Travel insurance claims. A complete guide.

Travel insurance claims

While travel insurance can’t prevent accidents, it can prevent you from paying out-of-pocket costs if the worst should happen.

Read this guide to travel insurance to find out how to make a successful travel insurance claim as hassle-free as possible.

Table of contents

• When can I make a travel insurance claim?
• How can I make a travel insurance claim?
• What evidence should I provide when making a claim?
• Travel insurance claim process
• How do I make a claim while I’m traveling?
• Should I make a claim when I get home?
• Can I make a claim if I need to cancel or end my trip early?
• Top tips for making a successful travel insurance claim
• Travel insurance claims FAQ
• Travel insurance cost

When can I make a travel insurance claim?

When you take out travel insurance, you can often choose what your policy covers.

If you customize your insurance, check the level of coverage you get and the maximum amount you can claim for each portion of your insurance.

Comprehensive travel insurance policies usually cover the following:

• Theft
• Flight delays
• Public liability
• Loss of baggage
• Medical treatments
• Flight or trip cancellation

Check your policy to find out if you have to pay an excess towards the cost of a claim.

For example, if your €100 necklace gets stolen, but you have an excess of €160 — it’s probably not worth your time to make a claim.

How can I make a travel insurance claim?

You can only claim for what you are covered for and up to the maximum amount as stated in your policy.

You must make up the rest of the sum if the claim is worth more than your coverage.

Claims for lost baggage

Most lost baggage claims are covered by the airline. If you need to claim for lost baggage, you should ask the airline first before using your travel insurance.

If the airline doesn’t cover lost baggage and you do need to claim on your travel insurance policy, follow these steps:

• Keep your boarding pass, travel tags, and tickets as evidence.
• Gather proof of lost items, such as receipts, photographs, and itemized lists.
• Let the airline know you’re making a claim, as they may be able to help.
• Report the loss with the airline – they can provide a property irregularity report number.
• Keep receipts of any replacement items you buy to reclaim the money you spend.

Claims for stolen belongings

Your insurance provider expects you to take reasonable care of your belongings while you’re traveling and will need to see evidence that you did this.

If your belongings are lost or have been stolen, you should file a report with the police within 24 hours of noticing.

At the least, ask for a written report from the staff or owners of the accommodation you’re staying in.

If you have to replace essential items immediately, ensure you ask for receipts to send as evidence of your claim.

Claims for medical emergencies and personal injury

Contact your insurance provider immediately if you need medical treatment or are involved in an emergency trip while on holiday. Your insurance provider may be able to liaise with the hospital on your behalf.

Ideally, you want them to agree to any treatment in advance. If it’s an emergency, call your insurance provider as soon as possible after the event.

You may have to pay up-front for medical treatment and claim it back on your insurance when you get home, so ensure you obtain any medical receipts.

Remember to declare any pre-existing medical conditions when you take out your travel insurance.

If you fail to tell the insurers about an existing health problem that causes the medical issue, you may not be covered if you need treatment for this while you’re away.

What evidence should I provide when making a claim?

Your travel insurance policy should clearly define the evidence required to make a claim.

In summary, here are some possible scenarios and the evidence you may need to provide.

A delayed flight claim

You must provide proof of your flight tickets, such as a boarding pass.

A canceled trip claim

You need to provide reasonable proof of why you had to cancel the trip.

Claims involving medical expenses

You must provide proof of your medical bills or paperwork from the healthcare providers where you were treated.

Missing or damaged belongings claim

You must provide your insurance providers with proof of the missing or damaged valuables and their receipts.

You’ll also need a crime number or report you obtained from the authorities if you’re claiming for the theft of money or belongings.

Cancelation due to death or illness in the family

You need to provide medical or death certificates as appropriate.

Tip: Take copies of important documents with you in advance, such as your passport and travel bookings.

Also, keep a chain of correspondence you had with your insurance provider in case you need to dispute your claim.

Travel insurance claim process

There are steps you should follow to make a travel insurance claim.

The steps to file a claim vary depending on the type, but the following guidelines will be useful no matter your claim.

Contact your insurer and the relevant authorities

If something goes wrong on holiday and you must make a claim, contact your insurance provider immediately. Depending on your circumstances, you may need to contact the police.

There is usually a strict deadline to make travel insurance claims – it will be detailed in your policy documents.

When you speak to your insurance provider, you must provide them with your policy number and the details of the incident.

Be honest when filing your claim

After you’ve contacted your insurance provider, you will need to fill out a claim form (either online or in paper format) detailing the incident and what you’re claiming for.

Be honest and upfront about what happened. Lying at any stage of the process can invalidate your claim.

Gather your supporting evidence

At this point, you will need to gather evidence that supports your claim.

