If you’re planning a trip abroad, consider purchasing travel health insurance and indulge your wanderlust with peace of mind. Don’t let an accident or serious illness on the road result in eye-watering medical bills.
For international travel, health insurance that specifically covers care received abroad is essential — not to mention coverage for medical evacuations, repatriation, trip interruption, and more.
Travel health insurance is recommended for trips lasting up to one year. For trips longer than a year, look into international health insurance plans or a more comprehensive expatriate insurance plan.
Learn more about the available types of short-term medical insurance for travel so you can choose the travel medical policy that is right for you.
If you’re planning a trip abroad, consider purchasing travel health insurance and indulge your wanderlust with peace of mind. Don’t let an accident or serious illness on the road result in eye-watering medical bills.
For international travel, health insurance that specifically covers care received abroad is essential — not to mention coverage for medical evacuations, repatriation, trip interruption, and more.
Travel health insurance is recommended for trips lasting up to one year. For trips longer than a year, look into international health insurance plans or a more comprehensive expatriate insurance plan.
Learn more about the available types of short-term medical insurance for travel so you can choose the travel medical policy that is right for you.
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What is International Travel Medical Insurance?
When traveling outside your home country, buying travel medical insurance as part of your international travel plan offers extra protection so you don’t have to worry about unexpected medical costs related to accidents or illnesses.
Even if you’re covered at home by domestic health insurance, it may not cover you on your trip abroad. International travel typically requires a special plan through an insurance company that specializes in travel health insurance.
What Does Travelers' Medical Insurance Cover?
Each plan is different, and you can find both comprehensive travel health plans as well as budget-friendly basic plans. Depending on the plan you choose, your travel insurance policy might offer coverage for the following:
- Emergency medical care: Coverage for emergency medical treatment in case of sudden illness or injury while traveling. This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, surgery, and other necessary medical procedures, with the freedom to seek treatment with a hospital or doctor of your choice. Maximum limits can range from $50,000 to $8,000,000 with deductible options from $0 to up to $25,000, renewable for up to 36 months.
- Accidental death and dismemberment: Provides a benefit in the event of accidental death or loss of limbs/eyesight while traveling.
- Repatriation and emergency evacuations: Costs associated with transporting you to the nearest hospital from a remote location or back to your home country for treatment if the local facilities are inadequate. Repatriation of remains is also covered in case of death.
- Emergency transportation: Coverage for ambulance services or other transportation required during a medical emergency.
- Hospital allowance: Daily allowance for hospital stays to cover incidental expenses not directly related to medical care.
- Prescription drugs: Costs for medications prescribed by a doctor during your trip with universal Rx pharmacy discount savings.
- 24/7 assistance services: Access to a helpline for assistance with medical emergencies, finding doctors, and other travel-related help.
- Trip interruption: Compensation for the non-refundable portion of your trip if it is interrupted due to a medical emergency.
- Personal liability: Coverage for legal expenses if you accidentally cause injury to someone else or damage their property.
- Travel protection: Get coverage for issues like travel delay or cancellation and baggage loss or delay.
Is Travel Health Insurance Worth It?
Yes. Illness and accidents can strike at any time, and certain issues may even be more likely when traveling abroad, such as:
- Food poisoning due to inadequate food safety standards
- Tropical diseases and mosquito-borne illnesses
- Respiratory infections due to different allergens or heavy environmental pollutants
- Accidental injuries sustained from hiking, swimming, or adventure sports
- Traffic accidents, particularly if riding motorbikes or traversing unsafe roads
- Sunburn and heat-related illnesses in certain climates
Be sure to purchase travel medical insurance for international trips prior to your departure so you're protected from unexpected medical costs. The best plans combine the benefits of travel insurance with medical coverage.
Our Recommended Medical Travel Insurance Plans
We offer great options to cover you and your family during travel abroad. Whether you're a US national seeking coverage for an international trip or you're looking for coverage for your visit to the United States, you'll find a variety of options here.
Expert Tip: Visit our Travel Insurance Guide to find which type of plan is best for your situation.
