Squaremouth Reveals the Top 4 Reasons Travel Insurance Claims Are Denied--And How to Avoid Them

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- While travel insurance can give you peace of mind and prevent substantial financial losses while traveling, misunderstanding your policy can lead to an automatic denial when it comes to filing a claim. Leading travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth.com, breaks down the top 4 reasons travel insurance claims are denied, and how to give yourself the best chance of getting your claim approved.

You Bought the Policy Without Knowing You Were Ineligible Travel insurance only covers unforeseen events, however, many travelers think they can buy travel insurance after they become sick. If you are already sick when they buy your policy, any claim related to that same illness will not be covered.

Travel Insurance Claim Tip: Some policies have the Pre-Existing Condition option, which can refund you if your trip is impacted by an existing sickness or injury. To get this coverage, you usually must buy a policy within 14-30 days of making your first trip payment. However, even with this coverage, you must be medically able to travel when you buy a policy.

You Buy Travel Insurance Too Late
Sometimes travelers buy a policy after they hear about a storm, or other events, on the news and file a claim to cancel their trip. Typically, if an event is publicized, such as a storm that has been named by The National Hurricane Center, it is too late to buy a policy.

Travel Insurance Claim Tip: Purchase a policy once you've made your first booking toward the trip to ensure the longest amount of coverage before your trip begins.

You Think Travel Insurance Covers Anything Bad That Happens
Some travelers think their insurance will pay out because their trip didn't go as smoothly as they planned. However, in order for a traveler to be covered by their travel insurance, your trip must be canceled, cut short, or delayed by a circumstance listed in their policy. If the reason is listed, you can be refunded for out-of-pocket trip payments, as well as additional expenses incurred.

Travel Insurance Claim Tip: Don't assume you're automatically covered if anything goes wrong. If you have specific concerns, make sure they are covered by your policy. If you are worried about something that your policy does not cover, you may be able to cancel the policy for a full or partial refund.

Travelers who want the broadest level of coverage for "anything", should consider purchasing Cancel For Any Reason coverage. This time-sensitive upgrade allows them to cancel for a reason not listed in the policy.

You Forgot to Keep Your Receipts
In order to be refunded, travelers typically need to provide proof of the expenses they incurred. Receipts are required to authenticate a claim, whether it's for a cancellation, delay, or medical emergency.

Travel Insurance Claim Tip: Ask for receipts to document any expenses incurred. If you forget, or if receipts are not available, your bank or credit card statement will usually prove you made the payments you are claiming for.

About Squaremouth: Squaremouth.com has insured over 3 million travelers. Using Squaremouth's intuitive quoting and comparison engine, award-winning support team, and verified customer reviews, travelers can save time and money to find the best travel insurance policy for their trip.

Available Topic Expert: Jenna Hummer is available for comment and interview. jhummer@squaremouth.com

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SOURCE Squaremouth