Travel Insurance Review

as-seen-on-header

  • Home
  • Compare Plans
  • Beginner’s Guide
  • Reviews
    • Allianz
    • CSA
    • HTH Worldwide
    • MH Ross
    • Seven Corners
    • Travel Guard
    • Travel Insured
    • Travelex
    • TravelSafe
    • See All Companies
  • Plans
    • Package/Trip
    • Travel Medical
    • Evacuation
    • Flight Accident
    • See All Plan Types
  • Coverage
  • Tips & Advice
  • About
You are here: Home > Beginner's Guide > What does travel insurance cover?

What does travel insurance cover?

Update: You can now download this entire guide as a convenient PDF. Click Here to get the Free PDF

Travel Insurance Guide Part 2: What does travel insurance cover?So, what does travel insurance cover?

Here’s the very short answer:

Travel insurance covers cancellations, medical expenses, evacuations, loss or delays, and 24/7 assistance.

These are the 5 basic types of coverage provided with vacation insurance. This page outlines the general coverage provided, and our full guide to coverage can be found here.

1. Cancelled Trips

This is the #1 concern with most travelers.

Plane tickets, cruise fare, tour packages, hotel rooms, charter fishing boats, golf greens fees.

You invest money when planning a trip. If these expenses are pre-paid and non-refundable, you risk losing it if something goes wrong.

Trip Cancellation Coverage reimburses you for pre-paid, non-refundable expenses if you need to cancel your trip before you depart.

Insurance companies provide a list of covered reasons for trip cancellation, an overview of typical covered reasons is below.

Covered reasons to cancel your trip:

  • Sickness, injury, or death of you, a family member, or a traveling companion
  • Hurricane damages your destination or cancels your flight
  • Laid off from work or required to work
  • Terrorist incident in your destination city
  • Bankruptcy of your travel supplier
  • Called for jury duty

This is only a partial list, but you can see it covers very common situations for cancelling.

The most common reason is the first one…someone getting sick or a family member passing away.

Trip Interruption Coverage is similar to cancellation coverage, but covers you while you are on your trip for the same list of covered reasons.

If something happens and you are required to return home, insurance will reimburse you for the lost portion of your trip…as well as any additional expenses for the last-minute flight home.

2. Medical emergencies abroad

This is crucial, and often overlooked.

Most people think they are covered for medical emergencies if they already have existing health care insurance. Within the United States, that will be true.

Outside the U.S., however, is a big IF. Most do not provide coverage, and Medicare never covers you abroad.

Would you feel comfortable having a family member risk inadequate medical care in a foreign country?

For cruises, your health insurance from home may not cover you if you’re traveling on a foreign-flagged ship (which includes most cruise ships).

Medical Expense Coverage will cover you for accidents and emergency medical and dental care when you travel abroad.

Even if you are covered for basic emergency care overseas (again, a big IF), your current health insurance provider will almost certainly NOT pay to evacuate you and repatriate you back to the U.S.

3. Emergency evacuations

Emergency Evacuation Coverage will pay for emergency evacuation expenses such as airlifts and medically equipped flights back home, and oftentimes will transport you to the hospital of your choice for care.

Evacuation expenses can be devastating.

An ambulance to the hospital, an airlift to a more adequate hospital, getting you back home on board a medically-staffed flight afterwards…evacuation expenses can easily cost $50,000.

4. Lost bags, delayed bags, delayed flights

These coverage are for the “smaller things” that are nice to have. Again, the list is not complete but it will give you an idea of some additional coverages.

Baggage Coverage can reimburse you for your personal belongings if your luggage is lost, stolen or damaged.

Baggage Delay Coverage provides money to buy essential items until your delayed bags arrive, such as a toiletry kit, a swimsuit, or another change of clothes.

Travel Delay Coverage provides reimbursement for additional expenses if your flight is delayed, such as an extra night in a hotel or a meal at a restaurant.

5. Phone assistance 24/7 worldwide

This is about having a ‘lifeline’ to call when something happens.

Medical emergencies, stolen baggage, lost passports, cancelled flights. Every travel insurance company provides 24/7 support for all of these needs.

This service is most important when you have a medical issue.

24/7 Travel Assistance Services can help you:

  • Locate the nearest adequate hospital if needed
  • Organize medical transportation
  • Arrange for treatment and overcome any language barriers
  • Organize transportation home
  • Replace prescriptions in an emergency

In addition, non-medical assistance may include:

  • Lost baggage search; stolen luggage replacement assistance
  • Lost passport/travel documents assistance
  • Travel information including visa/passport requirements
  • Emergency telephone interpretation assistance

Additional coverage with travel insurance

Travel insurance can also provides coverage for:

Life Insurance coverage for accidental death or dismemberment.

Hazardous Sports extends the medical coverage to cover activities like SCUBA.

Rental Car Collision replaces your personal insurance or the rental company policy.

Identity Theft provides services to help in the event of identity theft while traveling.

Travel insurance covers cancellations, medical expenses, evacuations, losses or delays, and 24/7 assistance

You can use our comparison tool to get quotes and compare vacation plans.

Next in the series:
Coming up we will look at the Two Most Popular Types of Travel Insurance, where you’ll discover the type of plan that accounts for 96% of travel insurance plans.

Go back to the Travel Insurance 101 series.

How to save money and find the best travel insurance

Use a comparison tool to get quotes for all plans, easily compare, and buy online

  1. 1. Click the big orange button below: This will take you to the comparison tool
  2. 2. Enter your trip details: Dates, travelers, cost, etc...then click the Quote Now button
  3. 3. Use the tools to narrow your choice: Use the Filtering and Compare features to pick a plan
  4. 4. Buy online: After selecting a plan, use a credit card to securely enroll online
  5. 5. Rest assured: Instant confirmation of coverage and 10 Money Back guarantee


Insure your trip nowInstant quotes, compare top plans, enroll securely How it works


Insure your trip nowInstant quotes, compare top plans, enroll securely How it works

About this website

Damian Tysdal Profile PhotoMy name is Damian, and I started this website in 2006 to help travelers understand travel insurance.

The site features company reviews, guides, articles, and many blog posts to help you better understand travel insurance and pick the right plan for your trip (assuming you actually need travel insurance).

I am also a licensed travel insurance agent, and you can get a quote and purchase through this site as well.

The Beginner’s Guide to Travel Insurance

  • Examples of "Real Life" Travel Risks
  • What does travel insurance cover?
  • The 2 Most Popular Types of Travel Insurance
  • How to select a plan based on your needs
  • Five “Loopholes” and How to Avoid Them
  • Top 10 Travel Insurance FAQs
  • 4 Steps After You Purchase Travel Insurance
  • How to Get Quotes and Compare Plans
 Travel Insurance Review, Inc. BBB Business Review


ABOUT TRUST ONLINE
ustia

Popular Companies

  • Allianz Insurance
  • CSA Travel Insurance
  • Seven Corners Insurance
  • Travel Guard Insurance
  • Travel Insured
  • Travelex Insurance
  • TravelSafe Insurance

Learn about Travel Insurance

  • Beginner’s Guide
  • Coverage Guide
  • Tips and Advice
  • Company Reviews
  • Types of Plans
  • Types of Trips

Blog Article Categories

  • Learning
  • Types of Plans
  • Types of Trips
  • Coverage
  • General
  • In The News

Copyright (c) 2006-2017 Travel Insurance Review Inc. | XML Site Map
Information on this Web site is provided for information purposes only. Any information obtained from this Web site should be reviewed with your Policy Certificate. Travel Insurance Review Inc. is not responsible for errors or consequences arising from your use of this information.