Andrew Waterman
The Telegram
Gerry Gardner has been on the phone for four hours every week since April, trying to get money reimbursed for a trip that never happened.
Gardner is one of about 30 parents of high school students in Grand Falls–Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador, who had their trip to Europe cancelled in March because of federal travel advisories put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His son, who was 16 at the time, saved $1500 of his own money to book a $4000 trip through Italy and Switzerland with a company called Explorica.
A statement from the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD) said, though it was their decision to cancel the trips, “it is important to note that the district does not organize these trips, so families should liaise directly with their trip organizer at the school level.”
Gardner says he has been unable to get any comment from his son’s school since May, when he was told to leave it to the NLESD.
The official letter from the NLESD to Explorica was received on May 16, a month after the trip was planned to depart, a representative from Explorica told Gardner.
“This is part of the reason we’ve been so long being delayed,” Gardner said. “And then, of course, all the in-fighting among Explorica and the multiple insurance companies now that are involved.”
Trip Mate Inc. was the company that sold the insurance policy for his trip. However, that company had underwriters.
“Here in Grand Falls, my policy falls under Old Republic (Insurance Company of Canada),” Gardner said. “(But) there’s a good number on the trip that fall under Trip Mate which now has passed it off to Arch Insurance in the US.”
A representative from Explorica told him he would receive $1721 on June 29, the amount of money they had been able to recoup from the airlines and hotels involved, Gardner said. Explorica also said the insurance company Trip Mate would reimburse them just under $2000 within the following week.
“I picked up the phone and called Trip Mate, who at the time we were told was our policy holder, and they said, ‘Yup, you should be paid the end of the month, if not the first week of July,’” Gardner said. “Well, we never got paid the $1721 from Explorica until (July 20) and now Trip Mate and them all are saying (they) don’t know where anyone got those numbers because (they) never committed to any payments.”
When Gardner spoke to The Telegram, he had just hung up the phone from speaking with his insurance company, Old Republic.
“They’re still saying they’re waiting on documentation from Explorica, (and) Explorica is still saying they’ve sent everything they need to send,” Gardner said.
In an emailed statement, senior content and communications manager with Explorica, Stephanie Kerr, said their priority is advocating for their clients until they have been refunded.
“To date, customers have received all refunds from Explorica to which they are entitled under our program terms,” the email said.
Kerr says her team has submitted everything required of them two times at this point.
“Per a new request from Old Republic and subsequently from Arch Canada, we have also expedited additional requests for information that are outside the scope of the Terms & Conditions,” the statement said. “Our team has continued to meet with Trip Mate to help them resolve this issue with both underwriters, while also paying out the portion of refunds that are being provided directly by Explorica under our Terms & Conditions.”
The statement also says they have been advised that under Canada’s Insurance Act, the underwriters “should be negotiating any dispute they have after the claims are paid to families – not before.”
A request for comment was made with Old Republic Insurance, but The Telegram did not hear back in time for publication.
@AndrewLWaterman
