1. What documents are required to support my claim?

The cancellation claim form has a checklist that details what type of evidence is required for cancellation claims but we’ve also included it here.

Proof of insurance and any medical endorsements – POLICY OR CERTIFICATE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE / VALIDATION CERTIFICATE - your claim will be delayed if you do not submit this. (Please note this is NOT the ATOL certificate)

Employer’s details and policy number where you are insured under a company scheme, insurance reference number etc.

Proof of travel – This must show total cost of the trip, the names of all passengers, the date of booking and the travel dates and come from the tour operator or airline. If you booked independent arrangements (i.e. car hire, travel tickets, accommodation etc.) please send the booking invoice for each item. If you booked your trip over the internet please ALSO send copies of the confirmation emails you received. If you booked your trip through a travel agent please ALSO send copies of the agents booking confirmation.

Tour operator’s cancellation invoice – This must show the amount the tour operator has charged as a cancellation fee. If you booked independent arrangements (i.e. car hire, travel tickets, accommodation etc.) please send the cancellation invoice for each item being claimed. If you booked your trip over the internet please ALSO send copies of the cancellation emails you received If you booked your trip through a travel agent please ALSO send copies of the agent’s cancellation confirmation.

Unused tickets – Tickets and invoices relating to any unused pre booked excursion, theme park entrance, activity, ski pass, theatre tickets etc. for which you are claiming.

Medical / Injury / Death – The attached Medical Certificate completed by the USUAL GP. We are sorry but we cannot accept the medical certificate completed by anyone other than the usual GP of the person causing the cancellation. The original death certificate (which we will return) or a certified copy If the deceased was insured under this policy we will require a copy of the Grant of Probate.

Redundancy – A letter from your employer confirming the date you were notified of your redundancy and the length of your employment.

Withdrawal of leave – Your employer must provide a letter confirming that your planned leave was authorised and subsequently withdrawn. This must also include the date you were first notified of this and the reason why your leave has been withdrawn.

Other Insurance – If you have submitted a claim connected to this one to another insurance company please send copies of all correspondence.

2. When should I cancel my booking?

This should be done as soon as cancellation is anticipated or has been recommended by a medical professional to ensure that any cancellation charges applied to the booking are kept as low as possible. It is important to note that if cancellation notice is unnecessarily delayed any increase in charges will likely be excluded from the claim.

3. How do I get the confirmation of booking and cancellation invoices?

These will have been provided to you by the tour operator or airline etc. at the time of booking and paying for the trip / holiday and then at the time of cancelling the booking. These are important to your claim and will be required so please contact them to obtain copies if you need to. You may not be able to obtain a cancellation invoice, in this circumstance please provide a no show document.

4. Will you pay the administration fee charged for the provision of the cancellation invoice?

No as the insurance only covers pre-paid holiday costs.

5. Will you pay the cancellation costs for a non-insured person?

No. The cancellation claim can only include costs for those people insured under our policy. Non- insured claimants must claim through their own insurance and if necessary, refund you for any costs you paid on their behalf.

6. Who has to complete the medical certificate attached to the claim form?

This has to be completed by the usual GP of the patient. It has to be the GP as he will have access to the patients previous full medical history details which a consultant or specialist may not have.

7. Will you accept my GP’s own medical certificate?

Unfortunately we can only accept our medical certificate as it has been designed to ask questions relevant to this type of insurance claim. Our medical certificate will be attached to the downloaded cancellation claim form.

8. Who pays for the completion of the medical certificate?

Costs of this nature are your responsibility and cannot be claimed back as part of your overall claim.

9. Will you accept a death certificate instead of a medical certificate?

We will always require a copy of the death certificate, however we would also require a medical report to be completed by the regular GP in relation to the medical condition that has cause the person to pass away.

10. What is a packaged holiday?

This is where the tour operator sells the travel and accommodation as a whole instead of offering each element separately.

11. What is a pre-booked excursion?

Many policies will cover pre-booked excursion costs but only if these have been booked and paid for prior to departure from the UK.

A pre-booked excursion is a small day trip you may have booked for whilst you are away.

