During a mission trip to Greece, Participant B experienced a minor injury while playing a casual game of tag with local children at a church event. When completing her claim form, she selected “Yes” to the question asking whether the injury occurred during an organized sporting activity. While the event had been organized by the ministry for fellowship and recreation, the insurance carrier interpreted the word “organized” in the formal sense — meaning an athletic activity sanctioned by a governing body or sports organization. Based on that interpretation, the claim was denied under Exclusion 22, which bars injuries sustained during organized athletic activities.
MissionSafe reviewed the denial and quickly identified the misunderstanding. The Claims Specialist contacted the insurance carrier for clarification and helped the participant complete an Accident Questionnaire to provide context. The appeal remains pending, with an expectation that, once reviewed, the carrier will determine the activity was informal and therefore covered.
*HopeWorks Travel Global is the anonymized name for an actual MissionSafe Client. All organization and individual names have been changed for the privacy of those involved.
