There’s Always a Catch 22.

More and more, I’m reading about travelers—be it for business or pleasure—getting ripped off. And sometimes that means big bucks.
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 For instance, what if something mechanical goes wrong with a rental car while you’re driving it? I understand and agree that a rental car company can hold me responsible for fixing the dent if I back into a parking meter. But what if the clutch fails? You may very well get a whopping bill for a new one, but the clutch shouldn’t fail! And if it does, how is that your fault?
 
What really rankles me is when the consumer gets screwed on a technicality.
 
Case in point: last summer a group of migrant workers blocked the entrance to the tunnel on the French side of the English Channel. I was on a Eurostar train heading for London when the trouble broke out and we returned to Paris. Unfortunately, that caused me to be a no-show for that night at a London hotel. Ka-ching! I had reserved the room with my credit card and they charged me for that night’s lodging.
 
I have no quarrel with that. Those were the conditions. Besides, I had travel insurance. After I got home, I filed a claim for the $280 the London hotel charged my credit card.
 
Claim denied.
 
Huh? Why? Because, said the representative of the insurance company, it was a “demonstration” that caused me to be a no-show at the London hotel and the policy I bought does not cover loss incurred as the result of demonstrations.
 
Then she added insult to injury by informing me that the policy does cover “disruptions”.
 
So I’m out $280, because the disruption (covered) was caused by a demonstration (not covered). Go figure!