Q: A friend and I planned a trip to Alaska in June. We both buy the same Allianz travel insurance policy. It was not the cheapest, but not the most expensive.
Christopher Elliott, the travel troubleshooter ... Christopher Elliott
After the coronavirus outbreak, my friend received an email that would allow her to cancel her policy. She did. I never received an email saying I could cancel. I contacted Allianz by phone. A representative asked me to send an email. I did so but received no response. I tried twice more, nothing. The website said there would be a response within 48 hours, but I gave them extra time due to the pandemic.
I'd just like to know why my friend was able to get a refund and I wasn't. She was even a returning customer and I was the one who encouraged her to use this company.
I could have handled them saying that despite thinking we bought the same policy, we had bought different ones and mine was non-refundable. But the lack of response was not only irritating, it made me question his response if I ever used them again and had to make a complaint.
It goes without saying that I will not use them in the future. It is your loss as I intend to travel quite a bit in retirement. Can you help me get back the $ 240 I spent on my Allianz travel insurance policy?
Melissa Hall, Scottsburg, Indiana
A: Allianz should have answered you quickly. Better yet, they should have contacted you after they canceled your trip and offered you a refund or reapply your policy to a new trip. Allianz is known for his quick responses to clients. But during the coronavirus outbreak, all travel insurance companies have kept travelers waiting. This happens during a once in a lifetime pandemic.
If you bought the same policy as your friend, shouldn't the refund terms be identical? Probably. But you may want to take a closer look at the fine print.
Coverage may change based on your age or state of residence. Therefore, it is possible that their policy was refundable and yours was not. Allianz should have explained that to you when you called instead of asking you to write an email that he ignored.
I list the names, numbers, and email addresses of Allianz executives on my consumer-advocacy site, Elliott.org. I think a short and courteous email could have advanced the process.
At a time like this, the most useful tool in your customer defense arsenal is patience. You had the same policy as your friend, so you can be reasonably sure that you will receive a refund.
Sure enough, after he contacted me, and before I had a chance to ask Allianz about his policy, the company responded to him and reimbursed his $ 240.
Christopher Elliott is the director of defense for Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve
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