How to Claim for a Cancelled Trip on Travel Insurance

Key things to know

1. Cancellation cover usually applies only if the policy was in place before the event that stopped you travelling, so buy insurance as soon as you book.
2. Commonly covered reasons include sudden illness or injury, bereavement, jury duty, redundancy and outbound flight delays of more than 12 hours.
3. Claim any refund from the airline or tour operator first; if the airline cancels a flight covered by UK law, you choose between a refund paid within 7 days and a return flight.
4. Include money you are still contracted to pay, not just what you have already spent, and send the documents your policy wording lists.
5. If the claim is refused, ask for the reasons in writing and escalate through the insurer’s complaints process.

Cancelling a holiday you have already paid for is frustrating enough without a paperwork exercise on top. Travel insurance cancellation cover exists to return money you cannot recover from anywhere else, but it only pays when the reason for cancelling is one the policy lists and you can evidence what you lost. This walkthrough takes you through the job in order, from checking that your reason is covered to what to do if the claim is refused.

Step 1: Check That Your Reason for Cancelling Is on the List

Cancellation cover is not a general refund scheme. Policies pay for a specific list of reasons, and the most common are:

• sudden illness, injury or the death of someone travelling with you or a close family member
• jury duty
• unexpected redundancy
• your outbound flight being delayed by more than 12 hours, if you then decide to abandon the trip altogether

Some policies also cover cancelling after the government warns against non-essential travel to your destination, but this is not universal, so read your wording. If the list looks narrower than you expected, our guide to comparing quotes properly explains how to spot gaps in cover before you buy rather than after a claim fails.

The reverse also matters: if the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all travel or all but essential travel to a destination and you go anyway, your insurance can be invalidated.

Two rules sit behind all of these. First, the cover usually applies only if the policy was already in place before the event that stopped you travelling, which is why the standard advice is to buy travel insurance as soon as you book rather than the day before departure. Second, the reason must be genuinely unexpected. Deciding you no longer want to go is not covered, however reasonable it feels.

If illness is involved, any pre-existing conditions must have been declared when you bought the policy, including conditions currently under investigation or pending tests. Failing to declare something can invalidate the policy, not just this claim. Our guide to travel insurance explains what needs declaring.

One term worth knowing: cancellation applies before you leave, while curtailment covers cutting a trip short after you have started it. The claims process differs, so be clear which situation you are in.

Step 2: Cancel the Booking and Get It Confirmed in Writing

Contact the airline, hotel or tour operator the moment you know you cannot travel, and put the cancellation in writing even if you also phone. Keep the reply, because it should show the date you cancelled and what charges apply.

The date matters more than most people expect. Operators usually require you to pay a percentage, or all, of any outstanding balance when you cancel, and the insurer will want to see when you cancelled and what the operator told you.

You will also need evidence of why you cancelled. Your policy wording sets out what counts as proof, and some documents take time to arrive, so ask for them as soon as you can.

Step 3: Claim Refunds from the Airline or Tour Operator First

Insurance is the last resort, not the first. If the airline cancels a flight covered by UK law, you are entitled to choose between a refund, which must be paid within 7 days, and a return flight. Make that choice with the airline before your insurer, because cancellation cover is meant for costs you cannot recover from anywhere else.

Your booking method may offer further protection. A package holiday that includes a flight may carry ATOL protection, which steps in if the travel company collapses, and holidays booked with ABTA members come with their own financial protection. Paying by credit card can also help: if a travel firm folds, you may be able to recover credit card payments between £100 and £30,000. Most bookings made directly with airlines are not covered by ATOL, which is one more reason to keep clear records of exactly who you paid and how.

Step 4: Gather Your Booking Documents and Receipts

Before you start the claim, assemble the file. You will normally need:

• booking confirmations and invoices for each part of the trip: flights, accommodation, transfers and excursions
• receipts or card statements showing what you actually paid
• the written cancellation and the operator’s statement of any charges
• evidence of the reason for cancelling
• details of any refunds you have already received

Include money you are still contracted to pay, not just money already spent. If you paid a deposit and the operator requires all or a percentage of the balance because you cancelled, cancellation cover can extend to that as well. Your policy wording lists the exact documents the insurer wants, and getting the information together early helps the claim go through without delays.

Step 5: Submit the Claim and Check What the Policy Pays

Most insurers accept claims through an online portal or a posted form. Complete every section, attach the documents and keep copies of everything you send. Note the claim reference number the moment you receive it. The mechanics follow the same pattern as making an insurance claim, so that guide is worth reading alongside this one.

How much the insurer will actually pay depends on the terms of your policy, including any excess it applies, so read the wording before you submit and make sure the numbers in your claim match your receipts. Our explainer on how excesses work covers the basics.

Worth doing: Buy the policy when you book the trip, not later. Cancellation cover only helps if it was in place before the event that stopped you travelling.

Step 6: Track Deadlines and Follow Up

Check your policy wording for any deadlines or conditions the insurer sets for claims, and follow the process it describes rather than assuming your own timetable works. If you are away when the problem begins, keep your policy details with you, including the policy number and the emergency assistance number, and share them with the people you are travelling with so someone at home can contact the insurer on your behalf.

Log every phone call with the date, the name of the person you spoke to and what was agreed. If the insurer asks for further documents, send them promptly and keep a note of what you sent. Claims stall quietly, and a polite chase every couple of weeks keeps yours moving.

Step 7: If Your Cancellation Claim Is Rejected

A refusal is not necessarily the end of the road. Ask the insurer for the decision in writing, with the specific policy terms it relies on, then compare those terms against your wording and your evidence. Some refusals come down to missing paperwork rather than the reason for the claim, and supplying the right document can change the outcome.

If you still believe the decision is wrong, escalate through the insurer’s formal complaints process. Keep copies of everything you send and receive, because a complaint that moves to the next stage relies on the paper trail you have built.

Once your documents are together and you are satisfied your reason is covered, submit the claim through your insurer’s portal and diarise a follow-up date.

See also Getting Started With Travel Insurance: What to Check Before You Buy and How to Make an Insurance Claim, Step by Step.

Questions answered

What reasons for cancelling does travel insurance usually cover?
Policies commonly list sudden illness, injury or bereavement affecting you or a close family member, jury duty, unexpected redundancy, and outbound flight delays of more than 12 hours if you abandon the trip. Some policies also cover cancelling after the government warns against non-essential travel to your destination.

Can I claim on insurance if the airline cancelled my flight?
Ask the airline first. For flights covered by UK law, you can choose between a refund paid within 7 days and a return flight. Travel insurance is meant to pick up costs you cannot recover from anyone else.

Does cancellation cover pay back money I have not spent yet?
It can. If you paid a deposit and the operator requires a percentage, or all, of the outstanding balance because you cancelled, the cover extends to those contracted payments as well as money you have already paid.

What happens if my cancellation claim is rejected?
Ask the insurer for the decision in writing with the specific policy terms it relies on, then compare those terms against your wording and evidence. If you still believe the decision is wrong, escalate through the insurer’s formal complaints process.