Cancel a trip because of a break-up: will I be reimbursed?
Many people book their holidays well in advance. It could therefore happen that by the time you go on holiday, your relationship has broken down. Most people do not want to go on holiday together after the end of their relationship. At least one of them will therefore have to cancel their holiday. But are these costs covered by your cancellation insurance?
Cancellation insurance
In order to have your cancellation costs reimbursed, you will need to have cancellation insurance with your travel insurance company. In addition, your cancellation must have a 'valid' reason. Which reasons are considered 'valid' can be found in the policy conditions of your cancellation insurance. The following applies to cancellation due to a broken relationship: only persons whose relationship has been officially registered as dissolved are entitled to compensation.
Officially dissolved relationship
For insurers it is difficult to assess whether you really had a relationship and whether this relationship was serious. For this reason, most insurance companies will only cover a cancellation if this can be proven by means of official documents. In the case of a divorce, the procedure must already have started, and in the case of a cohabitation contract, it must have been dissolved after the booking was made. Some companies will also reimburse the costs if there is no contract, but you can prove that you are living together. Please consult the policy conditions for the coverage of your cancellation insurance.
Tips
So if you do not have an official contract with your partner, it is good to be aware that you may lose your money if you have to cancel your holiday when the relationship breaks down. However, there are a few things you can do as a preventative measure to limit the damage if things do break down:
- You can check the cancellation conditions of an accommodation when booking. With some accommodation you can cancel free of charge up to a certain time before the holiday you have booked.
- With some airlines, it is possible to obtain cancellation insurance for the flight ticket for an additional fee.
- With some airlines it is also possible to change the name of the flight ticket after booking for a certain amount. This way you can sell the flight ticket when it is not covered by your cancellation insurance.
- Instead of booking six months in advance, it is smarter to book a last minute.
- By going on holiday by car, you do not run the risk of not getting your airline ticket back when the relationship is over.
- In addition, a long flight and a long stay is of course very expensive if you cannot cancel it and it is not covered by your cancellation insurance. It is also more difficult to sell this trip to someone else. Therefore, think carefully before booking a long trip.
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