Travel insurance gets pitched at nearly every point of booking — flights, hotels, tour packages — and it's genuinely hard to know what's worth it versus what's a low-value add-on.
Coverage That's Usually Worth It
- Emergency medical coverage, especially for international trips, since your regular health insurance often doesn't cover you abroad, and emergency care overseas can be extraordinarily expensive without it.
- Emergency evacuation coverage for remote or adventure travel, where getting to proper medical care could otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars.
- Trip cancellation/interruption for expensive, non-refundable trips — especially ones booked far in advance where life circumstances could change.
Coverage That's Often Not Worth It
- Basic add-on insurance sold at checkout for a low-cost, easily rebookable trip — the payout often doesn't justify the price relative to just eating the loss.
- Coverage that duplicates protection you already have through a credit card — many travel cards include some trip cancellation or rental car coverage automatically.
How to Actually Choose a Policy
- Check what your credit card already covers before buying a separate policy — you may already have partial protection.
- Compare a standalone policy from a dedicated insurer against the checkout add-on — standalone providers are often cheaper for better coverage.
- Read the exclusions section, not just the coverage highlights — pre-existing conditions and specific activities are common gaps.
Our Take
Skip blanket advice to always or never buy travel insurance. Match the coverage to the actual risk — a $200 domestic weekend trip and a $6,000 international honeymoon deserve very different answers.
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