Cancel For Medical Reasons Travel Insurance

What is Cancel For Medical Reasons Travel Insurance?

Cancel for Medical Reasons is a travel insurance benefit that protects your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs in the event you’re unable to travel as planned due to an unforeseen medical emergency.

Unexpected illnesses and injuries are among the most common reasons travelers cancel their trips before departure. Fortunately, most comprehensive travel insurance policies include Cancel for Medical Reasons within their Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage.

It’s important to note that this is a cancellation benefit, and does not provide coverage for medical care, emergency evacuations, or other out-of-pocket expenses covered under travel medical insurance. Coverage limits, eligibility requirements, and exclusions differ by policy.

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FAQs: Cancel For Medical Reasons Travel Insurance

What Does Cancel for Medical Reasons Cover?

Cancel for Medical Reasons insurance covers your prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses if you’re forced to cancel or interrupt a covered trip due to unexpected medical issues.

Examples of non-refundable trip expenses that are eligible for reimbursement include airfare, hotel reservations, cruise bookings, excursions, rental cars, and other pre-planned travel arrangements.

If you need to cancel your trip before your scheduled departure date, you will file a claim through your Trip Cancellation benefit. If you are forced to interrupt your trip for medical reasons, your policy’s Trip Interruption benefit will provide coverage.

While coverage can vary between policies, most plans that include this benefit will provide reimbursement for cancellations or interruptions relating to the following unforeseen events:

• Injury, illness, or hospitalization to you or a travel companion
• You or a travel companion contracts Covid-19 or another covered pandemic-related virus
• Severe injury to a family member that requires your care
• Death to a non-traveling immediate family member

What Are Common Cancel for Medical Reasons Exclusions?

Cancel for Medical Reasons can add peace of mind to a trip if a sudden medical issue prevents you from traveling at the last minute. However, not all injuries and illnesses are covered by travel insurance.

Travel insurance plans that include the Cancel for Medical Reasons benefit likely won’t cover cancellations due to the following:

• An injury or illness that was present at the time a policy was purchased, unless your policy offers a Pre-existing medical condition waiver
• An illness or injury that was not treated or seen by a physician
• A medical cancellation that is not supported by a doctor’s note or written opinion of a medical professional
• A family member’s condition that does not require your presence or care

Can I Cancel a Flight or Cruise Due to Sickness?

Yes, trip insurance plans that include the Cancel for Medical Reasons benefit will reimburse policyholders who need to cancel their flights, cruise bookings, or other arrangements made with a travel supplier due to a covered medical emergency.

To receive reimbursement, you will need to file a claim directly with your travel insurance company. The timing of your medical emergency will determine what type of claim you submit.

• Before Departure: File a Trip Cancellation claim
• After Departure: File a Trip Interruption claim

Be prepared to provide receipts, medical records, booking confirmations, credit card statements, and other documents that serve as evidence of your non-refundable trip payments.

Does Travel Insurance Cover Cancellations for Any Illness?

No. Cancel for Medical Reasons coverage only applies to serious, unforeseen medical emergencies that prevent you from traveling. In most cases, travel insurance providers will require a doctor’s note or medical certificate confirming that you are unfit to travel.

For example, a minor stomach bug typically would not qualify, as a physician may still consider you fit to continue with your trip. Coverage is generally reserved for significant conditions that make it unsafe or impossible to travel.

For the most cancellation flexibility, consider travel protection plans that include Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage. This optional add-on provides partial reimbursement for your travel expenses if you need to cancel your trip for an uncovered reason, such as a minor illness or injury not supported by a doctor’s note.

Does the Cancel for Medical Reasons Benefit Cover Medical Expenses?

No, Cancel for Medical Reasons is a cancellation benefit, and is not intended to cover the costs of medical treatment if you get sick or injured.

With that said, comprehensive travel insurance policies typically come standard with medical coverage, which can reimburse you for hospital stays, doctor visits, and other medical costs while you’re away from home. The most common medical benefits are Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation & Repatriation.

How Do I Find A Travel Insurance Plan That Allows Medical Cancellations?

The best travel insurance policy is one that fits your budget and meets your travel needs. A Trip Cancellation policy that includes the Cancel for Medical Reasons benefit can provide peace of mind and travel protection to any getaway.

To find a policy that includes this coverage, you will need to first insure your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs. A full list of comprehensive travel insurance plans that allow medical cancellations can be found below. Always reference a policy’s Certificate of Insurance to ensure it includes the type of coverage you need.

What Are Other Covered Reasons to Cancel a Trip?

In addition to Cancel for Medical Reasons, there is a wide range of other reasons one may cancel a trip that are covered by Trip Cancellation coverage.

Comprehensive travel insurance policies with cancellation benefits will typically cover the following scenarios:

• Natural disasters, inclement weather, or other documented severe weather events at your destination or point of departure
• A foreign terrorist attack that occurs near a city listed on your travel itinerary
• Unexpected work emergency, vacation time being revoked, or an involuntary termination of employment
• A significant trip delay, due to inclement weather or the mechanical breakdown of a common carrier
• Unexpected jury duty obligations

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Please be aware that coverage and eligibility requirements for this benefit differ by policy.

Looking for a policy with Cancel For Medical Reasons coverage?

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