A: Allianz should have paid this claim long ago. So why didn't it?

Section 2 of your insurance policy says you're covered when a family member who isn't traveling with you is seriously ill or injured.

It states: “Specific requirement: The injury, illness or medical condition must be considered life threatening, require hospitalization, or he or she must require your care.”

That looks like a covered reason to you — and to me. So what's the holdup? You say two representatives told you that a doctor's letter would be enough to process the claim, but then another representative asked for additional details. Insurance companies are well within their rights to request this documentation, although they should also make every effort to resolve a claim in a timely manner. Two years is too long.

I list the Allianz customer-service contacts on my consumer-advocacy site: www.elliott.org/company-contacts/allianz. Reaching out to one of them in writing might have helped move your claim along. But you can't waive a paperwork requirement in the way you want. A company like Allianz must show its underwriters that it processed a valid claim.

I contacted Allianz on your behalf.

“We have been waiting for her to send us the required documentation we need to finalize her claim,” a representative told me. “The No. 1 reason that claims are delayed is lack of proper documentation. In this case, we have decided to approve Ms. Miller's claim based on the documentation we have.”

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of “How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler.” You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org, or email him at chris@elliott.org.