You plan your whole trip. Then something happens, and you can’t go. Now, you have questions.

How can travel insurance help? Will you be able to get your money back for lost trip expenses? Here, we’ll explain how trip cancellation works, what’s covered, and how to file a claim.

Please note: This travel insurance FAQ is intended to be a general reference. Benefits, coverage, and exclusions vary by plan and may vary by state, and sublimits may apply. Please see your plan for full details, and contact us if you have any questions.

What does trip cancellation insurance cover?

Travel insurance with trip cancellation benefits protects your pre-paid, non-refundable trip expenses, such as airfare, cruise fare, hotels, vacation rentals, and tours. It can reimburse you for up to 100% of those expenses if you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason.

What’s a covered reason for trip cancellation insurance?

Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for lost pre-paid costs when you cancel your trip for one of the specific covered reasons named in your plan. If you cancel for a different reason, your claim won’t be approved. Covered reasons vary by plan, so it’s important to review your policy details.

Find out more: Trip Cancellation Insurance: Covered Reasons Explained

How does trip cancellation insurance actually work?

1. You cancel your planned trip because of an unforeseen covered reason.
2. As soon as possible, you notify your travel suppliers that you’re canceling.
3. You file a trip insurance claim for your non-refundable, prepaid trip expenses.
4. Allianz Partners reviews your claim.
5. If your claim is approved, you get reimbursed for your eligible expenses.

How do I file a trip cancellation claim?

Allianz Partners makes it easy with our online claims center.

1. Answer questions about what happened to make you cancel your trip.
2. Upload documents to support your claim, such as: your trip itinerary, receipts for travel purchases, your travel supplier’s refund policy, and proof of the incident that made you cancel (such as medical bills, a doctor’s letter, a police report, etc.).
3. Check the status of your claim. We’ll send you updates and will let you know when payment is on the way for an approved claim.

What’s a known event for trip cancellation insurance?

Travel insurance is meant to protect you against unforeseen events. If something is a known event at the time you purchase your trip insurance plan, then your insurance will not cover you for any losses related to that event. For example, if you wait to buy travel insurance until after a forecasted hurricane is named, and then you cancel your trip because of the hurricane, your trip cancellation claim would not be approved. Check Allianz Partners’ Coverage Alerts for current known events.

What are the requirements for trip cancellation coverage due to sickness?

Getting sick is one of the most common reasons for canceling a trip. But how sick do you have to be to file a trip cancellation claim?

For Allianz Travel Insurance plans, your (or your traveling companion’s) illness, injury, or medical condition must be disabling enough to make you cancel the trip. Also, a doctor must advise you or a traveling companion to cancel your trip before you cancel it. If that isn’t possible, you or your companion must see a doctor as soon as possible within 72 hours after the cancellation to confirm the decision to cancel.

If a family member who is not traveling with you experiences an illness, injury, or medical condition that’s life-threatening or requires hospitalization, that can be a covered reason for trip cancellation.

Find out more: Everything You Need to Know About Canceling a Trip Due to Illness or Injury

How does "Cancel for Any Reason" (CFAR) insurance work?

CFAR travel insurance can reimburse you for most—but not all—of your lost prepaid expenses when you cancel a trip for any reason that’s not named in your plan. Typically, “cancel for any reason” insurance reimburses 50%-75% of eligible trip expenses.¹ Allianz Partners’ Cancel Anytime upgrade to selected travel insurance plans reimburses 80% of prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you cancel your trip for almost any unforeseeable reason your plan does not already cover.

Find out more: What is Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance?

What’s the difference between trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance?

Trip cancellation benefits can reimburse you for your lost prepaid expenses when you cancel your trip for a covered reason before you depart. Trip interruption benefits can reimburse you for your lost, unused prepaid costs when your trip is cut short or otherwise interrupted for a covered reason after you depart.

There’s more! These benefits can reimburse the cost of your extra accommodation and transportation expenses if the interruption causes you to stay at your destination (or the place where your trip was interrupted) longer than you’d planned. You also can be reimbursed for the cost of your rescheduled transportation to get home (or the non-refundable part of your original return ticket).

Find out more: Trip Delay, Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation Insurance Explained

Is trip cancellation insurance necessary for a domestic flight?

That depends on the type of ticket you buy. If you have a fully refundable ticket, then you may not need to buy insurance. If you buy a non-refundable ticket, trip cancellation insurance is a good idea. Without insurance, you may have to pay cancellation fees and/or receive flight credits instead of cash back when canceling a flight. Travel insurance can also protect you in case of travel delays and baggage mishaps on your domestic flight (see plan for details).

Can I buy trip cancellation insurance without medical?

Absolutely. One of the best cancellation-only insurance plans is OneTrip Cancellation Plus. With this affordably priced plan, you get up to $5,000 in trip cancellation and interruption benefits, $150 in trip delay benefits (daily limit $150), and 24-hour assistance.

If you’re traveling internationally, it’s smart to buy a plan that includes emergency medical benefits as well. That’s because healthcare providers overseas typically don’t accept American health insurance, and the cost of emergency transportation to the hospital and/or back home can be huge.

Shop Allianz Partners travel insurance plans

What company is the best for travel insurance?

Allianz Partners consistently ranks as one of the most trusted travel insurance providers in the U.S. We have 4+ stars on Trustpilot and have been named Travel Weekly’s Reader’s Choice for travel insurance for several years running. Find out why nearly 59 million American travelers choose Allianz Partners to protect them: Get a quote today.

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