Key takeaways
- Travel insurance can protect from any hiccups that may happen on or before your trip.
- Cancellation cover tends to be part of a standard travel insurance policy, but can come stand-alone.
- You won't find cancellation cover on many basic travel insurance policies - you'll probably need a comprehensive one.
What is travel insurance for cancellations and flight delays?
If you have to cancel your trip for a reason outside of your control, travel cancellation insurance will make sure you don't lose out on any non-refundable expenses that you've already paid for. It can help cover the cost of prepaid accommodation, travel and any deposits that you've already put down.
Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover cancellations. It's not typically included with basic travel insurance policies.
Travel delays is a separate benefit that's also included with most comprehensive travel insurance policies. It can pay for reasonable costs related to trip disruptions – for example, accommodation if you become stranded.
Compare travel insurance for cancellation quotes
Compare travel insurance quotes from 16 brands – that's more than any other site in Australia.
What is covered by travel cancellation insurance?
Here are some examples of prepaid travel expenses that you can claim back on cancellation cover:
- Cancellation fees charged by airlines, hotels, tour operators, rental car companies and more
- Non-refundable deposits for pre-booked flights, accommodation, tours and more
- Travel agent cancellation fees
- Lost frequent flyer points that cannot be recovered (find a credit card offering frequent flyer points)
- Additional travel expenses if you need to return home early from your trip
- Tuition fees if you had paid for a course or training at your travel destination
What isn't covered by travel cancellation insurance?
As we touched on above, travel insurers only cover you when you need to cancel or cut your trip short due to situations that are unexpected and outside your control. That means no cover will be provided if:
- You change your mind. You can't cancel your trip "just because" and expect to get reimbursed.
- You need to cancel because your visa is denied or you have passport issues. It's up to you to make sure you have permission to enter the country you are visiting. Your insurer won't pay for your cancelled trip if you've made the assumption that your visa would be granted or that your passport would arrive on time.
- Your best friend dies. Most policies clearly state that you can only claim for cancellation if it is a relative who dies. They will make it clear in the fine print what they mean by relative.
- You get reimbursed by the provider. You can't double up if you're eligible for a refund through your trip provider like your hotel. Your insurance will only pay for prepaid expenses that you can't get back any other way.
- You travel against your doctor's advice. Travelling against medical advice is a key exclusion on all policies. However, if you cancel your trip because your doctor says you're unfit to travel, you'll be covered for cancellation fees and lost deposits.
- Your tour is under-booked. If you've pre-booked a tour on your holiday and then it's cancelled due to under-booking, your policy won't provide any cover. It will be up to the tour provider to either reschedule your trip or provide a refund.
- You purchase after something happens or there has been a warning. Your insurer won't cover you if you bought your insurance after there had been reports of an approaching hurricane, social unrest or whatever it is you are trying to claim for.
How to find the best travel cancellation insurance for you
The best policy for a person might not be the best policy for another, so your ideal policy comes down to your specific requirements. Here are some tips on how to settle on the right policy:
- Determine your needs and budget. Weigh up how much you are spending on your trip with the likelihood of having to cancel and how much it would hurt to lose that money if you did cancel. This helps you decide how much cancellation cover to get.
- Look at what is covered. Check the fine print of a few policies to find out what exactly they accept for a cancellation claim. For example, some insurers will cover you if you cancel because your first cousin or aunt passes away. Others limit it to immediate family only.
- Look at what's not covered. It's important to know exactly what your policy won't cover you for. For example, some policies won't cover you if you have to cancel because you were injured skiing if you haven't purchased their optional ski cover as well.
Frequently asked questions
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Ask a question
HI, We are planning a family trip to NZ for a family birthday and my husband runs a small business and works everyday can you get insurance to cover if he is unable to come with us do to work issues or is it only medical issues? Thanks
Hi Lmshortie,
Thanks for your question. You may be able to find cover but it would depend on the policy and the reason for cancellation. For example, if he was unable to travel due to an unforeseen incident befalling a business partner, he may be able to make a claim. These conditions vary from provider to provider so you’ll need to ask them about your specific concerns prior to taking out cover.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard
We are planning to hire a car in Europe next year. We will need to make a number of payments for flights, car hire etc. the main concern is an elderly family member aged 87, who may pass away at that time. Most policies will not cover a family member dying if they are over the age of 80 – 85. Can you recommend a policy that will cover us?
Hi Minna,
Thanks for your question. finder.com.au is a comparison service and we are not permitted to provide personalised financial advice or product recommendations. Unfortunately we do not have access to that kind of information.
All the best,
Richard
Hi there,
I understand that it is possible to purchase travel insurance cover for cancellation for any reason. Could you tell me which companies in Australia provide this type of insurance.
Regards,
Peter
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your question. Many of the providers in the panel of some cover for cancellation, if you would like to compare your options. Once you have done so you will be able to view the products we compare and the level of cancellation covered by consulting the provider directly.
I hope this was helpful,
Richard