Anyone buying AwardGuard for US?
Aug 30, 2002, 10:48 am
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Programs: FB Silver going for Gold
Posts: 21,794
Anyone buying AwardGuard for US?
I took out a policy last September. Might have to renew to protect 379k miles in my account, 220k in my GF's. I fear Chapter 7 within 12 months is not just a remote possibility.
Aug 30, 2002, 12:26 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Matthews, NC
Programs: AA AAdvantage Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriot Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Member
Posts: 1,459
I bought it last September too - and managed to burn a lot of miles since then. Since I've still got some previously ticketed flying to do, I'll still earn miles, and thus, figure it's worth protecting whatever I'll have left.
We'll see how it goes. I'm worried more about the IAM Mechanics trying to strike once the bankruptcy judge does the expected and puts the last company proposal in place. If a strike happens, all bets are off.
We'll see how it goes. I'm worried more about the IAM Mechanics trying to strike once the bankruptcy judge does the expected and puts the last company proposal in place. If a strike happens, all bets are off.
Aug 31, 2002, 4:52 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA1K MM, BA Gold, Hyatt LT Globalist, Bonvoy LTE, IHG Diam, HH Gold, Amtrak Sel Exec
Posts: 3,170
Yes I bought it and I used USAirways miles to help pay for it -- the only times I've EVER used miles to buy anything other than flights!
Aug 31, 2002, 5:44 am
#6
Join Date: May 2001
Programs: UA 1K, US LT Silver, AA Plat, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum, Starwood Gold
Posts: 790
I bought it in September also and plan to renew. Used almost 500K Dividend Miles since taking out the policy, but still have over 2 million DM between me and my wife and another million among the other airlines. For $179, it's worth the peace of mind.
Aug 31, 2002, 10:37 pm
#8
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kv99:
Yes I bought it and I used USAirways miles to help pay for it -- the only times I've EVER used miles to buy anything other than flights!</font>
Yes I bought it and I used USAirways miles to help pay for it -- the only times I've EVER used miles to buy anything other than flights!</font>
Sep 1, 2002, 12:40 am
#9
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
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Has anyone asked about the "One time aggregate amount of $7,500 per individual membership in AwardGuard claim" note within the program description?
Is this a limit to the total value of awards claimed under this program? How do they calculate it? One biz-class to Europe with the family would top this limit if calculated at normal fares.
If so, this doesn't seem to do much to protect my million miles, maybe 2-300k. And forget any F freeebies.
============
Well, reading the FAQ cleared up a bit. I still wonder how they compute the value of the replacement tickets. I'm e-mailing customer service and will update with a reply.
[This message has been edited by CPRich (edited 09-01-2002).]
Is this a limit to the total value of awards claimed under this program? How do they calculate it? One biz-class to Europe with the family would top this limit if calculated at normal fares.
If so, this doesn't seem to do much to protect my million miles, maybe 2-300k. And forget any F freeebies.
============
Well, reading the FAQ cleared up a bit. I still wonder how they compute the value of the replacement tickets. I'm e-mailing customer service and will update with a reply.
[This message has been edited by CPRich (edited 09-01-2002).]
Sep 1, 2002, 4:20 am
#10
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Join Date: Jun 2000
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CPRich - Therein lies the rub. You need to pay the annual fee for EACH year you hope to claim the max cap. I imagine they use published fare to determine the "value" of your ticket. No upgrade awards are possible either. Not a perfect sytem, but neither is maybe losing your million miles stone cold. 
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~ Glen ~ Calling all United 1K Members - please join .. www.1Kflyers.com
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~ Glen ~ Calling all United 1K Members - please join .. www.1Kflyers.com
Sep 1, 2002, 4:21 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Sunny SYDNEY!
Programs: UA Million Miler. (1.9M) Virgin Platinum. HH Diamond + SPG Gold
Posts: 32,330
CPRich - Therein lies the rub. You need to pay the annual fee for EACH year you hope to claim the max cap. I imagine they use published fare to determine the "value" of your ticket. No upgrade awards are possible either. Not a perfect sytem, but neither is maybe losing your million miles stone cold.
------------------
~ Glen ~ Calling all United 1K Members - please join .. www.1Kflyers.com
------------------
~ Glen ~ Calling all United 1K Members - please join .. www.1Kflyers.com
Sep 3, 2002, 7:17 pm
#13
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I got the answer and it was as I figured, not even as good as ozstamps replied. If an airline goes out of business, the miles are banked, and you can spend them, up to $7,500 worth. you can take years to do this, and you don't need to be a member for those subsequent years. However, if you do remain a member, you do not get $7500 worth each year. In fact, if 2 airlines go bankrupt the same year, you bank all of the miles for both, but only get $7,500 woth lifetime for the aggregation of points.
If one airline goes under, then another goes under the next year, while you are still a member, you have $7,500 to spend on each seperate block of miles.
Theie exact response:
"Once an airline has ceased to exist, your miles have been banked with us, and you are submitting award requests, we always look for the lowest fare for the itinerary that you have requested. We also have access to travel
agency and possibly wholesale ticket fares. This way your $7,500 cap will last for as many trips as possible.
Once you have reached the $7,500 limit, coverage for a program ends.
If two of your airlines went under in the same membership year the $7,500 cap would have to be shared.
If a second airline went under in a membership year following an earlier one when airline #1 went under, you would receive a second $7,500 cap for that second airline program."
If one airline goes under, then another goes under the next year, while you are still a member, you have $7,500 to spend on each seperate block of miles.
