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Illness or injury can ruin a vacation. And it’s even worse if you’re far from home. If you require airlift transportation for immediate medical care during your trip, a comprehensive travel insurance plan with emergency medical evacuation benefits can help cover the cost.

Here’s how medical evacuation travel insurance works and why it can be an essential part of a solid travel insurance plan.

What Does Medical Evacuation Insurance Cover?

Here’s what medical evacuation insurance typically encompasses.

Emergency transportation

Medical evacuation insurance can pay for the cost of emergency transportation to the nearest adequate treatment center if you become seriously ill or injured while traveling and require immediate care. It can also pay for you to be transported back to the U.S. if medically necessary.

Or, if you’ve been treated but you need to fly back to the U.S. for further treatment or to recover, it can pay for the flight home.

A medical escort on your return home

If you require specialized care for the flight home, like a medical professional who can administer intravenous antibiotics or oxygen during your flight, medical evacuation insurance can pay for associated costs for medical escort services.

The cost for a friend or family member to travel to you

If you’re hospitalized during your trip following an illness or injury that is covered by your policy, your medical evacuation travel insurance can pay for a round-trip flight for a friend or family member to come stay with you. This benefit usually has a minimum hospital-stay requirement. For example, if you’re told you’ll be hospitalized for seven days or more, your benefits might apply.

Costs for a bedside companion

Some medical evacuation benefits include compensation for hotel stays, meals and other reasonable costs your traveling companion has while staying near you.

The cost for your children to fly home

If you’re hospitalized during your trip and traveling with your children, your travel insurance company can arrange for your children to fly home or to another U.S.-based location. Your benefits can compensate for the cost, minus any refunds for unused plane tickets. This benefit also usually has a minimum number of days for hospitalization you must meet to file a claim.

Repatriation of remains

If you or a traveling companion die during your trip, the cost of transporting remains home can be covered by repatriation benefits included in your evacuation coverage.

When Do You Need Medical Evacuation Insurance?

Medical evacuation benefits help if you become seriously ill or suffer a severe injury during your trip and there are no local hospitals with the resources to treat your condition.

For example, if you suffer a serious injury in a car accident in China, your travel insurance company can arrange for medevac services to the nearest hospital equipped to care for you, which can be elsewhere in China, another country or even back in the U.S.

Your travel insurance company will work as a liaison to arrange the transportation on your behalf, which can come in handy during a medical crisis in a foreign country.

The travel medical insurance in a travel insurance plan can pay for doctor and hospital bills, X-rays, lab work, medicine and other associated expenses, up to your medical coverage limit. Evacuation insurance and travel medical insurance have separate coverage limits. For example, a generous travel insurance plan might have up to $500,000 for medical expenses and up to $1 million for evacuation.

When you’re well enough to travel, your travel insurance company can pay for your flight home.

Do You Need Both Medical Evacuation and Travel Medical Insurance?

It’s prudent to have both medical evacuation travel insurance and travel medical insurance when traveling abroad.

“If you’re not prepared to pay all your medical bills out of pocket, this is a crucial reason to buy travel insurance that includes emergency medical coverage and transportation benefits,” says Durazo at Allianz.

If you are traveling outside the U.S., it’s often essential that you have travel medical expense insurance because your domestic health insurance plan may have little or no international coverage. Check with your health insurance company to see if your plan has global coverage and whether it’s considered “out of network.” Also, senior travelers should know that Medicare isn’t accepted abroad.

How to Get Approval to Use Medical Evacuation Insurance

After a medical emergency during a trip, the first call should be to the local emergency services. Then, you or your companion or tour guide should call your travel insurance company’s emergency hotline or customer service number.

“The assistance team, which includes emergency room physicians and travel experts, reviews the case and contacts your physician to discuss your treatment, help manage your care and determine if emergency medical transport is necessary,” says Durazo.

To use medical evacuation insurance, you usually must have an emergency evacuation ordered by the onsite, attending physician who certifies that the severity of your accidental injury or illness warrants the move.

Ideally, your travel insurance company would help coordinate the medevac and the move, and sign-off on it in advance. If that’s not possible, your travel insurance company should be notified as soon as possible.

If you require emergency medical transportation, your options may include an air ambulance or a commercial airline.

How Will You Be Transported?

While you may think an air ambulance is your only choice, Durazo says working with a commercial carrier is typically a better experience for the patient and their companions for several reasons:

• Most air ambulances are small aircraft that can only fly for four to six hours at a time, requiring frequent landings to refuel. They may accommodate only the patient, nurse and one guest in very tight quarters, often without a bathroom and with minimal luggage storage space, he says.
• Commercial carriers offer more options, including direct flights, better overall flight quality and room for multiple members of accompanying medical staff and travel companions.
• Patients may travel in either first or business class, where they can lay flat if medically necessary.

Your Travel Insurance Company’s 24/7 Assistance Line Can Help

Travel insurance companies generally have a staff of physicians, interpreters and travel experts available to help you around the clock. You can contact your travel insurance company by calling the dedicated 24/7 travel assistance hotline or using its app, if one is available, to reach the care team.

“The assistance team can help coordinate care with the doctors treating you in your destination, as well as help you get to a high-quality medical facility with appropriate treatment options—all to ensure the best medical care possible,” explains Durazo.

In addition to arranging emergency medical transportation, Durazo says these teams usually offer aid throughout the treatment. For instance, the staff at Allianz Global Assistance will stay in touch with doctors to review daily medical reports and relay updates to family members, provide interpretation services if needed and help guarantee payment to the treatment center and handle billing.

Do You Need Evacuation Insurance for Trips Within the U.S?

There are some instances when medical evacuation travel insurance can be a smart choice even when traveling within the U.S, says Durazo.

For example, if you are doing a dude ranch trip or taking an adventure-oriented trip in a remote area, it’s wise to have evacuation coverage. If you’re injured, your health plan should cover your transportation to a hospital and your medical care once you’re there, but it likely won’t pay for a flight home requiring medical equipment and a medical escort. Additionally, you’ll be responsible for copays and deductibles that come with your health insurance coverage.

