Does Travel Insurance Cover a Missed Flight? (2026)

Yes, in many cases—but only under specific conditions. Travel insurance commonly covers missed flights when the cause is something covered by the policy: your first flight was delayed causing you to miss a connection, you missed departure due to documented disruption on the way to the airport (traffic accident, public transport failure, vehicle breakdown), or the airline rescheduled/canceled and caused you to miss an onward leg. Simply arriving late due to personal error is usually not covered.

A missed connection is when you miss your onward flight because your incoming flight was delayed, airport processes took too long, connection time was too short, or a schedule change caused you to miss the next leg. A missed departure is when you miss your flight because of something that happened on your way to the airport—traffic, public transport breakdown, car breakdown, or severe weather. Insurers treat these differently, so check which benefits your policy includes.

Many policies include 'missed departure' coverage for situations where you miss your flight due to documented disruption on the way to the airport: public transport breakdown, traffic accidents, vehicle breakdown, or severe weather events. This requires evidence—you'll need proof like police reports, breakdown service documentation, or transport company statements.

Standard 'arriving late' is usually not covered—if you simply didn't leave enough time, insurance won't pay. However, if you missed your flight due to a documented traffic incident (accident causing major delays, road closures) and you have evidence, some policies may cover it under missed departure benefits. You'd need to show you left with reasonable time and an unforeseeable event caused the problem.

This is a critical distinction. If your flights are on separate tickets (self-transfer), you face higher risk—the second airline has no obligation to rebook you. Some travel insurance policies do cover self-transfer missed connections, but not all. If you frequently book separate tickets for complex itineraries, verify your policy includes this coverage before purchasing.

Coverage varies by policy, but common covered costs include: extra hotel nights, meals and local transport during delays, replacement transport to continue your journey (sometimes), and emergency expenses. Benefits typically have caps—a maximum amount per person or per incident. Some policies cover significant rebooking costs; others only cover incidental expenses during delays.

Documentation is essential: boarding passes and booking confirmations for all legs, proof of delay/cancellation from the airline (email, app screenshot, official statement), receipts for hotel, meals, and transport, proof of new flight purchase and why it was necessary, and timeline notes of what happened. For missed departure claims: public transport disruption evidence, police/incident reports, breakdown service documentation, or weather disruption records.

It depends on the policy wording. Some policies cover 'reasonable additional travel costs' to catch up with your trip, which may include replacement flights. Others focus on expenses during delays (accommodation, meals) rather than replacement transport. Check whether your policy explicitly covers 'catch-up' costs or just delay-related expenses.

If your first flight was delayed by the airline and this caused you to miss your onward connection, this is typically covered under 'missed connection' benefits. The policy would usually cover additional accommodation, meals, and sometimes catch-up transport. Keep all documentation from the airline confirming the delay was their responsibility.

If you were denied boarding due to visa, passport, or documentation issues, travel insurance often won't cover it. This is considered a personal responsibility rather than an insurable event. Some policies have very specific wording that might offer limited coverage in certain circumstances, but this is rare. Always verify your documents are correct before travel.

Most annual multi-trip policies include missed connection coverage, but the quality and limits vary. Annual policies are often used by travelers who don't want to think about insurance per trip, making disruption benefits particularly important. Check the specific missed connection/travel disruption section of any annual policy to ensure it meets your needs.

Look for policies that include: specific missed connection/travel disruption benefits (not just flight delay), clear coverage for accommodation and meals during delays, catch-up transport coverage, reasonable documentation requirements, and 24/7 assistance for guidance during major disruptions. If you book self-transfer itineraries frequently, verify this is covered. Tell us your travel pattern and we'll shortlist policies with meaningful disruption coverage.