Trip mate travel insurance requires the impossible
In May my boyfriend and I planned a 2 week trip to Morocco and Paris. Our trip was fairly complex as we moved from city to city and handled all of our own transportation and hotel bookings. Given the complexity of the trip, the fact that our hotels were very small and would charge full-nights stay in the case of cancellation, and the third world nature of...
Read full complaint and 4 commentsFraud
I too purchased TripMate insurance thinking that if anything happens I will be covered. My mother got sick and was in intensive care on June 10th. I called the travel agent and cancelled my trip on June 12th thinking that my mother was going to need some care after she was released form the hospital.Well she passed away on June 14th. As if this was not devestating enough! I filed a claim with the insurance company. I sent in the information they requested from the Dr treating my mother, a copy of her obituary, the itemized statement from the furneral home, a copy of her death certificate, a copy of the PAID IN FULL $5300)receipt from the travel agent. What more could they ask for.I received some postcards for tripmate stating they are working on my claim. When I opened the letter I nearly passed out on the floor! They sent me $1000.00 for all 4 persons traveling. Don"t get me wrong I was not expecting my full $5300 refunded but come on. They said it was due to "travel supplier refund" what ever that means is why my refund was so low. I asked if I had the customary 1 year time frame to use the already paid for airline tickets no one could answer that. What was the purpose in getting this insurance if you don't get your money back? I am looking for a lawyer to investigate this case. I think its time for a class action lawsuit! When you google TRIP MATE there are hundreds of pages of complaints on this terrible company. Can anyone give me some insights on how to handle this case?
([protected]@cox.net)
Travel insurance fraud
I purchased a trip along with flights with Sandals/Beaches resort along with Trip Mate insurance. A medical condition arose and I had a Dr's written order to cancel the trip and they still denied the claim. Here is a copy of the appeal letter sent.May 16, 2008
Dear Trip Mate;
I am writing this appeal letter to try and better explain my situation and why I had to cancel our vacation plans. I first saw Dr. Altman the beginning of January for my pregnancy and he stated it was high risk due to the pregnancy with my first child being difficult. He then stated we would treat this as a normal pregnancy and I should treat it as much. He said it was ok to go the Sandals resort in Jamaica, so I booked it. I was told my two different employees at Sandals resort that if I booked the flights with the Sandals Company that they would be refunded along with any payments made. I made sure of this twice.
In February, I started having stomach pain and cramping, which was discussed with Dr Altman, who stated it was too early in the pregnancy for treatment. The medication did not work until you were 20 weeks along. By the end of February, we decided that it was not best to go out of the country in case of complications. Therefore, I cancelled the trip. I was then advised that the flights I was told would be refunded would not be. I purchased the travel insurance for this purpose, in case things made a turn from a normal pregnancy to the same indications that it was following my first pregnancy, as they did in February.
In March, I started having contractions and at 20 weeks, Dr Altman then prescribed the medication needed. I am not trying to take advantage of this situation; I just want you to understand the events that took place. When I read the travel insurance policy, it stated for any medical reason by one of the travelers. I just want what was told to me was owed form the beginning. I feel that between Sandals and Trip Mate I was misled. I could have waited until March to cancel by any means, but I wanted someone else to enjoy the beautiful trip.
I am asking that you reconsider this claim. I feel I have been misled and I do, did have a medical condition that limits me from leaving the United States. While it took you an over a month to decide, I called your company to see the progress of the claim because my husband needed to take a flight. He could have used the ticket that was purchased in January to go towards his trip, but was advised by your company not to. Therefore, he purchased another plane ticket. At least we could have used a portion of what we have lost then.
I would like to think that a doctors order would be enough to persuade your answer.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Travel cancellation insurance it is not. The insurance was bought on recommendation of an agent of Joy Tour and Travel. The claim was for the two people who did not take the trip - Everybody knows they did not take the trip. I spent extra money for nothing but aggravation. Plus I got to know the claim was denied by going on line, not even to my e-mail. Tacky.
I used to work for them - they are a total fraud. If you get a lawyer, then they will probably cave. But all they want to do is deny, deny, deny.
Non payment
We bought Trip Mate insurance from Melrose Travel in Philadelphia in good faith and we cannot understand Trip Mate's ongoing dissembling, use of long paragraphs of ‘boilerplate’ in their communications and general attempts to confuse the issue.
(We are now on our fourth round of letters to them spanning ten months.)
We filed a claim with them in June of 2007 when United Airlines cancelled our flight. Now, in April of 2008 they continue to counter our repeatedly submitted statements of fact with dissembling stating that the flight for which we were booked and which was cancelled (we submitted our boarding passes) did not originate in Pittsburgh, even though Pittsburgh is listed LARGE on the Boarding Pass.
Our facts, our laboriously assembled receipts and our documentation and requests are answered by letters from Trip Mate that address none of the issues. They only seek to confound and discourage an attempt to collect on our claim.
In my opinion they are highly unethical. Terrible, just terrible. Don't buy insurance from them unless you want to find yourself involved in months and months of fruitless correspondence and travail. We have reported them to the Kansas City BBB (Missouri), The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Insurance Department and - now - TO YOU!
