We'll see if our DVC Travelex Medical Claim is easily reimbursed!

[jerseygal]

DS seen at Urgent Care on our recent trip and diagnosed and treated for strep throat. Travelex On Call Medical Services were very good as I decided to let them "get the ball rolling" to identify urgent care centers, then we would continue to do our research on which one we decided to use. Although we have Cigna Health Care as our primary, since we have a high deductible plan this year, decided since we get Travelex insurance anyway, to use Travelex instead of Cigna. Within about a half hour of my telephone call to the On call medical services, they expeditiously e mailed me urgent care centers. We were seen first thing in the morning, but we paid out of pocket for the visit since the urgent care center would not bill Travelex directly. Requested from the doctor, physican notes on plan of care so that I can submit to Travelex as well as copy of paid invoice. Travelex then e mailed me a link for the claim form, which you need to enclose paid invoice as well as copy of " travel plan", in this case I enclosed a copy of our DVC room reservation, indicating the names on the reservation. Mailed it yesterday, certified return receipt requested, which requires signature so that I can track receipt by Travelex. Hope that the Travelex reimbursement claim process is expeditious! First claim ever to Travelex, so "hoping" for an easy claim reimbursement process.

 

[CarolMN]

Hope your DS is well again and that no one else got sick.

Good luck with the claim - and please let us know how it turns out.

 

[Splashboat]

Is this $89 per year? Do you know who it covers (everyone traveling on your reservation)?

 

[jerseygal]

Is this $89 per year? Do you know who it covers (everyone traveling on your reservation)?

Yes, per use year. If you are traveling on a reservation, that for example, is for 16 use year and 17 borrowed points, you would need to purchase 16 and 17 insurance for both use years. It covers everyone on the reservation staying in the room.

 

[moericus]

Keep in mind it is part of the claim adjustors job to minimize payouts/losses for the insurance company. They will make sure you cross your T's and dot your i's . However, these are people too. They have souls and are generally compassionate. They will usually phrase the loophole in such a way to give you an out or rephrase whatever you just said to make it work. LISTEN CAREFULLY! ANSWER CAREFULLY! If you respond in anger then be prepared to have the door shut in your face.

 

[jerseygal]

Keep in mind it is part of the claim adjustors job to minimize payouts/losses for the insurance company. They will make sure you cross your T's and dot your i's . However, these are people too. They have souls and are generally compassionate. They will usually phrase the loophole in such a way to give you an out or rephrase whatever you just said to make it work. LISTEN CAREFULLY! ANSWER CAREFULLY! If you respond in anger then be prepared to have the door shut in your face.

Respond in anger over what? When you purchase a policy, you are provide with the Description of coverage, eligibility, summary of coverage.

 

[moericus]

Respond in anger over what? When you purchase a policy, you are provide with the Description of coverage, eligibility, summary of coverage.

Insurance companies like to play hot potato with owed money. It's easy to get frustrated when they do this.

For instance the 5 questionnaire's, 3 calls, and god knows how many letters Aetna forced me to answer to verify my wife's last foot injury was not covered by worker's comp.

It was not a comment meant to criticize or reflect on your personality.

 

[Dean]

Insurance companies like to play hot potato with owed money. It's easy to get frustrated when they do this.

For instance the 5 questionnaire's, 3 calls, and god knows how many letters Aetna forced me to answer to verify my wife's last foot injury was not covered by worker's comp.

It was not a comment meant to criticize or reflect on your personality.

Workman's comp and auto insurance are different animals. There is a legal division of who's responsible between either of those and medical insurance. We sometimes have patients who say they'll just use their regular insurance instead of one or the other and legally that's not their choice.

 

[jekjones1558]

I think you will be pleased with Travelex. I don't remember how long it took for our claim to be paid but I remember that it was fairly quickly. And no hassles about paying either, just had to complete the paperwork.

 

[moericus]

Workman's comp and auto insurance are different animals. There is a legal division of who's responsible between either of those and medical insurance. We sometimes have patients who say they'll just use their regular insurance instead of one or the other and legally that's not their choice.

Agreed, but I don't think anyone mentioned auto insurance. I'm just saying I wish I didn't have to tell Aetna 10 times that my wife is just clumsy around the house. But I do not think OP will have any issues arguing her Disney trip is not covered by workman's comp.

Off topic - the number of people who do not take advantage of travel insurance is scary. You pay thousands of dollars for a trip to Europe and don't cover any of it? What if you get food poisoning over there? What if you need to be lifted by helicopter off a cruise ship (hint much more expensive than an ambulance)? You pay out of pocket for all those clothes lost in your luggage? It's cheap, use it.

Also, most credit cards have some basic travel insurance benefits. Don't overlook them.

 

[Dean]

Agreed, but I don't think anyone mentioned auto insurance. I'm just saying I wish I didn't have to tell Aetna 10 times that my wife is just clumsy around the house. But I do not think OP will have any issues arguing her Disney trip is not covered by workman's comp.

Off topic - the number of people who do not take advantage of travel insurance is scary. You pay thousands of dollars for a trip to Europe and don't cover any of it? What if you get food poisoning over there? What if you need to be lifted by helicopter off a cruise ship (hint much more expensive than an ambulance)? You pay out of pocket for all those clothes lost in your luggage? It's cheap, use it.

Also, most credit cards have some basic travel insurance benefits. Don't overlook them.

