Travel insurance claim for flights to return home early after injury and surgery in hospital

[Ken1]

Apologies for the long post. We are travelling in Europe and I had a fall a few days ago and had to be admitted to hospital in Italy and have surgery to fix multiple fractures in my foot. I now have a cast and need crutches to walk small distances and a wheelchair to move around more easily.

My travel insurer has accepted the claim and I have just received an email saying they will confirm the flights to return us home as soon as we sign an Unused Flight Disclaimer form for our SQ LHR-SYD J flights booked with KrisFlyer miles as well as an inter Europe AF J flight booked with QFF points only if we both sign the disclaimer agreeing that they may collect any refunds due on our existing unused flight tickets with SQ and AF.

I have just replied explaining how I had paid for the tickets and am waiting for a reply. I listed the amounts of miles and points used as well as the fees and tax amounts charged for each ticket. The SQ tickets list a breakup of the miles and cash amounts paid and I had advised them when first submitting the claim that these were booked with SQ KF miles and the AF flights were booked with QFF points. I have explained that SQ charge a $US75 fee to redeposit miles and that QFF charge a 6,000 point cancellation fee. I have asked how I would repay the miles and points used and if there is a way I can transfer the miles and points to them? Not that I’ve ever heard about being able to do that.

This is the first time we have ever had to claim on travel insurance and I don’t know how travel insurance companies handle these situations where unused flights that have to be cancelled were booked with FF points have to have the costs the airlines refund when cancelling repaid to them when booking you on an earlier flight to return you home.

I also asked how I sign the form electronically as The PDF file they sent didn’t seem to be fillable, or if I have to find somewhere nearby to print it.

For the few days I was in hospital I was sending all the required documents for our claim from my phone. Luckily I keep all files for our trips in Dropbox and it was really handy. I have just been released from hospital this afternoon and need to submit the form ASAP so they can confirm the flights they are booking to return us home in 3 days time.

Has anyone else ever been in this situation when an emergency flight is being booked to return you home quickly and was booked with points?

 

[VPS]

Apologies for the long post. We are travelling in Europe and I had a fall a few days ago and had to be admitted to hospital in Italy and have surgery to fix multiple fractures in my foot. I now have a cast and need crutches to walk small distances and a wheelchair to move around more easily.

My travel insurer has accepted the claim and I have just received an email saying they will confirm the flights to return us home as soon as we sign an Unused Flight Disclaimer form for our SQ LHR-SYD J flights booked with KrisFlyer miles as well as an inter Europe AF J flight booked with QFF points only if we both sign the disclaimer agreeing that they may collect any refunds due on our existing unused flight tickets with SQ and AF.

I have just replied explaining how I had paid for the tickets and am waiting for a reply. I listed the amounts of miles and points used as well as the fees and tax amounts charged for each ticket. The SQ tickets list a breakup of the miles and cash amounts paid and I had advised them when first submitting the claim that these were booked with SQ KF miles and the AF flights were booked with QFF points. I have explained that SQ charge a $US75 fee to redeposit miles and that QFF charge a 6,000 point cancellation fee. I have asked how I would repay the miles and points used and if there is a way I can transfer the miles and points to them? Not that I’ve ever heard about being able to do that.

This is the first time we have ever had to claim on travel insurance and I don’t know how travel insurance companies handle these situations where unused flights that have to be cancelled were booked with FF points have to have the costs the airlines refund when cancelling repaid to them when booking you on an earlier flight to return you home.

I also asked how I sign the form electronically as The PDF file they sent didn’t seem to be fillable, or if I have to find somewhere nearby to print it.

For the few days I was in hospital I was sending all the required documents for our claim from my phone. Luckily I keep all files for our trips in Dropbox and it was really handy. I have just been released from hospital this afternoon and need to submit the form ASAP so they can confirm the flights they are booking to return us home in 3 days time.

Has anyone else ever been in this situation when an emergency flight is being booked to return you home quickly and was booked with points?

@Jacques Vert did a few years ago when in South America IIRC

I don't have time to search for it now but he's in Europe time zone so may see this

 

[asterix]

Apologies for the long post. We are travelling in Europe and I had a fall a few days ago and had to be admitted to hospital in Italy and have surgery to fix multiple fractures in my foot. I now have a cast and need crutches to walk small distances and a wheelchair to move around more easily.