For US Citizens Traveling Abroad
GeoBlue's Voyager Travel Insurance plan is designed specifically for US citizens traveling abroad. The benefits are excellent while remaining a very affordable option. Most importantly, the customer service is outstanding, which is essential when you need to reach someone in a medical emergency.
GeoBlue Voyager Plan
- For U.S. citizens up to age 95
- Includes pregnancy coverage, baggage loss, trip interruption & more
- 24/7/365 service and assistance
For Non-US Citizens Traveling Outside of the US
Trawick offers a great plan for non-US nationals traveling outside the United States. Coverage options are global, benefits are comprehensive, and they have a range of coverage levels to meet all budgets.
Safe Travels International
- Desinged for non-U.S. citizens traveling outside their home country (excluding the U.S.)
- Coverage for an unexpected recurrence of a Pre-Existing Condition
- Coverage from 5 days to 364 days - extensions are available
For International Visitors to the US and Beyond
Safe Travels USA from Trawick is the best plan option for international citizens visiting the United States and other countries. In addition to those listed above, benefits include limited coverage for wellness visits and "acute onset of pre-existing conditions".
Trawick Safe Travels USA
- Desinged for non-U.S. citizens traveling to the U.S. and addiitonal countries
- Includes comprehensive medical, evacuation, & repatriation coverage
- Coverage from 5 days to 364 days - extensions are available
Affordable Plans with Great Coverage and Benefits
If you're looking for a plan that offers great coverage and benefits at a reasonable price, we recommend an Atlas Travel Insurance plan. Don't be fooled by the price — the benefits are comparable to those offered by more expensive travel medical insurance providers.
Atlas Travel Insurance
- Emergency medical, evacuation, repatriation benefits
- Choose between the basic and more extensive coverage
- Meets Schengen visa insurance requirements
- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency medical assistance
See for yourself with a side-by-side comparison: Compare Travel Medical Insurance Plans
Annual, Multi-Trip Travel Insurance Plans for Frequent Travelers
Travel health insurance for international trips is available as a single-trip plan that covers a specific trip for a specified number of days.
But a multi-trip or annual travel insurance plan can cover all trips outside your home country during the year. This is usually valid for a year and up to a certain number of days per trip. It's a more cost-effective option, especially if you're a frequent traveler.
One of the best travel health insurance policies we offer is the GeoBlue Trekker annual travel insurance plan. See the link below for more details on the policy and how you can get a quote before you purchase online.
Annual Plan for All Nationalities
Patriot Multi-Trip Insurance
- Annual travel medical coverage
- Designed for individuals and dependents
- Full year of cover for trips of 30, 60, or 90 days in length
GeoBlue Trekker Multi-Trip Plan for US Citizens
Trekker MultiTrip Travel Insurance
- Up to $500,000 for sickness and accidents
- $500,000 medical evacuation benefit
- Unlimited Trips Outside the U.S. for trips up to 70 days
Cost of Travel Medical Insurance
The cost of travel medical coverage can vary widely depending on the plan you choose, the length of your trip, your age, your chosen deductible, and other factors.
For a basic plan, you can find coverage for as little as $0.80 per day, whereas more extensive coverage may cost $5 a day or more. Monthly rates ranging from $40 to $60 are also available and can sometimes provide better value.
Emergency medical plans are surprisingly affordable at about $2 per day on average. If you’re generally healthy and on a budget, it may be worth considering this option because while these basic travel health policies do not offer travel protection, they provide essential coverage for unexpected medical emergencies.
Compared to the high cost of medical care without insurance, any international travel medical insurance plan offers protection and peace of mind. And while your private health insurance plans may be costly, you might be surprised by how affordable travel health insurance is. Travel health policies also do not cover trip cancellations, so their premiums are lower than usual.
Costs and Benefits of Medical Travel Insurance for International Trips
When evaluating the costs and benefits of a travel medical insurance plan, it's important to weigh the potential financial impact of unexpected medical events against the cost of the insurance premium.
