We booked a 21 day trip through Vantage Worldwide Travel - Aegean Treasures 2020 with both the 3 day pre (Sophia, Bulgaria) and 3 day (Travina, Albania, Kosovo) post trip excursions in January 2019. The trip was scheduled for May 1 to May 21,2020. The total cost of the trip was $16,490 less a $1,826 travel credit - net cost $14,664.
Along with the booking we purchased the Trip Mate, Inc. CANCEL FOR ANY REASON TRIP INSURANCE through Vantage World Travel at Vantage's recommendation. We took the more expensive CANCEL FOR ANY REASON TRIP INSURANCE ($1,798) with the understanding that should my wife's cancer treatment regimen or health conditions change, we would get a refund of our fares. My wife's health conditions and treatment regimen did indeed change in early February 2020. As of early March 2020 she is once again on bi-weekly intravenous chemotherapy treatments.
After hearing her news, and before the Covid-19 Pandemic was announced, we decided it would be best to cancel the trip. We started the claims process on March 11,2020, the necessary documentation, including Doctors letters, were received by Trip Mate, Inc on or before March 23,2020. The claim was approved by Trip Mate, Inc. on May 12,2020 and is shown in the Claim Status page as - "payment in process - refer to payments tab". There is nothing under the payment tab on the website.
After five (5) phone calls to customer service, a letter to the CEO's of both Vantage and Trip Mate, as of August 8,2020, we have received nothing but a run-around from Trip Mate, Inc. It is clear that the customer service representatives have been given a script with responses they can use to deflect customer's inquiries. The excuses provided are that Trip Mate, Inc. is paying all the small claims first and since ours is a large claim it is still in process (?); that Vantage Worldwide Travel had not yet delivered the funds to pay this claim to Trip Mate, Inc (What about insurance company reserves?); that I would need to talk to a supervisor but they are all in a meeting and that I would get a call within 24-48 hours from a supervisor; that the claim payment is in accounting and being processed as we speak (?); that if I send an email to a supervisor (yesterday) I would get an email response when she had time - I did get an automated "no-reply email" saying that I would get an email within the next 30 days. Another deflection via automated email!
We suspect that Trip Mate, Inc. will never issue a payment to us. That they will keep the premium payment and the $10,783.50 that they owe us. Is this fraud?!?! Theft?!?!. In my mind's eye, they owe us a total of $12,591.50 (the $10,783.50 plus the premium of $1,798). Someone/some agency needs to investigate this company for fraud!
I must admit that the Customer Service Representatives are very good at what they do - reading from a script, faking a 2-5 minute discussion with a supervisor and doing their best to deflect customers inquiries. One rep admitted she had worked there for 11 years - she was the "best" - really!
After reading reviews on various sites I realize that Trip Mate, Inc. must be (as one review said) a Phantom Organization. I believe they have no intention of resolving this claim by issuing check(s) to us.
After this experience, we will never again book a trip with Vantage Worldwide Travel and will never consider insuring any trip through Trip Mate, Inc.
The one star rating is so that my review would be posted.
UPDATE - 5/14/2020
1. On May 7, Trip Mate was DIRECTED by their underwriter, United States Fire Insurance Company via their holding company, Crum & Forster, TO PAY MY CLAIM.
2. I followed up twice with Kyrah Brandt at Trip Mate, the person to whom I was referred by Crum & Forster twice. NO RESPONSE.
3. I sent a personal email to Chris Carnicelli at generaliglobalassistance.com, the CEO of Trip Mate's parent company. No response.
4. I have forwarded 40+ documents to Trip Mate and have received ONE response from a human, the claim denial.