Last Updated on September 7, 2026
There is no greater controversy in the travel sphere than the topic of insurance.
To buy it or not to buy it is the age old question, which has answers in two categories: it’s a complete waste of money or you should never travel without it.
The lack of clarity leads to much confusion about whether or not a traveler should get covered for their trip, but the truth is, if we could all have it our way, we’d get to spend that money on another round at the locale and not for such a boring, unsexy travel expense.
But food poisoning happens. Motorbike accidents happen. As do many other incidents abroad, and you want to be covered for when they do.
I used to travel without insurance, and now I’ll never go anywhere without it. Here’s what I’ve learned in the last ten years of traveling and why you should never go without travel insurance.
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Do you actually need travel insurance?
Yes — No matter how much of a budget traveler you are, travel insurance is the very first thing you purchase for any upcoming trip or lengthy time abroad.
On my first solo trip to Bali I didn’t think I would need insurance, and on that same trip I got into a scooter accident and was without medical coverage. I learned very fast about what can happen if you travel without it.
I always like to err on the side of optimism when it comes to my safety abroad, but there is always a risk, and in the event that something happens to you, you’ll want to be covered.
It’s always better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
What does travel insurance cover?
It depends on the insurance provider, but in general companies cover medical treatment and hospitalization, lost checked luggage, injuries from activities and sports, motor accidents, trip interruptions, travel delays, evacuation from local unrest, and accidental death.
Most companies divide coverage into a basic and premium plan. The basic includes everything above, and the premium plans are a little bit more expensive, but offer more robust things like specialist visits, routine check-ups, and cancel-for-any-reason coverage.
What happens is a lot of people don’t read the fine print when they choose insurance and think that all the policies have a blanket coverage. Make sure you read the full policy documents before you buy.
Medical Expenses and Emergency Evacuation
These two things are the most important coverage areas in a travel insurance policy, and are the main reasons why I never travel without insurance.
If you get injured or experience sickness abroad (even something as mild as food poisoning), you can be covered and reimbursed for those medical bills.
Also in the event that you have a major accident and either need to be evacuated or taken to the nearest adequate hospital, you won’t have to pay out-of-pocket.
Broken limbs happen, motorbike accidents happen, as does death, and many travelers don’t get insurance because they don’t believe these things can or will happen to them, but anything can happen at anytime. Make sure you’re covered for them.
Trip Cancellation, Interruption and Delays
The next most important coverage is anything involving the money side of travel.
Cancellation coverage reimburses your prepaid or non-refundable costs if you have to cancel for a covered reason.
Trip interruption covers you if you have to cut a trip short and delay coverage covers extra costs like meals and a night at a hotel if your plane was delayed long enough for it to matter.
Most policies only pay out for specific reasons, so double check those and if you want more flexibility with your plans, look for “cancel for any reason coverage”.
Baggage, Gear and Personal Belongings
Your luggage and belongings are covered if they’re lost, stolen, or damaged in transit, plus you can be reimbursed for essentials if your bag is significantly delayed.
This part of the coverage doesn’t include expensive tech like your phone, camera gear, laptops, and headphones. Some policies allow you to add-on this coverage to a basic policy, but most of the time it’s only for theft, and not if anything gets damaged.
If you want to be fully covered for theft or damage of your most expensive travel gear, you usually need to get additional coverage with another tech-specific insurance provider.
Adventure Sports and Activities
Adventures abroad are divided into two categories: low-risk and high-risk.
Low risk activities are most likely covered in base insurance policies. It includes hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, skiing, and free diving.
High-risk activities require a more premium policy, or as added coverage to an existing plan. Base jumping, cliff jumping, and whitewater rafting are all things that aren’t covered by a basic insurance plan.
Every policy is different, so make sure you compare the list of covered activities in the policy with what you have planned for your trip to know if you need additional coverage.
What travel insurance doesn’t cover
Incidents involving any of these situations will usually not be covered by travel insurance:
Traveling against government advice: Search “travel advisory for x citizens” to find official statements from your government. U.S. citizens, check here for all current travel advisories.
Pre-existing medical conditions: Things like diabetes, asthma, autoimmune issues, or cancer.
Lost or stolen items (due to your own negligence): If you left your luggage unattended at the airport or a cafe, it won’t be covered. You will need to prove to the insurance company you took reasonable caution before you submit a claim.
Unapproved activities: Usually things like paragliding, climbing, and other sport-related activities. Make sure your plan covers all tours and things you plan on doing.
Additionally, any incidents involving drugs and alcohol, mental health issues, unapproved trip changes (ex. you cancel your trip because you changed your mind), pandemics and known events, or illegal activities will not be covered by travel insurance.
Always double-check your coverage plan so you know what is and isn’t covered.
How much does travel insurance cost?
Travel insurance can cost less than $3 per day, which makes it accessible to all travelers regardless of your budget.
Every company quotes differently. Safety Wing offers a blanket policy where you’re covered in over 180 countries, whereas companies like World Nomads quote you based on where you’re traveling to and a few other factors.
Since I am traveling long term, I pay for Safety Wing’s Nomad Essential Insurance, which costs $62.72 every 4 weeks, which comes out to $2.24 per day.
But you don’t have to pay monthly and can choose specific travel dates you need coverage for. Get a quote for your trip using the box below:
When should you buy travel insurance?