12. Will you refund the Air Passenger Duty Tax?

No. This tax is levied by airlines and only applies if you actually travel therefore it should be refunded by the airline if you cancel the flight, please refer to the government website for details regarding APD: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rates-and-allowances-for-air-passenger-duty

13. Will you pay the administration fee charged by the airline to reclaim my APD tax?

No as the insurance only covers pre-paid holiday costs.

14. My Policy says I have to pay an excess – what is this?

An excess is the first amount of a claim that you are responsible for (it can also be known as a deductible) and may apply to more than one section of the policy and more than one incident as well as per person claiming on the insurance.

15. How much is the excess?

The value of the excess will vary according to the type of insurance you have, it is usually shown in a table of benefits on your insurance policy but can also be found in the “what’s not covered” or “exclusions” part of the policy.

16. What is an increased excess?

In some cases where a specific medical condition exists Insurers may apply an increased excess. This will be shown on the endorsement or medical screening document attached to your policy wording.

17. What is an excess waiver?

You may be able to choose an option with your policy to waive your excess at an additional premium. This means that no excess will be applied to your claim.

18. When do I pay the excess?

In most cases we deduct the excess from any payment we may make to you. If we require you to pay the excess to ourselves we will contact you with the details on how to do this. 

1. What documents are required to support my claim?

The medical expenses claim form has a checklist that details what type of evidence is required for medical claims, but we’ve also included it here.

Proof of insurance and any medical endorsements – POLICY OR CERTIFICATE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE / VALIDATION CERTIFICATE - your claim will be delayed if you do not submit this. (Please note this is NOT the ATOL certificate).

Employer’s details and policy number where you are insured under a company scheme, insurance reference number etc.

Proof of travel – This must show total cost of the trip, the names of all passengers, the date of booking and the travel dates and come from the tour operator or airline. If you booked independent arrangements (i.e. car hire, travel tickets, accommodation etc.) please send the booking invoice for each item. If you booked your trip over the internet, please ALSO send copies of the confirmation emails you received. If you booked your trip through a travel agent, please ALSO send copies of the agents booking confirmation.

Unused tickets – Tickets and invoices relating to any unused pre booked excursion, theme park entrance, activity, ski pass, theatre tickets etc. for which you are claiming.

Evidence to support the claim – Medical/dental receipts itemising the treatment/prescription and associated costs. Medical/dental reports detailing the condition and treatment provided. Written evidence from the treating doctor of the medical requirement to either extend the stay or return home early. Proof of admission and discharge date and time if you were treated as an in-patient.

Additional travel and accommodation costs – Hotel/accommodation invoice showing dates, costs and names of guests. Travel tickets / invoice showing date, cost and passenger names.

3rd party responsibility – Name, address and general information about the person or company whom you feel was responsible for your illness or injury. Photographic evidence should be provided if available. Police report if applicable. Details of any solicitor or company you have appointed to handle a personal injury claim on your behalf.

Death – Death certificate or certified cop. Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration if the deceased is the claimant.

Other Insurance – If you have submitted a claim connected to this one to another insurance company, please send copies of all correspondence.

2. I dealt with the emergency assistance company so why do I now have to deal with you?

The Emergency Assistance team handle your emergency case management whilst you are still abroad but once you return to the UK, we, as the claims management company, take over and manage your personal claim and payment for outstanding medical bills as well as bills and receipts you have paid yourself. We do share information between us, but it will be necessary for you to complete our claim form before we can review your claim.

3. What is an Emergency Assistance company?

Typically, an Emergency Assistance company is appointed by Insurers to provide a 24/7 365 service to travellers in need of medical emergency assistance. They liaise with hospitals and doctors to ensure the most appropriate medical management and provide relevant guarantees for the medical costs. They also take care of extended medical stays, additional flights and accommodation and early return repatriations.

4. When should I contact the emergency assistance company?

Most policies state under what circumstances and when you need to make contact with the emergency assistance company but usually, they state you must make immediate contact in the event of a serious injury, illness or hospitalisation or where repatriation or curtailment is being considered. However, if you need help for any reason their number is available for you to use.

5. What is a cost containment company and why has my claim been referred to them?

A cost containment company is appointed by Insurers to liaise with hospitals, doctors and clinics to ensure that only the most reasonable and appropriate costs for the treatment given to you are charged. This won’t affect your medical care or your financial standing in that country but is important in controlling Insurers healthcare claims costs. If your claim has been referred to them, they will be responsible for arranging the payment of any outstanding bills.

