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Welcome back to our weekly Friday series, where we feature a reader success or mistake story. Last week, we published a mistake from a reader who lost 100,000 Avianca Lifemiles after misunderstanding the program’s expiration policy.
This week, we’re turning to one of TPG’s staff members, Caroline English, TPG’s director of social media. When her young daughter became ill during a recent family trip to Disney World and her family of four had to miss most of a day in the parks, Caroline managed to turn a $12 insurance purchase into a $400 reimbursement for her park tickets.
Missing a day at Disney because of a sick kid
When Caroline booked a hotel last December for her family’s spring 2026 trip to Disney World, she accidentally opted in for trip interruption insurance without realizing it.
“I booked [our hotel] through Marriott with points,” Caroline said. “Apparently, on my initial booking, I opted in for the trip insurance but had no memory of it.”
Related: The best travel insurance policies and providers
Cut to a few months later.
“As soon as we boarded the flight, I noticed my daughter’s breathing was a little faster than normal, but I thought it might be because the plane’s air was dry. When we landed, it was a little bit worse, so when we checked into the hotel, I asked them if there was a doctor that they recommended we could take her to, just to be safe, and they recommended a service through the local hospital that has a doctor come directly to your hotel room,” Caroline said.
Even though the in-room doctor didn’t take insurance and she had to pay cash, she opted for the convenience.
“He came with so much equipment that he literally could dispense the steroids she needed right there in the room,” Caroline said.
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After the doctor gave her daughter the medications, he cleared her to go into the park.
“He told us to just take it easy and not push too much but that she was fine,” Caroline said.
Even though they were able to go into the park for a couple of hours that day, Caroline said that she regretted not purchasing trip insurance because Disney tickets are so expensive.
What happened after returning home
Thankfully, she didn’t have to remember her accidental purchase from months earlier. When Caroline returned home, there was an email from Allianz in her inbox welcoming her back and asking if any unexpected events had affected her trip. The email included links to her plan benefits and the direct claims filing page.
Since she had forgotten she had purchased trip interruption insurance, the email confused her.
“I was so paranoid that it was a scam, I literally opened a new checking account to get the direct deposit,” Caroline said.
She eventually went back and found another email confirming she had opted in and paid $12 for insurance when she initially booked her hotel.
In her claim to Allianz, she made it clear that her family missed most of the day in the park, not the whole day. “And they still paid for the full park tickets for that day because it technically interrupted our day in the parks,” Caroline said.
Because the insurance only covered trip interruption, not medical bills, she couldn’t file a claim for the doctor’s visit. However, the cost of the park tickets she got back was about the same as the doctor’s visit.
How to replicate this success
The next time you book a hotel or flight, it’s worth paying attention to the insurance offers on the checkout page. Just be sure to opt in when checking out for extra peace of mind, especially if you’re traveling with small children who are prone to illness. Don’t forget to also note the coverage in your trip planning documents so you remember you have options in case anything happens during your trip.
While many travel credit cards include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, many don’t cover reimbursements for event or theme park tickets unless they’re booked as part of a larger travel package. Before purchasing additional insurance, double-check the fine print of what you’re already covered for with your credit cards.
Related: The best cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance — and what it actually covers
It’s also worth noting that most credit card travel insurance doesn’t cover medical bills, like the one Caroline paid for on her trip. One notable exception is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), which includes emergency medical and dental benefits that cover up to $2,500 for medical expenses (subject to a $50 deductible) when you or an immediate family member becomes sick or injured 100 miles or more away from home during a trip.
Bottom line
Most hotels and airlines partner with an insurance company like Allianz to offer trip protection coverage when you check out and pay for your trip. While many travelers — including myself — often opt out to save money on the nominal fee, Caroline’s story may make you reconsider opting in next time.
It also never hurts to familiarize yourself with your credit card’s trip interruption insurance, as you may already be protected without paying extra for additional coverage.
If you have your own story to share with other TPG readers, fill out our mistake story form or success story form. (For ongoing issues that you feel owed compensation for circumstances beyond your control, please contact TPG’s ombudsman, Michelle Couch-Friedman, at ombudsman@thepointsguy.com.)
Related: What your credit card’s trip protection covers — and what it doesn’t
