Consumer complaint received 2022-05-23
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: NJ
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
RE : American Express Claim # XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX To Whom It May Concern : I have been forced to file this complaint after several attempts to resolve this issue with an American ExpressXXXX representative named XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

Below is a summary of the matter that resulted in the claim above that I have recounted to numerous American Express/XXXX representatives in addition to XXXX XXXX In XXXX, XXXX I booked a month long stay from XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX at the XXXX XXXX  in XXXX California XXXX The cost was {$5800.00}, which I charged in full on my American Express Card. 

I then called American Express to buy Trip Protection Insurance. I have never made a pre-paid booking without buying Trip Protection Insurance prior to the trip. As a matter of fact, I have been purchasing Travel Medical Protection Insurance from American Express on a semi-annual basis for more than 30 years.

American Express referred me to their Insurance Department and I spoke with an American Express/XXXX  insurance agent. The agent I spoke with told me I did not need to buy Trip Protection Insurance because it was automatically included when I paid for the trip with my American Express Card.

At no time during the entire conversation was there any mention by the agent of a requirement to purchase an airline ticket with my American Express Card to activate my Trip Protection Insurance. If it had been mentioned as a requirement I certainly would have paid for my flight with my American Express Card. I was assured by the American Express XXXX  Agent that I had nothing to worry about it. The agent would not even have been aware of whether or not I had to fly to the resort or if I was driving there, using Frequent Flyer miles or going by rail train. This airline ticket requirement would deny a traveler that used any of these other modes of transportation from buying Trip Protection Insurance. Why? 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I contracted XXXX XXXX and I was not able to go on the trip. I called American Express as soon as I found out that I had XXXX  XXXX to cancel the trip and file a claim under the Trip Protection Insurance which I was assured by the American Express/XXXX  Agent in XX/XX/XXXX that I qualified for. 

American Express told me to call XXXX  Insurance to file my claim. The XXXX  Insurance Agent told me that I had to send all the necessary forms to XXXX  including my airline ticket that was paid for with my American Express Card. This airline requirement had not been mentioned to me when I called to purchase Trip Protection Insurance in XX/XX/XXXX. 

I expressed my shock upon hearing about this requirement for the first time since it was not articulated to me previously during my XX/XX/XXXX phone call. The XXXX  Agent said she was upset as well because agents do not properly inform clients of this airline requirement. I reiterated that I was not informed of this airline requirement and asked for it to be noted as part of my statement regarding my claim. I added that was not my fault that I did not fulfill the airline requirement due to the fact that it was never mentioned as a requirement for Trip Protection Insurance during my XX/XX/XXXX phone call with American Express/XXXX  and asked the Agent to continue to process my claim.

A few weeks later I called XXXX  Insurance to inquire about the status of my claim and to my dismay was told that my claim was denied because I did not purchase my airline ticket with my American Express Card. I then filed an appeal with XXXX  since I was never told of this unfair codicil. After numerous phone calls I was finally connected with XXXX XXXX from XXXX. Since all calls to XXXX  are recorded, I asked XXXX XXXX to listen to the phone call or review the transcript of my XX/XX/XXXX phone call to XXXX. The recording will clearly show that I was never informed of the Airline Ticket Clause and I was talked out of purchasing additional Trip Protection Insurance by the XXXX  Agent due to the fact ( stated by the Agent ) that Trip Protection Insurance was already included with the purchase of the resort reservation using my American Express Card. 


I also asked XXXX XXXX to provide me with a copy of the transcript of the XX/XX/XXXX phone call with the XXXX  Agent. I explained that a review of that phone call will definitely prove that no mention of an airline ticket was ever mentioned and my claim should be reinstated and approved. 

After not hearing back from XXXX XXXX for several weeks, I called her again to inquire about the progress of her investigation into my appeal. She again repeated that my claim has been denied due to my not purchasing an airline ticket. I asked if she had listened to or read the transcript of my XX/XX/XXXX phone call. XXXX XXXX admitted that she did not listen to or read the transcript of my phone call. I then asked how she could deny my claim since she refused to listen to the evidence I offered her in defense of my appeal. She said management listened to the call. I expressed my disbelief at that remark. If she is the agent in charge of my appeal, isnt she obligated to listen to or read the transcript of the phone call? I requested to speak to the management representative who reviewed the call. She denied this request. I again requested the transcript of the XX/XX/XXXX phone call be sent to me. XXXX XXXX told me to get a lawyer and subpoena the transcripts of the XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX phone calls to XXXX. 

I asked XXXX XXXX if she was an XXXX  Agent and if she was employed by XXXX  or American Express? She replied that she was a licensed Insurance agent and provided no additional information.

I am asking for your help in getting XXXX  to pay my claim as it is undoubtedly valid and not having the money has created a severe hardship for me as a retiree.

Please let me know if you need any additional information. 

Thank you very much for your consideration. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation