Travel insurance in 2026: what it covers, what it costs, and how to pick a policy
A practical 2026 guide to travel insurance: medical cover limits, real prices per day, what is excluded, and how to choose a policy that actually pays out.
Travel insurance for a two-week international trip costs roughly $18–$45 for a standard policy (about $1.20–$3.20 per day) and should include at least €50,000–€100,000 of emergency medical cover, repatriation, and trip cancellation. Buy it the same day you book flights — cancellation cover only applies to events that happen after the policy starts.
What travel insurance actually pays for
A travel policy is really four products bundled together, and travellers routinely buy the wrong one:
- Emergency medical — treatment, hospital stays, ambulance and repatriation abroad. This is the part that turns a $60,000 US hospital bill into a $0 bill. Never go below €50,000; €100,000 is the sane default outside Europe.
- Trip cancellation and interruption — reimburses non-refundable flights and hotels when you cancel for a covered reason (illness, bereavement, jury duty, natural disaster).
- Baggage and delay — replaces lost luggage and pays a per-hour allowance for long delays.
- Personal liability — covers damage you cause to other people or property, often €1m+.
What it costs in 2026
| Trip | Traveller | Typical premium |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days, Europe | 30 y/o | $12 – $22 |
| 14 days, Southeast Asia | 30 y/o | $18 – $38 |
| 14 days, USA | 30 y/o | $45 – $90 |
| 30 days, worldwide | 45 y/o | $60 – $130 |
| 365 days, nomad plan | 30 y/o | $500 – $900 |
The USA is the single biggest price driver: American healthcare costs push premiums up 2–3× compared with the identical policy excluding the US and Canada.
The exclusions that ruin claims
- Alcohol. Injuries sustained while intoxicated are excluded by nearly every insurer.
- Scooters and motorbikes. Most policies only pay if you hold a valid licence for that engine size and wore a helmet. This is the number-one denied claim in Thailand, Bali and Vietnam.
- Pre-existing conditions. Undeclared conditions void the medical section. Declare them — the premium rises by a few dollars, not a few hundred.
- Adventure sports. Diving below 18m, skiing off-piste, trekking above 4,000m and motorsport all need an explicit add-on.
- Unattended belongings. A bag left on a beach or a café chair is almost never covered.
- Government travel warnings. If your foreign ministry advises against travel to that region, cover typically lapses.
How to choose in five minutes
- Set medical cover to €100,000 minimum (€50,000 if Europe-only).
- Check the excess/deductible — a $250 excess on a $400 claim is a bad policy.
- Confirm direct billing to hospitals, so you are not fronting $10,000 on a credit card.
- Match the activity list to what you'll really do — scooter, dive, ski, trek.
- Verify the policy names every country on your route, including layovers longer than 24 hours.
Credit-card insurance is not a substitute
Card cover usually requires you to pay the whole trip on that card, caps medical cover at $10,000–$25,000, and excludes anyone over 65 or trips longer than 30–60 days. Use it as a top-up, not as your primary policy.
Visa requirements
Several visas legally require insurance before they will issue: Schengen (€30,000 medical, repatriation included), UAE, Cuba, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and most digital-nomad visas including Spain, Portugal and Costa Rica. Consulates check the certificate, so get one that names the applicant, the dates and the cover amount in a single PDF.
Frequently asked questions
How much does travel insurance cost for two weeks?
Expect $18–$38 for a 14-day policy to Europe, Asia or Latin America, and $45–$90 for the same trip to the USA, where medical costs are far higher. That works out to roughly $1.20–$3.20 per day.
How much medical cover do I actually need?
Minimum €30,000 for Schengen visas, €50,000 for Europe generally, and €100,000 or more for the USA, Canada, Japan and remote regions where an air evacuation can cost $100,000 on its own.
When should I buy travel insurance?
On the same day you pay for flights or accommodation. Trip-cancellation cover only applies to events that occur after the policy is issued, so buying late removes most of the value.
Does travel insurance cover COVID-19 or new outbreaks?
Most 2026 policies now treat COVID-19 as a normal illness: medical treatment and quarantine costs are covered, but cancellation because you simply changed your mind about travelling is not.
Is travel insurance mandatory?
It is mandatory for Schengen, UAE, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and most digital-nomad visas. Everywhere else it is optional but strongly advised: a single emergency evacuation costs more than a lifetime of premiums.
Two things we never travel without: a medical policy that actually pays abroad, and a way to claim cash back when an airline ruins the plan.
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