TAMARAC, Fla. --
Agency clients who sought approximately $5,000 in refunds on a
canceled $21,000-plus 2003 FIT to Australia and New Zealand settled
for partial payment from the travel insurer, Tennessee-based Trip
Assured, but failed to win a settlement from Travcoa, the operator.
The clients, a
Florida couple, canceled their trip due to illness and collected
$4,252.66 from Trip Assured, based on what the insurer identified
as insured nonrefundable trip payments and $12,258.75 plus the cost
of their air tickets from Travcoa, based on what the operator said
it could recover from suppliers. That left around $5,000
outstanding.
The couple sued
both parties, as well as their agency, Tamarac-based Woodmont
Travel, in Miami-Dade County Court for the balance. In out-of-court
negotiations, plaintiffs pursued compensation from the insurer and
the operator.
Trip Assured
agreed to pay an undisclosed portion of the $5,000. However, said
the plaintiffs attorney, Robert Black, Travcoa did not step up to
the plate, and his clients decided to close the case because it
would be too expensive to pursue further.
Travcoa viewed
the matter as a dispute between the travelers and the
insurer.
To contact
the reporter who wrote this article, send e-mail to Nadine Godwin
at [email protected].