Originally Posted by
outtolunch
No. That's what travel insurance is for.
I don't dispute this, but I can tell you that my family is in a similar situation and my brother-in-law just had United give him a full refund (or at least waive change fee) on a ticket when he produced a hospital note. And I am likely to try the same thing for a ticket for my wife, who is scheduled to fly US with me in a few weeks but won't be able to go because of her father's dire health situation.