Anyone buying AwardGuard for US?
Sep 4, 2002, 7:28 am
#16
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
Programs: AA Platinum, AS, UA, DL, HHonors Gold, Marriott LTP, Hyatt, IHG Platinum
Posts: 4,707
As someone who purchased AwardGuard last September and who is contemplating renewal, I find the response CPRich received very disconcerting. The wording on the PrivilegeFlyer site seems to have changed from last year. It seemed clear at that time, and was confirmed to me by a PrivilegeFlyer rep., that the $7500 limit was each year. Now the wording and the response CPRich received suggests the $7500 is a one-time aggregate that applies in total no matter how many years you purchase AwardGuard. I have never received notice that the terms & conditions have changed. Randy, please clarify!
Sep 4, 2002, 7:35 am
#17
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
Programs: AA Platinum, AS, UA, DL, HHonors Gold, Marriott LTP, Hyatt, IHG Platinum
Posts: 4,707
The following was posted by Randy Peterson on 9/17/01 in a MileBuzz thread (search for "AwardGuard"). This post states the $7500 limit is each year PER program. (The emphasis is Randy's, not mine.) This does not seem to agree with the current website or the response CPRich received. Randy, care to comment?
ChaseTheMiles and others. Let me try to answer your questions, though any email sent over the wekend will likely be answered today (Monday). First of all, AwardGuard is still open for business and we have decided not to introduce new date of enrollment restrictions given the news over the weekend.
QUESTION: Does the AG protect all my mileage-type accounts, or just one specific one?
ANSWER: We protect all major frequent flyer and stayer programs such as those offered by Continental, American, Alaska, America West, etc. The one enrollment fee covers your liability across all these memberships - you don't need a membership for each program.
QUESTION: What about family members?
ANSWER: There is a family plan available and full details are available on the Web site listed below. The cost of the family plan is determined by the program you choose since you could also add AwardExtender to your choices. (the only reason I can't give you a definitive price)
QUESTION: Is there a cap to either the number of accounts or number of miles?
ANSWER: No cap on the number of programs covered per membership to the extent of those listed in our materials (it doesn't matter if you belong to 2 or 12 programs) and we don't have an actual cap to the number of miles we can protect for you (some members have millions and with the Midway program, while their award structure was not mileage-based, some members did have covereage equal to about 900,000 miles, which why some 10 years later they are still enjoying their awards courtesy of AwardGuard). The restriction is based on payout per year. For instance, new members can't have claims equal to more than $7.500 in a given year PER program. The reality is that most people may redeem 2-4 rewards a year and most don't exceed that cost. The cost being the claim to supply substitution of awards via a purchased airline ticket.
Hope this helps, the Web site for AwardGuard is:
www.privilegeflyer.com
ChaseTheMiles and others. Let me try to answer your questions, though any email sent over the wekend will likely be answered today (Monday). First of all, AwardGuard is still open for business and we have decided not to introduce new date of enrollment restrictions given the news over the weekend.
QUESTION: Does the AG protect all my mileage-type accounts, or just one specific one?
ANSWER: We protect all major frequent flyer and stayer programs such as those offered by Continental, American, Alaska, America West, etc. The one enrollment fee covers your liability across all these memberships - you don't need a membership for each program.
QUESTION: What about family members?
ANSWER: There is a family plan available and full details are available on the Web site listed below. The cost of the family plan is determined by the program you choose since you could also add AwardExtender to your choices. (the only reason I can't give you a definitive price)
QUESTION: Is there a cap to either the number of accounts or number of miles?
ANSWER: No cap on the number of programs covered per membership to the extent of those listed in our materials (it doesn't matter if you belong to 2 or 12 programs) and we don't have an actual cap to the number of miles we can protect for you (some members have millions and with the Midway program, while their award structure was not mileage-based, some members did have covereage equal to about 900,000 miles, which why some 10 years later they are still enjoying their awards courtesy of AwardGuard). The restriction is based on payout per year. For instance, new members can't have claims equal to more than $7.500 in a given year PER program. The reality is that most people may redeem 2-4 rewards a year and most don't exceed that cost. The cost being the claim to supply substitution of awards via a purchased airline ticket.
