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A Word of Warning - Amex Travel Insurance LGW Disruption 20.12.18

A Word of Warning - Amex Travel Insurance LGW Disruption 20.12.18

Old Dec 22, 2018, 3:25 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Plymouth, UK
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It seems to me, rightly or wrongly, that whenever there is an event that involves lots of potential claimants, that the insurance companies shut up shop and make any endeavour to wriggle out of paying claims. I would have thought that this is precisely the kind of event that we have insurance for! If they can wriggle out of paying for these kinds of events then IMO we have to question the value of travel insurance. I am not saying we shouldn't have it... but we need to re-align in our minds what the benefits truly are and what risks we have to take on ourselves. It might make a few of us re-consider whether to travel at all in some cases.
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Old Dec 22, 2018, 3:42 am
  #32  
 
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The bottom line is surely that you get what you pay for. As I have said previously Amex Platinum Charge Card insurance has, for me at least, been outstanding. Volcanoes, snow, baggage, illness. I have claimed many times in the last 10 years all settled without a quibble.
Now not everyone can afford Ł450 a year but for a family of 4 it does represent good solid value in my view.
The other issue is read the policy documents. I personally have never seen the exclusion “act of god” but I wouldnt touch a policy that has this as it opens up to many avenues to argue a claim.
The other issue is that there are too many spurious claims for food poisoning and many fraudulent claims. This in turn leads to more complex policies and a greater tendency to argue the claim.
finally there really must be changes to how airlines are held to account when they do not fulfill their obligations under EU261. The sight of people sleeping in terminals, in one case the woman had stage 4 cancer, is a disgrace. In mass disruption events the automatic payment of money should be made mandatory, this could be via a pre loaded visa/MasterCard. Where carriers cannot provide a room locally the card could be preloaded with Ł350 or more per passenger to allow them to make their own arrangements. These would be issued at the checkin desk. It would provide carriers with an incentive to make arrangements for their customers and end the complaints from passengers that nothing was being done.
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Old Dec 22, 2018, 3:49 am
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by snaxmuppet
It seems to me, rightly or wrongly, that whenever there is an event that involves lots of potential claimants, that the insurance companies shut up shop and make any endeavour to wriggle out of paying claims. I would have thought that this is precisely the kind of event that we have insurance for! If they can wriggle out of paying for these kinds of events then IMO we have to question the value of travel insurance. I am not saying we shouldn't have it... but we need to re-align in our minds what the benefits truly are and what risks we have to take on ourselves. It might make a few of us re-consider whether to travel at all in some cases.
Back to the OP's situation, I don't see how they could argue that this wouldn't be covered.

Indeed, as someone pointed out, insurance companies build a risk profile in order to price up a policy. However, the argument that an insurance company could avoid paying out merely because they forgot to model it against a certain type of event is, quite frankly, nonsense.

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Old Dec 22, 2018, 8:39 am
  #34  
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I stayed over with a friend in Brighton on Thursday night and caught a train back to the airport on Friday morning for my rebooked flight.

At the airport, BA had told me to book and claim. There wasn’t much available and I didn’t fancy pushing Ł189 towards Hilton for a twin guest room.

I’ve got the Amex Platinum card (although I booked it with their Gold Charge Card). I’ll submit a claim for the hotel accommodation that I couldn’t use because of the flight cancellations on Thursday night when I get home. I’ll also look a little more closely at the Select T&Cs and shop around for something more suitable.

Palmer
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 4:21 am
  #35  
 
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I has to claim for some theft from our baggage . AMEX did everything they could to not pay and I had tonight and appeal before they paid out

Not what expected for a pretty straight forward claim
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 5:42 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by stewaran
I has to claim for some theft from our baggage . AMEX did everything they could to not pay and I had tonight and appeal before they paid out

Not what expected for a pretty straight forward claim
agree. I flew back to the UK and next day on to JER, my luggage didn’t make it, called about delayed/lost luggage stuff and was told to buy up to x limit and keep the receipts. Fast worward to submitting them and they telll me that there’s no way they could pay out because I went home in between. Never mind the fact that I don’t actually have many clothes and my only suit, only pair of black shoes and only toiletaries etc were in my bag, even better they suddenly had “no record of the conversation” with the agent I’d spoken to.

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Old Dec 23, 2018, 6:23 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by Palmer
I’ve got the Amex Platinum card (although I booked it with their Gold Charge Card). I’ll submit a claim for the hotel accommodation that I couldn’t use because of the flight cancellations on Thursday night when I get home. I’ll also look a little more closely at the Select T&Cs and shop around for something more suitable.

Palmer
How strict are they about not using your Plat for booking the flights? My understanding was unless the airline doesn't accept Amex (usually smaller, regional airline) their insurance wouldn't cover you?
( Not trying to be picky, a legit question - have Amex plat but never tried claiming)
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 6:26 am
  #38  
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Broad-based arguments about what ought to be are misplaced, at best.

