Ireland: what are the best travel cancellation insurance policies in 2025?
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- Assistance guarantee - medical repatriation
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- Reimbursement for accommodation after a blockage abroad
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- Reimbursement for accommodation after a blockage abroad
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- High medical coverage
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- High medical coverage
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- Winter sports equipment cover extension
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- Competitive pricing
- No excess on higher plans
- Real-time flight delay compensation
- Lower personal item limits
- Competitive pricing
- No excess on higher plans
- Real-time flight delay compensation
- What is trip cancellation insurance?
- What reasons are covered by trip cancellation insurance?
- How to choose the best trip cancellation insurance in 2025?
- How much does trip cancellation insurance cost?
- Can you get cancellation insurance after booking your flight?
- Does your bank card cover trip cancellation?
You’ve booked a trip and want to protect yourself from unexpected events that could force you to cancel? Trip cancellation insurance is a valuable solution to get reimbursed for your expenses if something prevents you from leaving. In 2025, the number of options available in Ireland is growing fast, but not all policies offer the same level of protection.
Price, coverage, exclusions — after comparing several trip cancellation plans available in Ireland, here’s everything you need to know to choose the best policy.
Trip cancellation insurance: key points to remember
- Covers travel expenses (tickets, accommodation, etc.) if you need to cancel your trip due to an unexpected event.
- Must generally be purchased within 48 to 72 hours of booking your trip. Some Irish insurers may allow slightly longer, but this is rare.
- Commonly accepted reasons: illness or accident, death of a family member, job loss or relocation, theft of travel documents, natural disasters.
- Frequent exclusions: undeclared pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation without valid proof, pregnancy complications after 28 weeks.
- The price typically ranges from 3% to 8% of the total trip cost. For example, for a €1,500 holiday, expect to pay around €45 to €120.
- Credit cards may include cancellation coverage, but this is often limited and doesn't cover all reasons for cancellation.
What is trip cancellation insurance?
Trip cancellation insurance is a type of coverage that allows you to be reimbursed, fully or partially, for the costs incurred for a trip (flights, accommodation, activities, etc.) if you have to cancel due to an unforeseen and compelling reason. It can be purchased on its own or included as part of a multi-risk travel insurance policy.
Example: you need to cancel a trip to Bali because you break your leg 5 days before departure. If you have cancellation insurance, you can be reimbursed for your flight tickets, hotel bookings, and prepaid activities.
Please note
- Unlike transport and accommodation, reimbursement for activities is usually capped at a certain amount (often up to €500 per activity).
- If your travel providers (such as the airline) already refund part of your costs, the cancellation insurance will only cover the difference between the purchase price and the amount reimbursed.
What reasons are covered by trip cancellation insurance?
You can’t cancel a trip for just any reason.
✅ Commonly covered reasons:
- Serious illness or accident affecting the traveller or a close relative (with medical certificate)
- Death of a family member
- Redundancy or job relocation
- Starting a new job
- Visa refusal by the authorities
- Theft of essential travel documents
- Major damage to your home
- Severe pregnancy complications (under certain conditions)
- Natural disaster or terrorist attack at your destination
💡 Good to know: Some policies include cancellation for any reason (usually as an optional add-on), with a deductible or partial reimbursement (e.g. 70% of costs).
❌ Common exclusions:
- Cancelling due to a simple change of mind
- Situations known before purchasing the insurance
- Delayed or forgotten passport application
- Travel to countries under war or high-risk advisories
- Discovery of pregnancy (unless severe complications)
- Mental health issues not deemed acute or not documented
- Extreme sports or injuries from activities excluded by the policy
⚠️ Not recommended: Low-cost plans from AIG or similar, which include many exclusions, such as visa refusal or vague terms like "non-urgent medical conditions".
To avoid unpleasant surprises, always read the full terms and conditions of your policy!
Good to know
To justify a trip cancellation, you’ll need to provide a number of documents to your insurance provider. These supporting documents will depend on the reason for the cancellation.
Example: in case of illness or accident, a detailed medical certificate is usually required. For a job relocation, you’ll need a letter from your employer confirming the move.
