Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct policies?

[levelnine]

I'm looking to buy travel insurance for a trip to the US and I'm trying to decide which company to go with.

Price is not a problem because 1Cover and Travel Insurance Direct are approximately the same price and I can get CoverMore for the same price with Student Flight's price match policy.

I have carefully read and understand the PDS of each policy.

What I am trying to find out is which one provides better support if you actually get ill, something is stolen, flights are canceled, etc.

I know that Mondial Assistance handles claims for 1Cover and Travel Insurance Direct, so there service level is likely to be similar.

I have one friend who was with 1Cover and he said they were unhelpful when he injured himself and had to be flown back to Australia for surgery.

However, this website gives Travel Insurance Direct very good reviews and CoverMore bad reviews: Travel Insurance Reviews for Australians

But I am sceptical of some of these reviews, because many are from people who have not claimed under their insurance policy and their reviews are based solely on price (which is not an issue for me).

If anyone has any experiences with claims under these policies, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Travel Guru]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

I've been selling covermore for over 8 years now, and have never once had a problem with a client being assisted when the need arose, I travel on CM myself and have no hesitation in doing so.

TG

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

I've been selling covermore for over 8 years now, and have never once had a problem with a client being assisted when the need arose, I travel on CM myself and have no hesitation in doing so.

TG

Anyone can give good reviews on an insurance product when they never make use of it - but it's when s*** hits the fan and you really need help that tests the product.

I've not known anyone to be screwed by covermore in the past and use it myself (only because they were one of a handful of co's to pay out during the bangkok coups last year).

Before covermore, our business used 1cover and one staff member did claim under it with no problems (he was drunk, jumped down a ledge and broke his leg -- in USA!) Claiming was easy and payments were prompt. I'm not sure if this was because we had spent thousands with them in the past or because they are genuinely on the ball.

Personally, before getting into biz I used QBE and they have rejected 2 of my genuine claims based on technicalities. One was a laptop that was stolen (I was @ a friends place and not a hotel - because i couldnt prove i stayed there with a receipt it didnt count -- apparently), the other QBE coughup was lost bag. They wanted original receipts from everything in the bag (cc statements not good enough). Clearly I did not have these, and new items I'd purchased on the trip had receipts inside the bag!

I do know some friends rely on their credit card insurance and while my bookings are made on plat cards - I opt for a 'more reliable' policy just incase. Go talk to an flight center employee who has been through the covermore training and they will scare you sh**less about using any other insurance.

Best advice I can offer you is not to listen to anyone who has not made a claim. When things go wrong it's the claims dept who will be helping you and you often cannot afford for anything ELSE to go wrong.

Best of luck and hope you never have to use travel insurance

 

[Dee Thom]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

I have claimed on Covermore once in Rapid Springs, South Dakota, when I was hospitalised there for five days. My T/A informed Covermore, who phoned me each day I was there, and on leaving they had arranged to pay the Hospital Bill ($12500.00) and also all the specialists, and pharmac_ accounts.
So can you trust them? Sure can !!!!!!!

Cheers Dee

 

[Blackadder]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

Have used Covermore for all my Int and domestic insurance, and no issues with any claims

 

[Happy Dude]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

I avoid 1cover (or Mondial), or at least read the exclusions very carefully.

When Emirates cancelled a MEL-AKL flight, I missed onward flight, hotel, hire car and ski pass (all prepaid). 1cover policy did not not pay the claim because the EK flight was cancelled due to mechanical reasons.

Rather useless for a travel insurance policy, I'd say.

 

[coolumbla]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

claiming under both QBE and covermore for the family rtw trip last year

My QBE year long cover im having long emails
Covermore paid for delinquents broken arm in Italy with no probs but are discussing the extra charges from being snowed in UK in January

I'd use covermore again
Probably will use them instead of QBE


C

 

[tuapekastar]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

I haven't needed to claim on travel insurance in the past, so have no particular stance on what company to use, but noticed this in the letters to The Age travel section - just added for info to the debate. I guess everyone has different experiences.

Cover confusion

I sympathise with Rachel Palmieri (Traveller, April 24). In 2005 I had a request to Cover-More refused. My father died just before I was due to go to Britain to join a tour run by a local village group. I was able to alter my flight with the aid of a doctor's letter but the tour went without me.

I claimed the cost but then spent months corresponding with the company which required details I was not able to provide as the tour was for senior citizens, with a local bus company, and a flexible itinerary. After months of to-ing and fro-ing, they wore me down and I let the matter drop.

- Madeleine Wilson

 

[JetLagged]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

There is a letter in the SMH regarding OneCover which you may find interesting and relevant:

Letters: Emirates business class disappoints

The letter I am referring to is further down the page - so don't worry about the title.

 

[serfty]

...

Personally, before getting into biz I used QBE and they have rejected 2 of my genuine claims based on technicalities. One was a laptop that was stolen (I was @ a friends place and not a hotel - because i couldnt prove i stayed there with a receipt it didnt count -- apparently), the other QBE coughup was lost bag. They wanted original receipts from everything in the bag (cc statements not good enough). Clearly I did not have these, and new items I'd purchased on the trip had receipts inside the bag! ...

Both those are B*lldust excuses. While QBE may still have denied your claims it would be for other reasons not specifically stated.

In relation to the lost luggage, to deny a claim, it is legally up to the insurance company to prove you did NOT have those items in the bag and the cost of the bag itself.

Many insurance companies try the 'receipt ploy' this on, often succeeding.

The QBE policy has the following clause:

We will only accept liability if you ... provide evidence of the value and your ownership of the goods.

