travel insurance card gov

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

We are currently conducting scheduled maintenance on www.gsa.gov to enhance your experience. This maintenance will continue until 6:00 AM (ET) on 4/13/24. During this period, the website is unavailable.

An official website of the U.S. General Services Administration

BETA This is a new service – your feedback will help us to improve it.

Get healthcare cover for travelling abroad

There is no deadline to apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card or a UK European Health Insurance Card. If you have an existing European Health Insurance Card, you can continue to use it until it expires.

Use this service to:

• check if you're eligible and apply for cover
• replace a lost, stolen, or damaged card

If you're eligible, you'll receive a card that can be used to get cover for emergency treatment abroad. This will be either a:

• UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
• UK European Health Insurance Card (new UK EHIC), if you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement

We'll let you know what you're entitled to during your application.

What these cover

Both cards give you access to state-provided healthcare abroad for things like:

• emergency treatment
• visits to A&E
• routine maternity care, unless you're going abroad to give birth (opens in a new tab)

Both cards provide the same cover but the countries they are valid in can change. Check our website to see where you can use each card (opens in a new tab) .

A UK EHIC or UK GHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance. It may not cover all health costs and never covers repatriation costs. You should make sure that you have travel insurance as well as a UK EHIC or UK GHIC.

Applying for cover

Most people can apply for cover using our online service, but you may need to contact us depending on your circumstances. Find out who can apply for cover (opens in a new tab) .

Your card will remain valid until its expiry date. When your current card expires, you'll need to apply for a new one.

You can apply for a new card up to 9 months before your current card expires.

If you do not have a UK GHIC or UK EHIC and need emergency treatment abroad, you can still get help with paying for your treatment.

A Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) will entitle you to the same level of cover as a UK GHIC or UK EHIC, even if you do not have your card with you. This also covers you if you applied for a UK GHIC or UK EHIC and it has not arrived yet.

You can only apply for a PRC from the time you need treatment. A PRC can provide cover for treatment that has already taken place, but one cannot be issued in advance.

Check our website for more information and how to apply for a PRC (opens in a new tab) .

Before you start

You'll need:

• your National Insurance number
• the National Insurance numbers of any other people, including your partner, you're applying for who are 16 years old or over

Depending on your circumstances we may also ask for your NHS number, if you have one.

Important: Timeout warning

Your session will time out after 30 minutes of inactivity.

To process your application, we may share your information (where appropriate) with:

• Indesser, Equifax, and LexisNexis, who are third party data providers acting on our behalf who will make a UK residency check
• NHS Digital to validate EU Settlement Scheme status

For more information about how we use your information, read our privacy notice (opens in a new tab) .

Situation in Haiti April 5, 2024

U.s. citizens in haiti, update april 12, 2024, information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents, before you go.

Learn About Your Destination

While Abroad

Emergencies

Share this page:

Crisis and Disaster Abroad: Be Ready

What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis

Information for U.S. Citizens about a U.S. Government-Assisted Evacuation

Traveler's Checklist

Safety and Security Messaging

Best Practices for Traveler Safety

Staying Connected

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

Traveler Information

LGBTQI+ Travelers

Adventure Travel

High-Risk Area Travelers

Travelers with Dual Nationality

Journalist Travelers

Faith-Based Travelers

Pilgrimage Travelers (Hajj and Umrah)

U.S. Students Abroad

Cruise Ship Passengers

Women Travelers

Travelers with Disabilities

Older Travelers

U.S. Volunteers Abroad

Travelers with Pets

Travelers With Firearms

Travel Agents

Travel Safety - Race and Ethnicity

U.S. Travelers in Europe's Schengen Area

Your Health Abroad

Insurance Coverage Overseas

Driving and Road Safety Abroad

Customs and Import Restrictions

Information for U.S. Citizens in Russia – Travel Options Out of Russia

Lodging Safety

Get Required Documents

Safeguard Your Documents!  Make copies of all your travel documents.  Leave one copy with a trusted friend or relative and carry the other separately from your original documents.  Also take a photograph of your travel documents with your phone to have an electronic copy.

• Passport:  Check your passport expiration dates as soon as you start planning a trip, and remember passports issued to children under 16 are only valid for only five years.  Some countries – including most of Europe – will require that your passport expiration date is at least six months away.  If you need a new passport, apply  early to allow for delays; click here for passport information.
• Visas:  Check with the embassy of your destination regarding visa requirements.
• Medications:  Some prescription drugs (including narcotics) and some U.S. over-the-counter medications are illegal in other countries. Check with the  embassy of your destination(s)  about regulations and documentation before you travel.
• Consent for Travel with Minors:  If you are traveling alone with children, foreign border officials may require custody documents or notarized written consent from the other parent. Check with the  embassy of your foreign destination  before traveling to see what you may need.
• International Driving Permit:  Many countries do not recognize a U.S. driver's license, but most accept an  International Driving Permit  (IDP). You may also need supplemental auto insurance. Read more about  driving and road safety abroad before you go.

Importance of Travel Insurance

• The U.S. government does not provide insurance for U.S. citizens overseas. We do not pay medical bills or unexpected costs. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance before you travel to cover emergency medical care, either as part of or separate from trip cancellation insurance.
• Health Insurance: Medical facilities and providers abroad may require cash up front and may not accept U.S. insurance plans.  U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not provide coverage outside the United States.  Check your health care policy to see if it will cover you overseas.  If not, consider buying  supplemental insurance .  Make sure the insurance you purchase covers any special medical needs or risks you anticipate on your trip.
• Emergency Medical Evacuation:  Evacuation for medical treatment can cost more than $100,000.  You should strongly consider purchasing  medical evacuation insurance  in case of emergency overseas.

Get Informed

• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) :  Enroll at  step.state.gov  to receive travel and security updates about your destination, and to help us reach you in an emergency.
• Safety and Security Information:  Read the Travel Advisory and Alerts for the countries you will be visiting at  travel.state.gov/destination .
• Crisis Planning:  Read  Crisis Abroad: Be Ready
• Health Precautions:  Read  Your Health Abroad  and check out recommendations for vaccinations and other health considerations from the  U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  and  World Health Organization (WHO) . 
• Money Matters:  Before going abroad, notify your bank and credit card companies of your travel, and check exchange rates. For information about using cash, debit/credit cards, and ATMs overseas, read the country information page for your  destination .
• Follow us on TravelGov  on  Twitter ,  Facebook , or Instagram

Every traveler is unique. Learn more before you travel.

Other Information for U.S. Citizen Travelers

• Information for Travel Agents
• Travel to High-Risk Areas
• Traveling with firearms
• Traveling with a pet
• Travel during tropical storm season
• FBI Safety and Security Information for U.S. Students Traveling Abroad
• Customs and import restrictions
• Global Entry
• TSA Pre-check

Emergency Assistance

Sometimes, in spite of careful planning, things still go wrong during a trip abroad.  Contact the nearest  U.S. embassy or consulate  overseas or our Washington, D. C. office ( 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444 ).

The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on or are linked to the above page. Inclusion of private groups on this page is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. The order in which names appear has no significance. The Department is not in a position to vouch for the information.

Download the checklist

Download the Traveler's Checklist before you go!

Enroll in STEP

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

Recommended Web Browsers: Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

Learn about your destination

Make two copies of all of your travel documents in case of emergency, and leave one with a trusted friend or relative.

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Fact Sheets

Frequently Asked Questions: Guidance for Travelers to Enter the U.S.

Updated Date: April 21, 2022

Since January 22, 2022, DHS has required non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination upon request.  On April 21, 2022, DHS announced that it would extend these requirements. In determining whether and when to rescind this order, DHS anticipates that it will take account of whether the vaccination requirement for non-U.S. air travelers remains in place.

These requirements apply to non-U.S. individuals who are traveling for essential or non-essential reasons. They do not apply to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, or U.S. nationals.

Effective November 8, 2021, new air travel requirements applied to many noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily. These travelers are also required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. All air travelers, including U.S. persons, must test negative for COVID-19 prior to departure. Limited exceptions apply. See  CDC guidance  for more details regarding air travel requirements.

Below is more information about what to know before you go, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions about cross-border travel.

Entering the U.S. Through a Land Port of Entry or Ferry Terminal

Q. what are the requirements for travelers entering the united states through land poes.

A:  Before embarking on a trip to the United States, non-U.S. travelers should be prepared for the following:

• Possess proof of an approved COVID-19 vaccination as outlined on the  CDC  website.
• During border inspection, verbally attest to their COVID-19 vaccination status. 
• Bring a  Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative  compliant border crossing document, such as a valid passport (and visa if required), Trusted Traveler Program card, a Department of State-issued Border Crossing Card, Enhanced Driver’s License or Enhanced Tribal Card when entering the country. Travelers (including U.S. citizens) should be prepared to present the WHTI-compliant document and any other documents requested by the CBP officer.

