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How Much Travel Insurance Do I Need for my Trip?

Learn how to calculate the right amount of travel insurance coverage for prepaid costs, medical expenses, and evacuation needs before your next trip.

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Key takeaways

Step 1: Calculate Your Prepaid, Non-Refundable Trip Costs
Step 2: Evaluate Emergency Medical Expense Needs
Step 3: Determine Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Requirements
Step 4: Assess Personal Travel Frequency and Trip Duration
Step 5: Review Coverage Limits and State-Specific Variations

Step 1: Calculate Your Prepaid, Non-Refundable Trip Costs

What qualifies as a prepaid non-refundable expense
Evaluating flight, hotel, and tour cancellation policies
Matching your trip cost limit to avoid over-insuring or under-insuring

Step 2: Evaluate Emergency Medical Expense Needs

Why domestic health insurance rarely covers international care
Factoring destination medical costs and activities into coverage decisions
Understanding age-tiered medical limits and plan defaults

Step 3: Determine Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Requirements

Estimating real-world medical transport and air ambulance expenses
Evaluating remote vs. urban destination risks
Reviewing hospital companion and assistance coordination requirements

Step 4: Assess Personal Travel Frequency and Trip Duration

Single-trip protection for one-off vacations
Annual multi-trip plans for frequent travelers
Post-departure options when trip cancellation benefits are not required

Step 5: Review Coverage Limits and State-Specific Variations

Understanding primary vs. excess benefit payments
Checking underlying policy schedules and carrier filings
Considering optional add-ons like Cancel For Any Reason

Our recommendation

The right plan for How to

Recommended for you

ELITE PROTECT

Most Comprehensive

Single‑Trip International Evacuation, Medical, Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption Protection

100% trip cancellation up to $200,000
$1,000,000 medical evacuation
$250,000 emergency medical
150% Trip Interruption + 75% IFAR option
Pre-existing conditions waiver (within 21 days of deposit)
$3,000 Travel Delay ($250/day after 12 hours)

Get a ELITE PROTECT quote

Why we recommend this

Built for How to

Full Financial Investment Protection
Elite Protect allows travelers to insure 100% of prepaid non-refundable trip costs up to $200,000 against unexpected cancellation.
High Medical and Evacuation Limits
Provides $250,000 in Emergency Medical coverage and $1,000,000 in Medical Evacuation and Repatriation benefits for comprehensive peace of mind.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate my total prepaid non-refundable trip cost?

Add up all non-refundable expenses paid prior to departure, including airfare, hotel deposits, tours, and cruise bookings. Do not include refundable reservations or expenses you plan to pay out-of-pocket during the trip.

How much emergency medical coverage should I select for international travel?

International medical care can quickly reach tens of thousands of dollars, making high limits crucial. Under TravelCare Elite Protect, you receive up to $250,000 in emergency medical coverage, while Pathfinder provides $500,000 for travelers under age 65 ($50,000 for travelers 65 and over).

Do all travel insurance plans include trip cancellation coverage?

No, not all plans include trip cancellation protection. For example, TravelCare Expedition is an annual multi-trip plan that focuses on primary emergency medical ($500,000 limit) and evacuation benefits, but contains no trip cancellation or travel delay benefits.

What is the difference between primary and excess travel medical coverage?

Primary coverage pays eligible medical claims first without requiring you to file with your domestic health insurer. Excess coverage pays after any primary health insurance pays its limits, though state rules in places like Vermont require all benefits to be primary.

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