DRN-6303871

The complaint Miss H complains Inter Partner Assistance SA (IPA) declined the claim she made under her travel insurance policy. What happened The circumstances of this complaint will be well known to both parties and so I’ve summarised events. Miss H held a single trip travel insurance policy with IPA providing cover for her trip due to take place between 28 April 2025 and 7 May 2025. Miss H said she was too unwell to travel and so submitted a claim for the cancellation of her trip. IPA considered Miss H’s claim but declined it. It said it didn’t think the cancellation of the trip was medically necessary. Miss H raised a complaint with IPA. On 7 August 2025 IPA issued Miss H with a final response to her complaint. It said the decline of her claim was correct and in line with the terms of her policy. Miss H referred her complaint to this Service. Our Investigator looked into things but didn’t uphold Miss H’s complaint. Miss H didn’t agree with our Investigator. She said she remained of the view she was unfit to travel on 28 April 2025 due to symptoms including breast pain, fever, vomiting and myalgia. She also said whilst her GP consultation took place after the trip dates, this didn’t mean her symptoms began at that time, but rather they were ongoing and required medical attention. As an agreement couldn’t be reached, the complaint has been passed to me to decide. What I’ve decided – and why I’ve considered all the available evidence and arguments to decide what’s fair and reasonable in the circumstances of this complaint. I want to acknowledge I’ve summarised Miss H’s complaint in less detail than she’s presented it. I’ve not commented on every point she has raised. Instead, I’ve focused on what I consider to be the key points I need to think about. I mean no discourtesy by this, but it simply reflects the informal nature of this Service. I assure Miss H and IPA I’ve read and considered everything that’s been provided. The relevant rules and industry guidelines explain IPA shouldn’t unreasonably reject a claim. The terms of Miss H’s policy explain if Miss H makes a claim for cancellation of a trip due to illness, she would need to supply IPA with a medical certificate from her treating medical practitioner stating that her illness prevented her from travelling. This is a common requirement of most, if not all travel insurance policies and so I don’t think it is unusual or unreasonable. Miss H’s GP completed a medical certificate in which they were asked the date on which they, or another medical practitioner, advised Miss H of the need to cancel the trip. The GP has said they were not consulted prior to the cancellation. They were also asked whether

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they were prepared to certify Miss H was compelled to cancel her trip due to the illness she presented with, and they have said no. So, I don’t think this medical certificate demonstrates it was medically necessary for Miss H to cancel her trip due to illness. Miss H also provided a letter from her GP dated 26 June 2025. In this letter the GP has said Miss H had a telephone consultation on 12 May 2025 because of breast pain and she was unable to attend the surgery on that day because of flu-like symptoms of fever, myalgia and vomiting. However, Miss H’s trip was due to begin on 28 April 2025, and this letter makes no mention of Miss H’s symptoms prior to 12 May 2025. So, I don’t think this letter shows Miss H was unable to travel due to illness on the date she was due to begin her trip. Taking all of the evidence into consideration, I don’t think it was unreasonable for IPA to conclude Miss H hadn’t provided evidence to demonstrate it was medically necessary for her to cancel her trip due to illness. It follows that I don’t think it has unreasonably declined Miss H’s claim in line with the terms of her policy. I’m aware this will be disappointing for Miss H, but for the reasons I’ve outlined above, I don’t require IPA to take any further action in relation to her complaint. My final decision For the reasons I’ve outlined above, I don’t uphold Miss H’s complaint about Inter Partner Assistance SA. Under the rules of the Financial Ombudsman Service, I’m required to ask Miss H to accept or reject my decision before 20 May 2026. Andrew Clarke Ombudsman

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