Claiming on travel insurance for illness
What insurers actually require, why claims get rejected, and how to give yours the best chance of being paid.
The short answer. Cancellation cover responds to a new, unforeseen illness or injury that makes travel inadvisable — supported by medical evidence. Most rejections come down to four things: an undeclared pre-existing condition, cancelling without medical advice, delaying the cancellation, or evidence too vague to assess.
The four reasons claims fail
1. An undeclared pre-existing condition. This is the biggest single cause. Insurers ask about medical history at the point of sale, and if you did not declare something relevant, they can decline the claim — and in some cases void the policy entirely. It applies even to conditions that feel resolved or trivial. If you are unsure whether something counted, declare it.
2. Cancelling before getting medical advice. Policies generally require that a doctor advised against travel, not simply that you felt too unwell. Cancelling first and seeking a letter afterwards creates a gap the insurer can point at. See a doctor, then cancel.
3. Delay. Most policies require you to cancel as soon as you know you cannot travel. Waiting in the hope of recovery is understandable, but insurers may pay only what the cancellation charge would have been on the day you first knew.
4. Evidence that is too vague. “Patient unwell, advised rest” does not let an assessor decide anything. The letter needs the condition, the assessment date, an explicit statement about fitness to travel, and the dates covered.
Building a claim that gets paid
- Notify the insurer as soon as you know, and get a claim reference
- Ask whether they have their own medical certificate form — most do, and using it removes ambiguity
- Cancel with the operator or airline and get written confirmation of the charge and any refund
- Get the medical evidence, ideally dated around the point you decided not to travel
- Keep everything: booking confirmations, receipts, correspondence, the policy schedule
- Submit inside the policy deadline, and keep copies of what you sent
What the medical certificate should say
| Element | Why the assessor needs it |
|---|---|
| Patient name and date of birth | To match the policy and booking |
| Date of consultation or assessment | Shows the advice was contemporaneous |
| The condition and when it began | To assess against pre-existing condition terms |
| Explicit statement that travel was not advisable | The clinical opinion being relied on |
| Period covered | Must span the booked travel dates |
| Relationship, if the patient is not the traveller | For close-relative cover |
| Doctor's name, GMC number, signature, date | Verification |
If the insurer sent a form, use the form. Free-text letters get queried and queries add weeks. We complete insurer forms as well as issuing our own letters.
If the claim is refused
Ask for the decision in writing with the specific policy wording relied on. Read that wording carefully — refusals are sometimes based on a misreading of the medical evidence, and a clarifying letter from the doctor resolves it.
If you disagree, use the insurer’s formal complaints process and ask for a final response. If you are still unhappy, the Financial Ombudsman Service will consider the case free of charge, and you generally have six months from the final response to refer it.
Common questions
Does travel insurance cover cancellation due to illness?
Almost all policies with cancellation cover do, for a new and unforeseen illness or injury that makes travel inadvisable. The common exclusions are pre-existing conditions you did not declare, and cancelling without medical advice.
What medical evidence do insurers need?
Typically a doctor’s letter or the insurer’s own completed medical certificate, giving the condition, the date you were assessed, a clear statement that travel was not advisable, and the period covered.
Why do insurers reject claims?
The usual reasons are undeclared pre-existing conditions, cancelling before getting medical advice, delaying the cancellation, insufficient medical evidence, and claiming for a relative who does not meet the policy’s definition of close relative.
Do I have to declare a pre-existing condition?
Yes, and this is where most refused claims originate. Insurers ask about medical history for a reason, and non-disclosure can invalidate the whole policy — not just the part relating to that condition.
How long do I have to claim?
Policies set their own deadlines, often 28 or 31 days from the cancellation. Notify immediately even if you cannot complete the paperwork yet.
What if my claim is rejected?
Ask for the decision and its reasons in writing, then use the insurer’s complaints process. If you are still unhappy after their final response, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge.
Related
Need the medical certificate for your claim?
A GMC-registered UK GP can issue the letter, or complete your insurer’s own form, the same day on weekdays.
Get startedReviewed by a GMC-registered GP. Full refund if a certificate cannot be issued on clinical grounds.