Travel insurance expiring but already booked holiday

Knocker47

I had annual travel insurance which expired on 19 February 2025, I renewed with the same company prior to the expiry date.

I had booked a holiday on 8 January 2025, so had insurance in place.

Then on 13 February I had a doctors appointment, and they gave me a letter for a 2 week referral for suspected cancer, so I contacted my travel insurance to inform them that health investigations were taking place. The insurance company advised that they could not renew my annual insurance and would send my money back.

I explained that I had insurance when I booked my holiday so they should cover me if I have to cancel, but they advised that could not renew my insurance and would return my payment and if I had to cancel my holiday, I was not covered. I stated that I was insured when I booked holiday, but they would not change their mind.  Any advice please 

NoodleDoodleMan

You need to study the small print of your policy to determine specifics to verify their position.

katejo

Knocker47 said:

I had annual travel insurance which expired on 19 February 2025, I renewed with the same company prior to the expiry date.

I had booked a holiday on 8 January 2025, so had insurance in place.

Then on 13 February I had a doctors appointment, and they gave me a letter for a 2 week referral for suspected cancer, so I contacted my travel insurance to inform them that health investigations were taking place. The insurance company advised that they could not renew my annual insurance and would send my money back.

I explained that I had insurance when I booked my holiday so they should cover me if I have to cancel, but they advised that could not renew my insurance and would return my payment and if I had to cancel my holiday, I was not covered. I stated that I was insured when I booked holiday, but they would not change their mind.  Any advice please 

When you booked your holiday in January, did you already have symptoms which led to the 2 week referral? Or is it just as a precaution? On 1 occasion a GP insisted I cancel a short break and go for a referral. I wish I had refused to do so.  It was a false alarm as i expected. 

Knocker47

I had no symptoms when I booked the holiday, but did have annual insurance, it was only when I came to renew the travel insurance that they would not cover me! I’m still undergoing tests now!  I would have thought that annual insurance should cover you if you have it when you booked holiday! I’ll try and have a look at small print on policy 

katejo

Knocker47 said:

I had no symptoms when I booked the holiday, but did have annual insurance, it was only when I came to renew the travel insurance that they would not cover me! I’m still undergoing tests now!  I would have thought that annual insurance should cover you if you have it when you booked holiday! I’ll try and have a look at small print on policy 

In that situation, I would have thought that they would have to refund your holiday cancellation costs but not renew your insurance because of the pending tests. 

heatherw_01

Unfortunately pending tests and undiagnosed conditions do affect travel insurance.

What you could do is look for a different insurer that does provide cover. Some more specialist companies do provide cover.

Caz3121

when is the holiday date? Have you actually cancelled at this point or is this more related to what happens if you need to cancel at some point in the future?
I would expect that if you had been given medical instruction not to travel on the holiday and this was given before the policy expired you would be covered for the cancellation costs. If there has been no 'not fit to travel' given as yet then I don't believe the previous policy would help if that comes in the future. The devil will be in the detail of the policy.
Hope all your tests go ok.

sheramber

Knocker47 said:

I had no symptoms when I booked the holiday, but did have annual insurance, it was only when I came to renew the travel insurance that they would not cover me! I’m still undergoing tests now!  I would have thought that annual insurance should cover you if you have it when you booked holiday! I’ll try and have a look at small print on policy 

If that was the case why would anybody renew their annual insurance?