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

[Daver6]

It's not possible to sign refunded points over anyway. It's against the FF T&Cs....unless the insurer happens to be a family member.

 

[Ken1]

It's not possible to sign refunded points over anyway. It's against the FF T&Cs....unless the insurer happens to be a family member.

Yes, and with SQ, who my cancelled LHR-SYD award booking is with, you cant even transfer points to a family member so it won't be possible. I'll transfer the taxes to the account they have given me when I receive the refunds but won't be able to do anything about the points with them. I'll wait and see what they say after that.

 

[Danger]

Please keep us posted.

 

[Ken1]

Here is an update about our experience with our travel insurance for our trip home.

I was admitted to hospital in the Dolomites area in Italy and had surgery the following day after ankle fractures. After leaving the hospital we stayed in a nearby apartment for 3 more nights. A transfer was organised for us to Munich Airport which was a 4.5 hour trip and we were pleasantly surprised to find that they had booked an ambulance transport type vehicle and they had a foam type thing that kept my leg elevated for the entire journey so it was as comfortable a trip as it could have been. The driver was very friendly and helpful. When we arrived at the Hilton Munich Airport I stayed in the vehicle while he and Mrs Ken1 went inside, She checked in while the driver spoke to the hotel staff in German and organised a wheelchair to bring me inside as well as a porter to pick up our luggage from the vehicle. We were able to keep the wheelchair with us during our stay.

The Hilton Munich Airport was the perfect choice for us, with it being the only hotel joined onto the airport terminals. All other hotels in the Munich Airport area require a shuttle or taxi to get to the airport which would have made it very difficult for us with my injuries and only being able to use a wheelchair or walk short distances with crutches. The hotel staff also organised with the airport for our transfer to check in and then through security and onto the lounge the next morning and it all went very well. We were taken by a motorised buggy rather than a wheelchair as the distances to walk were very long.

The flights from Munich to Doha and then from Doha to Sydney went well - the cabin crew were really helpful and assisted me at various times during the flights. The wheelchair assistance was waiting for me at the end of both flights and at Doha we were taken by wheelchair to a buggy that then took us to the lounge and then to the gate to board the plane. Doha Airport is huge and the motorised buggy rather than just a wheelchair was certainly needed there. This was our first time flying Qatar and we found them very good.

At Sydney a wheelchair was again waiting for me and the lady assisting me took us through immigration, baggage, customs and then out to the pickup vehicle we had organised. So after having the fall and being admitted to hospital on Saturday last week, being operated the next day, released from hospital on Tuesday we arrived back home a week after the surgery. It's been a long week but we are relieved to be home again.

I have written to the emergency team I have been dealing with at the insurance company letting them know that everything they organised for us went very well and that we appreciate all they have done for us in assisting us with all aspects of our stay in Italy and our journey home.

We arrived back in Sydney on Sunday evening after leaving the area we were staying in on Friday morning and yesterday and today I have been on the phone to SQ and QF cancelling flights and to physio and medical appointments. Tomorrow I visit an orthopaedic specialist so I should have more idea of following ongoing treatment after that.

So far I have been dealing with the emergency travel insurance team and now I have to start submitting receipts for additional accommodation and other expenses incurred after the fall and hospital stay.

I'll update how that part of the claims process goes but so far we are impressed with how our return home was handled. Thanks to everyone who replied to my initial post.

 

[VPS]

Here is an update about our experience with our travel insurance for our trip home.

I was admitted to hospital in the Dolomites area in Italy and had surgery the following day after ankle fractures. After leaving the hospital we stayed in a nearby apartment for 3 more nights. A transfer was organised for us to Munich Airport which was a 4.5 hour trip and we were pleasantly surprised to find that they had booked an ambulance transport type vehicle and they had a foam type thing that kept my leg elevated for the entire journey so it was as comfortable a trip as it could have been. The driver was very friendly and helpful. When we arrived at the Hilton Munich Airport I stayed in the vehicle while he and Mrs Ken1 went inside, She checked in while the driver spoke to the hotel staff in German and organised a wheelchair to bring me inside as well as a porter to pick up our luggage from the vehicle. We were able to keep the wheelchair with us during our stay.

