Travel insurance: what it covers and do you need it?

Travel insurance can cover medical bills, cancelled trips and lost bags. The medical part matters most, because your health plan at home may pay nothing abroad.

Why medical cover matters

Most US health plans, including Medicare, do not cover medical care outside the United States. Hospitals abroad may ask for payment before treating you. A medical evacuation by air ambulance can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the State Department has warned it can exceed $100,000.

What policies usually cover

Emergency medical care abroad, sometimes with a deductible.
Medical evacuation to the nearest suitable hospital, or sometimes home.
Trip cancellation or interruption for covered reasons, such as illness or a death in the family.
Lost, stolen or delayed baggage, up to a limit.
Travel delay costs such as a hotel night.

What to check before you buy

Pre-existing conditions: many policies exclude them unless you buy within a set time after booking.
Activities: adventure sports may need extra cover.
Whether the policy pays the hospital directly or you pay and claim later.
The 24-hour assistance phone number. Save it in your phone.
What your credit card already covers, so you don't pay twice.

Visitors to the US

US hospital care is very expensive, and visitors are not covered by US public programs. If you are visiting family in the US, a visitor medical policy is worth serious thought, especially for older parents.

If something happens

Call the insurer's assistance line as soon as you can, keep every receipt and report, and ask for written reports from the hospital, police or airline.

Handy tools

Trip budget planner

Keep reading

Sources

U.S. State Department: Insurance

Rules, fees and processing times change. Check the official sources above before you travel. Last checked October 2026.