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Read the Fine Print in Your Travel Insurance

My wife and I just returned from a (non-Rick Steves) stay in the UK and France. Unfortunately, my wife discovered she had lost her passport just before we were to fly from Southampton to Bordeaux. We had to travel to London from Southampton to get a new passport at the US Embassy. Needless to say this involved some additional expense so upon return to the US I filed a claim under trip delay provision of my insurance. Naively, we took the train from Southampton to London. But I was shocked to learn that the only mode of transportation defined as a "Reasonable Additional Expense" (for trip delay) by this often recommended insurer was a taxi. Thus the transportation portion of my claim was denied.

Passports can be lost or stolen in many places, but they can be replaced in only a few. Don't make the same "rookie" mistake I did. Read the fine print now, including every definition in your certificate of insurance.

Posted by
8889 posts

That is ridiculous. A Taxi would have cost many times what the train did. What if you were in Edinburgh, were you supposed to get a taxi from Edinburgh to London?

It sounds like a clause written in a country where trains are not normally used.

There must be (there usually is) a clause about not deliberately incurring unnecessary expense, and only being able to claim for the cheapest reasonable option.
Could you perhaps get an estimate for what a taxi would have cost, and compared it with the train cost.

Posted by
14580 posts

Good that you were able to get a replacement passport quickly. I don't buy travel insurance, did it once in the last decade or so.

Posted by
12172 posts

I don't buy travel insurance either because I don't think it's a good bet for me (to date).

Insurance is a contract. They accept some of your risk in exchange for a premium. How much risk? Read the contract. Expect the insurance company to abide by the contract to the letter, no more no less - they will expect the same of you. There are often notification requirements you must meet to be eligible for reimbursement. If you fail to abide by the contract, you may lose your ability to collect - making the policy worthless.