Medical Certificate for Travel Cancellation - Doctor's Note for Flight Cancellation
A travel cancellation certificate is a medical letter from a GMC-registered doctor confirming you are unfit to travel due to illness or injury.
Required by most travel insurers when making a cancellation or curtailment claim, a holiday cancellation medical certificate provides the official documentation your insurer needs to process your claim without delay.
✔ Accepted by travel insurers, airlines & holiday providers.
✔ Same day for most. 9AM next-day guaranteed. Only £39.
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
Get my certificate 
Receive a full refund if we can’t provide a certificate
How It Works
Complete a short online questionnaire
No appointment required. Complete a short medical questionnaire and upload any supporting evidence.
Doctor reviews your evidence
A GMC-registered doctor reviews your submission individually. No automated approvals.
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
Receive your certificate
Certificates arrive most same day, all by 9AM next morning, delivered as a signed PDF direct to your inbox.
What our patients say
Verified reviews from real MedicalCert patients
David K.
December 2024
Holiday insurance claim approved
Needed documentation fast for a travel cancellation claim. The certificate was accepted by my insurer straight away. Saved me hundreds of pounds. Outstanding.
Nadia B.
October 2024
Gym cancellation certificate — no fuss
My gym required a medical letter to cancel my membership due to injury. Got a certificate within the same day. Simple form, quick review, done.
Anne S.
July 2025
Certificate by 9am — we made our flight
This company did exactly what they said they would. They got us our medical certificate by 9am the next day. Without them we wouldn't have been able to fly to Australia.
Travel & Holiday Cancellation Certificate
What will you receive?
You will obtain a verifiable digital PDF certificate bearing the signature of a registered medical doctor, sent directly to your mobile device. This document will include the following information:
✓ Your name, date of birth, and address.
✓ Details of your sickness or medical condition, including the onset of symptoms and current status (ongoing or recovered).
✓ Confirm its impact on your ability to travel or fly
✓ Confirm your wish to cancel or reschedule your travels
✓ Signed and authorised by one of our General Medical Council (GMC) registered UK GPs.
✓ Contact information for Medical Cert for verification purposes.
PRICING
Medical Certificate for Travel Cancellation and Holiday Insurance Claims
When illness or injury prevents you from travelling, airlines, travel providers, and holiday companies require a medical certificate for travel cancellation — a signed document from a registered doctor confirming you were unfit to travel at the time. Without it, most travel insurance claims for cancellation or curtailment will not be processed.
MedicalCert issues doctors notes for travel cancellation following individual clinical review by a GMC-registered UK GP. No appointment needed — complete a short online questionnaire, upload evidence of your condition, and receive your signed certificate same day or by 9AM next morning.
GMC-registered GP
Every certificate is clinically assessed and signed by a registered UK doctor — not a template or automated approval.
Same day delivery
Delivered as a signed, verifiable PDF to your inbox — same day or by 9AM next morning, when you need it most.
Accepted by insurers
Includes all the details travel insurers require — condition, onset, impact on travel, and verified doctor credentials.
What Is a Medical Certificate for Travel Cancellation?
A medical certificate for travel cancellation is a doctor-signed document confirming that a medical condition prevented or advised against travel on a specific date or during a specific period. It is the primary form of evidence your travel insurance company or airline needs to assess a cancellation or curtailment claim.
This document is known by several names depending on who is asking for it:
Regardless of the name your insurer uses, MedicalCert can issue the appropriate documentation following clinical review. If your insurer has a specific form or wording requirement, upload it with your application and our doctor will complete it where possible.
What Does the Medical Certificate Include?
A MedicalCert medical certificate for travel insurance claims contains all the information travel insurers and airlines typically require to process a cancellation or refund request:
Your full name, date of birth, and address
Details of your medical condition or illness, including onset of symptoms
Confirmation of whether the condition was ongoing or resolved
Statement that travel was not medically advised during the relevant period
Issuing doctor’s full name, GMC registration number, and signature
Unique reference number and QR code for insurer verification
When Do You Need a Medical Certificate for Travel Insurance?
Most UK travel insurance policies require medical evidence when you make a cancellation or curtailment claim. The certificate establishes that your reason for cancelling was genuinely medical rather than a change of plans. Without it, your claim is very likely to be rejected.
Common medical reasons covered
Acute illnessFlu, gastroenteritis, chest infections, and similar conditions severe enough to prevent travel.
