- The FCDO advises that travel policies carry 24-hour assistance helplines, and that emergency transport such as an ambulance is often charged separately to other medical expenses.
- Under the FCA complaint-handling rules (DISP), a firm has up to eight weeks to send a final response before a complaint can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
- A consumer has six months from the date of a firm's final response to refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and the service is free to use.
- Some digital policies handle claims entirely in-app: Monzo Max travel insurance, underwritten by Zurich and administered by Qover, is claimed through a Qover portal inside the Monzo app.
A travel insurance claim is only as good as the evidence and the process behind it. The route a traveller takes depends heavily on the situation: a medical emergency abroad is handled very differently from a delayed bag or a cancelled trip noticed at home. This guide sets out how the two main pathways work, what documentation insurers expect, the time limits that apply, and the free escalation route when a claim is declined.
Emergency assistance versus a post-event claim
There are two distinct claim pathways, and the difference matters most when someone is hospitalised overseas.
The first is the emergency assistance line. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) notes that insurers operate 24-hour assistance helplines to offer support and advice, and advises travellers to carry the policy number and the insurer's emergency assistance telephone number. This line is used in real time: serious illness or injury, a hospital admission, or a situation where treatment costs could run high. Calling it allows the insurer to authorise treatment, liaise with the hospital, and arrange repatriation where needed. The FCDO highlights that emergency transport, such as an ambulance, is often charged separately to other medical expenses, which is one reason early contact matters: an unauthorised air ambulance can be one of the largest costs in any claim.
The second is the post-event claim, submitted after returning home or once an incident is resolved. This covers cancellation, missed departures, delayed or lost baggage, and smaller medical costs paid out of pocket. These are claimed on a form with supporting evidence rather than over an emergency line.
What documentation insurers expect
Claims are decided on evidence, so the records gathered at the time of an incident shape the outcome. The exact list varies by claim type, but the categories below are consistent across UK policies.
- Proof of the event: a medical report or discharge summary for illness or injury; a property irregularity report for baggage lost or damaged in transit; written confirmation of a cancellation or delay from the airline or operator.
- Proof of cost: itemised receipts and invoices. For medical claims abroad, the FCDO points out that ambulance transport is billed separately, so each invoice should be retained, not just the hospital bill.
- Proof of value and ownership: for baggage and valuables claims, original purchase receipts or other evidence of ownership and value.
- Proof of declared health: the FCDO warns that failing to declare existing conditions or pending treatment or tests may invalidate the policy, so the original declaration made when buying cover is part of the record.
Where a state healthcare card is used, the FCDO notes that some insurers waive the medical excess if a traveller uses an EHIC or GHIC, so keeping a record of which card was presented can reduce the amount deducted from a settlement.
Time limits and notification
Most policies require prompt notification, and many specify a window within which a claim must be reported. Emergency medical situations should be reported as they happen through the assistance line. For post-event claims, the policy wording sets out how soon an incident must be notified, which is why reading the Ts and Cs before travel, rather than after a loss, is part of a clean claim. Some events also carry their own evidence deadlines: airlines, for example, typically require baggage damage to be reported within a set number of days, and the insurer will expect that report as part of the file.
The digital claims route: an example
Not every claim runs on paper forms and post. Some embedded policies process the whole flow inside an app. Monzo's worldwide travel insurance, included with its Premium, Max and Max and Family plans, is provided by Zurich and powered by Qover. Monzo Bank Limited is authorised by the FCA under firm reference number 730427.
Monzo states that a claim is made in the app from the Plan home, where the policy reference can also be found. Qover, the administrator, handles the claim through its portal, and the cover is underwritten by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd UK. Monzo's guidance also lists an alternative claims telephone number and an online form for travellers who cannot use the app. The cover sits behind a paid plan: Monzo Max is listed from 17 pounds a month, with the family add-on at 5 pounds extra a month, and the policy applies to travellers aged 70 or younger with each trip lasting fewer than 45 consecutive days. The point for claimants is the mechanism: an in-app portal that generates the insurance certificate and lets a claim be tracked, rather than a separate paper process.
When a claim is declined: escalating to the ombudsman
A declined or underpaid claim is not the end of the road. The first step is a formal complaint to the insurer or administrator. Under the FCA complaint-handling rules (DISP), a firm has up to eight weeks after receiving a complaint to send a final response, which must tell the complainant that they may refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they remain dissatisfied.
If the firm's final response is unsatisfactory, or if eight weeks pass without one, the complaint can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The DISP rules set a six-month window: the ombudsman cannot normally consider a complaint referred more than six months after the date of the firm's final response. The service is free to consumers. It is an independent body that reviews the firm's decision against the policy terms and the rules, and it can direct the firm to pay a claim or compensation where it finds the decision was wrong.
Common pitfalls that weaken a claim
- Skipping the assistance line for a serious medical event. Authorising costly treatment or transport without the insurer can leave gaps in cover, particularly given that ambulance transport is billed separately.
- Incomplete declarations. The FCDO is explicit that not declaring existing conditions, pending treatment or tests can invalidate cover for related complications.
- Missing the trip length or notification window. Cover often lapses beyond a maximum trip length, and late notification can prejudice a claim.
- Discarding receipts. Without itemised proof of cost, value and ownership, the insurer has nothing to settle against.
- Letting the six-month ombudsman deadline pass after a final response.
Frequently asked questions
Should I call the emergency line or just claim later?
For a serious medical situation abroad, the FCDO advice is to use the insurer's 24-hour assistance helpline so treatment and any transport can be authorised. Smaller costs, cancellation, delay and baggage issues are usually handled as a post-event claim on a form after the fact.
Why is the ambulance billed separately?
The FCDO states that emergency transport, such as an ambulance, is often charged separately to other medical expenses. Retaining each invoice, including transport, ensures the full cost is captured in the claim.
How long does the insurer have to respond to a complaint?
Under the FCA DISP rules, a firm has up to eight weeks after receiving a complaint to send a final response. If it does not, or the response is unsatisfactory, the complaint can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Is the Financial Ombudsman Service free, and is there a deadline?
The service is free to consumers. The DISP rules give a complainant six months from the date of the firm's final response to refer the complaint to the ombudsman.
Can a travel insurance claim be made entirely online?
Some embedded policies allow it. Monzo's travel insurance, underwritten by Zurich and administered by Qover, is claimed through a Qover portal inside the Monzo app, with a phone number and online form as alternatives.
Does using a GHIC reduce what I get back?
It can reduce the deduction. The FCDO notes that some insurers waive the medical excess where a traveller uses an EHIC or GHIC, so keeping a record of the card used is worthwhile.
Sources
- FCDO: Foreign travel insurance guidance (gov.uk)
- FCA Handbook DISP 1.6: Complaints time limit rules
- FCA Handbook DISP 2.8: Was the complaint referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service in time?
- Monzo Max worldwide travel insurance
- Monzo Help: Making a travel insurance claim
- Qover: Monzo embedded travel protection (press)
