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Things Travel Insurance is Unlikely to Cover

You already know that travel cover is essential to ensure that you are protected from unforeseen events during your holiday. However, some people take their policies for granted, assuming that their cover will protect them from everything.

This is simply not the case; every insurance company sets their own parameters around what will and will not be covered, so it is important for you to understand the fine print both before you purchase cover and before you set off on your holiday.

Here are some situations that may, or may not, be covered by standard travel insurance. If any of these factors appear important to you and the well0being of your holiday, you should speak with your provider and see if they have additional cover that can be added to your package.

Tour Cancellations

Some holiday cover does offer protection if your trip is cancelled, not be by you, but by the company from whom you purchased it. However, this is not always the case. Even if you have purchased cover that includes cancellation coverage, it may only apply to situations in which you were forced to cancel the holiday for personal reasons such as illness or injury.

Acts of War and Protest

Travelling to politically unstable areas carries a unique set of risks and not all of them will be covered by your travel insurance. Even if your cover does include acts of terrorism, there may be exclusions for war and civil unrest. Be sure to speak with your insurance provider about the types of incidences that will be covered and those that will not.

Pre-Existing Medical Conditions

Protection in the event of an illness is a common reason for people to purchase travel cover – after all, it can be very expensive to obtain medical care particularly when travelling internationally. However, your cover may not apply to conditions that are related to illnesses that you had before leaving on your holiday. More information about pre-existing medical conditions can be found in the article Travel Insurance for Retired Travellers.

Illness or Death of a Pet

If you have to cancel or curtail a holiday because of the illness or death of a family member, it is likely that your insurance provider will be sympathetic and your cover will apply. This is not usually the case, however, when that family member is furry and walks on all fours.

It is unlikely that you will find travel cover that considers the illness or death of a pet as an insurable reason for cancelling a trip. However, if this is a concern for you some pet insurance options may be able to help.

Sport Injuries

Although you may feel secure with your travel insurance’s health and accident cover, you should make certain about which types of activities are covered and which are not. For example, it is not uncommon for insurance companies to exclude adventure sports that carry high risk of injury such as bungee jumping, paragliding, skiing, and white water rafting.

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