Travel insurance gets pitched at checkout for every booking, which makes it easy to either buy it reflexively or skip it reflexively. Neither is quite right — here is how to actually decide.
What It Typically Covers
- Trip cancellation/interruption for covered reasons (illness, some weather events, some work conflicts)
- Emergency medical care and evacuation abroad
- Lost, delayed, or stolen baggage
- Delayed or missed connections in some policies
When It Is Worth It
- Any international trip, since most US health insurance does not cover care abroad
- Adventure/high-activity trips (diving, trekking, skiing) — check the policy covers your specific activities
- Expensive non-refundable bookings (safaris, cruises, multi-stop itineraries)
- Travel during hurricane season or to regions with any political/weather uncertainty
What It Usually Will Not Cover
Pre-existing conditions (unless you buy a waiver early), “cold feet” cancellations, and pandemics/known events that started before you bought the policy. Read the exclusions, not just the coverage list, before buying.
💡 Insurance Tips
- →Buy within 14–21 days of your first trip payment if you want a pre-existing condition waiver
- →Compare a standalone policy against your credit card’s built-in coverage — cards often cover less than people assume
- →Screenshot your policy and the insurer’s emergency number before you leave — do not rely on having signal to look it up
- →For adventure trips, confirm your specific activity is named in the policy, not just implied