6. Will you pay for any “out of pocket” expenses?

In general insurance policies will not cover you for incidental expenses such as taxi fares (including those of a relative to visit you in hospital) food and drink and telephone calls.

7. Who is entitled to Hospital Benefit?

This is only paid to the person being hospitalised as an in-patient and is usually calculated from the date and time of your admission through to the date and time of your discharge. The amount payable is dependent upon the level of cover purchased and will be detailed in your policy schedule.

8. Can I claim for additional travel and accommodation costs?

If you had to stay longer than planned due to medical advice and these costs were approved by the 24-hour emergency assistance team, then these costs can form part of your medical expense claim.

9. Why am I getting reminders for unpaid medical bills already submitted to you?

It is not always possible to settle outstanding bills immediately as we may need to ask the hospital for more information so if you receive a reminder simply send it over to us and we’ll let their accounts department know why it’s still outstanding.

Don’t forget to include your claim reference number please!

10. Further unpaid bills have arrived in connection with my claim – help!

Don’t worry this happens all the time!

If you have already sent your claim form back to us, simply send this unpaid bill onwards remembering to quote your claim reference number and providing it is a covered expense, we will make the necessary arrangements to pay it.

If you have yet to return your claim papers, we would ask you to do this ASAP and mark this bill as unpaid on your claim form. If it is a covered expense, we will make the necessary arrangements to pay it.

11. How do you convert foreign currency values to £ sterling?

We use the rate of exchange that applied on the first day you were treated as published by oanda.com. If, however you paid any bills by credit or debit card then we are happy to use the rate of exchange applied by your bankers but unfortunately, we will not pay any commission charges that may be applicable. If you wish us to use this rate of exchange them, please send a copy of your bank statement showing the £ sterling equivalent and rate of exchange applied.

12. Why do you need to know my National Insurance number?

The UK has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with all European Economic Area (EEA) countries which means that if you need urgent or immediate medical attention whilst visiting the country the state healthcare will be provided at a reduced cost. This applies to UK residents and providing a National Insurance number is one way of proving your entitlement to this. We need this number to reclaim any costs falling under this agreement on behalf of your travel insurers.

13. Why do you need to know about other insurance policies I may have?

Insurers have agreed to share the cost of a claim if more than one policy covers the same incident. This helps keep insurance premiums down and, in most cases, won’t affect any no-claims bonus you may have.

14. My Policy says I have to pay an excess – what is this?

An excess is the first amount of a claim that you are responsible for (it can also be known as a deductible) and may apply to more than one section of the policy and more than one incident.

15. How much is the excess?

The value of the excess will vary according to the type of insurance you have, it is usually shown in a table of benefits on your insurance policy but can also be found in the “what’s not covered” or “exclusions” part of the policy.

16. What is an increased excess?

In some cases where a specific medical condition exists Insurers may apply an increased excess. This will be shown on the endorsement or medical screening document attached to your policy wording.

17. What is an excess waiver?

Some policies offer to waive this excess for a small increase in premium and this will be shown on your endorsement attached to your policy. Check the terms and conditions of your policy wording to see if your policy offers this waiver.

18. When do I pay the excess?

In most cases we deduct the excess from any payment we may make to you, if we need you to pay the excess to ourselves, we will contact you regarding this.

19. I keep getting reminders for unpaid bills from the USA, why is this?

The USA healthcare system is complicated and if you’ve been unlucky enough to be hospitalised you may receive many bills from different service providers. This is quite normal. Even though you may have contacted your emergency assistance company, and they may have issued a guarantee, once your name is in the hospital records you may get reminders. If you do receive these, you should send the bill to the assistance company. If you didn’t contact your assistance company, you will need to register a claim with us. Until the claim is agreed by us you will still receive reminders and you will still be liable for its payment. On occasions the USA medical system means that they may use a debt recovery agent to contact you.

20. I paid a deposit at the hospital; how do I claim this back?

Some private hospitals are charging patients a deposit before any treatment is provided and this can be anything from £1,000 to £3,000 (in local currency). This is their right and unfortunately UK Insurers are unable to prevent it. If during your stay the hospital receives a guarantee from your assistance company that your claim is covered then they will normally refund you before you leave. If the deposit is not refunded, you will need to speak to your assistance company to find out why a guarantee was not issued and when it will be as the hospital will not normally refund this without the guarantee. We are unable to refund the deposit as part of your claim process.