On the other hand, let’s say you’re visiting a college friend in Chicago and plan to shop and visit museums in the Windy City. You probably won’t need emergency evacuation coverage in that case.

How Much Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance Do I Need?

Limits for emergency medical evacuation insurance vary by company and plan. The most generous travel insurance plans provide $1 million in medical evacuation coverage per person. For example, the Platinum plan from AXA Assistance USA and the OneTripPremier Plan from Allianz include up to $1 million in medical evacuation coverage.

However, you can find plans with lower coverage amounts. For instance, the Silver plan from AXA Assistance USA provides $100,000 for emergency evacuation, and the OneTrip Basic Plan from Allianz provides $50,000 in emergency medical transportation benefits.

Most travel insurance plans offer a 14- or 15-day “free look” period during which you can review your policy. “If you then decide during the free look period that the product doesn’t meet your needs, you can purchase a new product with more or less coverage or cancel the policy for a full refund,” says Durazo.

How Do You Buy Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance?

You can buy medical evacuation travel insurance as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan or a stand-alone travel medical plan.

Travel medical insurance and emergency medical transportation insurance are often purchased as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan that also includes trip cancellation insurance, travel delay insurance, trip interruption insurance and baggage insurance.

However, says Durazo, if you’re not concerned with trip cancellation, you can find plans covering just medical-related trip issues. For example, Allianz offers the OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan, which provides up to $50,000 in medical expense coverage and $250,000 in emergency evacuation benefits.

Check for This Fine Print

Details of coverage vary by plan and travel insurance company, so be sure to review the following details.

Hospital-stay requirements

Benefits for your children’s flight home and for someone to be flown in to visit you are generally for extended hospitalizations. For instance, this may need to be seven days or more. That means if you’re in the hospital for four days, these benefits may not apply.

Hospital of choice

Most medical evacuation insurance plans stipulate that you are flown to the nearest adequate facility for treatment. If you need further care after that, some plans have add-on coverage that allows you to choose the hospital you go to next. For example, the AIG Travel Guard Deluxe plan allows you to request transportation to the hospital of your choice for further care, recovery or treatment after you’re stabilized.

Also, hospital choice benefits usually don’t apply to nursing homes or rehabilitation centers. Be sure to ask your travel insurance company if “hospital of choice” is offered and how it works.

Extreme sports exclusions

Some travel insurance plans exclude injuries resulting from extreme sports or adventure activities from medical and evacuation benefits. You can sometimes add a rider to get coverage, or look for a plan that covers your specific activities.

Emergency Medical Transportation and Covid

With many countries still high-risk for Covid, or designated as Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the importance of emergency medical transport insurance is even more valuable.

Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison provider, recommends a minimum of $100,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage, to account for Covid-19-related evacuation expenses. Make sure the plan will cover Covid-related claims.

If you’re heading to a remote destination, where it may be more expensive or difficult to reach a medical facility, Squaremouth recommends $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage.

See our ratings of the best pandemic travel insurance plans.

Other Medevac Options

Companies like Medjet and Global Rescue can be a good fit for those who want to be flown directly back to the U.S. after a medical emergency rather than to the nearest hospital equipped to treat you, as mandated in travel insurance plans.

These types of companies are also worth serious consideration if you are participating in extreme sports during your vacation or you have pre-existing medical conditions.

Medjet

Medjet provides private or commercial medevac or air ambulance transportation from a hospital anywhere in the world to the hospital of your choice in your home country. In order to use Medjet services, you must buy a membership before your trip. And you must be traveling at least 150 miles from home. Medical and legal specialists are on staff to assist you.

The company offers a variety of membership plans for domestic and international travel, college students, business travelers and more. Plans for short-term vacations of eight, 15, 21 and 30 days start at $99 for an individual and $199 for a family.

Medjet also offers a plan that adds on security help and crisis response.

Global Rescue

Global Rescue is a provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. An individual annual membership is $349.

One benefit of Global Rescue is that you can be airlifted from where you had your accident or injury.

“If you have a minor injury or illness, you can call Global Rescue and speak to an on-staff medical expert who will help sort out the dos and don’ts based on your unique situation and symptoms,” says Dan Richards, chief executive officer of Global Rescue.

For major injury or illness, including Covid, Global Rescue assesses the circumstances and arranges for field rescue medical evacuation or repatriation, says Richards.

“If the case is complicated, we may deploy to the member’s bedside to make sure they’re getting the care they need to get stable enough for transport,” he says.

Global Rescue also provides emergency evacuation for non-medical emergencies. With a security upgrade, Global Rescue provides advisory and evacuation services for unpredicted natural disasters, civil unrest, acts of terrorism and government-ordered evacuations.

“Global Rescue’s services extend to wherever the individual is, and the personnel who respond are among the most highly trained paramedics, nurses, doctors and military special operations veterans available. We don’t just take the phone call; we dispatch our personnel to the site of the crisis and use all available means to get them to safety and the care they need,” says Richards.

More About Services Like Medjet and Global Rescue

You might want to buy Medjet or Global Rescue memberships as supplemental coverage to a travel insurance plan if you frequently travel to remote locations.

With Medjet and Global Rescue, there is no cap on the coverage for transportation as there is with travel insurance. You just pay the membership fee.

“If a member gets sick or injured while skiing in the backcountry, paragliding, rock climbing or anything else, our services are in force,” Richards says.

Another advantage of services like Medjet and Global Rescue is that you won’t have to file a reimbursement claim for evacuation services. Your membership is your access to coverage.

You can also be airlifted directly from the location of your emergency with Global Rescue services. “We will rescue you from the point of injury or illness (field rescue) and get you to a medical facility where you can get diagnosed and treated,” says Richards.

However, Medjet and Global Rescue aren’t travel insurance companies, so you won’t find coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellation, interruptions, delays or baggage.

Illness or injury can ruin a vacation. And it’s even worse if you’re far from home. If you require airlift transportation for immediate medical care during your trip, a comprehensive travel insurance plan with emergency medical evacuation benefits can help cover the cost.

Here’s how medical evacuation travel insurance works and why it can be an essential part of a solid travel insurance plan.

What Does Medical Evacuation Insurance Cover?

