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SILVER SPRING, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - As the partial government shutdown stretches into its second month, it's not only affecting people's day-to-day lives and their bank accounts, apparently it's throwing a wrench in their family vacations too.
Susana Rosales, a furloughed employee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, booked a Caribbean cruise for next month. She said she even purchased trip insurance, just in case.
Then came the shutdown.
Rosales is no longer receiving paychecks and therefore no longer has enough cash for the cruise. She filed an insurance claim hoping for a full refund but was told her claim had been denied.
According to a letter sent to Rosales by AON Affinity, "your employer has given you notice of furlough. Therefore, you did not suffer an involuntary termination or lay off. Unfortunately, your claim does not qualify for the Trip Cancellation Benefit due to job loss and we cannot honor your claim."
"I was upset when I saw it," Rosales said from her Silver Spring home Thursday night. "I don't know how long the shutdown is going to be, and I need to make sure I have enough to pay my bills, and I don't have the extra money to pay for the, to take the trip."
Gonzalez said she has been given some of her money back from the cruise line itself. She also said Aon Affinity offered her a 75 percent refund in credits for a future cruise.
Asked for comment, an Aon Affinity spokesperson replied with the following statement: "The government shutdown is a unique event that will be addressed. We are working to determine the coverage benefit for those affected and will apply it accordingly. We review every claim and all submitted information on its own merits and process the claim accordingly. If there are ever any additional details, we will always re-review a claim, taking into account any additional information."