A WRAL 5 On Your Side story detailing a local military family’s struggle to get a refund is sparking outrage on social media.
On Monday, WRAL 5 On Your Side reported on Dana Arnold and her partner, Sgt. First Class Chris Beadles. The couple had to cancel their Bahamas cruise after Beadles was suddenly deployed amid the growing conflict in Iran.
Other WRAL Top Stories
Despite paying for travel protection, both the insurance administrator, Aon Affinity Insurance, and Royal Caribbean denied their refund. That’s when the family turned to WRAL 5 On Your Side.
After 5 On Your Side got involved, the family received about 60% of what they spent, some as future cruise credits and some as cash refunds for taxes and gratuities.
However, travel advisor Chad Sasso said that falls short of what the policy appears to promise.
Under the “Vacation Protection Plan” they purchased, there are two different types of coverage:
-Standard cancellation typically provides up to 90% of the cruise fare back as a future credit, not cash.
-Covered events may qualify for a full cash refund of the trip cost.
“Generally, you can cancel right up till the time of departure, and you can get your 90%,” Sasso said.
So far, Arnold and Beadles have received just $772 in cruise credits, well below what that 90% credit would likely be. Based on the policy, Sasso estimates they may be owed closer to $1,126 in credits alone.
And there’s more.
According to the policy, military deployment may be a covered reason for cancellation, as long as the service member provides documentation from a commanding officer. If that applies here, the family could be entitled to a full cash refund, not just credits.
“They’re a military family,” Beadles said. “They’re protecting our country. They shouldn’t have to be going through this.”
WRAL 5 On Your Side is still pushing for a full cash refund. But even if the deployment claim is denied, experts say the family should still be receiving significantly more in credits than they’ve gotten so far.
What you need to know
- You should always get back taxes, fees, port expenses and prepaid gratuities, even without insurance.
- With travel protection, you typically get either a full cash refund (for covered events) or a partial refund in future travel credits.
What to do if your insurance claim is denied in North Carolina
If an insurance claim is denied in North Carolina, review the denial letter for specific reasons, gather supporting evidence (photos, estimates and records), and file a formal internal appeal with the insurer.
If the appeal is denied, people can file a complaint with the North Carolina Department of Insurance or seek legal counsel.