Here’s what medical evacuation insurance typically encompasses.

Emergency transportation

Medical evacuation insurance can pay for the cost of emergency transportation to the nearest adequate treatment center if you become seriously ill or injured while traveling and require immediate care. It can also pay for you to be transported back to the U.S. if medically necessary.

Or, if you’ve been treated but you need to fly back to the U.S. for further treatment or to recover, it can pay for the flight home.

A medical escort on your return home

If you require specialized care for the flight home, like a medical professional who can administer intravenous antibiotics or oxygen during your flight, medical evacuation insurance can pay for associated costs for medical escort services.

The cost for a friend or family member to travel to you

If you’re hospitalized during your trip following an illness or injury that is covered by your policy, your medical evacuation travel insurance can pay for a round-trip flight for a friend or family member to come stay with you. This benefit usually has a minimum hospital-stay requirement. For example, if you’re told you’ll be hospitalized for seven days or more, your benefits might apply.

Costs for a bedside companion

Some medical evacuation benefits include compensation for hotel stays, meals and other reasonable costs your traveling companion has while staying near you.

The cost for your children to fly home

If you’re hospitalized during your trip and traveling with your children, your travel insurance company can arrange for your children to fly home or to another U.S.-based location. Your benefits can compensate for the cost, minus any refunds for unused plane tickets. This benefit also usually has a minimum number of days for hospitalization you must meet to file a claim.

Repatriation of remains

If you or a traveling companion die during your trip, the cost of transporting remains home can be covered by repatriation benefits included in your evacuation coverage.

When Do You Need Medical Evacuation Insurance?

Medical evacuation benefits help if you become seriously ill or suffer a severe injury during your trip and there are no local hospitals with the resources to treat your condition.

For example, if you suffer a serious injury in a car accident in China, your travel insurance company can arrange for medevac services to the nearest hospital equipped to care for you, which can be elsewhere in China, another country or even back in the U.S.

Your travel insurance company will work as a liaison to arrange the transportation on your behalf, which can come in handy during a medical crisis in a foreign country.

The travel medical insurance in a travel insurance plan can pay for doctor and hospital bills, X-rays, lab work, medicine and other associated expenses, up to your medical coverage limit. Evacuation insurance and travel medical insurance have separate coverage limits. For example, a generous travel insurance plan might have up to $500,000 for medical expenses and up to $1 million for evacuation.

When you’re well enough to travel, your travel insurance company can pay for your flight home.

Do You Need Both Medical Evacuation and Travel Medical Insurance?

It’s prudent to have both medical evacuation travel insurance and travel medical insurance when traveling abroad.

“If you’re not prepared to pay all your medical bills out of pocket, this is a crucial reason to buy travel insurance that includes emergency medical coverage and transportation benefits,” says Durazo at Allianz.

If you are traveling outside the U.S., it’s often essential that you have travel medical expense insurance because your domestic health insurance plan may have little or no international coverage. Check with your health insurance company to see if your plan has global coverage and whether it’s considered “out of network.” Also, senior travelers should know that Medicare isn’t accepted abroad.

How to Get Approval to Use Medical Evacuation Insurance

After a medical emergency during a trip, the first call should be to the local emergency services. Then, you or your companion or tour guide should call your travel insurance company’s emergency hotline or customer service number.

“The assistance team, which includes emergency room physicians and travel experts, reviews the case and contacts your physician to discuss your treatment, help manage your care and determine if emergency medical transport is necessary,” says Durazo.

To use medical evacuation insurance, you usually must have an emergency evacuation ordered by the onsite, attending physician who certifies that the severity of your accidental injury or illness warrants the move.

Ideally, your travel insurance company would help coordinate the medevac and the move, and sign-off on it in advance. If that’s not possible, your travel insurance company should be notified as soon as possible.

If you require emergency medical transportation, your options may include an air ambulance or a commercial airline.

How Will You Be Transported?

While you may think an air ambulance is your only choice, Durazo says working with a commercial carrier is typically a better experience for the patient and their companions for several reasons:

• Most air ambulances are small aircraft that can only fly for four to six hours at a time, requiring frequent landings to refuel. They may accommodate only the patient, nurse and one guest in very tight quarters, often without a bathroom and with minimal luggage storage space, he says.
• Commercial carriers offer more options, including direct flights, better overall flight quality and room for multiple members of accompanying medical staff and travel companions.
• Patients may travel in either first or business class, where they can lay flat if medically necessary.

Your Travel Insurance Company’s 24/7 Assistance Line Can Help

Travel insurance companies generally have a staff of physicians, interpreters and travel experts available to help you around the clock. You can contact your travel insurance company by calling the dedicated 24/7 travel assistance hotline or using its app, if one is available, to reach the care team.

“The assistance team can help coordinate care with the doctors treating you in your destination, as well as help you get to a high-quality medical facility with appropriate treatment options—all to ensure the best medical care possible,” explains Durazo.

In addition to arranging emergency medical transportation, Durazo says these teams usually offer aid throughout the treatment. For instance, the staff at Allianz Global Assistance will stay in touch with doctors to review daily medical reports and relay updates to family members, provide interpretation services if needed and help guarantee payment to the treatment center and handle billing.

Do You Need Evacuation Insurance for Trips Within the U.S?

There are some instances when medical evacuation travel insurance can be a smart choice even when traveling within the U.S, says Durazo.

For example, if you are doing a dude ranch trip or taking an adventure-oriented trip in a remote area, it’s wise to have evacuation coverage. If you’re injured, your health plan should cover your transportation to a hospital and your medical care once you’re there, but it likely won’t pay for a flight home requiring medical equipment and a medical escort. Additionally, you’ll be responsible for copays and deductibles that come with your health insurance coverage.

On the other hand, let’s say you’re visiting a college friend in Chicago and plan to shop and visit museums in the Windy City. You probably won’t need emergency evacuation coverage in that case.

How Much Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance Do I Need?

Limits for emergency medical evacuation insurance vary by company and plan. The most generous travel insurance plans provide $1 million in medical evacuation coverage per person. For example, the Platinum plan from AXA Assistance USA and the OneTripPremier Plan from Allianz include up to $1 million in medical evacuation coverage.