1. Calling an insurer to ask about anything other than a simple process question is asking for trouble. Don't be lazy. Read your policy. Hopefully you have read it long ago so that you know what is and is not covered as many other problems occur.
2. All that matters is what your specific policy covers. Not what even the same card perhaps issued elsewhere offers. Not what was offered last year under your policy.
3. Whether the drone disruption is covered will depend on the specifics of your policy and what was said. That the ultimate factual result was that it was a couple of fools does not change what it was classified as to start with.
4. No matter what you do or do not have.
A. EC 261/2004 means that you were due a duty of care, e.g. hotel and meals. Perhaps for local travelers, transportation to & from home.
B. EC 261/2004 means that you are due a refund or rebooking. Rebooking might not be as you wish and you are then free to book what you want and turn to your insurance carrier if your review of your policy reflects coverage.
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 6:35 am
  #39  
 
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I understand you need to book flights on an Amex card, not particularly your Amex Plat card. I've had this confirmed a number of times on the phone to Amex customer services. However the card T&Cs specify that the flights must be booked on 'the card' which means the Plat card. Obviously if the airline doesn't accept Amex, Amex will honour the claim.

However, I've booked flights on my BA Amex card and claimed for lost baggage against my Amex Plat policy and had no questions or issues, and Amex paid out.
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 7:12 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by howbigmassive
I understand you need to book flights on an Amex card, not particularly your Amex Plat card. I've had this confirmed a number of times on the phone to Amex customer services. However the card T&Cs specify that the flights must be booked on 'the card' which means the Plat card. Obviously if the airline doesn't accept Amex, Amex will honour the claim.

However, I've booked flights on my BA Amex card and claimed for lost baggage against my Amex Plat policy and had no questions or issues, and Amex paid out.
Just to clarify, for the policy aspects that require payment with the "Card account", it has to be any consumer and small business cards directly issued by American Express and it does not need to be, in your example, the Platinum Charge Card.

“Account” or “Card Account” means your consumer and small business cards issued by American Express in the UK, excluding corporate cards and any American Express Cards issued by bank partners.
A Lloyds Amex card, for example, does not meet that definition.
American Express cards that are not issued directly by Amex
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 7:41 am
  #41  
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Originally Posted by ringingup
Just to clarify, for the policy aspects that require payment with the "Card account", it has to be any consumer and small business cards directly issued by American Express and it does not need to be, in your example, the Platinum Charge Card.



A Lloyds Amex card, for example, does not meet that definition.
American Express cards that are not issued directly by Amex
A key error by people who do not read definitions. Terms such as "card" "connection" and "delay" are typically defined terms. They are binary, e.g., your card is either "the card" or it is not.
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 7:50 am
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by Often1
..
That the ultimate factual result was that it was a couple of fools does not change what it was classified as to start with.
.
Gosh, the ultimate fact? Have you informed the police of your knowledge? The couple, predictably, were released with no charge.
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 8:26 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Often1
A key error by people who do not read definitions. Terms such as "card" "connection" and "delay" are typically defined terms. They are binary, e.g., your card is either "the card" or it is not.
A key error by people who have no knowledge of what they are talking about.

Any payment by an Amex issued card is covered (as described above). You can pay by a BA Amex and still be covered as that is an Amex issued card.
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Old Dec 23, 2018, 8:34 am
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by Often1
A key error by people who do not read definitions. Terms such as "card" "connection" and "delay" are typically defined terms. They are binary, e.g., your card is either "the card" or it is not.
The definition of the Card Account in the Plat insurance T&Cs has changed over the years though; it used to refer specifically to your Platinum Charge Card account, but now refers to consumer and small business cards, excluding those issued by banks. So, from the T&Cs:

2011:
“Account” or “Card Account” means your American Express Charge Card account with American Express on which The Platinum Card is issued.

2018:
“Account” or “Card Account” means your consumer and small business cards issued by American Express in the UK, excluding corporate cards and any American Express Cards issued by bank partners.
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Old Aug 7, 2019, 6:21 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Cancelled Flight - Amex Plat no to loss

We had a cruise booked from Venice leaving 28th July. Our flight was 7.30 am London City to Venice on 27th July. Cruise and flights paid for on our Amex Platinum Card (and my wife is a supplementary card holder).

10.00 pm on 26th July BA cancelled our flight by a text message. We had a few hours trying for alternate flights with BA and other operators. There was nothing available to get us to Venice by Sunday afternoon.

The best we could do was fly to Split on Sunday and meet the cruise on Monday which was the first stop.

Our loss was one night hotel in Split. Venice hotel I had booked on points and I could do a cancellation. Other loss was two pre paid transport plus Sunday dinner. Is not massive but I thought Amex Platinum would be a good cover.

I called today to check and they said I am not covered as its a cancellation and not a delay.

Do I have any case?
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