ACIS Warning

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Fieldtrips Chatboard

ACIS Warning

by Denise

Aug 23, 2008

ACIS seems to be a preferred company and seems to do a decent job. What you must watch out for is if something happens during the trip. I am a teacher that sent my daughter to Spain with them this past year. She lost her passport and the costs associated with replacing it were all born by my husband and me. The insurance we purchased didn't kick in till we complained to "high heaven" and then we only got back a small amount of money. There appears to be two insurance brochures and it is amazing how we only received one of them. But when you go to make a complaint, they refer to this second brochure and it does not have the same wording as the other brochure. Therefore they do not have to pay you any extra money. I tried to complain directly to the company's president but his secretary shielded him from my complaint. I could never recommend this company to anyone ever. It cost me over $1500 to deal with the lost passport and they refunded me $150.00. They even tried to stick me with the...See More

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genef I am wondering just what you think would have been fair. Your child loses her passport and will miss the return flight. The chaperones have two choices. Leave the kid alone in a strange city to handle things by herself, or have an adult stay behind and miss a flight to help the child. Option 1 is obviously incorrect, so who will bear the extra cost...See MoreI am wondering just what you think would have been fair. Your child loses her passport and will miss the return flight. The chaperones have two choices. Leave the kid alone in a strange city to handle things by herself, or have an adult stay behind and miss a flight to help the child. Option 1 is obviously incorrect, so who will bear the extra costs of option 2? It is always easy to say someone else should pay, but how is this situation the fault of ACIS?

We actually had this situation come up last year on our trip the night before our return. Through fast action and hard work we replaced the passport in time for the flight, but a call had been made home to let the parents know that additional expenses might be incurred and the responsibility of the parents. We had also discussed this possibility and responsibility in our pre-trip planning meetings. There is no way I would personally incur $1500 of extra costs for your child and not expect reimbursement.

On 8/23/08, Denise wrote: > ACIS seems to be a preferred company and seems to do a > decent job. What you must watch out for is if something > happens during the trip. I am a teacher that sent my > daughter to Spain with them this past year. She lost her > passport and the costs associated with replacing it were > all born by my husband and me. The insurance we purchased > didn't kick in till we complained to "high heaven" and > then we only got back a small amount of money. There > appears to be two insurance brochures and it is amazing > how we only received one of them. But when you go to make > a complaint, they refer to this second brochure and it > does not have the same wording as the other brochure. > Therefore they do not have to pay you any extra money. I > tried to complain directly to the company's president but > his secretary shielded him from my complaint. I could > never recommend this company to anyone ever. It cost me > over $1500 to deal with the lost passport and they > refunded me $150.00. They even tried to stick me with the > cost of the plane ticket for a chaperone who stayed with > my daughter when she couldn't get on the plane! They > eventually refunded that when they realized it wasn't > legal.

Aug 24, 2008

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Maria D I've traveled with numerous companies and ACIS is a lot better than most. They are a little more expensive, but the service is great. ACIS is honest and up front about their charges and they really do look out for you. One year I tried switching over to NETC and paid more money, but had the worst trip of my life.

MAria

On 8/24/08...See MoreI've traveled with numerous companies and ACIS is a lot better than most. They are a little more expensive, but the service is great. ACIS is honest and up front about their charges and they really do look out for you. One year I tried switching over to NETC and paid more money, but had the worst trip of my life.

MAria

On 8/24/08, genef wrote: > I am wondering just what you think would have been fair. > Your child loses her passport and will miss the return flight. > The chaperones have two choices. Leave the kid alone in a > strange city to handle things by herself, or have an adult > stay behind and miss a flight to help the child. Option 1 is > obviously incorrect, so who will bear the extra costs of > option 2? It is always easy to say someone else should pay, > but how is this situation the fault of ACIS? > > We actually had this situation come up last year on our trip > the night before our return. Through fast action and hard > work we replaced the passport in time for the flight, but a > call had been made home to let the parents know that > additional expenses might be incurred and the responsibility > of the parents. We had also discussed this possibility and > responsibility in our pre-trip planning meetings. There is > no way I would personally incur $1500 of extra costs for your > child and not expect reimbursement. > > On 8/23/08, Denise wrote: >> ACIS seems to be a preferred company and seems to do a >> decent job. What you must watch out for is if something >> happens during the trip. I am a teacher that sent my >> daughter to Spain with them this past year. She lost her >> passport and the costs associated with replacing it were >> all born by my husband and me. The insurance we purchased >> didn't kick in till we complained to "high heaven" and >> then we only got back a small amount of money. There >> appears to be two insurance brochures and it is amazing >> how we only received one of them. But when you go to make >> a complaint, they refer to this second brochure and it >> does not have the same wording as the other brochure. >> Therefore they do not have to pay you any extra money. I >> tried to complain directly to the company's president but >> his secretary shielded him from my complaint. I could >> never recommend this company to anyone ever. It cost me >> over $1500 to deal with the lost passport and they >> refunded me $150.00. They even tried to stick me with the >> cost of the plane ticket for a chaperone who stayed with >> my daughter when she couldn't get on the plane! They >> eventually refunded that when they realized it wasn't >> legal.

