What to do if you have to cancel your trip due to illness or injury
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1. Rearrange or cancel your bookings
As soon as you know you won’t be able to use any pre-booked or pre-paid accommodation, transport or tours, you must try to rearrange them, or if necessary, cancel.
Just remember, if you decide to rearrange, we’ll only pay up to the benefit amount. If you don’t rearrange or cancel as soon as reasonably possible, we won’t cover any additional rearrangement or cancellation costs that arise as a result. But you should only cancel arrangements when it’s absolutely necessary.
For example, if your doctor says you can’t fly for two days, but you cancel a three-week trip, rather than putting it back by two days, we’ll only cover cancellation of two days’ worth of accommodation, not the entire booking.
2. Get it in writing
To support your claim, you’ll need to get the following:
- Doctor (or other medical practitioners) report, confirming what happened and the nature of the illness or injury.
- Hospital Admission report (if the person was admitted to hospital).
- Ambulance report (if they were involved).
- Police report (if they were involved).
- Any other relevant documentation related to what happened.
What does my travel insurance cover?
3. Keep your itineraries and receipts
You’ll need to keep your receipts, itineraries and booking and cancellation confirmations including details of any refunds received for any affected transport and accommodation.
This information may help you avoid unnecessary costs, gather the right evidence and help keep your claim hassle free.
Am I covered if I cancel my trip due to COVID-19?
The Coronavirus has made planning a trip harder than ever – which is why we’ve tried to add some certainty to the process with the Coronavirus Travel Costs cover available on the Explorer Plan only. It provides cover if you’ve had to cancel or rearrange your trip due to your or a member of your travelling party’s Coronavirus diagnosis.
Diagnosis must be made after you’ve bought your policy and benefit limits apply.
If you have no option but to cancel your trip and the event is unforeseen and out of your control you may be covered for the following:
- If you or a member of your travelling party are diagnosed with Coronavirus and you have to cancel your trip, we will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements.
- If your close relative in the UK is hospitalised or dies due to Coronavirus and you have to cancel your trip, we will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements.
- If you or a member of your travelling party are permanently employed as a healthcare worker, residential care worker or law enforcement officer, and your or their pre-arranged leave is cancelled by the employer due to Coronavirus, we will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements.
To find out what cover applies to you, read our Coronavirus cover article, which has all of the details, including benefit limits, conditions and exclusions.
Please note: COVID-19 cover depends on your Country of Residence and varies between plans.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you
Trip Cancellation
Protect your trip from unexpected cancellation.
- Explorer Plan: £5,000
- Standard Plan: £3,000
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Insurance
Take the pain out of medical costs.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transport
We'll get you to hospital pronto.
- Explorer Plan: £10 million
- Standard Plan: £5 million
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Cover your lost, stolen or damaged gear and tech.
- Explorer Plan: £2,000
- Standard Plan: £1,000
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Medical Expenses
- Baggage & Personal Belongings
- Cancellation
- Trip Curtailment
- Personal Accident
- Loss of Passport or travel documents
- Personal Liability
- Legal Expenses
You can still purchase a World Nomads policy if you have a Pre-Existing Medical Condition (PEMC) – whether it is serious or not – but we won’t cover any claim/s made by any traveller under the policy as a result of this condition (this includes if you’re on separate or joint policies). This exclusion can’t be removed from the policy.
The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) has a travel insurance directory on its Money Advice Service website, or you can contact the service on 0800 138 7777. This service provides details on what may be considered a PEMC, and travel insurance providers that may cover serious PEMCs, which may assist travellers wanting cover for these conditions.
24/7 emergency assistance
If you need medical assistance or emergency medical evacuation our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
For policies purchased on or after 1 September 2021:
+44 (0) 2030931750 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
For policies purchased before 1 September 2021:
Phone: +353 21 237 8005 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Phone: +61 2 8263 0470 (Call via an operator reverse charges. Not toll free.)
Wherever you are, whatever has happened, our multi-lingual assistance teams are here to help you and your family.
Emergency Assistance, World Nomads
Travel insurance. Simple & flexible.
Travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families. Nobody wants to think about all the things that could go wrong on their trip, but these things can and do happen. So be prepared and get your travel insurance today.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and travel - Need to know before you buy
Our policies provide cover for some coronavirus-related events. Cover is not available for loss arising from: government intervention including travel bans, border closures or broadly imposed quarantine requirements; events for which the Government has warned against all, or all but essential, travel for your destination(s), or failure to follow advice from official bodies. Your ability to travel may be affected by travel restrictions. Check your cover and the latest government advice and our travel insurance alerts.