’s what QS did. So the Insurance company, if Insure and Go, should have taken over.
 
The issue here is not so much whats covered and whats not - that will be reconciled at the claim on completion of the travel, but rather the process in getting to where you want to be - repatriated or otherwise

After several emails, I bit the bullet and actually called them. Its strange. They tried to call me on the number specified on the travel insurance policy when I purchased it, but the various emails I sent them had my email and actual contact number while in Japan.

Anyway that phone call progressed the "repatriation" but TI did not offer me a repatriation plan.
So I gave TI my repatriation plan including prices of 3 airlines -QF,JL,NH. Interestingly Jl and NH were >2x price of QF.
J class (same class as original)
+ 20kg luggage allowance (QF J= 30kg each no status, original itinerary with SQ = 40kg per pax)
Plus plan for ground transfer to airport including Shinkansen and then private limo transfer to HND.
Plus plan for transfer of luggage via Yamato Takkyubin from hotel to HND which would take 2 days.
TI initially said they would forward it to claims assessors. I then told TI thats ok but "FYI less than 5 seats available on QF at that price. Next fare bucket goes to $10K for 2 pax". ;). That created some urgency in their back office.:)

Then they wanted me to get original airlines (MH and SQ) to email me with costs of cancellation and costs of changing the original tickets.
I tried to tell them that it was a moot point because if the TI had finally approved the QF repatriation, such an email is uncecessary because the original flights would be cancelled anyway, and any refund would be declared to the TI.

My expectation of the "process" would be something like this:
1) I ring TI saying I got a medical problem and need to create a claim file. Ring a local number which transfers call to Australia TI call centre
2) TI says ok you are in Japan, lets put you through to an interpreter.
3) Intepreter mediates between myself (injured passenger advocate), TI and hospital to get necessary treatment, then documentation, certificates
4) TI comes up with a plan and discusses with me. In this case repatriation.
5) Repatriation
6) Once back in Australia, reconciliation of claim - this is where all the receipts and documentations are entered into the claim and the claim is reconciled or settled.

This was the reality:
1) Yes, but Japan was not on local call list. Direct calls to AU TI number 2x20min on hold, then gave up and asked AU friend to call TI and tell them to call me.
2) Interpreter = google translate which was marginally useful
3) See 2
4) I discuss the repatriation with TI, and then organise it including paying for the flights myself. (In a way thats Ok because my CC is at the beginning of the billing cycle and I can get extra FF points).

Interesting learning experience.
Travel insurance markets itself on inclusions and exclusions. However the Process in getting repatriated can be a little difficult/daunting and the experience here can sell the repeat business.

There is benefit in driving the agenda because that retains some influence, but it comes at the cost of not being able to focus on the main game. I must have appeared to be the worst husband on the planet because I was preoccupied on the phone.
 
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Sorry to read about one of your family - hope youre home soon.
The boys get to go on to Kyoto but the girls fly back.
However I will leave the 18 yrs old MstQS1 and MstQS2 for a day :eek: while MissQS and I help MrsQS at least get to Ueno and private van transfer to HND.
I will get to ride the Shinkansen twice in a day.

I could have got the Shinkansen to Tokyo, then transfer to a local train to Hamamatsucho then tokyo monorail to HND. But decided to get off Shinkansen at Ueno then transfer to car service. Mrs QS was not keen to transfer twice to trains to HND with crutches especially at the Crazy Shinkansen transfer point at Tokyo. My only concern is at Ueno - whether there are any stairs to main pickup area streetside. Stairs are very difficult with crutches especially when unable to bend one leg.

BTW I really like Japan @drron !
I came across several Geisha on the Shinkansen (no they are not Gaijin doing the cultural appropriation thing renting a kimono and doing up their face). They must take quite a while getting dolled up. They might have been on their way to an appointment. I gather they get tired of Gaijin staring at them and wanting selfies.
Very monocultural. They took in less than 10 refugees from around the world last year (I think).
 
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So what happens when a claimant is unable to arrange and pay for repatriation or treatment.
Lot's of folks travel with no financial safety net or indeed the mental capacity to make complex arrangements in an unfamiliar environment.
 
So what happens when a claimant is unable to arrange and pay for repatriation or treatment.
Lot's of folks travel with no financial safety net or indeed the mental capacity to make complex arrangements in an unfamiliar environment.
Maybe the question is whether they should travel without having sorted out such arrangements?
 
So what happens when a claimant is unable to arrange and pay for repatriation or treatment.
Lot's of folks travel with no financial safety net or indeed the mental capacity to make complex arrangements in an unfamiliar environment.
The TI would sort such out for a claimable event. Maybe not exacly as one would wish, but it would be done.
 
Most would consider ensuring TI cover before travel as "having sorted out such arrangements".
Agree but you still have to be able to have “someone” tell the Insurance company what the issues are. My only claimable experience with TID was extremely positive. And that was a real emergency involving multiple surgery and repatriation. And a translator.
 
The TI would sort such out for a claimable event. Maybe not exacly as one would wish, but it would be done.

I would hope so , but have my doubts.
Lots of "ordinary" folks save up and travel ; some take tours with a voucher for everything and some, (after reading sites like this replete with independent travellers, ) just take off.
I wonder how many poorly managed disasters happen .
Having said that , enfants abroad is not exactly a new concept...
 
The TI would sort such out for a claimable event. Maybe not exacly as one would wish, but it would be done.

I would hope so , but have my doubts.
Lots of "ordinary" folks save up and travel ; some take tours with a voucher for everything and some, (after reading sites like this replete with independent travellers, ) just take off.
I wonder how many poorly managed disasters happen .
Having said that , enfants abroad is not exactly a new concept...
Well, we read about a few of them but my first port of call then would be an embassy.
 
Tourists visa eligibility hinge on ability to maintain oneself during the stay and by extension ability to cover for contingencies. But it is impossible to plan/cover for all contingencies, especially when some contingencies cost multi$$$ often upfront. There should be some plan in the BOH (back of Head) for contingencies when travelling - that's where TI assumes much of that liability.

However when should TI step in?. In my case it would have been nice if it were earlier after the initial SOS.
 
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Tourists visa eligibility hinge on ability to maintain oneself during the stay and by extension ability to cover for contingencies. But it is impossible to plan/cover for all contingencies, especially when some contingencies cost multi$$$ often upfront. There should be some plan in the BOH (back of Head) for contingencies when travelling - that's where TI assumes much of that liability.

However when should TI step in?. In my case it would have been nice if it were earlier after the initial SOS.
Perhaps the Insurance company doesn’t see it as severe to warrant their involvement at this stage but wait until you return?
 
Most would consider ensuring TI cover before travel as "having sorted out such arrangements".
Thats me.
On the "to do" list before travel is the TI - ticked.
Once ticked, no further considerations are made.

Perhaps the Insurance company doesn’t see it as severe to warrant their involvement at this stage but wait until you return?
Thats was on my mind. In the end they were just reactionary. I would have thought that TI would want to be involved. Most they sent me was a claim form and gave me a Claim number.

Is TI responsible for repatriating a customer or just the reasonable costs of the repatriation?.
 
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