Updated: 8/2/20 | August 2nd, 2020
Travel insurance is one of the most important things to buy for your trip — no matter how long you are going away for. It is a must-have and I never leave home without it.
Yet so many travelers I talk to travel without it — often because they don’t quite understand what it is and what it does. There are a lot of misconceptions about travel insurance out there and those misconceptions are putting people in danger.
Today, I want to address those questions, concerns, and misconceptions.
Personally, I always buy travel insurance when I travel. After all, we get home insurance, life insurance, health insurance, and car insurance.
Why would we not cover ourselves when we’re abroad?
Travel insurance was there when I popped an eardrum in Thailand.
It was there when I lost my broke in Italy.
It was there when a friend had to go home after her father died.
And it was there for these people too:
But not this person who decided not to get it:
Travel insurance is a must but since it is a confusing topic (try reading New York insurance law for fun. I did. It’s not fun.) today I want to answer the common questions about travel insurance. These questions pop up in my inbox all the time and are the greatest points of confusion on the subject.
1. What is Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance provides support, compensation, and medical care when things go wrong on the road. Depending on your policy, it could provide support and compensation if your luggage is lost, if you slip and break a bone hiking, or if you need to return home early due to a death in the family.
It’s a financial safety net for emergencies while you’re abroad
Contrary to popular belief, travel insurance is not a substitute for health insurance in your home country — nor is it a license to be foolish! It’s your emergency parachute should something terrible happen while you’re traveling.
2. Is Travel Insurance Just Health Insurance?
No, it’s so much more than that. While there is a medical component for sudden illnesses and accidental injuries, it can also cover you all sorts of additional incidents, such as:
- Trip cancelation
- Lost/Damaged/Stolen possessions
- Emergency evacuation
- Expatriation should there be a natural disaster
- Trip interruption
Travel insurance is for all-around emergencies, not just medical ones.
3. Is Travel Insurance Similar to Health Insurance? I Can Go See a Doctor When I Want?
Travel insurance is not a replacement for health insurance. It’s there for unexpected emergencies only, not regular checkups. And should you need to be sent home due to a health emergency, it will be your regular health coverage that kicks in once you’re back in your home country.
For that reason, you’ll need to make sure you have both travel insurance (for when you’re abroad) and regular health coverage (in case you get sent home with an injury)
Break a leg? Pop an eardrum? Get food poisoning or dengue? Travel insurance has you covered.
Want to go see a doctor for a physical or get a cavity filled? You’re on your own.
4. Can I Get Treated for an Illness I Already Have?
As a general rule, most travel insurance plans don’t cover pre-existing conditions. If you get sick on the road, travel insurance is there for you. But if you need medication for an ongoing chronic disease or a medical condition you knew of before you bought the policy, you could be out of luck.
Moreover, if you get sick under one policy and then you extend it or start a new policy, most insurers will consider your illness a pre-existing condition and won’t cover it under your new policy.
In short, pre-existing conditions are generally not covered unless you find a specific plan that provides coverage for them.
5. My Credit Card Offers Some Protection. Isn’t That Good Enough?
Travel credit cards, even the very best ones, offer only limited protection. Some cards offer coverage for lost or stolen items, medical expenses, and trip cancellation — but only if you booked your trip with that specific card.
In my experience (and I’ve had dozens of travel credit cards over the years) even if your card does cover something, the coverage limit is often very low. That means you’ll have to pay the difference out of pocket (and you’ll be surprised at just how expensive that can be!).
Bottom line: don’t rely on credit card coverage. While it’s nice to have its protection as a backup, I wouldn’t (and don’t) rely on credit cards for my primary coverage when abroad. It’s not a smart choice.
6. How Does Insurance Actually Work? Do They Mail Me a Card I Can Show the Doctor?
If you experience a major medical emergency that requires surgery, overnight hospitalization, or emergency repatriation, then you (or someone else) would contact your travel insurance company’s emergency assistance team. They can then help make arrangements and approve costs. Every insurance company has a 24-hour contact number you can call for emergencies. I always suggest travelers save this number in their phone before departure just to be safe.
