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Original poster

Travel Insurance CLAIM DENIED

30 replies

ComebackQueen · 16/05/2025 08:58

Hi All

We had recently booked a last minute holiday to Portugal over the Easter holiday period.

We saw a good deal considering it was peak time and the OH has some friends living in out there which we thought would be another good reason to go over.

We had booked about two weeks before we were due to travel.

About 2 days before the flight our three year old came down with the most awful sickness, diarrhoea and high temperature.

We had to involved NHS111 who triaged him to be seen and within a few hours not only a callback but OOH appointment made and confirmed he had viral tonsillitis because it was very red but no puss so no antibiotics unless it continued for more than seven days.

I explained I was due to catch a flight that day and they advised not to travel but couldn’t provide any reports as NHS do not provide such service and instead said a private GP would most likely provide such a letter.

We found a GP and did an online consultation as my son was poorly and we didn’t want to drive another 45 minutes considering he was soiling himself and vomiting. After the consultation I was emailed a letter saying he was not fit to fly.

Armed with this, a few days later I provided that letter, invoice of payment, cancellation payment and all other associated costs such as car hire, extra baggage and paid seats.

Natwest have declined the claim based on how soon booking to cancellation was.

Yet this defeats the entire notion of booking last minute for cheaper deals and just general spontaneity.

Should I complain and if so, are there any tips or tricks I should know.

I find this completely unreasonable as we had travel insurance in place, booked because of an amazing deal and the chance to see friends my husband hadn’t seen since pre COVID and all because my son suddenly became ill, we are penalised.

He stayed off nursery for more than a week with the lingering after effects too.

so I can not fathom what they are implying about the short booking/cancellation considering excess is £300, it would not make sense for anyone to just suddenly cancel because they were not ‘feeling it’.

OP posts:
Original poster
ComebackQueen · 16/05/2025 09:00

Just to clarify, the NHS appointment and private GP consultation happened on a Saturday otherwise I would have been straight to my GP.

OP posts:
Mayflyoff · 16/05/2025 09:02

What do their Ts&Cs say about the time between booking and cancellation?

getahhtmapub · 16/05/2025 09:05

Does the policy say anything about how close to travel they will/wont cover? This is quite a significant exclusion so it should be spelled out very clearly in the policy and they should have indicated that in their decline.

If it doesn’t and they haven’t then you go back to them and state exactly that. Ask what policy wording they are relying on. If they can’t point to that then lodge a formal complaint.

getahhtmapub · 16/05/2025 09:09

Okay having re read there is potentially a ‘stand down period. I think what they are implying is that you booked while your son was poorly hoping he got better but he got worse and as such was a ‘pre-existing condition.
Not saying I agree but that’s probably what they are assuming.
Is the travel insurance part of a packaged bank account or did you buy for this trip?

getahhtmapub · 16/05/2025 09:14

I suspect that’s what they are relying on but you booked two weeks out and your son became ill 12 days later. Unlikely that he would have those symptoms before or at the time of booking so seems unreasonable if they are relying on on ‘pre existing’

anyolddinosaur · 16/05/2025 09:16

Go through their complaints procedure - then to the Financial Ombudsman. https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/complaints-can-help/insurance

PrincessofWells · 16/05/2025 09:22

Yes I second going through complaints then ombudsman- I used to take complaints there for clients and rarely lost.

Roystonv · 16/05/2025 09:32

Warning, I had to go to the ombudsmen when my Dh was told not to travel after heart problems were diagnosed. Our insurers were appalling and the Ombudsman just referred our case back to them although we had already gone through their complaint process. Did not care whatsoever.

LIZS · 16/05/2025 10:42

There should be an appeals process. Ask them to highlight where the terms exclude a minimum period between booking and travel date. Did the dr note suggest the illness was preexisting?

Acc0untant · 16/05/2025 11:07

What does the contract say?

Is there a minimum time after taking out the insurance that you can make a claim? Eg, insurance must be in place for 14 days before able to claim. This is common on lots of car insurance policies.

Or did you have an annual policy?

Is there something in the terms and conditions that says it won't cover trips where the booking was made less than X number of days before departure?

Original poster
ComebackQueen · 16/05/2025 12:39

Mayflyoff · 16/05/2025 09:02

What do their Ts&Cs say about the time between booking and cancellation?

I’ve asked them to specifically refer me to these T&Cs because it wasn’t evident when the policy was originally in force.

