ANNUAL TRAVEL INSURANCE

PURSESTRINGHOLDER

Hi,

After a little advice and/or if anyone has experienced this before (I'm sure someone must have).  We travel abroad a few times per year as a couple and is more cost effective for us to take out annual travel insurance.  Renewal is due on 15th December 2025. Obviously with annual travel insurance you are covered for all trips within the year.  

Apologies in advance trying to explain the situation, the annual insurance is a couples insurance policy and please note daughter is not due to travel with us (just the two of us)

Annual travel insurance in place from 15/12/24 to 14/12/25; (couples insurance only)

Holiday booked on 06/06/25 (couple only)

Holiday start date 15/01/26 to 22/01/26 (couple only)

Daughter's possible planned major surgery 10/01/26

We're aware that at time of booking we have annual insurance in place, we're also aware that the holiday start and end date is outside the annual travel insurance dates, thereore we would be renewing our annual travel insurance on 15/12/25.

My query is this; If we needed to cancel the holiday because of daughter having major surgery, if the surgery was within the annual insurance policy year and we needed to cancel, then we can't see that being an issue.  However because the holiday is outside the scope of the current policy dates (15/12/24-14/12/25) and the planned major surgery is due on 10/01/26, also outside the scopes of the current policy dates.  If we take out a new policy on 15/12/25 will that new policy cover us especially at time of taking out the new policy if we know daughter is possibly needing planned surgery.  We know insurers ask the question when getting quotes if you are under investigation/due surgery, etc we as a couple hopefully won't be but this relates to a close relative (daughter) that may/may not need surgery.

If we had single travel insurance for that one trip and took it out at time of booking and we needed to make a claim for a close relative needing major surgery, we're sure that wouldn't be an issue.  We think this problem only arises because it's an annual policy and because the holiday and possible planned major surgery dates are outside of the current policy's dates, whether the new annual policy would cover us.

Hope it all makes sense and any advice woud be appreciated. 

TIA

Mark_d

On the annual policy I have, it only covers trips where the start and end date are between the dates of the policy eg. 15/12/24-14/12/25.
I have holidays booked up until December 2026!
I could potentially buy single trip policies to cover my holidays in April, June and July 2026 but I doubt I could get policies far enough in advance to cover my October and December 2026 trips.
My policy covers cancellation in the case of death/disablement of an immediate relative but not for major surgery of a relative.  Does your policy provide cover for this or should your daughter try to reschedule the surgery?
In the case I have to cancel a holiday due to death in the family, even if not covered by travel insurance I would like to think that the tour operator would allow me to reschedule the trip.

MyRealNameToo

PURSESTRINGHOLDER said:

Hi,

After a little advice and/or if anyone has experienced this before (I'm sure someone must have).  We travel abroad a few times per year as a couple and is more cost effective for us to take out annual travel insurance.  Renewal is due on 15th December 2025. Obviously with annual travel insurance you are covered for all trips within the year.  

Apologies in advance trying to explain the situation, the annual insurance is a couples insurance policy and please note daughter is not due to travel with us (just the two of us)

Annual travel insurance in place from 15/12/24 to 14/12/25; (couples insurance only)

Holiday booked on 06/06/25 (couple only)

Holiday start date 15/01/26 to 22/01/26 (couple only)

Daughter's possible planned major surgery 10/01/26

We're aware that at time of booking we have annual insurance in place, we're also aware that the holiday start and end date is outside the annual travel insurance dates, thereore we would be renewing our annual travel insurance on 15/12/25.

My query is this; If we needed to cancel the holiday because of daughter having major surgery, if the surgery was within the annual insurance policy year and we needed to cancel, then we can't see that being an issue.  However because the holiday is outside the scope of the current policy dates (15/12/24-14/12/25) and the planned major surgery is due on 10/01/26, also outside the scopes of the current policy dates.  If we take out a new policy on 15/12/25 will that new policy cover us especially at time of taking out the new policy if we know daughter is possibly needing planned surgery.  We know insurers ask the question when getting quotes if you are under investigation/due surgery, etc we as a couple hopefully won't be but this relates to a close relative (daughter) that may/may not need surgery.

If we had single travel insurance for that one trip and took it out at time of booking and we needed to make a claim for a close relative needing major surgery, we're sure that wouldn't be an issue.  We think this problem only arises because it's an annual policy and because the holiday and possible planned major surgery dates are outside of the current policy's dates, whether the new annual policy would cover us.

Hope it all makes sense and any advice woud be appreciated. 

Your problem is going to be that the surgery is now known and therefore clearly stemming from a pre-existing condition and therefore any insurance purchased now is going to exclude it... I dont know any insurance that allows you to declare the medical conditions of those not travelling with you. 

When did your daughter first develop this condition relative to both when the holiday was booked and when you first took out this insurance?

Mr.Generous

My insurer would only cover that if the new annual policy commenced the day after the old policy expired, so no gap in cover.

sheramber

You need to ask your insurance company. 

Nobody on here can say definitely what your policy underwriters  view will be.