Diagnosis just before purchasing travel insurance??

CBE0209

My husband and I planned a 5 month round the world trip and paid £1860 each for our ticket (paid for using our debit card). We plan to travel in 5 weeks time but I have just been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease after suffering DVT in my right leg. This may now prevent us from travelling. However, we have not purchased our travel insurance yet as planned to do it within the next few weeks before setting off as we always do when travelling. How will we now claim our money back if we need to cancel, as any insurance bought now will surely not be valid??

We really cant afford to lose this money as we've been saving for this trip for a long time.

Any help much appreciated!

Ganga

Sorry to say you should have purchased insurance prior to spending £3720.00 . I am afraid that unless you can change the date that you travel ( if the company you purchased the trip will allow this ) you are screwed Do you have any insurance attached to your bank account,home insurance etc.
Sorry if this is not the answer you hoped for but the golden rule is purchase insurance at the same time or before hand!

PeacefulWaters

Do either of you have a fee charging current account that includes travel insurance?

If not, you've snookered yourselves by not putting travel insurance in place within minutes of booking.

photome

Why is there so many tales on here of people waiting to buy insurance just before they go?

a decent policy will provide cancellation insurance and should be taken out at the time of booking.

Your options now are to try and move the holiday to a later date or hope you have an insurance policy with a bank account that you dont know about

zagfles

Are the tickets not flexible/refundable? RTW tickets are usually at least flexible, so you might be able to delay the holiday if necessary? Though insurance might be expensive with your medical condition if you do go.

Pollycat

I would try to change the dates if that is possible.

You say that your diagnosis may prevent you from travelling so there is a chance that you'll still be able to go if your doctor certifies you as fit to fly.
However, you'll probably find that - as Zagfles says - your premiums will almost certainly be steep when you declare your condition.

Sadly, this is one of 2 threads posted in the last 2 days on the same subject - needing to cancel a holiday but not having taken insurance out.

This thread is about a £800 flight to Australia:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5207750

Let's hope that these threads educate a few people about the importance of taking out insurance at the same time as booking holidays/flights.

OP - good luck - both with your health and salvaging your holiday.