However, you can find plans with lower coverage amounts. For instance, the Silver plan from AXA Assistance USA provides $100,000 for emergency evacuation, and the OneTrip Basic Plan from Allianz provides $50,000 in emergency medical transportation benefits.

Most travel insurance plans offer a 14- or 15-day “free look” period during which you can review your policy. “If you then decide during the free look period that the product doesn’t meet your needs, you can purchase a new product with more or less coverage or cancel the policy for a full refund,” says Durazo.

How Do You Buy Medical Evacuation Travel Insurance?

You can buy medical evacuation travel insurance as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan or a stand-alone travel medical plan.

Travel medical insurance and emergency medical transportation insurance are often purchased as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan that also includes trip cancellation insurance, travel delay insurance, trip interruption insurance and baggage insurance.

However, says Durazo, if you’re not concerned with trip cancellation, you can find plans covering just medical-related trip issues. For example, Allianz offers the OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan, which provides up to $50,000 in medical expense coverage and $250,000 in emergency evacuation benefits.

Check for This Fine Print

Details of coverage vary by plan and travel insurance company, so be sure to review the following details.

Hospital-stay requirements

Benefits for your children’s flight home and for someone to be flown in to visit you are generally for extended hospitalizations. For instance, this may need to be seven days or more. That means if you’re in the hospital for four days, these benefits may not apply.

Hospital of choice

Most medical evacuation insurance plans stipulate that you are flown to the nearest adequate facility for treatment. If you need further care after that, some plans have add-on coverage that allows you to choose the hospital you go to next. For example, the AIG Travel Guard Deluxe plan allows you to request transportation to the hospital of your choice for further care, recovery or treatment after you’re stabilized.

Also, hospital choice benefits usually don’t apply to nursing homes or rehabilitation centers. Be sure to ask your travel insurance company if “hospital of choice” is offered and how it works.

Extreme sports exclusions

Some travel insurance plans exclude injuries resulting from extreme sports or adventure activities from medical and evacuation benefits. You can sometimes add a rider to get coverage, or look for a plan that covers your specific activities.

Emergency Medical Transportation and Covid

With many countries still high-risk for Covid, or designated as Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the importance of emergency medical transport insurance is even more valuable.

Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison provider, recommends a minimum of $100,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage, to account for Covid-19-related evacuation expenses. Make sure the plan will cover Covid-related claims.

If you’re heading to a remote destination, where it may be more expensive or difficult to reach a medical facility, Squaremouth recommends $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage.

See our ratings of the best pandemic travel insurance plans.

Other Medevac Options

Companies like Medjet and Global Rescue can be a good fit for those who want to be flown directly back to the U.S. after a medical emergency rather than to the nearest hospital equipped to treat you, as mandated in travel insurance plans.

These types of companies are also worth serious consideration if you are participating in extreme sports during your vacation or you have pre-existing medical conditions.

Medjet

Medjet provides private or commercial medevac or air ambulance transportation from a hospital anywhere in the world to the hospital of your choice in your home country. In order to use Medjet services, you must buy a membership before your trip. And you must be traveling at least 150 miles from home. Medical and legal specialists are on staff to assist you.

The company offers a variety of membership plans for domestic and international travel, college students, business travelers and more. Plans for short-term vacations of eight, 15, 21 and 30 days start at $99 for an individual and $199 for a family.

Medjet also offers a plan that adds on security help and crisis response.

Global Rescue

Global Rescue is a provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. An individual annual membership is $349.

One benefit of Global Rescue is that you can be airlifted from where you had your accident or injury.

“If you have a minor injury or illness, you can call Global Rescue and speak to an on-staff medical expert who will help sort out the dos and don’ts based on your unique situation and symptoms,” says Dan Richards, chief executive officer of Global Rescue.

For major injury or illness, including Covid, Global Rescue assesses the circumstances and arranges for field rescue medical evacuation or repatriation, says Richards.

“If the case is complicated, we may deploy to the member’s bedside to make sure they’re getting the care they need to get stable enough for transport,” he says.

Global Rescue also provides emergency evacuation for non-medical emergencies. With a security upgrade, Global Rescue provides advisory and evacuation services for unpredicted natural disasters, civil unrest, acts of terrorism and government-ordered evacuations.

“Global Rescue’s services extend to wherever the individual is, and the personnel who respond are among the most highly trained paramedics, nurses, doctors and military special operations veterans available. We don’t just take the phone call; we dispatch our personnel to the site of the crisis and use all available means to get them to safety and the care they need,” says Richards.

More About Services Like Medjet and Global Rescue

You might want to buy Medjet or Global Rescue memberships as supplemental coverage to a travel insurance plan if you frequently travel to remote locations.

With Medjet and Global Rescue, there is no cap on the coverage for transportation as there is with travel insurance. You just pay the membership fee.

“If a member gets sick or injured while skiing in the backcountry, paragliding, rock climbing or anything else, our services are in force,” Richards says.

Another advantage of services like Medjet and Global Rescue is that you won’t have to file a reimbursement claim for evacuation services. Your membership is your access to coverage.

You can also be airlifted directly from the location of your emergency with Global Rescue services. “We will rescue you from the point of injury or illness (field rescue) and get you to a medical facility where you can get diagnosed and treated,” says Richards.

However, Medjet and Global Rescue aren’t travel insurance companies, so you won’t find coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellation, interruptions, delays or baggage.

When it comes to travel, often the more the merrier. If you’re traveling as part of a large group, it’s wise to research the benefits of buying one policy that covers everyone.

Group travel policies are good for:

• Large groups with the same itinerary
• Travelers looking for basic coverage
• Groups who want the convenience of buying one plan

“Group travel insurance may be convenient for groups traveling to volunteer, study abroad, attend a reunion or participate in a business trip,” says Jeremy Murchland, president of Seven Corners, a travel insurance company. “While there may not always be many noticeable differences between a provider’s individual and group plans, the benefit of purchasing as a group is the convenience of the purchase process.”

Related: Is Travel Insurance Necessary for Studying Abroad?

