Published 2026-10-07 · Last updated 2026-10-07.
Opening
A travel insurance claim is paid against paperwork. The insurer does not see your trip; it sees documents — a doctor's form, an itemised bill, an airline letter, a receipt. That is why most claims succeed or fail before the form is filled in: in the first hour after something goes wrong, while the documents still exist. This page explains what to do at the time, how to file, what each claim type usually needs, and what to do if a claim is denied.
How a claim works
You notify the insurer, gather the documents the policy requires, complete the claim form, submit the form with every document attached, and wait for the insurer's decision. The insurer checks the claim against the policy wording — benefit, limit, deductible, exclusion and deadline — and pays, part-pays or denies it with reasons. A complete claim with every document attached is usually decided faster than an incomplete one, which waits for the missing piece. No processing time is promised here: your policy and the insurer's process govern, and times vary by claim type and insurer.
What to do at the time
For anything medical, call the assistance number on the policy first. The assistance company finds suitable care, talks to the doctors, arranges direct payment for a large bill where it can, arranges evacuation where needed, and opens a case number that the claim is built on. Give the policy number, location, symptoms or loss, and a safe callback number, and write down the case number and the name of the person who answered. For any incident, take photos, save receipts and get written reports at the time: a hospital's itemised bill, an airline's delay letter, a baggage report at the airport before you leave the baggage area, a police report for theft. Documents collected later are harder to obtain and easier to dispute.
How to file
Documents usually needed (general)
Across claim types, insurers commonly ask for: the completed and signed claim form; the policy number and certificate; proof of travel and proof of trip payments with the itinerary; itemised invoices and receipts for the expenses claimed; and proof of the incident itself — medical records or a physician statement, supplier or airline notices, or a police report, depending on the claim. Keep originals as well as copies, and keep a simple timeline of what happened, when, and what each document proves. A document that proves nothing is clutter; a timeline that links each document to an event is what an adjuster can assess.
Documents by claim type
Medical claims
Hospital records, itemised bills, doctor's reports, prescriptions and pharmacy receipts, plus proof of payment. For evacuation, the assistance company's case record and transport invoices. For a claim linked to a pre-existing condition, the insurer may ask for medical history to test the exclusion or waiver — expect that request and answer it with records, not argument.
Cancellation claims
Delay claims
The carrier's written statement showing the cause and duration of the delay, the original and revised itineraries, and itemised receipts for meals, lodging and rebooking expenses incurred during the delay. A delay claim needs the carrier's letter; a receipt alone does not prove the delay's cause or length.
Baggage claims
The airline's property irregularity report (or equivalent carrier report) filed at the time, receipts or estimates for lost items, receipts for emergency replacement purchases during a delay, and a police report for theft. File the carrier report before leaving the airport: a report filed days later is weaker evidence than one filed at the baggage area.
If a claim is denied
If a claim goes quiet
A quiet claim usually waits for something: a missing document, a medical record, a supplier confirmation. Ask the insurer, in writing, what exactly is outstanding, send it, and note the date. Follow up if you receive no acknowledgement within the time your policy or the insurer's confirmation states. Do not file a duplicate claim while the first is open unless the insurer tells you to; duplicates slow the file rather than speeding it.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE (not a policy fact)
A hypothetical traveller's flight is delayed overnight and she pays for a hotel and meals. At the airport she obtains the airline's written delay statement, keeps the hotel and meal receipts, photographs her boarding pass, and files one package through the insurer's portal with the claim form, delay statement, itinerary and receipts attached. She keeps copies and the claim reference number. The example shows the method — documents at the time, one complete package, a reference number kept — not a promised outcome: whether her delay qualifies, after what waiting period, and up to what limit are all governed by her own policy, and none is asserted here.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a travel claim take? No universal time is asserted here. A complete claim is usually decided faster than an incomplete one, but processing time varies by insurer, claim type and whether further documents are requested. Ask the insurer for its stated timeframe on your claim, in writing.
Can I appeal a denial? Yes, in general terms: most insurers have a written appeal or reconsideration process. Follow it first, with documents that answer the cited reason, before escalating to a regulator.