I mentioned auto (medical portion) because like workman's comp, there are specific rules of who covers what and what's covered and many people don't understand that. We get people who we have to turn away telling them they'll either have to use workman's comp or risk paying full price since it won't be covered by workman's comp. Likewise we get people who don't want us to file against their auto for medical issues because they're concerned it'll make their rates go up and/or they didn't plan on reporting it otherwise, again the rules govern this, it's not the policy holder's choice unless they simply want to pay OOP and take the risk themselves short and long term. Sometimes with travel insurance things aren't covered that one would think is and vice versa. I can't speak specifically for the travelex insurance through DVC. Sometimes with travel insurance the main insurance is primary and the travel insurance is secondary. They also often don't cover pre-existing conditions or if they do, there is an extra charge.

 

[jerseygal]

Thanks for your replies all! Have filed all the required paperwork, doctor visit meets all the description of coverage and eligibility. Will report back!

 

[Disneyhappy]

Keep in mind it is part of the claim adjustors job to minimize payouts/losses for the insurance company. They will make sure you cross your T's and dot your i's . However, these are people too. They have souls and are generally compassionate. They will usually phrase the loophole in such a way to give you an out or rephrase whatever you just said to make it work. LISTEN CAREFULLY! ANSWER CAREFULLY! If you respond in anger then be prepared to have the door shut in your face.

I feel sad that there is this perception of the insurance industry. As a 30+ year insurance claim professional with my most recent role in litigation management, our job is not too minimize payouts/losses but to pay the amount that we are legally obligated to pay-no more, no less. I know that there are bad apples out there that give every industry a bad name and insurance is no exception. The red tape (crossing T's and dotting i's) required in claim processing is because of the excessive fraud that takes place. The numbers lost are obscene. Again, the bad apples that ruin it for the rest. Also, a carrier needs to verify that they are only paying damages that they are contractally obligated to pay. Insurance is one of, if not the most regulated industries resulting in threats of bad faith almost everytime an insured receives an answer they don't like. Carriers are closely "policed" on unethical behavior. That said, I totally get the frustration when I am on the other side of the fence. I suppose the point of my post is to please try not to make broad statements that may not apply to the entire industry. If anyone ever feels they were treated unfairly, contact your state's insurance department. They take complaints very serious.

To the OP, I hope your son is feeling better!

 

[jerseygal]

Thanks for your replies all! Have filed all the required paperwork, doctor visit meets all the description of coverage and eligibility. Will report back!

HAPPY to report back, mailed Travelex claim on June 4th, received check today in mail for full amount of claim requested, 17 days from mailing not bad at all!

 

[ParrotBill]

Thank you for reporting back, and hope this convinces more people (including me) to include trip insurance when traveling, even on DVC points.

 

[Dean]

Thank you for reporting back, and hope this convinces more people (including me) to include trip insurance when traveling, even on DVC points.

I hope not because for many situations it's not a reasonable option. I'd suggest people look at their specifics and decide if it's a reasonable expense in their specific circumstance.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm just saying I wish I didn't have to tell Aetna 10 times that my wife is just clumsy around the house.

LOL. I liked the letters we had to send back reassuring our medical insurance that no, there was no other party to blame for a kitchen accident involving DS. And that no, Target was not in any way responsible for DS falling, even though he was AT Target, when his stupid parents put mittens on him to try them on (which of course are always tethered together) then tried a hat on him that made him tickle and caused him to buck back without being able to put his hands behind him to catch himself as he toppled backwards. Both times, just the parents to blame. Who were paying for the medical insurance premiums. No one else to go after. They sure wanted someone else to be responsible, though! (and I think we had Aetna then...their high deductible plan, which made it even sillier because were still in the deductible part of the insurance year, both times! they weren't paying anything!)

Thank you for reporting back, and hope this convinces more people (including me) to include trip insurance when traveling, even on DVC points.

DVC insurance, apart from any medical portion, gives you back the dues for points. It's rare that my family uses them in a timeframe where we wouldn't get the points back, and the dues on what we use just aren't THAT high. If one adult suddenly couldn't go, the other adult would almost certainly go with DS. As for any medical coverage included, we don't use our DVC points for cruises, etc, where being airlifted would be an issue.

So really, DVC travel insurance is NOT as much of a given as many want it to be.

 

[ScubaCat]

Everyone's situation is different. I've never bought travel insurance. There would have to be a much, MUCH higher risk of something happening for me to consider it. All those $89's add up to quite a bit of money, and then you have to deal with all the paperwork and worrying about what is and isn't covered, etc.

I did have DAN coverage when I used to scuba dive regularly, though. An airlift for a diver is UBER-expensive due to needing a pressurized aircraft, and one treatment in a hyperbaric chamber was over $20,000 (and that was in 1995, so it's probably double that today).

Again, every situation is different and you just have to decide for yourself. I personally think insurance is a huge racket for the most part, but it has it's place just like everything else.

OP, please let us know how the claim goes! My guess is that they won't give you any trouble. Companies that partner with Disney rarely risk that lucrative partnership on nickel & dime stuff.

 

[rlduvall]

OP, please let us know how the claim goes! My guess is that they won't give you any trouble. Companies that partner with Disney rarely risk that lucrative partnership on nickel & dime stuff.

Naughty ScubaCat - see post #14.

 

[jekjones1558]

For those who fly regularly to Disney, the Travelex becomes more desirable. Airfares for a family can add up fast and the penalties for canceling on most airlines are steep. If you fly to DVC multiple times in a year, the Travelex coverage can be pretty cost effective.