1. What documents are required to support my claim?

The personal effects, money, passports and travel documents claim form has a checklist that details what type of evidence is required for claims for the theft, loss or damage to personal property, lost or stolen money or expenses incurred to obtain a replacement passport or travel documents, but we’ve also included it here.

Proof of insurance and any medical endorsements – POLICY OR CERTIFICATE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE / VALIDATION CERTIFICATE - your claim will be delayed if you do not submit this. (Please note this is NOT the ATOL certificate)

Employer’s details and policy number where you are insured under a company scheme, insurance reference number etc.

Proof of travel – This must show total cost of the trip, the names of all passengers, the date of booking and the travel dates and come from the tour operator or airline. If you booked independent arrangements (i.e. car hire, travel tickets, accommodation etc.) please send the booking invoice for each item. If you booked your trip over the internet, please ALSO send copies of the confirmation emails you received. If you booked your trip through a travel agent, please ALSO send copies of the agents booking confirmation.

Evidence to support money claims – Bank or building society statements showing cash withdrawal, currency conversion slips, Police report, reps report, hotel report.

Evidence to support personal effects claims – Original purchase receipts or credit card/bank statements showing purchase details, manuals and guarantee cards for watches, cameras, photographic equipment, phones, laptops etc. Photos or valuations of jewellery

Airline or carrier tickets, baggage check tags,

Repair estimate or confirmation that item is beyond economical repair from a reputable dealer, (we may also ask for the item to be sent to us)

Police report, reps report, hotel report for loss or theft; Carrier report, PIR (airline report) for airline loss or damage

Rental car agreement for theft from vehicles

Letter confirming items deemed irretrievably lost for losses whilst in the custody of the carrier / airline.

Evidence to support passport / travel documents claims – Receipts for travel, accommodation and incidental expenses incurred to obtain a replacement passport or travel documents.

Police report

3rd party responsibility – Name, address and general information about the person or company whom you feel was responsible for the loss or damage to your property other than for claims occurring in the custody of the airline or carrier.

Other Insurance – If you have submitted a claim connected to this one to another insurance company, please send copies of all correspondence

2. Why do you need receipts?

Most policies state that proof of age, value and ownership of the items being claimed must be provided and the easiest way for this is to send in the purchase receipt. It is important to note that some policies may exclude a claim, or part of, if there is no proof of age, value and ownership.

3. What if I don’t have purchase receipts?

Alternatives such as credit card /bank statements showing the purchase transaction date and value, insurance valuations, photographs, instruction manuals, guarantee documentation for watches, cameras or other electrical or electronic goods and duplicate receipts obtained from the store can be submitted in support of your claim but it is important to note that they are not guaranteed to be accepted as proof of value, age and ownership.

4. Why are deductions for wear and tear or depreciation made?

Typically, your travel policy will be one of indemnity which means it will only put you back in the situation you were in at the time of the loss. This means that we will view each item and make reasonable adjustments to the value where necessary based on the age of the item.

5. Can I dispose of my damaged items?

No. All damaged items must be kept as we may need to inspect them or have them assessed by a reputable repairer. We may reject a claim where the damaged items are no longer available so hold on to them until the claim is finalised.

6. Can I arrange to replace my damaged items?

We do not recommend you do this until we have had the opportunity to review the claim as the item may be repairable or we may be able to obtain a replacement through our supplier network at discounted rates.

7. What is a PIR and why is it necessary?

A Property Irregularity Report is a report issued by an airline with reference to the loss, damage or delay of your checked-in bags. Airlines won’t begin looking for your lost bags until this form has been completed and with some airlines, the tracking number quoted on the form will enable you to track the whereabouts of your missing or delayed bags via their tracking agent’s website!

The issuance of this form is an acknowledgement by the airline that the matter has been reported and may enable your travel insurers to claim back some of their outlay from them.

Without this PIR your claim may not be accepted.

8. What is a carriers report and why is it necessary?

A Carriers report is a report issued by a carrier (shipping company, coach company etc.) with reference to the loss, damage or delay of your checked-in bags. Carriers won’t begin looking for your lost bags until this form has been completed and with some carriers, the tracking number quoted on the form will enable you to track the whereabouts of your missing or delayed bags via their tracking agent’s website!