InjuryFractures, sprains, or other injuries sustained before or during travel that make the journey unsafe.
Post-operative recoveryWhere surgery or a medical procedure prevents travel during the recovery period.
Pregnancy complicationsWhere a clinical development during pregnancy makes travel inadvisable.
Chronic condition flare-upA significant worsening of an existing condition that prevents safe travel.
Mental health deteriorationAcute mental health crisis preventing travel — assessed individually by the reviewing doctor.
What UK Travel Insurers Typically Require
Major UK travel insurers — including Aviva, AXA, Allianz, and most others — require written medical evidence when processing cancellation claims. Understanding exactly what they need helps you submit a complete claim first time and avoid delays.
Standard insurer requirements for a medical cancellation claim
- ✔ A signed medical certificate for travel cancellation from a GMC-registered doctor confirming you were unfit to travel
- ✔ Details of your condition — nature of illness, onset date, and whether ongoing or resolved
- ✔ A statement that travel was not medically advised during the relevant period
- ✔ Doctor’s name, GMC number, and contact details for verification
- ✔ Proof of booking costs and cancellation charges (from your airline, hotel, or tour operator)
- ✔ Evidence of any refunds already received (insurers pay the net unrecovered loss)
Some policies specify that medical evidence must come from “your usual GP.” A MedicalCert certificate from a GMC-registered doctor is accepted by most insurers, but check your policy wording if this clause applies. If your insurer has a specific requirement, contact them before applying.
Cancellation Certificate vs Unfit to Fly Certificate — Which Do You Need?
These are two distinct documents that are often confused. Understanding the difference ensures you request the right certificate for your situation.
Medical certificate for travel cancellation
- ✔ You cancelled before travel began
- ✔ You need to claim on travel insurance
- ✔ Airline or holiday provider requires medical evidence for a refund
- ✔ You were too ill to travel on the departure date
- ✔ Used for flight, hotel, cruise, and package holiday cancellations
Unfit to fly certificate / not fit to fly
- ✔ You need written confirmation you cannot fly specifically
- ✔ Airline requires documentation before allowing rebooking
- ✔ You have a condition that makes air travel medically unsafe
- ✔ Post-surgery where flying carries specific risk
- → Unable to fly letter available here
In many cases the same certificate covers both — if you were unfit to travel and could not fly, the cancellation certificate typically satisfies both the insurer and the airline. If you are unsure which you need, apply for the travel cancellation certificate and note in your application that you also need confirmation of inability to fly.
Not Fit to Fly Certificate NHS vs Private — What’s the Difference?
Many people search for a not fit to fly certificate from the NHS or a free doctors note for travel insurance from their GP. Here is what you need to know about both routes.
Can you get a travel cancellation certificate from your NHS GP?
Yes — your NHS GP can write a letter confirming you were unfit to travel. However, NHS practices are not required to provide these letters and many decline, particularly for insurance purposes. When they do provide them, there is typically a private letter fee of £20–£60, and you may wait 1–2 weeks for an appointment. If your travel date has passed or your claim deadline is imminent, this is often too slow.
A not fit to fly certificate from the NHS is not automatically more accepted by insurers than a private certificate — what matters is that the letter is signed by a GMC-registered doctor and contains the required clinical information. MedicalCert certificates are signed by fully registered GPs, delivered the same day, and accepted by UK travel insurers.
If your policy specifically states it requires a certificate from “your registered NHS GP,” contact your insurer before applying privately, as some policies enforce this clause.
How to Get a Medical Certificate for Travel Cancellation or Insurance
Complete the online consultation form
Provide your travel details, the dates involved, and a description of your medical condition. Include your booking reference if available — some insurers ask for this on the certificate.
Upload supporting evidence
A short video describing your symptoms, plus any supporting documentation — prescription, discharge letter, or pharmacy receipt. A photo ID to confirm your identity is also required.
GMC-registered doctor reviews your case
Your submission is reviewed individually by one of our GPs the same day. If the clinical evidence does not support issuing a certificate, you receive a full refund automatically.
Receive your signed certificate
Delivered as a signed PDF to your inbox — same day or by 9AM next morning. Includes QR code and unique reference number. Forward the medical certificate directly to your insurer or airline.
Medical Certificate for Travel Cancellation — FAQs
Clinically Reviewed By
Dr Maria Knobel
Medical Director, Nobel Medical LLC
GMC Registration
► 7495073 – View on GMC register