FOS decisions / Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance
Financial Ombudsman Service final decisions, reproduced verbatim from the FOS published decisions register.
Decisions
97
Upheld
50
Not upheld
47
Avg redress
£415
Upheld complaints (50)
Decision DRN-6235665
An insurer must provide appropriate guidance and clear, accurate information to customers about their policy cover and requirements.
UpheldRedress £150May 2026RAC Insurance Limited
DRN-6003170An insurer must apply policy conditions fairly and reasonably, assessing actual prejudice before declining a claim based on a breach.
UpheldApr 2026AXIS Speciality Europe SE
DRN-6225171An insurer must not discriminate on the basis of nationality when handling claims, and must treat all customers fairly regardless of how their concerns about nationality verification are communicated.
UpheldFeb 2026Aviva Insurance Limited
DRN-6119188Ambiguous insurance policy wording must be interpreted in the manner most favorable to the consumer.
UpheldJan 2026Inter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6167453Insurers must handle claims promptly and fairly, and must take proactive steps to communicate directly with treating providers to manage payment and prevent unnecessary distress to policyholders.
UpheldRedress £1,500Dec 2025Inter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6018112An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly and must not decline claims unreasonably, but may reasonably decline a claim if the circumstances are not covered by the specific perils listed in the policy document.
UpheldJun 2025Decision DRN-6134963
An insurer must act fairly and reasonably when declining a claim, and a claimant bears responsibility for providing sufficient evidence to support their claim as required by the policy terms.
UpheldRedress £180Decision DRN-6247079
An insurer must not unreasonably decline a claim, and a general exclusion for driving without the appropriate valid license applies fairly when the policyholder lacks a valid license for the vehicle category driven.
UpheldRedress £500Decision DRN-6282019
An insurer must handle claims fairly and cannot unreasonably reject a claim for breach of a policy condition unless the circumstances are connected to that breach.
UpheldWatford Insurance Company Europe Limited
DRN-6235508An insurer must reimburse the policyholder for losses directly caused by delays in claims handling, including travel expenses incurred during periods of loss of use.
UpheldRedress £200Decision DRN-6067652
An insurer's valuation of a stolen vehicle must be fair and reasonable, determined by reference to industry-recognised motor trade guides rather than cherry-picked advertised prices.
UpheldRedress £718Marshmallow Insurance Limited
DRN-6290623Under CIDRA 2012, an insurer can avoid a policy for careless misrepresentation only if the misrepresentation is qualifying (insurer would have offered different terms or declined) and the consumer failed to take reasonable care not to make
UpheldRedress £100Zurich Insurance Company Ltd
DRN-6285280An insurer must apply policy terms fairly and reasonably in context, not merely on a strict literal interpretation, when the consumer's conduct aligns with the policy's protective purpose.
UpheldDecision DRN-6295055
An insurer must provide fair and accurate information about policy coverage when notified of a claim, particularly when internal guidance clearly indicates exclusions applicable to the specific circumstances.
UpheldRedress £300Decision DRN-6207312
An insurer must fairly handle mid-term health declarations and, if unable to continue cover, should reimburse the cost of alternative insurance obtained by the consumer.
UpheldRedress £166Decision DRN-6242218
An insurance intermediary must act fairly and reasonably in administering a policy and must not cancel a policy contrary to the consumer's explicit instructions.
UpheldDecision DRN-6265638
An insurer's agent must communicate clearly about service limitations when confirming appointments, particularly when a customer has stated specific attendance requirements.
UpheldRedress £150Decision DRN-6180102
An insurer must not cancel a policy for misrepresentation unless the insured deliberately misled them; failure to disclose information through oversight rather than deliberate intent is insufficient grounds for cancellation.
UpheldRedress £200Zurich Insurance Company Ltd
DRN-6273357An insurer may cap travel insurance benefits when it determines repatriation is medically safe and reasonable, provided the policyholder's contractual obligation is to accept the insurer's medical team's decisions about suitable solutions t
UpheldRedress £350Decision DRN-6104152
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, a consumer has the right to reject goods that do not conform to the contract if an initial repair is unsuccessful.
UpheldRedress £150Acromas Insurance Company Limited
DRN-6177887An insurer must pay compensation proportionate to the distress and inconvenience caused by poor service, particularly when vulnerable individuals are affected and there are longer-term consequences.
UpheldInter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-4904374An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly, providing reasonable support to policyholders following a loss, and must account for additional reasonable costs incurred by the policyholder as a direct result of that failure.
UpheldRedress £475AWP P&C SA
DRN-5934553Travel insurance providers must handle medical assistance claims promptly, fairly, and with clear communication, especially when dealing with vulnerable individuals requiring emergency repatriation.