For all other situations, you’ll need to pay for the costs upfront, collect receipts, and then make a claim for reimbursement from your insurer. You’ll pay out of pocket and then submit documentation to the insurance company after the fact (so there’s no need to show a card to the doctor).
Be sure to keep all documentation, file any necessary police reports, and save all receipts. Companies don’t reimburse you based on your word. Keep documentation!
7. What About Obamacare? How Does That Affect Everything?
For Americans, the ACA, or “Obamacare,” covers you only in the United States, and since travel insurance is not a replacement for health insurance, it doesn’t get you out of its requirements.
But if you are away from the United States for 330 days or more, you don’t need to get US-based health insurance. You also get a three-month grace period each year before you get charged a penalty. Be sure to contact a tax accountant or the ACA hotline number for more information.
Just keep in mind that, if you need to be sent home due to an injury, travel insurance will not cover your bills upon arrival back to your country of residency.
8. I Read Reviews Online. All These Companies Suck. What’s Up With That?
I’ve talked with hundreds of travelers over the years about insurance and received thousands of emails from people who have had insurance issues. While there are some legitimate concerns, the overwhelming majority of people I interact with haven’t read the fine print of their policy.
People buy a plan, don’t read the exact wording, and then make (incorrect) assumptions about their coverage.
Naturally, they scream bloody murder when their assumptions don’t match up with reality and go on a digital tirade, leaving bad review after bad review.
And, to be honest, most people don’t write good reviews when they are helped. On the Internet, we love to scream our displeasure but rarely do we go out of our way to leave a positive review of something.
So take online reviews of insurance companies with a grain of salt. I’ve read them and most of the time, I think, “You didn’t read your policy!”
I’m by no means an insurance company defender, but if you’re going in with no documentation, no proof you owned what you lost, or you want to make a claim for something that is specifically excluded on the policy, you should expect to get denied.
Is the reimbursement process fun? No. It’s a lot of paperwork and back and forth emails with the insurer. But when you have all your ducks in a row, you get reimbursed.
Here’s a list of my suggested insurance companies to help you get started. They’re reputable and reliable and can save you a lot of money should an accident happen.
9. I Got Drunk and Hurt Myself. Will I Be Covered?
Probably not! If you are doing something foolish (whether you’re drinking or not), insurance companies will want to know if putting yourself at unnecessary risk led to the injury. If, after investigating, they find you did, they can deny your claim. That’s not to say that they expect you to be sober your entire trip, but let’s just say you’re unlikely to get reimbursed if you’re drunk and decide that it would be a good idea to stand in the middle of the road and play chicken.
So, don’t be foolish!
10. Does Travel Insurance Cover Me in My Home Country?
Some travel insurance can cover you at home. For example, World Nomads travel insurance covers you either 100 miles from your permanent address (for U.S. residents), outside your home province (if you’re Canadian), or outside your home country (for everyone else).
It depends on your policy, and there are always conditions on when the coverage starts and ends and where you can travel to, so check this carefully first. Some companies let you be in your home country for a short period, others won’t cover you at all. So read the fine print!
11. I’m a Senior. What Should I Do?
Insurance companies don’t like covering seniors as they view them as high risk. Therefore, it’s a lot harder for older travelers to find comprehensive coverage. For seniors, try the company Insure My Trip. They usually have options for travelers in the 60s and 70s. Start your search there.
12. Will Travel Insurance Send Me Home If I Get Injured or Sick?
Under most circumstances, travel insurance will not repatriate you to your home country. In a nutshell, travel insurance is there to make sure you get the medical assistance you need should an emergency arise. Usually, that means sending you to the nearest acceptable facility — they don’t have to send you home.
So, if you break your leg hiking you’ll be taken to the nearest suitable facility and patched up. After that, the onus is on you to get home. Your policy will likely reimburse you for any part of your trip that you cancel due to your injury but it won’t pay for you to go home early (unless you have a life-threatening injury that requires advanced medical care).
If you feel this isn’t enough coverage and want additional medical transport and repatriation coverage, use a service like Medjet. They’re a membership program with affordable annual (and short-term) policies that include medical transport coverage that’s more comprehensive than what you’d find in your average travel insurance policy.
