Three Discouraging Words

In rudimentary English, a Hilton guest explained that his rash needed attention.

“I’ll be there within the hour,” I said and quoted the fee. He replied with a phrase that makes a hotel doctor’s heart sink.

“I have insurance.”

From an American, this usually means no visit. Collecting from American carriers requires either a trained billing clerk or far more patience than I possess. I refer these guests to a local clinic.

Foreign travel insurers are better. I send a bill, and (unlike American insurers) they send a check for the identical amount. I asked the name of his insurer. It was Assistcard, an agency that’s called since the 90s.

The proper step was to ask the guest to phone Assistcard who would confirm his eligibility, and phone me. This never happens quickly, but it’s rarely a problem because 95 percent of travelers call their insurance first, so I don’t hear about the visit until it’s approved. This guest had mistakenly called me. I told him I would arrange matters.  

After listening to my explanation, the Assistcard dispatcher said she would call the guest, confirm his coverage, and call back. To pass time, I booted up my copy of Sim City. This worked too well; after 45 minutes of wrestling with urban problems I realized the phone had remained silent. Calling, I discovered that my dispatcher had vanished, perhaps to lunch. After putting me on hold, another dispatcher assured me that the wheels were turning. I phoned the guest to make sure he hadn’t wandered off only to learn that no one at Assistcard had called and that his tour was leaving in two hours. I called the dispatcher who explained that the guest was Indonesian. Assistcard was in Argentina, so getting approval from Indonesia might take a while.

Once the guest left for his tour, the visit would evaporate, so I decided to drive down and take my chances. My phone rang while I was on the freeway. The dispatcher informed me that no one could find the guest’s proof of insurance, but it might eventually turn up. Learning I was on the road, he offered to call the guest and suggest he pay me directly and try to claim reimbursement. That rarely works, but it worked this time.