Does your average travel insurance cover cancellation due to sickness/flu at time due to fly?

[Twoddle]

I ask because ds (4) and I plan to holiday in Canada in August, and - knowing his tendency to catch any sickness bug going - I wonder if travel insurance typically covers cancellation due to having a gastric bug or flu, for example. I can't imagine flying 10+ hours with either of us in this state.

I've phoned my bank, with which I get worldwide cover as part of my service, and they said we'd be covered for "death, serious injury or serious illness", but reckon not flu or a sickness bug - unless we have a doctor's note stating either of us is medically unfit to travel and that it's a medical necessity we stay home. Hmm. I'm thinking of those bugs when ds lays on the sofa for a couple of days but we don't see a doctor, IYSWIM.

I'm halfway through booking flights and have been asked if I need travel insurance ... what do you reckon?

Thanks.

Depends on the travel insurance I think. Although I am pretty sure you would to evidence you/another party travelling were unfit to travel, resulting in cancellation/change of travel dates even if it did cover flu.
You must get travel insurance anyway, usually gratis bank cover does not cover enough.

For example - DD needed to see Dr and get antibiotics in USA, airport lost luggage and we missed a connecting flight due to several things (1st plane lane, then luggage lost), we were covered for all of this on our travel insurance.

I am almost certain that my bank insurance did not cover it all.

Thanks, Pavlov. I wondered if the bank wouldn't cover sufficiently. Of course I intend to have travel insurance of some sort - I do already with the bank. I'm trying to figure out if this cover with the bank is typical of most travel insurance - i.e. being unlikely to refund cancellation on the grounds of having a throwing up/flu-like bug. I'd have thought these were the most likely reasons to need to cancel or change dates! I.e. feeling ill at time of travel.

Assuming the bank cover is insufficient, presumably it's OK to crack on and book the Canada flights - without the travel insurance offered as part of the booking process - and dig around for suitable travel insurance afterwards? (Can you tell I'm new to all this?! )

Ds and I have no pre-existing medical conditions that might make this tricky.

Thanks again.

PS Pavlov, who did you get your travel insurance with? Sounds like they covered all eventualities for you, which must have been a relief!

You 'd have to get a dr certificate to substantiate a claim ime.

Twoddle I'm pretty sure that with any insurance you will need to dr's letter to prove you/your son are sick at the time of travelling.

The insurance you will be sold at the time of booking will be very expensive. Try looking at a website like www.money supermarket.com for insurance quotes.

It was Direct Line, and i found them very helpful when we were actually in USA needing their advice. They opened the claim there and then and told us to not worry about sorting it until we got home, keep receipts for clothing we needed to by DD (it was her suitcase that was lost, turned up the day before we came home). We claimed, I think £90 out of a possible £100 back. Which to be honest was great as in USA got better value for money!

II agree dont bu insurance with flights, not necessarily best deals/coverage. Look at site goingfor3 mentioned, thats were we got Direct Line quote from. About £75 for 3 of us for two weeks?

We also got cover with a company
for entire year, up to 30 days travel each trip at only £85, it covered for everything, we got premium cover, but we did not need to claim on it, so I don't how good they would be in reality. I will try to find out the name as I cant remember it, it was not a brand name that I recognised.

Really helpful, all. Thanks. I understand the insurers needing some kind of evidence of illness at time of travel. Otherwise I could be fibbing.

So maybe the questions are more like (1) am I being a woos to think that flying with either of us with sickness/diorrhea/flu would be hell and grounds for cancelling and getting a refund, and (2) would a doctor issue a certificate for this kind of commonplace illness as grounds not to travel?

Thank you again. Perhaps the bank will cover it after all - needs a closer look.

My mum got a certificate for GE, as not fit to fly, you may have to pay for one though. If you worry about these things so far in advance then you'd never plan to go anywhere

Hey LIZS. Glad your mum got a certificate. Understand where you're coming from - regarding worrying about this. But I've never spent so much on flights before, and ds does get ill, in the sickness vein, at least every couple of months, and I can't afford to lose £1,200.00 from cancelling flights. So I'm looking into whether this kind of thing can be insured for, or if being poorly at time of travel is simply something travellers risk.