{"id":11624,"date":"2018-07-23T10:16:06","date_gmt":"2018-07-23T14:16:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?p=11624"},"modified":"2025-12-03T17:29:41","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T22:29:41","slug":"travel-insurance-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/travel-insurance-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete & Easy Guide to Insurance for Travelers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s important to protect yourself financially while you travel. I talk about this in my guides to <\/span>Travel Security<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Traveling With Money<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what if <\/span>a personal <\/span>accident, theft, or something else should strike despite <\/span>taking all the proper security precautions<\/span>? This is where travel insurance comes into play. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what is travel insurance, anyway?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several different types of traveling insurance, not to mention different insurance companies and policy options. It can be pretty overwhelming.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this guide, I\u2019m going to walk you through all the different types of travel insurance and when you might need them, so that you can choose the right ones for you.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 1: What is Travel Insurance and Why Do You Need It?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 2: The Difference Between Travel Insurance and Expat Insurance & When You Need Each<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 3: Tips for Structuring Your New Travel Insurance Policy<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 4: Glossary of Travel Insurance Terms<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 5: How to Make a Successful Insurance Claim<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 6: Protecting Your Valuables with Property Insurance<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 7: Travel Insurance You May Already Have With Your Credit Card<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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Chapter 1: What is Travel Insurance and Why Do You Need It?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Almost categorically, I will advise that you need travel insurance while abroad. Why? Because you just never know when something will happen, and how dramatic (and costly) it will be when it does.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s Happened To Me<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In my first two years on the road, <\/span>my ex<\/span><\/a> landed in hospital twice. Once because he broke his toe in Hawaii (a 45 minute exercise in x-rays and tylenol, costing $900), and the second time for a week in Thailand while he fought for his life against a rough case of <\/span>Dengue Fever<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neither occurrence could have been anticipated, nor particularly afforded. And although making claims wasn\u2019t easy (especially in Thailand, when onward travel tickets were cancelled and re-issued, visas extended, and a myriad of both out-patient and in-patient expenses incurred; see Chapter 5 for lessons learned), we were happy to have the security blanket of insurance protecting us against these unforeseen emergencies.<\/span>

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Different Types of Traveling Insurance<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Not all types of travel insurance are created equal, cost-effective, or even necessary. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trip Cancellation Insurance<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Trip Cancellation Insurance is designed to refund you all or part of your normally non-refundable travel costs in case of a personal or family medical emergency. It\u2019s usually offered to you right when you book your flight, and is not always available after the ticket is purchased. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are always lots of stipulations and conditions around the coverage, but it might be worth it if it\u2019s an expensive trip with long-haul flights.<\/span>
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Baggage Loss\/Theft Insurance<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Baggage Loss\/Theft Insurance covers all or some of the value of your travel belongings if they are lost, stolen, or damaged. <\/span>Read the fine print before you buy this kind of insurance! The requirements to make a claim, valuation formula, and even acceptable circumstances for making a claim vary greatly.  <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All in all, this type of insurance tends to be more hassle than it\u2019s worth unless you\u2019re traveling with expensive stuff (which may not even be covered). You may even already have this coverage with a credit card or other type of existing insurance (see Chapter 7).<\/span>
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Emergency <\/b>Medical Travel Insurance<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Emergency <\/span>Medical Travel Insurance covers or reimburses you for unexpected medical expenses while you travel. It\u2019s also the most commonly purchased, and probably the most practical type of travel insurance on the market. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of accidents, some policies cover sports like scuba diving and skydiving while others don\u2019t. What you were doing when you were injured, and where, are often important things to medical travel insurance companies. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are visiting <\/span>certain locations in political turmoil or if you get hurt in a terrorist incident, <\/span>you <\/span>might also not be covered by some plans. It\u2019s always important to read the fine print and make sure the things you want covered are covered. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that aside, this type of insurance can be worth a lot to you if you fall ill or are in an accident. Trust me; it has come in handy for me multiple times over the years. <\/span>
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Expat Insurance<\/b><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Full-time and long-term travelers may not qualify for regular travel insurance after they\u2019ve been traveling for long enough. <\/span>For example, for Canadians to qualify for travel insurance, they must have valid provincial coverage as a base. But if you are out of the country for too long, you lose that provincial coverage, and thus can\u2019t get travel insurance any more. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this case, we look to Expat Insurance, also called International Health\/Medical Insurance or Worldwide Travel Insurance. It offers comprehensive medical insurance internationally, and is tailor-made for expats and long-term\/full-time travelers. For more details about expat insurance, <\/span>check out my detailed guide<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2025 Update:<\/strong> Expat insurance has come a long way with the increase in long-term travelers and digital nomadism. SafetyWing<\/a> offers travel insurance and comprehensive global health insurance for long-term travelers and remote workers! Check out my Complete Guide to Travel Medical Insurance<\/a> <\/strong>which features Safety Wing and other digital nomad-friendly insurance providers.
