Your life. Our world  Reviews 40

STRANDED 10,000 MILES FROM HOME !!!!

We were insured. We did everything right. And still, my husband was left to deteriorate in a Thai ICU while CEGA and MAWDY/MAPFRE stalled, dodged, and ultimately abandoned us.

This isn’t a story of poor service. It’s a story of systemic cruelty masquerading as bureaucracy.

My husband was hospitalised abroad with a suspected sepsis/encephalitis episode. I’m a former ICU nurse, paramedic, and police officer. I had to become his carer, translator, nurse, and advocate in a foreign ICU because the insurer—despite being fully informed and contacted within hours—refused to step up.

The Facts:
• We paid over 288,000 THB (approx. €7,500) out-of-pocket, while fully insured.
• CEGA failed to provide a Guarantee of Payment.
• They ignored warnings about inappropriate antibiotic treatment for suspected sepsis.
• They failed to log a call with their own Chief Medical Officer.
• A 4cm lung nodule was found on a scan and never disclosed.
• Discharge was unmanaged. There was no GP contact, no follow-up.
• Post-return, Damian was admitted to hospital in Ireland—still unwell.
• CEGA and MAWDY ignored urgent financial distress, risking care interruption.
• Repeated Subject Access Requests (SARs) show missing, incomplete, or contradictory data.
• GDPR failings included plaintext password sharing, omitted phone records, and withheld emails between entities.

They even included an outdated and irrelevant GP note about historic substance use—with no verification, no patient consultation, and no medical relevance—to smear his credibility.

The insurer only paid out after we went public.
Media pressure, embassy support, and a GoFundMe campaign were needed before they finally acted. Not because of duty. Because of exposure.

This is how you treat vulnerable policyholders?

MAWDY, MAPFRE, CEGA, Sedgwick, Charles Taylor—this was a cascade of clinical failures, data breaches, governance breakdowns, and human indifference.

The Impact:
• Damian suffered a major flare-up of his Axial Spondyloarthritis from stress.
• I collapsed from exhaustion and ended up hospitalised.
• We both still deal with the trauma and financial fallout.
• We now have a paper trail showing 20+ failures and counting.

We are not isolated. We are just one story you didn’t manage to bury. Others will follow.

We’ve compiled every failing. Regulatory complaints are underway. Media interest is growing. What was offered as a “€500 goodwill gesture” is frankly insulting.

Do not trust this insurer if you are vulnerable, abroad, or believe help will come when you need it most.

They are not assistance providers. They are liability managers.
And in our case, they failed

Avoid Multitrip Insurance (MAPFRE/CEGA) at all costs. If you’re looking for peace of mind while travelling—this is not the company for you. My partner was hospitalised abroad with a serious injury. We had fully disclosed his medical history in writing, paid an increased premium, and were assured he was covered. What followed was an avalanche of broken promises, ignored emails, evasive tactics, and weeks of radio silence from CEGA (the claims handler) and MAPFRE (the underwriter). They delayed issuing a Guarantee of Payment (GOP) to the hospital, leaving us to foot a €7,500+ bill out of pocket. We were forced to pay in full or risk my partner being denied treatment or detained without his passport. All the while, CEGA insisted they were “reviewing” the case—even weeks after receiving every document they requested (twice over). When we raised complaints through formal channels, we were met with vague, non-committal responses. We involved the Irish Embassy, filed complaints with the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, the Data Protection Commission, and even the Central Bank of Ireland. Only then did we begin to receive begrudging communication—but still no clear decision, no reimbursement, no accountability. To say this has damaged our mental health, finances, and trust is an understatement. We are seasoned travellers who bought this policy in good faith. It failed at every critical moment. If you think insurance is about protection—this company will teach you otherwise. Take this as a warning: A cheaper premium is not worth the trauma when the chips are down. They may appear legitimate, but in a crisis, they vanish into bureaucracy, leaving you stranded

I’d love to meet someone whose claim has been accepted

I was denied boarding on a flight with my family. When I applied to the insurance my claim was denied as not been covered despite it in my policy.
I appealed and declined. Insurance and some flight operators are a law unto themselves.

O Rating is too high for this company
Be careful they are underwriters for many “Irish” companies
Platinum cover insurance was with Peoples Insurance who washed there hands off it
When you have a claim you are left DEALING with Mapfre Poor staff no supervisors available no calls back no email contact
Delay, Deny, Defend is there only customer policy

Would go into similar details as everyone else but will keep it simple. Paid top cash for full comp car insurance and when I needed it they pulled out every excuse they could think of. Including giving me documentation they didn't provide to start with to worm there way out of it. What a concerning world we live in. Only care about the profits not the person. Shameful

I was worried when I saw the awful reviews but can’t really fault them except for the time it took to pay the claim (five weeks). I did have to email my annoyance a few times and they took it on board. One passenger didn’t travel and they didn’t refund accommodation but that’s only because the travel insurance company advised that the apartment cost was the same for two people as it would be for 3 people so that was a big of a pain but can’t blame Mapfre for that. Bought through insure and go for a reasonable price and finally got paid today. Don’t expect immediate refunds, it does take time but I found them fine to deal with.

Mapfre is the underwriters for most of the cheap travel insurance companies and it is basically not worth the paper is written on. The schedule says one thing but the wording in almost all of possible scenarios makes your claim invalid. Basically they are using clever legal tactics to get money from people for travel insurance with very little chance of paying a claim.
No matter how genuine the claim is mapfre wording is designed to make your claim invalid. I am personally seeking the insurance ombudsman regarding this company. Stay away from this company. I honestly do not believe any review over one star to be a genuine review regarding this company.

