Curious how travel insurance works and when you might need it? We’ve brought in our friends from travel insurance company Wanderwell, a certified B Corp, to help us better understand the nuances of different insurance types.

Remember: Wanderful is not an insurance agent and none of this information should be used as official advice. For real travel insurance advice, please consult a licensed insurance agent.

Affiliate links embedded in this article to support our work at Wanderful. For a full disclosure statement, read here.

Imagine this: You’re three days from departing for your bucket-list safari trip in Tanzania when you become ill.

Unable to stomach a multi-hour plane ride (let alone a ten-day safari), you’re forced to cancel your entire trip.

Or this: you’re strolling through the charming cobblestoned streets of San Sebastian in the Basque Region. Suddenly, you slip and sprain your ankle.

Or perhaps your luggage decides to take an unexpected detour to Taiwan while you’re headed to Tokyo.

It’s not always fun to talk about the unforeseen mishaps of travel. It’s especially frustrating when they drill a hole into your wander budget. But that’s also when travel insurance can be a BIG help.

There are different types of insurance. Each one provides protection for different things. We’ll take a minute to break down:

• what travel insurance is
• the different types of insurance
• and how to use them

So, what exactly is travel insurance?

Think of travel insurance as your security blanket. It’s designed to cover you when the unexpected happens before or during your adventures away from home. From medical emergencies and trip cancellations to lost luggage and delays, travel insurance provides financial protection and peace of mind when things don’t go according to plan.

Now, let’s break it down:

1. Medical Coverage

It can be scary to fall ill or get injured in a foreign country. Travel insurance can cover medical expenses, including hospital stays, emergency medical evacuation, and even dental treatments in some cases. Plus, coverage with a 24/7 travel assistance service can be an advocate for you by communicating with the hospital to arrange for direct payment for care.

2. Trip Cancellation/Interruption

$#!t happens! Sometimes you need to completely cancel or cut short your trip due to unforeseen circumstances. It could be illness, a family member’s death, natural disasters, or even jury duty back home. The right travel insurance can reimburse you for prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses that you have lost.

3. Lost or Delayed Luggage

Your luggage decides to continue circumnavigating the globe while you settle into your dream destination. Travel insurance can provide reimbursement for the essentials you need while you wait for your belongings to catch up with you.

4. Emergency Assistance

From 24/7 travel assistance hotlines to help with lost passports or arranging emergency medical transportation, travel insurance ensures you’re never stranded alone in a foreign land.

5. Activities Coverage

Planning to do some leisurely kayaking in fjords of Norway, snorkeling in Belize, or biking through the cycling utopia of Copenhagen? Or perhaps your aim is for more adventurous and extreme activities, like river rafting in New Zealand, helo-skiing in Canada, or hang gliding in Switzerland? Make sure your travel insurance covers recreational and adventure sports activities. You can even upgrade to cover “extreme” activities to keep you protected during your adrenaline-filled escapades.

Finding the right travel insurance policy

Remember, not all travel insurance policies are created equal. It’s essential to do your research and find the right coverage that suits your needs and budget. Whether you are backpacking in hostels or globetrotting in luxury, investing in travel insurance is a small price to pay for the priceless peace of mind it brings.

So where do you find a policy, anyway?

Some travel companies will collaborate with a travel insurance provider to offer comprehensive coverage that you can purchase in the trip booking pathway. We highly recommend Wanderwell. They make things simple by only offering modern, comprehensive trip protection plans that are packed with benefits, primary medical coverage, and attentive support. Plus, they align with our values. They’ve been a Certified B Corp since 2017, and are a 1% for the Planet member! You can also look to compare coverage at an aggregating site like insuremytrip, SquareMouth, and TravelInsurance.com.

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What to look for in a good travel insurance policy

In order to find what you need in a good insurance policy, the most important thing is to know what it is that you want to protect. Is your priority to protect yourself and loved ones only while on the trips, or to have all of that and protect the investment of your trip should you need to cancel or interrupt travel for a covered reason?

Post-departure only coverage is generally designed to not have Trip Cancellation benefits, but offer benefits for Accident & Sickness (travel medical), Emergency Medical Evacuation benefits, and possibly has some coverage for Trip interruption, Trip Delay, Baggage & Personal Effects, and more.

Comprehensive trip protection plans are generally designed to cover the most common travel perils related to trip cancellation, as well as benefits for trip interruption, and trip delay. Plus, many tend to include benefits for Accident & Sickness (travel medical), Emergency Medical Evacuation benefits, Trip Delay, Baggage & Personal Effects, and more. 

If you are participating in recreational, adventure, and/or extreme sports activities, make sure your insurance includes coverage for such activities. Otherwise, see if you can add those benefits via an optional upgrade. 

Before purchasing, check the plan details to determine if the Accident & Sickness (medical) benefit is Primary or Secondary/Excess. Primary plans can have a higher plan cost, but they make the medical claims process much smoother.

Whichever service provider you purchase coverage with, know that the sooner you purchase a trip protection plan, the more it can cover. Often there are time-sensitive benefits and upgrades that you can apply (ie embedded coverage for pre-existing conditions, optional Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade *if eligible). 

For maximum coverage, purchase a trip protection plan within 10 days of making any initial trip payment. 

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How to get the most out of your travel insurance plan

No matter what travel insurance you purchase, you should receive a confirmation email with a Summary of Benefits, a list of the named insured travelers, links to the ID card, Visa Letter, and Policy Certificate, phone numbers for 24/7 travel assistance, and more. 

Although it is a lot of information, take the time to read the benefits and the policy certificate. They’ll give you familiarity with how coverage works, how to file a claim, and who to contact in an emergency.

Here are some other things that will help:

• Save the docs on your mobile device so you can access them easily.
• Take two printed copies each of the ID card and Visa Letter. Keep them in two different places for you to reference.
• Forward the confirmation email with links to a traveling companion and to people at home.  

What does travel insurance typically not cover?

The nuances of travel insurance coverage often vary by plan, what state you live in, where you’re traveling, and other variables. That being said, there are some things that cancellation insurance typically doesn’t cover. If you cancel your trip due to a fear of flying or childcare/sitter cancellations, usually those aren’t covered. The nuances of pregnancy and childbirth are very specific and you should also confirm them with your insurance provider. And more political challenges, like an act of war or the denial of a passport application, usually aren’t covered events either. If you ever have questions about coverage, make sure to talk with your insurance representative to get clarity. They’re there to help!

So, before you embark on your next adventure, make sure to add travel insurance to your checklist. A little preparation goes a long way in ensuring a safe and worry-free journey. Safe travels, fellow wanderers! 🌍✈️🏖️

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More About Wanderwell

We intentionally partner with Wanderwell, a Certified B Corp offering coverage and advising for travel insurance plans. Wanderwell makes this as simple as possible. They don’t overwhelm you with options, offering just a few modern, comprehensive trip protection plans designed to cover the most common travel perils related to trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, travel Medical Expenses, baggage & personal effects, Emergency Medical Evacuation, and more. 

If you choose to purchase through Wanderwell, you can buy the trip from our Wanderful partner page by clicking here, and at least 1% of your purchase premium price will be donated to the Planet Impact Fund through 1% for the Planet network.

Whether you purchase through Wanderwell or another service provider, know that the sooner you purchase a trip protection plan, the more it can cover, as there are time-sensitive benefits and upgrades that can be applied (ie embedded coverage for pre-existing conditions, optional Cancellation for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade *if eligible).