“That’s the biggest piece of advice I have,” said Terry Boynton, president of Yonder Travel Insurance, a travel insurance comparison site. “Triple check you’re submitting everything requested on the claim forms.”
Boynton says Yonder’s customers experience the longest claim delays when they don’t submit everything requested on the claim forms. If a claims analyst can’t process a claim because of missing documentation, the adjuster will ask for more information. But that email too often ends up in a claimant’s spam folder, Boynton added. So remember to check your junk mail.
That’s the advice of Damian Tysdal, founder of the travel insurance site CoverTrip.com. He recommends following up within a week of filing your claim to make sure the travel insurance company has everything it needs. “Being proactive can help,” he said.
When a travel insurance company is overrun with claims, it’s easy for one or two to fall through the cracks. You don’t want that to happen to your claim. Too often, follow-up emails requesting more information can get lost in the shuffle, and that can lead to more delays. The only way to make sure your travel insurance claim is on track is to ask.
If your travel insurance company misses a self-imposed deadline, you’re not being too pushy. So, for example, if a representative says you’ll get a notification in 15 days and the company misses the deadline, it’s OK to call. But calling once a week to “check” may be too much.
How to prevent a long travel insurance claim
There are ways to avoid having a long claim process. One of them is to get insurance with a company that has a more automated claims processing system. For example, Allianz has a proactive payment system called SmartBenefits that can automatically track your flights and send you $100 per insured person when you experience a delay long enough to trigger a payment.
You can also choose an insurance company with a reputation for speedy claims. Faye Insurance handles its claims in-house, which accelerates the claims process, according to Jeff Rolander, the company’s director of claims.
“We respond to customers’ claims submissions within 24 hours, and if all the necessary information is provided upon submission, aim to resolve the claim in 48 hours,” he said.
So how did Hoagland get his claim fast-tracked? He found the email for his travel insurance company’s chief claims officer on my consumer advocacy site. “She responded immediately,” he said. “Within two days, I received a phone call telling me my claim was approved for the total amount.”
► Understand your policy. One of the biggest mistakes travelers make is failing to carefully read their travel insurance policy. Then they file a claim for something that isn’t covered, which can lead to a long wait – followed by a rejection. “Understand what your travel insurance plan can and cannot do,” advised Chiranth Nataraj, CEO of VisitorGuard.com.
► Set realistic expectations. Even if you do everything perfectly, you still may have to wait, according to professionals. “Don’t expect claims to be processed in a week or two,” said Stephanie Goldberg-Glazer, owner of Live Well, Travel Often, a boutique travel agency. “It typically takes about a month or up to two months. And some companies may take even longer.” Her advice: Be patient. If the claim takes longer than two months, send a polite email asking about the claim.
► Make a checklist. Many travel insurance claim forms are detailed, and you can’t miss anything, said Tysdal of CoverTrip.com. “Create a checklist of all items they are requiring,” he advised. “These will likely be electronic versions, so save them as PDF files with file names that make sense. Submit them as soon as possible.”
Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at chris@elliott.org.
