Cancelling flight due to child illness

[LondonFly]

Your kind help please.

I am waiting for medical advice re a child being allowed to fly with illness which will mean the child will need to wait a few days until they can fly and won’t be able to fly tomorrow.
If the child can’t how do I deal with change and insurance?
Do I speak to travel insurance first?
or airline?
Can both parents and other children all change their flight or will insurance only allow for the ill child and one parent to change and delay their flight and the rest of the party fly as scheduled tomorrow.

Thank you

[ChrisC]

Speak to the airline first.

Your insurance company will expect you to have done that anyway.

What your insurer will cover in terms of covering who flies and when and what they will pay depends on your policy and only they can give you a definitive answer.

[Froggee]

Yes as per ChrisC

Ask airline nicely to change. They will most likely say no.

Make sure that you get the advice on child not travelling in written, official form as this will be required by the insurance company.

Dig out your policy wording now and see who is covered and for how much. I’d then suggest calling the insurer to confirm your understanding before booking alternative flights.

The insurer will expect you to do everyth8ng you can to mitigate losses. Remember – if you don’t travel and the ticket is completely non-refundable you ares tile titled to taxes back!

[LondonFly]

Thank you.
We have been told by doctor that child cannot fly.
will get documentation
will call airline but not sure ill get through tonight
which insurance shall i use?
nationwide, amex plat, amex gold?

[LondonFly]

flight is tomorrow!

[JDB]

LondonFly wrote:

Thank you.
We have been told by doctor that child cannot fly.
will get documentation
will call airline but not sure ill get through tonight
which insurance shall i use?
nationwide, amex plat, amex gold?

Sorry to hear this and hope (s)he recovers quickly and fully.

In respect of where to claim, I don’t think Amex Gold covers you and re Plat, for cancellation it requires you to have paid with the card, but potentially any Amex. Also, check that the illness that has led to the cancellation isn’t potentially excluded under Plat as the policy has its limitations in that respect. Nationwide has fewer exclusions, the payment method is irrelevant and they are rather easier to deal with and more human than Axa/Amex, so personally I would make the claim with them. Whoever you make the claim with, you will almost certainly be asked whether your claim may be covered under any other policy and it is essential you do state those other policies to avoid the risk of invalidating your claim. Those insurers will then, behind the scenes, share the loss. As above, see hat you can recover yourself from airlines, hotels etc. first. Hope it all goes smoothly.

[LondonFly]

Thank you for this.

It looks like one parent and the child will delay their flight and the rest of the party will travel. I will have to pay the airline for the change of date.
I did pay originally with amex gold, so is it best to go to nationwide first?

JDB wrote:

LondonFly wrote:

Thank you.
We have been told by doctor that child cannot fly.
will get documentation
will call airline but not sure ill get through tonight
which insurance shall i use?
nationwide, amex plat, amex gold?

Sorry to hear this and hope (s)he recovers quickly and fully.

In respect of where to claim, I don’t think Amex Gold covers you and re Plat, for cancellation it requires you to have paid with the card, but potentially any Amex. Also, check that the illness that has led to the cancellation isn’t potentially excluded under Plat as the policy has its limitations in that respect. Nationwide has fewer exclusions, the payment method is irrelevant and they are rather easier to deal with and more human than Axa/Amex, so personally I would make the claim with them. Whoever you make the claim with, you will almost certainly be asked whether your claim may be covered under any other policy and it is essential you do state those other policies to avoid the risk of invalidating your claim. Those insurers will then, behind the scenes, share the loss. As above, see hat you can recover yourself from airlines, hotels etc. first. Hope it all goes smoothly.

[JDB]

@LondonFly yes, I would go to Nationwide first. Hope it all works out in the end.