Costs to consider include:
- Premiums: The cost of travel medical insurance varies based on factors such as age, health status, destination, length of travel, and coverage limits. On average, premiums can range from $2 to $10 per day.
- Deductibles: Some plans require you to pay a deductible before the insurance coverage kicks in. Deductibles can vary widely, from $50 to several hundred dollars.
- Copayments and coinsurance: Depending on the policy, you may be responsible for a portion of the medical costs through copayments or coinsurance.
- Exclusions: Certain conditions or types of treatments may not be covered. Read the policy details to understand what is excluded.
Benefits can include:
- Emergency medical coverage: Covers the cost of medical treatment for unexpected illnesses or injuries that occur during your trip, including doctor visits, hospital stays, surgery, and prescription medications.
- Medical evacuation and repatriation: Provides coverage for transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility or back to your home country if necessary, as well as repatriation of remains in case of death.
- Emergency dental coverage: Covers urgent dental care due to accidents or sudden pain.
- 24/7 assistance services: Access to a helpline for medical emergencies, locating doctors, and other travel-related support.
- Hospital allowance: Daily allowance for hospital stays to cover incidental expenses not directly related to medical care.
- Coverage for pre-existing conditions: Some plans offer limited coverage for medical emergencies related to pre-existing conditions if certain conditions are met.
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D): Provides a benefit in the event of accidental death or loss of limbs/eyesight while traveling.
While you may need to budget a little extra, the benefits of a travel medical insurance plan generally outweigh the cost — even if nothing goes wrong, it's worth it to have peace of mind.
How Optional Coverage Adds to the Cost of Your Policy
Many plans offer additional optional benefits, meaning you can build a plan that works for you. For example, if you’re planning an action-packed trip, you can add coverage for adventure sports, mountaineering, or accidental death and disability (AD&D).
Each additional benefit will increase the price of your plan. In general, the increase is minimal and worth the added expense if you feel you may need that additional coverage.
Cost of Travel Medical Insurance for US Citizens
The rate tables below show the cost per day for US citizens traveling outside of the US under the following plans:
- GeoBlue Voyager Choice
- IMG Patriot International
- WorldTrips Atlas International
- Trawick Safe Travels Outbound
Rates last updated on March 14, 2025
Expert Tip: Visit our Plan Picker to find the best plan at the right price for your trip.
Cost of Travel Medical Plans for All Nationalities
The table below shows the cost-per-day of travel health plans for international (non-US) citizens traveling worldwide, including to the US.
- IMG Patriot America
- WorldTrips Altas America
- Trawick Safe Travels USA (covers US only)
Rates last updated on March 17, 2025
How Much Coverage Do I Need?
It depends on where you’re going, what your home coverage is like, and what you plan to do.
- For shorter trips, you can probably get away with less coverage. But if you’re traveling extensively, you might think about a more thorough policy. If you are taking several trips throughout the year, consider annual travel insurance so you’re always covered.
- The cost of medical care in countries like the United States, Japan, and Switzerland, is very high. As such, you might need a higher maximum to ensure you don’t hit the limit.
- How’s your health? If you have conditions that need regular treatment or medications, make sure your policy is up to the level of care you need while abroad. Most plans will exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions, so be aware of that.
- If you’re going somewhere with a high level of medical care easily available, you probably don’t need medical evacuation or repatriation. Consider adding it if you’re going into the wilderness, staying somewhere rural and far from care, or making an adventure trip.
- What are you planning to do on your vacation? You might be surprised by what insurance companies consider “extreme sports.” If you’re planning anything outdoorsy, check if your activity requires special coverage.
- Some countries require a travel policy to get a visa. For instance, the Schengen visa requires a minimum of $50,000 in medical coverage. Check the visa rules for the place you’re traveling to.
