We could not journey to Hawaii due to wildfire however insurer will not pay

My spouse and I obtained married final summer time and went on our honeymoon to the west coast of America. We began in July and had a 3 week itinerary, visiting a number of cities and ending in Hawaii. 

We had been set to journey from Los Angeles to Honolulu on 11 August. But the day earlier than, we awoke in LA to information of the wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui island.

A state of emergency was introduced, so we needed to cancel that leg of the vacation last-minute and discover a new lodge in LA for the 5 days till our flight again dwelling.

We had journey insurance coverage with Southdowns, so after we returned dwelling we made a declare. 

This was for the non-refundable return flights from LA to Hawaii that we could not use, and the portion of our lodge prices in Hawaii that we could not get refunded instantly. 

This totalled about £1,500, minus the surplus on our coverage.

We had been shocked that it was rejected – not as soon as, however 4 occasions. Surely that is the definition of an obstruction to our journey that was out of our management? B.C, Oxfordshire

Helen Crane, This is Money’s client champion replies: Congratulations on tying the knot – sorry to listen to your honeymoon did not go fairly to plan. 

You are eager to emphasize that you’re in a lucky place. Clearly, the impression of the August wildfires was a lot graver for these dwelling in Hawaii – to not point out the folks that tragically misplaced their lives.

While the cash concerned in your insurance coverage declare just isn’t an enormous sum, you informed me you had been ‘completely sick of insurance coverage companies simply doing no matter it takes to not pay out’ – and had been ready to ‘combat this to the tip’ as you had been certain you had been wrongfully handled. 

‘I’ve jumped by means of each hoop they’ve thrown at me, put up with their nonsense, however I’m merely sick of insurances working like this. They want calling out,’ you stated. 

First I ought to say that it’s critical to learn the finer particulars of a journey insurance coverage coverage, and be sure you know what you might be – or extra importantly, aren’t – coated for. 

Holidaymakers are neglected of pocket yearly after they realise a snag within the small print means they will not be getting any a refund when a visit goes flawed. 

According to the Association of British Insurers: ‘If your coverage consists of journey disruption or pure catastrophe cowl, you have to be coated if it’s a must to reduce brief or cancel your vacation as a result of wildfires.’

You informed me your coverage did embrace this, however nonetheless you had been fobbed off with a raft of excuses whenever you tried to assert in your insurance coverage – a few of which weren’t even true. 

The first and second occasions you tried to assert, Southdowns stated it was as a result of the state of emergency was solely on the Maui island, not Honolulu the place your flight was set to land.

Hawaii is made up of a sequence of islands. While it’s true that the island of Maui bore the brunt of the catastrophe, the state of emergency was prolonged to the complete area, together with the island of Oahu the place Honolulu is situated, the day earlier than your flight on 10 August. 

You offered proof to show this, within the type of a press release printed on-line by the Governor of Hawaii – however your insurance coverage declare was nonetheless rejected.

The subsequent time you tried to place by means of a declare, you had been informed you were not eligible for a payout as a result of your journey had not began within the UK. 

Again, you offered proof that you just had flown from Heathrow to the US after which deliberate to journey on to Hawaii earlier than returning to London – however this was not accepted. 

Even although you hadn’t flown instantly from London to Honolulu, you believed Southdowns nonetheless ought to have coated you based mostly on the phrases of the coverage.

On your fourth try, you had been informed that you just had not met the phrases and situations of the coverage since you had not cancelled your journey earlier than you left the UK.

That one was true – however as you identified, you flew out of London on 17 July and the wildfires didn’t start till 8 August. Insurance insurance policies should not depend on the traveller being a very gifted psychic.

On three events, you stated you had been pressured to chase up Southdowns for an replace in your declare – solely to be informed it had already been rejected.  

You wished to assert for the flights to Hawaii that you just could not use, which price $936 (£740) and the portion of your lodge keep that you just could not get refunded instantly, which amounted to $699.54 (£553).

The most cowl in your coverage was £1,500, which nearly coated these prices minus the surplus based mostly on the alternate fee on the time. 

You’d needed to pay out a further $2,267 to your additional 5 days of lodging in LA, which you could not declare, so had been particularly eager to get the cash again to cowl a few of that.

I made a decision to talk to Axa Partners, the insurance coverage agency which underwrites Southdowns insurance policies.

I’m happy to say it has reviewed your case once more and reversed its determination, agreeing to settle your circa £1,500 declare in full.

An Axa Partners spokesman stated: ‘We are sorry that Mr and Mrs C. have skilled points whereas claiming on their journey insurance coverage. 

‘The circumstances surrounding their declare had been uncommon, nonetheless, upon evaluate we’ve got determined that they’ve acted throughout the phrases of their coverage. 

‘We have been in touch with [them] to verify their declare will likely be settled in full.’

It additional defined that the small print of the coverage solely coated you if you happen to needed to ‘curtail’ your journey as a result of authorities recommending that individuals evacuate the realm you had been travelling to.

It stated it initially turned down your declare as a result of to ‘curtail’ the journey, by its definition, would have meant you returned dwelling to the UK early. You did not do that, as a substitute deciding to remain put in Los Angeles and benefit from the remaining days of your honeymoon.

However, after my intervention it agreed that you just had been certainly throughout the guidelines of the coverage, and agreed to pay out.

I’m glad I might show you how to take the combat to the insurance coverage business – hopefully you now really feel you’ve got obtained the truthful therapy you deserve.