A correctly prepared, signed and witnessed Statuary Declaration is generally considered by law to be evidence.

(http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.ns...tion_Statutorydeclarationinformationsheet#s13)

An insurance company cannot unilaterally decide not to accept a Statuary Declaration as evidence in the case of receipts not being available.

In any case, QBE could have excluded your claim under the following clause:

We will not pay for any ... luggage or personal effects for which you are entitled to compensation from the carrier.

:shock: *

As for as the laptop stolen from a friends place they may have excluded you under this clause:

We will not pay for any of the following ... property that you leave unattended or that occurs because you do not take reasonable care to protect it.

Leaving property at a friend's place might not be interpreted as taking reasonable care whereas if the item was in a locked hotel room than that would be taking reasonable care.

*In this case you could have claimed from the airline - personally I would not take out a policy having this clause.

 

[Dee Thom]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

Statuary Declaration[/I] is generally considered by law to be evidence.

(Statutory declaration information sheet)

An insurance company cannot unilaterally decide not to accept a Statuary Declaration as evidence in the case of receipts not being available.

In any case, QBE could have excluded your claim under the following clause: :shock: *

As for as the laptop stolen from a friends place they may have excluded you under this clause:
Leaving property at a friend's place might not be interpreted as taking reasonable care whereas if the item was in a locked hotel room than that would be taking reasonable care..

So after all the above serfty, which company would you select as your prefered broker, say for yearly local and international travel

Cheers Dee

 

[serfty]

I use an annual policy currently. I have a copy of the T&Cs/PDS from when I took out this policy. This policy cost much less than the Qantas/QBE one but the PDS for new policies is similar to QBE's.

I will revisit all options when my current policy expires.

 

[TravlinGypsey]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

I'm looking to buy travel insurance for a trip to the US and I'm trying to decide which company to go with.

Price is not a problem because 1Cover and Travel Insurance Direct are approximately the same price and I can get CoverMore for the same price with Student Flight's price match policy.

I have carefully read and understand the PDS of each policy.

What I am trying to find out is which one provides better support if you actually get ill, something is stolen, flights are canceled, etc.

I know that Mondial Assistance handles claims for 1Cover and Travel Insurance Direct, so there service level is likely to be similar.

I have one friend who was with 1Cover and he said they were unhelpful when he injured himself and had to be flown back to Australia for surgery.

However, this website gives Travel Insurance Direct very good reviews and CoverMore bad reviews: Travel Insurance Reviews for Australians

But I am sceptical of some of these reviews, because many are from people who have not claimed under their insurance policy and their reviews are based solely on price (which is not an issue for me).

If anyone has any experiences with claims under these policies, it would be greatly appreciated.

Hi levelnine

It is important to be comfortable with the knowledge that the company you purchase your travel insurance from will deliver when the paw paw hits the fan. 1Cover and Travel Insurance Direct, or TID use the same emergency assistance service company, this being Mondial Assistance, this is not rare as it may be more cost effective to use one emergency assistance provider over another to also keep premiums lower therefore hopefully passing this saving on to the client, or the insured, making it more attractive for your pocket. CoverMore use their sister company, Customer Care Pty Ltd, check it out on their website.
I have marketed AIG, now Chartis travel insurance to travel agents in South Africa for over 5yrs and the concern is really should you plan on climbing remote areas of the Himalaya's or the like. It is important that if you do plan on embarking on a quest to the four corners of the earth, not simultaneously, to approach the shop front person selling you the product and have them initiate the question to the underwriters, Allianz for TID and 1Cover, CoverMore handle this personally, as per their website and policy wording or Mondial Assistance for 1Cover and TID, CoverMore will generally be able to handle this query as they use a sister company for their emergency medical assistance and therefore will be better to answer your query and in far less time, that should you require medical attention in remote area of mountains or forest that the Emergency Assistance company have the proper equipment for your immediate emergency.

Reading the descriptions and explanations on all three websites, CoverMore speak with far more confidence when referring to their Emergency Assistance Provider than the other two and go on to tell you about the various medical staff and medical equipment they have at their disposal to come and rescue you. You will not find "under a binder which means that it can do these things as if it were the insurer." or discover that you need to first send your complaint or dispute through two other entities before it reaches the company who designed the policy, the Underwriters, if at all. I mean the first person is selling you the insurance for some comm. and may not be reliable to ensure your letter gets further than where you first handed it in.
CoverMore have less entities involved in their processes making this easy when you need to dispute your claim being rejected, if at all and importantly, should you call the emergency call center all recordings etc. will be available at short notice for reviewing and eventually processing your claim etc. They are not on different premises.

I would say go with CoverMore. I have not studied their benefits and neither have I compared products so I solely make my disposition on the above. After all if you cannot be assisted Medically what the __? The most important part of your Travel Insurance is your health, the rest is bells and whistles, it's just more things people can think of covering you for in the event of .... I mean some are so bad that of course I do not want to resume domestic duties after a fabulous trip away - so I may accidentally twist my ankle just before boarding my flight on the way home, they want you to injure yourself...
Should you purchase your airline ticket with a local bank issued credit card be it, master, visa, Diners or Amex, have a look at what they offer you as a card holder, Their polices are generally global ones and therefor more secure and depending on what type of person you have been while using the credit card you may find your claims, should you have any, being processed quite efficiently. - TravlinGypsey

 

[JohnK]

Re: Has anyone ever claimed under 1Cover, CoverMore or Travel Insurance Direct polici

I have claimed for delayed luggage, damaged luggage and other related costs from Travel Insurance Direct (almost 12 months after the incident) and all was settled within 2 weeks and no hassles.

Based on that experience alone I would highly recommend them.