The issuance of this form is an acknowledgement by the carrier that the matter has been reported and may enable your travel insurers to claim back some of their outlay from them.

Without the carriers report your claim may not be accepted.

9. I didn’t get a police report for my lost or stolen possessions.

Typically, your insurance policy will say that you have to notify the police within 24 hours of the theft or loss and obtain a written police report detailing the circumstances and the items involved. If you can’t provide this or reported the matter to another authority, then tell us on the claim form and attach whatever reports you do have. Your claim may not be covered but we will review it based on what you tell us.

10. How do I prove the value of my money claim?

This can be by way of cash withdrawal slips, bank statements or currency conversion slips. If your money wasn’t obtained by any of these methods, then tell us why and we’ll let you know how you can prove the value and ownership.

11. Why do you want to know about other claims I have made?

It is industry practice to share details on claims trends and helps Insurers analyse the levels and values of cover offered within their policies. anti-money laundering policy to check and ensure that all claims are valid and accurate.

12. My Policy says I have to pay an excess – what is this?

An excess is the first amount of a claim that you are responsible for (it can also be known as a deductible) and may apply to more than one section of the policy and more than one incident.

13. How much is the excess?

The value of the excess will vary according to the type of insurance you have, it is usually shown in a table of benefits on your insurance policy but can also be found in the “what’s not covered” or “exclusions” part of the policy.

14. What is an excess waiver?

Some policies offer to waive this excess for a small increase in premium and this will be shown on your endorsement attached to your policy. Check the terms and conditions of your policy wording to see if your policy offers this waiver.

15. When do I pay the excess?

In most cases we deduct the excess from any payment we may make to you.

1. What documents are required to support my claim?

The delayed baggage claim form has a checklist that details what type of evidence is required for delayed baggage claims, but we have also included it here.

Proof of insurance and any medical endorsements – POLICY OR CERTIFICATE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE / VALIDATION CERTIFICATE - your claim will be delayed if you do not submit this. (Please note this is NOT the ATOL certificate)
Employer’s details and policy number where you are insured under a company scheme, insurance reference number etc.
Proof of travel – This must show total cost of the trip, the names of all passengers, the date of booking and the travel dates and come from the tour operator or airline. If you booked independent arrangements (i.e. car hire, travel tickets, accommodation etc.) please send the booking invoice for each item. If you booked your trip over the internet, please ALSO send copies of the confirmation emails you received. If you booked your trip through a travel agent, please ALSO send copies of the agents booking confirmation.

Evidence to support emergency expenses and items claimed – Receipts for emergency purchases made whilst awaiting receipt of your baggage.

Or credit card / bank statements showing the transactions.

Airline PIR or carrier report.

Letter from airline / carrier confirming date and time baggage returned to you.

Airline / carrier tickets.

Baggage check tags.

Other Insurance – If you have submitted a claim connected to this one to another insurance company, please send copies of all correspondence.

2. Why do you need receipts for my emergency items?

Most policies pay “up to” the policy limit for delayed baggage emergency items and therefore the receipts will prove the amount you spent.

3. What happens if I do not have receipts?

Your claim may not be accepted for the items you cannot supply a receipt for but tell us why and we may be able to review your claim based on these reasons.

4. Is there an excess for these claims?

No.

5. Can I claim from the airline for the expenses you will not cover?

Typically, the airlines and carriers cover the same type of costs as travel insurers but in certain circumstances where your “covered” expenditure exceeds the policy limit you may be able to claim the balance from the carrier. However, you need to declare your intention to do this to us.

6. Why do you need confirmation of the time my baggage was delivered?

Most policies only cover your expenses if your baggage was delayed for a period in excess of 12 hours.

1. What documents are required to support my claim?

The curtailment claim form has a checklist that details what type of evidence is required for curtailment claims but we’ve also included it here.

Proof of insurance and any medical endorsements – POLICY OR CERTIFICATE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE / VALIDATION CERTIFICATE - your claim will be delayed if you do not submit this. (Please note this is NOT the ATOL certificate)

Employer’s details and policy number where you are insured under a company scheme, insurance reference number etc.