 Q. What are the requirements to enter the United States for children under the age of 18 who can't be vaccinated?

A:  Children under 18 years of age are excepted from the vaccination requirement at land and ferry POEs.

Q: Which vaccines/combination of vaccines will be accepted?

A:  Per CDC guidelines, all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and authorized vaccines, as well as all vaccines that have an Emergency Use Listing (EUL) from the World Health Organization (WHO), will be accepted.

Accepted Vaccines:

• More details are available in CDC guidance  here .
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your dose of an accepted single-dose COVID-19 vaccine;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after your second dose of an accepted 2-dose series;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received the full series of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine (not placebo) in a clinical trial;
• 2 weeks (14 days) after you received 2 doses of any “mix-and-match” combination of accepted COVID-19 vaccines administered at least 17 days apart.

Q. Is the United States requiring travelers to have a booster dose to be considered fully vaccinated for border entry purposes?

A:  No. The CDC guidance for “full vaccination” can be found here.

Q: Do U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land POEs and ferry terminals?

A:  No. Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation.

Q: Is pre- or at-arrival COVID testing required to enter the United States via land POEs or ferry terminals?

A: No, there is no COVID testing requirement to enter the United States via land POE or ferry terminals. In this respect, the requirement for entering by a land POE or ferry terminal differs from arrival via air, where there is a requirement to have a negative test result before departure.

Processing Changes Announced on January 22, 2022 

Q: new changes were recently announced. what changed on january 22.

A:  Since January 22, 2022, non-citizens who are not U.S. nationals or Lawful Permanent Residents have been required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States at land ports of entry and ferry terminals, whether for essential or nonessential purposes. Previously, DHS required that non-U.S. persons be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the United States for nonessential purposes.  Effective January 22, all non-U.S. individuals, to include essential travelers, must be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request. DHS announced an extension of this policy on April 21, 2022.

Q: Who is affected by the changes announced on January 22?

A: This requirement does not apply to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. It applies to other noncitizens, such as a citizen of Mexico, Canada, or any other country seeking to enter the United States through a land port of entry or ferry terminal.

Q: Do U.S. citizens need proof of vaccination to return to the United States via land port of entry or ferry terminals?

A: Vaccination requirements do not apply to U.S. Citizens, U.S. nationals or U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents. Travelers that exhibit signs or symptoms of illness will be referred to CDC for additional medical evaluation. 

Q: What is essential travel?

A:  Under the prior policy, there was an exception from temporary travel restrictions for “essential travel.” Essential travel included travel to attend educational institutions, travel to work in the United States, travel for emergency response and public health purposes, and travel for lawful cross-border trade (e.g., commercial truckers). Under current policy, there is no exception for essential travel.

Q: Will there be any exemptions? 

A: While most non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United States will need to be vaccinated, there is a narrow list of exemptions consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Order in the air travel context.

• Certain categories of individuals on diplomatic or official foreign government travel as specified in the CDC Order
• Children under 18 years of age;
• Certain participants in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials as specified in the CDC Order;   
• Individuals with medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine as specified in the CDC Order;
• Individuals issued a humanitarian or emergency exception by the Secretary of Homeland Security;
• Individuals with valid nonimmigrant visas (excluding B-1 [business] or B-2 [tourism] visas) who are citizens of a country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability, as specified in the CDC Order
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of age) as specified in the CDC Order; and
• Individuals whose entry would be in the U.S. national interest, as determined by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Q: What documentation will be required to show vaccination status?

A:  Non-U.S. individuals are required to be prepared to attest to vaccination status and present proof of vaccination to a CBP officer upon request regardless of the purpose of travel.

The current documentation requirement remains the same and is available on the CDC website . Documentation requirements for entry at land ports of entry and ferry terminals mirror those for entry by air.

Q: What happens if someone doesn’t have proof of vaccine status?

A: If non-U.S. individuals cannot present proof of vaccination upon request, they will not be admitted into the United States and will either be subject to removal or be allowed to withdraw their application for entry.

Q: Will incoming travelers be required to present COVID-19 test results?

A: There is no COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers at land border ports of entry, including ferry terminals.

Q: What does this mean for those who can't be vaccinated, either due to age or other health considerations? 

A: See CDC guidance for additional information on this topic. Note that the vaccine requirement does not apply to children under 18 years of age.

Q: Does this requirement apply to amateur and professional athletes?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions.

Q: Are commercial truckers required to be vaccinated?

A: Yes, unless they qualify for one of the narrow CDC exemptions. These requirements also apply to bus drivers as well as rail and ferry operators.

Q. Do you expect border wait times to increase?

A:  As travelers navigate these new travel requirements, wait times may increase. Travelers should account for the possibility of longer than normal wait times and lines at U.S. land border crossings when planning their trip and are kindly encouraged to exercise patience.

To help reduce wait times and long lines, travelers can take advantage of innovative technology, such as facial biometrics and the CBP OneTM mobile application, which serves as a single portal for individuals to access CBP mobile applications and services.

Q: How is Customs and Border Protection staffing the ports of entry? 

A: CBP’s current staffing levels at ports of entry throughout the United States are commensurate with pre-pandemic levels. CBP has continued to hire and train new employees throughout the pandemic. CBP expects some travelers to be non-compliant with the proof of vaccination requirements, which may at times lead to an increase in border wait times. Although trade and travel facilitation remain a priority, we cannot compromise national security, which is our primary mission. CBP Office of Field Operations will continue to dedicate its finite resources to the processing of arriving traffic with emphasis on trade facilitation to ensure economic recovery.

Q: What happens if a vaccinated individual is traveling with an unvaccinated individual?  

A:  The unvaccinated individual (if 18 or over) would not be eligible for admission.

Q: If I am traveling for an essential reason but am not vaccinated can I still enter?

A:  No, if you are a non-U.S. individual. The policy announced on January 22, 2022 applies to both essential and non-essential travel by non-U.S. individual travelers. Since January 22, DHS has required that all inbound non-U.S. individuals crossing U.S. land or ferry POEs – whether for essential or non-essential reasons – be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccination upon request.

Q: Are sea crew members on vessels required to have a COVID vaccine to disembark?

A:  Sea crew members traveling pursuant to a C-1 or D nonimmigrant visa are not excepted from COVID-19 vaccine requirements at the land border. This is a difference from the international air transportation context.

Entering the U.S. via Air Travel

Q: what are the covid vaccination requirements for air passengers to the united states  .

A:  According to CDC requirements [www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/noncitizens-US-air-travel.html | Link no longer valid], most noncitizens who are visiting the United States temporarily must be fully vaccinated prior to boarding a flight to the United States. These travelers are required to show proof of vaccination. A list of covered individuals is available on the CDC website.  

Q: What are the COVID testing requirements for air passengers to the United States?  

A:  Effective Sunday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. ET, CDC will no longer require pre-departure COVID-19 testing for U.S.-bound air travelers.

• Border Security
• Transportation Security
• Airport Security
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Get healthcare cover abroad with a UK GHIC or UK EHIC

The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) lets you get necessary state healthcare in EU countries, and some other countries, on the same basis as a resident of that country. This may be free or it may require a payment equivalent to that which a local resident would pay.

The UK GHIC has replaced the existing European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). If you have an existing EHIC you can continue to use it until the expiry date on the card. Once it expires, you'll need to apply for a UK GHIC to replace it.

You can apply for a new card up to 9 months before your current card expires.

A UK GHIC is free and lasts for up to 5 years. Apply for your new card through the NHS website. Avoid unofficial websites – they may charge you a fee to apply.

If you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, you can choose to apply for a new UK EHIC instead.

The UK GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance. We advise you to have private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.

We also recommend you check FCDO travel advice on GOV.UK for the country you're visiting.

You can apply for a UK GHIC if you're a resident in the UK. You can also add your family members to your application when you apply.

You'll need to provide your:

• date of birth
• National Insurance or NHS number (if you're from England or Wales)
• CHI number (if you're from Scotland)
• Health and Care number (if you're from Northern Ireland)

Applying for family members

Every member of your family needs their own card. You can add your spouse, civil partner and children to your application when you apply. You must enter your own details first and apply for any additional cards when prompted.

If you've already completed your application and want to add additional family members contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services . You'll need to give us your reference number, name, date of birth and address so we can access your record.

After you apply

After you've submitted your application, we'll email you within 24 hours to let you know whether it has been approved or not (if you don't get a reply, check your junk folder). We may need to see additional information or documents before approving it.

Once your application has been approved, you should receive your new card within 15 working days. It will be sent to you by post.

If you do not receive it before you travel, and need medically necessary treatment during your visit, you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC) to get temporary cover. For more information, see "If you don't have your card with you" towards the end of this page.

