To me it means “or”….close relative OR traveling companion. Let’s see what the other answers say. Sorry they refused your claim. I don’t know what your claim is but I would keep questioning them about your claim. Sometimes if you badger them they will change their mind.

In my opinion it would imply that it is a close relative OR traveling companion. The comma in this case is an easier way of separating relative and travelling companion.
If you think about it, why would they use two different nouns if they both share the same meaning?

close relative or traveling companion.