3 Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance (You’ll Thank Yourself Later)

3 Reasons to Buy Travel Insurance (You’ll Thank Yourself Later)
A solid travel insurance plan can turn disaster abroad into a safe return home.|©iStock/photobyphotoboy

Before you find yourself bartering for antibiotics with a street or… vendor in a foreign hospital without the specialist you need… or holding a hefty medical bill in a language you don’t understand… Let me share a global explorer’s best-kept secret: travel insurance.

If you think you’ll be fine in a foreign country without it, let’s talk about three major benefits that might change your mind…

1. Emergency Medical Coverage: Because Accidents Don’t Care About Your Itinerary

Imagine you’re walking the high sidewalks of Puerto Vallarta, and you misjudge the 16-inch drop. BAM—your ankle shatters like a crystal goblet. If you have unlimited resources, you might find an artistic surgeon willing to put it back together—for a cool $55,000, like my client Richard U. Or maybe you’ll develop a mysterious stomach bug from that "authentic" street food.

A travel medical policy ensures you’re covered for doctor visits, hospital stays, and medications, so you won’t have to drain your vacation fund just to get treatment.

Even though your US corporate, individual medical, and Medicare supplement plans may offer some limited international benefits (usually 60-90 days on a reimbursement basis), they do not cover direct hospital payments for large bills. Nor do they include air evacuation, which from Europe to the US can exceed $100,000.

I advise my clients to be prepared to pay claims up to $5,000 on a credit card and save all receipts. Many clinics and doctor’s offices abroad are not set up to process payments for small visits, nor are most travel medical insurers.

Bonus: Many travel policies include concierge services, helping you find English-speaking doctors or hospitals that accept direct insurance payments for large claims. They also reimburse prescription medication costs (typically requiring a written prescription). Keep in mind that many drugs are available over the counter in different parts of the world—so, again, save your receipts.

2. Emergency Evacuation: Because Air Evacuation Isn’t Cheap

In the summer of 2023, my 7-year-old granddaughter, Gabby, was riding an inner tube pulled by a speedboat on Lake Como, Italy, when the tube hit the water at high speed. The impact severed an arterial artery and three blood vessels in her brain, causing an immediate stroke.

After frantically driving through the city, my daughter finally found a private university hospital willing to treat her. Gabby spent 26 days in intensive care before she was transported back to Miami as a Class 2 Air Evacuation patient—a commercial airline flight with a private nurse in first class. The cost? $60,000.

Almost two years later, Gabby is still working with therapists to regain as much normal function as possible.

Emergency medical evacuation will also be needed if you’re in a facility unequipped for life-saving surgery. Your policy will find and transport you to the nearest hospital that can perform the procedure, whether that’s a city nearby or a flight back to the US. Without coverage, you could face a $50,000 to $100,000+ bill for a Learjet/Class 1 air ambulance.

3. Trip Interruption and Repatriation: Because Life Happens

I knew a couple in their late 70s who booked a hiking tour a year in advance. At the time, they were in great health. But over the following year, the husband developed respiratory issues, while the wife needed a hip replacement. They thought they could wait and see—but when the trip date arrived, neither was physically up for the challenge.

Since they’d waited until the last month to cancel, they lost thousands of dollars. A Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) policy would have protected their investment.

With a CFAR, you can be reimbursed 75-100% on "non-refundable" expenses like flights, hotels, and tours.

That’s a policy worth considering, especially for older travelers booking expensive trips ahead of time.

Skipping travel medical insurance is like saying, "I don’t need a parachute because I probably won’t fall."

Sure, you might get lucky. But if you don’t, you’ll wish you had a backup plan.

Before you pack your bags, take ten minutes to get a travel medical policy. Your future self—and your wallet—may thank you.

Top Travel Insurance Plans Worth Considering

  • GEO Blue Cross Voyager Choice (single trip): Best for US residents seeking travel medical coverage with air evacuation.

  • GEO Blue Trekker Choice (multi-trip): Ideal for frequent travelers.

  • Nationwide (Trip Cancellation): A strong "piggyback" option.

  • Medjet Assist / Horizon: Provides air evacuation plus benefits like kidnap and ransom protection. And it fronts hospital bills (up to $60,000) until you receive an insurance payment.

Share