Travel protection · policy review checklist
Check what a travel insurance policy actually covers
Questions to check in travel insurance wording for trip cancellation, medical care, evacuation, baggage, exclusions and claims.
Quick answer: what does travel insurance cover?
Travel insurance can cover specified trip cancellation or interruption costs, medical care, evacuation, baggage loss or delay, and other listed risks. There is no single standard set of benefits: each policy names covered events, limits, conditions and exclusions. Read the certificate and policy wording for the exact plan, and ask the insurer about unclear terms. This checklist summarizes U.S. NAIC consumer guidance and is not a coverage determination. Checked 3 Nov 2026.
What should I check for cancellation, interruption and delay?
Find the covered reasons for cancellation, cutting a trip short and travel delay separately. Ask which prepaid, non-refundable costs are eligible; what documentation is required; whether the policy pays a fixed benefit or reimburses eligible expenses; and what waiting periods, notice deadlines, minimum delay hours, per-person or per-trip caps, and missed-connection conditions apply. Check how airline, lodging or tour-operator refunds affect a claim. A covered reason under one policy may be excluded under another.
What should I check for travel medical coverage?
Confirm the covered countries and dates, eligible emergency and routine care, deductible, benefit limit, emergency contact process and whether the insurer must approve treatment before you receive non-emergency care. Ask how pre-existing conditions are defined and treated, and whether the planned activities, pregnancy-related care or existing conditions are excluded or restricted. Check whether your current health plan or card already provides any relevant protection.
How do evacuation and repatriation terms differ?
Look for separate wording and limits for emergency medical transportation, evacuation to an appropriate facility, transport home when medically necessary, and repatriation of remains. Ask who decides that transport is medically necessary, who arranges it, whether prior approval is required, which destinations or activities are excluded, and whether an escort or companion's transport is covered. A general assistance hotline is not by itself proof that the insurance benefit will pay a particular expense.
What should I check for baggage and personal belongings?
Read the per-item and total limits, deductible, covered causes of loss, delayed-baggage waiting period and required proof. Check special sublimits for valuables, electronics and documents, plus exclusions for unattended items or items in a vehicle. Ask whether the policy is secondary to a homeowner, renter or credit-card benefit, and how other payments affect reimbursement. Keep receipts or an inventory for items whose value you may need to document.
Which exclusions deserve a close read?
Compare the exclusions with your actual trip and circumstances. NAIC lists pre-existing health conditions, pandemics, civil or political unrest, pregnancy and childbirth, and activities insurers consider risky among common exclusions; terms vary by policy. Check definitions, stability/look-back periods, named-event wording, destination restrictions, sanctions, alcohol or other conduct clauses, and any activity-specific conditions in the contract rather than assuming a broad benefit label applies.
Does Cancel For Any Reason mean a full refund for any reason?
Not necessarily. NAIC says CFAR is generally an add-on with eligibility rules, purchase timing and cancellation deadlines, and typically reimburses only part of eligible trip expenses. Check the actual policy's deadline, required insured trip cost, minimum advance cancellation time, eligible percentage, covered travelers and whether the benefit is a refund or reimbursement. Do not rely on the label alone.
How do I distinguish insurance from travel assistance?
A package may bundle insurance with non-insurance services such as translation, medical referrals or lost-luggage help. NAIC distinguishes those assistance services from insurance coverage. Check the certificate to identify the insurer, insured benefits, assistance contact, and the separate process and terms for requesting payment or reimbursement.
What should I save before traveling?
Save the policy certificate and full wording, insurer emergency contact details, proof of purchased trip costs, receipts, itinerary and claim instructions offline. Ask the insurer how quickly to notify it, which documents to submit, how to handle emergency treatment, and where to get help from your state or territory insurance department. Record answers for the exact policy and keep copies accessible to your travel companion.
Sources
- NAIC: Should I Get Travel Insurance? (consumer guide published 16 Jun 2026; coverage types, limits, exclusions, CFAR and state insurance department help; checked 3 Nov 2026)
- NAIC: Insurance Topics — Travel Insurance (updated 1 Apr 2026; coverage categories, common exclusions and non-insurance assistance distinction; checked 3 Nov 2026)