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Chapter 2: The Difference Between Travel Health Insurance and Expat Insurance & When You Need Each<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Which insurance for travel do you need \u2013 expat insurance or travel insurance \u2013 to cover your medical needs while abroad?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help discern the differences and structure the right policy for your needs, I chatted with David Tompkins of Expat Financial, an international insurance brokerage that sources travel insurance, expat insurance, and other insurance needs for people living abroad.<\/span>
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Who Needs Travel Health Insurance?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSomeone who is traveling for a year or less. Some travel insurance plans can cover you up to two years, but remember that travel insurance will only cover emergency claims and will not cover you back in your home country,\u201d says Tompkins.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also suggests that you maintain your health coverage back home (since most travel insurance policies don\u2019t cover you in your home country).<\/span>
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Who Needs Expat Insurance?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe perfect candidate for international health insurance [expat insurance] is someone who is traveling or living abroad for more than 12 months,\u201d says Tompkins. It\u2019s a comprehensive medical insurance policy providing coverage around the world. \u201cAn international health insurance plan will provide both emergency and non-emergency care both abroad and possibly back home.\u201d<\/span>
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Americans: You May Only Need Medical Travel Insurance<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a Canadian, I stopped qualifying for travel insurance once my provincial health coverage ran out (which happened after I was absent from Canada for a certain amount of time). But this isn\u2019t the case all over the world. My understanding is that readers from the U.S. can perpetually qualify for travel insurance if they simply wish to have emergency travel coverage (rather than a full international health plan, as expat insurance provides).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One option for Americans that offers travel insurance policies up to 364 days a year is Travelex<\/a>. They stand out because unlike most insurance companies, Travelex has no age limit, which makes it perfect for seniors<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An alternative to Travelex, which also has no age limit and is available to citizens of any country, is Auras<\/a>. They offer a universal plan for citizens of any country, aged 1 to 100<\/strong>, with policy lengths of 2 to 365 days, and can be purchased if you’re already abroad (which not all insurance companies allow for). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 UPDATE: Buyer Beware!<\/strong> I checked out Auras Insurance with the intention of buying one of their policies in December 2025. There were a variety of red flags that swayed me from using them.
For example, their specific policy language was almost impossible to find on the website, as was their underwriter. After some additional research, I discovered it’s underwritten by a company in the UAE, and Auras itself is in Comoros (offshore entities would be bound by different laws and in the case of a dispute would be nearly impossible to work with).
When I messaged customer service to get some information on an additional rider I was considering, they were unhelpful to the point of being rude. Not a good sign if you need to contact them in the event of an emergency.
And, when I finally did track down the policy language, I found it to be very exclusive. Repeatedly as I read it, I thought “if I needed to make a claim, this could be used to get out of paying me.” I laughed out loud at their coverage of ground transportation to the hospital in the event of an emergency: “taxi”. Not an ambulance – a taxi.
The limits were also atrocious. Although the overall policy limit was a high number, each category of claim had a much (much) smaller number that would be near useless if I had a serious medical emergency.
Then I looked at Trust Pilot reviews, which were mixed. Although 73% were 5-star reviews, a goodly portion of those reviewers never needed to make a claim. There were also 19% 1-star reviews, full of detailed accounts from people who had claims denied.\u00a0Every insurance company will deny claims and create irate customers who leave bad reviews, but if there is a large number of these reviews (and if they\u2019re recent, as these were), it\u2019s a red flag.\u00a0
May this serve as your warning: read your insurance policy cover to cover, and make sure you feel okay with it! Your life – or at least your finances – may depend on it. <\/em>

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International Travel Medical\/Expat Insurance Companies I\u2019ve Used<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When I first got expat insurance, I used <\/span>IMG Global<\/span><\/a> (my specific plan was called IMG Global Medical). IMG has lots of insurance options for all types of travelers.<\/span> If you’re interested, please send me an email through the contact page and I can introduce you to my broker who can set you up with the right policy for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However since those days the insurance industry has changed significantly, adapting to the huge growth in global digital nomads and long-term travelers, and catering specifically to this group (rather than to expats). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the OG digital nomad insurance companies is SafetyWing<\/strong><\/a>. Their Nomad Insurance Essential plan works like regular travel insurance, plus some additional benefits like the ability to apply from abroad and also to get (limited) coverage for visits to your home country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SafetyWing Nomad Insurance Complete<\/a> plan is the equivalent of expat insurance, providing fully comprehensive global health insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It covers any medical emergencies that the Essential plan would, plus routine care\/checkups, maternity care, mental health support, chiropractics, and cancer screenings and treatments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And unlike many traditional expat insurance \/ international health insurance policies, Nomad Insurance Complete also covers travel events like trip cancellation, delayed baggage, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly you can only apply for the Complete plan if you are aged 64 or younger, but once you have it in place, you can continue to renew it for life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately though, the Complete plan is not available for residents of the US or Canada (as in, you can\u2019t spend more than six months a year there). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I personally used SafetyWing\u2019s Nomad Essential plan for years, and I love what they are doing as a company, committed to a borderless world. Their policies do have some limitations however (eg: overall coverage limits, age limits), so it\u2019s important to read the fine print to ensure they\u2019ll cover you when needed. Here\u2019s an article I wrote with pros and cons of SafetyWing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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