1. Rearrange or cancel your bookings straight away
If you’re injured or get ill during your overseas holiday, ask your treating doctor to give you a report or medical certificate stating your diagnosis and period that you will be unfit for travel. Then contact the airlines and hotels with whom you have bookings as soon as reasonably possible. Try to make alternative arrangements for when you’ll be fit to resume your holiday.
If your doctor believes there is no option but to cancel your holiday and return home, then you may be covered for any of your previously paid, non-refundable expenses. However, if you are only unfit for a brief period, then your expenses may only be covered for the time stated on your medical certificate, not for the remainder of your holiday.
Don’t leave it to the last minute to cancel or rearrange your hotel or airline bookings as this may lead to additional costs. If you delay notifying these organisations, then your claim for expenses may not be approved.
Any cover offered for accommodation and flights will only be made up to the maximum benefit limits stated in your Policy Document. That’s why it’s important to read through your policy so that you know the applicable terms and conditions, limits, and exclusions.
2. Provide all written documents
To submit a claim for expenses, you’ll need to submit all the medical reports related to your illness or injury, as well as general correspondence regarding your cancellations. Examples of reports you’ll need to provide include:
- The treating doctor’s report or medical certificate must state the diagnosis, date of injury or when you first noticed the symptoms of your illness, and period that you’ll be unfit to travel.
- The specialist’s report and other medical reports including any medical imaging and pathology reports.
- A hospital admission report confirming the dates that you were admitted and discharged.
- Emergency medical transport reports if you were taken to hospital by an ambulance or helicopter.
- Police report (if the police were called to the scene of your accident).
- Emails or letters from hotels or airlines regarding your cancellations.
- Your itinerary.
3. Don’t forget your receipts
If you cannot provide receipts for your accommodation, flights, and treatment expenses, then your claim may be dismissed, or any payment that you do receive might only be for a minimal amount. Types of receipts that you’ll need to provide include the following:
- Receipts for doctor’s consultations, hospital stays, medical imaging tests, and consultations with any allied health providers.
- Pharmaceutical products.
- Accommodation, flights, train, or bus journeys.
4. Cover for some COVID-19-related events
If you or one of your travelling companions’ contracts Coronavirus (COVID-19) during your overseas holiday, and have to cancel the rest of your trip, then your pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses may be covered if you have selected the Explorer Plan.
You’ll need to ask your treating doctor for a report stating the diagnosis of COVID-19, as well as a pathology report or public health statement indicating a positive COVID-19 result.
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 within the 72-hour waiting period after being issued with your Certificate of Insurance, then your non-refundable travel expenses may not be covered.
To find out what cover applies to you, read our Coronavirus cover article, which has all of the details including terms and conditions, limits, and exclusions. Please note: COVID-19 cover varies between plans.
5. Need to know more?
This information may help if things go wrong, and you want to make a claim. All travel insurance plans are different, and cover will vary, depending on what’s happened, your Country of Residence, the plan you choose and any options or upgrades you buy. Your Policy Document will always have the full details of what you’re covered for.
If you have any further questions about what’s covered and not covered, just ask us.
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