The HfP chat thread – Sunday 28th November

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• The Rooster says:

  28 Nov28 November 10:03

  Does anyone know any travel insurance which will cover points? IHG Points etc?

  • Blair says:

    28 Nov28 November 10:15

    In what sense? I saw you asked this last night? Is this in relation to Creation/IHG pulling a stunt on wiping out points?

  • Andrew says:

    28 Nov28 November 10:17

    Points stays often have a 2-3 day cut-off for cancelling, so perhaps Rooster is looking for insurance for any last minute cancellations of points bookings?

    • The Rooster says:

      28 Nov28 November 10:21

      I am going to the Intercontinental Maldives for 11 nights using points over Christmas for our honeymoon but the reservation is non refundable as its Christmas time.
      With this new variant I’m concerned we might not be able to go and would just loose all the points 1million +. So wondered if there was any travel insurance to protect the points!

      • Christina says:

        28 Nov28 November 10:38

        You don’t own the points and they aren’t your property, IHG does.

        • TGLoyalty says:

          28 Nov28 November 11:23

          Okay. That’s what the T&C says but it doesn’t mean OP won’t be 11 nights out of pocket.

          I suspect The IC might change their terms if they’re red listed (I don’t see why they would be) bojo and his band of clowns actually seem to grasp you can’t stop and only slow the spread so want to target those countries where it’s likely to have been spreading for a little while already.

  • N says:

    28 Nov28 November 11:22

    From memory, Nationwide explicitly mention airmiles in their Insurance docs

    • Dave says:

      28 Nov28 November 11:51

      I guess let’s see. To say I’m anxious about my Thailand holiday being cancelled in three weeks is an understatement! Whether from border controls at our end or theirs. The problem is that the public seem to love strict border regulations for Covid so the politicians don’t lose much be being seen to be overly strict. Guess will see what the next couple of weeks brimg

  • Char Char says:

    28 Nov28 November 11:49

    I have successfully claimed on travel insurance for a cancelled free night voucher night (Not IHG in this case), the insurer wanted to know the cost of the room, now for a points booking with IHG you maybe lucky to receive their invoices that show how much they get paid by IHG.

    You could then use this invoice as proof of cost, if you contact the hotel they maybe helpful and provide this to you but most likely it would be post stay.

    The issue I see for you is that you need to not be able to travel for a valid reason ie they have blocked flights to where you are going, if they do block flights then I don’t see it being a problem.

    I used Nationwide Flex account insurance.

    • ChrisC says:

      28 Nov28 November 11:56

      Rob has said several times that IHG pay hotels around $20 per reward night (unless they are at something like 95% occupancy when it’s full cost)

      Surely a better amount to claim would be the cost of buying those points as this can easily be verified.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        28 Nov28 November 12:00

        Exactly.

        Should be what it costs to get the points back. Though that isn’t actually possible in this case due to cap on how many you can buy.

        The price IHG pays is irrelevant

        • Char Char says:

          28 Nov28 November 12:31

          Maybe irrelevant but if you get an invoice showing a full price night on a reward booking its helpful to make a claim.

        • BJ says:

          28 Nov28 November 13:16

          IIRC @Rooster paid almost all of it with vouchers though, and only 100k or 200k points so will need towork on the voucher angle.

        • BJ says:

          28 Nov28 November 14:40

          @Char, sorry, I thought I replied to TGL. Just thought OP used mostly vouchers but discussion has been around the points. No matter, either way OP needs to cover both in approach to insurer if it becomes necessary but hopefully it will not.

      • Char Char says:

        28 Nov28 November 12:36

        Yeah I know that and obviously it would be an ideal situation to claim the price of the points but t first thing is they will ask how much you paid and require an invoice from the hotel, so then you need to ask the hotel for an invoice.

        Hard to dictate terms to travel insurance companies whose job is to pay out as little as possible.

      • Char Char says:

        28 Nov28 November 12:37

        The point was if you get an invoice with the full price then you can use that, if you get one showing $20 then don’t use it, common sense.

  • Char Char says:

    28 Nov28 November 12:47

    I suggest contact the hotel and ask to move the dates

  • JDB says:

    28 Nov28 November 13:34

    Taking out a new policy now, what sounds like a long time after booking, and with circumstances having changed will attract a lot of attention if you make a claim. Essentially, you and others see a heightened risk of cancellation; it was foreseeable when you booked and now highly so. You need to check in advance if they will cover you, and in what circumstances. Many on here will say it is stupid to ask, but insurance policies are contracts of uberrima fides. As others have said, getting the hotel to move the dates may be the best answer.

