Travel partner breaks leg 27 days out--what to do?
 

I have planned a trip to Scotland for June 20-29. Airline tickets purchased (US Airways, DFW to Glasgow, connecting in PHL), hotel deposits paid, rental car deposit paid (to consolidator). My sister was going with me on this trip, and she broke her leg this morning, and will defintiley be out of action for this trip, and probably the entire summer.

We purchased trip insurance from Travel Guard, but I don't have the policy with me at the office, so I'm not sure what my options are. In fact, I'm not sure that reading the policy will make all my options clear.

Here is my dilemma-I really need to take a vacation this summer, preferably during the planned timeframe. I'm not sure that I would want to attempt the Scotland trip by myself for a couple of reasons: (1) the main emphasis of the trip was a driving tour of the Highlands, and I think having a navigator is just about essential if I'm going to drive on the "wrong" side of the road; (2) the destination for this trip was my sister's idea, and she might want to go some other year.

Any ideas on what my options will be? Will I have to take the trip or lose my money (in other words, will her accident entitle me to a refund of my airfare and other expenses)? Is there any chance that US Airways would change my ticket to another destination, or allow someone else to be substituted on my sister's ticket?

Generally, if you've been through something like this and have some advice, I'm all ears.

I would say "take me with you," except I'll already be in France then.

Good luck!

twk, my sympathies to your sister and you. Hopefully Underhill will see this thread. I know she has often said what a good company Travel Guard is. We have used our travel insurance policy when our luggage was delayed and had no problems with a claim. Your problem is so much more serious and you certainly don't have much time to come up with alternate travel plans. Lets hope this travel insurance is all and more than it is touted to be in your case. Good luck, Deborah

If you want a different trip, I'd try for a complete refund of this trip (if the policy supports it). Then separately, apart from the insurance company, book your new trip. I wouldn't try to complicate things by asking US Air to change the destination, which I doubt they would do anyway.

Get in touch with TravelGuard right away. Does your coverage provide for trip cancellation is a traveling companion cannot go? That will probably be the main issue.

Just in case the cancellation insurance doesn't cover your situation, there are alternatives in any event.

"...I think having a navigator is just about essential if I'm going to drive on the "wrong" side of the road..."

Rent a car that has GPS. There's your navigator. If you have a laptop computer, you can buy Microsoft AutoRoute with GPS Locator instead of paying the rental agency to use theirs. This is actually preferable to renting, because you can practice with it before you leave the States.

Can you get the deposit back on the car? Maybe your sister's travel insurance would reimburse her for her airfaire...you could then get the train and go into England...if you want to still go.
Wouldn't it be possible to train through the Midlands...supposed to be gorgeous...maybe over to Wales, Snowden,
...just an alternative idea that probably needs to be tweaked.

and I forgot...poor woman!! OUCH.

From the Travel Guard website it looks like a trip-cancelling injury/illness to an immediate family member <i>or traveling companion</i> is grounds for compensation. However not all coverages/policies are created equal, so phone Travel Guard ASAP.

The tickets can be rescheduled in most cases (if not refunded) with likely some payment of a penalty. Hotel and car deposits should be returned given the nature of the situation.

We've had to claim against travel insurance a couple of times, both with Travel Guard, and I've found them easy to work with.

You need to contact the insurance company, obviously, but the standard policy terms are online on www.insuremytrip.com

I would not do this trip on your own, anyway -- as you said, it was mainly your sister's idea and she may want to go some other time. Also, I agree you shouldn't do a driving trip by yourself. Not only for practical reasons, but it may not be as much fun, anyway. I prefer cities and more activity when traveling solo.

I think you can actually easily turn this into a trip you would want to do on your own with the same airfare, though. In fact, I have done a trip that would have fit it. Basically, you could visit some cities on your own in Scotland (Glasgow, Edinburgh), and then visit England coming down through York from Edinburgh or something, or see the the Lake country and then perhaps Wales and southern England, including London. Maybe you can fly out of London?

If not, and you must fly in and out of Glasgow, you can do some stuff around there by train on your own, or even go over to Ireland (Dublin) and back, I think.

YOu should be getting back deposits, I would think, this far ahead. Loss of a small deposit would be worth it to me to change the trip, if your insurance doesn't work.

shoot her behind the barn and take me :)
LOL
I hope you can get refund and deposits back... All the best to you and your sister.
I am taking my sister to Europe for her first time in Sept.

