Holiday insurance grief and earache

[timwilky]

OK, we have a family holiday booked to Marrakesh in September.

The final payment has to be made this week. But I am getting grief over the insurance, apparently the agents want details of our insurance and I am saying I will buy it nearer the time.

What is the point of buying the stuff now when I will not be using it for near on 6 months. I am sure they are trying to pressure the wife into taking out their own insurance which will not be suitable.

She has health problems that do not affect her ability to travel, no secrets that she had breast cancer, PBC and auto immune hepatitis. Non of these will suddenly incapacitate her but if she doesn't declare them any insurance would be voided and if she does most insurance comapnies are scared stiff and refuse. So only the specialist companies that deal with insurance for those with medical conditions will touch her with the "we will not cover you pre existing conditions" proviso. So travel agent supplied insurance is a waste of time.

Would you take out insurance on a bike/car that you intend to use in 6 months. no you would wait until you needed to use it. Why then are we being asked for insurance details 6 months ahead of the holiday?

Maybe they are trying to account for potential civil unrest in the region?

What exactly are they saying when you tell them 'we will sort our own out in our own time'?

[timwilky]

I wish I knew, it is the wife & daughter that are telling me they want the details of our insurance with the final payment. It just seems daft that I need to take out insurance this weekend before they will accept payment. Her insurance is never cheap. so I dont see why all the expense should be the same month

[Sir Trev]

If you have insurance and something prevents you from going well in advance, but you've not yet paid, the travel agent gets paid via the insurance. If you don't have insurance, have outstanding payments and something happens you're more likely to default (they think) hence insist on it.

Of course if you've paid up fully I also don't see the point of insisting on it as the problem is then yours and not the agents...

Time to bypass the wife and daughter and ring up yourself to get the whole picture. Were there any terms and conditions when you booked your trip. Might be worth a read.

[Gazza77]

To cover you for unforeseen circumstances perhaps? Something like the ash cloud happens again and your flights were cancelled, you wouldn't be covered unless you'd taken out a policy prior to the event, and that could happen at any time between now and when you travel.

[punyXpress]

Call me a cynic, but doubt travel company has tw's welfare at heart. Once they've got his final payment, any problems are his alone. Just a ploy to flog their own overpriced, underspecced ' product ' ?