Thought I would report on my personal experience making a claim on travel insurance for a trip delay back in June. My policy was purchased through Squaremouth, written by Seven Corners, and cost $81 for two travelers (a middle aged aunt and her 20 year old nephew). The policy covered cancellation, interruption, delay, medical evacuation, and also allowed claims for COVID-related delay.
My need to use the insurance was for a delay in returning to USA. Very late on the second-to-last day before departure, we were in Brussels and got notified our train to Amsterdam the next day was canceled due to a train strike. That train was to get us to Amsterdam the night before our early morning flight home to USA. There were few alternatives to get to Amsterdam on short notice, aside from a very expensive one way car rental or a flight (but Brussels airport ended up closing due to strike too). After HOURS waiting on phone with Delta (Skymiles ticket), they finally moved our flight home from Amsterdam one day later without penalty. Then because of strikes all over the place, we did creative backtracking. We took the only train running back to London, then immediately took another train to Gatwick (to avoid another planned transit strike in central London...sigh). We stayed over night there, and the next day took a flight from Gatwick to Amsterdam airport, where we stayed overnight and then caught the delayed return flight. It worked out, but it made for a loooooong couple of days.
Based on the insurance policy definitions, I figured I would only get reimbursed for a trip delay, a flat $200/day per person. Even so, I filed the claim for most expenses (two train fares, one way airfare, an Uber ride, and two hotels). I didn't claim food, but in hindsight should have. I sent the claim electronically on on June 27. It stayed in pending status until mid-August when it changed to “under review.” I got a follow up question by email on Sept. 27 asking for a receipt I had already sent, then a few days later they asked for proof of the flight we actually took home (which I had not sent that since I wasn't claiming that cost). I never spoke to an agent directly, all correspondence by email.
I received a reimbursement check on Oct. 11 that covered everything, except about 10% of hotel costs were not covered (there was no explanation for why that was treated differently – I can't figure it out from the policy). Not sure what helped make my claim successful, but I did give a separate, very detailed narrative explanation of what happened, including the reasons for why the choices for backtracking were made (strikes, etc.). I also included copies of news stories documenting the train strikes and copies of receipts for everything claimed, and sent prompt responses to requests for follow up info.
Not sure this will help anyone else, but thought I'd share a positive outcome, since I haven't seen much good news about travel insurance lately. My big lesson from this experience: make sure you aren't in transit the day before your flight home – too many things can go wrong!