When do you need travel insurance? Plus how to get it

What are different types of travel insurance?

There are many different types of travel insurance that offer different coverages and protections. A comprehensive travel insurance policy will likely contain a number of these insurance products.

Here are a few of the things that can go wrong and which travel insurance plan could save the day for you.

Slightly different from trip interruption coverage, trip delay insurance would kick in if you were delayed (by say a flight cancellation) while on your trip and needed to cover hotel or food expenses until you can make it back home.

Cancel for any reason coverage (CFAR) is usually an optional add-on insurance benefit to a policy that allows you (as the name suggests) to cancel plans regardless of the reason. This can give you greater flexibility when making travel plans and not having to worry about exclusions. That said, these add-ons generally only provide partial reimbursement for trips canceled last-minute for a reason not covered in the comprehensive policy.

No one wants to think about needing health insurance while enjoying international travel, but the reality is you’re actually more likely to get sick while traveling due to exposure to new things, more interaction with people in close proximity and a weakened immune system^[2]. If you’re in the U.S., your primary insurance plan or Medicare will be little help in the way of travel protection if you’re leaving the country.

Travel medical coverage can support your health care needs while abroad and even cover family members who are traveling with you. Expats or those undertaking frequent business travel can look into medical insurance policies intended for longterm travelers.

Emergency medical assistance coverage can help you if you have a medical emergency while traveling. There are also coverages if you need emergency evacuation for a covered reason, whether that’s needing medical care or related to a natural disaster or terrorism. Medical evacuation could include bringing you to the nearest hospital or even flying you home.

This one is more for your family and loved ones to worry about, but in the unfortunate event you don’t make it home from your trip, if you have accidental death and dismemberment as part of your trip insurance, your beneficiaries can receive a lump sum payment from the insurance provider. You may also be entitled to payment if you lose a hand, foot, limb etc. as outlined in your policy.

There is data that shows car accidents are more common during holidays^[3]. And it makes sense that might be more likely to get into a crash when you’re on unfamiliar roads and aren’t confident about where you’re going. You may purchase a rental car insurance policy when you rent your car, but it’s also worth checking if your normal car insurance will cover rental car damage. You will still need to pay your deductible if filing a claim through your car insurance.

Can I get travel insurance through my credit card?

Travel protection is one of the more common perks that credit card companies offer (another one being rental car insurance). While the details and rules of each policy vary based on the card itself, broadly speaking there are three main types of trip protection available: interruption, delay, and cancellation. To be eligible for any card’s benefits, however, you must have purchased your trip with that credit card.

Interruption coverage protects you if your travel is delayed or canceled while you’re already traveling. Say you’re trying to get to Dubrovnik from New York City, and your connecting flight out of Dusseldorf is canceled. Your credit card might reimburse you for related expenses like train tickets to get you to your destination (though we hope for your sake you don’t have to train from Germany to Croatia!). 

Delay coverage may sound a lot like interruption protection, but it actually provides a different sort of assistance: trip delay will reimburse you for reasonable purchases made while you’re delayed. If your flight out of O’Hare is delayed by a giant snow storm, your credit card might cover things like extra baby diapers, a night in a hotel, or a gourmet airport meal. Just remember to keep all your receipts!

Finally, cancellation insurance: this protects you if your entire trip is canceled before you even leave. A cancellation only qualifies if it's something out of your control — a force majeure, if you will — like severe weather, jury duty or an illness. 

Of course, you can always buy more conventional travel insurance from a third-party. There’s a whole ecosystem of travel insurance products out there, with a lot of great options. More on that below!

Getting a travel insurance policy

If you want peace of mind about any of the above, it’s easy to get a travel insurance policy that has the coverages and protections you want.

The first thing to do is determine what protections you may already have. Some credit cards offer trip cancellation coverage, as mentioned above, if you booked with that card. And some home and rental insurance policies will cover your belongings when traveling. And, as mentioned, your car insurance may potentially cover you in a rental.

Once you know what you have, you can see about choosing a policy that covers what you don’t. You can research the best travel insurance policies on travel insurance comparison sites (similar to what The Zebra does for home and auto). You will also often find offers for travel insurance embedded in the process of booking a flight or hotel from a travel website. The key is to really dig into the fine print of what is covered in these policies.

We hope none of the above scenarios happen to you on your next vacation, but it’s always a good idea to be prepared.