UpheldRedress £1,300UK Insurance Limited
DRN-5968733Travel insurance providers must provide prompt and fair assistance to policyholders in medical emergencies abroad, including proactive coordination of suitable medical facilities rather than awaiting medical reports.
UpheldRedress £3,250Liverpool Victoria Insurance Company Limited
DRN-6075116Insurers must handle claims fairly and cannot unreasonably reject claims; consumers must take reasonable care not to misrepresent facts when taking out insurance under CIDRA 2012.
UpheldRedress £300SiriusPoint International Insurance Corporation
DRN-5972386An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly, and may reasonably decline cover for private medical treatment when adequate public facilities exist under reciprocal health agreements, provided the consumer is given proper notice before
UpheldHowserv Limited trading as Staysure
DRN-6175069Firms must conduct their business with care and diligence and treat customers fairly, including finding reasonable alternative solutions when data protection concerns can be balanced against customer needs in emergencies.
UpheldRedress £75RAC Insurance Limited
DRN-6252478An insurer must deal with claims promptly and fairly, and should not charge customers for costs that could have been mitigated through timely action.
UpheldRedress £217Astrenska Insurance Limited
DRN-6206196An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly, and should not reject or restrict cover unreasonably without properly consulting treating medical practitioners when their opinion differs from the insurer's medical officer.
UpheldRedress £500Inter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6244948An insurer must clearly demonstrate a qualifying misrepresentation under CIDRA and prove they would not have offered the policy before declining a claim on those grounds.
UpheldRedress £250Inter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6249208An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly and should not reject a claim unreasonably; non-disclosure of medical history must be material to justify claim rejection.
UpheldRedress £150Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
DRN-6249586An insurer must provide accurate information about policy cover during claims discussions, and fair settlement requires consideration of what a consumer would have done if properly informed.
UpheldGreat Lakes Insurance UK Limited
DRN-6235305An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly, and provide timely authorization for emergency medical treatment as required by industry rules.
UpheldRedress £250Financial & Legal Insurance Company Ltd
DRN-6048344An insurer must provide the breakdown assistance services the policyholder is entitled to under the policy terms and cannot unfairly impose charges or deny assistance when service failures occur due to the insurer's own operational issues.
UpheldRedress £500RAC Insurance Limited
DRN-6225281A single breakdown claim encompasses multiple faults discovered during diagnosis and repair unless they are distinctly unrelated or raise roadworthiness concerns.
UpheldRedress £200Admiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
DRN-6229601An insurer must apply policy cover fairly by reference to the actual cause of the missed departure, not by excluding cover based on an unrelated connecting flight's definition of scheduled public transport.
UpheldRedress £100Aviva Insurance Limited
DRN-6040053An insurer may fairly decline a claim that falls within a pre-existing medical condition exclusion that was clearly disclosed and explained to the policyholder at inception.
UpheldAWP P&C S.A.
DRN-6188213Insurance policy terms must be clear and fair; ambiguous coverage provisions should be interpreted in favour of the consumer, and insurers must not unreasonably decline claims.
UpheldRedress £3,300Fortegra Europe Insurance Company Ltd
DRN-6232217Insurers must handle claims promptly and fairly and cannot unreasonably decline a claim by relying on policy exclusions that do not reasonably apply to the circumstances.
UpheldRedress £200Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited
DRN-6182086An insurer must not unreasonably decline a claim, but may require medical evidence that curtailment or repatriation was medically necessary, and may decline cover where treatment was available locally.
UpheldRedress £150Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited
DRN-6237809Travel insurance claims must be handled promptly and fairly, and insurers must not unreasonably decline claims or fail to proactively chase outstanding information needed for claim assessment.
UpheldRedress £100Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited
DRN-6138271Insurance policies only cover risks explicitly agreed in the terms and conditions; insurers must settle claims fairly and promptly in accordance with those contractual terms.
UpheldRedress £86Rock Insurance Services Limited
DRN-6116542A non-advised travel insurance seller must present clear information about the requirement to declare pre-existing medical conditions at the point of sale, not merely make documents available or bury requirements in dense text blocks.
UpheldAWP P&C S.A.
DRN-6208590Travel insurance providers must handle claims promptly and fairly, providing clear communication and proactive assistance while acting reasonably in medical repatriation arrangements.
UpheldRedress £150AWP P&C S.A.
DRN-6246706An insurer may fairly decline a travel insurance claim for emergency medical treatment when the policyholder lacked legally required documentation to operate a vehicle in the country where the incident occurred.
UpheldRedress £100Inter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-5849433An insurer may rely on CIDRA to refuse a claim where a consumer has failed to take reasonable care not to make a qualifying misrepresentation about pre-existing medical conditions.
