I Got Sick and Cancelled My Trip, Now What?

Dan answers: 

This doesn’t sound good, does it? Why would they cheat this woman out of her money? I called up the insurance company’s claims department and discovered what the problem was — she didn’t get a doctor’s note. It was that simple. She thought she could just stay home, self-medicate her illness, and her trip cancellation coverage would kick in. Not true. Read your policy. It clearly states what must occur. Here’s the second item under Coverage A Trip Cancellation from her policy:

2. Your or a Family Member’s or a Traveling Companion’s or a Business Partner’s covered Sickness or Injury, which: 
a) occurs before departure on Your Trip, b)requires Medical Treatment at the time of cancellation resulting in medically imposed restrictions, as certified by a Legally Qualified Physician, and c) and prevents Your participation in the Trip

I sympathize with this woman losing her money, but the rules are the rules. Did you ever need a doctor’s note for school, or a doctor’s note for work? Well, you apparently need a doctor’s note for insurance companies, too.