Murchland says choosing to purchase travel insurance as a group allows each traveler to get the same level of coverage through a streamlined policy.

To help shield your group from losing money put down for the trip due to unexpected events, it’s prudent to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance plan that covers the following.

Trip cancellation insurance

Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you 100% for prepaid, non-refundable outlays if you can’t go on the trip due to a problem covered by the policy.

For example, if you suffer a serious injury before your trip and need to cancel, you would be refunded 100% of your prepaid trip costs, such as airfare, hotel accommodations or activities, like a sightseeing tour.

Trip delay travel insurance

Trip delay travel insurance can provide compensation for hotels, meals and transportation if your flight is delayed due to unforeseen events. Your policy will have a specified length of time for trip delay coverage to kick in, such as three hours.

For example, if mechanical failure causes your flight to be delayed for more than three hours, you can be reimbursed for a restaurant meal at the airport.

Trip interruption travel insurance

Trip interruption travel insurance can pay for a flight home and to recoup prepaid, non-refundable money put down for activities you’ll miss if you have to return home during a trip due to an emergency.

For example, if a sudden injury cuts your vacation short, you’ll be covered for your expenses to rebook an early flight home as well as any prepaid expenses, such as a scuba diving excursion.

Travel medical insurance

Travel medical insurance can help pay for medical costs if you become ill or are injured while on your trip.

For example, if you slip and sprain your ankle while strolling through Paris, you’ll be covered for medical expenses like doctor bills and X-rays. Make sure to check the limit for medical expenses in the policy.

Emergency medical evacuation insurance

Medical evacuation travel insurance can pay for medevac charges, up to your policy limits. For example, if you get a serious illness while on a cruise ship, this can cover a medical evacuation to a medical facility.

Travel insurance for baggage

Baggage insurance can reimburse you the depreciated value of lost, stolen or damaged luggage and personal items, up to the amount listed in your policy.

You can also buy coverage for baggage delays. Your policy will have a specified length of time for baggage delay coverage to kick in. For example, if your luggage is delayed by twelve hours, you can submit a claim for expenses like toiletries and other necessities, such as a change of clothes.

Criteria for Group Travel Insurance

Group travel insurance usually allows parties of 10 or more to purchase one travel insurance policy to cover the entire group on a trip, says Megan Moncrief, spokesperson with Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison provider.

“In order for a group to be eligible for a group travel insurance policy, there must be at least 1.

Pack Mentality: Advantages of Group Travel Insurance

Coverage is relatively similar to individual plans

Group travel insurance offers similar basic benefits to individual travel insurance policies. This includes coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, emergency medical expense and medical evacuation costs. Not all group policies include coverage for lost, stolen or damaged baggage and possessions, but some do.

Coverage can be streamlined

Group travel insurance policies can be a more convenient and economical option for organized groups traveling together, including large families, company retreats, destination weddings and reunions, says Moncrief.

“If the group is just looking for general coverage, with no specific needs, for instance benefit limits above the industry standard, a group policy can be a great option,” she says.

The benefits included in a group policy are per-person limits. “So for example, if a policy has a $50,000 emergency medical limit, that would be $50,000 per traveler,” says Moncrief.

You can still make individual claims

Group travel insurance policies function similar to individual plans in that each traveler is insured, and can make a claim as a one-off if needed, says Moncrief. For example, if one member of the group is unable to travel, their trip cancellation claim does not necessarily impact the rest of the group.

When Are Individual Plans Better than Group Travel Insurance?

Individual policies typically offer more options, including higher benefit limits and upgrades, says Moncrief. For this reason, if you have specific coverage needs and requirements, an individual travel insurance policy might be a better fit for you.

“For example, depending on the travelers and destination, it may be beneficial to purchase high limits of medical evacuation coverage or travel delay coverage,” syas Moncrief at Squaremouth. “Most group plans don’t offer optional benefit limit increases.”

She also says “cancel for any reason” upgrades are not commonly offered in group travel insurance policies.

A “cancel for any reason” travel insurance upgrade offers you the greatest flexibility to cancel your trip for any reason, so long as you cancel at least two days before your scheduled departure. This upgrade will add an average of 50% more to the cost of a travel insurance policy. Depending on your travel insurance plan, you’ll usually be able to recover 50% or 75% of the trip money that you lose.

If it’s important to you to have the freedom to cancel for reasons other than what’s listed in the base policy, consider an individual plan with this add-on benefit.

Is a Group Travel Insurance Less Expensive than Buying Individual Policies?

Some group travel insurance plans can be less expensive than individual plans because age is not factored into premiums, as it is for individual plans. Instead, group plan prices are based on the number of people traveling and the total trip cost.

“They also have fewer optional benefits or upgrades. For this reason, they can be less expensive than several individual policies,” says Moncrief.

It’s important to note that while age is not considered when pricing group plans, some do have age restrictions for coverage. For example, the Liaison Travel Plus Group plan from Seven Corners covers travelers up to age 74, the Liaison Student Plus Group plan caps the age at age 64, and its Roundtrip Group plan covers American travelers up to age 69.

What About Covid Coverage in Group Travel Insurance?

If you have concerns about Covid impacting your trip, be sure to find a plan that covers Covid-related trip cancellations and medical costs. Some travel insurance companies—but not all— cover Covid-related costs the same way as other medical expenses. It’s important to read the terms and conditions of your policy carefully, and for further clarification, call the travel insurance company with questions.

If the policy does provide benefits for Covid, it will usually cover trip cancellations and the cost of medical expenses related to Covid, and expenses if you have to self-isolate due to a positive test.

You would need a “cancel for any reason” upgrade to your policy if you are worried about a spike in Covid at your destination and want to cancel, and your policy doesn’t cover pandemic-related issues.

A robust travel insurance plan can help pay trip medical expenses, reimburse you for deposits lost if you have to cancel the trip and much more. But you don’t want the travel insurance purchase to break the bank.

The biggest price factors in travel insurance are the total trip cost, your age, number of travelers and the length of your trip. The average travel insurance cost is between 5% to 6% of your trip cost, according to a Forbes Advisor analysis of travel insurance rates.

Here’s some advice about finding cheap travel insurance that still has good coverage.

