Could I see a gentleman at the Omni with an upset
stomach?
The dispatcher for International Assistance was
delighted to learn that I could. In most cities, dispatchers work hard to find
a doctor willing to make a housecall but not in Los Angeles.
I copied the guest’s name, age, room, and insurance
I.D. I quoted a fee. That was acceptable. I said I would arrive within an hour.
He was pleased to hear that. Then I dropped the bomb. I would need a credit
card number.
I could hear the air go out of his balloon.
“We always send a guarantee of payment.”
“You do. But then you don’t pay.”
Many travel insurers pay promptly. Others require
repeated phone calls. Pestering a billing department relentlessly usually
works, but sometimes I run out of patience, and many visits for International
Assistance remained unpaid after six months.
“I’m not sure we have a credit card.”
“Yes, you do. Ask your supervisor.”
All travel insurers have company credit cards but they
vary greatly in their willingness to give them out. Some do it routinely.
Others require an ultimatum. I hated hearing from Universal Assistance until
they coughed up a credit card number. Now I love it when they phone.
But ultimatums are risky. The dispatcher agreed to
consult his supervisor and call me back, but I never heard from him.