UpheldRedress £100Inter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6008479An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly, and act in good faith to deliver good outcomes for consumers under FCA ICOBS requirements and the Consumer Duty.
UpheldRedress £300Inter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6151166An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly, and should assess claims based on available evidence while making clear and specific requests for any additional information needed to verify losses.
UpheldRedress £150Zurich Insurance Company Limited
DRN-6202301Policyholders must disclose significant changes in health to their insurer before booking travel, as failure to do so breaches policy terms and can result in claims being declined.
UpheldInter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6077656Under CIDRA 2012, consumers must take reasonable care not to misrepresent material facts when taking out insurance, and insurers can decline claims if qualifying misrepresentations are established.
UpheldRedress £250
Not-upheld complaints (47)
Decision DRN-6291008
An insurer is entitled to require supporting medical evidence in accordance with policy terms, and prior acceptance of different evidence does not preclude application of those terms on subsequent claims.
Not upheldMay 2026Decision DRN-6242451
A consumer must take reasonable care not to make a misrepresentation when taking out insurance; if they fail to do so and it is a qualifying misrepresentation, the insurer can decline the claim and cancel the policy in accordance with CIDRA
Not upheldMay 2026TICORP Ltd
DRN-6227381Insurers are entitled to decline cover where underwriting criteria are not met, provided they treat applicants fairly and consistently according to their internal guidelines.
Not upheldMay 2026AWP P&C SA
DRN-6155045An insurer may avoid a policy and decline a claim if the consumer failed to take reasonable care not to make a qualifying misrepresentation under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012.
Not upheldJan 2026Decision DRN-6290943
An insurer under a master policy for leased vehicles is not responsible for providing replacement vehicles or travel costs, which falls under the lessor's scheme obligations.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6239016
A card provider must follow strict chargeback scheme rules and can only proceed with a chargeback if there is reasonable prospect of success under those rules; the decision to defend or withdraw a chargeback must be made fairly and in accor
Not upheldDecision DRN-6269143
Travel insurers may reasonably validate claims before issuing guarantees of payment to hospitals, including reviewing medical reports and past medical history.
Not upheldSaga Services Limited
DRN-6253697A travel insurance intermediary is not responsible for the underwriter's underwriting decisions or policy terms, only for arranging the contract fairly.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6082588
Travel insurance 'missed transport' cover applies only to delays affecting transport to the departure point, not to events occurring at the airport itself.
Not upheldTesco Underwriting Limited
DRN-6143611An insurer is not responsible for repair delays caused by factors outside its control, such as parts supplier issues, and must provide only the courtesy car type specified in the policy terms.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6297023
A lender must conduct proportionate affordability checks appropriate to the loan size and risk profile, including verification of actual housing and living costs where recent credit activity suggests heightened risk.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6221078
An insurer's surveyor's assessment of repair scope based on available evidence and contractor observations is fair and reasonable even without a follow-up in-person inspection.
Not upheldDecision DRN-5976191
Authorized payments made through in-app confirmation are the consumer's liability even if made under false pretenses, unless the payment processor failed to identify fraud risk and prevent loss.
Not upheldBlack Horse Limited
DRN-6265951A fair usage charge based on industry-standard mileage rates is reasonable when a financed vehicle is rejected for lack of satisfactory quality, even though the consumer is entitled to a refund.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6270452
An insurer must fairly assess claims based on policy terms and is not obligated to assess claim types the policyholder has not claimed for or provided evidence to support.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6258110
Insurance policies cover only those risks explicitly included in the terms and conditions; consequences of insured events not specifically mentioned in the policy wording are excluded.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6288578
An insurer may fairly request medical examination to assess fitness to fly as a condition of continuing cover under a travel insurance policy.
Not upheldGreat Lakes Insurance UK Limited
DRN-6300526An insurer may reasonably decline a claim if the circumstances do not fall within the specific insured events listed in the policy terms and conditions.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6175313
An insurer may settle a claim on a split liability basis if, having reviewed available evidence fairly and reasonably, it concludes that a court would likely find partial responsibility on the policyholder's part.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6256278
Travel insurance policies contain exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions and require specific insured events (such as police-required presence following theft) to be demonstrated for cancellation claims to be valid.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6194548
Insurers may reasonably require proof of ownership of money claimed under travel insurance policies as a condition of cover.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6189510
An insurer is entitled to decline a claim where the circumstances do not fall within the specific covered reasons listed in the policy, even if the event was unforeseen and unavoidable.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6254988
An insurer may reasonably decline a claim where the circumstances fall within a clearly stated policy exclusion, specifically where the policyholder travelled against FCDO advice.
