travel insurance to cover not going on holiday?

positivenote

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hi guys,
we are due to fly out on a weeks holidays this sat. we haven't got the insurance sorted yet. BUT... the wife's mother is due to get results back from scans on friday and she could well have to go in for surgery next week. If this does arise, which hopefully it doesn't, if we are to get travel insurance on thursday will it cover canceling the holiday due to the surgery, as my wife will have to stay at home and care for the elderly grandfather as well as be there for her mother. We were unaware at the time of booking that her cancer treatment may not have been successful and this is why we originally paid the money for the holiday.
any advice regarding what travel insurance may cover this 'cancellation' would be great.
thanks
 
Hi. You wouldnt be covered here because you know the liklihood of the outcome before taking out the insurance. Obviously its a different case if you have insurance in place before somebody gets sick etc
 
She has been recieving treatment for over 6 months. when the treatment finished we booked the holiday. she went in to have a scan over 2 weeks ago and she gets the results on friday if there is any further treatment needed. So we still are unaware if an operation will be required, further treatment or if it is all clear, as a result we are looking for our travel insurance to cover a worst case scenario that we may have to cancel the holiday if my wife is needed?
 
I agree with the posters above. There is not a hope of you being covered for this. Im sure the policies will state something along the lines of 'unforeseen circumstances' which this case is obviously not. Also why dont you just read the terms and conditions of the policies.

For example I recently took out multi trip travel insurance and the VHI wont cover travel cancellation if the policy wasn't open before booking your travel. So that rules that policy out for you straight away.
 
I'd agree with jaykayphd, you are unlikely to be able to get cancellation insurance now for a booking made some time ago. This type of insurance has to be taken out at the time of the original booking. Insurance companies are not mugs.
 
Again I have to agree, cancellation due to a pre-existing condition even if that person was seemingly recovered at the time of booking would be grounds for refusal. Particularly the case when you haven't even bought your insurance and you know there is a possibility you can't travel.

I am really sorry to hear about this but there is nothing you can do
 
For example I recently took out multi trip travel insurance and the VHI wont cover travel cancellation if the policy wasn't open before booking your travel. So that rules that policy out for you straight away.

Really, I usually book my holiday first and my insurance afterwards; does that apply to all insurance companies and does it apply to single-trip insurance too?

Must remember to book the insurance first in the future, if that is the case!!!!!
 
Really, I usually book my holiday first and my insurance afterwards; does that apply to all insurance companies and does it apply to single-trip insurance too?

Must remember to book the insurance first in the future, if that is the case!!!!!

That does not apply to single-trip insurance, but the in the case of the OP, the holiday was booked some time ago. If the OP takes out insurance now and claims on it days later, they will investigate very carefully and will look for lots of details on the timingof the illness and will very likely refuse to pay.
 
Really, I usually book my holiday first and my insurance afterwards; does that apply to all insurance companies and does it apply to single-trip insurance too?

Must remember to book the insurance first in the future, if that is the case!!!!!

Yeah VHI specifically say on their main booking page that they wont cover holidays booked before the opening of a policy with them.

I went for AIB multi-trip travel insurance their cancellation policy says

1.4 PERIOD OF INSURANCE


A. Insurance cover for Cancellation under
Part III Section 1 – Cancellation, Curtailment and Rearrangement begins when a Holiday is booked, if this Policy is in force at the time of booking, or when You purchase this Policy.


It also states you are not covered...​


if You, or any other Person Insured, were aware of any reason, either at the time a Holiday was booked or at the time You purchased this Policy, why that Holiday might have to be cancelled;
 
A friend of mine had a holiday booked was due to go on the Monday, Saturday his kid got mumps and was told he couldn't fly. He called VHI and said he wanted to add annual travel insurance to his policy, they added it on and he claimed on it - they paid out.

Not saying I agree with it but that's what he did
 
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