Travel insurance

Start with the risks in your trip

Travel insurance can combine several kinds of protection, including cancellation, interruption, delay, baggage and emergency medical costs. The useful mix depends on your destination, the money you could lose and the coverage you already have.

List the prepaid costs you cannot recover from the airline, hotel or tour company. Then check your health insurance and any card benefits. Ask for their conditions rather than assuming they cover the whole trip.

Cancellation is not the same as canceling for any reason

Standard trip cancellation coverage pays only when the reason meets the policy terms. A change of mind is not automatically covered. Interruption coverage addresses eligible losses when a trip is cut short after it begins.

A cancel-for-any-reason option, when available, usually costs extra and reimburses only part of eligible costs. Purchase deadlines and how far in advance you must cancel can matter. Ask the provider to explain the exact conditions before adding it.

Check medical treatment and emergency transport

Before traveling abroad, ask your health insurer what it pays outside the US. Review travel medical coverage, deductibles and payment limits, and whether you must pay a hospital first. Emergency medical evacuation and transport home are separate details worth checking.

Ask who arranges an evacuation and what approval is required. Keep the assistance number accessible offline, together with your policy number. If you are traveling with someone, make sure they can find those details too.

Look closely at exclusions and timing

• How are pre-existing medical conditions defined?
• Is a waiver available, and what purchase deadline and eligibility rules apply?
• Are all destinations, travelers and travel dates covered?
• Are cruises, sports or planned activities included?
• How does the policy treat an event already known when you buy?
• What documents are required for a cancellation or medical claim?

Keep your deposit and booking dates handy. Some optional protections depend on when you first paid for the trip, rather than just the departure date.

Baggage and delay benefits have limits

Ask how long a delay must last before a benefit applies and what expenses qualify. Check per-item limits and restrictions on valuables before relying on baggage protection for expensive possessions.

If you need to make a claim, keep receipts and request written confirmation of delays or lost baggage from the carrier. Ask the insurer what evidence it needs and the deadline for submitting it. A phone photo of the paperwork can be a useful backup while you travel.

Compare the whole trip, not just the headline price

Use the same dates, destination, traveler details and nonrefundable cost for every quote. Check whether a single-trip or annual policy suits your plans, including any maximum length for each trip.

Before accepting, read the policy’s benefits table and exclusions, find the claims and assistance contacts, and check any review or cancellation period. If your plans change, ask whether you need to update the policy. For existing cover that may overlap, keep the relevant documents together so you know which company to contact.