What to do if you have to cancel your trip due to illness or injury
- As featured in:
As featured in:
1. Rearrange or cancel your bookings
As soon as you know you won’t be able to use any pre-booked or pre-paid accommodation, transport or tours, you must try to rearrange them, or if necessary, cancel.
Just remember, if you decide to rearrange, we’ll only pay up to the benefit amount. If you don’t rearrange or cancel as soon as reasonably possible, we won’t cover any additional rearrangement or cancellation costs that arise as a result. But you should only cancel arrangements when it’s absolutely necessary.
For example, if your doctor says you can’t fly for two days, but you cancel a three-week trip, rather than putting it back by two days, we’ll only cover cancellation of two days’ worth of accommodation, not the entire booking.
2. Get it in writing
To support your claim, you’ll need to get the following:
- Doctor (or other medical practitioners) report, confirming what happened and the nature of the illness or injury.
- Hospital Admission report (if the person was admitted to hospital).
- Ambulance report (if they were involved).
- Police report (if they were involved).
- Any other relevant documentation related to what happened.
- Proof of residence (e.g. utility bills in your name, tenancy agreements, other insurance certificates)
What does my travel insurance cover?
3. Keep your itineraries and receipts
You’ll need to keep your receipts, itineraries and booking and cancellation confirmations including details of any refunds received for any affected transport and accommodation.
This information may help you avoid unnecessary costs, gather the right evidence and help keep your claim hassle free.
Am I covered if I cancel my trip due to COVID-19?
The Coronavirus has made planning a trip harder than ever – which is why we’ve tried to add some certainty to the process with cover available on both Standard and Explorer plans. Cover is provided if you’ve had to cancel or rearrange your trip due to your or a member of your travelling party’s Coronavirus diagnosis.
Please note, there will be no automatic cover to cancel if you have been just diagnosed with COVID-19. You will need to be certified from a medical practitioner that you are too ill to travel. Diagnosis must be made after you’ve bought your policy and benefit limits apply.
If you have no option but to cancel your trip and the event is unforeseen and out of your control you may be covered for the following:
- If you, or a member of your travelling party are certified as too ill to travel due to COVID-19 by a medical practitioner, we will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements.
- If your immediate relative in the UK is hospitalised or dies due to Coronavirus and you have to cancel your trip, we will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements.
- If you or a member of your travelling party are permanently employed as a healthcare worker, member of the armed forces, fire department or law enforcement officer, and your or their pre-arranged leave is cancelled by the employer, we will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements.
To find out what cover applies to you, read our Coronavirus cover article, which has all of the details, including benefit limits, conditions and exclusions.
Please note: COVID-19 cover depends on your Country of Residence and may vary based on wen the policy was purchased.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: £5,000
- Standard Plan: £3,000
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy in an accident?
- Sudden death of an immediate relative?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Abroad Medical Expenses
Take the pain out of medical costs while traveling abroad.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transport
Expenses included in Emergency Medical limits.
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Injured abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medical evacuation home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Cover your lost, stolen or damaged gear and tech.
- Explorer Plan: £3,000
- Standard Plan: £1,500
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Baggage & Personal Belongings
- Cancellation
- Trip Curtailment
- Personal Accident
- Loss of Passport or travel documents
- Personal Liability
- Legal Expenses (Personal Liability)
You are not eligible to buy a policy if you travel against medical advice, travel with the intention of receiving medical treatment, or have a terminal illness. World Nomads policies cannot cover claims due to Pre-Existing Medical Conditions (PEMC), regardless of whether the condition is serious or not. You can still purchase a World Nomads policy, but the PEMC exclusion cannot be removed, and you will be responsible for any related costs.
For information on travel insurance providers that offer cover on PEMC, visit Money Helper or call 0800 138 7777.
24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance
If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Wherever you are, we’re here 24/7 to help you in any emergency.
Are you in need of Emergency Medical Assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 27 June 2024
+44 (0) 144 444 2021 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
For policies purchased before 27 June 2024:
Phone: +44 (0) 203 093 1750 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