13. What About COVID-19 and Other Pandemics?
As many found out the hard way back in March, unfortunately, travel insurance does not cover pandemics. They have — and continue to be — written out of policies. You won’t get any reimbursement if you decide to cancel your trip because of a government warning due to a pandemic. The only policies that give that kind of blanket coverage are “cancel for any reason” policies. (Insure My Trip is a good place to find those.)
However, some companies such as World Nomads, Allianz, and Safety Wing do cover some medical costs. They will help you if you get COVID and need any medical care related to that. However, the coverage is just limited to medical care and those related costs. Be sure to read the specifics in your plan as there are often many caveats and exemptions! Read the fine print!
I’ve used travel insurance since my first round-the-world trip, and it’s helped me, my friends, and readers of this website. I can’t stress its importance enough.
I can also not stress enough that you need to read the fine print of your plan. Remember, travel insurance companies are for-profit. They will only reimburse you if your situation fits within the scope of your policy. The only way to know if it does is to read your plan.
Having had to use my insurance several times over the years, I genuinely hope you’re never put in a situation where you need to use yours. However, if something does happen and you need to make a claim you’ll be happy you spent the money.
Don’t avoid buying travel insurance because you read a bad review or think you’ll be OK. Accidents happen to the best of us.
Travel insurance is a safeguard against the unexpected. Nobody ever expects the Spanish Inquisition — and no expects to get hit by a drunk backpacker driving a scooter in Thailand!
Like a responsible adult, be prepared. You won’t regret it.
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines, because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com, as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all those I use — and they’ll save you time and money too!
Scott
Matt is correct that everyone needs travel insurance. If you get sick in Europe for example it could costs thousands of dollars. Don’t forget your dealing with a insurance company. I personally have had issues with World Nomads losing the paperwork I sent them and continuing asking for copies of my passport and other documentation. So here are some suggestions to help in your claim process:
1. Make copies of all receipts. (They will lose them if you don’t).
2. Mail the information certified mail
3. Stay on top of your claim
Rachel
I don’t normally buy travel insurance, especially if it’s just a short trip, but recently when I learned my friend who went to India had to be taken to the clinic for an infection, (she too didn’t buy travel insurance) it didn’t cost her a lot of money, but what if it’s worse that than. We can never tell what might happen to us while we’re out there, so yeah, I guess it’s better to be ready than to be sorry.
Great tips! as always. 🙂
Ginger
Hey! Thanks for the post. However, I signed up for the bronze plan (cheapest one) with ACA and talked to the insurance rep who assured me that emergencies services were covered (past my deductible) in foreign countries and covered medevac in case of emergency. So really, travel insurance is good for trip cancellations, which for over $2k for travel insurance for the year seems worth it if you’re traveling on a low budget. If I was booking $10k+ safaris, then fine, maybe…but I’m not so convinced by your post. I’d be happy to be convinced if my rep for ACA didn’t tell me how I was covered overseas for emergencies.
NomadicMatt
Every health plan is different in the US (we have sooo many) but few health plans cover you overseas and rarely if ever on the bronze plan. I’ve looked into it a lot. Your plan could be an exception but I would look at the wording of your policy exactly. I’d bet money you aren’t as widely covered as your rep made it sound like.
NomadicMatt
You’re dead wrong here. First, I’m not paid by World Nomads. I love that company but you need to go with the company that best suits you and that might not be which is why I recommend others too (see my other post on travel insurance).
Second, that’s awesome your BCBS covers you. BCBS is not available in every state and every policy is different (which is why I said people need to check their policies to see what is and what isn’t covered). Moreover, the coverage limits might not be high and there could be restrictions on who you can see and can’t see. For example. my Harvard Pilgrim program does not cover me overseas. When NYT did a special on this, the reporter could only see approved doctors and anything out of plan would have to be covered out of pocket! You can’t make blanket statements about insurance.
Third, related to the credit cards: 1. Not everyone has these credit cards. 2. Credit card coverage only kicks in if you use THAT card for your trip. and 3. Coverage is not as complete on the health side. On the trip/property side yes, on the health side, no.
As I said, every plan is different and before you go purchase a plan you need to see what is and isn’t covered. While your situation may be different, it does not speak to the complex world of insurance as a whole.
