Travel insurance — the honest guide
Travel insurance is the one thing most travelers either over-buy (worthless extras) or skip entirely (and regret). Here's the honest guide — what coverage actually matters, what's marketing, and how to pick a plan.
The 5 coverages that actually matter
Emergency medical + hospitalisation
The single most important coverage. A broken leg in the US can cost $30k+; an evacuation home from a remote area can cost $100k. Look for at least $100,000 limit, ideally $250k. Watch out for sub-limits on specific treatments.
Medical evacuation
Separate line item from regular medical. Get $250k+ here if you're going anywhere remote, mountainous, or with weak local medicine. Evacuation by air ambulance from Nepal, Patagonia, or rural Africa can run six figures.
Trip cancellation + interruption
Reimburses non-refundable prepaid expenses (flights, hotels, tours) if you have to cancel for a covered reason. Read the "covered reasons" list carefully — some plans only cover narrow medical reasons; others include things like jury duty, work changes, weather disruption.
"Cancel for any reason" (CFAR) add-on
Costs roughly +40-50% on the premium. Lets you cancel for literally any reason and recover ~75% of trip costs. Buy it within 14-21 days of your first booking; required by most providers. Worth it for big trips with non-refundable bookings.
Baggage + delay
Coverage for lost / delayed luggage. Typically $1-3k. Useful but secondary — your credit card or homeowner's policy often covers this already. Don't pay extra premium for it.
What you DON'T need
- "Rental car damage" coverage — your credit card usually covers this if you decline the rental company's option. Check your card's benefits guide.
- "Identity theft" coverage — sold as travel insurance add-on; your bank already handles this for free.
- "Concierge service" coverage — marketing fluff. Just call your hotel.
- Standalone flight insurance at booking — covers far less than a real comprehensive policy. Buy a separate one.
Pick by traveler type
Solo backpacker / long-haul nomad
Comprehensive plan with strong medical + evacuation coverage. Look for adventure-sports add-ons if you'll be hiking/diving/skiing. Consider SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, World Nomads, or IMG Global for monthly billing.
Family with kids
Comprehensive with high trip-cancellation limits (flights for 4 add up fast). CFAR add-on worth it for big trips. Look at Allianz, Travel Guard, Travelex.
Business / frequent flyer
Annual multi-trip policy. Usually cheaper than per-trip if you fly 3+ times/year. Check what your credit card travel coverage already includes — Chase Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum cover a lot.
Cruise / pre-booked group trip
High cancellation coverage, strong medical evacuation (medical care on cruise ships is limited). Avoid the cruise line's own insurance — third-party is almost always better and pays out instead of crediting future bookings.
Adventure / extreme sports traveler
Standard policies exclude skiing, diving, climbing above 4,500m, and motorbiking. Always buy the explicit adventure add-on or use a specialist (Global Rescue, IMG Patriot Platinum Plus).
How to compare quotes
- Use a comparison site (Squaremouth, InsureMyTrip, TravelInsurance.com) to see multiple providers side-by-side. Don't buy directly from one provider's site without comparing.
- Filter by your traveler type first, then sort by price within that filter.
- Read the certificate of insurance (the actual contract), not the marketing page. Search the PDF for "exclusions" and "pre-existing conditions."
- Check the claims process by Googling "[provider] claims review" — many cheap policies have terrible claims departments.
- Buy within 14-21 days of your first booking for pre-existing-condition waivers and CFAR eligibility.
The pre-existing-conditions trap
If you have any health conditions — even managed ones like high blood pressure — the policy must include a pre-existing-condition waiver for you to claim anything related. The waiver is usually only available if you buy the policy within 14-21 days of your first trip deposit. Miss that window and you're effectively uninsured for anything that touches your condition.
Country-specific gotchas
- 🇺🇸 USA: Medical costs are astronomical. $250k+ medical coverage is the floor, not the ceiling. Helicopter air ambulance can run $25k+.
- 🇨🇦 Canada / 🇪🇺 Europe: Public systems cover emergencies but you still need insurance for evacuation home + non-emergency follow-up + lost flights.
- 🇹🇭 Thailand / 🇮🇩 Indonesia / 🇻🇳 Vietnam: Excellent private hospitals in major cities ($) but rural areas need evacuation coverage. Motorbike accidents (very common) are excluded by default — check the adventure add-on.
- 🇹🇷 Türkiye, 🇮🇳 India, 🇺🇿 anywhere in Central Asia: Medical evacuation coverage critical — local care varies widely outside main cities.
- 🇧🇷 Brazil / Latin America: Standard coverage works in cities; check that your provider covers "dengue/zika/malaria" specifically if going to tropical/jungle regions.
About this guide
This is an editorial guide — we don't sell insurance and we don't currently have affiliate relationships with any of the providers above. Names are listed as well-known examples to help you start your research, not as endorsements. Always read the policy document, not the marketing page.
Last reviewed 2025-2026. Insurance terms change frequently; confirm specifics with the provider.