[dctraveler]

Just a quick response. It was the airline, not the insurance company that told me I could pay $10 to cancel and not receive a refund. I did try to get the agent to clarify but all he kept saying was that he could offer two options. One was to cancel for $10 the other was not to show up. The fee to change the reservation would have been more than I paid for the tickets. The airline rep kept saying -- all you paid was such and such -- not counting that I had purchased two tickets and had paid for seat assignments, which puts the amount over $200. Not an amount I can afford to write off. Which is why I purchased insurance.

The insurance agent was more helpful. But told me that if I needed a refund for illness, it would not only require a note from a doctor saying that I was too ill to travel but a note that listed a specific diagnosis, like an ear infection, along with treatment prescribed. We had taken the first leg of the trip. Were not at home to see our regular physician. We were unable to obtain such a specific note. The insurance agent told me that the only remedy would be if the cruise line we were supposed to be traveling on would help, we would be able to qualify for a refund. The cruise line will only help if you book an airline reservation through them.

Catch 22 at best.

I'm not sure if all your responses come from being a representative of the airline or simply someone who is playing devil's advocate. Let me asssure you that our complaints are legitimate and it is very frustrating to have to defend why we resent being ripped off on top of all the frustration involved in being treated unfairly.