Allianz Worldwide Partners reviews old claims, increasing payouts

Major insurer Allianz is secretly reviewing its handling of old claims, doubling payments to customers such as this Queensland couple years after they were put through the wringer.

Exclusive: Major insurer Allianz is secretly reviewing its handling of old claims, with payments to some customers doubling.

In 2014, John Rose had a stroke while he and wife Christine from the Gold Coast were visiting family in Slovenia. It took five weeks before the company’s travel unit Allianz Worldwide Partners agreed to repatriate Mr Rose, then 69, as it hunted for a way to deny his claim — despite his having no pre-existing conditions.

Mrs Rose’s records show she dealt with 17 different people without getting anywhere.

It was only after their daughter Bernadette Smon complained via social media that AWP changed its tune.

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Bernadette Smon with father John Rose at Ljubljana Airport. Picture: Supplied

“The transfer got approved that day,” Mrs Smon from Brisbane recalled yesterday.

The bill for hospital treatment in Slovenia was covered by a reciprocal healthcare agreement with Australia.

Mrs Rose’s out of pocket costs were only partially covered under a 2015 claim, with AWP paying about $3500.

Then in February this year Mrs Rose got a cheque for more than $4000.

It came after the insurer rang her out of the blue to say it was reviewing all old claims and that it had misinterpreted her policy.

Christine and John Rose at Lake Bled in Slovenia. Picture: Supplied

“So they’ve more than doubled the claim payment,” she said.

The previously super fit Mr Rose has never recovered from the stroke.

Mrs Rose made a submission to the financial services royal commission in which she said “in my opinion, the delays caused by Allianz repatriating John to Australia caused a huge setback in his recovery due to the lack of professional care” available in Slovenia.

Mr Rose with one of his doctors in Slovenia. Picture: Supplied

AWP, which writes about $600 million of travel insurance annually, declined to comment when this story was originally published. 

UPDATE: More than two months after this story was published Allianz confirmed it had undertaken a "detailed review of the content present on a number of websites advertising travel insurance products.

"This review identified that some of the benefits and benefit limits listed on these websites were presented in a way that may not have provided customers with a clear and transparent view of the terms and conditions associated with certain benefits. This means that customers may have purchased these products without a clear understanding of particular sub-limits and policy benefits which applied to their policy.

"We are committed to an open, honest and transparent service for our customers, so are in the process of contacting customers who may have potentially affected claims."

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Originally published as Allianz Worldwide Partners reviews old claims, increasing payouts