Travel insurance usually covers emergency medical treatment abroad, medical evacuation or repatriation, trip cancellation and interruption, lost or delayed baggage and personal belongings, travel delays and personal liability. What you actually get depends on the policy, so before you buy, check the excess, the limits for each section and the exclusions, such as pre-existing medical conditions, incidents involving alcohol, risky sports and travel to areas your government advises against.
Policies can look alike and still differ a lot in the details. This guide explains the common sections, what to check in the small print and how claims usually work. It is general information only: terms vary between insurers, and the policy wording you receive is what counts.
What does travel insurance usually cover?
Most policies are made up of several sections. Not every policy has all of them, and some are optional extras, but these are the most common:
- Emergency medical expenses: treatment for a sudden illness or injury during your trip, such as a doctor's visit or a hospital stay.
- Medical evacuation and repatriation: transport to a suitable hospital, or home, when a doctor decides it is medically necessary.
- Cancellation and interruption: prepaid costs you cannot get back if you must cancel or cut your trip short for a reason listed in the policy.
- Baggage and personal belongings: items that are lost, stolen or damaged, sometimes with separate cover for passports, cash or valuables.
- Travel delay and missed departure: help with extra costs, or a fixed payment, after a delay of a certain length.
- Personal liability: cover if you are legally responsible for injuring someone or damaging their property.
Many policies also include a 24-hour emergency assistance service, which can help you find a hospital, arrange payment and organise transport.
Medical emergencies, evacuation and repatriation
For most travellers, the medical section is the main reason to buy insurance. Healthcare abroad can be expensive, and your national health cover may not apply outside your country or may only pay part of the cost. Do not assume it replaces travel insurance.
Evacuation and repatriation pay for moving you to a hospital that can treat you, or bringing you home, when this is medically necessary. In remote areas or on islands, this can be the most expensive part of an emergency. Policies usually expect the assistance service to approve and arrange it, so contact them first whenever you can. For health preparation before a trip, see our article on travel health basics.
Cancellation, delays, baggage and liability
Cancellation cover pays back prepaid, non-refundable costs, such as flights or accommodation, if you cannot travel for a reason the policy accepts, for example serious illness. Changing your mind, or a problem you already knew about when you bought the policy, is normally not covered. Interruption cover works similarly when you must end a trip early. Delay cover is usually modest. If your flight is cancelled, the airline may have its own obligations; our article on cancelled flights explains them.
Baggage cover usually has a limit per item and a total limit, and valuables such as phones and cameras may have lower limits. Items left unattended are often excluded. Personal liability is easy to overlook, but it matters if you accidentally injure someone or damage property. Accidents involving motor vehicles are commonly excluded from it.
What should you check in the policy wording?
The summary page tells you what a policy offers; the full policy wording tells you when it will not pay. Before you buy, look for these points:
- Excess (deductible): the amount you pay yourself on each claim. Check whether it applies per person or per incident.
- Limits: the maximum amount for each section, and any sub-limits for single items, valuables or cash.
- Pre-existing medical conditions: many policies exclude them unless you declare them and the insurer accepts them. Declare honestly, because undeclared conditions are a common reason for refused claims.
- Alcohol and drugs: claims linked to being drunk or using drugs are often refused or reduced.
- Sports and activities: skiing, diving, riding a scooter or high-altitude trekking may need an add-on or may not be covered at all. Riding without a valid licence or a helmet may also mean you are not covered.
- Government travel advice: travelling to a country or area your government advises against may mean you are not covered there. Check your government's official travel advice when you book and again before you leave.
- Who and where: make sure every traveller is named, your destination region is included and the length of your trip fits the policy.
If anything is unclear, ask the insurer and keep their answer in writing.
Single-trip, annual or credit card cover: which do you need?
A single-trip policy covers one journey. An annual multi-trip policy covers several trips over a year, usually with a maximum length per trip. If you travel often, an annual policy can be simpler, but check that limit and the regions included.
Some credit cards include travel insurance. It can be useful, but it is often more limited than a separate policy: it may only apply if you paid for the trip with that card, have lower medical limits, or exclude pre-existing conditions and family members. Read its terms as carefully as any policy.
When should you buy it, and do you need it for a visa?
If you want cancellation cover, buy the policy soon after you book. It usually only protects you against events that happen after the policy starts, so buying it the day before you leave gives little protection for the weeks in between.
Some countries require health or travel insurance for a visa or for entry, sometimes with minimum requirements. These rules change, so check the official website of the embassy or consulate of your destination before you apply.
How do you make a claim?
Claims go more smoothly with the right paperwork. If something goes wrong:
- Call the emergency assistance line first for a medical emergency or major change of plans, unless you need urgent care immediately. Save the number in your phone and on paper, with your policy number.
- Report losses and thefts quickly. Get a written police report for a theft, and a written report from the airline for lost or delayed baggage.
- Keep every document. Medical reports, receipts and proof of delays are all evidence. Photograph them as a backup.
- Claim within the time limit. Policies set deadlines for reporting and sending documents.
If you are planning a trip with someone you met on mytripdate, where you can see who is travelling to the same city on the same dates, send messages and look for a verified profile, remember that each of you needs your own cover. Share your insurer's emergency number with your companion, so someone else can call it if you cannot.
Frequently asked questions
Is travel insurance mandatory?
Often it is optional, but some countries require it for a visa or for entry. Check the official requirements for your destination before you apply or travel.
Does travel insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Often only if you declare them and the insurer agrees to cover them, sometimes for an extra cost. If you do not declare a condition, a related claim may be refused.
Is my credit card's travel insurance enough?
It can be, but card cover is often more limited. Compare its medical limits, exclusions and conditions with what your trip needs.
Can I buy travel insurance after I have left home?
Some insurers allow it, often with a waiting period or other conditions. It is simpler and usually safer to buy before you leave.
