The only constant in life is change, they say… and that seems to apply doubly when you’re traveling. Flights get canceled. Trains break down. Hotels overbook. Events get rained out.

Does travel insurance cover a change of travel plans? That depends. We’ll look at some common scenarios when your travel plans suddenly change, and how travel insurance can help.

You have to change your travel plans because an event you’re attending is rescheduled.

You scored a ticket to see your absolute favorite band perform in Berlin this summer. It’s going to be the experience of a lifetime. Then, the band cancels the tour date because the lead singer gets laryngitis. The concert is rescheduled for the fall. “Can I change my flight without paying a fee?” you wonder. “Or does travel insurance cover flight changes?” What should you do?

First, contact the airline to change your flight dates. If the airline charges you a change fee, we have good news: the Trip Change Protector benefit, included with OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premier, can reimburse fees or extra expenses from a carrier or supplier if you must cancel or change your airline, rail, cruise, or tour itinerary for a covered reason—which includes canceled events. The Trip Change Protector benefit also can reimburse fees for redepositing loyalty points, if you use those points to purchase travel and then cancel or change your trip for a covered reason.

Then, contact your hotel to ask about changing your booking dates. Don’t delay—chances are, many concertgoers are trying to do the same thing.

You need to return home suddenly because of a family emergency.

On day two of your delightful solo getaway in  Dominica, you get a sheepish phone call from your husband. He slipped on some ice while getting the mail, and now he’s in the hospital getting his broken leg put back together. “Can you come home, please?” he says.

You’re concerned about your husband—and also, you must admit, regretting your lost vacation. What should you do?

Don’t worry! Allianz Travel Insurance is here to help. Step 1 is booking a flight home as quickly as possible. Your trip interruption benefits can pay for reasonable transportation expenses for you to travel to your primary residence following a covered trip interruption, such as the serious illness or injury of a family member. Need help making emergency travel arrangements? Contact 24-hour assistance.

Step 2 is recovering the cost of your trip, so you can take your vacation another time. Again, trip interruption benefits can come to the rescue. File a claim to be reimbursed for your unused prepaid trip costs.

You’re stranded because a connected flight was canceled.

You’re heading home to Atlanta from England by way of Dublin. When your flight arrives in Ireland, you find everything in chaos: The airline’s software systems have crashed, and all flights are grounded. There’s nothing you can do but head into the city and find somewhere to stay. But you’re worried: You hadn’t really budgeted for an extra hotel night, and you don’t know when you’ll get home. What should you do?

Check your travel delay coverage to see what’s covered. When you’re stuck somewhere because of circumstances beyond your control, travel insurance may be able to help. If your delay was caused by a covered reason, such as a travel carrier delay or a strike, then your travel delay benefits can reimburse you for your hotel, meals and other eligible expenses up to the limits in your plan. Plans with SmartBenefits® can provide a fixed inconvenience payment of $100 per day for a covered travel delay, with no receipts required (just proof of delay).

The airline cancels your flight.

You’re heading to Ghana on an ancestry tour: a trip you’ve wanted to take your entire life. Due to storms at your departing airport, the airline cancels your flight to Accra and rebooks you for the next day. Then, that flight gets canceled too. You’ve already missed your tour group’s departure. What should you do?

In a situation like this, you may feel upset, anxious, and even defeated. Just remember: You have options, and travel insurance can help.

If your travel carrier is unable to get you to your original destination for 24+ hours from your originally scheduled arrival time due to a covered reason, such as severe weather, that can be a covered reason for trip cancellation. So you can cancel the trip, if you want, and get reimbursed for your lost trip costs.

What if you don’t want to cancel? Your trip interruption benefits can help you catch up with your tour group by reimbursing you for transportation costs to join them. You can also get reimbursed for the cost of any prepaid accommodations you didn’t use because of your delayed arrival (minus available refunds).

Read more: What Should I Do If My Flight is Canceled?

You just can’t go on your trip right now—but the travel carrier won’t let you change dates.

A year ago, you booked an Alaskan cruise for you and your spouse. Your embarkation date is in two weeks, and instead of getting excited you’re dreading the trip. It’s not a good time to travel: work is crazy, your elderly cockatoo is ailing, and your house needs some unexpected repairs. The cruise line won’t let you postpone the cruise, however. What should you do?

This is a tough one. Cruise lines typically won’t let you change the dates of your itinerary; that’s considered a cancellation, and cruise cancellation policies are strict. If you have trip cancellation insurance, you can be reimbursed for nonrefundable trip costs if you cancel for a covered reason. But if you’re canceling for a non-covered reason—such as being too stressed to enjoy your vacation—what are your options?

Allianz Travel Insurance now offers a Cancel Anytime optional upgrade on OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premier. Cancel Anytime can reimburse 80% of your lost non-refundable trip costs if you cancel your trip for almost any unforeseeable reason your plan does not already cover. With Cancel Anytime, you can call off the cruise and get back 80% of your fare. You can put that money toward house repairs and vet bills, or book a new cruise for a better time.

Tips for managing a last-minute change in travel plans

1. Stay calm. It’s easy to panic over unplanned travel changes, especially when you’re far from home. But if you feel yourself getting agitated, take a quick walk and some deep breaths. As blogger Wandering Earl wisely advises, “A calm, clear-thinking person is always a better decision-maker than a person who is freaking out. And when it comes to dealing with difficult situations, trying to avoid rushed and potentially poor decisions should be a goal.”
2. Tell your story. Customer service representatives are people too. Tell them if you’re changing your travel plans because of a family emergency or other challenging circumstances, and they may go the extra mile to assist you. Always be polite and patient—never berate an airline agent!
3. Remember you can change your travel insurance plan dates. As long as you haven’t filed a claim or departed on your trip, you may be able to change the coverage dates of your trip. A travel insurance policy can be in force up to 1,095 days, which allows travelers the opportunity to move their policy’s effective dates up to 3 years in the future to match the dates of their rebooked trip.

Read more: You Purchased Travel Insurance. But Need Changes. Now What?

Need to buy travel insurance for your next trip? Don’t wait until it’s too late! Get a quote.

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