Travelodge insurance question and warning

[SussexLady]

Living on a tight budget I use the Travelodge online frequently. Recently they started adding £1 per booking insurance by default unless you un-tick it. As it's only a quid, I started paying it on every booking.

 

I booked 5 nights (had to book each one separately because their website would not let me book 5 together). Day before travelling went down with food poisoning, and cancelled the five bookings.

 

Got the claim form, the insurer is Heath Lambert. Filled in the form, got a certificate from my GP, submitted claim along with the booking reference numbers of each of the five bookings.

 

Heath Lambert say that I must submit every automatically-generated confirmation email that I received from TL regarding my five bookings and my five cancellations.

 

Because hundreds of emails come into my inbox daily, I habitually delete everything that I deem unecessary. This includes the avalanche of emails I get from TL. So, naturally, I do not have these emails.

 

Heath Lambert gave me an email address for travelodge customer services and despite 8 emails since 30 June they will not reply. When I phone they tell me they don't keep copies of confirmation emails.

 

Since I have the booking reference numbers, there is no doubt whatsoever that I had made and paid upfront for these bookings.

 

I feel that if they MUST have these emails in order to make a claim, then it should say so clearly alongside the "add insurance" box -- you know, warning, you claim will be invalid unless you can produce your confirmation of booking emails and confirmation of cancellation emails.

 

Are Heath Lambert being unreasonable, or trying to dodge out of paying me? Or am I the one in the wrong here?

 

I still book with TL, but I now un-tick the insurance box.

 

SussexLady

[geoff1248]

If you paid the £1 insurance premium then Travelodge must have passed an amount on to HL as they were the insurers. HL MUST have a record of just who they are insuring and for how long.

[LemonTwist]

I think they are being unreasonable here. A lot of people delete their emails regularly and therefore wouldn't still have copies of the confirmation emails. I don't see why Heath Lambert insist on seeing these emails. Surely Travelodge must have a record of all the bookings you made?

If you still have the booking numbers then it should be OK. If you have any other proof of what you paid for the bookings, such as copies of credit card statements etc, then that should help as well.

[SussexLady]

Hi Geoff and Lemon

 

HeathLambert do not dispute that I made the booking or cancelled it. I have the booking reference numbers. But they are sticking to their guns -- no copies of the emails, no payout. I do also have debit card paper trail, but Heathlambert are not interested in that, because they are not disputing the booking.

 

So what about this ombudsman business? Do I qualify?

[INSURANCEGUY]

Hi,

 

Have you made a formal complaint verbally or in writing to HL? If not, I would recommend doing so; if no joy, then contact the Financial Ombudsman Service and register your complaint with them, it wont be a quick process though (is the average about 14 weeks, anyone?)

 

Hope this helps

[Ell-enn]

Does it say anywhere in the terms and conditions of the insurance that you will be required to provide these confirmation emails?

[SussexLady]

Insuranceguy --- no, but will do!

 

Ell-enn --- no.

[geoff1248]

Bit puzzled over this. If you paid for insurance cover then surely the insurance company should be acting on your behalf. So why don't they pursue the hotel for the details, you've paid for their services after all.

It would also be interesting to know what information they can glean from the missing e-mails that cannot be found elsewhere. Ask them.

[Ell-enn]

Refer them to their T & C's and ask them where it says you need these emails to claim.

[SussexLady]

I have finally found the clause in the t & cs

 

Your Room Cancellation Insurance

 

This policy wording along with Your Confirmation Email/Certificate forms the basis of Your contract of insurance. Together, these documents explain what You are covered for. The policy wording contains conditions and exclusions which You should be aware of. You must keep to all the terms and conditions of the insurance.

 

So I guess that is it. They "told me": "Your Confirmation Email".

 

That's it then. Always read the small print.

 

Thanks folks.

[LemonTwist]

I don't think all is lost. With a standard insurance policy such as a home or motor policy, if someone loses the policy document they would still be covered so long as the insurance company/broker had a record of the cover. So I can't understand why this would be different. Surely deleting the confirmation email would be the same as losing a printed policy document?

[SussexLady]

Thanks Lemon. So shall I complain to the Ombudsman then?

[jackieandwayne]

Nope, its not the end. That does not say that you are required to produce the e-mails if requested! Its says "you must keep to the terms and conditions" not "you must keep the e-mails".

 

Greedy devils, you go get them.

[hogi63]

Can you tell me how you got on with this? I'm going down the same path with Heath Lambert, wondered if you had any success?

[chris1071]

Hi,

I have a similar experiance, booked for 2 nights and even though I given 4 weeks notice to cancel the room due to work commitments they are not interested. Seems you have to give a medical report or breakdown report from the AA in the event of breakdown etc. I am sure this insurance never pays out, and Travelodg gain twice on the booking of the room. Not a bad [problem].