Not upheld: unfair cancellation refund terms complaint against Inter Partner Assistance SA

Decision detail

Summary

Mr and Mrs A purchased a single trip travel insurance policy in January 2026 for £264.78 covering an April 2026 trip. When their airline cancelled flights in March 2026 due to the Middle East conflict, they requested a full refund. IPA offered 65% (£172.11) in accordance with the policy terms and conditions for cancellations after 14 days but before trip start date. The ombudsman found this offer fair and reasonable, as the policy provided cover from purchase to cancellation date, including cancellation cover, and the terms exceeded FCA regulatory requirements. The complaint was not upheld.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that Mr and Mrs A cancelled outside the 14-day cooling-off period, so they were not entitled to a full refund under industry rules. The policy terms and conditions, which are more favourable than required by FCA rules, entitled them to a 65% refund for cancellations before trip start date after 14 days. Although the flight cancellation was outside their control, the policy provided cover from purchase date to cancellation date, including cancellation cover, so the premium was not entirely unused. IPA's offer of 65% refund complies with both industry regulations and the contract terms.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website