Travel Insurance Simplified: The 3 Essentials

How to be sure you have the coverage you need

VisitorsCoverage

(Paid Content)

Published August 14, 2026

PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock

Planning a trip is thrilling. Comparing travel insurance plans? Not as much. But understanding travel insurance can be a key part of preparing for your trip. Life, after all, is unpredictable – especially when you’re traveling. The last thing you want when you’re thousands of miles from home and facing an emergency is to discover that the coverage you have through your credit card or health insurance falls short.

Typically, travel insurance offers comprehensive coverage – trip cancellations, travel delays, emergency medical expenses, medical evacuations, and lost or delayed baggage.

Click here for travel insurance Frequently Asked Questions, or read on to learn more about insurance basics and choosing the coverage that’s right for you.

PHOTO CREDIT: Shutterstock

1. Don’t assume you’re covered through credit cards, health insurance, or Medicare

Your health insurance and your credit card offer some protections when you travel. But this coverage may be more limited than you think. The complimentary protection that comes with some premium credit cards will cover trip cancellations; but only for specific reasons, and if you paid for most or all of the trip using that card.

Dedicated travel insurance, on the other hand, covers cancellations for a much wider range of scenarios. And, if the airline loses your luggage, travel insurance often provides more extensive coverage with higher per-item limits and fewer exclusions for electronics, jewelry, and other valuable items.

If you face a medical emergency when you’re traveling internationally, the coverage gap can be perilous. Most credit cards, even premium ones, offer limited or no coverage for medical expenses. And that’s also true of most U.S. health insurance plans, including Medicare. Travel medical insurance with high medical and medical evacuation coverage is the key to help protect you from astronomical medical bills.

2. You should compare plans before you buy

Comparing plans side by side can help you evaluate coverage, limits, and costs. The plan you choose should align with both your needs and your budget. As a rule of thumb, a travel insurance plan typically costs about 5 to 10 percent of your total prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Choosing coverage based on how you travel can help you feel more prepared for your trip. If you’re taking a cruise, you’ll want coverage for situations like missed connections, emergency medical evacuation while at sea, and canceled shore excursions. For complete peace of mind, you might want to consider a “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) policy, which helps protect you in case of unforeseen illness, a last-minute family emergency, or even if you’re nervous about what might be happening in your destination country.

Reviewing policy details carefully is important if you have a pre-existing health condition. First, you’ll want to review the plan’s definition of a pre-existing condition. You’ll also want to find out how long you have to qualify for a plan after you’ve made your initial trip payment.

3. Know what your plan covers and what it doesn’t

Between tasks like booking flights and researching restaurants, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with typical travel insurance benefits, such as medical evacuation coverage, baggage protection, and coverage for situations like trip cancellation and travel delays.

This scrutiny is especially important if you’re concerned about the potential for a medical evacuation or getting coverage with pre-existing conditions.

Whether you're planning a cruise, an international vacation, or a visit with friends or family abroad, comparing coverage details can help you choose benefits that fit the way you travel. Travel insurance can provide the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re prepared for the unexpected.

VisitorsCoverage shows you plans from multiple insurance providers, and also connects you with educational resources, licensed insurance specialists, and award-winning claims assistance support to help you navigate the process before, during, and after a trip. Celebrating its 20th year of excellence and innovation, VisitorsCoverage has simplified travel insurance for more than two million customers worldwide. The company has a BBB A+ rating and Trust Pilot reviews that average 4.7 out of 5.0.

Receive access to a dedicated VisitorsCoverage insurance concierge experience, including a dedicated phone line and email support. Receive priority assistance from a U.S.-based insurance team with plan comparisons, purchase questions, and claims-related support.

Click here to get a free online quote from VisitorsCoverage and a customized travel insurance plan for your next trip.

Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does Medicare cover seniors traveling outside the United States?

A: Generally, no. Original Medicare doesn’t pay for health care received outside the U.S. except in limited situations, and Medicare Advantage plans typically only cover emergency care abroad, if at all. Some Medigap plans include foreign travel emergency benefits, but these are usually capped and time-limited. Travel medical insurance is designed to fill this gap by helping cover eligible emergency medical expenses incurred while abroad.

Q: Can adults 50+ get travel insurance with pre-existing medical conditions?

A: Yes, in many cases. A number of plans offer a pre-existing condition exclusion waiver, which allows coverage for medical emergencies related to a stable pre-existing condition. To qualify, travelers typically need to purchase the plan within a specified window after their initial trip payment (often 14–21 days), insure the full nonrefundable trip cost, and be medically fit to travel when they buy the policy. Reviewing the plan’s definition of a pre-existing condition and its lookback period is an important step before purchasing.

Q: How much emergency medical evacuation coverage do seniors need for international travel?

A: Emergency medical evacuation can be one of the most expensive events in travel – transport from a remote destination can exceed $200,000. Many experts suggest international travelers, particularly older adults or those visiting remote areas or taking cruises, consider evacuation coverage of $250,000 or more. Evacuation benefits generally apply when transport is medically necessary and ordered by a physician, so travelers should review how their plan defines and authorizes an evacuation.

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