If you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement

If you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement, you can choose to apply for a new UK EHIC rather than a UK GHIC. A UK EHIC provides cover for some countries that are not currently covered by the UK GHIC (these are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein). Like the UK GHIC, it's free and lasts up to 5 years. You can find out if you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement on GOV.UK.

What your card covers

You can use your card to get state healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you come back to the UK (sometimes called "medically necessary healthcare"). This includes things like:

• emergency treatment and visits to A&E
• treatment or routine medical care for long-term or pre-existing medical conditions
• routine maternity care, as long as you're not going abroad to give birth

You'll need to pre-arrange some treatments with the relevant healthcare provider in the country you're visiting – for example, kidney dialysis or chemotherapy – as it's not guaranteed that local healthcare providers will always have the capacity to provide this care.

Whether treatment is medically necessary is decided by the healthcare provider in the country you're visiting.

Not all state healthcare is free outside of the UK. You may have to pay for treatment that you would get for free on the NHS, if a local resident would be expected to pay in the country you're visiting.

Before travelling, you should check the state-provided healthcare services in the country you're visiting and any potential charges you may face.

Check the relevant country guide on GOV.UK for information on how to access treatment in the country you're visiting

What your card does not cover

A UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) does not replace travel and medical insurance or cover services like:

• being flown back to the UK (medical repatriation)
• treatment in a private medical facility
• ski or mountain rescue

We advise that you have a UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) and private travel and medical insurance for the duration of your trip.

Where you can use your card

You can use a UK GHIC when you're visiting:

• an EU country ( see a list of EU countries on GOV.UK )
• Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man
• St Helena, Tristan and Ascension

You can use a UK GHIC in Switzerland if you're one of the following:

• a British national
• a Swiss national
• an EU citizen
• a stateless person
• a family member of someone who holds one of the above nationalities or statuses

The UK government is negotiating with other countries to expand the use of the UK GHIC, so always check coverage before you travel.

You can use a UK EHIC when you're visiting:

• Liechtenstein
• Switzerland

Visiting Norway

You can use a UK passport to get medically necessary healthcare in Norway if you're a UK resident.

Visiting Montenegro

You can get free emergency treatment in Montenegro but you'll have to pay for your prescribed medicines and for other medical treatment.

If you're a UK national, your UK passport will give you access to emergency healthcare in Montenegro.

If you're a UK resident but not a UK national you'll need your passport and a UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) to get emergency healthcare.

Getting healthcare in other countries

You'll have to pay for treatment unless the UK has a healthcare agreement with that country .

Check if you're eligible for a UK GHIC

You'll be entitled to a UK GHIC if both of these things apply:

• you're ordinarily and legally resident in the UK
• you do not have healthcare cover provided by an EU country or Switzerland

There is information about what "ordinarily resident" means on GOV.UK

You may also be entitled to a UK GHIC if you're:

• living in the EU or Switzerland with a registered S1 form
• living in the EU or Switzerland with an A1 document issued by the UK
• a family member or dependant of an entitled individual already listed

Check if you're eligible for a UK EHIC

You may be eligible for a new UK EHIC if you meet one of the following criteria:

• you're living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein, and have been since before 1 January 2021 with a registered S1, E121, E106 or E109 form issued by the UK
• you're living in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein since before 1 January 2021 with an A1 issued by the UK
• you're a national of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein who has legally resided in the UK since before 1 January 2021 and are covered under the Withdrawal Agreement – you may not be covered if you are also a UK national or if you were born in the UK
• you're a family member or dependant of an entitled individual already listed

If your circumstances change and you no longer meet one of the above criteria, you may not be entitled to continue using the card and should contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services .

You must be entitled to use your UK GHIC or UK EHIC at the time of the treatment. If you use it to access healthcare that you're not entitled to, you may be liable for the full cost of all treatment received or face prosecution.

Applying for a UK Student EHIC or UK GHIC

To apply for a UK Student EHIC or UK GHIC, you'll need a letter from your university or college showing:

• the name and address of the UK educational institution if you're travelling as part of your course
• the address of where you're studying in the EU or Switzerland
• details of the qualification you're studying for
• the dates your study period in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland started and is due to finish
• your permanent residential address in the UK

If the letter from your university or college does not include your permanent residential address in the UK, you'll be asked to provide further evidence to confirm this.

This is in addition to the information set out in "How to apply" above.

Students studying in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland applying for a UK Student EHIC or UK GHIC

If you normally live in the UK and have been studying in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland since before 1 January 2021, you may be eligible for a new UK Student EHIC for use in the EU and your country of study.

You will not be able to use this card for treatment in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein unless one of these countries is your country of study.

If you started your course after 1 January 2021, or you're planning to study in an EU country, you'll need to apply for a UK Student GHIC. If you're studying in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein you can also apply for a UK GHIC but it will not cover you for treatment in those countries, even if you are studying there.

You can use the UK Student GHIC in the EU, Switzerland and your country of study, but not yet in Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein.

Using a UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) when abroad

You should take your UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) with you when you travel abroad. If you need medically necessary treatment, you'll need to present the card to the hospital (or other service provider) that is treating you – make sure that you are being treated at a public health provider and not a private one. Keep all receipts and paperwork.

Depending on the country you visit you may be expected to pay all or part of your bill upfront and then claim a refund afterwards.

Some countries ask patients to pay a contribution towards the cost of their care. This is known as a co-payment or patient share. You can claim back the difference between the total bill and the co-payment, but the actual co-payment is not refundable.

Your UK GHIC or UK EHIC will not cover costs that a local resident would have to pay.

If you don't have your card with you

If you need emergency treatment when you're in another country and do not have your UK GHIC (or UK EHIC) with you, you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate (PRC). A PRC gives you the same level of cover as a UK GHIC or UK EHIC.

A PRC also covers you if you've applied for a UK GHIC or UK EHIC and it has not arrived yet.

Find out more about PRCs and how to apply for one

You'll need to pay in full for treatment if you do not have a UK GHIC, UK EHIC or PRC. You should ask for a copy of your invoice and obtain a receipt.

How to claim a refund

To claim a refund for healthcare covered by your UK GHIC or UK EHIC, you'll need to download and fill in a refund claim form and send it to NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. You should include receipts and any supporting documents with your claim form.

Find out how to claim a refund for healthcare covered by your UK GHIC or UK EHIC

Incorrect charges for treatment

If you think you've been incorrectly charged for medical treatment, contact NHS Overseas Healthcare Services .

Keep all documents relating to your treatment. You may need to provide more information to confirm your eligibility and the cost of the treatment you had. This could include:

• receipts or invoices relating to treatment
• confirmation that the treatment was state-provided
• confirmation of payments made to healthcare institutions
• documents relating to insurance cover if your insurer paid for treatment
• discharge documents

NHS Overseas Healthcare Services will look at your claim to decide whether you were charged when you should have been covered. If they determine that your treatment should have been covered by the UK GHIC or UK EHIC, they'll reimburse you or your insurer for the costs of treatment that are covered by your card.

If you suspect GHIC or EHIC fraud

If you suspect that somebody has fraudulently applied for or used a UK GHIC or UK EHIC they are not entitled to, you can report this to the NHS Counter Fraud Authority .

Alternatively, you can email your concern to us at [email protected] .

Page last reviewed: 12 December 2023 Next review due: 12 December 2026

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Foreign travel insurance

If you’re travelling abroad, it's important to take out appropriate travel insurance before you go.

If you travel internationally you should buy appropriate travel insurance before you go. If you already have a travel insurance policy, check what cover it provides for coronavirus-related events, including medical treatment and travel disruption, and any planned activities such as adventure sports. If you are choosing a new policy, make sure you check how it covers these issues.

If you do not have appropriate insurance before you travel, you could be liable for emergency expenses, including medical treatment, which may cost thousands of pounds.

For example:

You should buy your travel insurance as soon as possible after booking your trip. Read the small print, and familiarise yourself with any exclusion clauses for the policy.

When you travel, make sure you take your insurance policy details with you, including the policy number and your insurer’s emergency assistance telephone number. Share your policy details with people you’re travelling with and friends or family at home, in case they need to contact your insurance company on your behalf.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) represents over 200 insurance companies. Read ABI’s advice on travel insurance , including how COVID-19 can affect it, and their guide on choosing the right travel insurance policy .

In addition to making sure you have appropriate insurance, you should check and sign up to travel advice for your destination.