    • Magic Mike says:

      28 Nov28 November 13:59

      Imho… Uk won’t be putting any more countries on the red list now we’ve found Omicron here. There is a chance Maldives will put UK on their “red list” – if so check your existing travel insurance or contact the hotel to change dates.

      As JDB says, don’t try taking out a new policy now, they will see straight through you.

      • The Rooster says:

        28 Nov28 November 14:56

        Thank you all for your help.
        My concern was if the Maldives puts the UK on the red list but the IC have confirmed that is that is the case they will refund the points so 1.1 Million points are not lost! Albeit I would rather go

• VerdantBacon says:

  28 Nov28 November 10:47

  Just got an email from simplytestme that they’ll be refunding the lat flow tests they haven’t dispatched yet. More than I expected from them really.

  For all tests not yet dispatched for bookings with an arrival date before the 3rd January 2022
  we will be giving automatic refunds minus our incurred costs (transaction fee and admin fee) of 50p per test.
  That’s a refund of £11.50 for a £12 standard booking, or £15.10 on a Tracked 24 service.

  • Aston100 says:

    28 Nov28 November 16:26

    “arrival date before the 3rd January 2022”
    Presume this means up until midnight on the 2nd of Jan?
    Shame, as I’m landing on the morning of the 3rd.

• patrick says:

  28 Nov28 November 11:19

  Someone attempted to use my IHG card in NYC yesterday. They rang me and the card has been cancelled. They have sent me a new one – the person I spoke to seemed unaware that any new card would be cancelled on Friday.

• Christopher says:

  28 Nov28 November 11:32

  Got myself in a bit of a pickle trying to get best value from a multi-leg trip LHR>SFO then departing SAN>LHR.

  I had 100k Amex points + 30k Avios, and have just transferred 80k Amex to Avios, but really can’t work out if i’m best trying to upgrade after purchase, pay points+money at checkout, or book as a reward flight with the big taxes that come with it!

  So many options, and i’ve tried to calculate best value with limited success.

  • Anna says:

    28 Nov28 November 12:30

    I think the issue currently is that you have to call to upgrade so would be dependent on getting through before the seats went. Also you can only upgrade to CW from PE AFAIK so you’d still get stung for the taxes/fees.
    However – as you want to do an open jaw trip you’d need to call anyway or else you’ll be charged the horrendous premium BA slaps on for one-way redemptions from the US!
    Right now I’m only making online bookings with BA, especially since the new travel restrictions were announced!

  • BJ says:

    28 Nov28 November 13:34

    Depends how much you value flexibility, and what sort of flexibility you value. At the moment you have the choice of the usual £35 avios flexibility or the FTV flexibility. Avios and money works well for WT+ but not for CW or F. Part pay with avios works well only if there is a generous promotion or if you insist on redeeming longhaul but have insuffi isn’t avios to pay in full. Upgrade using avios is often interesting but flexibility depends on the original fare rules and the £35 avios flexibility also applies. Most of the time a straightforward full avios redemption is the simplest and best option for mist people on most flights in my view. The fees are high but you are effectively purchasing a fully flexible ticket, not a nonrefundable promotion fare which is what most people mistakenly compare them to.

    • BJ says:

      28 Nov28 November 13:53

      Should have added that if you search HfP you will find articles dealing with each of the options pros and cons in detail.

• Shilpa says:

  28 Nov28 November 11:51

  Do we think the US will introduce restrictions for Brits/people arriving there? Due to go on Thursday and slightly worried.

  • BJ says:

    28 Nov28 November 13:38

    Not until/if Omicron becomes established hers, and even then may depend on impact and also the situation in the USA.

• Char Char says:

  28 Nov28 November 11:53

  Anyone else not able to login to Creation despite resetting password?

  • Harrier25 says:

    28 Nov28 November 12:11

    That happens a lot and normally just means the website is down.

  • will says:

    28 Nov28 November 12:23

    Yep, on top of that I seem to find it asks me several times for my password on occasion, I’m certain I am typing it correctly. If it is a fraud deterrent then I give them some credit for that at least.

• mart says:

  28 Nov28 November 12:21

  i speculatively topped up me and the wifes radisson americas accounts for a 2 night booking-1 night on each account , in the 24hrs until the points posted the hotel has a 2 night minimum ,anyway round this ?

• ChrisC says:

  28 Nov28 November 12:32

  BA suspends Hong Kong flights

  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59450416

  “British Airways has suspended flights to Hong Kong amid reports more of its crew members have been forced to quarantine in a government centre.

  “BA confirmed it has temporarily stopped flights “while we review operational requirements for this route”.”

  • John says:

    28 Nov28 November 13:22

    I’m hoping (though probably unlikely) that they will merge it with BKK.

    More likely is either 2 sets of crew don’t get off the plane, or stop in BKK for crew change but no passengers on or off.

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