You must send this documentation with your claim form, such as receipts, if relevant.

Keep hold of the original evidence should you need to use it again, and make a copy of the claim form and your documents for your own records.

How do I make a claim while I’m traveling?

Ensure you take a copy of your policy documents when you travel, and keep your emergency contact numbers handy.

Your insurance policy documents will include your policy number, which is needed if you make a claim, so ensure you also have that to hand.

If you need to make a claim when traveling, you can call your travel insurance provider’s emergency contact number. Ensure you have the right phone number before you travel.

Insurance providers usually have claim forms available to download online, but yours may be able to send you a copy via email.

Should I make a claim when I get home?

Before deciding if you should make a claim when you get home, check the agreed time limits for claiming your policy.

Whether you’re at home or traveling, check the following list before you file your claim.

• Check your excess to see if it’s worth making a claim.
• Check you’re within the time limits for making a claim.
• Read the policy terms to check your claim is covered by your policy.
• Suppose you have a new for old policy. The amount you’ll get in a claim may be less than it costs to replace your belongings. If not — your insurance provider will take off money for wear and tear.

Can I make a claim if I need to cancel or end my trip early?

You can claim for canceling or ending your trip earlier than expected, but only under certain circumstances.

The exclusions will be set out in your policy details. Most travel insurance policies allow claims for the following circumstances.

• You were made redundant.
• The unexpected death of a relative or close friend.
• You are facing jury service or asked to be a witness in court.
• If you or a fellow traveler is injured or falls sick before you travel.
• You become pregnant or have been advised not to travel due to pregnancy.
• There’s an emergency like a burglary, fire, or flood in your home before you’re scheduled to travel.

If you need to end your trip earlier than expected, you may get a refund for unused time in your holiday accommodation. You may also receive compensation for your return travel costs.

Top tips for making a successful travel insurance claim

Here are six tips to help you make a successful travel insurance claim.

1. Buy a policy that adequately covers you for all activities you’ve planned for your holiday.
2. Take copies of important receipts of bookings you’ve made.
3. Source the receipts of valuable items you’ve packed and save copies.
4. Keep your valuables and belongings safe while you’re traveling.
5. Be aware of your policy’s claim deadline if you need to make one, and promptly complete any forms as necessary.
6. Keep copies of the correspondence between you and your insurer, so you have further evidence for your claim.

Travel insurance claims FAQ

What documents will I need to make a travel insurance claim?

The most important documents to make your claim are your policy documents. They’ll confirm if you’re covered for a specific event and detail your policy number and important contact details.

How do I claim for canceled or delayed flights?

If your flights are canceled or delayed, you may be able to receive compensation from the airline company. You may be able to claim delayed flights on your travel insurance.

What should I do if my travel insurance claim is denied?

You can appeal and formally complain to your insurance provider if your travel insurance claim is denied.

If you want to appeal, check your policy’s exclusions to be sure and refer your case to the financial ombudsman, who can independently assess your claim.

Can I buy travel insurance with no excess?

Yes. It’s possible to buy travel insurance with no excess. Although there’s less choice, this insurance type is sometimes known as travel insurance with an excess waiver.

Remember, you may have to pay an upfront fee for the excess waiver, and there may be cases where you’ll have to pay an excess.

What if my claim is over the cover limit?

You can only claim up to the maximum amount you are covered. You must make up the rest if the claim is worth more.

How long will my claim take to process?

The duration to process your travel insurance claim depends on your insurance provider and the reason for your claim.

To speed up the claims process, alert your insurer as soon as possible and complete all of the paperwork immediately to get it processed as soon as possible.

Can my travel insurance claim be denied?

Travel insurance claims can be turned down for several reasons.

• Your possessions were stolen because you left them unattended.
• The incident occurred when you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• You fail to accurately declare any pre-existing medical conditions for your policy.
• You fail to provide adequate documentation as proof, such as receipts or a police report.
• Your accident resulted from reckless behavior. This could also result from participating in a high-risk activity you weren’t covered for, such as sailing.

You can reduce the possibility of having your claim rejected by filling in the details as accurately as possible when you complete a travel insurance quote.

Travel insurance cost

Travel insurance costs vary based on numerous factors, such as:

• The insurance provider
• The duration of the policy
• What coverage is required
• The excess and policy limits

To find out more about our travel insurance packages, see here.

Travel insurance quote

Traveling should be as stress-free as possible, but it has risks. Our travel insurance is specifically designed to cover all potential risks that could arise while traveling.

Pitsas Insurances travel insurance covers the following:

• Accidents
• Personal liability
• Trip cancellation
• Missed departures
• Delayed departures
• Theft of baggage and money
• Emergency medical expenses

To obtain a hassle-free quote, see here.