Travel Insurance
Coverage for trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and lost luggage.
Typical cost: $50 – $350 per trip
What Is Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance protects your financial investment in a trip and covers unexpected events like medical emergencies abroad, trip cancellations, lost baggage, and travel delays. Whether you're taking a weekend getaway or a month-long international adventure, travel insurance provides peace of mind.
Types of Coverage
Most travel insurance policies include trip cancellation/interruption coverage, emergency medical coverage, emergency evacuation, baggage loss/delay coverage, and travel delay benefits. Comprehensive plans bundle all of these together, while basic plans may only cover cancellation.
When to Buy Travel Insurance
Purchase travel insurance shortly after booking your trip to maximize cancellation coverage. Many policies offer "cancel for any reason" upgrades if purchased within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit. Always buy before your departure date—you cannot purchase travel insurance after a trip has begun.
What's covered
Trip Cancellation
Reimburses prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you must cancel for a covered reason like illness or severe weather.
Emergency Medical
Covers hospital stays, doctor visits, and prescriptions if you become ill or injured while traveling.
Emergency Evacuation
Pays for emergency transport to the nearest adequate medical facility, including air ambulance if needed.
Baggage Loss/Delay
Reimburses you for lost, stolen, or delayed luggage and essential items you need to purchase.
Travel Delay
Covers meals, accommodations, and transportation costs when your trip is delayed by covered events.
Cancel for Any Reason
Premium upgrade allowing cancellation for any reason, typically reimbursing 50-75% of trip costs.
Specialized coverage
Explore specific travel insurance options.
Domestic Travel Insurance
Coverage for trips within the United States.
International Travel Insurance
Comprehensive coverage for overseas travel.
Cruise Insurance
Specialized coverage for cruise vacations.
Adventure Travel Insurance
Coverage for extreme sports and adventure activities.
Business Travel Insurance
Protection for corporate and business trips.
Student Travel Insurance
Affordable coverage for studying abroad.
Pros and cons
Advantages
- Protects your financial investment in prepaid trip costs
- Emergency medical coverage fills gaps in domestic health insurance abroad
- Evacuation coverage can save you from six-figure emergency transport bills
- 24/7 travel assistance hotlines help navigate emergencies in foreign countries
- Cancel for any reason upgrades offer maximum flexibility
- Covers the entire family on a single policy
Considerations
- Basic plans may have limited medical coverage amounts
- Pre-existing condition exclusions apply unless waived at purchase
- Cancel for any reason upgrades add 40-60% to the premium
- Claims require documentation which can be difficult during emergencies
- Adventure sports may require additional coverage
Frequently asked questions
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