A local family is warning others to be careful with travel insurance after it failed to cover a cancelled trip when their boy's cancer returned.

Three-year-old Matteo Garland Filoso's family said they booked a vacation to South Carolina last winter after his bladder cancer was declared in remission.

But before they could go, his cancer returned – and they were left to foot the $3,000 bill for the flight they never took.

"I just thought ‘Oh my God if he was ever to be re-diagnosed the insurance would cover it for sure,'" said his mother Lisa Garland Filoso. "He's two and I never would even think they wouldn't cover it at all."

Their insurance company, Monidal Assistance, couldn't be reached for comment on this story.

It said in a letter to the family that a clause in their policy meant they wouldn't be reimbursed.

One veteran travel agent said to be overly careful when buying the insurance because it's ultimately up to the traveler.

"They're the one buying the trip, the ones taking the trip, and the ones holding the bag if there's a problem," said Norman Payne. "Its incumbent on them to do their homework, ask the right questions and go back and read the fine print."

Even though Matteo's cancer was in remission, it was still considered a pre-existing medical condition and came back within 90 days of booking the trip.

Many insurance companies won't provide coverage if a pre-existing condition flares up within a designated amount of time.

Garland Filoso said she'll look more carefully next time, but she's still disappointed in the policy.

"You would never be able to travel then, so is that what they're saying? That you can never get insurance because you have cancer? Well if that's the case put it in big block letters, so that people know that," she said.

"There are a lot of unfortunate people who have this disease and they need to know right up when you can get covered and when you can't, because these children and adults can get sick at the drop of a hat."

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Claudia Cautillo