Advisory: Refunds from travel providers will affect travel cancelation insurance claims and payouts

News Release

During the pandemic, many Canadian travellers received partial refunds or credit vouchers as reimbursement for undelivered travel arrangements. Travel insurers have reimbursed thousands of travellers in full as a result of these cancelled trips.

Some travel suppliers are now fulfilling their obligation to travellers by providing full reimbursements.

As a result, Canada’s travel insurers are advising policyholders who have received reimbursement from their insurer for a trip cancellation claim that they will be required to return to their insurer any duplicate payment received from a travel provider, such as an airline.

Recognizing that this may cause some confusion, policyholders who have received a payment from their travel insurer and subsequently received a refund from a travel provider for the related expense should contact their insurer immediately. Insurers will assess the particulars of each circumstance in accordance with the terms and conditions of the policy.

You can find the contact information for your insurer on your contract or at www.olhi.ca/for-insurers/member-list/

To learn more about how the life and health insurers are responding to COVID-19, visit www.clhia.ca/covid19information