Run From Travel Insurance That Uses Trip Mate for Claims!!!

Travel insurance is great as long as you don't need to submit a claim. I had my first experience in May because American Airlines cancelled my flight the next day due to weather in Dallas the night before. Dallas was experiencing Tornadoes.

I tried to find a way to get across country to make my cruise but couldn't so I submitted a claim on my TravelSafe policy. I submitted every document the Trip Mate claims administrator form requested including copies of all receipts and all credit card statements showing that the receipts were really paid.

That was on 5/12/15. I found out that the first week of July they finally received confirmation from TravelSafe that I did indeed purchase the trip insurance policy even though they had my TravelSafe receipt and credit card payment statement.

Then today, almost two months after the claim was first submitted, I received a letter from Trip Mate that they just sent a request to American Airlines wanting to know why they cancelled the flight. That should take another two months based upon American's notorious customer service.

TWO MONTHS before requesting the most basic information? Trip Mate is dragging their feet apparently not wanting to pay a valid claim. Why else would they wait almost two months to make the request from the airline and insurance company?

Just my warning to you...before you purchase any travel insurance, check to see if Trip Mate administers the insurance company's claim. If they do, I hope you never have to submit a claim. BTW Trip Mate administers claims for several insurance companies.

Not that this is very helpful now, but it's good advice that if you are going to be filing a claim because of a late/delayed/cancelled flight, ask the gate agent if they can hand you a form saying why. (Just tell him/her you need it for work.)

When I did this after a cancelled Southwest flight, the gate agent had a stack of the appropriate form as part of the podium supplies. She filled it out, and this went in with my claims package.

Not that this is very helpful now, but it's good advice that if you are going to be filing a claim because of a late/delayed/cancelled flight, ask the gate agent if they can hand you a form saying why. (Just tell him/her you need it for work.)

 

When I did this after a cancelled Southwest flight, the gate agent had a stack of the appropriate form as part of the podium supplies. She filled it out, and this went in with my claims package.

Thankx for the suggestion. That's a great idea if I was at the airport. However, my flight was cancelled the afternoon before it was due to fly out the next morning. I did submit the cancellation text from American they sent me but obviously the claims administrator needed to verify.