Scenario 1: Backcountry Skiing Accident

You decide to go heli-skiing in a remote area, which is explicitly listed as a “hazardous sport” exclusion in your standard policy. You have an accident and require an emergency helicopter evacuation and medical care. Your claim would likely be denied because you engaged in a pre-excluded activity.

Scenario 2: Travel to Advisory Zone

Despite a Level 3 “Avoid Non-Essential Travel” advisory issued for a region due to civil unrest, you proceed with your trip. While there, you suffer an injury unrelated to the unrest. Many policies would deny coverage for any medical emergency if you travel against a government advisory, regardless of the cause of injury or illness.

Scenario 3: Routine Pregnancy Care vs. Emergencies

A traveller who is six months pregnant schedules a routine prenatal check-up while on an extended trip to the USA, assuming her travel insurance will cover the office visit. However, her claim is denied because travel insurance is strictly for sudden and unexpected medical emergencies and “routine prenatal or postnatal care” is a standard exclusion.

Scenario 4: Alcohol-Related Injury

During a night out, a traveller consumes excessive alcohol, leading to a fall and a broken arm. Medical expenses for injuries sustained while under the influence of illegal substances or with blood alcohol levels exceeding legal limits (as defined by the policy) are almost always excluded from coverage.

Scenario 1: Already Announced Airline Strike

You book a flight to Europe and purchase insurance, but a major airline strike has already been widely announced and is scheduled for your departure week. If your flight is then cancelled due to this strike, your claim will be denied.

Under this policy, any cancellation caused by a “circumstance known to you” or made public before you bought the insurance is excluded. Because the strike was already public knowledge, it is not considered a sudden or “unforeseen” event, which is the primary requirement for a valid claim.

Scenario 2: Non-Disruptive Hurricane Warning

A hurricane warning is issued for your Caribbean destination, but the storm shifts course. While your resort stays safe, the weather is mostly heavy rain and wind. You decide to cancel because a “stormy beach week” isn’t what you planned. In this case, your claim would be denied.

Travel insurance is designed to cover specific risks, like a “natural disaster” that makes your destination uninhabitable or causes a complete “cessation of services” from your airline. Simply being unhappy with the weather (often called “lack of enjoyment”) is not a covered reason to cancel your trip.

Scenario 3: The “Known Event” Pandemic Exclusion

Imagine you book a vacation to Italy on March 1st. However, back in February, news outlets began reporting on a localized epidemic in a small region of Southeast Asia. By the time you are ready to fly in April, that localized event has been declared a “Global Pandemic,” and Italy has closed its borders to all international travellers.

Even though the epidemic wasn’t in Italy when you booked, and even if you didn’t see the news reports in February, your claim would likely be denied. Because the epidemic was already occurring somewhere in the world before you purchased your policy, it is considered a “known event” rather than an unforeseen emergency.

Scenario 1: Laptop Left Unattended at the Gate

While waiting for your flight, you leave your laptop bag on a chair at the boarding gate to grab a coffee across the terminal. When you return, the bag is gone. In this case, your claim would likely be denied.

Items that are lost, stolen, or damaged while left “unattended” in a public place are standard exclusions.

Scenario 2: Jewelry in Checked Luggage

You pack an expensive watch or engagement ring in your checked suitcase, but when you arrive at your destination, you realize the item has been stolen from your bag. Your reimbursement will be significantly limited or denied entirely.

Most baggage policies have strict “per-item” limits for high-value goods like jewelry and electronics. Furthermore, many insurers exclude coverage for jewelry or electronics when they are placed in the custody of a common carrier (like an airline) as checked baggage. It is always recommended to keep these valuables in your carry-on.

Scenario 3: Normal Wear and Tear at Baggage Claim

You pick up your suitcase from the carousel and notice the wheels are scuffed, and a minor zipper pull has snapped off after years of use. Because this is considered “wear and tear,” it is not covered by travel insurance.

Travel insurance is designed for sudden, accidental damage or total loss. It does not cover gradual deterioration, manufacturing defects, or cosmetic damage that doesn’t prevent the item from being used for its intended purpose.