Another lawsuit filed in fake travel insurance case

That fake travel insurance story just won’t go away.

First I got sued by a travel agency for reporting on it, along with another customer. (Both cases were dismissed.)

Then their customers sued back. And now they’ve done it again.

A lawsuit was filed yesterday in United States District Court in Miami against Revelex, a booking engine used by agents, and two travel agencies, Legendary Journeys and Four Seasons Tours and Cruises. The suit, which seeks class action status, accuses some or all of the defendants of negligence, unfair and deceptive trade practices and unjust enrichment for their role in selling what the suit calls “bogus” travel insurance.

Here’s the full text of the complaint (PDF).

One of the plaintiffs, Ellen Gianoulakos Cruz booked a cruise to Scandinavia and Russia in February 2008 through Legendary Journeys. She also bought travel insurance from Traveler Protection Services through the agency, and Legendary Journeys allegedly used Revelex as the booking agent.

On August 9, 2008, just five days before Plaintiff Ellen Gianoulakos Cruz’s vacation, her brother passed away.

Plaintiff cancelled her travel with Defendant LJ and made a claim for the trip cancellation through Traveler Protection Services, Inc., the issuer of the bogus policy.

Plaintiff’s legitimate claim was never approved or paid. Instead, she received a letter that Traveler Protection Services Inc., the issuer of the bogus policy that it had insufficient funds to pay claims, and that if she had an approved claim, which Plaintiff did not, she may receive a payment within the next three years.

Seven Corners has helped customers all over the world with travel difficulties, big and small. As one of the few remaining privately owned travel insurance companies, Seven Corners provides insurance plans and 24/7 travel assistance services to more than a million people each year. Because we’re privately held, we can focus on the customer without the constraints that larger companies have. Visit Seven Corners to learn more.

The other plaintiffs, Richard Rheinhardt and Dorothy Rheinhardt booked two cruises from Rome — one in September 2007, the other in November 2008 — through Four Seasons Tours and Cruises. They also purchased insurance, this time through Prime Travel Protection.

For the trip and bogus travel insurance the Rheinhardts purchased on September 19, 2007, Mr. Rheinhardt fell ill just before the trip and made a claim through Prime Travel Protection, the issuer of the bogus policy.

The Rheinhartds’ legitimate claim was never approved or paid.

For the trip and bogus travel insurance the Rheinhardts purchased on November 6, 2008, through Defendant Four Seasons, the bogus policy was never issued. Because there was never a policy of insurance for travel, the Rheinhardts never received what they paid for.

I first reported on the Rheinhardt’s troubles a few years ago on this site.

I’ll have more on these cases as they work their way through the courts.

(Photo: viki s uzan/Flickr Creative Commons)