Aug 25, 2008

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Denise erhaps the complaint was not understood. I paid insurance to cover the cost of my issues that may come up. However, when we went to collect on the insurance, we were told that our expenses were not covered.

First, the company could not even tell us how to get a new passport. I had to use my contacts and the internet to figure out how to g...See Moreerhaps the complaint was not understood. I paid insurance to cover the cost of my issues that may come up. However, when we went to collect on the insurance, we were told that our expenses were not covered.

First, the company could not even tell us how to get a new passport. I had to use my contacts and the internet to figure out how to get her a new passport. Second, leaders insurance is covered via ACIS and they still wanted me to cover the cost of the hotel and flight for the leader...when I pointed out that she had insurance, then they said "Oh yes you are right, we will refund the cost of her trip to you"

Second, a complaint to the company was handled in a rude manner. The customer service representative hung up on me because I asked if I could talk to a supervisor to find out why I was paying for the teacher when she had insurance. Also, when I called back to say that hanging up on someone who was not being rude and was not faulting her, just looking for a solution, she lied about it...even though I have phone logs showing that I had to place a second call...there was a claim that I did not call originally.

Then I was told that if I was not satisfied with the company that the president wanted to hear any comments. So, I sent a letter and also left a message for him. His secretary called and as stated in the earlier post, shielded him by not having him contact me.

The ironic part is that while I was at the passport office, a teacher from another state was in line with me. He said that this same situation happened to him with ACIS while in France and that they were not helpful at all. He said that I would never be able to collect on the insurance for the trip because it is set up to benefit them and for them to make money. So while they may be "helpful" if something happens...depending on what you think customer service is all about, they will not let you collect on your insurance.

I never said that the situation was the fault of ACIS...what I pointed out was that if you have an issue, they do not pay out with the insurance company.

On 8/25/08, Maria D wrote: > I've traveled with numerous companies and ACIS is a lot better > than most. They are a little more expensive, but the service is > great. ACIS is honest and up front about their charges and they > really do look out for you. One year I tried switching over to > NETC and paid more money, but had the worst trip of my life. > > MAria > > On 8/24/08, genef wrote: >> I am wondering just what you think would have been fair. >> Your child loses her passport and will miss the return flight. >> The chaperones have two choices. Leave the kid alone in a >> strange city to handle things by herself, or have an adult >> stay behind and miss a flight to help the child. Option 1 is >> obviously incorrect, so who will bear the extra costs of >> option 2? It is always easy to say someone else should pay, >> but how is this situation the fault of ACIS? >> >> We actually had this situation come up last year on our trip >> the night before our return. Through fast action and hard >> work we replaced the passport in time for the flight, but a >> call had been made home to let the parents know that >> additional expenses might be incurred and the responsibility >> of the parents. We had also discussed this possibility and >> responsibility in our pre-trip planning meetings. There is >> no way I would personally incur $1500 of extra costs for your >> child and not expect reimbursement. >> >> On 8/23/08, Denise wrote: >>> ACIS seems to be a preferred company and seems to do a >>> decent job. What you must watch out for is if something >>> happens during the trip. I am a teacher that sent my >>> daughter to Spain with them this past year. She lost her >>> passport and the costs associated with replacing it were >>> all born by my husband and me. The insurance we purchased >>> didn't kick in till we complained to "high heaven" and >>> then we only got back a small amount of money. There >>> appears to be two insurance brochures and it is amazing >>> how we only received one of them. But when you go to make >>> a complaint, they refer to this second brochure and it >>> does not have the same wording as the other brochure. >>> Therefore they do not have to pay you any extra money. I >>> tried to complain directly to the company's president but >>> his secretary shielded him from my complaint. I could >>> never recommend this company to anyone ever. It cost me >>> over $1500 to deal with the lost passport and they >>> refunded me $150.00. They even tried to stick me with the >>> cost of the plane ticket for a chaperone who stayed with >>> my daughter when she couldn't get on the plane! They >>> eventually refunded that when they realized it wasn't >>> legal.

Sep 3, 2008

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joe Surely no insurance provider would compensate for a lost passport that was due to the fault of the individual. Would they be expected to reimburse you for a flight you missed because you were late too? I hardly think that this is the fault of the company in question...unless there are details I don't know about?

