I Enjoy Answering Email Requests Like These

by Steve Dasseos on July 18, 2017

Here are three requests I recently received. I appreciate it when someone calls or emails us with any request no matter how strange it might sound. These three people wanted the correct answers and I’m happy to tell them.

I recently got a new job function and just found out I may not be able to get my time off approved for my planned trip. I booked my flight 5 weeks ago. Are there any policies that allow me to get refund on my plane tickets if I have to cancel?

I told this person: “No, none of our plans will cover you.”

The reason I can say with 100% certainty that it’s not covered is due to this specific requirement in policies that include Cancellation due to Work Reasons coverage: “Revocation of previously approved time off”.

Looking carefully at the request, you’ll see “I may not be able to get my time off approved for my planned trip.” This means that the person does not already have time off approved.

Should they find someone who says “Yes” and buys the policy in good faith, their claim will be denied and you can imagine their feelings when that happens. Hopefully, they will say “Next time I need travel insurance I will go to TripInsuranceStore.com because they gave me the right advice.

I booked a trip in May with my ex-wife, but didn’t need any trip insurance at the time. To be completely honest, I don’t want to travel with her right now, but I don’t want to tell her either. Now I need trip insurance, so what’s the best Cancel For Any Reason plan I can get today? Then I can tell her something came up and we have to cancel.

I told this guy: “I’m sorry, but there are not any plans you may get at this late date that will cover you. I suggest you read your ticket’s Contract of Carriage to find out what the change fee will be to reuse your tickets. And, man up to tell your ex-wife the truth about not wanting to travel with her.”

Two days ago we bought trip insurance thru your website and need to let you know for this trip we are going to Israel, Jordan and Egypt. I want to know how my policy covers us if the US says it’s not safe to travel to one of these countries.

It is not a covered reason to cancel or interrupt a trip with any travel insurance plan if the US Government says it’s not safe to travel to a country. In fact, the USA has had a travel warnings on Israel, Egypt and other countries for years.

Because travel warnings are not a covered reason, the only way you may protect youself, if you are still within the 14 – 21 day deadline, is to cancel your current policy under its 10 – 14 day Free Look Period. Then you would buy a new plan that includes the 75% Cancel For Any Reason coverage should you want to cancel at least 48 hours before your trip if you don’t feel safe. You still have time to do this if you don’t dawdle. Call us at 1-888-407-3854 to make sure it you understand the process.

I enjoy answering email requests like these. Whenever I receive and respond to emails like these, I feel that I am doing my part to cut down on bad insurance advice. I do secret shopper research on my competitors and I’m shocked by the mis-information and bad advice I regularly receive. My pet peeve is the answers that include “that ‘should be’ / ‘might be’ / ‘ought to be’ covered.” Maybe it’s my need due to having Asperger’s Syndrome to have a definite “yes” or “no”. But whatever it is, I hate getting those kinds of answers.

Unfortunately, bad insurance advice happens far more times than anyone seems to admit. I have no problem saying this out loud. You can even find this same sentiment on my Claims page where I say: “I (Steve) firmly believe that the majority of denied claims are because the insured travelers either received the wrong advice prior to purchase or that they were sold the wrong policy by an uninformed travel insurance seller.”

I know my competitors read and even subscribe to my Blog (did you enjoy the Cajun Cookbook I sent you?). Before you scour your phone records looking for me, I don’t call you from my own phone.

I hope this makes sense. If you want the right travel insurance advice, call us at 1-888-407-3854 and we'll help you figure it all out.

Now, a word from our sponsor: TripInsuranceStore.com (Travel Forums' Most Recommended Travel Insurance Website)

PS - If you liked what you read, please Subscribe to my Blog.

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