Travel insurance for trip cancellations
You’re packed, ready to go and excited at your upcoming holiday… then you get the call saying your tour has been cancelled because they didn’t get enough people going on it. Or maybe you’ve been called up for jury duty right in the middle of your big trip to Europe, and you’re not going anywhere after all.
Travel insurance can help if you have to unexpectedly cancel your planned trip for a number of reasons, allowing you to claim back your non-refundable expenses and keep your money where it belongs… in your pocket.
How can nib Travel Insurance help if I have to cancel my holiday?
There are any number of reasons people have to cancel their holidays, even at the last minute.
If you have to unexpectedly cancel your trip because of any one of 11 specific events, nib Travel Insurance offers cover for the non-refundable costs of your trip and the travel agent cancellation fees, or the costs to rearrange your trip (provided the rearrangement cost is less than the amount you would have incurred had you cancelled your trip).
nib Travel Insurance offers cover for cancellation if you’re unable to travel because:
- Illness, injury or death: You, a travelling companion, or a close relative or business partner who is a resident in Australia or New Zealand, suddenly falls seriously ill, sustains a serious injury, or dies.
- Cancelled tour:
- Your pre-paid scheduled public transport services or tour are cancelled or limited by your affiliated company due to severe weather, natural disaster, riot, strike, civil insurrection, or hijacking.
- The tour operator or wholesaler cancels the tour you were booked on as there are not enough people to begin or complete the tour. (Cover is limited to the pre-paid cost of the transport arrangements to travel to and from the departure and end points of the tour.)
- Accommodation uninhabitable: Severe weather or a natural disaster renders your pre-paid accommodation uninhabitable (or destroyed it) and there is no other alternative accommodation available in the vicinity.
- Court duty: You or a travelling party member has been called up for jury duty or to give evidence in court.
- Car, train, rail, air or marine accidents: You’re involved in, or your travel plans are cancelled or delayed by, a motor vehicle, railway, air or marine accident.
- Travel documents: Your passport, travel documents or credit cards are stolen, accidentally lost or damaged.
- Retrenchment: You or a member of your travelling party has been retrenched from permanent employment in Australia.
- Pre-arranged leave cancelled:
- Your employer cancels your leave and you’re in permanent employment. (cover limited to $1000.00 AUD)
- You or a member of your travelling party who is a permanent employee of the police, fire, ambulance or emergency services has their pre-arranged leave cancelled by their employer.
- Cancelled event: The sole reason for your trip was to attend a wedding, conference, pre-paid concert, course, tuition or ticketed sporting event, which has been cancelled before your departure.
- Coronavirus travel costs (Australian Travel Plan, Comprehensive Plan and Annual Multi Trip Plan only): The Coronavirus travel costs section of your policy offers cover for trip cancellation if you are diagnosed with coronavirus - you should note this section has its own benefit limit which will apply to any claims for cancellation and is in addition to any other cancellation benefit limits.
There are a number of terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions that apply to these events. Please check the PDS for the details.
Can I increase the cancellation benefit limit on my policy?
nib Travel Insurance offers the option to increase your cancellation benefit limit when you purchase your policy.
You can select an amount of cover – the policy benefit limit – required for cancellation related expenses. This limit will then appear on your Certificate of Insurance and is the most we’ll pay under the section ‘Cancellation or holiday deferment costs’ for all people on your Certificate of Insurance combined, per trip.
Depending on the travel plan you choose, you can vary the maximum trip limit at the time you purchase your policy and any premiums will be adjusted accordingly before you purchase.
For more information on the cancellation events that are covered and the rules that apply, read the PDS, including the sections: "What are the events that will be covered under this section?", the cancellation section exclusions and the General exclusions.
What's not covered for cancellation?
Travel insurance isn’t designed to cover everything – some things we do not cover include:
- If you change your mind about going.
- Any unused pre-paid transport if we’ve had to repatriate you the same or greater distance. If the repatriation was less than your original unused travel plans, we will calculate your entitlement on a pro-rata basis, taking into account the cost of your original ticket.
- Any pre-paid snow sports arrangements IF you did not add the Snow Sports option when you purchased your policy.
- Where you have made a claim for the same costs under multiple sections of the policy.
- Any non-refundable costs for anyone not named on your policy.
- We will not pay more than the cancellation limit per trip that you selected which appears on your Certificate of Insurance.
For more information about what is not covered for cancellation, see your PDS and particularly the 'Cancellation and additional expenses' section exclusions and General exclusions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I covered if I have to cancel due to Coronavirus?
The Coronavirus travel costs benefit is available on the International Comprehensive, Australian Travel and Annual Multi Trip plans. It offers cover for trip cancellation if you are diagnosed with coronavirus. You should note this section has its own benefit limit which will apply to claims related to the 8 coronavirus-related events outlined in the PDS.
How much cover is available if my claim for travel insurance for a cancellation is successful?
We will pay the non-refundable portion of your pre-paid travel arrangements and cancellation fees charged by your travel agent; or the cost to rearrange your trip, if the cost is not more than the cancellation amount that would be incurred. The amount of cancellation cover is per trip for all insured travellers. The maximum amount payable is the amount that was chosen at the time of policy purchase; this chosen limit will be shown on your Certificate of Insurance.
How long do I have to wait for a claim to be settled?
Our claims service standard is to settle your claims within 10 working days upon the receipt of a completed Claim Form and all necessary supporting information. It may take longer if we don’t have all the information we need.
Am I covered if I or a travelling companion has a change of mind about the trip?
No, change of mind is not a covered reason for cancellation cover.
