At Allianz Global Assistance, we help people when they're in a tough spot. Lost luggage? Canceled flight? Medical emergency? We're there for you. That's why we pay attention whenever an unhappy customer complains about "Allianz fraud" online. We want to assure you that if you have a problem, we'll work to make it right. Here are the answers to a few questions we sometimes see about who we are, how we work and what to do if you have an unexpected credit card charge from Allianz Global Assistance.

What is Allianz Global Assistance?

Allianz Global Assistance provides travel insurance and assistance, ticket insurance, tuition insurance and other services to more than 13 million customers each year. We're part of a company formerly known as Mondial Assistance, which traces its history back to 1950. Our 12,000-plus employees speak 40 different languages and are dedicated to assisting travelers around the globe.

What is This Credit Card Charge from Allianz — Fraud?

Customers sometimes are confused when they see a charge on their credit card statement which says “Allianz Travel Insurance” or “Allianz Global Assistance.” I didn't order anything from this company, they think. Is this charge from Allianz fraud?

It's not. In almost every instance, the customer purchased Allianz Global Assistance’s insurance in the course of a third-party transaction — while buying an airline ticket or a concert ticket, for instance — and never saw the confirmation email. If you are concerned about an unexpected credit card charge from Allianz Global Assistance, just do these two things:

1. Check your inbox and your spam folder for a confirmation email from Allianz Global Assistance. It will explain exactly what coverage you purchased.
2. Did you intend to purchase that coverage? If so, you're all set. If not, and you'd like to cancel the coverage, just call us at 1-866-884-3556 or email us here. Our customer service team is ready to help.

Other Allianz Global Assistance Scam Complaints

We do our best to make our customers happy — and usually we succeed, as you can see by reading Allianz Travel Insurance reviews. But, like any other company, we also get some complaints, and even some allegations that Allianz Global Assistance is a fraud or a scam.

Usually, these complaints arise because of misunderstandings about what's covered by travel insurance or other insurance plans from Allianz Global Assistance. Customers sometimes purchase insurance plans without reading them first, or they don't fully understand the fine print. Insurance is complicated, and unfortunately we can't cover every conceivable scenario. That's why we've created a Travel Insurance 101 library that explains how coverage works in plain English.

Here are a few of the most common "Allianz scam" complaints we get, with explanations:

• "You wouldn't cover my canceled vacation after a hurricane hit the resort." Did you buy your plan when the storm was already barreling toward your destination? Travel insurance from Allianz Global Assistance can cover trip cancellations and interruptions caused by severe weather (see your plan documents for details) — but not if a storm has already been named when you buy the plan. It then becomes a foreseeable event, and you won't be covered for losses related to that storm.
• "I had to cancel my trip because my dog was badly injured, but you said that wasn't covered." Your travel insurance policy includes a long list of covered reasons for cancelling a trip, including the serious injury or illness of an immediate family member. We define "family member" fairly broadly, including business partners; paid, live-in caregivers; and service animals. Pets aren't included, although we understand that you consider your beloved dog or cat to be a member of your family.
• "You denied my claim because I had a pre-existing condition." Allianz Global Assistance can cover most existing medical conditions, depending on the plan and as long as you adhere to certain requirements. Two of those requirements are that you must insure the full cost of your trip within a specified time period, and you must be medically able to travel when you do so. What's an existing medical condition? We define it as an illness or injury that you, a traveling companion or family member were seeking or receiving treatment for, or had symptoms of on the day you purchased your plan, or at any time in the 120 days before you purchased it. If you need to make sure your plan covers an existing condition, call us at 1-866-884-3556 before you buy.
• "My doctor advised me not to travel in the seventh month of my pregnancy, and you said that wasn't a covered reason for cancellation." Travel insurance from Allianz Global Assistance may cover losses resulting from unforeseen pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia or pre-term labor. This means if you must cancel or interrupt a trip because of a covered pregnancy complication, your plan may reimburse you for nonrefundable trip costs. However, if you have a normal pregnancy and your doctor advises you not to travel, just to be safe, then your trip cancellation would not be covered. Travel insurance does not cover the chance that a complication might occur. Here's a more detailed explanation of how and when travel insurance covers pregnancy.

We want all of our customers to understand exactly what their policy covers before they purchase insurance from Allianz Global Assistance. Please read your policy documents — you can find them by clicking "details" under your desired travel insurance plan. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call. Safe travels!