Case Study

An accountancy firm client went on a family skiing holiday abroad, during which his wife injured her arm. On his return, he submitted a travel insurance claim for the medical treatment she received. He had hoped to claim physiotherapy costs, but these were not covered under the policy, and we began exploring private medical insurance as an alternative for the future.

The handling of the claim was poor, repeating problems previously experienced with the same insurer. Our Lisa followed every step correctly on the client’s behalf, including confirming the bank details with the insured and ensuring they were accurately recorded on the claim form. Despite this, the insurer made a series of errors. The claim was passed to the same handler who had caused issues before, and payment was sent to the wrong bank account because of a single-digit error in the account number. The mistake created unnecessary delays, and Lisa had to chase the matter, identify the error, and press for correction when the payment was not received.

Although the claim was eventually settled, it took much longer than necessary due to the insurer’s mistakes. Our Lisa raised a formal complaint about the poor service, which was upheld, and the client received an additional £30 compensation. The insurer outsources travel claims to a third party, which contributed to the quality issues. Lisa has also offered to provide training to the insurer’s staff to prevent further problems and is awaiting their response.