Be a Savvy Travel Insurance Comparison Shopper

As with most insurance, comparing policies from multiple companies can potentially save you hundreds of dollars. Travel insurance policies often include most of the same benefits, but the price and coverage amounts can vary considerably by policy, says Steven Benna, a spokesperson for Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison provider.

A good place to start is to check out Forbes Advisor’s rankings of the best travel insurance companies.

A travel insurance agent can also be helpful. That person can help identify the coverage you want and then price-shop the options.

Understand Exactly What Can be Insured Under Travel Insurance

You can avoid overspending on a travel insurance plan by understanding exactly what you should insure, says Benna. For example, it’s important to understand that trip cancellation insurance will only reimburse you for prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses. So don’t buy coverage for the refundable parts of your trip, advises Benna.

For example, if you’ve booked a hotel for five nights for a total of $5,000, but the cancellation penalty is $1,000, you would insure the $1,000. You can’t make a travel insurance claim for amounts that are refundable.

Avoid Unnecessary Travel Insurance Coverage

Be cautious about buying coverage or upgrades that you likely don’t need.

For example, many travelers buy a “cancel for any reason” upgrade in addition to standard trip cancellation insurance. It adds an average of 50% to the cost of your travel insurance plan. The upgrade gives you partial reimbursement for trip costs if you cancel for a reason not listed in the base policy—for example, canceling because you’ve had a falling out with your traveling companion.

“However, if your primary concern is covered by trip cancellation, such as canceling due to an illness or a family member’s illness, you can be covered without spending the additional money to add ‘cancel for any reason,’” says Benna.

Another example: you don’t need baggage insurance of $2,500 if you’re packing $200 worth of T-shirts, shorts and a swimsuit.

You also may not need travel medical insurance if you’re not leaving the country during your trip. This may be especially true if  you’ll primarily be shopping, dining out and sightseeing and not participating in a lot of outdoor activities like hiking and biking. Your U.S. health plan will usually cover you if you become ill or injured during a domestic vacation.

And if you’re booking a trip last-minute, trip cancellation may be less important.

That’s why it’s a good idea to think about why you want travel insurance. Don’t go with the policy with the most bells and whistles that you won’t need. Instead, explore which coverage would benefit you the most.

Consider Buying an Annual Travel Insurance Policy

If you’re taking one or two trips a year, buying travel insurance for each one makes sense. But if you’re planning multiple trips, buying a policy for each one gets inconvenient and expensive.

Annual travel insurance policies are primarily designed to provide travel medical insurance for multiple trips, and at a better overall price.

These types of annual policies can make it easier to buy just one policy instead of multiple ones and could be a travel insurance solution for people who plan to take multiple domestic flights. However, annual travel policies may not make sense if you’re taking road trips.

Basic annual policies also offer limited trip cancellation insurance and trip interruption coverage.

Check Your Credit Card’s Travel Insurance Benefits

Your credit card may offer travel insurance as a built-in perk. The key here is that you must charge the entire trip on that credit card.

“This benefit can include some cancellation coverage for trip expenses paid for with that card, in addition to coverage for luggage,” says Benna. He points out that instead of paying for a travel insurance policy, you can save money by relying on a credit card’s cancellation benefits.

If your trip expenses exceed the credit card’s coverage limit, you can buy travel insurance for the remaining amount, notes Benna. This will make the policy less expensive than insuring the entire trip cost.

Related: Best credit cards for travel insurance benefits

Value of Travel Insurance Should be More Important than Cost

Cost should not be the only factor when you’re buying travel insurance. A cheap travel insurance policy that lacks good benefits won’t pay off in the end.

“Shop for value,” says Lisa Cheng, a spokesperson for World Nomads, a travel insurance company. “Some plans are priced low for a reason—they could come with high deductibles and low benefit limits.”

For example, Cheng says, you could buy cheap travel insurance and find there’s only $5,000 for medical expenses when you have an $8,000 hospital bill from your trip. Comparison shop but don’t skimp on coverage that is important to you, such as trip cancellation or travel medical insurance.

For some people, medical coverage matters most, and baggage insurance is less important, especially if they’re not planning to pack anything valuable, Cheng says. Medical coverage is especially important if you’re traveling overseas, because U.S. health plans may provide no coverage outside the U.S., and Medicare is not accepted outside the U.S.

Travel medical insurance limits vary by travel insurance policy. For instance, GoReady offers $50,000 in medical coverage for travel per person, while Cat 70, HTH Worldwide, Seven Corners, Tin Leg and USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services provide $500,000 in medical coverage, depending on the policy.

Of course, there’s a lot more that goes into travel insurance than medical protection, so make sure you get a policy that’s right for you.

Traveling can be a great way to unwind and let your responsibilities fade away. A trip can also go wrong. Travel insurance can’t prevent snafus from happening, but it can help recoup at least some of your money if the unexpected derails your trip. That’s where the claim process comes in.

If you encounter these unexpected issues, you can file a claim with your travel insurance company for reimbursement, as long as your problem is covered by the policy.

How to Properly Submit a Travel Insurance Claim

To increase your chances of a prompt travel insurance reimbursement, take these steps to make the claims process smoother.

Review your travel insurance policy terms

Travel insurance can’t cover every problem. Understand what your policy covers and what it doesn’t, so you know exactly how the policy will help you. That means you want to read the benefits, exclusions and coverage limits in your policy to make sure you’re eligible for a claim and be sure to check for any required waiting times for delays.

For example, if you buy a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes a trip delay benefit, and on the day of your trip, you get to the airport and learn that your flight is delayed, this may trigger coverage under the policy as long as the delay is after the specified time outlined in your policy.

Check your policy for the required delay time to get reimbursement. For example, this could be three, five, six or 12 hours, depending on the travel insurance plan. Here, too, check your policy for the cap on reimbursable travel delay expenses. Your plan might provide anywhere from $100 to $300 per day, with an overall per person cap such as $500 to $1,000. Some items, such as cash, may be excluded from coverage.

Another possible scenario: you get injured bungee jumping during a thrill-seeking vacation. If your travel medical insurance excludes adventure activities—and many do—you would not be eligible to seek compensation for your medical costs.

