TIP - TRAVEL INSURANCE CONSULTANTS - ANOTHER SOUTH AFRICAN **** in my opinion?

I travelled From Johannesburg to London Gatwick via Dubai with Emirates airline on the 29th June 2018 to attend the funeral of a very prominent figure and father of a close friend. As I purchased my ticket telephonically I was not able to take the Emirates 48 hr travel insurance for approximately R160. I usually pay about R500 for travel insurance for a trip but as no insurance companies do one-way travel (I don’t know how long I need to be in the UK & Spain & Gibraltar for this trip) it was recommended that I use TIP. I practically called them an hour before leaving for the airport and the consultant I spoke to, a lady had so much to say and I was desperate that I eventually agreed to take a 4 week insurance policy topped up to cover loss of luggage, missed flight etc which I thought she said cost R1064 but turned out to be approximately R1650. That is 25% of the cost of my air ticket which is ludicrous. Anyhow I had no option as I never travel without insurance as it can become costly with missed flights and missing baggage which has happened to many of my friends. I am really annoyed that I did not do a web search on this company before I committed to using them as I have since seen on Hello Peter that they have an 83% one star rating and comments of a **** company. My luggage did not arrive at Gatwick. It was eventually brought to Gibraltar where I currently am, 12 days later. I also put my back out out during the flight to London and my teeth have been playing up probably due to the stress of no luggage and and a pinched nerve in my back. I have filled out the online form at TIP to be contacted and ignored.

I wanted to know about my claims rights as I had to arrange to purchase a new suit, shoes etc for the funeral. It was an A-list funeral and my European designer suit and other apparel were in my luggage. I wore a suit on the flight but that could not be dry-cleaned in time as I arrived on a Saturday morning and the funeral was on the Monday afternoon. I also wanted to see a chiropractor and a dentist but I needed to know who to go to that the insurance would pay as I was already laying out funds for clothing, toiletries etc. Anyhow, 2 nights ago I landed up in the Gibraltar government hospital because my back went into spasms and I was collected by an ambulance. The Hospital did not charge me as I said I was having problems with my travel insurance. I need to go to a chiropractor and a dentist urgently and I don’t have the funds to do so privately. What is the point of taking travel insurance if they do not assist you. Had I taken the simple R160 insurance through Emirates, they would have given me an allowance immediately to purchase new clothes etc and helped me with my back issues.

Today I finally sent a message to TIP requesting a call to sort this out, else I told them I had no other option than to report them to Hello Peter and make the incident available on social media.

A gentleman, named Christian, a mere consultant, called me saying he represented TIP. I could hardly hear him. I explained my situation and he told me a whole lot of things that I couldn’t hear properly. He became quite rude when I said that I couldn’t hear him and requested a more official staff member of TIP call me from a different phone so I could hear them. He said that was not possible. I asked him to email me and put in writing what he was telling me that I couldn’t hear. I have not received an email. He refused to give me his surname and told me that there is no one else besides him that I can speak to. In other words there are no official staff members at TIP? Is this man, Christian, a front to deter people from making an insurance claim? Is this company a **** as the web is saying? If so that is ******** and charges need to be filed.