My travel insurer has accepted the claim and I have just received an email saying they will confirm the flights to return us home as soon as we sign an Unused Flight Disclaimer form for our SQ LHR-SYD J flights booked with KrisFlyer miles as well as an inter Europe AF J flight booked with QFF points only if we both sign the disclaimer agreeing that they may collect any refunds due on our existing unused flight tickets with SQ and AF.

I have just replied explaining how I had paid for the tickets and am waiting for a reply. I listed the amounts of miles and points used as well as the fees and tax amounts charged for each ticket. The SQ tickets list a breakup of the miles and cash amounts paid and I had advised them when first submitting the claim that these were booked with SQ KF miles and the AF flights were booked with QFF points. I have explained that SQ charge a $US75 fee to redeposit miles and that QFF charge a 6,000 point cancellation fee. I have asked how I would repay the miles and points used and if there is a way I can transfer the miles and points to them? Not that I’ve ever heard about being able to do that.

This is the first time we have ever had to claim on travel insurance and I don’t know how travel insurance companies handle these situations where unused flights that have to be cancelled were booked with FF points have to have the costs the airlines refund when cancelling repaid to them when booking you on an earlier flight to return you home.

I also asked how I sign the form electronically as The PDF file they sent didn’t seem to be fillable, or if I have to find somewhere nearby to print it.

For the few days I was in hospital I was sending all the required documents for our claim from my phone. Luckily I keep all files for our trips in Dropbox and it was really handy. I have just been released from hospital this afternoon and need to submit the form ASAP so they can confirm the flights they are booking to return us home in 3 days time.

Has anyone else ever been in this situation when an emergency flight is being booked to return you home quickly and was booked with points?

In 2017 my son was sick on our last night in Bali and so my daughter and I flew home and my wife and son stayed for another 2-3 days. Our return flights had been points flights. The insurer was taking too long to book their return flights as they said they had to deal with a local travel agent and they approved for me to book their flights home online and be reimbursed.

 

[muppet]

I don’t have an answer but am also curious as I’ve always been worried they will say “well you received a full refund less the 6,000 points so that’s all we owe you”.

 

[Ken1]

I don’t have an answer but am also curious as I’ve always been worried they will say “well you received a full refund less the 6,000 points so that’s all we owe you”.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

muppet: This is the other way around. They are providing J seats to return us home from MUC to SYD with QR. I have to sign a form saying I will send to them any refunds I get from the airlines for the cancelled SQ LHR - SYD and AF LJU - LHR flights we will no longer use that were booked with points. If these were revenue tickets that were refundable they would be asking for all the amounts refunded by the airlines to me to be deposited into their bank account.

I wrote back last night explaining that these are award tickets and that while I can send them the taxes/fees that will be refunded there will also be points refunded to me.

I have still not received a reply from them. They will not issue the flight tickets until I have sent the signed the Unused Flight Disclaimer form. We have just arranged for the hotel we are staying in to print the form for us.

 

[Daver6]

Firstly, I'm sorry this happened. Not a nice way for a trip to end.

I'm not an expert on this at all. However, I think it's their problem to figure out how they recoup any refund from the airline. I think as long as you play ball, you'll be ok.

I think it if were me, I'd sign the form and just want to get home. Future problem to deal with.

Wishing you a speedy recovery and easy trip home.

 

[Quickstatus]

@Ken1

In our case, Mrs QS had to fly back to AU with a #tibia. The insurer was slow in organising flights. I rang them and said I would book the flights back which I did - one way QF Business class which was the same class as the original return flight.

I claimed the cost of return flight after return to AU. I got the points back and the insurer did not contest the price of the points. I actually saved the insurer $$$ because we got a flight back that would have almost doubled in price if we waited any longer - evidence provided in screenshots to insurer

Note unless there is a medical need - which requires a Drs note, they wont upgrade you and also means if you book yourself, they wont pay for difference between original class and upgraded class.

 

[VPS]

OK I've found the thread - this may help later

Thread 'Canyons, Mountains & Vineyards'

Apr 22, 2018

One more wake-up and we're off to Sth America

• Jacques Vert
• Replies: 186
• Forum: Trip Reports

• 

 

[Quickstatus]

this may help later

Which page

 

[VPS]

Which page

Forum glitch I think it starts at 7

 

[Ken1]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Everything is sorted now. The hotel reception printed the form for us so we signed it and emailed it back straight away. Two hours later I received a reply with our confirmed flight booking with QR in J. They have added wheelchair and luggage assistance to the booking. Regarding the points he said: "I think any credits /points you receive as a refund you must sign over to the claims team, but they will assist you with this once you are home and the refunds have been processed." I'll see what happens later. So far I have been dealing with the emergency team and once I'm home I will have to send details of cancelled and replacement accommodation, extra expenses etc to the claims team.


