Travel Insurance with Cancellation

[jacquij70]

Flyer experts can you help me? I am planning a trip to Malta & Venice in September but my partners father is quite ill. If he is worse we won't be able to go. Should I book now and pay and buy travel insurance for cancellation? Or should we wait and try to pick up flights/accom closer to the time? Would love your advice.

 

[Homer]

I am sorry to hear that your partner’s father is ill. As I understand it, travel insurance policies usually exclude pre-existing conditions such as a diagnosed medical condition so you may not actually be covered for this incident should you determine to rely on travel insurance in the event of a cancellation.

 

[nickykim]

You won't have coverage for cancellation under a standard policy. You might be able to get coverage if you declare the illness and pay an additional fee. The insurance that travel agents sell (you can also buy the same on-line) may do this. They may ask you for a medical assessment form before accepting or rejecting cover. The additional fee for my recent trip to the USA was $180 approx - that would vary depending on the patients age and the likelihood of a claim.

Nicky Kim

 

[Travel Guru]

You definitely wont get covered under a standard policy, and if its a current ongoing condition i'd be very surprised if any insurer offered you coverage for it even with an additional premium...generally they only like to cover pre-existing conditions that have passed or are unlikely to require them to payout on it.

Find out from your TA what the cancellation would be if you did cancel before departure and weigh up whether you're more likely to lose my by potentially cancelling or by waiting and paying for a higher fare.

TG

 

[RB]

It may help to read the section of this site Travel Insurance. There are references there that outline variable limits according to the age of the person who is ill- some are 80 some 85 etc.