Travel insurance guides
Plain-English explanations of how travel insurance works, what it costs and where it falls short.
Basics
- What does travel insurance actually cover? A plain-English guide A clear walk through what a typical travel insurance policy pays for, what it leaves out, and how to read the wording before you buy.
- Is travel insurance worth it? 9 situations where you need it and 3 where you don't A practical way to decide whether travel insurance is worth the money for your trip, with nine cases where it pays off and three where it usually doesn't.
- Travel medical insurance vs. trip cancellation insurance: the key differences Medical insurance protects your health abroad, cancellation insurance protects your money. Here is how they differ, when each applies and when you need both.
Costs
- How much does travel insurance cost in 2026? What changes the price Travel insurance prices depend on your age, trip cost, destination and coverage options. Here is how pricing works, with a rule of thumb and ways to pay less.
- Annual vs. single-trip travel insurance: which is cheaper for frequent travelers? How to compare an annual multi-trip policy with single-trip cover, including break-even logic, trip length limits and the exclusions that catch people out.
Visas
Special cases
- Travel insurance for seniors: age limits, health conditions and what to check How age affects travel insurance cost and eligibility, what Medicare and national health cards do and don't cover abroad, and what older travelers should look for in a policy.
- Pre-existing conditions and travel insurance: waivers, deadlines and common pitfalls How travel insurers define pre-existing conditions, how waivers and medical screening work, and the mistakes that lead to denied claims.
- Does travel insurance cover COVID-19, pandemics and trip interruptions? What travel insurance typically covers when COVID-19 or another epidemic affects a trip: medical costs, quarantine, cancellation, border closures and the exclusions to watch.
- Digital nomad and long-stay travel insurance: options for remote workers abroad How to choose health and travel insurance when you live and work abroad for months at a time, including plan types, exclusions, visa rules and what to check.