Travel insurance company Allianz is getting deep into logistics to avoid refunding a customer money for insurance purchased in November 2012.
Barbara Butkus, 80, went online to buy a plane ticket from Palm Springs, California to Washington D.C. to attend a family reunion.
She then purchased travel insurance as she booked her flight through Orbitz, the online travel agency.
Her ticket coverage came from Allianz, one of the largest travel insurance agencies in the area.
Then, Butkus was forced to cancel her trip for health reasons, reports the Los Angeles Times. A month after she purchased her ticket, she began battling with extreme shortness of breath. Her doctor told her not to get on a plane, as that could exacerbate the situation. Butkus asked for a refund of her $451 ticket from Allianz, filing a claim with the company.
The insurance company rejected her claim last month on grounds that her medical emergency was a preexisting one; since she experienced this shortness of breath when she purchased her ticket, her request was therefore defunct.
According to Butkus, Allianz had to make that kind of statement by getting her doctor to tell them what they wanted to hear.
"It's ridiculous," Butkus told the LA Times. "You buy insurance in case something happens. And when it does, you can't collect on it. I know my claim doesn't seem like a lot of money, but it's a lot to me. I live on Social Security payments and a small pension."
The $29.33 insurance policy Butkus purchased did not include coverage for existing medical issues, which Allianz referenced upon their reply. If the customer sought or received treatment within 120 days of purchase, then their condition was a preexisting one, and did not apply.
Allianz approached Butkus' cardiologist Dr. Philip J. Patel and told him to circle dates of visits when Butkus was treated for possible heart or kidney trouble-no dates were indicated as such.
Still, Allianz went on to ask, "was the patient symptomatic of or receiving treatment for the primary or underlying conditions," during the four months prior to booking her trip?"
The doctor said yes.
Based on this information, Allianz says they cannot refund her for this particular booking.
Spokesperson for the California Department of Insurance Nancy Kincaid told the LA Times officials want to take a closer look at the case, as Butkus continues to fight for her money.
Should Allianz reimburse their customer, or abide by their rulebook?
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
