Do you know that most claims for insurance are denied by the provider because of the claimant’s ignorance? When an insurance claim is denied, most people would declare that they have been scammed by the insurance company, but this is not true. There are many reasons why people are refused insurance. For example, medical travel insurance is not made available to people who failed to tell their provider that they are suffering from a certain pre-existing condition. As a matter of fact, this is the most cited reason for denied claims in travel insurance.
In the event that your insurance company refuses to pay insurance for anything that has happened to you during your trip for any reason, don’t fret. If you are claiming medical insurance, you don’t have to worry about becoming a hospital hostage because you have no funds to pay for medical treatment. Hospitals are obliged to release you once they have determined you are fit to go out in the world, but remember you are still responsible for covering your health bills.
If your insurance company doesn’t want to pay the bills, the first rational thing you should do is calm down. Don’t think about issuing threats to sue the company for denying your travel insurance claim. Insurance companies are used to this kind of behavior and often have the best lawyers to ensure that the legalities are covered for them. Send a letter or call your insurer and assert your right to be fully informed of the reasons for denial. Simply being told that your claim has been denied due to requirements not met is not acceptable. Ask for the reasons, clearly and plainly, so everybody understands one another.
Once the reasons are made clear and you still think that you should be covered by the travel insurance policy, then you may want to file for an appeal. An insurance company has to process appeals and sometimes, re-appeals from customers whose claims have been denied. It isn’t uncommon for insurers to turn their decisions around, especially if all the necessary documents are provided to prove they should cover your expenses.
If you are still being denied, don’t go to the courts just yet. There are other venues where your complaint can be filed and the next one up the hierarchy is the company ombudsman association with the insurers. Now, don’t worry about biased decision-making because company ombudsmen are independent. They do not earn a living by getting paid by the insurance company. Although company ombudsmen are not like judges, who can impose decisions on a certain case, insurance companies rely hugely on the judgment of their ombudsmen. Many cases of denied claims have been turned around at this level.
When all things fail, there is always the last resort: Go to court! Don’t go throwing your money on legal fees, especially when insurance companies will admit their mistakes if you prove them wrong.