What to consider when you buy travel insurance for you and your family

• emergency treatment and hospital bills can be expensive. Check whether your policy covers treatment in public or private hospitals
• emergency transport, such as an ambulance, is often charged separately to other medical expenses, and emergency travel home on medical grounds can also be expensive
• pre-existing medical conditions: declare existing conditions or pending treatment or tests so that you are covered if anyone gets ill during your trip. Failing to declare something may invalidate your travel insurance
• all activities you may undertake on holiday, such as sports or adventure tourism (you may need specialist insurance for some activities). Also consider all the places you intend to visit, even if you are in transit, in case anyone needs emergency treatment in another country
• cruises generally require an additional level of cover because it is more difficult to get to hospital for treatment. Check the booking conditions of the operator you plan to sail with
• repatriation costs if you or a family member die abroad
• getting home after medical treatment if you cannot use your original ticket
• reasonable costs for a family member or friend to stay with you, or travel out to accompany you home, if required
• 24-hour assistance helplines to offer support and advice about appropriate treatment
• COVID 19 cover for if you or family members cannot return home because you/they test positive for COVID during your travel. Check your insurance covers additional costs such as alternative flights, accommodation and COVID tests. You should also check your insurance provides cover if you cannot reach your final destination during transit due to COVID-19
• within Europe, some insurers may waive any excess on medical treatment if you use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Check the terms of your policy or contact your insurer to see if this is the case. EHIC and GHIC allow you to access state-provided medically necessary healthcare within the EU and Switzerland on the same terms as residents of these countries. Note that EHIC and GHIC are not alternatives to travel insurance as they do not cover any private medical healthcare costs, repatriation or additional costs such as mountain rescue in ski resorts. Find out more about the EHIC and GHIC, including how to apply for one free of charge
• ATOL is a consumer protection scheme for air holidays and flights, managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) . Some insurance policies do not provide cover for when airlines or suppliers go out of business. Choose an ATOL-protected holiday or a travel insurance policy that includes airline or supplier failure cover

Policy exclusions

Check how an insurance policy covers:

• alcohol and drugs: most travel insurance policies do not cover events that happen after you have drunk excessive alcohol or taken recreational drugs or other substances
• high risk destinations: many travel insurance policies will not cover travel to a high risk destination where the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel or all travel. Check your policy wording and the relevant country travel advice pages before booking your trip and buying insurance
• mental health conditions: some policies may exclude cover for treatment related to a pre-existing mental health condition. For more guidance see foreign travel advice for people with mental health issues
• age restrictions: check whether there are any age-related restrictions if you are buying an annual policy. The Money Advice Service provides guidance on how to choose the right level of cover, get the best deal, and make a travel insurance claim. It also has specific guidance for travellers over the age of 65 or with pre-existing medical conditions
• sports such as bungee jumping, jet skiing, winter sports or skydiving: these are not usually included in standard policies. Use of quad bikes and hire of mopeds is also usually not covered
• driving overseas: check Driving abroad . If you’re hiring a car, check what cover the hire company provides. If you are driving your own vehicle, check your motor insurance policy to see what it covers
• terrorist acts: most policies offer only limited cover for terrorist acts. As a minimum, make sure your policy covers you for emergency medical expenses and travel home if you are caught up in a terrorist attack. Some travel insurers offer policy add-ons to provide additional cover if there is a terrorist attack in your destination. This may include cancellation cover, if your destination is affected by a terrorist attack before your trip and you decide you no longer wish to travel
• other incidents: some policies only offer limited cover for claims related to or caused by a natural disaster (such as an earthquake or tropical cyclone) or civil unrest. You may also not be covered for some claims that arise from an incident (such as strikes or other industrial action) that was known publicly when you booked your trip and/or bought your travel insurance policy

Insurance for extended periods of travel

‘Long-stay’ travel insurance can cover extended periods of continuous travel. Check carefully the maximum duration allowed in any policy you consider buying to ensure that it meets your needs.

Make sure that the entire policy meets your needs, including specific activities and work (paid or unpaid) you may undertake.

Insurance if you live abroad or go for work or study

Travel insurance is not intended for permanent residence abroad. If you live overseas, or you’re planning to move to a different country to live, work or study, you should consider your insurance needs carefully. Local law may require you to have medical insurance, including as part of a visa application.

Read the healthcare guidance in the Living in guide for the country where you live to ensure you have the right healthcare arrangements for your circumstances.

You can buy private medical insurance for UK expatriates. You can also buy insurance from local providers overseas. You should always check policies carefully, including seeing whether you could transfer medical cover if you re-locate to other countries in future.

Support for British nationals abroad

Support for British Nationals Abroad explains how the FCDO can provide support to British nationals if things go wrong abroad.

Reviewed and updated guidance in full.

Updated guidance on using an EHIC or GHIC to access healthcare in Switzerland.

Updated to reflect new rules for travelling to amber list countries.

Updated COVID-19 section on new rules for international travel from 17 May.

Updated to reflect current COVID-19 travel guidance

New link to the declaration form for international travel (for England), from 8 March.

Edited grey box at top of page to provide further information on requirements coming into affect from 15 February

From 15 February you will need to quarantine in a government-approved hotel if you arrive in the UK from countries on the travel ban list.

Updated with new requirements coming into effect from 4am on 18 January 2021.

Updated with information on pre-departure testing for everyone travelling into England and Scotland.

Updated to reflect latest UK COVID-19 restrictions.

Updated the section on travel to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, to reflect changes from 1 January 2021.

Updated ‘Travel to the EU’ section to reflect that UK-issued European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) will still be accepted in EU countries, with different guidance for people travelling to Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland from 1 January 2021.

Updated COVID-19 travel guidance

Updated to reflect the latest Tier-based COVID-19 rules for England

Updated to reflect the 5 November national restrictions for England relating to travel

Updated EU travel section with information on EHIC validity

New information on making sure your travel insurance covers you for coronavirus-related events

Update to contents including addition of new segments; travel insurance after starting travel or changing your plans, making a travel insurance claim, other financial protection and if you’re not covered.

Added information on financial protection of package holidays.

Information on the use of European Health Insurance cards (EHIC) in the event of a no deal added to the EU Exit update section

EU Exit update with advice on checking insurance coverage when travelling to Europe after the UK leaves the EU.

Content and format changes

Inclusion of Association of Travel Insurance Intermediaries (ATII) information.

Updated information on travel insurance

First published.

Related content

Is this page useful.

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site.

Travel Insurance

Before you travel, consider getting travel insurance to cover yourself in case delays, accidents, or illness occur on your trip. Your current medical insurance may not cover care in another country. Also, some types of travel insurance help you cover costs if your travel is cancelled or disrupted.

There are different types of insurance you should consider: (1) trip cancellation or travel disruption insurance, (2) travel health insurance, and (3) medical evacuation insurance. These will cover different situations and may give you financial peace of mind, as well as allow for safe and healthy travel.

Trip Cancellation Insurance

Trip cancellation insurance covers your financial investment in your trip, such as flights, cruises, or train tickets. Carefully examine the policy to make sure that it covers what you need it to cover, including cancellation if you or a close family member gets sick. Depending on the policy, trip cancellation insurance might not cover any medical care you need overseas, so you may need a separate travel health insurance policy.

Trip cancellation insurance may allow you to make a last-minute cancellation or changes to your itinerary in the event of a disease outbreak. Be sure to check the fine print to see if your coverage includes disease outbreaks at intended travel destinations and if there are any restrictions.

Travel Health Insurance

If you need medical care in another country, you will likely need to pay out-of-pocket for any services. Even if a country has nationalized health care, it may not cover people who are not citizens. Before you go, consider your insurance options in case you need care while traveling. Travel health insurance is especially important  if you have an existing health condition, are traveling for more than 6 months, or doing adventure activities such as scuba diving or hang gliding.

Check if your current health care covers emergencies that happen while traveling. Ask if your policy has any exclusions, such as for preexisting conditions or adventure activities. If your health insurance coverage is not adequate, consider buying a short-term supplemental policy. Look for a policy that will make payments to hospitals directly.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are traveling to a remote destination or to a place where care is not likely to be up to U.S. standards, consider buying medical evacuation insurance. This can be bought separately or as part of your travel health insurance policy. Medical evacuation insurance covers emergency transportation from a remote area to a high-quality hospital, which could otherwise cost more than $100,000. Medical evacuation insurance may also evacuate people with certain infectious diseases whereas other evacuation companies may not have that capacity. Make sure that the policy provides a 24-hour physician support center.

Insurance Resources

This list is not all-inclusive, but these resources provide information about getting travel health and medical evacuation insurance:

• Department of State
• International SOS
• International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers
• American Association of Retired Persons

More Information

• Before You Travel
• Getting Health Care During Travel

File Formats Help:

• Adobe PDF file
• Microsoft PowerPoint file
• Microsoft Word file
• Microsoft Excel file
• Audio/Video file
• Apple Quicktime file
• RealPlayer file
• Zip Archive file

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

4 times your credit card's travel insurance can help with summer travel woes, and 7 times it won't

Travel is more unpredictable than ever this summer. I've been lucky that none of my summer trips so far have been incredibly affected by delays or cancellations. But, air travel is a total nightmare right now , and staffing is still an issue for many travel providers — so it's likely only a matter of time.

