Travel insurance - cancellation

NOVASTAR

Hello All
The scenario is - four of us have booked 5 days in May to celebrate our 40th birthdays in New York. We have paid the deposit (50%).
One of us unfortunately has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is waiting for an operation and follow up treatment.
In the event of the illness making it impossible for our friend to go on the holiday we do not feel that it would be right to go without her.
My question is - would there be a travel insurance which would cover the remaining 3 of us if we wanted to cancel the holiday or do we just write off the money we have already paid out?
Many thanks

PBA

If you'd already taken out the cover before your friend was diagnosed then you would be covered. However now that you know of your friend's illness it's a pre-existing condition which you wouldn't be able to claim for. Your best bet would be to try and get the airline to change the flights, which may work if you get someone nice on the end of the phone!

dzug

Most travel insurance covers you if an insurable event (eg serious illness) happens to someone you are travelling with.

However - the illness has already been diagnosed, therefore most policies will not provide any cover at all. If the insurance was taken out before the diagnosis (strictly, before any sign of the illness appeared) then you may be OK but not if you haven't taken it out yet

You MAY still be able to get cover through a specialist, declaring the pre-existing condition, but it's likely to cost.

dmg24

Also, be aware that some policies will only cover the person's partner and children, not the whole group.

NOVASTAR

Thank you for all your replies. I will ask the person who booked the holiday and paid the deposits on her credit card, whether her credit card covers anything

dzug

NOVASTAR wrote: »

Thank you for all your replies. I will ask the person who booked the holiday and paid the deposits on her credit card, whether her credit card covers anything

Worth checking, but very unlikely that it does.