Mark
The world nomads link at the bottom of the article- you receive nothing when people use that link…?
NomadicMatt
I do receive a commission off that widget, just like I do from Insure My Trip or one of the other countless companies I list on this website. There’s no redirect quid pro quo here. World Nomads’ referral program, like IMT, Expedia, T-Mobile, or Hostelworld, are all free to join and open to everyone. You get a little personalized link that you can use to track referrals. Referral links, if available, are all over this website. Whether or not companies have one is irrelevant to my referral. I’ve been using WM since 2004, well before I started blogging. Links or not, companies are here because they deserve to be (just look at the resources page. Over 50% of the links are non-referral links). But if a company has a link, I will use it.
It’s how this website stays big banner ad and sponsor free. Affiliate links are how most website monetize the free advice they give.
K. Renae P.
“Read the Policy’ should be in big, bold letters. You are correct that many of the complaints online seem to be from people who purchased a plan that didn’t fit their needs. Another thing I see is that they made a dumb traveler mistake then got angry because their policy didn’t cover things like leaving property unattended or having your phone in your pocket whilst swimming in the ocean.
It is important for the policy holder to know what services they are getting and what they are expected to do to get reimbursed. And reimbursement tends to be a lot of hoop jumping as it is with any policy agreement.
Informative post!
Nick
Hi Matt, thanks for all the info from this article, countless others, and also your book. I am an American leaving in February for a year long RTW trip. I have been researching insurance a lot lately and for my circumstances, I am having a hard time in seeing the value of ‘travel insurance’ like world nomads vs. ‘travel medical insurance’ such as IMG or HCC Atlas. The ‘travel medical insurance’ seems to be competitively priced with world nomads, even a bit cheaper.
Since I won’t be on any time constraints, I’m not really concerned too much about trip interruption or cancellation, etc. My baggage won’t be worth that terribly much money. On the other hand, I don’t want to only have emergency coverage. I want to be able to visit a doctor if I’m sick and have outpatient procedures if I need to. And since I’m quitting my job I’ll be giving up my US based coverage. (Actually, I should be able to get onto the Obamacare-expanded-Medicaid, but I’m not counting on that, and it covers nothing overseas anyways.)
Anyways, I was wondering if you had any critiques on my thoughts here. Do you have any knowledge of the travel medical insurance offered? And am I underestimating the need for the non-medical coverage?
Mia
I used to be a travel agent so I’ve seen a lot different things do wrong for people while travelling. Travel insurance becomes more important the longer you travel since more things can go wrong just as it could back home.
What’s important in insurance is different for everyone, but for me the most important is the emergency coverage. Say you were in a natural disaster like the earthquake in Nepal. You may not be able to get out and if you have a good insurer then they can help pay for accommodation costs while your stuck and organise for you to get an evacuated out (even on a military aircraft if that’s the only way).
Even if it’s a simple matter of your flight being cancelled by a storm your insurer can help pay extra accommodation cost (if it’s weather related most airlines won’t cover you).
This one is a bit morbid but is important nevertheless. What if you were to die overseas? While working as a travel agent a friends client died in an accident. The client didn’t have insurance and the family didn’t have enough money to bring the body home.
I’ve done a few RTW trips myself and always make sure I’m insured but as Matt said, make sure to read the fine print and know what you’re covered for.
Kat
Hey Nick, which one did you go with? I’m in the same situation and am deciding between IMG and HCC and would love to hear how your experience has been!
Jon Jovi
Thanks Matt! I\’m curious to know what did you mean by unless you have an American Express Platinum card? I recently obtained this card merely for the sign-up bonus. I was wondering what travel insurance does this card entails?
Lynn Howard
Great advice, Matt! As a hugs fan of yours I enjoy learning new edges to my traveling adventures. As far as traveling insurance goes – I never leave home without it. Why? It’s inexpensive and you’ll be so glad in a “worst case…”
Stevie on the Move
Did you ever need it? I’m now travelling without a health insurance since quite a while and I just stay healthy.
NomadicMatt
When you get in an accident, come back to me and ask that!