Joe

On 8/23/08, De...See More

Sep 20, 2008

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Joe My Dear Denise:

Perhaps you don't understand the concept of insurance. You can purchase all the insurance you want, but if you lose a passport due to your own negligence, then you're out of luck? Do you think Insurance would reimburse you if you said you "lost" thousands of dollars. If that's the case, then please let me know which Insuran...See MoreMy Dear Denise:

Perhaps you don't understand the concept of insurance. You can purchase all the insurance you want, but if you lose a passport due to your own negligence, then you're out of luck? Do you think Insurance would reimburse you if you said you "lost" thousands of dollars. If that's the case, then please let me know which Insurance Company you use because I need to give them a call. If insurers covered all people who were negligent, and careless...then they' be broke. I feel sorry for your daughter...but seriously, she is the one at fault here, not anyone else.

Joe

On 9/03/08, Denise wrote: > Perhaps the complaint was not understood. I paid insurance to cover > the cost of my issues that may come up. However, when we went to > collect on the insurance, we were told that our expenses were not > covered. > > > First, the company could not even tell us how to get a new passport. > I had to use my contacts and the internet to figure out how to get > her a new passport. Second, leaders insurance is covered via ACIS > and they still wanted me to cover the cost of the hotel and flight > for the leader...when I pointed out that she had insurance, then > they said "Oh yes you are right, we will refund the cost of her trip > to you" > > Second, a complaint to the company was handled in a rude manner. > The customer service representative hung up on me because I asked if > I could talk to a supervisor to find out why I was paying for the > teacher when she had insurance. Also, when I called back to say > that hanging up on someone who was not being rude and was not > faulting her, just looking for a solution, she lied about it...even > though I have phone logs showing that I had to place a second > call...there was a claim that I did not call originally. > > Then I was told that if I was not satisfied with the company that > the president wanted to hear any comments. So, I sent a letter and > also left a message for him. His secretary called and as stated in > the earlier post, shielded him by not having him contact me. > > The ironic part is that while I was at the passport office, a > teacher from another state was in line with me. He said that this > same situation happened to him with ACIS while in France and that > they were not helpful at all. He said that I would never be able to > collect on the insurance for the trip because it is set up to > benefit them and for them to make money. So while they may be > "helpful" if something happens...depending on what you think > customer service is all about, they will not let you collect on your > insurance. > > I never said that the situation was the fault of ACIS...what I > pointed out was that if you have an issue, they do not pay out with > the insurance company. > > On 8/25/08, Maria D wrote: >> I've traveled with numerous companies and ACIS is a lot better >> than most. They are a little more expensive, but the service is >> great. ACIS is honest and up front about their charges and they >> really do look out for you. One year I tried switching over to >> NETC and paid more money, but had the worst trip of my life. >> >> MAria >> >> On 8/24/08, genef wrote: >>> I am wondering just what you think would have been fair. >>> Your child loses her passport and will miss the return flight. >>> The chaperones have two choices. Leave the kid alone in a >>> strange city to handle things by herself, or have an adult >>> stay behind and miss a flight to help the child. Option 1 is >>> obviously incorrect, so who will bear the extra costs of >>> option 2? It is always easy to say someone else should pay, >>> but how is this situation the fault of ACIS? >>> >>> We actually had this situation come up last year on our trip >>> the night before our return. Through fast action and hard >>> work we replaced the passport in time for the flight, but a >>> call had been made home to let the parents know that >>> additional expenses might be incurred and the responsibility >>> of the parents. We had also discussed this possibility and >>> responsibility in our pre-trip planning meetings. There is >>> no way I would personally incur $1500 of extra costs for your >>> child and not expect reimbursement. >>> >>> On 8/23/08, Denise wrote: >>>> ACIS seems to be a preferred company and seems to do a >>>> decent job. What you must watch out for is if something >>>> happens during the trip. I am a teacher that sent my >>>> daughter to Spain with them this past year. She lost her >>>> passport and the costs associated with replacing it were >>>> all born by my husband and me. The insurance we purchased >>>> didn't kick in till we complained to "high heaven" and >>>> then we only got back a small amount of money. There >>>> appears to be two insurance brochures and it is amazing >>>> how we only received one of them. But when you go to make >>>> a complaint, they refer to this second brochure and it >>>> does not have the same wording as the other brochure. >>>> Therefore they do not have to pay you any extra money. I >>>> tried to complain directly to the company's president but >>>> his secretary shielded him from my complaint. I could >>>> never recommend this company to anyone ever. It cost me >>>> over $1500 to deal with the lost passport and they >>>> refunded me $150.00. They even tried to stick me with the >>>> cost of the plane ticket for a chaperone who stayed with >>>> my daughter when she couldn't get on the plane! They >>>> eventually refunded that when they realized it wasn't >>>> legal.

Dec 14, 2008

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