Getting credit card travel insurance to cover the change fee on a Disney cruise

Shannon Acton and her family were looking forward to spending a week aboard Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy last fall. Sadly, those plans ended abruptly when her father-in-law died suddenly just days before the trip.

For a $1,548 change fee, Disney allowed the grief-stricken family to switch to a future cruise. Assuming the travel protections provided by her Chase Sapphire Reserve would cover the charge, Acton submitted her claim.

However, that was many months ago, and despite her ongoing efforts to get the claim approved, she’s still struggling to receive a resolution from Chase’s eClaimsline.

Now, Acton is hoping that TPG can investigate and find out what went wrong with her credit card travel insurance claim.

Taking the family on a Disney Very Merrytime cruise

Early last year, Acton and her husband decided to spend the week after Thanksgiving on a seven-night Very Merrytime cruise with Disney through the Caribbean aboard Disney Fantasy.

Knowing that their sons, ages 3 and 4, would love the holiday-themed trip, which boasts a tree lighting, Santa Claus sightings, and many other fun events — including a visit to Disney’s Castaway Cay decorated for winter — they booked the closed-loop cruise embarking from Port Canaveral, Florida.

In the days leading up to their Disney cruise, the family was busy packing their suitcases and making last-minute arrangements when tragedy struck.

“My father-in-law died three days before the cruise,” Acton told me. “When I called Disney, they offered me a replacement Very Merrytime cruise in December for an additional $1,548. Knowing we were covered by trip delay/interruption insurance, I agreed to the charge.”

After agreeing to the change, Acton began the claim process through eClaimsline’s online portal.

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Although Acton had been under the impression she was filing a claim for a trip delay or interruption, because her family canceled the original cruise and rebooked, her claim actually fell under the category of trip cancellation.

Here’s a snapshot of the differences between these types of claims with the Chase Sapphire Reserve, specifically:

• Trip delay: A traveler is delayed by at least six hours or incurs an unexpected overnight stay because of a defined covered event on a common carrier (like an airline).
• Trip interruption: If a trip ends prematurely due to a covered event.
• Trip cancellation: The traveler is forced to cancel their trip before it begins. Again, the cancellation must result from a covered reason.

Acton filed her claim and eClaimsline adjusted it as a trip cancellation.

Then the family thought little more about the situation. They had more important things on their minds.

But then she found a TPG article reporting on some problems with eClaimsline, and Acton began to think she might need additional help.

As a loyal TPG reader, Acton hoped we could nudge things along with eClaimsline as we’ve done for other Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders.

“I have been a customer of Chase for years and had previously enjoyed my Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits,” she wrote. “I have liked traveling knowing Chase has my back in terms of trip insurance… or so I thought. Can you help me?”

When I reviewed Acton’s case, I assumed we could quickly resolve it. It appeared that she had coverage for the change fee and had provided all the required documents. Since most eClaims are typically reviewed and approved or rejected within 30 days or so, it was unclear what was causing the nearly 90-day delay.

What went wrong with this eClaim?

To find out, I reached out to our always helpful contact at Allianz, the administrator of Chase eClaimsline.

Hi ****,

This looks like a simple case. TPG reader Shannon Acton filed a claim for a change fee for her Disney cruise after her father-in-law died in November. She filed the claim with eClaims on Dec.3, and it seems all required documentation was submitted by Dec. 19. She has not received any requests for additional information – just emails that say a final determination will be soon.

Would your team be able to have a look and see if there is something wrong that is holding up the process? Thank you!😊

Michelle Couch-Friedman, Consumer advocate

And very quickly, the mystery was unraveled and Acton got her resolution.

How to make sure your travel insurance claim is approved

As a consumer advocate, I often receive requests for help from travelers who have hit insurmountable obstacles during their insurance claim process. When I look closely at these complaints, I frequently find that the consumer has either misunderstood their policy and filed a claim for something excluded by the terms of the coverage, or has not followed the required steps to file their claim.

Here’s what you need to know to give your travel insurance claim the best possible chance to be processed swiftly and successfully.

