Laya Travel Insurance rejecting Covid claim

philhohenstett

Hello All!

I was supposed to travel to France Nice in April this year, but had to cancel the hotel due to the Covid crisis. My Aer Lingus flight was also a cancelled.

I have a travel insurance with Laya. I filed a claim for the hotel costs, which Laya though rejected on the basis that I received from Ibis a hotel voucher.

The Ibis Hotel Nice indeed offered me a voucher but it's only redeemable until April 2021 and only in the exact same hotel in France. However, the Irish government still has the Travel Advisory in place since March 2020. The travel advisory is not changing, even if the government is issuing a green list, for which however France is missing anyway due to high Covid Cases. Also all Irish travel insurances don't provide any protection as long as the travel advisory is in place. This pandemic situation is unlikely to change until April 2021, only worsen with the winter.  It's impossible for me to travel to France until April 2021, and therefore the hotel voucher is not a valid refund. The hotel costs are irrevocably lost and consequentially have to be paid by the travel insurance as per the outlined policy and with excess. 

I booked the holidays in February before the crisis began and before the travel advisory was issued. is there anyone who had a similar case? How I can escalate this claim?

Sarn

Did you have a choice in accepting the voucher or not?

If you accepted it, then I can understand where Laya are coming from, in that you’ve already received compensation. If you refused it, on the grounds you’ve mentioned above, and thus you did not receive compensation, then you should have a case.

philhohenstett

Sarn wrote: »

Did you have a choice in accepting the voucher or not?

If you accepted it, then I can understand where Laya are coming from, in that you’ve already received compensation. If you refused it, on the grounds you’ve mentioned above, and thus you did not receive compensation, then you should have a case.

Hi Sarn,

No I didn't have a choice. I requested a full refund, they only offered a voucher which I however rejected.

endofrainbow

could you talk with the hotel and see if they're willing to extend the voucher ?

ted1

If you have a voucher you are not out of pocket. Try a chargeback from your credit card