Travel insurance guide
Travel insurance: a simple guide
Whether you need it, what it covers, when to buy, and good options for your passport.
By Cara Laban, founder of TravelReddi. Last checked October 2026.
Do you need travel insurance?
Whether it is required to enter a country depends on that country's entry rules, so check the official government website for your destination. Even when it is not required, it is worth having. Medical care abroad can be expensive, and your regular health plan may cover little or nothing there.
Good options for your passport
Which insurers sell to you depends on where your passport is from. Choose yours:
Our picks for travelers from the United States
Squaremouth
Best for comparing plans
Compare 100+ US travel insurance policies side by side and filter by what matters
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
World Nomads
Best for adventurers
Designed for adventurous travelers, covers 200+ activities
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
SafetyWing
Best for nomads
Monthly subscription, perfect for digital nomads and long trips
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Allianz Travel US
Most comprehensive
Comprehensive trip & medical coverage, trusted brand
We do not earn a commission from this link.
Prices change and depend on your age, trip length and cover. Get a quote for your own trip before you decide.
Going somewhere specific?
Some destinations have their own guide with local healthcare notes, emergency numbers and what your own health card does and does not cover there.
What travel insurance covers
Medical care
Doctor and hospital bills if you get sick or hurt abroad.
Emergency evacuation
Getting you to the right hospital or home. The U.S. State Department says an air ambulance can cost from $20,000 to $200,000.
Trip cancellation and delays
Money back if you must cancel for a covered reason, or your trip is cut short or delayed.
Lost or stolen bags
Help replacing your belongings if they go missing.
Credit card, add-on, or a separate policy?
You may already have some protection, or be offered some when you book. Here is what each option usually does, so you can see what you would still be missing.
Credit card benefits
Some credit cards include travel protection at no extra charge. It usually only applies if you paid for the trip with that card.
Often covers
- Money toward meals or a hotel if your flight is badly delayed.
- Some help if your bag arrives late.
- Damage to a rental car, on some cards as backup cover that only pays after your own car insurance does.
- On some cards, help if you must cancel a trip you paid for.
Watch out for
- Medical care abroad is often low or missing. Check the amount your card gives for emergency medical care and for evacuation.
- Limits differ from card to card, so a friend's card may not match yours.
Can suit: A useful extra layer on top of other cover, not usually a full plan for a trip abroad.
An add-on when you book
When you buy a flight or tour online you are often offered insurance for a small extra fee. It is quick, because you just tick a box.
Often covers
- Cancelling that booking for a covered reason.
- Delays and lost bags on that trip.
Watch out for
- Other parts of your trip, such as your hotel, rental car or tours, are often not covered by an airline's plan.
- Medical cover is often small or missing, which matters most abroad.
- Cancel For Any Reason is not usually offered through airlines.
- Health problems you already had are rarely covered.
Can suit: A simple, short trip where the flight is your main cost.
A separate policy
You buy a policy for your whole trip from an insurance company, or through a site that lets you compare several. You choose what to include.
Often covers
- Medical care and emergency evacuation, usually with much higher limits than the other two options.
- Cancelling or cutting short a trip, covering the prepaid costs of flights, hotels and tours together.
- Delays, lost bags and more.
- Optional extras such as Cancel For Any Reason, and cover for health problems you already have if you buy early enough.
Watch out for
- It costs more than the free benefits on a card. The price depends on your age, trip length and what the trip costs.
- Each policy has exclusions, so read what is not covered before you buy.
Can suit: Trips abroad, expensive trips, or anyone who wants medical and evacuation cover.
Three questions to ask yourself
What happens if I get sick or hurt there?
Check what your health plan and your card give you for care and evacuation abroad. If it is little or nothing, a separate policy fills that gap.
What have I paid for that I could not get back?
If it is more than the flight, such as hotels and tours, an add-on from the airline will not cover all of it.
Do I have a health condition?
Some policies cover problems you already have, but usually only if you buy soon after you book. Look for a pre-existing condition waiver.
Words you might see
- Medical evacuation
- Moving you to a better hospital, or home, when you are seriously ill or hurt.
- Trip cancellation
- Getting back money you prepaid if you have to cancel for a reason the policy lists, such as illness.
- Trip interruption
- Getting money back if your trip is cut short for a covered reason.
- Reimbursement
- You often pay first, then send in a claim and the insurer pays you back. Some insurers can pay the hospital directly if you call them early.
- Primary and secondary cover
- Primary pays first. Secondary only pays after your other insurance has paid.
- Cancel For Any Reason
- An extra that lets you cancel for reasons a normal policy would not accept. It usually pays back only part of what you paid.
- Pre-existing condition
- A health problem you had before you bought the policy. It is usually excluded unless you buy a waiver.
- Exclusion
- Something the policy will not pay for. It is listed in the policy, so read that list.
Further reading: NerdWallet on airline vs independent insurance and credit cards that provide travel insurance.
When to buy it
Buy as soon as you book. Some extras, such as Cancel For Any Reason, usually have to be bought within 14 to 21 days of your first trip payment, depending on the policy. Policies bought after you leave home often have a waiting period before you can claim.
Common questions
Does my regular health insurance cover me abroad?
Often it does not, or it covers very little. For example, U.S. Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for care outside the United States. Ask your own insurer before you go. Travel insurance fills that gap.
Is my credit card's travel insurance enough?
It can help with delays, lost bags and rental cars if you paid for the trip with that card. Medical cover is often low or missing, so read your card's benefits before you rely on it.
When should I buy it?
As soon as you book your trip. Some extras, such as Cancel For Any Reason, usually have to be bought within 14 to 21 days of your first trip payment, depending on the policy. Buying early also gives you cover if you need to cancel.
Can I buy it after I have already left home?
Some policies allow it, but they often have a waiting period before full cover starts, so events during that time may not be covered. Health problems you already had are usually excluded too. Check each policy's details.
What is usually not covered?
Common exclusions include health problems you had before the trip, unless you buy a waiver, and risky activities, unless you add them. Read the list of exclusions before you buy.
Planning more?
Getting ready for a trip?
Our country guides cover entry rules, money, transport and more, matched to your passport.
Browse country guidesSources: U.S. State Department, travel insurance.
This guide is general information, not insurance advice. Some links are affiliate links, marked on each card, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.