Proof of travel – This must show total cost of the trip, the names of all passengers, the date of booking and the travel dates and come from the tour operator or airline. If you booked independent arrangements (i.e. car hire, travel tickets, accommodation etc.) please send the booking invoice for each item. If you booked your trip over the internet, please ALSO send copies of the confirmation emails you received. If you booked your trip through a travel agent, please ALSO send copies of the agents booking confirmation.

Unused tickets – Tickets and invoices relating to any unused pre booked excursion, theme park entrance, activity, ski pass, theatre tickets etc. for which you are claiming.

Evidence to support the claim – Medical Certificate completed by the USUAL GP of the non-travelling person whose illness or injury caused the curtailment. We are sorry but we cannot accept the medical certificate completed by anyone other than the usual GP of the person causing the curtailment.

Medical report issued by the overseas treating doctor advising of the need to return early.

The original death certificate (which we will return) or a certified copy.

If the deceased was insured under this policy, we will require a copy of the Grant of Probate

Additional travel and accommodation costs – Hotel/accommodation invoice showing dates, costs and names of guests. Travel tickets / invoice showing date, cost and passenger names.

3rd party responsibility – Name, address and general information about the person or company whom you feel was responsible for your illness or injury. Photographic evidence should be provided if available. Police report if applicable. Details of any solicitor or company you have appointed to handle a personal injury claim on your behalf.

Armed Forces Withdrawal of leave – Your commanding officer must provide a letter confirming that your planned leave was authorised and subsequently withdrawn. This must also include the date you were first notified of this and the reason why your leave has been withdrawn.

Other Insurance – If you have submitted a claim connected to this one to another insurance company, please send copies of all correspondence

2. I dealt with the emergency assistance company so why do I now have to deal with you?

The Emergency Assistance team manage your emergency case management whilst you are still abroad but once you return to the UK, we, as the claims management company, take over and manage your personal claim and payment for outstanding medical bills. We do share information between us, but it will be necessary for you to complete our claim form before we can continue with your claim.

3. What is an Emergency Assistance company?

Typically, an Emergency Assistance company is appointed by Insurers to provide a 24/7 365 service to travellers in need of medical emergency assistance. They consult with hospitals and doctors to ensure the most appropriate medical management and provide relevant guarantees for the medical costs. They also take care of extended medical stays, addition flights and accommodation and early return repatriations.

4. When should I contact the emergency assistance company?

Most policies state under what circumstances and when you need to make contact with the emergency assistance company but usually, they state you must make immediate contact in the event of a serious injury, illness or hospitalisation or where repatriation or curtailment is being considered. However, if you need help for any reason their number is available for you to use.

5. We curtailed but didn’t contact the emergency assistance company for approval.

In these circumstances we would suggest you attach a covering letter to your claim form explaining what happened and why you didn’t contact the assistance company for approval. We will then review your claim based on the facts presented to us although this is no guarantee that the claim will be accepted.

6. Will you pay for any “out of pocket” expenses?

In general insurance policies will not cover you for incidental expenses such as taxi fares (including those of a relative to visit you in hospital) food and drink and telephone calls.

7. How are curtailment claim refunds calculated?

Usually these are calculated on a proportionate value of pre-paid costs from the date of return to your home country so if you were on a 10-day holiday and returned after 8 days we would consider a claim for 2 days unused prepaid holiday costs.

8. How do you convert foreign currency values to £ sterling?

We use the rate of exchange that applied on the date you incurred the cost as published by oanda.com. If, however you paid any part of your curtailment claim by credit or debit card then we are happy to use the rate of exchange applied by your bankers but unfortunately, we will not pay any commission charges that may be applicable. If you wish us to use this rate of exchange them, please send a copy of your bank statement showing the £ sterling equivalent and rate of exchange applied.

9. We curtailed due to the death of a relative in the UK, do we need a medical or death certificate?

In the first instance we would ask you to submit the death certificate or a certified copy but dependent upon the cause and date of death and the date of purchasing the insurance we may ask that you get further medical information from the deceased’s GP.

10. Our original pre-paid flights were used to return home early – can we claim them back?

Generally, the curtailment cover is for the proportionate refund of unused travel and accommodation costs so if the flights were used you may not be entitled to claim a refund.

