Is travel insurance worth it? 7 reasons to protect your trip

Question

Reason 1: Travel insurance is worth it if you get sick or hurt abroad

Imagine catching a virus or breaking a bone while on vacation in another country. Medical treatments can be pricey, and your U.S. health insurance likely can’t help you abroad.

One of the top benefits of travel insurance is coverage for emergency medical expenses. With one of our Travelex plans, you can focus on feeling better, instead of footing the bill long-term.

“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.”
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Our emergency assistance team is here to help you 24/7 — whether you need to access travel health care, go to a hospital abroad, or even speak with medical staff who don’t speak your native language. We’re not just here to help pay for covered bills; we can help you get the care you need in more ways than one. You can reach us quickly by tapping the assistance button in our Travel On app.

Reason 2: Travel insurance is worth it if you need to cancel your trip

Sometimes life throws curveballs, like sudden illnesses or severe weather, that cancel your plans. And when you call off your trip and you don’t have the right travel insurance coverage, you'll likely lose the nonrefundable payments you made.

If you’re still asking yourself, “Should I get travel insurance in case I need to cancel my vacation?”, you’ll be interested to hear this: Trip cancellation is the most common reason our travelers make a claim. Yes, over 65% of our travelers’ claims in 2023 were for canceled trips. When you cancel your trip for a covered reason, travel insurance can reimburse you for the insured expenses you can't get back elsewhere.

Want to be able to cancel your trip for any reason? Our Travel Select plan offers a cancel for any reason upgrade that allows you to call off your trip no matter what happens. This way, you can feel more confident knowing you have the flexibility to cancel if needed.

Reason 3: Travel insurance is worth it if your belongings are lost, stolen, or delayed

Have you ever thought, “What if my luggage doesn’t arrive?”, while waiting for your checked suitcase at baggage claim?

Losing your baggage or someone stealing it can put a dent in your trip plans. And because you’re likely missing things you need for your vacation, you’ll have to purchase new belongings. Travel insurance can reimburse the cost to replace your essential items, so you can restock the items you need.

Travel insurance is worth it even if your bags are running late, because delayed baggage can mean you’ll be in your destination without your essential belongings for a long period of time. Travel insurance can reimburse you for items you need to purchase while waiting for your luggage to arrive if you’re traveling with one of our policies (up to the policy limit).

Reason 4: Travel insurance is worth it if you have flight delays

Flight delays are common, whether they’re because of severe weather, mechanical issues, or strikes. And a delayed flight can mean a delayed vacation, potentially affecting your plans.

When you have a flight delay, you may buy snacks and drinks to get you through your wait in the airport. Or you may even need to book a hotel room for longer delays. Our travel insurance can help reimburse you for reasonable necessary things like food and lodging while you wait for your trip to continue. Your coverage may even reimburse your nonrefundable prepaid tours that you miss because of a flight delay.

So, if you’re still wondering, “Should I get travel insurance?”, remember this: without it, you’ll be left paying for all these unexpected costs yourself.

Reason 5: Travel insurance is worth it if you need travel assistance

If you need to go to a doctor on vacation or lose your passport, do you know what to do or who to call?

With a Travelex policy, you’ll have expert support any time you need it. Plus, our 24/7 travel assistance team is easy to reach — just tap the assistance button in our Travel On app!

Reason 6: Travel insurance is worth it if your plans include adventure sports

Want to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or ride a horse through El Yunque Rainforest in Puerto Rico? If something goes wrong during your activity, travel insurance may cover your emergency medical expenses or other unexpected costs.

At Travelex, our base plans provide coverage for adventure sports like kayaking, hiking, and skiing. Want to enjoy more thrilling activities like zip lining, bungee jumping, and skydiving? Consider adding our adventure sports upgrade to your Travel Select plan. Then, you can zip through the jungle or scuba dive at greater depths with extra confidence.

Reason 7: Travel insurance is worth it if the weather affects your trip

The weather can be unpredictable, and things like snowstorms or heavy rain can cause flight delays and cancellations. One of the benefits of travel insurance is reimbursement for trip cancellation and delay when bad weather strikes.

Planning a summer vacation during hurricane season? Or visiting a seismically active area like Japan, where natural disasters may be more likely? No matter where you travel, natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes can happen suddenly — and quickly ruin your trip. With our travel insurance coverage and travel assistance team, we can be there to help you navigate your plans, 24/7.

Don’t miss out on the benefits of travel insurance

Travel insurance is worth it for these seven reasons and more. Enjoy your vacation knowing you can lean on our experts and comprehensive coverage. Get a quote now.