Note: Contact your travel insurance provider directly to request a full list of the required documentation needed to file your claim. The following is a recommendation of commonly requested documentation to consider having when filing a travel insurance claim. The exact documentation required to file a successful travel insurance claim can only be determined by your provider.
Table of Contents:
The basic documentation required by almost all travel insurance claims processes includes:
The exact documents required to file a successful claim vary from provider to provider, and depend on each traveler’s unique situation and the type of claim they are filing.
For example, you likely won't need the same documents for reimbursing a hospital visit as you would for cancelling your trip altogether. That said, there are some general requirements that are common among almost all types of claims.
Here is a close look at the most commonly requested documents to consider having when filing a claim.
To help your travel insurance claims adjuster understand what exactly happened and why you are requesting a refund, it's best to include a quick summary of your exact travel incident. It can help to focus on answering the "who, what, when, where, why" questions.
Consider including what your original plans were, the inconvenience that occurred, any processes you went through to rectify the situation yourself, the dates and place where the events occurred, and the reason for requesting a reimbursement.
Compile a Word document with a complete copy of your initial itinerary. This includes highlighting dates and the details of each travel supplier (flights, hotels, rental cars). It can be helpful to treat this as a table of contents with references to every other document you provide as part of your claim, and outline the cost you paid for each reservation.
Locate your Certificate of Insurance and be prepared to provide a copy of this and your policy number to your travel insurer. Although they will have this information on file, it’s helpful to have it handy for the agent reviewing your case.
Be sure to include receipts, invoices, or payment summary confirmation emails for every booking you made as part of your itinerary. If you cannot find an official invoice, sometimes travel insurance companies will accept bank statements with a letter explaining why you don’t have other sources as proof of payment.
Since travel insurance works as a reimbursement model, your provider will expect you to request a refund before agreeing to reimburse you. Attach copies of formal requests you made for refunds to the travel supplier (hotel, airline, etc), such as email correspondence with approval or denials. Expect your travel insurance provider to duly verify these and cross-check them with the travel suppliers' refund policy.
In addition to these documents, your travel insurer typically requests other documents related to the type of claim you are making.
For medical travel insurance claims, there is a slew of documents that travel insurance providers may request as part of the claims process.
Commonly requested medical documents include:
Here is a closer look at each of these and why they may be requested.
Every travel insurance provider requires a statement from your treating physician detailing the nature of your illness or injury. Without a proper statement from your doctor, your medical travel insurance claim will likely be denied.
If you are being treated for an injury resulting from an accident, you should also be prepared to provide accident or injury reports, in the form of ER reports, police reports, tour operator statements, etc.
If you have been treated at a hospital or clinic, be sure to request a detailed statement of your medical treatment. This may be included as part of your physician’s statement, or it may be a separate medical document. This typically includes a summary of medical treatments, ER admission or discharge records, and details of your condition.
You may be asked to provide additional medical records from the year before your trip. This is especially true if you were treated for an illness that could be considered a pre-existing condition. If you don’t have a pre-existing condition waiver, be prepared that your travel insurance provider may ask to review your medical records to rule out coverage for a pre-existing illness.
Be prepared to supply copies of every bill, invoice, receipt, and any bank statement related to the medical treatment you received.
If you have a secondary travel medical policy, you must first file a claim with your primary health insurance provider, and then request reimbursement for any denied claims. Your travel insurer will likely request proof of the filed claim, as well as any reimbursements or denials issued. Additionally, they may also request a copy of your primary health insurance Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to corroborate coverage exclusions.
If your claim relates to a deceased family member or travel partner, you typically need to supply a copy of the death certificate.
Generally speaking, the most commonly required documentation for trip cancellations aligns with the documentation we have outlined in the General Documentation Requirements section.
These include:
That said, you may be requested to provide additional documentation depending on the reason you cancelled. Here is a look at some examples of additional documentation that your provider may request.
Before making a claim to your travel insurance provider, you are required to fully cancel your trip. This means contacting all of your travel suppliers and cancelling your reservation before the trip starts. Be sure to request written confirmation from each travel supplier in your itinerary that your reservation has been cancelled.