The Hilton Munich Airport was the perfect choice for us, with it being the only hotel joined onto the airport terminals. All other hotels in the Munich Airport area require a shuttle or taxi to get to the airport which would have made it very difficult for us with my injuries and only being able to use a wheelchair or walk short distances with crutches. The hotel staff also organised with the airport for our transfer to check in and then through security and onto the lounge the next morning and it all went very well. We were taken by a motorised buggy rather than a wheelchair as the distances to walk were very long.

The flights from Munich to Doha and then from Doha to Sydney went well - the cabin crew were really helpful and assisted me at various times during the flights. The wheelchair assistance was waiting for me at the end of both flights and at Doha we were taken by wheelchair to a buggy that then took us to the lounge and then to the gate to board the plane. Doha Airport is huge and the motorised buggy rather than just a wheelchair was certainly needed there. This was our first time flying Qatar and we found them very good.

At Sydney a wheelchair was again waiting for me and the lady assisting me took us through immigration, baggage, customs and then out to the pickup vehicle we had organised. So after having the fall and being admitted to hospital on Saturday last week, being operated the next day, released from hospital on Tuesday we arrived back home a week after the surgery. It's been a long week but we are relieved to be home again.

I have written to the emergency team I have been dealing with at the insurance company letting them know that everything they organised for us went very well and that we appreciate all they have done for us in assisting us with all aspects of our stay in Italy and our journey home.

We arrived back in Sydney on Sunday evening after leaving the area we were staying in on Friday morning and yesterday and today I have been on the phone to SQ and QF cancelling flights and to physio and medical appointments. Tomorrow I visit an orthopaedic specialist so I should have more idea of following ongoing treatment after that.

So far I have been dealing with the emergency travel insurance team and now I have to start submitting receipts for additional accommodation and other expenses incurred after the fall and hospital stay.

I'll update how that part of the claims process goes but so far we are impressed with how our return home was handled. Thanks to everyone who replied to my initial post.

sounds like it went as smoothly as it could after the accident. Good luck with TI and recovery

 

[ellen10]

Sounds like the trip home went smoothly and the travel insurance company looked after you well.

I hope the claims process is going well and your physical recovery is going well also.

 

[Ken1]

Sounds like the trip home went smoothly and the travel insurance company looked after you well.

I hope the claims process is going well and your physical recovery is going well also.

Thanks ellen10.

When I called them on the day of the injury and was awaiting surgery the next morning I called the 24 hour emergency line and the emergency team handled everything, with contact back and forth multiple times over the coming week as they organised transport to the airport and flights back home and everything went well. I had saved all booking confirmations and receipts etc as well as copies of our passports in Dropbox so was able to access all necessary documents on my phone to send to them. I also had a colour copy of our passports in my wallet and when the hospital asked to see my passport I showed the copy to them as we had our passports back in the hotel, and the hospital was happy to accept the copy.

Now that we are back home we have to start the actual claim process with the claims team, which is separate from the emergency team. I finished scanning receipts and submitting claims for medical costs while still in Italy and for extra and cancelled accommodation last Thursday. I was advised by email the same day that the claim is in a queue waiting to be allocated to a claims officer which should be within 10 working days of submission. I will update here when the claim is completed.

After we arrived home our GP referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon, who saw me the day after we called for an appointment and he sent me for a x-ray a week later and he is pleased with how the surgery was done in Italy. He said they did a good job and everything has lined up nicely. I can still not put any weight bearing on my right foot for another 2 weeks, when I will go back and have another x-ray and hopefully then be able to start to walk on it and start physio. It's not easy only being able to hop around with crutches or being wheeled around in a wheelchair when we go to appointments but I'm hoping everything looks good in 2 weeks and I can move on with my recovery.