Do You Really Need Travel Insurance? What It Covers

Travel insurance is easy to skip — until a cancelled trip, a lost bag or a medical bill abroad reminds you why it exists. Here's what it's for.

Medical cover abroad

This is the big one. Healthcare abroad can be extremely expensive, and travel insurance covers emergency treatment and, if needed, repatriation home. A single serious incident can cost far more than a lifetime of premiums.

Cancellation and disruption

If illness, bereavement or another covered reason forces you to cancel, insurance can reimburse non-refundable costs. It can also help with major delays and missed departures.

Lost, stolen or delayed baggage

Cover for your belongings — and for essentials if your bag is delayed — takes the sting out of a common travel headache.

Pro tip: Buy insurance when you book, not just before you fly. That way you're covered for cancellations in the run-up to the trip, too.

Read the details

Check the medical limits, the excess, and whether your activities and any pre-existing conditions are covered. Declaring conditions honestly is essential for a valid claim.

The bottom line

For the cost of a meal out, travel insurance protects you against the rare but very expensive things that can go wrong. On any trip you couldn't easily absorb the cost of, it's worth having.