The Case Manager called me after he sent the email and we went through everything. They have been very helpful and have mostly responded very quickly whenever I have sent information, hospital reports, air ticket and hotel booking receipts etc. I also asked about physiotherapy treatment after I return home but he said that no cover is provided once you return home. I thought that since the injury happened overseas I may have been covered for physio since that is something not covered by Medicare. Anyhow they are bringing us home quickly so we are pleased with that.

 

[Quickstatus]

I thought that since the injury happened overseas I may have been covered for physio since that is something not covered by Medicare.

No, as a resident of Australia, once you return to AU any out of pocket "medical" related expenses you incur are not covered. This is because travel insurance is not allowed to be a private health insurer.

Obviously dies not apply to travellers to Australia.

 

[Danger]

I think we'd all be interested to know who the insurer is.

 

[Ken1]

I think we'd all be interested to know who the insurer is.

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Will be interesting to see if they make any claim against the points you get refunded. I suspect there’s probably not much they can do. Maybe deduct the taxes etc against your claim?

 

[Jacques Vert]

OK I've found the thread - this may help later

Thread 'Canyons, Mountains & Vineyards'

Apr 22, 2018

One more wake-up and we're off to Sth America

• Jacques Vert
• Replies: 186
• Forum: Trip Reports

• 

OK; so our experience is detailed in that thread starting at post 131 and particularly refer to post 181 onwards.

@Ken1 hasn't said whether he has a return ticket or 2 one-way tickets, nor who the insurer is, so I can only refer to our experience.

We were on a Oneworld Award booking using QF points so as the trip had begun and we had already taken some of the flights on the booking, there was no refund of points. Basically, you loose them. In our case, our travel insurance policy had a specific clause dealing with points bookings: we submited our claim and the insurer refunded us points on a pro-rata basis for the unused flights. (Note that if your flights back to Australia were on a separate one-way booking and you have not taken any of the flights on that separate booking, than your situation will be different.)

We did recieve a refund of the taxes from QF and our insurance company did not request us to forward the amount to them. In @Ken1 's case, if the insurance company asks for the refund of taxes to be onforwarded to them then IMHO that's fair enough; after all, the insurance company will be paying the taxes on the new booking.

As others have said, @Ken1 should not worry about the points and taxes until after he gets home. Just work with the insurance company to get home safely and quickly; and make sure he keeps ALL his receipts!

One upside of this experience is that @Ken1 should receive points and status credits for his flights home; we did. And with the refund of points from the flights we didn't take, we actually ended up with more points than before our trip commenced.

 

[Ken1]

Thanks again everyone. I had to sign an Unused Flight Disclaimer Form with SCTI agreeing that I will transfer to their account any refunds I receive from cancelled flights, which is fair enough. The new tickets are MUC-SYD J class. If I link the booking with Qatar Privilege Club I will receive 20,730 Avios. I have read that QFF do not give a lot of QFF points for QR flights these days. Does anyone have any idea how many QFF points I may receive on a booking like this if I link the booking to QFF? I am not likely to be flying QR long haul again at this stage but Avios could be handy in the future for BA European flights although nothing is planned at this stage so maybe I should just credit to QFF.

The SQ LHR-SYD J flight I am cancelling was booked as a one way with SQ KF miles.

 

[Seat0B]

@Ken1 I have nothing to add about your insurance question but just dropped by to say I hope you recover well from your injury and what an unfortunate way to end a lovely trip. Get well soon.

 

[Ken1]

@Ken1 I have nothing to add about your insurance question but just dropped by to say I hope you recover well from your injury and what an unfortunate way to end a lovely trip. Get well soon.

Thanks SeatOB. It has been a lovely trip. We left home on 03 Sep and have travelled through Bavaria, Austria and the Dolomites. Unfortunately we have lost the last 2 weeks of the trip in Slovenia but hopefully we can go back in the future.

 

[Seat0B]

Thanks SeatOB. It has been a lovely trip. We left home on 03 Sep and have travelled through Bavaria, Austria and the Dolomites. Unfortunately we have lost the last 2 weeks of the trip in Slovenia but hopefully we can go back in the future.

That really does sound like a great trip, and especially at this time of the year. Beautiful. We also have Slovenia on our watch list after visiting its beautiful neighbour Slovakia a couple of years back.