How to make a successful travel insurance claim

Learn how to make a successful travel insurance claim with our expert tips. Find out what evidence you need and how to avoid common claim mistakes.

1. Find a travel insurance policy that gives you the cover you need. Look at how much excess you’ll have to pay and the maximum you can claim for individual items. Make sure you have cover for any sports or activities you’re planning on holiday. 
2. Take copies of important documents and any bookings you’ve made. Get proof of purchase for any valuables you’re taking with you and save them in a format that you can access while you’re travelling. 
3. Stay safe while you’re travelling. Some things are completely out of our control, but you can reduce your chances of needing to make a claim by taking certain precautions. For example, keep a watchful eye on your luggage and store your valuables in a safe place, such as a safe in your room. 
4. If you need to make a claim, the more evidence you can give to your insurance provider, the better. Take a note of any dates and times you might need to refer to when filling in your claims form. 
5. Check the claim deadline. Be sure you can make your claim within the stated time limits for your policy. 
6. Be accurate. Take the time to complete the claims form accurately, as any false, inaccurate or misleading information could potentially lead to your claim being rejected. 
7. Make sure you don’t incur any expenses for medical treatment which are likely to exceed £500 without getting authorization from the medical assistance team, as you may not be entitled to claim these back. 

If your luggage is lost or damaged in transit, report it to the airline before you leave the airport. You’ll need to fill out any necessary forms and take copies to support your travel insurance claim. Make sure you get an official report or a “property irregularity report (PIR)” from the airline or their handling agent. 

If your baggage is delayed and you need to buy essential items to use while you wait for your luggage, make sure you keep the receipts and include copies with your claim. 

If your belongings are stolen while you’re on holiday, you’ll need to report the theft to the police within 24 hours. If you can, get a copy of the police report, with a crime reference number to include with your claim. If that isn’t possible, you’ll need to show why – by proving that the local police station was closed, for example – and speak to someone else like the hotel manager or a tour operator to get a written report. 

You’ll often need to include proof of purchase for any lost or stolen possessions you’re claiming for. This could be the original receipt, an email receipt, or a copy of a bank or credit card statement showing the purchase. It’s worth taking with you copies of digital receipts for your most valuable possessions, in case you won’t make it home before the claim deadline. 

Travel insurance often excludes claims where you were negligent, for example, leaving your luggage unattended. So, make sure you keep an eye on your belongings and act as though you are not insured at all times. 

Keep hold of your passport and ensure you contact the emergency assistance team as soon as possible. Have your policy schedule with you on your trip so that someone else can contact the emergency assistance team on your behalf if you are unable to do so. 
 
If you need medical treatment while you’re on holiday, contact your insurance provider and get them to agree to any treatment in advance. They’ll be able to liaise with the hospital to make sure you’re getting the care you need, and they can also help with translation and repatriation, if needed. 
 

If it’s a medical emergency, don’t delay getting treatment. You should go to the closest hospital immediately. Contacting your insurance provider as soon as you (or someone you’re travelling with) can could mean that your insurer can help with translation and support with treatment approval. 
 

You may have to pay up front for medical treatment and medication, up to a certain limit. If you do, keep all the receipts so you can claim back the costs on your travel insurance. 
 
Remember that you’ll need to declare any pre-existing medical conditions when you take out travel insurance. If you don’t declare your pre-existing conditions, it may result in a claim being declined. If you have any questions or concerns about how to declare any medical conditions, please contact the PayingTooMuch team who will be happy to guide you through this. 
 

You’ll only be able to claim for cancelling or cutting your trip short under certain circumstances. These will be set out in your policy and may include: 

 

• An unexpected death of a close relative 
• If you or someone you’re travelling with suffers a serious illness or injury 
• There’s a fire, burglary or flood in your home shortly before your trip 
• You’re made redundant 
• You’re called up to jury service or as a witness in court 
• You become pregnant after booking the trip or have been advised not to travel due to 
  pregnancy 

 

If you need to cut your trip short, you may only get a refund for any unused time in your holiday accommodation and the extra travel costs to get home, along with other non-refundable expenses such as excursions or airport parking. 

 

Supporting evidence can include receipts for anything lost or stolen. 

If you’re claiming for a delayed flight, you’ll need proof that you bought a ticket for that particular flight, such as a boarding pass. You’ll also need to be able to show that the flight was delayed, such as an email from the flight operator. 

If you’re claiming for a cancelled trip because you have to serve on a jury or be a witness in a court case, you’ll need proof from the court. 
 

For outpatient medical expenses, you’ll need paperwork from the healthcare facility where you were treated. 
 

And, if you’re cancelling because of a death or serious illness or injury in the family, you’ll need to provide a death or medical certificate. 
 
Your insurer may also need to check that there were no known circumstances which would have given rise to a claim prior to purchasing the policy.

 
Your policy documents should clearly set out what evidence you’ll need to make a claim. It’s important that you read your policy documents carefully and contact your provider as soon as possible with any questions you may have. 
 

It's a good idea to take photos of any valuables you’re taking with you and create digital copies of receipts so you can use them as evidence if you need to make a claim. You’ll also need a crime reference number or incident report from the local police if you’re claiming for the theft of personal belongings or money. 
 

You should also take copies of important documents, such as your passport, as well as any bookings you’ve made in advance. 
 
It pays to be organised with your paperwork prior to your trip and this will likely reduce the stress of making a claim, if you need to. Keep a record of any conversations or contact you have with your insurance provider, including the date and time, and the name of the person you spoke with in case there’s any dispute with your claim. 

It’s possible for a travel insurance claim to be denied by your insurer. There could be a few reasons for this: 

 

• You did not accurately declare any pre-existing medical conditions when taking out a policy. 
• An incident happened when you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 
• You failed to get the recommended vaccinations before you travel and fall ill as a result. 
• You did not get the required Visas or documentation for entry to your destination. 
• If your possessions are stolen because you’ve left them unattended. For example, on the front seat of a car or unattended on the beach. 
• Not providing adequate supporting documentation, such a police report. 

 

You can reduce the possibility of having your claim rejected by filling in your details as accurately as possible when you complete a travel insurance quote. If you’re not sure what a question means, you can call and speak to a member of the PayingTooMuch team who may be able to help. 

You’re entitled to a clear explanation of why your claim was rejected. If, after reading the explanation and checking the small print of your policy carefully, you think the decision is unfair, you can make a formal complaint to your travel insurance provider by following their internal complaints procedure. Details of the complaints process can usually be found in their policy wording. 

If you don’t agree with their final response, you have six months to take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). If you’ve complained and the insurance provider hasn’t responded within the set time limits, you can also take the complaint to the FOS. 

If you need to cut your trip short, travel insurance providers will call this curtailment. Most policies should include this as standard. But before you buy it’s worth double checking that you’d be covered, should you need to make a claim in the future. 

The excess is the amount you will have to pay to the insurer towards the claim. For example, if your excess is £100, you will need to pay the first £100 of your claim, and if the claim is successful, your insurer will pay the rest. 

This is where an insurance provider will help you get home if you’re unwell and unable to continue to travel as planned.