How to choose the best trip cancellation insurance in 2025?
To find the best cancellation policy, it’s important to compare coverage, exclusions, and reimbursement limits. Here’s a quick summary of the key factors to look at:
Key criteria | Why it matters | Expert advice |
---|---|---|
Covered cancellation reasons | To avoid unpleasant surprises | Choose policies that cover a wide range of reasons. Some plans identified by HelloSafe include cancellation due to home damage (fire, flooding…), co-traveller cancellation, premature childbirth, or even illness or death of a pet, among many others. |
Accepted subscription timeframes | Policies can be invalidated if purchased too late | Purchase within 48 hours of booking your trip |
Maximum reimbursement amounts | Some plans only cover a portion of your expenses | Check whether the plan reimburses up to 100% of your expenses |
Your uncertainty level and trip cost | Risk is higher if you’re unsure about travelling or the trip is expensive | Consider adding the “any reason” cancellation option in such cases |
Included assistance services | Helpful for handling claims and cancellations | Opt for an insurer offering 24/7 support and administrative assistance |
💡Expert tip: cancellation insurance is especially recommended when the trip is booked well in advance, is very expensive, or if your personal situation is uncertain (illness, pregnancy, etc.), as the risk of needing to cancel increases.
How much does trip cancellation insurance cost?
The factors that influence the price
- Total trip cost: the more expensive your trip, the higher the insurance premium, as the potential reimbursement is greater.
- Time of purchase: the later you buy your insurance, the higher the price may be.
- Age of travellers: some providers increase premiums for senior travellers.
- Destination and trip duration: distant destinations and longer trips are more expensive to insure.
- Type of coverage: a standard plan will be cheaper than a premium plan with “cancel for any reason” coverage.
Example trip | Average cancellation insurance price* |
---|---|
Weekend in Europe – €400 | €20.00 |
Trip to New York – €1,500 | €74.80 |
Family holiday – €3,000 | €150.50 |
Round-the-world trip – €8,000 | €359.90 |
* Average price based on several offers from different insurers available in Ireland.
How to pay less for your trip cancellation insurance?
Here are a few smart tips to help you reduce the cost of cancellation insurance while keeping good coverage.
Optimisation tip | Explanation |
---|---|
⏱ Buy quickly | The longer you wait, the higher the premium might be |
👨👩👧👧 Choose a group or family plan | Some providers offer family or group packages |
⚖️ Compare online offers | Comparison sites like HelloSafe.ie help you find the best deal |
👍 Go for a basic plan | If you’re okay with coverage limited to serious causes only |
✚ Add it as an option to travel insurance | Often cheaper than standalone cancellation insurance |
Can you get cancellation insurance after booking your flight?
Yes, it’s possible to purchase cancellation insurance after buying your flight ticket.
However, most insurers in Ireland require you to subscribe within 48 to 72 hours of booking your trip. After that, coverage may be reduced or declined, and the premium may increase significantly.
We recommend purchasing your insurance immediately after booking to make sure you’re covered under the best conditions.
Important
- If your trip is scheduled within a few days, many insurers will not allow you to take out cancellation insurance after your flight has been booked.
- Some insurers apply a waiting period between subscription and effective coverage (often around 14 days). If you leave 7 days after subscribing, you may not be covered during the first part of your trip.
Does your bank card cover trip cancellation?
Standard cards (such as Mastercard Classic or Visa Classic) do not include cancellation insurance.
However, some premium cards issued in Ireland—like Visa Platinum, Mastercard Gold, or cards from banks such as Bank of Ireland, AIB, or Revolut Premium/Metal—may include trip cancellation insurance. That said, this coverage is often limited to very specific and serious cases, comes with strict conditions, and is generally insufficient for full protection.
Example: the cancellation insurance on a Visa Platinum card may reimburse up to €5,000, usually restricted to serious medical issues. In comparison, a standalone cancellation policy can cover up to €20,000 and a wider range of causes.
⚠️ Also, if you rely on your bank card’s cancellation insurance, you should know:
- You must have paid for the trip using the same card for the insurance to apply.
- Cancellations without a specific reason (or “any justified reason”) are never covered by bank card insurance.