Other TPG staffers have recently experienced issues. For example, TPG's Sean Cudahy got caught in last week's travel mess , while TPG's Nick Ewen spent time in New Jersey instead of Greece due to weather-related delays.

If you've been reading TPG for a while, you may already know that some credit cards provide travel insurance when you use your card to book your flights (or pay the taxes and fees on award flights ). And you may even be using one of these cards to book your trips. But you may not know what is and isn't covered by these benefits when your travel doesn't go smoothly.

In this guide, I'll give a high-level overview of some scenarios where you can — and can't — expect your credit card's travel insurance benefits to assist.

Sign up for our daily newsletter for more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox.

Credit card travel insurance

We've written entire articles about credit cards that provide travel insurance . So, I recommend checking out the following stories to learn more about the travel insurance provided by top travel rewards cards :

• What your credit card's trip protection covers — and what it doesn't
• Flight delayed? Remember these 4 things if you want trip delay reimbursement from your credit card
• Flight delayed or canceled? Here are the best credit cards with trip delay reimbursement
• When to buy travel insurance versus when to rely on credit card protections

But, the protections provided by each card are different. So I recommend reading — or at least skimming — your card's guide to benefits before your next trip to familiarize yourself with those specifics. You can call the number on the back of your card for a physical copy or link if needed.

Cards like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , Ink Business Preferred Credit Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express provide excellent travel protections. But, I believe the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides the best travel insurance overall.

In this guide, I'll discuss how the benefits offered to Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders (see the Chase Sapphire Reserve guide to benefits here ) would help (or not) in several scenarios. If you generally pay for your travel with a different card, consider how the benefits on your card may differ.

Related: Travel is tricky right now — here are 7 mistakes to avoid on your next trip

4 times when your credit card's travel insurance can help

If your travel doesn't go smoothly this summer, benefits from your travel rewards credit card may offer reimbursement or other help. Here are four real-life scenarios where your credit card's travel insurance may come in handy.

Your flight is significantly delayed or canceled

First, the bad news: You'll need to work with your airline to get rebooked if your flight is canceled. And if your flight is significantly delayed, you'll need to either wait out the delay or work with your airline to get rebooked on a different flight.

But, the good news is that some cards offer trip delay reimbursement when you use your card to pay for your flight (or the taxes and fees on an award ticket). And this benefit can help as you wait for your delayed or rebooked flight.

For example, if you used the Chase Sapphire Reserve to book your original flight, Chase may reimburse you for "reasonable expenses incurred during the delay." In particular, you can get up to $500 per ticket when you're delayed for more than six hours or your delay forces you into an overnight stay. Chase says reasonable expenses include "meals, lodging, toiletries and medication."

But, you'll only be covered if you are delayed due to "equipment failure, inclement weather, strike [or] hijacking/skyjacking." So, if you're delayed due to the crew timing out during inclement weather, you'll be covered. But if the airline simply can't find any crew to operate your flight and doesn't provide you documentation stating the delay or cancellation is due to one of the aforementioned eligible reasons, you won't be covered.

Related: Chase paid for my $1,100-per-night hotel room thanks to built-in trip delay coverage

Your baggage is significantly delayed

Once again, let's discuss the bad news first: You must report your delayed baggage to the travel supplier. For example, if your checked baggage doesn't appear on the belt after your flight, you'll need to go to the airline's baggage office and fill out a report.

Usually, the airline will start trying to locate your baggage at this point. But often, the airline won't offer to reimburse you for any essentials you might need while you're separated from your baggage.

Luckily, some credit cards cover baggage delays . For example, if you used the Chase Sapphire Reserve to book your flight, Chase may reimburse you "for the emergency purchase of essential items, such as toiletries, clothing, and chargers for electronic devices (limit one per device)."

In particular, Chase may reimburse you up to $100 per day for up to five days. To qualify for this coverage, your baggage must be "delayed or misdirected" for at least six hours.

The items you purchase and include for reimbursement should be "essential." But, Chase excludes some items from reimbursement, including hearing aids, artificial teeth, prosthetic devices, tickets, jewelry, electronics and recreational equipment.

Related: What to do when your luggage is delayed or lost by an airline

You must cancel or interrupt a trip

First things first: No credit card offers " cancel for any reason " trip insurance as a complimentary benefit. But, if you must cancel or interrupt your trip for specific reasons, Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders might be eligible for reimbursement of "nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses charged by a travel supplier" and "redeposit fees imposed by a rewards program administrator." And in the case of trip interruption, cardholders can be reimbursed change fees and costs to return a vehicle to their residence or the closest rental agency.

Many credit cards offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance . But, you'll only be eligible for reimbursement if you must cancel or interrupt your trip for specific reasons listed in the guide to benefits. For example, you may be eligible for reimbursement if you can't postpone or waive a call to jury duty or subpoena from the courts, and you prepaid for nonrefundable travel expenses with your Chase Sapphire Reserve .

Related: American Express adds new 'cancel for any reason' coverage option on flights

Your luggage is lost or damaged

Earlier, I discussed a scenario where your baggage is delayed. But, it's also possible that your luggage becomes lost, stolen or damaged. As with delayed baggage, you'll need to file a claim with the travel provider once you discover the issue.

Some travel providers will provide reimbursement to repair or replace your luggage. But, if the reimbursement isn't enough, you can also seek additional reimbursement via the baggage insurance offered by your credit card. If you booked your travel with your Chase Sapphire Reserve, you could get up to $3,000 per traveler per trip.

Related: The airline couldn't find my luggage — luckily I had Apple AirTags

7 times your credit card's travel insurance won't help

Of course, your credit card's travel insurance won't help you in every situation. Although you may still find relief through your travel provider or individual travel insurance , here are some real-world scenarios where you wouldn't be covered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve's travel protections :

• You want to be on a different flight: Flight delays and cancellations are frustrating. But, you'll need to work with your airline to get on a different flight. None of the trip delay insurance offered by credit cards will let you buy a new flight and then reimburse it.
• Staffing issues lead the airline to delay or cancel your flight: According to the Chase Sapphire Reserve's guide to benefits, only delays to your trip that are caused by "equipment failure, inclement weather, strike [or] hijacking/skyjacking" are eligible for trip delay reimbursement. So, if the airline can't find crew for your flight due to its employees being sick, for example, you won't be covered.
• Your lodging canceled on you: It's frustrating to be walked from a hotel or have your lodging canceled on you. After all, you may face much higher prices if you need to book a new stay. But, except in specific cases covered by trip cancellation and interruption insurance — such as if your lodging at your trip's destination is "made uninhabitable" — your credit card benefits aren't going to help.
• Your common carrier or travel insurance policy already provides what you need: As an example, if you are delayed overnight and the airline provides you with hotel and meal vouchers, you can't claim reimbursement for these same expenses through your credit card's trip delay benefit . The Chase Sapphire Reserve's guide to benefits states the trip delay benefit "applies to reasonable expenses incurred during your delay not otherwise covered by your common carrier, another party or your primary personal insurance policy."
• Your delay caused you to miss things you already paid for: Trip delays may cause you to miss shows, activities, separately booked flights, hotel nights and more. But, the Chase Sapphire Reserve's trip delay benefit is only for reasonable expenses you incur during your delay. As such, any prepaid trip expenses won't be covered.
• You have to cancel or interrupt your trip for a noncovered reason: As discussed above, the trip cancellation and interruption insurance offered by credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve only covers you if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for select reasons. So, if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for other reasons, your credit card's travel insurance won't help. For example, you wouldn't be covered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve's insurance if you didn't obtain a necessary visa or your airline became financially insolvent.
• You left an item or bag behind on the train, airplane or boat: Although some Amex cards include recently purchased items you lose under purchase protection insurance , most travel insurance offered by credit cards won't reimburse you for items you inadvertently left behind.

Travel insurance benefits vary from card to card, though. And, only select family members may be covered along with you for some benefits. So take a look at your card's guide to benefits or call the number on the back of your credit card to learn whether your specific scenario will be covered.

Related: 8 times your credit card's travel insurance might not cover you

Bottom line

Of course, this article assumes you used a credit card with travel insurance to pay for your trip, and the exact protections vary from card to card. But hopefully, this guide gave you an idea of the types of help you may get from your credit card's travel insurance if things go wrong with a trip this summer or beyond.

Finally, some premium travel cards offer an additional perk that may help if you face troubles this summer: lounge access . It can be much more relaxing to wait out a delay in the comfort of a lounge. Plus, you may gain access to agents that can help you rebook or handle complicated bookings if you have access to your airline's lounge.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

10 Credit Cards That Provide Travel Insurance

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Travel insurance helps you get your money back when things go wrong with your trip. And it remains a debate: Do you really need it, and is it worth it?

