Trip cancellation insurance protects your investment by refunding prepaid travel expenses like hotel reservations and airfare should something come up that prevents you from taking the trip. That said, only certain circumstances qualify for compensation under regular cancellation policies.

Unless you purchase cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance, then you’ll need to read the terms and conditions to determine what’s excusable. For example, the following circumstances are often covered:

• Unforeseeable bad weather, natural disasters or acts of terrorism;
• Sudden illness or injury (family members, travel companions and partners included);
• Jury duty;
• Loss of accommodations;
• Work-related complications.

Mistakes That Disqualify Cancellation Insurance

Perfectly legitimate claims can be voided if you violate the terms of your policy. Most commonly, failing to provide sufficient documentation results in zero payment. You need to submit everything to get paid:

• All receipts, bills and invoices;
• Original unused tickets and reservations;
• Proof of medical emergency and/or official letter from a physician;
• And so on.

Medical emergencies, particularly, are ambiguous. If the insurer discovers that you failed to get proper medical attention and this lead to a worse condition, then the fault becomes yours. Likewise, if you did not confirm the severity of your condition with a doctor before cancelling the trip, you can also end up with the blame.

Lastly, if you were already sick when you bought the tickets, then you may be exempt from protection. Same goes for bad weather forecasts at the time of purchase. Always keep an eye on the news for potential hiccups in your travel itinerary.

For all aforesaid reasons, check the fine print on your travel policies and inquire about what documentation or steps are needed to get the coverage you deserve. Sometimes, using travel agents can markedly increase your chances of pay-out because they can help acquire fuller policies and explain the conditions to you in greater detail.