Horrible service, just a scam. Beware do not buy this product. They will drag the claim for months

Their agent was terrible and unsympathetic. The last guy i spoke to mocked me through out the conversation. I guess for some people it is entertaining to kick people who are already suffering.

Anyone thinking in getting a travel insurance with this people please avoid it!! After 6 months waiting for a resolution (lots of not answered phone calls and emails) they came back to me saying that it has been denied on the grounds that when my 6 years old daughter had to be hospitalised with RSV it was not “sudden” that she might have travelled with it. Don’t waist your money they will always find something in order to avoid their responsibility!

We had a Mapfre travel insurance and they did not pay for an emergency case although we contacted them in advance and chose a hospital from their list. After several months still no money.

Been having GAP insurance since 2015 with Abraxas and now Mapfre (same company). Always had no issues with them, very happy. Recently I had to make a claim, I thought it was them, it wasn't.
Yet they still responded quickly and professionally and gave me clues on how to find the actual gap company I need to contact.
Well done Mapfree (don't have a person's name) for their professionalism.
Thanks, Alex P.

Submitted claim travel claim documents in full and assured claim would be processed duly. Still waiting 3 months later after sending countless emails and only receiving automated replies.
Please stay clear from this company!
Whats baffling is Chill a reputatable company referred me to this Company.
I have now lodged a complaint with the Financal Services Ombudsman

I bought a car in August 2022 my car then broke due to a timing belt issue on January 3rd 2023 it got collected by there tow company and brought to a repairer in blanch I was told they would need a week to repair it then I got a phone call to say the car has to be sent to another repairer as there is a bigger problem even though. I had a mechanic look at it before sending it away just to cover myself for this reason and weeks go on I’m being told there waiting on a part I rang Audi myself and they said they could have the part in 2 days so I rang the warranty company and told them this and then two weeks ago I was told the part was finally ordered and would be here by the end of that week then I rang on wensday and they said it will be here on Thursday but I still haven’t heard anything I have paid 2 finance payments so far another one due in 3 days so that’s 1200 so far I’ve paid to keep my car even though I don’t have it my tax went out but I can’t tax it because I don’t have the car I’ve lost my job over this as I had no way of getting to work I’ve spent around 500 on taxis to get my son to crèche and then they told me they only cover repairs up to 2500 and the repair is 3500 so they except me to pay a following €1000 even though that is not the price of a timing belt I would have paid if I had of gotten my car back the week I was told as it should not take 3 months to do a timing belt I am so annoyed over this hole thing I have been nothing but patient about all of this but it’s beyond a joke now stay away from this company at all cost they don’t answer the phone they don’t give you update when u need they are very unhelpful and because I am under the age of 21 they could not give me a loan car either and have done nothing to push the car to being repaired

I have been trying to report the death of my mother. I have phoned Mapfre on several occasions only to be cut off or put through to the wrong department. I mean really, how difficult is it to give me an email address and to send me a claim form!! I eventually found the English phone no. the person who answered the phone spoke English who said he would put me through to the correct department, I was put through to the home insurance, he put me through to another department who could not speak english. Eventually he took my mobile no. and said he would call back, I'm still waiting. It saddens me that my mother had been paying her life insurance since 2002. Mapfre has shown no compassion and so far have avoided paying out!!

This company represents Currys. Do not touch them. I contacted Currys insurance tech department on the 3rd of August to explain the remote control for my TV was no longer working and needed replacing. In brief I was advised a new one would be posted to me. I received a text on the 4th of August which stated that the item was on the way.

Today the 1st of September I contacted Currys again to advise that no replacement product has been received and the treatment I received was nothing short of degrading and disgusting.

I was advised that I'm now expected to pay for the product myself and then chase currys after 5 days for a refund. I am 9 months pregnant and do not have the funds to purchase the product upfront, upfront his if I did have the funds I still would not find this acceptable. This was not what I was told when I purchased the insurance for €230 nor is it what I was told when I called on the 3rd of August. I had to speak to 4 different people to receive this information and one of whom hung up on me. The manner in which I was spoken to was beyond unprofessional and unhelpful and its seems that all you wanted was the €230 policy price from us for absolutely nothing in return expect to treat us like dirt.

Furthermore, the T&C's on your tech insurance policy do not state that this is how your insurance policy works. Can this be dealt with before I take it further, as of now and how I was treated today it is a matter of principle. I am not quite sure what customers your staff are used to dealing with but I am not an uneducated simpleton who will let things go until a suitable resolution is received.

I have a property in spain live in England no way of starting a claim....24 hour number always engaged..agent does not answer telephone....uk lines are car insurance & health ....
Anybody out there
help ?

The staff are not helpful. You cannot access the case handlers and the staff who manage the phones are not knowledgeable enough to answer you correctly.

It seems that more than following the T&Cs in a natural way, they only try to play with words (and I think even changing the meaning of the words!) to be able not to pay you a penny. For example, a sentence in my policy says that if "We authorize Your
claim, We will also pay You up to £250 toward the cost of Your Motor Insurance Policy excess"; They were lucky that the price of the used cars increased during the past two years and therefore they would pay me £0 as the gap; Then they claimed that based on the above-quoted sentence they will not pay the excess because they have not paid the gap! They say that by authorisation, it means paying more than £0 as the gap!!!!

This insurance claims company in Dubai made no effort to process a recent Travel Claim denying all the claim despite it clearly covered in the policy. DO NOT TAKE OUT A POLICY WHERE THIS COMPANY IS THE CLAIMS AGENT
bordering on fraud