Travel insurance query

[Travelinsuranceclaim]

Hello everyone.

I paid for an annual travel insurance policy to start on 31 August, as was due to go on holiday the next day with family.

On 28th August, my Dad has a heart attack and was deemed not fit to fly (he was coming on holiday with us).

The travel insurance claim has been denied as only started from 31 August, but if I'd had single trip insurance, would have I been covered?

So annoyed at myself and gutted so please be gentle on me!

I've never had an annual policy before and it seemed like a good idea but obviously it's not as just cost me £1,000! 😭

Did you take the policy out before the 28th? The point is he’s unfit to fly on the travel dates which presumably are covered.

What’s the timeline? It sounds like you bought the insurance on the 30th, was due to fly today (31st) but your DF had a heart attack on the 28th. If that’s the case, of course you wouldn’t be covered.

If you buy an annual travel insurance policy I think it would have to start immediately to cover any incidents before the holiday starts. If you decided to only start it from the date of the holiday that probably wasn't the best idea.

Obviously once you are away you need coverage for illnesses, accidents, lost luggage or whatever but part of travel insurance is cover if you need to cancel so you really need it to start as soon as you have booked your holiday or if you don't mind losing the deposit you definitely need it once you have paid your final balance.

Your insurance starts from the date you put in. So if you wanted coverage from the 31st August that’s when it starts. It won’t cover you before that unfortunately.

@autienotnaughty I took the policy out on 9th August, but with a start date of 31st August as we were due to go on holiday on 1st September.

Just kicking myself as I should have put the start date as 9 August but not so DSis, said oh no, put 31 August (last time I listen to her!)

I've never done an annual policy before, so if I'd just had a single trip policy, then I'd be covered, which was an expensive lesson to learn!

If your single trip policy to start on 31st August, you may have been in the same situation.

@Soontobe60 Took out insurance 9th August, but with a start date of 31st August, was due to fly 1st September and Dad had his heart attack 28th August.

I thought I would be covered (as I rang the insurance company and they said I would!), as I would have been covered with a single trip policy starting from 1st September.

@Silverbirchleaf My sister had single trip insurance and her claim hasn't been rejected using the same dates, which made me think that a single trip policy would have covered me in this situation.

Just trying to look at the positives, that my Dad is ok and not think about my stupid mistake!

A single trip policy would only have covered you if it started before the 28th of August. If you’d also started that type of policy on the 31st, you would have been covered either.

i hope your dad is recovering well.

@Trickabrick Thank you, he is, thankfully!

I'm confused now though. If I buy a single trip policy, it just asks me my travel dates, so if I said 1st September, would I not be covered for my Dad's heart attack on 28th August, on a policy taken out on 9th August?

If you want travel insurance to cover things that might happen between purchasing the holiday and leaving, then it needs to start from date of purchase.

If you're only getting travel insurance to cover things that happen while you are there, then it need only start then. I have to admit that we mainly get the insurance to cover the expensive stuff such as hospitalisation whilst abroad or repatriation. We can afford the holiday (although it would be annoying to have bought it and not get to enjoy it); repatriation or a lengthy over-stay abroad is something we haven't budgeted for.

@CarlaH I've definitely learned that the hard way! 🤣 Do you know what would happen if you have a single trip policy? So bought on the 9th August for travel on 1st September, but one of the group can't travel due to medical incident on 28th August, would you still be covered then?

@Deebee90 The good news is I'm covered now for a year! 🤣 Is this the case for single trip policies? As you only put in your travel dates? So if you fall ill before that date, you wouldn't be covered?

If you purchased insurance from 9th August, it will have covered you for this event, whether it was single trip or an annual policy. As you stipulated a start date of 31st August, whether single trip or annual, it wouldn't cover you for any event prior to that date.

Single trip policies can start on the day you take them out or at a later date, although most people start them from the date you take them out (as you’re covered immediately for cancellation).

@Hadalifeonce Thank you, just annoying as I rang the insurance before I cancelled and they said I was covered!

But for a single trip policy, you only put the travel dates in, so how would you ever get covered for a cancellation due to an event which meant you could no longer travel?

I don't really know for sure. I think that for a single trip they don't actually ask you to designate a start date so you probably would be covered as soon as you have paid the required amount.

You can definitely buy single trip policies to start later than the date you take them out, although it sounds like the company you used don’t offer this as a default.

@CarlaH Thank you! This is definitely where I've gone wrong! I've never had an annual policy before, so I thought it was just the same as a single trip policy where you just put in your travel dates.

I was unsure which date to start it from and DSis said, oh just put the holiday date, and now she's covered and I'm not! 🤣

Two life lessons there, don't listen to DSis and start your annual policy from the date you take it out!

I just assumed I would be covered as I couldn't go on holiday and the insurance dates did cover the holiday date.

You are not covered, annual runs from when it starts and isn’t valid until that date (mine auto renews) whereas single trip is covering that trip only but includes cancellation of that trip

@Trickabrick Thank you! I just used Compare the Market. I've never had to claim on travel insurance before (luckily) so even though I've always bought travel insurance, I've never thought too much about it!

Live and learn though!

Yes. A single trip police would cover you from 1st September for any issues abroad. If you took the policy out on 9th August if would also cover cancallation for a reason you weren't aware of on that date (9 August). Any trips you book from now on will be covered for cancellation on your annual policy.

@mamagogo1 Can't tell you how much I'm kicking myself now, and telling my dithering self to put in 9th August as the start date!

Live and learn though, it's done now and the money's gone, so onwards and upwards.

Just annoying that when I rang the travel insurance company, they said I was covered and gave me details of all the information I needed to make a claim.

@Mumsntfan1 Can't tell you how much I wish I'd just put in a different start date or taken out a single trip policy! Such an expensive mistake.

I'm really annoyed at my DSis for telling me the wrong start date to use and more annoyed at myself for listening to her! 🤣

You are always advised - whatever kind of cover you choose, to take out / have insurance from the point of booking. Because it is at that point that any issues or incidents are counted from. So even if it is single trip cover you take it out at the point of booking. To do otherwise is always taking a risk.