Tony
Credit card insurance in Australia, notably with various kinds of Visa and Amex (Gold upwards), seems quite comprehensive for the most part, and the payment requirements are not onerous. Covers your family along with you, too. Interestingly, I notice my HCH Health Fund also covers medical abroad. There is a limit on three months though, so this would not be suitable for lengthy trips.
Before you ask, yes, I have read all the policy documents (and I was a lawyer in a past incarnation).
To be honest, I was a bit doubtful about this “free” insurance, but I’ve read the documents and the offerings seem valid to me. Health/repatriation etc. are my main preoccupations as far as insurance goes, although the only claims I’ve ever made have been relatively minor property ones. Fortunately, the old days of carrying around $80K of gear are in the past for me!
I’d be interested to hear anybody else’s experience of CC insurance. Perhaps this is one of the few cases (very few) where Australians get a good deal?
NomadicMatt
Australia and other countries with much better health care industries and coverage are much better in helping their citizens when they’re abroad. In the US, we aren’t as lucky!
Steve Neiman
Matt,
Would be helpful for readers to know if you have a financial relationship with World Nomads? Would allow for us to make a more objective assessment since this kind of reads as a giant ad for that company.
Thanks,
Steve
NomadicMatt
I have no specific relationship with them. No more than I do with any of the companies listed throughout my site (except Intrepid). I have an affiliate link with them and lots of companies listed on this website. Anyone can apply for these programs. You sign up, grab a link, stick it on your site. I only mention them once in the article….on equal footing with Insure My Trip (which is also an affiliate link). I do use World Nomads as my primary insurance when I travel though.
But as I say in my note above, find the policy that works for you! World Nomads, Insure My trip, Clements, or anyone else!
Rindi
Worldnomads.com were awful! We used them for our RTW last year. They let us down twice. Never again.
Rob Erskine
How about an article about car insurance when renting outside of the US? I had good luck in Australia after a minor scrape but the rental agent would not honor the same company’s insurance in Croatia unless he put a $15,000 hold on my charge card.
It’s confusing and very expensive if you buy at the counter when picking up the car.
Mia
Car insurance is tricky because every country has it’s own rules and regulations on the industry. In some countries showing that you have insurance already is enough, in other they require you to buy a basic package and in others they put huge holds on your card. Don’t even get me started on renting a car in the US….
Liz
I am planning a trip to India and I had no idea this was a thing! Definitely doing it. Thank you! :):)
Denise
I now buy travel insurance to cover my rental car in Europe. Previously, I would rely on the car rental insurance provided by the credit card I was using to rent the car. However, in recent years I found that that insurance may not, and usually doesn’t, cover “loss of use”, the undercarriage, the side mirrors and the tires. Did you know that there is no spare tire in your European car rental and that you are solely responsible for those tires. Even though I stay at B&Bs and use miles for my flights, I always get travel insurance. It only costs me about $150 for the peace of mind.
Lisa Chupity
My husband and I are traveling to New Zealand next April. I plan on getting trip insurance. I have Multiple Sclerosis which is in remission, right now (more or less), and this is one of those pre-existing conditions I expect will throw a monkey wrench into the application. We’re 57 years of age – not quite seniors – and I’m wondering if I should go for Insure My Trip?
NomadicMatt
You might have more luck finding a plan with them or another company if you want coverage to include your MS.
Jessica
NZ has quite a different system to America. We have ACC which covers accidents, even to foreigners, but they still recommend getting travel insurance. Also because we have ACC you can’t sue anyone if you have an accident.
Yvonne
After successfully winning a claim with Allianz and numerous requests for info about travel insurance we wrote the book on it!
The biggest piece of advice is \”Read the fine print\” before you buy, know what you are covered for and document every step if you need to make a claim. Our experience was that the underwriters will drag there feet and look for any loophole to delay or decline the claim. Document it and if necessary quote their small print to them.
Traveling Rockhopper
Travel insurance is very important, but I think mostly people don’t care so much about it, until…
Chris
If you are planning on doing a lot of car hiring while travelling (usually the cheapest way to get around if there’s a group of you) travel insurance that covers your excess (deductible in the US) is very worthwhile. We hired cars for over 100 days over seven month of travelling and the money saved not having to get the hire companies’ extended insurance (which quite often costs more than the car hire itself) paid for about 70% of our travel insurance.
