What could make your travel insurance invalid?

What could make your travel insurance invalid? 

When planning a holiday, whether it's a leisurely vacation or a action-packed holiday, securing travel insurance often feels like a precautionary measure, a safety net against unforeseen circumstances. However, as much as insurance offers peace of mind, there are intricate clauses and conditions that travellers often overlook and unknowingly putting their coverage at risk. In this blog we explore the complexities of travel insurance, shedding light on the factors that might compromise your coverage. 

What does travel insurance cover?

Travel insurance offers financial protection against unexpected events that interrupt your holiday plans or result in unexpected expenses. The exact level of coverage depends on the policy you choose. Most policies will cover cancelled trips due to illness, medical expenses incurred abroad, emergency evacuation, lost or damaged baggage, travel delays and trip interruption expenses. It is important to review your policy to understand the extent of coverage and any exclusions that may apply.

What are Exclusions?

Exclusions refer to incidents or situations not covered by your travel insurance.

So, what are some of the reasons your travel insurance might be invalid?

- Theft

While many travel insurance policies offer coverage for lost or stolen items, there are circumstances in which you may not be eligible to make a claim;

• Handing over your phone or camera to a stranger for a photo opportunity. If you willingly give your device to a stranger and end up stealing it, it is likely your insurer won't provide coverage.

• Leaving your luggage unattended. Whether this is in a hotel lobby or in a car, if they get stolen you are not covered.

• Placing your suitcase in a hotel's storage facility. Many insurers categorise leaving your bags unattended, even in a designated storage area, as a violation of your policy.

• Leaving your phone by the pool. Your valuables must be on your person or kept locked safe.

• Not filing a police report. Insurers will ask for a Crime Reference Number from the police to be able to process your claim, they will also check whether you filled your report within 24 hours of finding out your belongings were stolen. 

Some possessions you take with you, such as cash kept in your luggage, expensive jewelry, and gadgets, may not be covered. Always verify if there's a limit on the value of covered items, and if it falls short for your belongings, contact your insurer to arrange additional coverage if possible.

- Failure to disclose a pre-existing medical condition

If you do not make your insurer aware of any of any pre-existing medical conditions you might not be covered for any medical treatment relating to them. Many people assume that hiding a pre-existing medical condition might make their insurance cheaper, however, this puts you at risk of not being covered at all.

It might be worth obtaining a Global Health Insurance Card if you are visiting the EU as it grants access to state-provided emergency healthcare.

While this can offer some coverage in Europe, it is not a substitute for comprehensive travel insurance that includes your pre-existing medical condition.

Whatever you’re claiming for, you’ll need the relevant documents to provide evidence to the insurer for them to be able to accept it and pay-out. This could either be bills from hospital or receipts proving you owned items that you claim have been stolen.

- Travelling against FCDO advice

FCDO=Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

You should always check the FCDO website before you book your holiday as they issue advice for UK residents whilst they travel abroad, to try and keep safe.This advice will let travellers know entry requirements and security restrictions. If you travel against this advice it could lead to your policy becoming invalid.

Editorial Disclaimer: This article was updated 24.06.2024

Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and not those of any other company. This article has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any organisation.