Trip Cancellation vs. Trip Delay | Allianz Global Assistance (2024)

FAQs

Trip Cancellation vs. Trip Delay | Allianz Global Assistance? ›

Trip cancellation benefits can help if you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason. You may be reimbursed for your prepaid nonrefundable trip costs – expenses like airfare, cruise fare, and hotel reservations. Trip delay benefits can reimburse you for eligible expenses in the event of a covered delay.

The most common covered reason is unforeseen illness, injury, or death of the traveler, a traveling companion, or a non-traveling family member. Other common covered reasons include terrorism, inclement weather, or a natural disaster, among others. Not being able to travel as planned is a major concern among travelers.

Trip cancellation kicks in if certain medical or non-medical events occur before you leave home, so you're reimbursed on all or some costs, depending on your coverage. Trip interruption reimburses you if a similar set of events occur after you leave home and during your trip and you're forced to return home.

Coverage kicks in when your trip is delayed more than six hours. Eligible reimbursem*nts include meals, lodging, toiletries, medication and other personal use items.

Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for 100% of your nonrefundable and prepaid trip costs if you cancel for a covered reason, which may include: Death of your travel companion, business partner or family member (policies differ on who is considered a family member).

Some examples of covered reasons could be: Sickness, injury, death, or quarantine of a member of your travel party. A delay that causes you to miss or interrupt any part of your covered trip due to weather, mechanical reasons, or travel advisory.

Besides personal injury or illness, this covers similar circ*mstances with a travel companion, family member, and business partner as well. Death. Similar to the above, most trip cancellation plans will cover you if a family member or traveling companion passes away unexpectedly prior to the trip. Natural Disaster.

There are a few reasons that travel insurance can be worthwhile: to protect your nonrefundable trip costs, your luggage or your health.

Policies differ between providers, but cancellation cover usually includes: An injury or illness that prevents you from travelling. A fire or flood at your home.

Travel insurance and flight delays

In addition to your airline being obligated to look after you, most travel insurance policies provide cover for travel delay, which becomes applicable if your flight is delayed by more than 12 hours due to strike, adverse weather or mechanical breakdown.

Do I get compensated for trip delay? ›

However, federal law does not require airlines to provide passengers with money or other compensation when flights are delayed. So if your trip is delayed and you end up stuck in the airport, any hotel rooms, meal vouchers or other monetary compensation will be given at the discretion of the airline.

Reasonably foreseeable events. Known storms, epidemics, acts of war. Travel restrictions imposed by government authorities. Pre-existing conditions, unless the Premium plan is bought within the window for coverage.

Contact your airline directly

If you believe you have the right to claim compensation or reimbursem*nt, you should contact your airline or airport directly. Compensation is not automatic, and you will need to contact your airline to make a claim.

Travel protection focuses primarily on trip cancellation and gives limited protection for unforeseen circ*mstances that may cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip. Travel insurance supplies broader coverage, protecting against a wider range of possible financial losses during your travels.

Note that airlines are required to provide a full refund in the case of a cancellation or significant flight change, regardless of if it's the airline's fault.

Sickness, Injury or Death:

An injury, illness or death of you, your traveling companion, your traveling or non-traveling family member, your business partner or your destination host. This is the most common reason for trip cancellation.

It covers unavoidable trip cancellations due to sudden and unpredictable events, including terrorism, natural calamities, and serious injury or sudden sickness requiring minimum three days' hospitalisation of the insured person, his spouse, parent or child, who are also booked to travel with the insured person.

Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses if you must cancel your trip due to an unforeseen event covered under your policy. If you are planning your next globetrotting adventure, consider protecting yourself with trip cancellation insurance.