Does Travel Insurance Offer Refund On Flight Cancellation?

Imagine you are all excited for an international trip, and just a few days before the trip you fall and break your leg. Foremostly, it will shatter your excitement, but more importantly, you may lose a fair sum of money spent on flight bookings. Well, in situations like these, having travel insurance comes handy and can save the day for you. However, the reason for your flight cancellation must be authentic and as per the policy rules for you to get the reimbursements for your tickets. So before getting a travel insurance policy, you must ask your insurer, does travel insurance cover flight cancellation? Let us look deeper into this aspect and comprehend how travel insurance in case of flight cancellations work.

What is a Travel Flight Cancellation Cover?

A flight cancellation cover also known as flight travel insurance helps you cover the costs of booked flight tickets in case your trip gets cancelled due to unforeseen causes beyond your control. The insurer may charge you a pre-specified cancellation fee in such a case. The cancellation fees may alter from one insurer to another. Also, the cancellation fees usually get higher if less time is available in your flight's departure date. In some cases, if the cancellation is made at the very last hour or there is no show from your side, it may lead to a 100% cancellation cost for you.

What is Covered in My Flight Cancellation Cover?

As told earlier, the flight cancellation policy may differ for different insurance companies. Still, there are a few basic coverages that most insurers offer. Hence to know the answer to your question, can I cancel a flight and get a refund? Let us first look at what is covered by travel insurance in your flight cancellation policy:

1. Illness, injury, or unexpected death of you or a travelling companion that counts you unfit to travel by order of a licensed physician.
2. The occurrence of any natural disaster at your home or the destination where you are travelling.
3. If a family member gets hospitalised or dies (even if they are not travelling with you).
4. If you are called by a legal authority such as a court to appear as a witness on the scheduled date for travel.

The causes mentioned above may vary depending upon the insurance company and policy you have opted for. If your case is valid, you will be reimbursed hundred per cent of your pre-paid amount along with the documentation from your insurer.

Is there a travel flight cancellation policy where I can cancel the flight for any reason?

You might be surprised to know that some insurers provide the option of cancel for no reason to their policyholders. Usually, it is offered at a higher cost. Under this clause, you can cancel the flight booking for no specific reason and become eligible to get a refund of at least 50% - 75% of the total amount. Similar to basic flight cancellation coverage, this benefit comes with a few eligibility criteria such as:

1. You have to insure a hundred percent of your pre-paid trip cost.
2. The policy must be taken within 10-21 days of the initial payment of the flight booking.
3. You must cancel the flight 48 to 72 hours before the flight’s departure (As per the policy plan).
4. Depending on the policy, the coverage amount will be in-between 50-75%.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I cancel a flight and get a refund if I cancel the ticket on the day I am travelling? It depends on the airline or insurance policy that you have undertaken. In most cases, cancelling the ticket hours before your flight leads to 100% cancellation fees.
2. Should I get comprehensive travel insurance or the basic travel flight cancellation cover when travelling abroad? It is always advised to get comprehensive travel insurance when going outside the country as the risks involved are more and getting fully covered is a more secure way to opt for.
3. How to claim for flight cancellation insurance? You will have to submit the required documentation to your insurer showing the reason for the cancellation of your trip. Make sure to inform the insurer as soon as possible to get the most benefits.
4. What are some good and genuine travel insurance companies to buy travel insurance? There are many good travel insurance companies from where you can get yourself a travel insurance cover such as Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, etc.

Conclusion

The above-given data is sufficient to answer the question, does travel insurance cover flight cancellation? So if you too are planning a trip in upcoming days, make sure to get your flight tickets covered by an insurer so that you can get reimbursements for them in case of unforeseeable situations and emergencies.