Saturday August 9(Picture inside Mathieu and Amparo's home)
This morning I got a call from our travel agent. She said that there was a mistake on the insurance voucher that she gave us and that we would need to come in to pick up the new one. I asked if she could email a copy of the new one and she said no. I asked if there would be a problem if we had to use it and we didn’t have the new one, and she said it would be a problem.
I looked at the voucher and I saw that the date of coverage was correct. I didn’t understand the problem. However, we went to her office anyway.
The travel agent spoke English, but like many people, she didn’t explain herself clearly.
This cost us money as we had to take a taxi in as we didn’t want to spend all the time on the bus - to and back. We also planned to go to the local mall.
The office was closed for business, but there was one worker there who was cleaning up the place. She gave us our new insurance voucher. As we learned there, it was just Jayne’s voucher that she gave us. Looking at Jayne’s old voucher we saw that it had a wrong date of coverage on.
The date of coverage of Jayne’s old voucher was longer – from August 1 to 15th, when the real coverage is August 11 – 15th. So, if it was used before it was supposed to be used, the clinic, doctor’s office or hospital should be able to call up and get a confirmation that the date was either right or wrong. However, we would not have used it outside of the date, and if it was used it would have been on the dates covered, so there would not have been a problem when we (if any accident happened) submitted the paperwork.
Maybe this is no problem in other countries, but it looks like with this company there would have been a problem. Heck, they have computers so why would there be a problem when a claim is made? But that’s business in Ecuador!
After we finished with the travel we went to a restaurant for breakfast. Then we took a taxi home.
I understand the problem was not caused by the travel agency but by the insurance company. But it didn’t help that the girl didn’t explain the problem clearly on the phone (though we would still have had to go in). We wonder what would have happened if we had to travel today and couldn’t come in?! And if the insurance had to be used, we would have demanded that they pay.
Stay tuned…
There will not be another entry (I presume) of our wedding diary until we get back. So, just let me say that tomorrow we will be meeting our friends who have a home in Quito. He and his wife invited us to stay the night before we leave for the airport on Monday morning (at 3am). Then fly out of here at 6.30am Monday. Then stay in Bogota, Columbia, until Friday afternoon and leave there about 4.30pm. my friend has a driver that picks up customers of his and takes them to and from the airport. Of course, I’ll be paying for his services. Normally, we would get a taxi of the street but because it’s so early in the morning, we will use the services of our friend, Mathieu.
The first thing that we’ll do after we check in with our luggage is to go the Ecuadorian Consulate, as it will still be in the morning when we arrive, and submit out paperwork. Hopefully, everything will be finished Monday. But if it isn’t, we’ll have other days to go back. It’ll just be good to get this out of the way and have the rest of the week to relax.
Then on Wednesday, there should be a half day tour of the city. This is included in the cost of the hotel.
See everyone when we get back. Kindly look forward to our posts – and pictures – when we return!
Chao!
This morning I got a call from our travel agent. She said that there was a mistake on the insurance voucher that she gave us and that we would need to come in to pick up the new one. I asked if she could email a copy of the new one and she said no. I asked if there would be a problem if we had to use it and we didn’t have the new one, and she said it would be a problem.
I looked at the voucher and I saw that the date of coverage was correct. I didn’t understand the problem. However, we went to her office anyway.
The travel agent spoke English, but like many people, she didn’t explain herself clearly.
This cost us money as we had to take a taxi in as we didn’t want to spend all the time on the bus - to and back. We also planned to go to the local mall.
The office was closed for business, but there was one worker there who was cleaning up the place. She gave us our new insurance voucher. As we learned there, it was just Jayne’s voucher that she gave us. Looking at Jayne’s old voucher we saw that it had a wrong date of coverage on.
The date of coverage of Jayne’s old voucher was longer – from August 1 to 15th, when the real coverage is August 11 – 15th. So, if it was used before it was supposed to be used, the clinic, doctor’s office or hospital should be able to call up and get a confirmation that the date was either right or wrong. However, we would not have used it outside of the date, and if it was used it would have been on the dates covered, so there would not have been a problem when we (if any accident happened) submitted the paperwork.
Maybe this is no problem in other countries, but it looks like with this company there would have been a problem. Heck, they have computers so why would there be a problem when a claim is made? But that’s business in Ecuador!
After we finished with the travel we went to a restaurant for breakfast. Then we took a taxi home.
I understand the problem was not caused by the travel agency but by the insurance company. But it didn’t help that the girl didn’t explain the problem clearly on the phone (though we would still have had to go in). We wonder what would have happened if we had to travel today and couldn’t come in?! And if the insurance had to be used, we would have demanded that they pay.
Stay tuned…
There will not be another entry (I presume) of our wedding diary until we get back. So, just let me say that tomorrow we will be meeting our friends who have a home in Quito. He and his wife invited us to stay the night before we leave for the airport on Monday morning (at 3am). Then fly out of here at 6.30am Monday. Then stay in Bogota, Columbia, until Friday afternoon and leave there about 4.30pm. my friend has a driver that picks up customers of his and takes them to and from the airport. Of course, I’ll be paying for his services. Normally, we would get a taxi of the street but because it’s so early in the morning, we will use the services of our friend, Mathieu.
The first thing that we’ll do after we check in with our luggage is to go the Ecuadorian Consulate, as it will still be in the morning when we arrive, and submit out paperwork. Hopefully, everything will be finished Monday. But if it isn’t, we’ll have other days to go back. It’ll just be good to get this out of the way and have the rest of the week to relax.
Then on Wednesday, there should be a half day tour of the city. This is included in the cost of the hotel.
See everyone when we get back. Kindly look forward to our posts – and pictures – when we return!
Chao!
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