Not upheldDecision DRN-6236151
An insurer may fairly decline a travel delay claim where the delay occurred on a connecting flight between two non-UK countries, provided the exclusion is clearly stated in the policy terms and highlighted in the IPID.
Not upheldZurich Insurance Company Ltd
DRN-5809971An insurer is entitled to decide which risks it will cover based on its policy terms, and consumers must demonstrate their claim falls within the agreed areas of cover.
Not upheldEurop Assistance SA
DRN-5817759Trip abandonment cover applies only to delays on the outward leg that prevent the entire trip from commencing, not to disruptions occurring after the trip has already begun.
Not upheldGreat Lakes Insurance UK Limited
DRN-6160452An insured can only claim for actual financial loss under the principle of indemnity and cannot profit from insurance by receiving reimbursement for expenses they would have incurred anyway.
Not upheldRAC Financial Services Limited
DRN-6053862A financial services provider must provide clear information about cancellation fees before a consumer agrees to purchase a policy, and charging a disclosed cancellation fee within the terms of the policy is fair.
Not upheldInter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6162109Under CIDRA 2012, an insurer can decline a claim if the consumer failed to take reasonable care to disclose material medical information, and the insurer would not have offered the policy had the truth been disclosed.
Not upheldU K Insurance Limited
DRN-5130263Travel insurance claims must be assessed against the specific insured events defined in the policy terms, and a claim falling outside those defined events should be fairly rejected.
Not upheldInter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-5849384An insurer may decline a claim based on policy exclusions if the insurer can show how the exclusion applies to the circumstances.
Not upheldGreat Lakes Insurance UK Limited
DRN-5967597Insurance claims for personal baggage left unattended in a vehicle are not covered unless items were locked out of sight and there is evidence of forcible entry.
Not upheldAdmiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
DRN-6240902An insurer may decline a claim that falls outside the scope of cover defined in the policy terms, provided the terms are clear and were in force when the claim arose.
Not upheldZurich Insurance PLC
DRN-6252659Insurers must handle claims promptly and fairly, but are not required to provide only a single claims submission method where reasonable alternatives exist.
Not upheldInter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6213239Under CIDRA 2012, an insurer can decline a policy claim if the consumer failed to take reasonable care not to misrepresent material facts at point of sale, provided the insurer would not have offered the policy had the truth been disclosed.
Not upheldInter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6189863Insurance policies must be interpreted according to their express terms, and a claim for cancellation costs is only covered if the policy expressly provides cover for that specific loss.
Not upheldGreat Lakes Insurance Limited
DRN-6203123An insured must provide reasonable evidence supporting a claim for missed departure caused by unforeseen heavy traffic, including evidence that the traffic was sufficiently severe to warrant reporting on recognized sources as required by th
Not upheldAviva Insurance Limited
DRN-6250468Insurers are entitled to make changes to policy terms and benefits provided they give 30 days' notice, and are entitled to change underwriting decisions on a commercial basis.
Not upheldLiverpool Victoria Insurance Company
DRN-6223090An insurer can rely on a general exclusion to decline a claim where the insured event does not fall within the specified reasons for cover, and general exclusions may exclude what would otherwise be covered in the policy.
Not upheldAdmiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
DRN-6230212An insurer must handle claims promptly and fairly, and may reasonably request outstanding documentation and conduct interviews before progressing a claim.
Not upheldAdmiral Insurance (Gibraltar) Limited
DRN-6218248A financial services provider is not required to make accessibility adjustments based solely on a declared medical condition without an explicit request for specific adjustments.
Not upheldAWP P&C S.A.
DRN-6158880Insurers can decide what risks they wish to cover in their policies, and consumers must demonstrate their claim falls within the agreed areas of cover specified in the policy terms.
Not upheldAviva Insurance Limited
DRN-5980506Insurance claims for additional costs arising from flight cancellations are only covered under the 'Cancellation' section if they constitute unrecoverable pre-paid costs for unused travel or accommodation.
Not upheldMONY Group Financial Limited
DRN-6242584A payment processing error resulting in minor administrative inconvenience does not justify compensation beyond a reasonable gesture of goodwill.
Not upheldInter Partner Assistance SA
DRN-6217756An insurer can reasonably decline a travel insurance claim for trip curtailment when the policyholder's circumstances do not fall within the specific policy terms covering evacuation or return on government advice.
Not upheldAWP P&C S.A.
DRN-6119051An insurer may cancel a travel insurance policy if the policyholder does not agree to pay an additional premium required due to undisclosed pre-existing medical conditions, in accordance with the policy terms.
Not upheldAviva Insurance Limited
DRN-6166097An insurer need only reimburse additional costs actually incurred by the insured, not costs that are offset by refunds or replaced by higher alternative expenses.
Not upheld