11. Why do you need to know about other insurance policies I may have?

Insurers have agreed to share the cost of a claim if more than one policy covers the same incident. This helps keep insurance premiums down and, in most cases, won’t affect any no-claims bonus you may have.

12. My Policy says I have to pay an excess – what is this?

An excess is the first amount of a claim that you are responsible for (it can also be known as a deductible) and may apply to more than one section of the policy and more than one incident.

13. How much is the excess?

The value of the excess will vary according to the type of insurance you have, it is usually shown in a table of benefits on your insurance policy but can also be found in the “what’s not covered” or “exclusions” part of the policy.

14. What is an increased excess?

In some cases where a specific medical condition exists Insurers may apply an increased excess. This will be shown on the endorsement or medical screening document attached to your policy wording.

15. What is an excess waiver?

Some policies offer to waive this excess for an additional premium, and this will be shown on your endorsement attached to your policy. Check the terms and conditions of your policy wording to see if your policy offers this waiver.

16. When do I pay the excess?

In most cases we deduct the excess from any payment we may make to you.

1. What documents are required to support my claim?

The travel delay missed departure an abandonment claim form has a checklist that details what type of evidence is required to support the claim, but we’ve also included it here.

Proof of insurance and any medical endorsements – POLICY OR CERTIFICATE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE / VALIDATION CERTIFICATE - your claim will be delayed if you do not submit this. (Please note this is NOT the ATOL certificate)

Employer’s details and policy number where you are insured under a company scheme, insurance reference number etc.

Proof of travel – This must show total cost of the trip, the names of all passengers, the date of booking and the travel dates and come from the tour operator or airline. If you booked independent arrangements (i.e. car hire, travel tickets, accommodation etc.) please send the booking invoice for each item. If you booked your trip over the internet, please ALSO send copies of the confirmation emails you received. If you booked your trip through a travel agent, please ALSO send copies of the agents booking confirmation.

Evidence to support travel delay claims – Written evidence from the carrier (airline, coach company, cruise company, rail line etc.) confirming the exact reason for the delay together with the original date and time of departure and the eventual date and time of departure.

Evidence to support missed departure claims – Written evidence proving pre booked public transport & itinerary.

Original unused tickets /Receipts/tickets for additional travel and accommodation expenses.

Proof of breakdown or accident to your vehicle.

Written evidence from the carrier (airline, coach company, cruise company, rail line etc.) confirming the exact reason for the cancellation or curtailment of the scheduled public transport and the date & time the cancellation was notified.

Evidence to support abandonment claims – Cancellation invoice or “No Show” letter. Written evidence from the carrier (airline, coach company, cruise company, rail line etc.) confirming the exact reason for the delay, the date & time you cancelled the booking together with details of any alternative travel arrangements offered to you.

Other Insurance – If you have submitted a claim connected to this one to another insurance company, please send copies of all correspondence.

2. I was delayed so why won’t you pay for the loss of my holiday time?

Typically, the travel delay cover is a set benefit based on the number of hours you were actually delayed and does not extend to cover you for the loss of holiday time as a result of the delay. You should contact the airline or holiday company to check if they can provide you with any payment for the loss of your holiday.

3. Why do I have to provide proof from the carrier of the cause of delay and the date and time of eventual departure?

Cover is only provided for specific causes of delay and the benefit is calculated on set time periods.

4. Can I claim travel delay compensation from the airline as well?

As the travel delay cover is a benefit you are also able to claim from the airline in the event of a delay. You will need to contact the airline directly to submit this claim, however you can also refer to the CAA to check if you are eligible. https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/resolving-travel-problems/delays-and-cancellations/delays/

5. Why do I have to check in before I can abandon my trip?

Delays can change quickly – an apparent lengthy delay can be reduced by transferring to another carrier or departure point and as abandonment claims are only acceptable after a set delay period it is necessary to check in unless there has been a specific announcement requesting passengers NOT to check in to avoid congestion at departure points.

6. Can I claim for food and drink costs incurred whilst I was delayed?

Typically, the travel delay cover is a set benefit based on the number of hours you were actually delayed and does not extend to cover you for out-of-pocket expenses.

7. Can I claim for the time delay in arriving at my destination?

This is dependent on the policy you have purchased and the type of cover they provide; however, this is usually applied from your departure time and not the arrival time.