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Why I suggest not using Mondial Assistance for travel insurance
Earlier this year my family and I set out for an adventure of a lifetime to the Amazon jungle. The trip was to lead us deep into the Amazon where we would learn the ways of Amazonian tribes in their natural environment. Friends and family had discussed different concerns with my husband and I about bringing our two small children, age two and four, along for this amazing journey. We insured them that we had purchased adequate travel insurance through Mondial Assistance and would be in safe hands if something were to go wrong. One week into our adventure something did go wrong, my husband and small children contacted a tropical flu. A flu that I was very unfamiliar with. Our two small children were fevering to the point of hallucination, followed by diarrhea, and vomiting. My husband was inflicted with the same symptoms. Without running water, electricity or any form of communication to the outside world we decided to leave the group and move closer to the city of Iquitos to receive medical assistance. The children and my husband were seen by a physician who immediately scheduled treatment. For my husband this included several injections of antibiotics in the rear as well as oral medication. The children were given strong dose of oral antibiotics as well. I contacted Mondial to make them aware of our situation and to find out what we would be covered for. I was told that as long as a physician wrote a letter stating that it was necessary to leave the jungle to receive medical attention, the expenses of a hotel, meals, medication and travel to and from the doctor would be covered. I would need to pay for it up front and it would be reimbursed when we returned home with the proper documents. This was not the case as I would later find out. After providing all the documents and receipts required I waited for a response. After not hearing from them for several weeks I decided to call and check the status of my claim. I was told that I had not provided sufficient documents to support my claim. After spending 30 minutes on the phone going over all the details again it was agreed that in fact I had provided the proper documents and the woman assured me that she would have someone look at this file again. A few more weeks passed without being contacted so I called again. This time I was told that I had to give reason as to the cause of documentation delay, after 45 minutes of explaining the situation to the receptionists it is agreed that this delay was not on my end and needs to be looked at again by Mondial claims officers. This time I'm told that they will contact me, as I'm starting to voice my frustrations. A few more weeks pass and no one has called. Today I received a letter in the mail explaining that my claim has been denied because I have failed to provide a written recommendation from an attending physician stating the service was medically necessary. In order for me to appeal this claim I am told I will have to provide new information. Documents already submitted would not be sufficient. Being that I provided them with exactly what was necessary to file a claim-Doctors letter, hotel receipts, meal receipts, and medicine receipts- it would be difficult to find new documents stating the same things. I am out 3000.00 dollars and fed up with dealing with this company. My goal now is to prevent others from using this company for travel insurance.
Tina O'Toole
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Travel insurance, Why not to use Mondial Assistance
Oct 28 2008, 11:44 PM