The best time to buy travel insurance is before making your first payment towards the trip like a hostel deposit or flight booking.
Most travel insurance policies have a time sensitive window, anywhere from 7-21 days from that first payment, that gets you additional benefits for pre-existing conditions and certain cancellation benefits.
You’re still covered if you get insurance after that window, but you won’t have those extra benefits if something happens.
Another thing travelers miss is making sure their policy covers the days you leave and return to your home country, not just the days you’re at your destination.
A friend of mine sprained her ankle on a trip to Thailand, and found out after she filed a claim that because she started her policy the day she landed in the country and not the day she left the U.S., she wasn’t covered.
The time I traveled without insurance (when I really needed it)
I was 18.
Surely I was invincible, wasn’t I?
That’s what I thought when I booked my first solo trip abroad to Bali without insurance… and then I got in a scooter accident.
It was the classic case of first-time drivers in Southeast Asia, and I ended up with the infamous “Bali kiss” a gnarly burn that took up a sizable portion of my calf.
Had I been covered by insurance, I wouldn’t have paid a dime in hospital bills, but instead I had to pay out-of-pocket for antibiotics and other medication.
Compared to getting medical care in the U.S., getting help abroad can be quite affordable in some instances, but costs add up and depending on the country, can cost more than what you pay for insurance.
My visit to the hospital to clean and dress my burns, and for proper medication, cost me over $100. I would have been reimbursed for every dollar of it had I covered my ass.
Now, you’ll never catch me traveling uninsured.
The travel insurance company I use
Ever since I moved to Switzerland, I’ve been using Safety Wing, specifically their Nomad Essential Plan.
My main concern with travel insurance is having medical coverage more than getting reimbursed for lost luggage and trip cancellations because my travel credit cards cover those hiccups for me.
The Essential Plan covers hospital stays, ambulance rides, emergency dental, evacuation, injuries from sports and activities, and motor incidents. It gives me everything I need to feel comfortable and covered when I am solo traveling.
There are two ways to go about the coverage, monthly and for specific trip dates. I pay monthly, but if you have a singular trip you’d like coverage for, you can pay a lower rate.
If you want to get a quote for what travel insurance would cost with Safety Wing for your trip, use the box below, and safe travels!
How to choose the right insurance policy
Everyone uses travel insurance for different things, so the right policy will depend on your trip and your coverage needs, but these are some questions that make choosing the right plan easier.
Does it cover all the activities I plan on doing? Sports related activities like snorkeling and hiking are usually included in most basic insurance policies, but anything considered high risk needs additional coverage.
High-risk activities like scuba diving, motorbiking, and kitesurfing, require more coverage, so when you’re choosing your policy, check the activities covered with what you have planned for your trip.
What is the medical and evacuation coverage limit? This matters most in case something goes very wrong. Emergency evacuation alone can cost at least $50,000 depending on where you are, so make sure your policy covers at least six-figures worth.
Is ‘cancel for any reason’ included? Standard cancellation coverage only pays out for specific listed reasons (illness, death in the family, etc.). CFAR coverage costs more and usually has to be added within a short window of booking, but it’s the only type that covers you if you simply change your mind.
Does it cover your destination? If a country is deemed high-risk and your government has a travel advisory against it, some policies will exclude those regions or countries entirely from coverage. Always check the insurance’s list of countries they actively cover.
Is there a waiting period for pre-existing conditions? If you have any ongoing health condition like diabetes, most providers require the insurance policy to be purchased within a short window of your trip deposit in order for you to have coverage.
What’s excluded? Read the list of what your policy doesn’t cover before, and not after, booking.
How to file a claim/what’s required? Always be aware of what exactly you need in order to file a claim and for that claim to be approved. There’s always a fine print. For example, if you have something stolen, you have to submit a written report to the police within 24 hours of the incident, otherwise you will not be covered.
FAQs About Travel Insurance
I would hope you didn’t need more convincing, but in case you do, here’s what other travelers are asking before they commit to a policy.
What are the disadvantages of travel insurance?
Only two things: the cost and the possibility you never end up using the insurance. It’s worth the trade-off for travelers, though, as they’re always covered in case something happens.
What happens if I don’t buy travel insurance?
You assume all risk and financial responsibility for accidents, luggage loss, flight cancellations abroad.
Many travelers only think about the big things that could happen like broken limbs or death, but insurance can cover even the smallest things, like getting food poisoning and needing hospitalization for it, which isn’t uncommon.
Do I need it if I already have health insurance?
Yes — most U.S. insurance providers do not cover medical or emergency care received overseas.
Can you buy travel insurance after booking your trip?
Yes — it’s best to purchase insurance within 7-21 days of your first booking for your trip to maximize benefits. You can still buy it up to a day before you leave, and even when you’re already on the trip, but you may lose certain coverages.
Does travel insurance cover pregnancy?
Travel insurance can typically cover pregnancy-related trip cancellations and complications, but normal pregnancy care is generally excluded.
It’s always best to read the details of coverage plans and double check with the providers about what pregnancy care is and isn’t covered. It varies by company and some stop coverage after a certain number of weeks.
Can you extend coverage while traveling?
Yes, most travel insurance companies allow you to extend your policy if you need to extend your trip for any reason. Just make sure you extend it before the original policy expires.
More guides for planning your adventures
Tips For Traveling on a Budget
Safety Tips For Solo Female Travelers