OP posts:
Original poster
ComebackQueen · 16/05/2025 12:40

LIZS · 16/05/2025 10:42

There should be an appeals process. Ask them to highlight where the terms exclude a minimum period between booking and travel date. Did the dr note suggest the illness was preexisting?

Thank you - I have literally raised a complaint online via their portal requesting this specific information of where it states that.

I have made a patches request after briefly explaining in the admin request section.

OP posts:
Original poster
ComebackQueen · 16/05/2025 12:42

Thank you all for the helpful advice - it’s an annual policy as we went to Egypt and also Dubai already since Xmas.

OP posts:
FatLarrysBanned · 16/05/2025 12:51

ComebackQueen · 16/05/2025 12:42

Thank you all for the helpful advice - it’s an annual policy as we went to Egypt and also Dubai already since Xmas.

This is a crucial point. You didn't take out a single trip policy just before you travelled. The annual multi trip policy was already in force for at least a few months. Their argument about the time between booking and the illness occurring is therefore moot.

Whoknows101 · 16/05/2025 13:30

I have a vested interest in this as we have annual travel insurance with our packaged Natwest bank account.

I can't find anything within the terms that refers to any minimum time period between booking and cancellation.

I found them very helpful and straightfoward on the phone when we made a claim 3-4 years ago, but perhaps they have changed underwriters since then.

indianques · 16/05/2025 13:53

I have this policy with my Nat West account. I was just musing the other day about the fact that they have never asked me if I have any existing health conditions. Crafty, no?

Mindymomo · 16/05/2025 13:58

I’m glad you are taking this further, keep us informed of any updates, it it were a single trip insurance booked 2 weeks before departure I still wouldn’t understand them not paying out.

CocoPlum · 16/05/2025 14:09

indianques · 16/05/2025 13:53

I have this policy with my Nat West account. I was just musing the other day about the fact that they have never asked me if I have any existing health conditions. Crafty, no?

I'm guessing it's a basic policy that wouldn't cover any ... my DP has pre existing conditions and was very pleased when he got cheap travel insurance recently that didn't ask him to declare those. I looked it up and he would not have been covered. I didn't tell him (he's ND and the stress of the trip was driving him crazy as it was), but I was praying he didn't need medical treatment while he was away.

Original poster
ComebackQueen · 16/05/2025 17:09

Mindymomo · 16/05/2025 13:58

I’m glad you are taking this further, keep us informed of any updates, it it were a single trip insurance booked 2 weeks before departure I still wouldn’t understand them not paying out.

Will definitely update and if successful hope I can help someone else in a similar situation.

completely unreasonable and underhanded to use that excuse to prevent a claim being successful.

OP posts:
IMustDoMoreExercise · 04/06/2025 09:58

Any update OP?

snowlaser · 04/06/2025 14:19

FatLarrysBanned · 16/05/2025 12:51

This is a crucial point. You didn't take out a single trip policy just before you travelled. The annual multi trip policy was already in force for at least a few months. Their argument about the time between booking and the illness occurring is therefore moot.

Show quote history

Their complaint is about the time between booking the HOLIDAY and the claim, not between booking the INSURANCE and the claim. So it's not moot.

But it does seem an unreasonable reason to decline the claim - how do you know two weeks in advance that a child will get a vomiting bug? You can't know that. I think you have a good case to dispute this.

FatLarrysBanned · 04/06/2025 14:28

Yes I understand that, I've learned a little in my 30 years plus career in insurance...

If they have an AMT policy it doesn't matter when the holiday was booked (as long as it was after the inception of the policy) or when the cancellation due to illness happened as long as all events happened within the 12 month policy period and the trip wasn't booked against the advice of a medical professional.

Hopefully the OP has a resolution by now.

Original poster
ComebackQueen · 04/06/2025 14:59

Hey ladies

I went back to the insurance to explain it was an annual cover so booking the holiday and cancellation is a moot point.

They have no requested that my son’s usual GP must fill out a medical form since I have appealed.

I must say the GP hasn’t been the easiest so I have only supplied a statement of fact regarding my son’s visit to the GP.

I am hoping this is sufficient.

I now must wait up to 12 weeks.

I shall revert with an update.

OP posts:
anyolddinosaur · 04/06/2025 16:33

I imagine what they want from your gp is a letter stating this was not a pre-existing illness.

Do you have the NHS app? If so and your son's medical history is on there you can possibly print out something out to show he's not a habitually sick kid.

MoominUnderWater · 04/06/2025 16:40

Seems bonkers. Do they really think you’d have booked a holiday for two weeks time while your son was ill? What in the hopes you could cancel it, get a refund and lose your excess! 😁