Travel insurance

Who is classed as family on travel insurance

Hi Alan & welcome :wave:

From the Monzo Premium (AXA) T&C’s, the definition of ‘relative’ travelling with you:

“mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, or fiancé/fiancée or common law partner (any couple, in a common law relationship living permanently at the same address) daughter, son, including
adopted daughter or son, grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law,
sister-in-law, brother-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, stepsister, stepbrother, foster child, legal
guardian, legal ward.”

I’m not sure these people are actually covered as part of the insurance though. Where Monzo advertise the insurance as for you and your family, they mean specifically, your partner, and your children under the age of 21 if still in full time education, under 19 otherwise. It’s explained in the app here if you tap on travel insurance:

Any other family member will not be covered by the insurance, though for the purposes of the policy wording in regards to potential claims, your quote defines what they mean by relatives.

There’s no doubt the policy is worded for the individual (Premium account holder). But then Page 26 details what claims can be made, and these clearly include ‘You’, a ‘close relative’ or ‘any person with whom you are travelling or staying with’

I think these are for instances where an incident involving a relative would result in the curtailment of a travel for you, your partner, or your children though.

For example, if your aunt took ill whilst on vacation with you, and you, your partner, and children had to return home early as a result. You’d be covered for the curtailment for you, your partner, and children, but not for your aunt, and nor would her medical costs be covered.

Or if your child took ill, their medical costs would be covered, and you’d be covered for curtailment, but your aunt wouldn’t be.

"For all claims relating to illness or injury a medical certificate will need to be completed by the treating medical practitioner treating you, a close relative, or any person with whom you are travelling or staying with. "

By definition, using your example, if I was on Holiday with my Aunt, and she needed medical treatment for an unforeseen illness or injury, the medical costs would be covered.

All a bit moot when the Aunt should have her own travel insurance and not rely on a close relative to have a policy which covers her too!

Looking back, my older HSBC travel insurance policy had very similar wording. I claimed with that policy once for one of the kids. Never claimed for a ‘close relative’ so I can’t say for sure if there are complications with such a claim. I guess we won’t know until someone has an unfortunate experience and tries to claim for such an edge case, but the stated conditions above inform that defined people are covered for Medical treatment costs.

With all that lot considered, it’s safest to say ‘family’ includes spouse/partner and children under the age of 19 (or 21 if in full-time edu) living at the same address as the Premium subscriber, and the policy also allows for claims for people outside of the ‘family’ who are included in the ‘close relative (travelling with you)’, ‘people travelling with you’ and ‘people you are staying with while travelling’ definitions.

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If this is indeed how the cover winds up working, then perhaps it’s actually better than I gave it credit for when shopping around for insurance back in December.

I needed to be crystal clear that the insurance I was buying covered my entire travelling party (my siblings and parents), because I’m organised and don’t trust them to get their own (though they should).

From reading the policy wording at the time, medical conditions aside, I didn’t come away with the impression that they would be covered in any foreseeable eventuality, so went elsewhere. If I misunderstood this, then it may be worth looking back into it. Though, really, I just want an excuse to add the metal card to my collection! :see_no_evil:

Quick question:

Does the family member like a fiancée is covered only if travelling with the Monzo card Holder and can be covered also when travelling solo?

Thanks
Denis

Normally only when travelling with the policy holder, which would be the Monzo account holder so unfortunately not.

Hi Denis @ welcome :wave:

As with almost all Travel Insurance policies, it covers only qualifying people who are travelling with you - you being the insurance policy holder.