Personally, I’ve often skipped travel insurance, preferring to put the extra money toward my trip. Yet as I pulled into the airport after a winter ski trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in my SUV rental, a snowplow kicked up a rock and a crack extended across the windshield. And just like that, I got in the dreaded rental car accident .

Thankfully, I had rented my car with my Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card , which covered rental car windshield reimbursement. Note that I had also specifically opted out of the car rental's insurance coverage offered at the counter, which is a requirement in order to allow my credit card coverage to kick in. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

A number of credit cards provide various types of travel insurance (including trip cancellation, trip interruption and car rental loss and damage insurance) when you use your card to pay for flights, rental cars and other travel expenses. So do you need additional travel insurance? Maybe not.

What does your travel insurance cover?

First, let’s look at the different types of coverage that your credit card may offer to help protect your trip, from your bags to your rental car to your health.

Baggage delay . If your luggage doesn’t arrive when you do, you may receive a reimbursement to offset the costs of having to purchase new attire and other items you may need. The length of delay required and the coverage offered varies by card.

Lost/damaged baggage . If your bags are lost or damaged by a carrier, or items have been stolen from your baggage, your provider may provide monetary compensation.

Trip delay . If your trip on a common carrier is delayed, you may receive monetary compensation to help cover meals, hotels, transportation and necessary purchases up to a certain amount per ticket.

Trip cancellation . If you need to cancel a prepaid, nonrefundable trip, you may receive compensation to offset the lost funds. This benefit generally applies to cancellations for covered reasons, which vary by card.

Trip interruption . If you miss a portion of your trip due to a covered reason, this benefit will reimburse you for any unused, prepaid, nonrefundable reservations (i.e., excursions, hotel nights).

Medical treatment . If you are hurt while traveling and require medical treatment, medical expenses may be covered up to a certain dollar amount.

Medical evacuation . If your illness or injury requires you to return home immediately for care, the insurance coverage through your card may cover the costs.

Travel accident insurance. In the case of accidental death or dismemberment, your credit card may provide coverage to you or to your beneficiary

Rental car insurance. This coverage provides protection to your rental car against theft and damage. Coverage may be primary or secondary to your personal auto insurance, depending on the card.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

Popular credit cards with travel insurance

Some of the best travel rewards cards include various forms of travel insurance. These are a few of our favorite cards that offer certain types of coverage. If you have a different travel rewards card, it’s a good idea to check the benefits of your card before assuming that it either does or doesn’t have any of the coverage listed here.

1. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than six hours.

Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

Travel accident: Up to $1,000,000.

Rental car insurance: Up to $75,000.

2. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

Travel accident: Up to $500,000.

Rental car insurance: Up to the actual cash value of the car.

3. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Lost luggage: Up to $2,000 for checked bag and up to $3,000 for checked and carry-on bag. New York state residents get $2,000 per bag, up to a maximum of $10,000 for all covered persons per trip.

Travel accident insurance. Up to $500,000.

Trip delay insurance: Up to $500 per trip. Maximum benefit of $1,000 per 12-month period.

Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

4. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing for delays of over six hours.

Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger for checked or carry on luggage.

Damaged luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger for checked or carry on luggage.

5. Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for three days.

Travel accident insurance: Up to $250,000 to $500,000 (Visa Platinum and Visa Signature, respectively).

Rental car insurance: Up to actual cash value of vehicle.

Travel and emergency assistance services: Assistance and referral via the Benefit Administrator, cardholder is responsible for all costs.

6. United℠ Explorer Card

Trip cancellation: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

Trip interruption: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

Rental car insurance: Covers damage or theft with restrictions.

7. Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card

Lost carry on luggage: Up to $1,250 per person for carry on baggage while in direct transit to or from a common carrier terminal, while traveling on a common carrier or while at a common carrier terminal.

Lost checked luggage: Up to $500 per person while traveling on a common carrier.

Rental car insurance: Up to $50,000.

Terms apply.

8. The Platinum Card® from American Express

Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.

9. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger. For New York state residents, coverage is limited to $2,000 per bag.

Travel accident insurance: Up to $250,000.

Rental car insurance: Covers damage or theft with restrictions. Eligible rental periods are limited to 15 consecutive days in the cardholders home country or 32 consecutive days outside it.

10. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

Baggage delay: Up to $100 per carrier for three days.

Do I need additional travel insurance?

Even with the coverage listed above, some credit cards offering travel insurance benefits may not provide enough insurance for your needs. For example, if you have paid $10,000 for a vacation using your card and trip cancellation is not offered, you may want to purchase additional coverage. Likewise, if you book a very expensive trip but your card only covers $10,000 in trip cancellation coverage, you may want to consider additional coverage.

American Express offers full travel insurance options through AmEx Assurance . This specific benefit is available to all travelers and does not require an American Express card. You can pick and choose the coverage you want, and a quote will be processed based on your age, trip expense and days traveling.

For example, here's what we found when requesting insurance for a two-day trip that costs $1,000. You can decide what coverage you'd like and see the full cost of your options:

The quote we received covered 100% reimbursement for cancellation, then offered different levels for other types of coverage.

Medical protection was available for $25,000 to $100,000.

Travel accident protection was available for $250,000 to $1,500,000.

Baggage protection was available for up to $500 to $2,500.

Trip delay coverage was offered for $150 to $1,000 per day, depending on selecting basic, silver, gold or premium options.

When renting a car, be sure to check the specific requirements of your credit card, which may vary by location and type of vehicle.

So do you need travel insurance? A good rule of thumb is if the amount you could lose is more than you want to lose (or can afford to lose) if something goes wrong, get the insurance. For a list of travel insurance companies that provide online quotes, read more about how to find the best travel insurance .

» Learn more: Does trip insurance cover award flights?

Cards with travel insurance, recapped

If you are concerned about an upcoming trip and want to be fully protected, combine your travel credit card insurance with a build-your-own plan to cover what your credit card does not.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

I'm a financial planner, and I'd recommend annual travel insurance to anyone who loves to travel abroad

Find a Qualified Financial Advisor

Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn't have to be hard. Datalign's free tool matches you with financial advisors in your area in as little as 3 minutes. All firms have been vetted by Datalign and all advisors are registered with the SEC. Get started with achieving your financial goals!

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

• Frequent and spontaneous travelers will likely benefit from annual travel insurance policies.
• Your credit card may come with some travel protections, but it may not be enough.
• When choosing a policy, look at what it covers, not just what's cheapest.

Summer is just a few months away — and if you're planning a vacation this year, the last thing you want is an unexpected event to derail your plans (and cost you hundreds).

Flights get delayed or canceled constantly. Luggage disappears into the ether. Medical emergencies occur in remote destinations. Yet many jetsetters simply cross their fingers and hope for the best rather than prepare for the worst.

That's why, as a financial planner, I believe it's crucial to consider protecting your trips with the right insurance coverage. One option often overlooked, particularly by frequent travelers, is annual travel insurance .

Annual travel insurance covers all your trips within 365 days. Unlike stand-alone travel insurance, which only covers you for a specific trip, an annual policy covers any trips you take within the year.

That's why I tell clients who travel frequently that an annual policy is a good choice for their needs. By opting for an annual plan, you don't have to go through the hassle of booking multiple policies and potentially save money compared to purchasing individual trip coverage. Here's how it works.

What to look for in a policy

While specifics may vary depending on the insurer and plan tier, most include the following key benefits:

• Trip cancellations or interruptions: You may be able to get reimbursed for expenses (even nonrefundable ones!) related to an illness, injury, or natural disaster that forced you to cancel or cut your trip short.
• Emergency medical and dental care: If you fall ill or get injured while traveling, your insurance can help cover the cost of medical treatment.
• Emergency evacuation: In a serious medical emergency or security situation, your policy will arrange and pay for transportation to a hospital or back to your home country.
• Lost, delayed, or damaged baggage: If your luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged during your trip, you can get financial coverage for essential items while you wait for your stuff to be recovered or replaced.
• Trip delays and missed connections: When your travel plans are disrupted due to issues like mechanical problems or severe weather, you may get reimbursement for additional expenses incurred, like meals, lodging, and transportation.

It's important to note that annual travel insurance plans have limitations. Certain high-risk activities, pre-existing medical conditions, and travel to specific regions may be restricted or require additional coverage.

Some travelers may assume that their credit card's built-in travel protections are enough. While many travel rewards credit cards offer perks like rental car insurance, trip cancellation, and baggage reimbursement, the coverage limits are often much lower than a dedicated annual travel insurance plan.

Credit card coverage for emergency medical care is also particularly limited — capped at a few thousand dollars — which may not be enough in the face of a major international medical emergency.

How much travel justifies an annual plan?

