Travel Decision Reference 2023-0002

• Case Outcome: Rejected
• Reference: 2023-0002
• Date: 16 January 2023
• Year: 2023
• Subject Matter: Travel
• Finantial Sector: Insurance
• Conducts Complained Of: Rejection of claim - cancellation

Decision Ref:

2023-0002

Sector:

Insurance

Product / Service:

Travel

Conduct(s) complained of:

Rejection of claim - cancellation

Outcome:

Rejected

LEGALLY BINDING DECISION OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND PENSIONS OMBUDSMAN

This complaint concerns the rejection of a claim made under a travel insurance policy

purchased by the Complainants on 26 February 2020.

The Complainants’ Case

The Complainants held a travel insurance policy that was underwritten by the Provider. They

say that they booked a trip on 11 July 2019, and they were scheduled to travel abroad on

16 March 2020, but they subsequently cancelled their holiday due to “COVID-19”.

On 30 March 2020, the Complainants made a claim on their travel insurance policy in

relation to the cost of the cancellation, seeking to recover €1,933 for the cost of the trip.

The Complainants state that they were told by the Provider “from the outset” that it could

not proceed with the claim, until it had received cancellation invoices for the trip. The

Complainants note that it took several months for them to get copies of the invoices, due to

the closure of the shop through which they booked their trip. They say that ultimately, in

August 2020, they obtained cancellation invoices and phoned the Provider to inform it that

the invoices would be forthcoming. The Complainants state that, during this phone call, the

Provider’s agent informed the Complainants that it had written to the Complainants

regarding their claim, three months earlier, on 12 May 2020. They submit that they did not

receive this correspondence. The Provider then reissued its letter of 12 May 2020, which

declined the Complainant’s claim.