Short answer: If there are more than 30 days until the start of the trip, stay or event, you can take out cancellation insurance at any time — even afterwards, for a holiday or ticket you paid for earlier and bought anywhere. 30 days or less before the start, you can only take it out at the same time as paying for the service, i.e. on the day of payment. The insurance only covers events that occur after it’s taken out.
One-minute summary
- More than 30 days before the start: you can take out the insurance at any time, even for something you paid for months ago or bought elsewhere.
- 30 days or less before the start: only at the same time as paying for the service. You can no longer add it afterwards.
- The insurance only covers what happens after it’s taken out. It won’t cover an illness you already know about.
- The price is the same whether you take out the insurance straight away or later: 9% of the price, at least CZK 26. But insurance taken out earlier protects you for longer.
- The insurance is always taken out for a specific booking. You need a reservation, a binding order or proof of payment.
By when you can take out cancellation insurance
Only one thing matters: how many days are left until the start of what you’re insuring (departure, hotel check-in, the start of the event or course). When and where you bought the service plays no role.
| Time until the start | When you can take out the insurance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| More than 30 days | At any time: straight away when you buy, or later | You paid on 05/10/2026 for a holiday departing on 10/07/2027. You can take out the insurance at any time, by 09/06/2027 at the latest. |
| 30 days or less, buying now | Only at the same time as paying, on the day of payment | You’re buying a last-minute holiday today that departs in ten days. You take out the insurance today, together with paying for the holiday. |
| 30 days or less, paid earlier | No longer possible | You bought a ticket in the summer for a concert on 20/03/2027. From 18/02/2027, you can no longer insure it afterwards. |
Already paid? When you can take out the insurance afterwards
Taking out cancellation insurance afterwards is quite normal with us. If there are more than 30 days until the start, you can insure an early-booking holiday, accommodation booked through Booking.com, a festival ticket from advance sales or a camp paid for in January — even if you paid for all of it months ago.
It doesn’t matter where you bought the service. The insurance is always taken out for that specific booking and covers its price. A booking contract, a binding order or proof of payment — even just of a deposit — is enough.
You don’t have to buy travel insurance with it — you take out cancellation insurance on its own. More on the package holiday cancellation insurance and standalone cancellation insurance pages.
Why the insurance doesn’t cover what happened before you took it out
Cancellation insurance only covers events that occur after it’s taken out. The policy terms exclude cancellation fees that were known about, or that could reasonably have been expected, before the insurance started. Likewise, they don’t cover health problems that existed before the insurance was taken out. A stabilised chronic illness is an exception.
The reason must arise beyond your control no more than 30 days before the planned departure. Illness, injury, death and pregnancy are covered even if they arise up to 180 days before departure.
You’ll find all the covered reasons and exclusions on the what the insurance covers page.
How it usually works with tour operators’ add-on cancellation cover
Tour operators and insurers often sell cancellation cover as an add-on to a package holiday or to travel insurance. With such products, the deadline for buying is usually short: typically when you book or pay, or within a few days afterwards, and for last-minute holidays on the day you book. For trips bought far in advance, a fixed deadline before departure sometimes applies too. If you miss the deadline, you can no longer add cancellation cover to such a product.
The exact rules differ from product to product. You’ll find them in the policy terms and in the information document (IPID) that every such insurance must have.
| What we’re comparing | Add-on cancellation cover with a package holiday (typically) | Cancellation insurance with us |
|---|---|---|
| By when to buy it | When booking or within a few days afterwards | At any time more than 30 days before the start; later, on the day of payment |
| What you can insure | The package holiday or trip you’re buying it with | Anything booked or paid for in advance, even if bought elsewhere |
What to look at when comparing the other terms (excess, limit, reasons) is explained in the guide how to compare cancellation insurance.
Last minute: only together with payment
If you buy a holiday, stay or ticket 30 days or less before the start, the insurance must be taken out at the same time as paying for the service, i.e. on the same day. In practice, that means you pay for the holiday and take out the insurance straight afterwards.
You can even insure an event that starts in a few days. Trip cancellation cover applies from the day it’s taken out until the planned day of departure.
How to take out the insurance
- Have your booking ready. The order confirmation, package holiday contract, voucher or ticket: you need the total price and the start date.
- Work out the price. The premium is 9% of the total price, at least CZK 26 per policy. The calculator shows the exact amount.
- Fill in the order. What you’re insuring, the dates, the price and the insured persons. You can insure up to 10 people with one policy.
- Pay the premium. The insurance policy comes into existence when the premium is paid. If there are 30 days or less until the start, do it on the day you pay for the service.
- If you have to cancel, cancel the service with the seller as soon as possible and report the claim. The process is on the how to make a claim page.
We’ll email you a quote: I’d like a cancellation insurance quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can I insure a holiday I bought several months ago?
Yes, if there are more than 30 days until departure. The insurance then covers events that occur between taking it out and departure. Anything that happened earlier isn’t covered.
Is the insurance more expensive if I take it out later?
No. The premium is always 9% of the price, at least CZK 26, regardless of when you take out the insurance. But insurance taken out earlier protects you for longer.
Can I insure a ticket or stay bought elsewhere?
Yes. It doesn’t matter whether you bought from the organiser, a tour operator, a booking platform or an online box office. Proof of the booking or payment is enough.
What if I’ve missed the 30-day deadline?
Then you can no longer insure a service you paid for earlier. You can only insure what you’re buying now, and only on the day of payment.
Sources
Verified 26/10/2026.
- Cancellation fee insurance policy terms and IPID (PP STORNO CZ 11/2025)
- An example of deadlines for add-on cancellation cover with travel insurance: KB Pojišťovna press release, 18 June 2026 (opens in a new window)
- Novinky.cz: insurers’ deadlines for taking out cancellation insurance, article of 12 April 2023 (opens in a new window)
Related
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. The wording of the policy terms and your seller’s terms is what counts. The example scenarios are illustrative.