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 or by 9AM next-day. Only £39.
✔ Full refund if the GP cannot issue.
Get my certificate 
Accepted by most UK employers, universities and insurers, subject to their own policies. All consultations are subject to clinical assessment and certificates are issued only where clinically appropriate.
Receive a full refund if we can’t provide a certificate
How It Works
Complete short online consult
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.
✔ Full refund if a certificate cannot be issued.
Receive your certificate
Most certificates are issued same day, almost all by 9AM the next morning. Delivered as a signed PDF. A doctor will email you if more evidence is needed.
Certificate security
Every MedicalCert certificate can be checked as genuine
Each certificate is issued with anti-tampering protection and its own verification reference. If your employer, university, airline or insurer wants to confirm the document came from a GMC-registered doctor, they can check it against MedicalCert records. Altered or copied documents do not pass that check.
Very happy, I ordered my Medical Certificate in the early morning hours and before noon time of same day I had it on my inbox. Speedy service and they present the health condition precisely, get to the point.
They meet the incredibly fast turnaround stated (certificate/letter sent before 9am the following morning if the doctor feels that a letter/certificate is appropriate) which is incredibly quick and I am really grateful for the help provided!
Very easy and quick to get my certificate. And the certificate was approved from the specific company to travel with my dog. I will use them again. Well done.
Second time using this company and they are fabulous! Always great, fast, friendly service. Highly recommend!
This was my second time using Medical Cert, and once again the service was exceptionally quick and professional. Everything was handled efficiently, with clear communication throughout.
I found the service very straight forward and quick. Exactly what I needed to get my Padi medical form signed before our holiday. Thank you very much.
Process was easy and responses were quick. I would recommend their service.
Fast efficient service for medical certificates. I used the not fit to fly service and was provided with a certificate the next day, the price is very reasonable and enabled a flight credit refund with my airline. Would recommend and would use again if needed.
A fast and efficient service. It wasn't complicated and the Fit-to-fly note was accepted by the Airport without any further questions. Thank you.
Ideal for me, I am looking to get a certificate for some medical issues I have. So this is the perfect solution for me, uploading docs was easy and the forms very straightforward to fill in. Will definitely use them again. Many thanks.
Excellent service. Easy to use and certificate issued in less than 24 hours. £39 as opposed to the £150 my GP charges. Highly recommended.
Quick and reasonably pain-free. Received their standard certificate as well as my requested bespoke certificate, by email, by 9am the following morning. Both completed properly, signed and stamped as required. More expensive than my GP, but infinitely quicker and easier.
One of the best experiences. It's easy to get a GP note.
Excellent. My GP refuses to issue DWP MED 3 Fit Notes to students. MedicalCert were excellent and extremely helpful in providing a necessary certificate. Highly recommended.
You were amazing, you kept me updated and replied promptly to any queries I had. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
They helped me, they were very professional and nice.
Very pleased. Quick service with very professional letter provided.
Great service, pretty straight forward and easy to use the website.
I was recommended Medical Cert by a friend and was so impressed with the service received. I would recommend using a laptop rather than a phone. Overall a fantastic and fast service.
Medical Certificate for Travel Cancellation and Holiday Insurance Claims
When illness or injury prevents you from travelling, airlines, travel providers, and holiday companies commonly ask for a medical certificate for travel cancellation, a signed document from a registered doctor confirming you were unfit to travel at the time. Most insurers ask for medical evidence before deciding a cancellation or curtailment claim.
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.
Built for insurer review
Includes the details insurers commonly ask for, 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.
Doctor's Note for Flight Refund or Travel Cancellation
If illness has stopped you from travelling and you need to claim a refund or rebook, your airline, tour operator, or insurer will almost always require written medical evidence. A doctor's note for flight refund confirms, in writing, that a GMC-registered GP assessed your condition and that travel was not clinically appropriate on your booked departure date. Without it, most cancellation claims are declined or held in review.
A MedicalCert doctor's note for travel cancellation is issued as a signed PDF on UK doctor letterhead, includes a QR verification code, and names the condition, onset, and impact on travel in the language airlines and insurers expect. The format is the same whether your insurer calls it a doctor letter for flight cancellation, a medical cancellation note, or a travel cancellation certificate.
