The pure joy you feel as you set your “out of office email”, say your goodbyes and leave your office before your well deserved annual holiday is unrivalled. Holidays should be a time to relax, escape your worries and recharge your batteries. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case and holiday cancellations, delays and problems can leave you feeling more stressed than before.

Over the last 18 months, the travel industry has been disrupted more than ever, thanks to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Now, as summer comes to an end and people return from their summer holidays, there are no doubt many people who have been the victims of cancellations, theft, or delays who want to claim the compensation they are owed. In this article, we take a look at how to claim on your travel insurance.

Who Should You Contact?

Before you start thinking about your travel insurance claim, it is generally accepted that you should first ask for a refund from your hotel, airline or travel agent. With any luck, you will be able to speak to them and come to an agreement over your compensation.

If you cannot get in touch or the company in question refuses or cannot compensate you, then it is time to contact your travel insurer.

What Documents Do You Need?

Before going on holiday make sure that you have all the relevant documents you need. It is essential to have with you your insurance policy documents. These documents will tell you exactly what you are covered for, so you should be able to know whether you are covered immediately.

As well as these documents, you will also need your policy number and contact phone number. Some insurance companies have a 24/7 hotline that you can call in case of emergencies. It might be a good idea to make a note of this.

Making Your Claim

If, in the unfortunate event that you do need to claim your travel insurance, you will want to check a few things before making a start. First of all, as we previously mentioned, you will want to find out if you are indeed covered for the claim. You can find this information on your policy documents, but it might be a good idea to give your insurer a call if you are unsure.

Next, you will want to know how much the excess is. This is the amount of money that your insurer will take off the claim. In some cases, it might not make financial sense to bother claiming if the amount you will receive is less than the excess.

Once you are clear on all this information, you should then contact your insurer and ask them to send you a claims form. Once this form is completed, you should make a copy for your records while the information is fresh in your mind since you may need it.

You will then want to send this claim form or email it back to your insurer along with any relevant documentation. This could include medical certificates or receipts. Again, it is a good idea to make copies of all this paperwork in the event that your claim gets refused or questioned.

Your insurer will also want to know whether you have any other forms of insurance that could cover the same claim. For example, if you were to have home contents insurance that could also cover the claim, you would be required to inform the insurer.

What If You Don’t Agree with Your Insurers Decision?

If you find that your insurer rejects your claim or offers you less compensation than you believe is required, then you are entitled to complain. We recommend that you get an explanation as to why they are rejecting your claim in writing, as this may come in handy during your complaint procedure.

If you are not totally satisfied with how your complaint has been dealt with or the result, you should contact the Financial Ombudsman. You should wait eight weeks between making the complaint and contacting the Financial Ombudsman. The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free and impartial service that settles complaints between consumers and businesses.

Can I Get Help with My Claim?

If you need to claim money back after a bad holiday experience, you can follow our guide and carry out the claims process yourself. On the other hand, if you don’t feel confident handling the claims process or simply want someone with more expertise to take the whole burden off your hands, you can elicit the services of a claims management company (CMC).

These firms specialise in handling high volumes of claims, thanks to their claims management software and their teams of experienced specialists who have dealt with countless claims throughout a range of claims’ sectors.