Why travel insurance is worth the small cost
U.S. health insurance often provides limited or no coverage outside the country. A single emergency room visit abroad can cost five figures; a serious medical evacuation can cost six. The same is true for trip cancellations — most non-refundable bookings stay non-refundable no matter what happens in your life between booking and departure.
Travel insurance is one of the rare insurance products where a small premium genuinely outperforms expected loss for almost everyone who buys it.
What travel insurance typically covers
- Emergency medical and dental — covers care abroad when your domestic health plan won't.
- Emergency medical evacuation — pays for medically necessary transport to the nearest qualified facility or back home.
- Trip cancellation — reimburses non-refundable trip costs when you cancel for a covered reason (illness, injury, death in the family, jury duty, severe weather).
- Trip interruption — reimburses unused trip costs and additional transportation home if you have to cut a trip short.
- Baggage loss and delay — pays for replacement of lost luggage or essentials during a delay.
- Travel delay — covers meals, accommodation, and transportation during covered delays.
- 24/7 assistance — concierge, translation, lost-document replacement, prescription replacement.
Supervisa insurance for visiting parents and grandparents
If you're a Canadian resident sponsoring parents or grandparents on a Supervisa, we help arrange the Supervisa medical insurance required for the visa application. Policies meet Canadian government requirements ($100,000+ in coverage, 365-day duration, valid for the duration of each visit) and can be tailored for repeat visits.
Single-trip vs. annual / multi-trip plans
If you take more than two or three trips per year, an annual multi-trip plan is usually significantly cheaper than buying single-trip coverage each time. We model both based on your actual travel patterns.
Pre-existing condition coverage
Most policies will not cover claims arising from pre-existing conditions unless you purchase a specific waiver — and that waiver is only available if you buy the policy within a short window (typically 14–21 days) of your initial trip deposit. The window matters; we make sure clients don't miss it.
Frequently asked questions
Does my credit card travel coverage replace this?
Most premium credit cards offer some travel benefits — trip interruption, baggage delay, sometimes rental car coverage — but few offer meaningful emergency medical or evacuation coverage, which are the most financially important pieces. A dedicated policy usually layers on top of card benefits.
When should I buy travel insurance?
Ideally within 14–21 days of your first trip deposit, especially if you want pre-existing condition waivers or cancel-for-any-reason upgrades. Last-minute purchase is still possible but with fewer options.
What's not covered?
Common exclusions include foreseen events (a named storm before purchase, a country travel warning issued before purchase), reckless behavior, certain extreme sports without an adventure rider, and pre-existing conditions without a waiver. We walk through exclusions before you buy.
Can I cancel my trip for any reason?
Standard cancellation policies require a covered reason. "Cancel for any reason" (CFAR) upgrades are available with most plans for an additional premium, allowing you to cancel for any reason at all (typically reimbursing 50–75% of trip cost).
Does it cover medical care for COVID-19 or other communicable diseases?
Many plans now cover COVID-19 medical care the same as any other illness; quarantine coverage and trip cancellation due to COVID-19 vary by plan. We'll match you with a carrier whose pandemic provisions fit your concerns.