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Who is covered by trip cancellation insurance?

In short

With trip cancellation insurance only the people named in the policy are covered. A family policy usually covers spouse or partner and children, up to 18 or 23 depending on the tariff. Parents, grandparents or siblings are risk persons: if they fall seriously ill you may cancel, but their own trip is not covered. Friends always need their own policy.

Who is covered by trip cancellation insurance?

What it costs

What single and family policies cost.

ExampleTypical range
Annual single policy, basic tarifffrom about EUR 32 a year
Annual family policyfrom about EUR 43 a year
Sum EUR 3,000, no excess, under 66about EUR 96 single, EUR 106 family
Sum EUR 5,000, no excess, under 66about EUR 140 single, EUR 156 family

As of October 2026, member prices of a motoring club and consumer test information.

Your premium depends on age, sum and excess.

Worked example

Couple living apart, a friend travels too

Anna and Ben live apart and go to Portugal with Anna's friend Clara for EUR 3,600. Anna's father falls seriously ill.

Anna, own policycancels, her father is a risk person
Ben, own policycancels only if Anna counts as his risk person
Clara without a policypays her EUR 1,200 share herself
Fees per person at 40 percentEUR 480

Anna gets EUR 480, Ben depends on his terms, Clara gets nothing. A family policy would not have covered the couple as they do not share a household. Guide values from our quoting practice.

Insured person and risk person

German trip cancellation insurance distinguishes two groups. Insured persons get their cancellation fees refunded. Risk persons (Risikopersonen) only trigger the claim: if your mother falls seriously ill and needs your care, you may cancel.

Your mother is not covered by this. If she travels with you, she needs her own policy or must be named in a family policy.

PersonSingle policyFamily policy
Youcoveredcovered
Spouse or partner in your householdrisk personcovered
Children in your householdrisk personcovered, up to 18 or 23 depending on tariff
Parents, grandparents, siblings, grandchildrenrisk personrisk person
Friends travelling with youusually risk person, not coveredusually risk person, not covered

Who a family policy covers

A family policy usually covers a spouse or registered partner and children living in the same household. Some tariffs include children up to their 23rd birthday, also step and adopted children; others only minors.

Couples who do not share a home often cannot get a family policy. Each then needs a single policy, and the partner counts as a risk person.

Friends and groups

Friends travelling with you are not covered by your trip cancellation insurance. If your friend falls ill, you can often cancel, but their own fees are only paid by their own policy.

Some insurers only accept travel companions as risk persons if they are insured with the same company. Groups should therefore buy cover from the same provider.

When a family member travels alone

Some annual policies cover family members travelling alone with only half the sum insured. With a EUR 3,000 sum, that is EUR 1,500 per trip.

If your child goes on an expensive language trip, check this limit before booking, or the trip is only partly covered.

Step by step

  1. List all travellers and their households.
  2. Decide between a family policy and single policies.
  3. Read the list of risk persons in the terms.
  4. Check the age limit for children.
  5. Ask friends to buy cover from the same provider.

Checklist

  • All travellers named
  • Children under the tariff age limit
  • In-laws and siblings listed as risk persons
  • Rule for family members travelling alone known
  • Sum insured covers everyone's price

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a friend is covered automatically
  • Expecting a family policy for a couple living apart
  • Leaving adult children in the family policy without checking
  • Choosing a sum that only covers yourself

Questions and answers

Frequently asked

Are grandparents covered?

Usually only as risk persons.

If they travel along, they need their own policy.

Is my partner covered?

Under a family policy if you live together.

Otherwise they need their own.

Up to what age are children covered?

Up to 18 or up to their 23rd birthday depending on the tariff, often only in the same household.

Can I add someone later?

Usually yes, as long as no claim has occurred.

The premium then rises.

Sources

NAMMERT insurance broker

Request a quote: Travel insurance

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Related questions

Your broker: Norman Nammert, trading as NAMMERT.

Insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act.

Broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37.

NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH is a separate company.

It does not arrange your contract.

Statutory disclosure (German) · Updated

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