Their travel insurance should cover the rest.
Just get a claim form from their insurance company.

how do i know if i was covered by insurance. Thomson gave me a free insurance cover but didn't include my parents on it as they have their own insurance, but probably on use it for a 2 week trip a year. how do i find out?

You need to ask your parents to check the terms of their policy. This will make clear what is covered - assuming that this is either a new illness that she could reasonably not be expected to know about at the time of booking or else it was a pre-existing condition that she had informed her insurers about, then they would be covered by most policies. Problems could arise though if this is due to a pre-existing medical condition that she hadn't informed the insurers about. Either way, if it covered, she will probably be required to get a letter from her doctor confirming that she is going to be unfit to travel by the time the holiday comes around.

If they don't have insurance that covers them for this, then I'm afraid that there is little that you can do. It is standard practice to only get a 50% refund when cancelling this close to the departure date and it is why it is so important to take out appropriate insurance as soon as you book a holiday.

I am a bit confused though - did they take a a specific policy for just this holiday separate to you or do they already have an annual policy?

SM

Are you the lead passenger? and you have Thomson insurance? maybe you are then covered by your insurance to cancel the whole holiday and then rebook for just the passengers that are going on the holiday.? You really need to get in touch with Thomson and talk through all the options.

insurance is only covered for the days you put down ie start finish.unless they have yearly one.you far better to find someone esle to go and pay the £30?. name change.so it sounds to me like your going to leave your mother on her own while you and your father go away..?.

Your parents need to contact their insurers. Whether you are insured to cancel yourself is up to your insurers. Thomsons only sell the insurance, so you would need to ring the number on the policy to find out, that's if you want to cancel as well. The insurers won't discuss it with Thomsons for data protection reasons.

Is your mum's problem caused by a pre existing condition, or related to a pre existing condition? If so, and it they hadn't declared it, or if it's developed since the policy was taken out, and they haven't kept their insurers upto date with any medical changes, they may well find their not covered.

insurance is only covered for the days you put down ie start finish

Surely not.
I assumed that if one took out single trip insurance you were covered from the date of taking it out until the end of the holiday.

no if you book on line you put the date you go and come back and its works out price wise.most only offer 45 days max.you try a dummy booking on line with say staysure.only yeary ones cover you more.

so in your mind if you book a hols in say jan 20th and do not go till july 21st.they are going to cover you all that time.you are only covered the day you go till the day you come back.on single trips.if not you would be paying 1000;s for those days.check with you bank as well as some offer good deals.but beware as some you need to put say £750.00 a month to get insurance.tsb was doing a good deal but its on the card where you pay a monthly fee.mine is with insure and go £43.00 a year.but now i am with nationwide.

i did read somewhere someone claimed off there house policy.

Yes a single trip holiday insurance starts the day you buy it and ends the day you arrive home.

No thats not true djwoody. How does that cover you for an illness that prevents you going on holiday? You need to have insurance from the moment you book the holiday until when you come back.

djwoody wrote:

no if you book on line you put the date you go and come back and its works out price wise.most only offer 45 days max.you try a dummy booking on line with say staysure.only yeary ones cover you more.

so in your mind if you book a hols in say jan 20th and do not go till july 21st.they are going to cover you all that time.you are only covered the day you go till the day you come back.on single trips.if not you would be paying 1000;s for those days.check with you bank as well as some offer good deals.but beware as some you need to put say £750.00 a month to get insurance.tsb was doing a good deal but its on the card where you pay a monthly fee.mine is with insure and go £43.00 a year.but now i am with nationwide.

i did read somewhere someone claimed off there house policy.

A single trip policy covers you from the date you buy it, up to a year before travel, until you return to your home in the UK.

ok just spoke to a company they say you must book annual insurance to get it from the day you book it.and it as to be fully comprehensive.

It doesnt cost anymore to do it for the whole period - after all they are only covering you for certain elements (missed flight connections/lost luggage) for the holiday period anyway! the rest covers you for things such as illness or death in the family that might prevent you going on holiday.

My son booked a holiday with Thomson back in February and bought his insurance there and then it cost £26 for him and his partner - they dont fly until 19th September!

djwoody wrote:

ok just spoke to a company they say you must book annual insurance to get it from the day you book it.and it as to be fully comprehensive.

Perhaps you should name and shame the company you just spoke to as they are wrong.

You are covered for cancellation due to accident or illness from the day you buy single trip insurance.

If you book say in February for travel in August and break your leg in July before buying insurance, then you will not be covered for cancellation. If you bought insurance at the same time as booking the holiday then you would be covered.

A single trip policy is effective from the date it's taken out, for cancellation. All other benefits kick in on the start date given.

djwoody wrote:

ok just spoke to a company they say you must book annual insurance to get it from the day you book it.and it as to be fully comprehensive.

You must have got either the work experience person or it is a very shabby company.

One of the main reasons for taking out holiday insurance at the time booking is for if anything goes wrong between when you book and when you travel, some people could be booking a year in advance, it's mad not to be covered during that time.

If you haven't got it and and something goes wrong you are stuffed. Who else is going to pay? It sure isn't the holiday company.

You should always book insurance at the time you book your holiday, that has been the advice given out on holiday truths for years.

doe wrote:

djwoody wrote:

ok just spoke to a company they say you must book annual insurance to get it from the day you book it.and it as to be fully comprehensive.

You must have got either the work experience person or it is a very shabby company.

One of the main reasons for taking out holiday insurance at the time booking is for if anything goes wrong between when you book and when you travel, some people could be booking a year in advance, it's mad not to be covered during that time.

If you haven't got it and and something goes wrong you are stuffed. Who else is going to pay? It sure isn't the holiday company.

You should always book insurance at the time you book your holiday, that has been the advice given out on holiday truths for years.

Spot on. Can't imagine not booking it with my holiday.