Frequently Asked Questions

Travel insurance often bundles trip cancellation, baggage loss and medical coverage. Travel medical insurance focuses specifically on healthcare abroad and usually offers higher medical limits — the priority for expats and long-term travelers.

Some plans offer a pre-existing condition waiver if purchased within a set window after booking your trip, and certain long-term expat plans accept them with underwriting. Always disclose conditions honestly — non-disclosure is the most common reason claims get denied.

Typically 4-10% of your trip cost for short trips, or a flat monthly rate for long-stay/nomad plans, based on age, destination and coverage limit.

Most current plans treat COVID-19 like any other illness for medical coverage, but always confirm — some nomad visas require it as a named inclusion.

Most insurers allow changes or cancellation before your coverage start date, and many offer a short free-look period. Check your specific policy wording.

Contact the 24/7 assistance line as soon as possible — ideally before paying out of pocket for anything beyond a small co-pay — so the insurer can coordinate direct billing when available.

The medical maximum is the overall ceiling for your trip. A sub-limit is a smaller cap within that maximum for a specific category, like emergency dental or evacuation — always check both.

Most plans cover accident-related emergency dental up to a modest sub-limit (often $300-500), but routine dental care is not covered.

In many destinations, the nearest adequate hospital may be hours away or in another country. Evacuation coverage pays for that transport, which can otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Some insurers allow it with a short waiting period before coverage starts; others require purchase before departure. Check the specific policy's rules.

Most insurers let you extend coverage before your current policy expires, as long as no claim is pending and you're still eligible under their rules.

Many policies offer limited reimbursement for passport replacement costs and related travel delays, but check your specific plan's document loss provisions.

Coverage varies significantly — many budget plans exclude or cap it very low. If this matters to you, ask specifically before buying.

The amount you pay out of pocket before the insurer starts covering costs, either per claim or per policy period depending on the plan.

Yes, most insurers offer family and multi-traveler policies, often with a free-child clause for minors traveling with an insured adult.

Many plans cover trip interruption or cancellation due to a natural disaster at your destination, but confirm the specific named perils in your policy.

File a report with the airline first, since they have their own liability limits under international conventions, then file with your travel insurer for anything beyond that.

Usually your existing health insurance covers you domestically, but trip cancellation or baggage coverage can still be worth it for expensive domestic trips.

Most insurers offer a short free-look period (often 10-15 days) after purchase, provided you haven't started your trip or filed a claim.

Typically just your name, date of birth, trip dates, and destination. Some plans ask for a passport number for the certificate.

Yes — premiums typically increase in age bands, with the biggest jumps after 60 and again after 70. See our guide on insurance for retirees and seniors.

No — it's a legal requirement in some places (like the Schengen area) but not others (like the US or UK), though it's financially wise everywhere given healthcare costs.

A separate benefit that pays a fixed sum to you or your beneficiaries if the policy period includes an accident causing death or specific serious injuries.

Some insurers offer student-specific plans for study-abroad programs, often with longer duration options and lower age-based pricing.

Most current plans treat it like any other illness. See our 2026 COVID-19 policy guide for details.