Can I claim on my travel insurance?

Brie

It's possible that because your partner booked the travel that it will all be covered under their insurance.  Worth checking!!

J_B

UnsureAboutthis said:

I don't believe they will and depending on the reason for the illness, they will only cover your partner.

Phone and ask as often the contract is long and many exclusions etc.

The trouble with phoning is that you *may* self incriminate if you use the wrong words! 

Booboop123 said:

Then it lists definitions

Close relative

- Means mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, civil partner, daughter, son, grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, step parent, step child, step sister, step brother, foster child, legal guardian, domestic partner or fiancé/fiancée.

So I'm non the wiser 

Think you need to find out what a 'domestic partner' actually is.

Maybe he could speak to his own insurers as it's only one booking.

🤷‍♂️

NoodleDoodleMan

Not clear on how my observation on this case is irrelevant - the OP has not stated that she has any medical problems, and her age is not an issue if she has none....... unless she comes into that age group where travel insurers won't offer cover without an additional premium........and that varies between insurance companies. 

user1977

J_B said:

UnsureAboutthis said:

I don't believe they will and depending on the reason for the illness, they will only cover your partner.

Phone and ask as often the contract is long and many exclusions etc.

Booboop123 said:

Then it lists definitions

Close relative

- Means mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, civil partner, daughter, son, grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, step parent, step child, step sister, step brother, foster child, legal guardian, domestic partner or fiancé/fiancée.

So I'm non the wiser 

Think you need to find out what a 'domestic partner' actually is.

Maybe he could speak to his own insurers as it's only one booking.*

It's not the OP's partner who is ill though, it's the partner's parent. Whether that qualifies as a "parent-in-law" is what matters (and then whether being diagnosed with cancer is in itself sufficient).

UnsureAboutthis

Insurance is a business; they will be polite and sympathetic but you will get zero help if you don't qualify.

Grumpy_chap

Booboop123 said:

my partners mum 

I know you are covered if a close relative including parent in law falls ill on my insurance but as I don't live with my partner even though we've been together years will that count?  

Booboop123 said:

Close relative

- Means mother, father, sister, brother, wife, husband, civil partner, daughter, son, grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, step parent, step child, step sister, step brother, foster child, legal guardian, domestic partner or fiancé/fiancée.

So I'm non the wiser 

What is your marital status?
You have been together 5 years.  You don't live together.  Living apart does not mean that you are not married / civil partners.

If you are married / civil partners, then you would appear to be covered under the "parent-in-law" for your partner's mum as a close relative.
If you are not married / civil partner, then you are probably not covered.

The only definitive answer if there is any doubt is to ask the insurer.

The other variable is whether the diagnosis is covered under the list that would be eligible for cancellation cover in the case of illness for close relative.

I hope your partner's mother makes the best possible recovery.

la531983

On a practical level - has his mother said "dont go"? Sure she wouldnt want you moping around whilst not much likely happens with hospitals and tests. 

saajan_12

I really don't get why insurance has a limitation of people living together. If its a friends trip, and the friend's mother is taken ill, then the whole trip may not work out - very different trip making it a solo trip, driving may have been shared, accommodation may have been joint etc.

However I also get insurers wouldn't want to loosen the definition of family members and allow your friends family if you weren't travelling with them. 

Surely the easiest would be to purchase a joint insurance policy even if the home addresses are different. THe cost of such insurance can be adjusted to account for this. 

DullGreyGuy

saajan_12 said:

I really don't get why insurance has a limitation of people living together. If its a friends trip, and the friend's mother is taken ill, then the whole trip may not work out - very different trip making it a solo trip, driving may have been shared, accommodation may have been joint etc.

However I also get insurers wouldn't want to loosen the definition of family members and allow your friends family if you weren't travelling with them. 

Surely the easiest would be to purchase a joint insurance policy even if the home addresses are different. THe cost of such insurance can be adjusted to account for this. 

It doesnt? 

A Group policy will cover people who dont live together. Cover typically includes cancellation and abandonment if a travellers home is material damaged by flood, fire etc immediately before or during their holiday. Clearly if you have 6 peoples homes to consider the chances of it occurring are much higher if its a family of 6 who live together. 

Similarly for a family living together when you are talking about terms like "mum", "grandfather" etc they are more likely to be the same people for the whole group. Whereas those living apart are more likely to have spouses etc so the "close relative" covers many more different people. 

So you can insure people who dont live together together but the risk profile and therefore pricing is different than a family policy which requires all adults to live together

Booboop123

la531983 said:

On a practical level - has his mother said "dont go"? Sure she wouldnt want you moping around whilst not much likely happens with hospitals and tests. 

It's all happened so quickly , he's decided to not cancel the holiday just yet although I can't see us going.  Unfortunately within 24 hours of finding the tumour she couldn't speak or recognise the family although drugs are helping to alleviate those symptoms . We hopefully will find out soon the treatment plan and how long she has as it's aggressive but the holiday understandably is the last thing he wants to deal with right now .  I'm trying not to push him on the matter right now but if the outlook is hopeful(although it is terminal) I can get him to broach the subject with her and her doctors but in the grand scheme of things it's only a holiday

I will just chalk it up to experience and next time get a group insurance.