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Travel insurance is easy to skip, until you need a hospital abroad or an emergency flight home. A broken leg on a ski slope or appendicitis in Rome can cost tens of thousands of dollars without cover. Here is what travel insurance covers, what it doesn't, and how to pick the right policy.
Quick Answer
- Yes, get medical cover for any trip abroad: your home insurance often doesn't work overseas, and Medicare usually doesn't.
- Trip cancellation cover is worth it when you have large prepaid, non-refundable costs.
- Check exclusions: pre-existing conditions, extreme sports and incidents involving alcohol are commonly excluded.
For simple, flexible travel medical insurance you can buy online in minutes, one option is EKTA.
What Travel Insurance Covers
| Type | What it pays for |
|---|---|
| Travel medical | Emergency treatment, hospital stays and medicine abroad |
| Medical evacuation and repatriation | Emergency transport to a hospital or back home |
| Trip cancellation / interruption | Prepaid costs if you cancel or cut your trip short for a covered reason |
| Baggage and delay | Lost or delayed luggage and costs from long flight delays |
| Personal liability | Damage or injury you accidentally cause to others |
Some policies offer "cancel for any reason" as an add-on, which usually refunds only part of your costs.
What It Usually Doesn't Cover
- Pre-existing medical conditions you didn't declare.
- Extreme or winter sports without an add-on.
- Incidents involving heavy drinking or drugs.
- Known events, such as a storm that was already named when you bought the policy.
Why Your Health Insurance May Not Be Enough
Americans: many US health plans offer little or no cover abroad, and Medicare "usually doesn't cover health care while you're traveling outside the U.S." Europeans: the EHIC (and the UK GHIC) give access to state healthcare in other European countries on the same terms as locals, but they don't cover private clinics, repatriation or trip problems.
Schengen Visa Insurance Rules
If you need a Schengen visa, your insurance must cover at least €30,000, be valid in all Schengen countries for your whole stay, and include emergency medical care, hospital treatment and repatriation. US citizens visiting for short stays usually don't need a visa, but the same level of cover is a sensible minimum anyway.
EKTA: Simple Online Travel Medical Insurance
EKTA sells travel medical insurance online to travelers of any nationality, ages 0 to 100. The policy arrives by email within minutes, and there is 24/7 assistance.
- Three levels: Start (with a 25% deductible), Gold and Max+ (no deductible).
- Covers: medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation, baggage, flight delays of 4+ hours and personal liability, with optional cover for sports, including extreme sports.
- Buying abroad: possible, with cover starting after 3 days.
Things to know: EKTA focuses on medical cover; we found no trip-cancellation cover. Its policies are issued by an insurer licensed in the Union of Comoros, not in the EU. EKTA says its policies are suitable for Schengen visa applications, but some consulates require an insurer registered in the EU, so check your consulate's rules first. If you need cancellation cover, compare it with a policy from your home country.
How to Choose a Policy
- Medical limit: aim for at least €30,000 in Europe, and much more for the US.
- Evacuation and repatriation included.
- Deductible: lower means less to pay per claim.
- Activities: add sports cover if you ski, dive or hike at altitude.
- Cancellation: only if you have large non-refundable bookings.
- Read the exclusions before you pay.
Planning a trip? Read our guides to renting a car in Europe, using a VPN abroad and flight delay compensation.
FAQ
Does my US health insurance cover me in Europe?
Often only partly or not at all, and Medicare usually doesn't cover care outside the US. Check your policy before you travel.
Is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) enough?
No. It gives access to state healthcare on the same terms as locals, but it doesn't cover private care, repatriation or travel problems. The EU calls it "not an alternative to travel insurance."
What is the minimum insurance for a Schengen visa?
At least €30,000 of medical cover, valid in all Schengen countries for your whole stay, including emergency treatment and repatriation.
Can I buy travel insurance after I have left home?
Some insurers allow it, usually with a waiting period. EKTA policies bought while already abroad start after 3 days.
Does travel insurance cover skiing or diving?
Often only with an add-on. Check the activity list before you go.
Affiliate Disclosure: The Finer Route earns a commission from some of the services linked in this article, including EKTA, at no extra cost to you. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice; read the policy wording before you buy. Plans, features and rules change often, so check the current details before you buy.