They do business as Travel Safe, Trip Mate and Stonebridge - BEWARE!
If you have an outstanding problem with them, please let us know. They must be stopped.
I would like to have someone reach out with proof first it’s a secondary policy that will only pay if I’m not reimbursed by the airlines additionally, how do I get correspondence from Aegean whom have stopped responding to all forms communication.
I filed a claim against viking cruises with TRIP MATE. They are impossible to deal with. They keep asking for documentation about why the airlines canceled our flight. They will not process our claim without that. I reported them to the STATE OF MO
This complaint was filed in May, 2022. It is claim number 7126861
On 7/23/2018 Amtrak was 8 hrs. late coming from Chicago Illinois to Settle Washington. This cause expense for us because we miss the last fairy to Vancouver Iland where our Motel room was. Been fighting with Trip Mate for a settlement for 3 months for the expense that we occurred. What Is wrong with a company that takes 3 months.
My wife and I had to cancel a weeks vacation to Atlantis in the Bahamas due to a medical problem my wife had 2 days before our scheduled departure. We had purchased trip insurance from Trip-Mate. When I read all the complaints online I was worried about getting our money back. Atlantis refunded about half of our payment immediately and said we would have to get the remainder from Trip-Mate. We submitted our claim that included a letter from the Emergency Room Doctor stating that she shouldn't travel for at least two weeks. I'm glad to report that, after 17 days and many phone calls and emails, we did receive a full refund today. All we lost was the $158 cost of the insurance.
Yes, I agree that Trip Mate is highly unethical and must be stopped. I purchased travel insurance for son and myself for a tour to Japan. My son developed a condition that made him hyperactive and has a doctors note that he should not travel for long periods of time. We are Americans temporarily living in Belgium so we had to fly from Belgium to California for the tour which is a 13 hour trip and then from California to Japan which is another 12 hours. Trip Mate would not accept our claim along with the doctors notes. Their reason was that they will not pay for a mental or nervous condition unless my son was hospitalized for this condition. I lost my deposit for the trip plus the cost of insurance for two people. I think this was totally unfair of Trip Mate. Sarah
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My wife and I had recently booked a trip to Sandals South Coast Jamaica and added trip insurance through Trip Mate. Between the date of our reservation payment and our actual arrival date, Hurricane Melissa made a direct hit on our resort. Sandals sent out an email stating the resort would not be habitable until May 2026. We canceled our trip and only refunded 50%; and advised that Trip Mate would reimburse us the remaining 50%. Trip Mate advised that we weren’t covered because the hurricane struck before our arrival date, even though the resort was inhabitable. So basically, it seems like a scam in the sense that we’re only allowed Sandals vouchers to be used at another resort and at another date; thus, not allowing us to determine where, when or if we want to travel. Are there any legal experts that can advise us on this matter?
I’ve also submitted a claim to Trip Mate for days lost during our cruise due to my catching Covid. I submitted their lengthy claim forms in the required time frame and have gotten nothing but a run around. Viking Cruise Line has not been helpful either.
I agree - we should all file a class action suit against TripMate and Unique Vacations for selling this garbage insurance. I have contacted the Attorney General's office and filed a complaint and all they do is make up one excuse after another. I am so sorry for the loss of your mother and you are correct - they should have refunded all of your money.
Here is my e-mail address - dawnbethesda@yahoo.com. If anyone is interested in filing a class action lawsuit, please e-mail. If anyone has already hired a lawyer, please e-mail me as well as I will pay for the lawyer as well. It is bigger than the money now for me, this company is not acting in good faith and should be closed.
I began my request for a refund in January 2022. The requested information was submitted on time. The response took 30 days later and requested additional information. Each time they requested information it took them 30 days to respond again. This is going on now for seven months.On may 27th they requested additional information which had never been requested before stating that I had 21 days to respond or the claim would be closed. They closed my claim . New information was sent and received on June 13 well within the 21 days but continued to keep the claim closed. Multiple request for speaking to a supervisor have not been successful. I believe that litigation is the only way to work with Tripmate. They slow walk everything that they can until the litigant gets bored or loses the material requested for documenting the claim. I will never travel with Viking cruise and would never recommend it to anyone.
John Jucas
Please contact me. I also want to sue this evil company. barneymom1@hotmail.com
I will help with the lawyer cost! I too, believe trip mate wronged us as well. I believe we can find many people to join in on this law suit. I am looking for an attorney as well. I cannot even get a response as too why they will not refund the money. This company is a total scam. I have written letters to 60 Minutes television show as well as all the morning shows to expose this company for what they are, scammers.
Shannon Pybus Jstbrush@aol.com
Mr. Jackson, My name is Katie and I work on customer outreach for Trip Mate. I'm sorry to hear about your dissatisfaction with the claims process. I wanted to reach out to you for further information in hopes of addressing your concerns. If you could send provide the name you supplied on your claim, your destination and the dates of your trip, I would be happy to look into this further.
Best regards,
Katie