Cancellation cover

Buying travel insurance can often be a last minute decision. However, putting cancellation cover in place early is often the best choice.

Why is this? For a few reason, including:

• If you book a holiday earlier than getting cancellation cover, you take a chance on needing to claim for it.
• If you book a holiday, and later take out cancellation cover with the intention to cancel, you risk the claim being considered fraudulent.
• Taking out cancellation cover early providers immediate peace of mind. You’ll know that lost expenses on transport, accommodation and package holidays will be returned to you. All you’ll need to think about is planning an exciting trip.

Is it ever better not to have cancellation cover?

Having cancellation cover always provides more protection, but those that choose to exclude it sometimes have valid reasons. For example, if you’re staying in your own property and the flight was under £100, you might find your cancellation excess higher than the amount you’d need to claim for.

Cancellation cover includes a wide variety of events.

For up to the amount agreed, here’s 6 examples of what you could claim for:

• • Travel and accommodation arrangements, excursions, tours and activities.
  • The death, disablement or illness of a) you, b) any person you are intending to travel or stay with or c) an immediate relative or yours.
  • You being called for jury service.
  • Your redundancy or the redundancy of any person you are intending to travel with.
  • Your passport, or the passport of any person you are intending to travel with being stolen during the seven days before your departure date.
  • Any person you’re travelling with being ordered to return to duty for the armed forces, emergency services or an administrative government role.

For a definitive list of which events you can claim for, please see the wording of your chosen policy.

The success of a claim can depend upon your evidence. Here’s two examples of when cancellation cover might not pay out:

• When a medical certificate has not been obtained from a medical practitioner, confirming that cancellation of your trip is medically necessary.
• Claims where the theft of a passport has not been reported by you to the necessary authorities.

There’s also events that can only be claimed for under specific conditions. For example, on AllClear Gold cover, if you’re more than 32 weeks into a single pregnancy it would be considered too late to claim for cancellation.

If you have any questions about whether an event is covered, double check your policy wording or contact us. We’ll be happy to answer your concerns.

The amount of cancellation cover changes between policies.

The level of cancellation, baggage and medical expenses cover available for each policy is displayed at the end of your quote – when your policy options are presented.

Always check the level of cover meets your requirements.

For most policies you can choose to exclude cancellation cover. Find out more in our Optional extras help article.