Cancelling a Trip Without Cancellation Insurance: What's Coming Your Way

With package tours you may withdraw at any time before the start of the trip – but the law allows the operator a counter-calculation: if the traveller withdraws, "the tour operator may demand reasonable compensation" (source: Section 651h BGB, gesetze-im-internet.de, translated). "Reasonable" means: trip price minus saved expenses and possible resale. Illness alone does not free you from this compensation – it is your personal risk. Withdrawal only becomes free of charge in the event of extraordinary circumstances at the destination (e.g. natural disaster, severe unrest).

Usual scales in operators' terms: up to 30 days before departure 20–25% · up to 22 days 30% · up to 15 days 40% · up to 7 days 55–60% · thereafter up to 80% · no-show up to 90–95%. With individual bookings, the individual fare decides: non-refundable flight tickets and non-refundable hotel rates effectively mean a 100% loss – only the flight's taxes and fees are refundable. Check the scale in your documents and cancel as early as possible: every day counts in hard cash.

1. Cancel immediately as soon as the trip is shaky – don't hope for improvement. 2. Rebook instead of cancelling: many operators offer rebooking for a small fee. 3. Provide a substitute traveller: with package tours you may transfer the contract to another person (for extra costs). 4. Check the scale: excessive flat cancellation rates can be challenged; the operator must justify its calculation on request. 5. Ask for goodwill – with a medical certificate, chances rise.

As a rule of thumb: for expensive trips (from approx. 1,500–2,000 €), early booking, trips with children or relatives in need of care, and with health risk factors. The annual contract including trip interruption often costs less than a single step of the cancellation scale. For long-term stays, international health insurance comes first anyway.