Theie exact response:
"Once an airline has ceased to exist, your miles have been banked with us, and you are submitting award requests, we always look for the lowest fare for the itinerary that you have requested. We also have access to travel
agency and possibly wholesale ticket fares. This way your $7,500 cap will last for as many trips as possible.
Once you have reached the $7,500 limit, coverage for a program ends.
If two of your airlines went under in the same membership year the $7,500 cap would have to be shared.
If a second airline went under in a membership year following an earlier one when airline #1 went under, you would receive a second $7,500 cap for that second airline program."
Sep 3, 2002, 9:48 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Washington, DC
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Posts: 3,170
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by littleleaguemom:
How did you use miles? I didn't see any way to do this on their site.</font>
How did you use miles? I didn't see any way to do this on their site.</font>
I'm a little alarmed by CPRich's comments, though.
I was under the impression that it worked as ozstamps indicated--you could redeem up to $7500/year (combination of programs), as long as you continued to pay your membership. Will have to investigate!!!
Sep 3, 2002, 10:50 pm
#15
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 55
I think the $7500 refers to aggregate costs for replacing tickets that were already in hand at the time the airline went out of business, a separate service of AwardGuard than FF awards themselves. Here's some more on this that refers to continued membership for award tickets versus the $7500 provision for in-hand tickets:
Basic Benefit Review
AwardGuard Protection
AwardGuard protects any of your unused miles, points, or awards on an airline that goes completely out business, if no other airline takes over their frequent flyer program. We will replace your award tickets to and from the same airports and as close to the original times as possible within a 24-hour period. Any miles or awards that you have on hand and have not changed into a ticket, will go into your membership account with us should they go out of business. (We will mail you a statement every time there is activity on your account or when you request a copy).
When you wish to use your miles for a trip, we will use the same award chart your airline was offering at the time they went out of business, deducting the same amount of miles and using the same blackout dates and destinations.
If you are on a trip using your frequent flyer miles when the airline goes out of business, we will return you to your point of origin, providing no other airline honors your ticket. We will purchase a ticket for you in the same class of service and as close to the original time as possible, within a 24-hour period. We would simply need you to contact our office by fax, phone, or mail, informing us that you need a replacement ticket and detailing the circumstances. In addition, we would need to receive the original ticket you are holding, in our office, before we could issue a replacement. With prior approval and in extreme circumstances, if it becomes necessary for you to purchase a ticket, we will reimburse you up to the lowest amount as determined by our partner travel agency. Again, this can only happen with prior approval from our office.
If you have transferred your award to another person and this was allowed by the airline, that ticket will be protected under your AwardGuard account in the event the airline goes out of business.
Once an airline has ceased operation and you have mailed us all your documentation, you do need to keep your membership active for us to be able to continue fulfilling claims. Any lapse in membership will void any miles you have on account in your AwardGuard membership.
Revenue/Bumped Ticket Protection
If you are holding a bumped or revenue ticket and the airline you are holding it on goes out of business, and no other airline will allow you to use your ticket, we will replace it in the same class of service, using the same departure and destination airports, and as close to your original time a possible within 24 hour period. (Please note: Delta provides a coupon instead of ticket when you have been bumped off a flight. We will purchase the ticket you require and any cost difference above the amount of the coupon will be your responsibility).
AwardGuard does have a one-time $7,500 aggregate award liability. This means that when an airline or hotel goes out of business, we can only spend up to $7,500 in replacement tickets which is equal to about 15 free tickets, something no member has ever come close to redeeming anyway.
Basic Benefit Review
AwardGuard Protection
AwardGuard protects any of your unused miles, points, or awards on an airline that goes completely out business, if no other airline takes over their frequent flyer program. We will replace your award tickets to and from the same airports and as close to the original times as possible within a 24-hour period. Any miles or awards that you have on hand and have not changed into a ticket, will go into your membership account with us should they go out of business. (We will mail you a statement every time there is activity on your account or when you request a copy).
When you wish to use your miles for a trip, we will use the same award chart your airline was offering at the time they went out of business, deducting the same amount of miles and using the same blackout dates and destinations.
If you are on a trip using your frequent flyer miles when the airline goes out of business, we will return you to your point of origin, providing no other airline honors your ticket. We will purchase a ticket for you in the same class of service and as close to the original time as possible, within a 24-hour period. We would simply need you to contact our office by fax, phone, or mail, informing us that you need a replacement ticket and detailing the circumstances. In addition, we would need to receive the original ticket you are holding, in our office, before we could issue a replacement. With prior approval and in extreme circumstances, if it becomes necessary for you to purchase a ticket, we will reimburse you up to the lowest amount as determined by our partner travel agency. Again, this can only happen with prior approval from our office.
If you have transferred your award to another person and this was allowed by the airline, that ticket will be protected under your AwardGuard account in the event the airline goes out of business.
Once an airline has ceased operation and you have mailed us all your documentation, you do need to keep your membership active for us to be able to continue fulfilling claims. Any lapse in membership will void any miles you have on account in your AwardGuard membership.
Revenue/Bumped Ticket Protection
If you are holding a bumped or revenue ticket and the airline you are holding it on goes out of business, and no other airline will allow you to use your ticket, we will replace it in the same class of service, using the same departure and destination airports, and as close to your original time a possible within 24 hour period. (Please note: Delta provides a coupon instead of ticket when you have been bumped off a flight. We will purchase the ticket you require and any cost difference above the amount of the coupon will be your responsibility).
AwardGuard does have a one-time $7,500 aggregate award liability. This means that when an airline or hotel goes out of business, we can only spend up to $7,500 in replacement tickets which is equal to about 15 free tickets, something no member has ever come close to redeeming anyway.