For the occasional traveler who takes one or two trips a year, single-trip policies will probably work for you. But if you fall into any of these buckets, you may want to consider an annual policy:

• Regular international travelers (three or more trips abroad yearly)
• Road warriors frequently away for work
• Adventurers engaging in high-risk activities like heli-skiing, scuba diving, or mountain climbing
• Cruisers and tour group travelers
• Students or retirees taking extended trips throughout the year
• Those visiting developing countries with limited medical care

Annual plans cover all of your trips within a 365-day period after purchasing. They're basically a bundle of multiple policies into one package deal. This means you only have to buy one policy to manage, locking in your coverage for the year.

How to decide if an annual policy makes sense for you

Start by reviewing your travel plans this year — and your risk tolerance. Calculate how much buying individual travel insurance policies would cost you over the next year and compare it to the price of an annual plan.

Don't just focus on the premium — carefully evaluate coverage limits, exclusions, and deductibles to ensure you have enough protection for your needs.

An annual policy gives you the flexibility to take spontaneous trips without the hassle of obtaining last-minute insurance. More importantly, it provides peace of mind, knowing that you're covered for a wide range of travel disruptions and emergencies.

As the busy summer travel season ramps up, definitely explore protecting your trips with insurance, especially if you're jetting off internationally. Spending hours on the phone trying to rebook canceled flights or worrying about affording an overseas medical emergency is no way to vacation.

If you enjoyed this story, be sure to follow Business Insider on Microsoft Start.

• Auto Insurance Best Car Insurance Cheapest Car Insurance Compare Car Insurance Quotes Best Car Insurance For Young Drivers Best Auto & Home Bundles Cheapest Cars To Insure
• Home Insurance Best Home Insurance Best Renters Insurance Cheapest Homeowners Insurance Types Of Homeowners Insurance
• Life Insurance Best Life Insurance Best Term Life Insurance Best Senior Life Insurance Best Whole Life Insurance Best No Exam Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance Best Pet Insurance Cheap Pet Insurance Pet Insurance Costs Compare Pet Insurance Quotes
• Travel Insurance Best Travel Insurance Cancel For Any Reason Travel Insurance Best Cruise Travel Insurance Best Senior Travel Insurance
• Health Insurance Best Health Insurance Plans Best Affordable Health Insurance Best Dental Insurance Best Vision Insurance Best Disability Insurance
• Credit Cards Best Credit Cards 2024 Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Best Rewards Credit Cards Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards Best 0% APR Credit Cards Best Business Credit Cards Best Credit Cards for Startups Best Credit Cards For Bad Credit Best Cards for Students without Credit
• Credit Card Reviews Chase Sapphire Preferred Wells Fargo Active Cash® Chase Sapphire Reserve Citi Double Cash Citi Diamond Preferred Chase Ink Business Unlimited American Express Blue Business Plus
• Credit Card by Issuer Best Chase Credit Cards Best American Express Credit Cards Best Bank of America Credit Cards Best Visa Credit Cards
• Credit Score Best Credit Monitoring Services Best Identity Theft Protection
• CDs Best CD Rates Best No Penalty CDs Best Jumbo CD Rates Best 3 Month CD Rates Best 6 Month CD Rates Best 9 Month CD Rates Best 1 Year CD Rates Best 2 Year CD Rates Best 5 Year CD Rates
• Checking Best High-Yield Checking Accounts Best Checking Accounts Best No Fee Checking Accounts Best Teen Checking Accounts Best Student Checking Accounts Best Joint Checking Accounts Best Business Checking Accounts Best Free Checking Accounts
• Savings Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Best Free No-Fee Savings Accounts Simple Savings Calculator Monthly Budget Calculator: 50/30/20
• Mortgages Best Mortgage Lenders Best Online Mortgage Lenders Current Mortgage Rates Best HELOC Rates Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders Best Home Equity Loan Lenders Best VA Mortgage Lenders Mortgage Refinance Rates Mortgage Interest Rate Forecast
• Personal Loans Best Personal Loans Best Debt Consolidation Loans Best Emergency Loans Best Home Improvement Loans Best Bad Credit Loans Best Installment Loans For Bad Credit Best Personal Loans For Fair Credit Best Low Interest Personal Loans
• Student Loans Best Student Loans Best Student Loan Refinance Best Student Loans for Bad or No Credit Best Low-Interest Student Loans
• Business Loans Best Business Loans Best Business Lines of Credit Apply For A Business Loan Business Loan vs. Business Line Of Credit What Is An SBA Loan?
• Investing Best Online Brokers Top 10 Cryptocurrencies Best Low-Risk Investments Best Cheap Stocks To Buy Now Best S&P 500 Index Funds Best Stocks For Beginners How To Make Money From Investing In Stocks
• Retirement Best Gold IRAs Best Investments for a Roth IRA Best Bitcoin IRAs Protecting Your 401(k) In a Recession Types of IRAs Roth vs Traditional IRA How To Open A Roth IRA
• Business Formation Best LLC Services Best Registered Agent Services How To Start An LLC How To Start A Business
• Web Design & Hosting Best Website Builders Best E-commerce Platforms Best Domain Registrar
• HR & Payroll Best Payroll Software Best HR Software Best HRIS Systems Best Recruiting Software Best Applicant Tracking Systems
• Payment Processing Best Credit Card Processing Companies Best POS Systems Best Merchant Services Best Credit Card Readers How To Accept Credit Cards
• More Business Solutions Best VPNs Best VoIP Services Best Project Management Software Best CRM Software Best Accounting Software
• Manage Topics
• Investigations
• Visual Explainers
• Newsletters
• Abortion news
• Coronavirus
• Climate Change
• Vertical Storytelling
• Corrections Policy
• College Football
• High School Sports
• H.S. Sports Awards
• Sports Betting
• College Basketball (M)
• College Basketball (W)
• For The Win
• Sports Pulse
• Weekly Pulse
• Buy Tickets
• Sports Seriously
• Sports+ States
• Celebrities
• Entertainment This!
• Celebrity Deaths
• American Influencer Awards
• Women of the Century
• Problem Solved
• Personal Finance
• Small Business
• Consumer Recalls
• Video Games
• Product Reviews
• Destinations
• Airline News
• Experience America
• Today's Debate
• Suzette Hackney
• Policing the USA
• Meet the Editorial Board
• How to Submit Content
• Hidden Common Ground
• Race in America

Personal Loans

Best Personal Loans

Auto Insurance

Best Auto Insurance

Best High-Yields Savings Accounts

CREDIT CARDS

Best Credit Cards

Advertiser Disclosure

Blueprint is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service focused on helping readers make smarter decisions. We receive compensation from the companies that advertise on Blueprint which may impact how and where products appear on this site. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Blueprint. Blueprint does not include all companies, products or offers that may be available to you within the market. A list of selected affiliate partners is available here .

Travel Insurance

Cheapest travel insurance of April 2024

Mandy Sleight

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 9:52 a.m. UTC April 11, 2024

• path]:fill-[#49619B]" alt="Facebook" width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 18 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
• path]:fill-[#202020]" alt="Email" width="19" height="14" viewBox="0 0 19 14" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">

Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

WorldTrips is the best cheap travel insurance company of 2024 based on our in-depth analysis of the cheapest travel insurance plans. Its Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier plans offer affordable travel insurance with high limits for emergency medical and evacuation benefits bundled with good coverage for trip delays, travel inconvenience and missed connections.

Cheapest travel insurance of 2024

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our team of travel insurance experts analyzes hundreds of insurance products and thousands of data points to help you find the best travel insurance for your next trip. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
• 567 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Best cheap travel insurance

Top-scoring plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, medical evacuation limit per person, why it’s the best.

WorldTrips tops our rating of the cheapest travel insurance with two plans:

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheaper travel insurance plan of the two, with $100,000 per person in emergency medical benefits as secondary coverage and an optional upgrade to primary coverage. It’s also our pick for the best travel insurance for cruises .
• Atlas Journey Premier costs a little more but gives you $150,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage . This is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority.

Pros and cons

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans.
• Atlas Journey Premier offers $150,000 in primary medical coverage.
• Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
• Each plan offers travel inconvenience coverage of $750 per person.
• 12 optional upgrades, including destination wedding and rental car damage and theft.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Cheap travel insurance for cruises

Travel insured.

Top-scoring plan

Travel Insured offers cheap travel insurance for cruises and its Worldwide Trip Protector plan gets 4 stars in our rating of the best cruise travel insurance .

• Worldwide Trip Protector offers $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and a rare $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits, which means you won’t have to file medical claims with your health insurance first.
• Cheap trip insurance for cruises.
• Offers a rare $150,000 for non-medical evacuation.
• $500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
• Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
• Missed connection benefit of $500 per person only available for cruises and tours.

Best cheap travel insurance for families

Travelex has the best cheap travel insurance for families because kids age 17 are covered by your policy for free when they’re traveling with you.

• Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
• $2,000 travel delay coverage per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
• Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
• Only $50,000 per person emergency medical coverage.
• Baggage delay coverage is only $200 and requires a 12-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for seniors

Evacuation limit per person

Nationwide has the best cheap travel insurance for seniors — its Prime plan gets 4 stars in our best senior travel insurance rating. However, Nationwide’s Cruise Choice plan ranks higher in our best cheap travel insurance rating.

• Cruise Choice has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion. It also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay, for cruises or tours. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.
• Coverage for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
• Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
• Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
• Travel medical coverage is secondary.
• Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
• No “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrade available.
• Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person is only for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for add-on options

AIG offers the best cheap travel insurance for add-on options because the Travel Guard Preferred plan allows you to customize your policy with a host of optional upgrades.

• Travel Guard Preferred upgrades include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings. There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million.
• Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your affordable travel insurance policy.
• Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
• Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
• $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
• Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Best cheap travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe has the best cheap travel insurance for missed connections because coverage is not limited to cruises and tours, as it is with many policies.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
• Most expensive of the best cheap travel insurance plans.
• No “interruption for any reason” coverage available.
• Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

Cheapest travel insurance comparison

How much does the cheapest travel insurance cost?

The cheapest travel insurance in our rating is $334. This is for a WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred travel insurance plan, based on the average of seven quotes for travelers of various ages to international destinations with a range of trip values.  

Factors that determine travel insurance cost

There are several factors that determine the cost of travel insurance, including:

• Age and number of travelers being insured.
• Trip length.
• Total trip cost.
• The travel insurance plan you choose.
• The travel insurance company.
• Any add-ons, features or upgraded benefits you include in the travel insurance plan.

Expert tip: “In general, travelers can expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 10% of their total prepaid, non-refundable trip costs,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.

Is buying the cheapest travel insurance a good idea?

Choosing cheaper travel insurance without paying attention to what a plan covers and excludes could leave you underinsured for your trip. Comparing travel insurance plans side-by-side can help ensure you get enough coverage to protect yourself financially in an emergency for the best price. 

For example, compare these two Travelex travel insurance plans:

• Travel Basic is cheaper but it only provides up to $15,000 for emergency medical expense coverage. You’ll also have to pay extra for coverage for children.
• Travel Select will cost you a bit more but it covers up to $50,000 in medical expenses and includes coverage for kids aged 17 and younger traveling with you. It also offers upgrades such additional medical coverage, “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage and an adventure sports rider that may be a good fit for your trip.

Reasons to consider paying more for travel insurance 

Make sure you understand what you’re giving up if you buy the cheapest travel insurance. Here are a few reasons you may consider paying a little extra for better coverage. 

• Emergency medical. The best travel medical insurance offers primary coverage for emergency medical benefits. Travel insurance with primary coverage can cost more than secondary coverage but will save you from having to file a claim with your health insurance company before filing a travel insurance claim.
• Emergency evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote location or planning a boat excursion on your trip, look at travel insurance with a high medical evacuation insurance limit. If you are injured while traveling, transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility could cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands. It may make sense to pay more for travel insurance with robust emergency evacuation coverage. 
• Flexibility. To maximize your trip flexibility, you might consider upgrading your travel insurance to “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage . This will increase the cost of your travel insurance but allow you to cancel your trip for any reason — not just those listed in your policy. The catch is that you’ll need to cancel at least 48 hours before your trip and will only be reimbursed 50% or 75% of your trip expenses, depending on the plan. 
• Upgrades. Many travel insurance plans have optional extras like car rental collision and adventure sports (which may otherwise be excluded from coverage). These will cost you extra but may give you the coverage you need. 

How to find the cheapest travel insurance

The best way to find the cheapest travel insurance is to determine what you’re looking for in a travel insurance policy and compare plans that meet your needs.

 “Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs, wants and concerns. This is why comparison is key,” said Morrow.

Consider the following factors when comparing cheap travel insurance plans.

• How often you’re traveling. A single-trip policy may be the most cost-effective if you’re only going on a single trip this year. But a multi-trip travel insurance plan may be cheaper if you’re going on multiple international trips throughout the year. Annual travel insurance policies cover you for a whole year as long as each trip doesn’t exceed a certain number of days, usually 30 to 90 days. 
• Credit card has travel insurance benefits. The best credit cards offer perks and benefits, and many offer travel insurance-specific benefits. The coverage types and benefit limits can vary, and you must put the entire trip cost on the credit card to use the coverage. If your trip costs more than the coverage limit on your card, you can supplement the rest with a cheaper travel insurance plan.
• The coverage you need. When looking for the best travel insurance option at the most affordable price, only buy extras and upgrades you really need. A basic plan may only provide up to $500 in baggage insurance, but if you only plan to take $300 worth of clothes and accessories, you don’t need to pay more for higher coverage limits.

Is cheap travel insurance worth it?

Cheap travel insurance can be worth it, as long as you understand the plan limitations and exclusions. Taking the time to read your policy, especially the fine print, well before your trip can ensure there won’t be any surprises about what’s covered once your journey begins.

“If a traveler is looking for coverage for travel delays, cancellations, interruptions, medical and baggage — a comprehensive travel insurance policy will provide the most bang for their buck,” said Morrow. But if you’re on a tight budget and are only worried about emergency medical care and evacuation coverage while traveling abroad, stand-alone options are cheaper.

Before buying travel insurance, you should also consider what your health insurance will cover. 

“Most domestic health insurance plans, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills abroad,” said Morrow. Even if you’re staying stateside, you may find value in an affordable travel insurance plan with medical coverage if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). 

A cheap travel insurance plan is better than none at all if you end up in a situation that would have covered some or all of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance . From those top-scoring travel insurance plans, we chose the most affordable for our rating of the cheapest travel insurance.

Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:

• Cost: 40 points. We scored the average cost of each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles.
• Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
• Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
• “Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
• Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
• Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
• Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.

Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

Cheapest travel insurance FAQs

When buying travel insurance, cheapest is not always the best. The most affordable travel insurance plans typically offer fewer coverages with lower policy limits and few or no optional upgrades. Add up your total nonrefundable trip costs and compare travel insurance plans and available features that cover your travel expenses. This strategy can help you find the cheapest travel insurance policy that best protects you from financial loss if an unforeseen circumstance arises.

Get the coverage you need: Best travel insurance of 2024

According to our analysis, WorldTrips , Travel Insured International and Travelex offer the best cheap travel insurance. Policy coverage types and limits can vary by each travel insurance provider, so the best way to get the cheapest travel insurance plan is to compare several policies and companies to find the right fit for your budget.

A good rate for travel insurance depends on your budget and coverage needs. The most comprehensive travel insurance plan is usually not the cheapest. But cheap trip insurance may not have enough coverage or the types of coverage you want. Comparing different levels of coverage and how much they cost can help you find the best cheap insurance for travel. 

The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% to 6% of your total travel expenses for one trip, according to our analysis of rates. However, you may find cheaper travel insurance if you opt for a plan with fewer benefits or lower coverage limits. How much you pay for travel insurance will also depend on the number of travelers covered, their ages, the length of the trip and any upgrades you add to your plan.

Travel insurance covers nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs — up to the policy coverage limits — when your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason outlined in your plan documents. Even the cheapest travel insurance policies usually provide coverage for:

• Medical emergencies.
• Trip delays.
• Trip interruption.
• Trip cancellation.
• Lost, stolen or damaged luggage.

However, if you’re looking to save on travel insurance, you can shop for a policy that only has travel medical insurance and does not include benefits for trip cancellation .

Even when you buy cheap travel insurance, you can often use upgrade options to customize your policy to meet your specific needs. 

Some common travel insurance add-ons you may want to consider include:

• Rental car damage coverage. 
• Medical bundle.
• Security bundle.
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
• Adventure sports bundle.
• Pet bundle.
• Wedding bundle.
• “Cancel for work reasons” coverage.
• “Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage.
• “Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage .

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Mandy is an insurance writer who has been creating online content since 2018. Before becoming a full-time freelance writer, Mandy spent 15 years working as an insurance agent. Her work has been published in Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Insurance Bulletin, U.S. News and more.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

10 worst US airports for flight cancellations this week

Travel Insurance Heidi Gollub

10 worst US airports for flight cancellations last week

Average flight costs: Travel, airfare and flight statistics 2024

Travel Insurance Timothy Moore

John Hancock travel insurance review 2024

Travel Insurance Jennifer Simonson

HTH Worldwide travel insurance review 2024

Airfare at major airports is up 29% since 2021

USI Affinity travel insurance review 2024

Trawick International travel insurance review 2024

Travel insurance for Canada

Travel Insurance Mandy Sleight

Travelex travel insurance review 2024

Best travel insurance companies of April 2024

Travel Insurance Amy Fontinelle

Best travel insurance for a Disney World vacation in 2024

World Nomads travel insurance review 2024

Outlook for travel insurance in 2024

Survey: Nearly 85% of Americans avoid family over the holidays

Travel Insurance Kara McGinley