Your situation is a bit complicated but I believe you'll have no problem w/Travel Guard. For myself, I'd go it solo and pehaps find a travel partner. I recently returned from Cyprus with my wife, who happened to have broken her right foot the fourth day we were there. Shame it had to happen but I wish it would have occured before our leaving. Keep us posted.

So sorry, what a shame. Good luck.

First, sympathies to your sister. She must be bummed...this won't be her happiest summer :-(

For you, agree with the others, if the insurance company will reimburse you, take the compensation and plan another vacation.

If not, perhaps you would be willing to &quot;eat&quot; the car rental deposit and part of the hotel deposits (if they can re-rent the rooms, you may even get those back if you call and nicely explain your situation), spend a few days exploring Glasgow/Edinburgh and then hop a budget airline to somewhere else in Europe for a few days....according to www.whichbudget.com you have tons of possibilities with Glasgow as your starting point. Then do the Highlands another year with your sister.

Anyway, you can both congratulate yourselves for having the sense to buy trip insurance.

Thanks for the replies. I went home and got some more information at lunch and it does appear as though Travel Guard will pick up the costs for both of us. I called them up to start the claims process, and have gathered all my billing records and whatnot--now we'll just need the doctors letter and records release.

As I said, I don't think it would be practical to take this particular trip, under these circumstances, solo. So, assuming that my sister will be unable to go, I'll probably see if I can book a last minute trip somewhere else on my own.

As for driving on my own, my primary concern was doing it in the UK. I'm thinking about taking a trip to Normandy and the Loire instead, and I'd be comfortable doing that by myself (with the help of Autoroute, which I had already purchased and used to map out my Scotland itinerary).

I guess I'm now in the market for cheap airfares to Paris during the last two weeks in June.

We had to cancel a trip earlier this year when my Hubby got sick and needed some surgery. Our insurance was with Travel Guard and once we had all the relevant forms filled out which was very easy we got our non refundable deposits on flights hotels etc for each of us back from them very quickly. I guess there may be varing policies but good luck. Sorry about your sister have her use her down time to plan the trip you will take together!
J

So sorry about your husband, Jules and your cancelled trip plans. Hope he's all better now.

jules, I hope he is alright now.
twk, you sound like a sister I never had :)

Actually, I'm a brother. :)

LOL, but a brother too,:)

Travelguard should be able to at least cover the cost of the person who will not be able to go.

I am not sure if they will completely refund your part of the vacation.

twk, oops, I assumed you were a &quot;sister&quot; to your sister ;;). I hope it won't be too long before you both are able to visit Scotland.

Normandy and or the Loire would be an good trip. Just don't try to schedule too much driving on any one day. If you are interested, there are a number of B&amp;B's in those areas which might make being on your own not quite so solitary.

Wishing your sister a complete and speedy recovery. Deborah

Oh twk, I always wished I had had a brother to take a trip with! Your sister is so fortunate but I am sure she knows that. I certainly hope her broken leg heals quickly and I know you two will plan a trip in the future. Best wishes.

Do contact US Airways. We had a couple in my group trip to France who had to cancel due to health problems and US Air refunded all but $500 of their approx. $1700 airfare. They are submitting the rest for refund from their travel insurance. I think they also had the option of using the tickets at a later date, perhaps with a penalty. I'm not quite sure of all the details as it was handled between this couple and our travel agent who helped us purchase the tickets.

So sorry for your sister, but it looks like you are getting things resolved. This happened to my mom and I a few years ago when my Dad hurt his back. It took a lot of work to get the refund that was, indeed, owed to us, and Mom and I went just us. Dad came along the following summer.

If you get all your money back, consider taking a solo trip somewhere (Spain, perhaps. . . ) so that you still get your necessary vacation.

Glad all worked out for you. Best wishes to your sister, for a speedy recovery.Good luck in finding low airfares to France this time of year and avoid using Air France. Not the friendliest or cleanist that I've flown.

Will this vacation also be a motoring trip? If so, try and fit Colmar (Alsace region )in, especially if you enjoy good white wine. I have been living, for the past six years, on the German side of this region and never tire of visiting this most beautiful area.

I have just noticed that you are getting your money back from Travel Guard. I had not seen that when I posted about contacting USAirways. But maybe that will be helpful to someone else. At any rate, I'm glad things are working out for you.

Sympathies to your sister. I once went on a trip with a broken bone in my foot because I didn't want to disappoint my travel partner, but I guess that a broken leg left her no choice. Good luck on your solo travel plans.