Travel insurance: what you actually need

Travel insurance is the one thing you hope never to use and the one thing you really do not want to travel without. It is not about lost luggage: it is about the hospital bill abroad you could never pay out of pocket. Here is what a good policy actually covers, what it does not, and how to avoid the classic mistakes, with nothing to sell you.

What travel insurance actually covers

Medical care and repatriation (the real reason)

• Emergency treatment, hospital stays and medical evacuation abroad are the single most important cover; a serious illness or accident overseas can cost a fortune.
• Repatriation (flying you home for treatment, or home in the worst case) is expensive, and it is exactly what you insure against.

Cancellation and interruption

• If you have to cancel or cut a trip short for a covered reason (illness, injury, bereavement), it refunds your prepaid, non-refundable costs.
• This is why buying early matters (see below).

The everyday extras

• Missed connections and long delays, lost, delayed or stolen baggage, personal liability, sometimes gadgets, winter sports or the rental-car excess.

Buy it early and match it to your trip

Buy when you book, not at the airport

• Cancellation cover usually starts from the day you buy the policy, so buying it the moment you book protects the weeks before you travel too.

Single trip or annual multi-trip

• One holiday a year: a single-trip policy. Several trips: an annual multi-trip policy is often cheaper overall.

Check the medical limit and add-ons

• Make sure the medical limit is high enough, especially for the USA where care is very expensive.
• Add adventure, ski or scuba cover if you will do those; standard policies exclude them.

What is NOT covered (read this part)

The common exclusions

• Extreme sports, alcohol or drug-related incidents, undeclared pre-existing conditions, valuables above a per-item cap, and travelling against your government official advice.
• Some policies limit or exclude pandemic-related claims; check the wording.

Declare pre-existing conditions

• If you do not declare a known medical condition, a related claim can be refused. Declaring it is the whole point of being covered.

Mind the excess

• The excess is what you pay out of pocket per claim; a cheap policy with a high excess can cost you more when you actually claim.

Check what you already have

EHIC / GHIC is not insurance

• For EU citizens the EHIC (and for UK residents the GHIC) gives access to state healthcare in EU countries on the same terms as a local, but it does NOT cover repatriation, private care or non-medical costs. It complements insurance; it does not replace it.

Cards and existing policies

• Some credit cards and premium bank accounts include travel cover; read the terms and any activation rules (you sometimes must pay for the trip on that card).
• Your health, home or contents policy may already cover some baggage or medical items; avoid paying twice.

Before you travel: the practical part

• Save the policy number and the 24-hour emergency line on your phone and on paper.
• Keep receipts for anything you might claim, and for medical treatment abroad.
• Report theft to the police within 24 hours; a police report is usually required for a valid claim.

Your travel-insurance checklist

• Buy the policy when you book, not at the airport.
• Match it to your trip: single vs annual, destination, activities.
• Check the medical limit is high enough (higher for the USA).
• Declare every pre-existing condition.
• Read the exclusions and the excess.
• Check the EHIC/GHIC, credit-card and existing-policy cover you already have.
• Save the policy number and emergency line, and keep your receipts.

Good to know

Do I really need travel insurance? For medical and repatriation cover abroad, yes; a hospital stay or evacuation overseas can cost many times the price of the trip.

When should I buy it? When you book the trip; cancellation cover usually only works from the day you buy.

Is the EHIC or GHIC enough? No; it gives state healthcare in the EU but does not cover repatriation, private care or non-medical costs, so you still need insurance.

Why might a claim be refused? Usually an undeclared pre-existing condition, an excluded activity, alcohol involvement, or no police report for theft. Read the wording.

Does Edenfinder sell insurance? No; Edenfinder is a hotel comparison tool. This is neutral guidance, and you buy any policy from an insurer, not on Edenfinder.

Sort your cover before you go, then compare hotels for the trip. Search hotels in New York or search hotels for your destination.