[Amy Waddell]

Dear Mr. Parks,
I made a flight reservation on May 25, 2011 with your company. I then immediately purchased insurance for the flight. My flight was scheduled for departure from Reno Nevada on June 9, 2011 returning on June 20, 2011.
My back went out on me one day prior to my scheduled flight. I notified the insurance company by mail and saw my doctor when I was able to move. My back has a deformity that I was born with and I don’t take any trips without purchasing insurance because of the nature of my unpredictable back problems.
The insurance I purchased denied my claim due to not going into my doctors office within 3 days of my back going out. Since having this back deformity my whole life, I knew what to do, and my doctor also has prescribed medication to help when my back problems arise. So, naturally, I did what I have been doing many years, following my doctors orders. Once my back allowed me to move again, I saw my doctor…but because I didn’t see her within the 3 days allowed by insurance the claim was denied.
I called USAir to inquire about the funds available on my account. I was advised from your customer service representative that since I didn’t call prior to departure, that I was considered a ‘no show’ and that my funds are automatically forfeited.
This practice of refusing to allow me to use the money I’ve already given to US Air for another flight seems absolutely fraudulent and a very bad business practice. Now, it seems, US Air has $1431.00 of my money that can not be used for any other flights.
I am demanding my $1,431.00 returned to me immediately. Not only is this fraud but this is a clear example of deceptive business practices.

[Gromit801]

So because you didn't perform due diligence and research ANYTHING to get definite information, your medical problem now becomes an entitlement and everyone else's problem.

I have back problems as well, including a spinal surgery in 1987. That doesn't preclude me from reading the"fine print."

[mars6423]

i wouldnt really say its deceptive, as its pretty known to the flying public that if you buy a nonrefundable ticket and you dont show it is a "no show" and that you wont get your money back hence the nonrefundable ticket, and you cant really blame the airline as you agreed to the contract and it is in there

it is also apparent you didnt read the terms of the insurance policy

knowing that you have a condition that can come up at anytime, why didnt you by a refundable ticket?

[nomoremonkeybusiness]

It sounds like you've been hoodwinked. You probably didn't read the fine print in a contract that is set up to give you a feeling of safety while ensuring that you probably don't actually have any. Did you just sign up for an insurance policy simply assuming that it it should provide coverage that you (and probably many others) would find reasonable? Insurance companies realize that a huge number of people do this and few in fact read the fine print. They encourage this as much as possible. But in fine print they omit as many reasonable claims as possible. And the policies end up making insurance companies huge amounts money precisely because they so rarely provide coverage. (I might be wrong. You might have recourse.) In any case, a lot of people in the court of public opinion will share you moral sentiments about how seedy such companies are and how seedy a legal system is when its laws continually reflect the interests of big money as opposed to normal consumers.

[jimworcs]

I am not sure about this one...

First, it has nothing to do with the airline. The ticket was non refundable. That is the reason you bought insurance.

Second, you bought insurance. You now need to abide by the terms and conditions of that insurance. When making a medical claim, having it verified by a doctor is a reasonable condition, and frankly 3 days is generous. Many require it within 24 hours.

Lastly, I assume you notified the insurance company of your pre-existing condition? Pre-existing conditions are not normally covered, so you may well have been turned down anyway.

[nomoremonkeybusiness]

I don't share the moderator's view that this necessarily has nothing to do with the airline. This may depend on numerous factors. Among them, did you purchase the insurance through the airline or with a link from the airline homepage? If an airline offers such insurance, then they are affiliated with it and thus morally, even if not legally, complicit with the bad practices of the insurer. Was it an insurance plan through an online ticket site. Then maybe your complaint is better lodged against them. I'm not sure if the various online insurance companies that sell insurance for a flight with US Airways need the compliance of US Airways to do that, or whether they generally have that compliance. If they do, then it seems to me that US Airways is also complicit. I would be rather surprised if US Airways didn't have agreements with various online ticket agents as well as insurance companies that allow (or promote) the selling of insurance to US Airways flights. It would surprise me if that weren't the case. But I do not know what the case is.

Here I am not speaking as much to the legal responsibility (they probably cover themselves with fine print that they know noone reads). I am speaking about moral accountability. Don't buy the insurance again unless the fine print meets your needs. And if you find that US Airways in complicit in it, fly with another airline.

[stonecold_1981]

Ok. There may be moral issues with the insurer but this has NOTHING to do with the airline (even if the OP bought insurance with a link from the airline website). I say this because it appears the OP has 2 primary complaints:
1. Not being refunded by the insurer (terms of contract w/insurance company)
2. Not getting travel funds from the airline for a flight s/he didnt end up taking

For #1, you can talk about the moral issues but fact of the matter is the issue rests solely with the insurance company. There may be some recourse here.

For #2, you HAVE to call the airline (PRIOR to the flight) to tell them you will not make the flight. It doesn't appear the OP had any emergency situation where s/he could not reach the phone and dial numbers. Since the OP didnt do this, it is a NO SHOW and the funds are lost.