Related: How to read the fine print of your travel insurance policy

Gather documentation

Documentation is important to ensure that your travel insurance claim is paid promptly.

When there are delays in processing a claim, “the primary reason is the policyholder not providing sufficient documentation to demonstrate their actual financial loss, thereby allowing the insurer to fully evaluate the claim,” says James Page, a spokesperson for AIG Travel.

For instance, if you qualify for a travel delay claim, your travel insurance policy can cover extra expenses, such as food, an overnight hotel stay and even a cab ride to a friend’s house, says Page. “If you provide documentation for those covered expenses, you may be reimbursed up to the capped amount for that benefit.”

If your trip has to be completely canceled and you file a trip cancellation insurance claim, your insurer is going to want documentation of your out-of-pocket expenses, says Page. This can include confirmation that you canceled your itinerary with the travel supplier and the amounts of any refunds or credits that the supplier has offered you as part of your reimbursement.

Travel insurance will reimburse you only for the pre-paid and non-refundable money that you lose. “In many cases, the supplier may refund a portion of the original trip cost, so your insurer needs to actually see documentation on what the supplier is, or isn’t, going to refund,” he says.

You’ll need documentation for claims on other coverage types within a travel insurance policy, such as travel medical insurance and baggage insurance.

It’s important to keep all receipts so that you can make a successful claim. You also want to file loss reports with airlines or local authorities for problems such as lost baggage.

Submit your claim with documentation

You can call your travel insurance company for help, read the website for directions, or access the company’s app for guidance on what is required to complete the claim process.

If possible, submit your claim documentation online for a faster process. For example, AIG Travel has an online “First Notice of Loss Portal” that can lead to faster resolution of a claim.

Documentation for Travel Insurance Claims

You will need supporting documents if you file a travel insurance claim. These could include receipts, medical bills and police reports. The specific documentation needed depends on the type of travel insurance claim you are filing.

“For example, what might be required for a medical expense claim may be more robust than perhaps a luggage or flight delay claim,” says Carol Mueller, spokesperson for Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection.

Trip cancellation claim documentation

Cancellation documentation depends on the reason why you canceled. “In most cases, it’s injury or illness, so this will require medical records like a note from your doctor saying they advise you not to travel,” says Jason Schreier, spokesperson for GoReady Insurance.

For other issues, like job loss, you’ll need a notarized letter from your prior employer, usually on their company letterhead, he says.

You may also have to provide documentation confirming that you canceled your itinerary with your travel supplier and the amounts of any refunds or credits that supplier offered as part of your reimbursement. (You can’t claim money that was reimbursed by a travel supplier, like an airline.) You may also need to supply your unused plane tickets.

Trip delay claim documentation

If your airline delays your flight, you’ll need a notification from your airline explaining the reason for the delay, which is usually an email, Schreier says. Typically, the cause has to be due to weather or mechanical issues to be covered.

Also, be sure to hold on to—and include in your claim—receipts for expenses such as meals, hotel stays, transportation and personal essentials if you experience a travel delay.

Trip interruption claim documentation

If you need to return home before your trip ends due to an illness or injury to you or a travel companion or a family emergency back home, you will need to present applicable paperwork, such as signed medical documentation or hospital records.

Baggage and personal effects claim documentation

If your airline, train or other transportation company loses your luggage, you will need to document it by filing a report with the company. Your travel insurance company will usually want proof that the transportation company will not reimburse you before it pays out your claim.

“One of the most common mistakes made is when baggage has been damaged or stolen. Insureds are required to file a report of the lost or damaged items to the airline, the police, or airport security,” says Schreier. “Without that report, their claim is unlikely to be approved.”

You will also need to submit a list of what you packed and the value of the items.

For personal belongings that are stolen, be sure to include in your claim a police report or a loss report from your tour operator or hotel manager. You will also need to present documentation proving the value of the items you are claiming.

Medical expense claim documentation

When filing a medical expense travel insurance claim, you need to include all medical documentation issued while under the care of medical professionals.

Save receipts for medicine or other medical supplies. You will be required to submit all these materials when filing a claim.

What Are the Time Limits To File a Travel Insurance Claim?

Time limits regarding insurance claim filings will vary according to the company, underwriter and your policy. For example, some travel insurance plans allow as little as 20 days for you to file a claim, while others may allow a year.

“Typically, it ranges from 20 to 90 days from the date the covered loss occurs, although some plans don’t list a time limit at all,” says Schreier. “However, what is consistent is that all plans typically have the caveat of ‘or as soon as is reasonably possible.’ Unless someone has endured some extraordinary event, we usually give clients one year from the date of the covered loss to file the claim.”

Regardless of the timeframe, it is better to act sooner rather than later to ensure your travel insurance claim reimbursement.

Why Travel Insurance Claims Get Delayed

If you file a claim without all the proper documentation or evidence, the insurance company will send a note back that the claim cannot be reviewed yet, says Page.

“It’s important to note that this is not a ‘denial’ of the claim. You can still submit the documentation that’s been requested to have the claim reviewed,” says Page.

It’s worth underscoring the difference between “incomplete claims” and “denied claims.”

Page says the lack of receipts and documentation will result in a claim being considered “incomplete,” but that claim can later be “completed” if all requisite documentation is provided.

Another top reason for denial of a travel insurance claim is that the problem simply isn’t covered.

For example, if you buy a trip to the Caribbean during hurricane season, make sure your travel insurance policy covers weather. If it doesn’t, and you cancel the trip because of a hurricane, you have a cancellation that isn’t covered, says Page.

If you want your travel insurance plan to cover Covid-related trip cancellation or medical expenses, make sure you buy a Covid travel insurance plan.

Comprehensive travel insurance plans include trip cancellation insurance, but you can make a cancellation claim only if your reason is listed in the policy.

For the broadest ability to cancel a trip and get some reimbursement, look for a policy where you can add ”cancel for any reason” travel insurance. This add-on coverage lets you cancel a trip for any reason, even if it’s not listed in the base policy as an acceptable reason. You’ll generally get back 50% or 75% of your non-refundable trip costs under a “cancel for any reason” claim, depending on the plan, as long as you cancel no less than 48 hours prior to your scheduled departure.