Hope this helps, the Web site for AwardGuard is:
www.privilegeflyer.com
Sep 4, 2002, 7:49 am
#18
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Reno, NV (RNO)
Programs: AA Platinum, AS, UA, DL, HHonors Gold, Marriott LTP, Hyatt, IHG Platinum
Posts: 4,707
The following is from the PrivilegeFlyer FAQs on the website. Seems clear that it is $7500 per year, but not per program as Randy stated in the other post I quoted:
"AwardGuard Questions:
Are there any limits to my AwardGuard protection?
Will AwardGuard protect miles and points in all
my programs?
AwardExtender Questions:
Are there any limits if I belong to both programs?
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Q: Are there any limits to my AwardGuard protection?
A: AwardGuard has an annual award liability of $7,500 for each membership year. This means that when an airline goes out of business, we can purchase up to $7,500 of replacement tickets. We must receive all documents, statements, awards, and tickets within the first 30 days of an airline going out of business. We will replace any tickets you have with applicable travel on another airline and the rest of your miles will go into your AwardGuard account. When you wish to use those miles for a trip, we will purchase the required ticket in accordance with the rules, regulations and blackout dates the airline had in effect at the time they went out of business. However, we may impose additional ticketing requirements. The replacement of tickets will stop when you have used up all your miles, or we have spent $7,500 in replacement tickets.
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Q: Will AwardGuard protect miles and points in all my programs?
A: Yes, one AwardGuard membership will protect all the programs that we cover. If more than one program goes out of business during your membership year, you may claim up to $7,500 in award replacements. For example: The first program goes out of business and your total amount of award replacements comes to $6,000. If another program goes out of business during the same membership year, you will be able to claim up to another $1,500 in award replacement tickets.
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Q: Are there any limits if I belong to both programs?
A: There is a $7,500 aggregate award liability on all memberships (excluding the $500,000 accidental death protection) and on AwardExtender there is also a 200,000-mile annual limit. This means that during any one membership year, we can replace awards for either an AwardGuard or AwardExtender claim up to, but not exceeding, the amount of $7,500. You may not put in more than 200,000 miles in claims for AwardExtender during one membership year.
The $7,500 is reinstated for AwardExtender each membership year but cannot be carried over into the next membership year to gain a higher award liability. Once you have claimed $7,500 during one membership year, we will be unable to fulfill any more claims that year. If you renew your AwardExtender membership, you will have another $7,500 in award liability for any future claims, but that amount may not be applied to a claim you have already requested prior to renewing."
"AwardGuard Questions:
Are there any limits to my AwardGuard protection?
Will AwardGuard protect miles and points in all
my programs?
AwardExtender Questions:
Are there any limits if I belong to both programs?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Are there any limits to my AwardGuard protection?
A: AwardGuard has an annual award liability of $7,500 for each membership year. This means that when an airline goes out of business, we can purchase up to $7,500 of replacement tickets. We must receive all documents, statements, awards, and tickets within the first 30 days of an airline going out of business. We will replace any tickets you have with applicable travel on another airline and the rest of your miles will go into your AwardGuard account. When you wish to use those miles for a trip, we will purchase the required ticket in accordance with the rules, regulations and blackout dates the airline had in effect at the time they went out of business. However, we may impose additional ticketing requirements. The replacement of tickets will stop when you have used up all your miles, or we have spent $7,500 in replacement tickets.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Will AwardGuard protect miles and points in all my programs?
A: Yes, one AwardGuard membership will protect all the programs that we cover. If more than one program goes out of business during your membership year, you may claim up to $7,500 in award replacements. For example: The first program goes out of business and your total amount of award replacements comes to $6,000. If another program goes out of business during the same membership year, you will be able to claim up to another $1,500 in award replacement tickets.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Are there any limits if I belong to both programs?
A: There is a $7,500 aggregate award liability on all memberships (excluding the $500,000 accidental death protection) and on AwardExtender there is also a 200,000-mile annual limit. This means that during any one membership year, we can replace awards for either an AwardGuard or AwardExtender claim up to, but not exceeding, the amount of $7,500. You may not put in more than 200,000 miles in claims for AwardExtender during one membership year.
The $7,500 is reinstated for AwardExtender each membership year but cannot be carried over into the next membership year to gain a higher award liability. Once you have claimed $7,500 during one membership year, we will be unable to fulfill any more claims that year. If you renew your AwardExtender membership, you will have another $7,500 in award liability for any future claims, but that amount may not be applied to a claim you have already requested prior to renewing."