Travel Insurance Start Date Adjustment

Ringostarr14

I purchased a single trip policy for our family holiday earlier in the year. We got the call from the airline a few weeks ago saying our outbound flight was cancelled but we were able to rebook to depart one day earlier, so crisis averted.....

I called the insurance company today to ask that I bring the policy start date forward by one day (I was expecting to have to pay for that). Having spoken to a manager, the agent told me they cannot adjust the policy as it has already gone through underwriting. All they could suggest was cancelling the policy entirely and taking a new policy for the new dates. Bit weird, but fine.... except......they will only refund me 50% of my premium on the cancelled policy. Apparently I have had the benefit of the cancellation cover since taking it out (I have made no claims). And the new policy they want to sell me is 30% more expensive.

I then went down the route of, was there any reason why I could keep the existing policy and just buy 1 extra day separately. No sir, the terms of the policy mean that the policy is only valid for the whole trip

I can't be the only one who has had to adjust dates due to a flight cancellation. Does anyone have any ideas. I have sent a complaint to the insurance company.

NoodleDoodleMan

We have annual bank package travel cover so I'm not sure how single policies work in detail - however the advice given here is to start your policy from the time you book insurance, not the date of travel.

That will give cover for unforeseen dramas that might occur during the interim - illness or family bereavement, for example,

onashoestring

Does the policy you have in place provide any cover for cancelled flights ? In which case can  you can make a claim for the additional insurance costs that are incurred due to the cancellation? 

sheramber

NoodleDoodleMan said:

We have annual bank package travel cover so I'm not sure how single policies work in detail - however the advice given here is to start your policy from the time you book insurance, not the date of travel.

That will give cover for unforeseen dramas that might occur during the interim - illness or family bereavement, for example,

Single trip policies cover cancellation from the date you take it out. From the date of travel you are covered for any additional scenarios such as lost luggage, medical cover etc.

So the OP is not covered for these additional items  for the new first date.

e.g policy taken out 9th December for holiday commencing 2 June. will give cancellation cover from 9/12  and then loss of luggage etc will kick in  from 2/6.
 

NoodleDoodleMan

Thanks or clarification - it's many years since we took out a single trip policy.