Unprofessional and ********* service l

<p> </p> <p><br />I write to you as I have exhausted all other avenues and have failed to get a satisfactory response to my issue.</p> <p>I had booked a trip with FlightCentre to travel with my husband to Zanzibar from the 22nd of November until the 29th of November 2016. Unfortunately my husband experienced a cardiac related issue in October and was hospitalised at the Cardiac ICU at St Augustines Hospital in Durban.</p> <p>The cardiologist post discharge advised against travel. I immediately contacted FlightCentre to get advise as to how to proceed. I was advised that I need not worry as I had taken out travel insurance underwritten by Santam and I could claim back whatever costs were lost as a result of the cancellation.</p> <p>I requested the travel insurance documents from my travel agent as although we had paid for it neither Santam nor Flight Centre had provided us with the documents. Upon making the claim with with Santam we were informed that the claim would not be paid out as my husband had a pre-existing cardiac condition and therefore he was not covered. This was not made aware to us at the inception of taking out the policy as we would have not taken it with Santam and sought a different travel insurance company. Furthermore no insurance documents were provided to us before, at the inception of taking the policy or even after taking the policy. I was only provided with the documents when I requested it. Additionally my husband was not hospitalised or treated for any cardiac related issue in the 6 months prior to our departure date. He had gone to see our local GP in July I think but that was only to collect a script for his chronic medication.</p> <p>Coincidentally I had a back injury prior to the trip and this delayed me from making payment to Flight Centre. When I informed the travel agent and the subsequent policy was taken out at no point was I informed that if for example my back injury acted up during the trip I would not be covered as it was a pre-existing condition.</p> <p>I have repeatedly sought assistance from Santam after they decided to not pay the claim and they have not acknowledged any of my means of communication. In fact I am constantly told they will attend to the matter. However it is now 2017 and this matter was brought to their attention on 23 October 2016.</p> <p>My policy numbers with them are: <br /> ********** 3/ ********** 4</p> <p>My issue is simple. Informed consent was nor obtained from me. I was not informed that pre existing conditions are not covered else I would not have undertaken the policy. Policy documents were not even provided to me.</p> <p>As a result I have now lost a substantial amount of money and have received absolutely no help from TIC. even when threatened to take this matter to the Ombudsman there was no reply!</p> <p> </p> <p>I feel cheated and helpless. There has been absolutely no feedback from this company. Had they given me the contract prior to inception I would not have taken out the policy with them. Even after payment and inception of the contractime i did not receive policy documents. Their attitude to this issue has been both ********* and unprofessional and I caution others against using this company.</p>