If you cancel your trip due to medical reasons, you must provide proof of your medical incident. This typically includes a statement from your physician; however, you may also be requested to provide additional documentation, such as the ones listed in our Emergency Medical Claims Documentation section.
If you cancel your trip due to an accident, you will typically be required to present an accident report. Depending on the nature of the accident, this could refer to a police report, a medical report, or other official report that details the nature of your accident, why it impedes you from traveling, and how it qualifies you for coverage under your travel insurance policy.
If you cancel your trip for work reasons, employment layoff, military reassignment, or other employment-related reasons, you may be required to provide a written statement from your employer to ensure that the insurance adjuster can corroborate coverage. This may also require you to provide records of employment history, contracts, and more.
If you cancel your trip due to the financial default of your travel supplier, you may be required to provide a written statement from your travel supplier detailing the nature of their default, including proof of the denied services that you previously paid for.
In addition to the General Documentation Requirements outlined previously, claims related to travel delays and interruptions may require additional documentation.
Common documents include:
If you are delayed or interrupted due to a logistical issue, your travel insurance provider will typically request a written statement from your common carrier or travel supplier stating the reason the delay or interruption occurred. If you are delayed or interrupted due to another incident, such as a medical emergency, accident, or other reason, you should aim to provide an official incident report. This could be ER records, a police report, or other written third-party documentation that supports your claim.
If you were forced to rebook, you should provide a copy of your new itinerary, in addition to the copy of your initial itinerary outlined in our General Documentation Requirements section.
If your delay required you to book alternate travel arrangements or purchase interim essentials like food, hotel accommodations, clothing, or toiletries, be sure to save all receipts and include them as supporting documentation for your claim.
If you are eligible for a reimbursement, alternate travel arrangements, or essential purchases to be covered by your travel suppliers, you must provide proof that these were paid to you by your travel supplier. Alternatively, if you were denied compensation, you should also aim to provide proof of this via a written statement by your travel supplier.
Below is a list of additional documentation typically requested as part of travel insurance claims for lost, damaged, stolen, or delayed baggage and personal items.
These include copies of:
Here is a detailed explanation of each of these items.
Your travel insurance provider will request a formal report detailing the nature of your baggage issues. This typically comes in the form of a formal report filed by the airline, common carrier, or travel supplier, and includes details relating to the damage or loss of your personal items as well as procedures followed by the travel supplier to rectify the incident.
When making a claim, expect your provider to request proof of ownership in the form of original receipts. If you do not have receipts, some providers may accept credit card statements or photos of the item in your possession.
If your claim is related to damaged items, be prepared to provide official estimates for repair costs or an official invoice of what you paid to repair your items.
If your bags were lost, delayed, or stolen and you need to make a claim regarding interim purchases (clothes, toiletries, etc) you made as a result of the loss or delay, you must provide receipts for the items purchased.
If your travel supplier (airline, hotel, etc.) has agreed to compensate you, provide a copy of the proof of compensation. If they have denied compensation, you should also provide documentation with a written denial of compensation. You may need to specifically request this from your travel supplier.
Some travel insurance providers may also request copies of your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, including the Explanation of Benefits (EOB). This is typically used to determine if you are eligible for a refund from this insurance prior to receiving a refund via your travel insurance.
Below is a list of the most frequently requested documents for travel insurance claims relating to rental car damage:
Here is a closer look at each of these and why they may be requested.
Your travel insurance provider will request a copy of your rental car contract and invoice to prove that you rented that car and were listed as the responsible party. This document should also prove that you were the one paying for the rental car.
Your travel insurance provider will typically request a copy of the accident report. This could be a police report, roadside assistance report, or other official incident report that details the nature of the event.
You should aim to provide an itemized invoice of payments made for repairs or an official repair estimate.
Your insurance provider may request photos of the scene of the accident and the damage incurred. Aim to include photos of the license plate and the vehicle damage, if possible, to ensure that the car can be easily associated with the registration number outlined in your rental agreement and other related documents.
As part of the claim process, your insurer will aim to prove that you suffered financial losses as a result of the accident. Aim to provide proof that you paid for the damage as requested by the rental car company. You may need to request an official statement from your rental car company and include bank statements.
Find your provider's contact information to file your claim.
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