Big Holiday Cancellation - Family Illness - Please Help!

123Miaow

I booked a "once in a lifetime" holiday consisting of a 2 week tour (booked directly) and flights (booked through a travel agent). 

Unfortunately, since booking, my fiancé's father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I am obviously unable to travel. 

I booked travel insurance through the travel agent but their definition of a close relative includes father in law, but despite being together for over 11 years we are not yet married. The travel agent (though not the insurers themselves) have said I wouldn't be covered, but they have given duff information before. Is it still worth trying to make a claim? 

Do I have any other options? I paid by credit card but I'm not sure if that will be any help. 

I have tried to find a replacement for the tour, but without success. The departure date is in 2 weeks so my place is unlikely to be filled now. The flights are non-transferable and non-refundable. 

Any help would be much appreciated. This is really such an awful situation and I stand to lose the equivalent of 6 months wages. 

Thank you 

elsien

Credit card won’t be any help because (however good the reason) This is disinclination to travel, rather than the service you’ve paid for not being provided.
Really the travel insurance is your only hope. You have nothing to lose by putting it in and if you stand think their decision is unfair you have the option of taking it to the ombudsman.
However if your father-in-law was having tests prior to taking out the insurance but no confirmed diagnosis, that might still hit the list of exclusions unfortunately.

DullGreyGuy

Was your fiancé travelling with you? 

Most policies have terms like the below from Aviva:

You will also be covered if a cancellation is unavoidable because your travelling companion is unable to travel due to any of the reasons listed above.

So if he was travelling he claims for his father being ill and you claim for your traveling companion being unable to travel but you obviously need to check the exact terms of your policy.

123Miaow

Thank you for your responses.

Sorry, I should have said that it was just me that was due to travel, not my fiancé.

I'll submit a claim with the insurers but I don't think I have much hope. Tests were carried out before I booked the trip but they found nothing until a recent scan - we didn't see this coming but the insurers might not agree. 

TELLIT01

There is nothing to be lost by putting in a claim.  Some may pay on the basis of your relationship but I suspect most won't.

Do you have any idea how long your fiancés father prognosis is?  Cancers can be terminal but controllable.  Sorry to ask such intrusive questions.

123Miaow

TELLIT01 said:

There is nothing to be lost by putting in a claim.  Some may pay on the basis of your relationship but I suspect most won't.

Do you have any idea how long your fiancés father prognosis is?  Cancers can be terminal but controllable.  Sorry to ask such intrusive questions.

Sadly it is just weeks. 
I know the insurers will need doctors letters and details but I can't ask my fiancé's mother for them during such a horrible time (and she's unaware of my trip - she has enough to deal with). 

diystarter7

cjdolfin said:

TELLIT01 said:

There is nothing to be lost by putting in a claim.  Some may pay on the basis of your relationship but I suspect most won't.

Do you have any idea how long your fiancés father prognosis is?  Cancers can be terminal but controllable.  Sorry to ask such intrusive questions.

Sadly it is just weeks. 
I know the insurers will need doctors letters and details but I can't ask my fiancé's mother for them during such a horrible time (and she's unaware of my trip - she has enough to deal with). 

As others said, ask/put in a claim but I'd first speak with them Re letters, you don't need to ask get your OH to ask, much easier. - if anyone he will understand and it's his mother he will be asking and I'm sure she will understand.

DullGreyGuy

cjdolfin said:

I'll submit a claim with the insurers but I don't think I have much hope. Tests were carried out before I booked the trip but they found nothing until a recent scan - we didn't see this coming but the insurers might not agree. 

There is no harm doing so, its not like Car insurance where you'd have to declare it for 5 years even if they say no. 

Why were they doing scans? It sounds like he was ill before you booked in which case they'd probably decline on the grounds of it not meeting the definition of close relative (not legally father in law) and then also on the grounds of it being an undeclared pre-existing condition. 

Have you spoken to your booking agents? Presumably these are non-refundable/flexible tickets but occasionally they are willing to do something even if there is no requirement for them to do so.