Make sure your policy covers your ‘named peril’

Named perils are unexpected events that could put your trip in jeopardy. These are identified in your policy as things that your travel insurance company will protect you against.

As there is a wide range of travel insurance products offered across the industry, it’s critical that travelers review every detail of the document before settling on a policy.

Keep the following in mind while considering your travel insurance options:

• Review the included coverage and how to use it. Before you rely on the travel insurance protection provided by your Chase Sapphire Reserve or other premium credit card, you should thoroughly review all the terms and conditions of that policy. Depending on your destination and type of travel, the policy wrapped into your membership may not provide all the coverage you require. There may also be special steps you must take to ensure you qualify for coverage. As we’ve seen in other cases here at TPG, overlooking those details can easily land you in an unprotected, expensive travel fiasco. So always review the entire policy and ensure you understand it before deciding.
• Only named events will be covered by your policy. The No. 1 reason travelers find their insurance claim denied is that they’ve filed a claim for something their policy doesn’t cover. The insurance industry is highly regulated and there isn’t a lot of flexibility in the claims process. So look for those named perils in the body of the document to be certain that your travel insurance policy contains the protection you want and need. Also, pay particular attention to named exclusions in the policy, such as preexisting conditions or other events that could void your coverage.
• You always have a 10-day look-over period. The insurance industry is unique in that it allows travelers a generous 10 days post-purchase to make a decision about the policy. If, during that time, the traveler determines that the policy doesn’t provide the protection needed, they can cancel and receive a refund. So if you’re buying travel insurance, use that look-over time wisely and review all the details of the policy.

Understand the claims process

Every travel insurance company has established ways to file your claim. Those steps will be listed in your documents. You should always begin the claims process as soon as possible after the covered event.

If you’re using the insurance that comes with your Chase Sapphire Reserve, then you can start the claim in either of the following ways.

1. Call eClaimsline at 888-675-1461
2. File a claim online with Chase eClaimsline

Mind the deadlines to file your claim

It’s critical to be aware of all the deadlines for travel insurance submissions — because even if you have a valid claim, it can be rejected if you don’t file in a timely manner.

For Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders filing a travel insurance claim, the timeline to keep in mind is:

• Alert eClaimsline within 20 days of the cancellation or interruption. The easiest way to do that is through the eClaimsline portal.
• Within 90 days, submit all the required forms and documents. Those will be listed in your account.

Carefully review the notifications in the online portal

After you report your covered loss to eClaimsline, you will receive a reference number. With that, you will be able to sign in to the online portal and follow the progress of your insurance claim. You should promptly upload each document that eClaimsline requests, as your claim will not enter the review process until each of those items is logged into the portal.

After you’ve uploaded all the required documentation, you should expect to receive a claim determination fairly quickly. If your claim appears to be stuck in limbo and there are no requests for additional information in your account, you’ll want to proactively escalate your case. It’s always best to keep your correspondence in writing to document your efforts, especially if you need to ask for third-party assistance (like TPG) later.

Using your claim number, contact the eClaims administrator at eclaimsline@eclaimsline.com to make certain that all your required documents have been received.

Double-check your contact information

Your insurance company will likely need to ask you for additional information as the claims process proceeds. If your contact information is incorrect, the travel insurance processors will have no way to reach you, and your valid claim could be denied.

Avoid this pitfall by carefully reviewing the contact information in your claim. Double-check for typos in your email address and phone number.

Monitor your emails and phone messages

While you’re in the midst of a travel insurance claim, always monitor and respond to your emails and phone messages. Remember, submitting your travel insurance claim and initial documents is only the first step to a successful claim.

File an appeal

It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally travel insurance companies make mistakes. If you believe your claim has been rejected in error, you can appeal your case to your state’s insurance commissioner. That is the organization that regulates the insurance industry in your state. Here’s how to find your state’s insurance commissioner.

But if, after filing your claim, you can’t get relief with your travel or credit card problem, TPG is here for you. Send your request to ombudsman@thepointsguy.com, and I will be happy to investigate your situation as well.