Roberta Kent
Thanks for the tips! The article mentions it costs about $2.50 a day. I’m getting a quote of at least $74 for a week long trip to Panama. Any ideas why that is so high?
NomadicMatt
“As little as $2.50 a day.” It depends on who you are using, where you’re from, etc. etc. so without more information I can’t say but feel free to email for help.
Mandi
I am planning a 3 month road trip around the US, very similar to what you did on your book tour. I will be doing it solo and either staying with friends/family or couch surfing (CS community is AMAZZZING), anyway I of course have health insurance now, will I be covered on my trip around the US or do I still need travel insurance? If I am taking my own car and am traveling in my own country, whats the benefit to travel insurance? Thanks Matt!
Christy
Great post and sharing! I’ve always gotten travel insurance and thankfully have never had to use it, but I feel much safer having it! I lead retreats in exotic locations and make it mandatory for my guests to get travel insurance. No idea if they actually do but my hope is they will see the importance.
Emily
Like Nick (who commented on December 8), I am also an American that is planning on a traveling for an extended period of time and will forfeit the health insurance I currently have through my job. My biggest concern is also the medical aspect of the insurance plan. I continually read that travel insurance is not a replacement for health insurance, but am having trouble seeing what benefit can be gained from paying the very expensive premiums to maintain US coverage while I would not reap any of the benefits overseas. What solution do you recommend for an American leaving the country for an indefinite period of time?
NomadicMatt
Travel insurance is for emergency care. If you want something that’s more like everyday health insurance, you can get expat insurance from like Cigna, Clements, Aetna….they all over something. It’s expensive though!
Andrew Peterson
Hey Nomadic Matt,
My wife and I are about to leave for 6-8 months of travel around the world…we currently live in California. My question is…when we leave CA, do we need to keep a US based medical insurance plan? Can we cancel our plan before we leave and rely on Travel Insurance? I\’m confused about all of the implications with coverage and the new laws around Obamacare…. Thanks for any insight/help. Read all of your posts on Insurance abroad, but did not find an answer.
Carolina J
I’m buying travel insurance. Your article was very helpful. I used to buy from the company where I booked my trip. I’m going to purchase via online from now on.. thank you!
Heather
Thanks for the info, I found it helpful. If there are any Canadians looking for insurance, I just booked with World Escapades which covers similarly and is cheaper. I almost went with World Nomads but the price difference got me!
thanks,
Heather
Monica
It really depends on what type of coverage you need. The equivalent of an all inclusive cover (medical + non-medical + trip cancellation) for World Escapades costs USD140 for 2 weeks while at World Nomads it’s only USD65. You should really do your homework before committing yourself.
Edwina Golombek
I had been taking out World Nomad Insurance for years and it wasn’t until I had a Stroke whilst traveling that I realised what a disgusting company they are..could not contact them when the emergency arose and they did EVERYTHING to not pay my claim..I received NO assistance for having to travel home over land and sea with someone accompanying me..they made my ordeal a million times worse.. they eventually paid the hospital and a little for my expenses but it was their bloody mindedness which I will never forget..it wasn’t until I made comments on their fb page that I got results… I had lost my speech so was relying on others to help me try to contact them…Lonely Planet when I told them couldn’t care less..
Brian
Hi Edwina, which travel insurance would you recommend other that World Nomad?
Adriane
It happened to me on a 6 month backpacking trip! I was in the middle of Easter Island when I had a gallbladder attack. Turns out I had to get the sucker removed when I flew back to Santiago.
Had the surgery there in mainland Chile and World Nomads took care of the rest! Thank god we got the insurance before leaving or we would have been stuck with a huge (over 10 grand) bill.
Max
The choice of options is bewildering and the ease with which you can make a policy purchase online is fantastic but can also be dangerous if you are not clear on what the policy exemptions are. I know it is dull but if you are going out of country on a long trip, take a few minutes to read through exactly what your cover provides.
Most of us i suspect buy on price but the lower the price the lower the level of cover. Nothing more annoying then needing your policy on holiday for medical or theft /loss reasons, then finding you are not covered for that specific circumstance.