Common scenarios where this certificate is needed
Airline refund or rebooking
Many carriers, including British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, Virgin Atlantic, and Emirates, may ask for a dated GP letter confirming the condition and that you were unfit to travel on the booked date when considering refund, rebooking, or fee-waiver requests. Whether they grant it depends on your fare conditions.
Travel insurance claim
Insurers regulated by the FCA generally expect medical evidence dated close to the original departure date. A retrospective letter written weeks later is harder to substantiate, so submit promptly.
Tour operator or package holiday
Operators including TUI, Jet2holidays, On the Beach, and Loveholidays typically ask for the same medical evidence an insurer would want. One certificate often supports both routes.
Cruise or rail cancellation
Cruise lines and rail operators accept the same document. A travel cancellation certificate covers all transport modes booked, not flights alone.
What Does the Medical Certificate Include?
A MedicalCert medical certificate for travel insurance claims contains the information travel insurers and airlines most commonly ask for when processing a cancellation or refund request. Insurers set their own evidence requirements in their policy documents, so read your policy wording before you apply and tell us if it specifies anything unusual.
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. The table below covers the most common scenarios, though the final requirement is always the one written in your own policy.
| Scenario | Medical certificate typically required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| You fall ill before departure | ✔ Yes | Certificate must confirm you were unfit to travel on the departure date |
| You are injured before departure | ✔ Yes | Certificate should describe the injury and why travel was inadvisable |
| You need to cut your trip short (curtailment) | ✔ Yes | Certificate covers medical grounds for early return |
| A travelling companion falls ill | ✔ Yes (for the companion) | Your insurer may also need a certificate for the person who is ill |
| A close relative at home falls seriously ill | Depends on policy | Some insurers accept a medical letter confirming the relative's condition |
| Pre-existing condition flare-up | ✔ Yes | Coverage depends on whether the condition was declared when the policy was purchased |
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
UK travel insurers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and require written medical evidence when processing cancellation claims. There is no single industry-wide template for that evidence, each insurer sets its own requirements in the policy wording. The list below reflects what most policies ask for, and understanding it helps you submit a complete claim first time.
Commonly requested items 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". Read your policy wording carefully if this clause applies, and contact your insurer before applying so you do not pay for a document they will not accept. If the policy accepts evidence from any GMC-registered doctor, a MedicalCert certificate meets that description.
If your insurer declines the claim and you believe the decision is wrong, you can ask for their final response and then refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge.
Your Legal Position If You Cancel Because of Illness
This is the part most travellers get wrong, and it matters before you spend money on a certificate. If you cancel a trip because you have fallen ill, you do not have a statutory right to a refund from the airline or the holiday company. Illness is an insurance matter, not a consumer rights matter.
Package holidays
Under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, regulation 12 lets you terminate a package before departure at any time, but the organiser is entitled to charge you a reasonable termination fee. The fee-free right to cancel applies only where unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at or near the destination significantly affect the package or the carriage of passengers there. Your own illness is not an unavoidable and extraordinary circumstance at the destination, so it does not trigger a free cancellation. You pay the operator's standard charges and then claim the loss from your insurer.
Flights booked separately
Air passenger rights legislation covers cancellation, delay, and denied boarding caused by the airline. It gives no refund right where the passenger chooses not to travel. Whether you get money back, a fee waiver, or a change of date depends entirely on the conditions attached to your fare. Many airlines will consider a medical case sympathetically, particularly on a rebooking rather than a cash refund, but they are exercising discretion rather than meeting a legal obligation.
Where the certificate actually helps
Because there is no statutory route, the medical certificate does its real work with your travel insurer, where cancellation due to illness is a standard covered event in most policies. It is also the strongest document you can put in front of an airline or operator when asking them to exercise discretion, since it moves the request from an unevidenced claim to a documented clinical one.
This is general information about UK consumer legislation, not legal advice. For guidance on your own circumstances, contact Citizens Advice or a qualified adviser.
Do You Need a Cancellation Certificate or an Unfit to Fly Letter?
This is a travel cancellation certificate for insurance claims. It documents a medical condition that prevented you from travelling and is designed to support your claim with your insurer.
If you need written confirmation that you are medically unable to fly, for an airline rebooking or where your condition makes air travel unsafe, see our unable to fly due to medical reasons letter instead.
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
GMC Registration: 7495073 | Last reviewed: May 2026
Sources: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Association of British Insurers (ABI), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), GOV.UK, General Medical Council (GMC)