Related: How To Handle Flight Cancellations

Use the Travel Insurance Free Look Period

Daniel Durazo, a spokesperson for Allianz Global Assistance, which oversees AIG Travel, suggests reviewing the policy’s ”free look period.” This is usually 10 to 15 days. During that time, read your policy and understand what it covers and doesn’t cover. If you regret your travel insurance purchase, you can cancel the policy for a refund and buy another plan.

Another smart move is to work with a travel insurance agent who can help you choose not only the right coverage but also understand the policy’s limitations. A travel insurance agent can also help you price shop the best plans.

Armed with the knowledge of what your travel insurance policy covers, you can enjoy your travel experience without unpleasant insurance surprises.

What to Expect After You File a Travel Insurance Claim

After you file a claim, be sure to check your email, as there could be follow-up requests from your travel insurance company. You may be asked for additional documentation or clarification about your claim.

If your claim is denied, be sure to review the details, especially the exclusions, of your travel insurance policy. The claim may have been rejected because the incident isn’t covered by your policy, and you were unaware. If you still have questions, ask your travel insurance agent for help.

If you want to appeal your denied travel insurance claim, you can usually find instructions on the company website or call the customer service number.

A homeowners insurance policy typically covers natural disasters caused by explosion, fire, lightning, hail, windstorm, hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme cold, volcanoes and theft. Homeowners insurance usually does not cover earthquakes, floods, tsunamis or nuclear disasters.

Before a natural disaster occurs, it is essential to know what is covered and not covered by your homeowners insurance as there are several policy types available. Learn more about what is covered by homeowners insurance, what is not and what to do if you have experienced a natural disaster.

Emergency Medical can reimburse the costs to treat a medical emergency during a trip.

Emergency Medical insurance covers the cost of treating an unexpected illness or injury that occurs while traveling. Covered expenses under the Emergency Medical benefit typically include ambulance services, hospital and doctor bills, emergency dental services, and x-rays or lab costs.

There are two types of Emergency Medical coverage: Primary and Secondary. Primary coverage will pay a claim first, regardless of any other health insurance a traveler may have. Secondary coverage will pay a claim after a traveler has filed with their primary health insurance provider.

Travelers are required to pay for medical care out-of-pocket, and then file a claim for reimbursement when they return home. In certain situations, a provider may pre-authorize payment of medical bills under the Emergency Medical benefit, but it is not guaranteed.

 

Health insurance premiums ran about $438 per person per month in the U.S. in 2022, leaving many people to wonder whether a health plan exists that they can afford.1 Medicaid is the cheapest health plan you can get. It provides free or low-cost coverage to those who qualify.2

What if You Don’t Qualify for Medicaid?

Don’t panic if you don’t meet the rules for Medicaid. You do have other options. Health care expert Shelby George, CEO of PERKY, a firm that helps employers educate employees about benefits, warns to be cautious about signing up for a plan without first doing your research.

“There’s so much jargon, complexity, and misunderstanding in the health insurance world,” she says. “It’s become just like shopping for a car. Spend the hours you need to know what you’re getting for what you’re paying.”

Keep some key points in mind when searching for a health plan you can afford.

Can You Get a Health Plan for Free?

Some people might pay nothing or a reduced rate if they qualify for the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) premium tax credit subsidy. The tax credit is taken in advance to lower the amount of each monthly health premium owed, although it goes straight to the insurer.3

Premium Tax Credit

The amount of premium tax credit that you receive will depend on the household income that you disclose when you apply. If you make between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL), you’ll qualify for subsidies on health plans that you can buy through the health insurance marketplace, the federal government’s program for buying ACA plans.5

If you made over 400% of the FPL, you might have qualified for subsidies in 2021 and 2022, thanks to the American Rescue Plan. Even if your income was too high in prior years, you may be eligible for tax credits for 2022.6

The marketplace will send the credit directly to your insurer to be applied to your monthly plan premium, reducing your out-of-pocket health care costs.7 Rules and costs can vary by state, but this option bears looking into before you settle on any other.

Filing Taxes and the Premium Tax Credit

You must file a tax return at the end of the year to reconcile your income with the tax credit you received. You may have to pay back some of the tax credit that lowered your costs if you ended up with more income than you thought you would have when you first applied.7

Inflation Reduction Act

In August of 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which is designed to lower the cost of prescription drug cost and health care. The Act will allow the government to negotiate prescription drug prices covered under Medicare Part B. Also, starting in 2025, there will be an annual out-of-pocket spending cap on prescriptions of $2,000, limits on monthly premium increases, and expanded subsidies for low-income participants.8

Is a Short-Term Plan for Me?

The Trump administration proposed a plan on Feb. 20, 2018, that would loosen the regulations on short-term health plans. The Obama administration had capped these plans at 90 days, but the 2018 rule allows short-term policies of up to one year.9

Although these plans don’t cover you for pre-existing conditions that you may have had before you purchased the plan, you’ll be covered for the rest of the year if you develop a condition during this term.10

Short-term plans limit benefits compared with plans offered on the state ACA exchanges. They limit maternity care, substance abuse, and mental health, and people with pre-existing conditions can be denied.11 They typically come with lower premiums than marketplace plans.12

Can I Combine Health Plans?

You can try mixing indemnity insurance, designed to pay a set percentage of the health provider’s fee if you’re hospitalized or in an accident, with a short-term medical plan that can let you go to the doctor a few times a year for more minor ailments.13

In her former role as senior vice president of advisor services at Manning & Napier, Shelby George noticed people trying to rig these set-ups on their own, sometimes with poor results. They had to file every claim with all insurers so that every dollar could be recouped. That was complex, so the company rolled out combo plans with single insurers to make the claims process smoother.

Still, Bicycle Health’s Nate Purpura notes that you have to take heed of two things when choosing health plans:

• Is the plan underwritten based on your health, or is it guaranteed issue, so it must enroll you regardless of your age, health status, or other factors?
• What does the plan cover if you have to be hospitalized?

Always make sure you know what you’d get before choosing a health plan.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)