Diane
We are rarely in the US… usually no more than 2-3 weeks a year now. I’m wondering if ACA will let you off the hook about insurance. I know you posted about it above but wondering if it would still hold true. We have carried insurance in the US but have been looking at other options.
Mary
Hey Matt and team,
I’m located in WA state and I’m trying to buy multi-trip travel insurance that will last me the entire year. I have previously bought this kind of policy while located in the state of OH. But I’m finding that most companies do not offer multi-trip policies to residents of WA. Can you help me figure out why or who might offer this kind of coverage? Thanks!
S
While World Nomads insurance is great, it does not seem to cover lost luggage, trip cancellation, missed connection etc. How is this a good insurance then? Perhaps I only face this problem because my country of permanent residence is India?
Eva
Thanks – everything I needed to know. Travelling to Beijing and knew it was a necessity but just wanted to know why exactly.
BJ
Hi Matt, I’ve been traveling now for over 12mths and have been insured up till now but my insurance company in New Zealand won’t insure me past 12mths from leaving my own country. Do you know of a provider that will? Thanks for any suggestions!
Kim
check out BUPA
Gowri
Really nice tips in which to avoid any health issue problems. And i think definitely it will be useful for many people so that they can utilize their ability with what they can. And please keep update like this.
Jay
Hi,
I would like to check if infected by virus during the trip and the insured person pass away, can this scenario be claimed under death benefit?
Thanks.
Miggy
Thank you for this very helpful article! However, I have a question I can’t seem to find the answer to.
My wife and I will be traveling to Europe from the Philippines this year and the insurance company told us that we need to purchase 29 days worth of insurance though our total amount of travel time is only 15 days. Is it really necessary to purchase twice the amount of days we’ll be gone for?
Thank you.
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Wanita Loureiro
HI
my son went to phuket in november 2017 he was bitten by an insect in phuket.we called the doctor to the hotel room.they treated him there.when we came back to our country he has gotten worst since. did all the rest reqiured by our hospital can not diagnose the cause. will the travel insurance cover this.
he is on his medical health insurance in south africa and its depleted from all the treatment and hospitalizations. will the travel insurance cover this and the test is still ongoing to find the cause.will they pay him back what is medical health insurance covered
Helen
I recently injured my knee whilst travelling. It turned out to be a torn cartilage and fractured tibia. I could not get MRI whilst in Caribbean. Dr advised wait til I got home in new few days. Insurance company advises they only pay for expenses paid whilst overseas. Does this mean all my future treatment, physio, possible operation in Australia is not now covered. I do not have private health insurance as I am an old age pensioner but thought my overseas injury should be covered by Travel insurance as I have overseas doctor report confirming this.
Jonathan Kallon
Hi thanks for the post, but I please want to ask an urgent question.
Should I take the Travel medical insurance in my home country or the country I plan to travel to?
Ezins
I would say it’s better to do a research before buying am insurance policy since you don’t wanna end up being stuck in the policy that doesnt even suit you.
Thanks for sharing tho. The way you answer the questions explains the travel insurance all quite well
Monica
Can you get travel insurance coverage for a year long US road trip?
Staci
Thank you for your advice. We have used World Nomads (even before finding your blog). I am in need of some clarification though about seniors as the difference in cost is substantial (between $300 and $500). We are 64 and 62 now while purchasing insurance, but will be 65 and 63 on the insured trip. Is World Nomads still ok for us for this next trip?
Chris
Hey Matt, What’s your take on SafetyWing? At first glance, it seems to be worth serious consideration over World Nomads (much cheaper at least), but since you know World Nomads inside-out I’m sure you can point out reasons to choose it instead.
Thanks and keep safe!
Chris
Gabe Ree
I’m wading my way through travel insurance subrogation clauses. I’m in Canada and we all have a lifetime limit on our extended health plans. Travel insurance companies will pay up but then seek repayment through your insurance plan so buyer beware. I’m looking for a company who Will take the least away from my medical insurance lifetime limit.
Kitalover
What do you do in a situation where your travel company had a non refund policy so I took out travel insurance. Trip was canceled by the airline, Travel insurance repaid my amount; now I notice the tour company also refunded the net amount the airline returned to them!! Who do I repay and how? Is it fraud if I keep both since insurance was paid separate from tour company??