A cancelled flight, a sick child, a postponed wedding, or simply a holiday pushed back by a week: in such cases many people forget about their travel insurance, even though the policy shows a specific date. Whether the premium is refunded, and whether the dates can be changed, depends on two points in time: the start of cover and when you notify the insurer. As a broker, I see that most disappointments arise because someone reports the change only after the departure date, or not at all. Let us look at the rule in the Hungarian Civil Code (Ptk.), the practice under Hungarian policy conditions and the separate world of trip cancellation (storno) insurance.
- The situation before cover starts differs from the situation afterwards: if the trip is called off, the insurable interest ceases and the contract terminates (Hungarian Civil Code (Ptk.) Section 6:454); in such cases, Hungarian policy conditions typically refund the premium – on a cancellation requested in writing, often by the day before departure at the latest.
- After cover has started, the premium is typically not refunded; some policy conditions allow a pro rata refund or, in the case of trip interruption, a settlement for the unused days – this depends on the policy conditions.
- Trip cancellation (storno) insurance follows a separate logic: its premium is the price of the risk carried from the time of booking, so it is not refunded if you cancel of your own accord, and storno pays only for the reasons named in the policy conditions.
Two points in time, two rules: before and after cover starts
Under Section 6:445 of the Ptk., the insurer's cover starts at the time specified in the contract – for travel insurance, this is the start date shown on the policy. Section 6:454 of the Ptk. states that if, before cover starts, the occurrence of the insured event has become impossible or the insurable interest has ceased, the contract or the relevant part of it terminates. A cancelled trip is a typical case of such a loss of interest. As regards the premium, the insurance chapter of the Ptk. provides that in such cases of termination the insurer may claim only the premium for the period up to the day on which its cover ended, and must refund any premium paid in excess of that. In practice, Hungarian policy conditions fill this in by refunding the full premium on a request notified in writing before cover starts – under one insurer's conditions, the request must be notified on the day before cover starts at the latest; according to the information on one online platform, cancellation can be initiated until midnight on the day before departure. Some policy conditions make withdrawal dependent on being able to prove that the trip fell through. For annual multi-trip policies and products with banded premiums, the rule is typically narrower. After cover has started, the same conditions no longer refund anything, or refund at most pro rata for the unused days – and only if notified before the end of the policy period. Trip interruption – when you have to set off home while abroad – is a different cover again; this is covered in the article on trip interruption cover.
Changing the dates: amendment, or cancellation and a new policy?
In Hungarian practice, an amendment requested in writing before cover starts – a new start date, correction of a misspelt name, shortening or extending the policy period – can typically be requested from customer service; many online systems technically handle this as a cancellation and a new purchase, which is no disadvantage as long as the premium is refunded. There are two points to watch. If the original start date has already passed, an amendment is typically no longer possible, only an extension of the policy period – the article on the start of cover shows why. And if the new dates also change the destination, the activities or the group of travellers, this must be disclosed: the duty of disclosure and the duty to report changes (Ptk. Section 6:452) are yours – not the insurer's and not the broker's. A list of typical purchase mistakes – a wrong date, a policy period one day too short, a missing sports option – is collected in the article on travel insurance purchase mistakes.
The 14-day distance-selling period: why does it not help with a short trip?
Many people cite the “14-day right of withdrawal” if they bought online. The EU rule on consumer distance selling – Article 16b, inserted into Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights by Directive (EU) 2023/2673 and applicable from 19 June 2026 – does indeed grant a 14-day right of withdrawal for financial services contracts concluded at a distance, but the same article expressly excludes travel and baggage insurance policies with a term of less than one month, as well as similar short-term insurance policies. The Hungarian rule says the same: under Section 10(7)(b) of Act XCIX of 2025 on financial sector services contracts concluded at a distance – which replaced the earlier Act XXV of 2005 from 19 June 2026 – there is no right of withdrawal for travel and baggage insurance with a term of less than one month. With a twelve-month annual multi-trip policy, the 14-day withdrawal can work, with the proportionate premium for the service already provided deducted – according to the insurer's information notice and policy conditions; for insurance covering a two-week holiday, however, what counts is not the right of withdrawal but the rule in the previous section.
The storno premium and what happens to the booking
Trip cancellation insurance carries the risk from the moment of booking – which is also why it has to be taken out at the time of booking, as the article storno in depth explains. If you cancel of your own accord, that is not an insured event: storno does not pay, and the storno premium is typically not refunded, because the insurer actually carried the risk from the booking until the cancellation – some policy conditions, however, refund the pro rata premium for the remaining period on a request made in writing by the day before expiry and accompanied by a declaration that no claim is being made. If, on the other hand, the entire booking is cancelled before the storno cover starts, some policy conditions refund the premium on a request notified on the day before that. If the travel agency or the airline cancels the trip, it is they who must refund the price of the trip; storno has nothing to do with it. And if the destination is placed on the Hungarian Consular Service's list of areas where travel is not advised, insurers typically exclude cover and storno does not pay, but the travel insurance premium can typically be reclaimed – this is covered in the article on areas where travel is not advised. If the booking is changed, the change must also be recorded on the storno policy: the cover is tied to the booking that was notified.
What should you do if the trip is called off?
- Before cover starts, request the cancellation or amendment in writing – by email or in your online account – quoting your policy number; confirm any telephone request in writing as well.
- Keep the insurer's confirmation; the deadline for refunding the premium is set out in the policy conditions and in the insurer's customer service information.
- If you also have storno cover and the reason is one named in the policy conditions, do not ask for the premium back – report the claim, together with the documents.
- If the insurer does not refund despite a cancellation requested in time, the route is first the insurer's complaints procedure, then the Financial Arbitration Board (PBT) – the MNB (Hungary's central bank and financial supervisor) does not decide individual disputes.
If you took out the policy through me, I forward your cancellation or amendment request and look up the relevant section of the policy conditions; the declaration itself must be made by you, and the primary route for notification is the insurer's customer service. If a case gets stuck or disputed, I help where I can.
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Sources
- Hungarian Civil Code (Ptk.) Sections 6:445, 6:452 and 6:454 and the general rules on insurance premiums (Act V of 2013)
- Directive (EU) 2023/2673 – Article 16b of Directive 2011/83/EU (right of withdrawal, exceptions)
- EUB frequently asked questions – premium refunds before and after cover starts
- EUB storno policy conditions EUB2026-04ONS (point 25 – premium refund)
- Alfa Európa-Szerte travel insurance policy conditions (2026) – withdrawal, premium refund
- biztositas.hu travel insurance FAQ – cancellation until midnight on the day before departure
- Hungarian Consular Service: areas where travel is not advised
- Act XCIX of 2025 on financial-sector service contracts concluded between absent parties, Section 10(1), (7)(b) – withdrawal; not for travel cover under one month