Explore Our Recommended Travel Health Insurance Plans
Atlas Travel Insurance: Best for All Nationalities Traveling Abroad
Atlas Travel Insurance
- Emergency medical, evacuation, repatriation benefits
- Choose between the basic and more extensive coverage
- Meets Schengen visa insurance requirements
- 24/7 worldwide travel and emergency medical assistance
GeoBlue Travel Insurance: Best for U.S. Citizens Abroad
GeoBlue Voyager Plan
- For U.S. citizens up to age 95
- Includes pregnancy coverage, baggage loss, trip interruption & more
- 24/7/365 service and assistance
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends. Some countries require travel health insurance, while many do not. However, it is advisable to purchase at least a basic emergency travel medical plan — your health plan at home might not cover you, and embassies and consulates typically do not provide medical assistance.
We offer a variety of medical plans for traveling abroad at a range of different price points.
If you’re looking for the best value travel insurance plan, a basic emergency medical plan might be right for you. Keep in mind that inexpensive plans sometimes offer basic coverage, and paying a bit more up-front can pay off in the event of a costly medical emergency.
We’ve filtered the best insurance providers that offer affordable plans with good coverage and excellent service. For the most affordable and reliable plans, we recommend:
There are various levels of international travel health insurance plans available, ranging from basic emergency health coverage to comprehensive health care and coverage for high-risk activities.
- The most basic level of travel health insurance covers emergency medical needs while you’re away from home. If you fall ill or get injured while traveling, this type of policy will usually cover your treatment.
- Depending on where you’re going, what you’re doing and how long you’ll be away, you might opt for a plan with a higher maximum. This means that you’ll have more extensive financial protection in the event of a medical event.
- You can add specific benefits to your policy like prescription plans, repatriation, emergency evacuation and coverage for pre-existing conditions. Depending on the plan, some of these might already be covered.
- You can also add riders for “extreme sports,” which cover activities like paragliding, mountain climbing and ziplining.
- Some travel plans include both health coverage and coverage for non-medical expenses, such as trip cancellation, rental car coverage, trip interruption, personal liability, and lost, stolen or delayed baggage.
Choosing a plan can be daunting, which is why we’re committed to helping you choose the plan that’s right for you. Here are a few insurance options we recommend:
- Among our most popular plans for US citizens is the GeoBlue Voyager Plan, which allows travelers to customize their coverage with different medical maximums and deductibles.
- Atlas Travel Insurance is a comprehensive travel medical policy that includes hospitalization and doctor coverage. It also includes coverage for lost luggage. You can customize the policy to include optional coverage for extreme sports.
- The Patriot Platinum Insurance provides optional coverage for extra riders, including personal belongings and extreme sports. This is perhaps the best medical policy for traveling abroad because it provides world-class coverage and access to the best service and assistance for traveling outside your home country.
Review our list of the Best Travel Insurance Companies to get a better idea of which provider to choose.
For long-term travelers, expats, or individuals moving abroad for a year or longer, an international medical insurance plan might be a better option. These plans provide more comprehensive medical benefits but lack some of the coverage offered in travel health plans, such as trip interruption.
Applying for a travel health plan is easy. Just answer a few questions about yourself and your trip to get an initial quote. You can then adjust the plan by selecting different benefits, coverage amounts, deductibles and optional add-on features to see the total cost of the policy.
Use our Plan Picker to get started!
When you’re satisfied with the quote, you can proceed with the online application and pay using your credit card. You’ll get a confirmation email with your policy documentation and relevant contact details should you need emergency medical assistance on your trip.
In most cases, they do. The short-term medical insurance plans we offer are designed to meet or exceed the visa requirements of most countries, including the Schengen Zone.
Read More: Insurance for Your Travel Visa
Yes, definitely. An international travel medical insurance plan will cover emergency medical expenses should you get sick or injured while traveling abroad. However, coverage is often limited to medical costs related to your trip. This option may be worth considering if you bought trip protection through your airline and are not planning to rent accommodation during your trip.
If you feel you may need more extensive travel coverage, you might consider a comprehensive policy that includes both health and trip insurance, or buy a separate trip cancellation plan.
Not sure where to start? Use our Pick a Plan tool.
Travel insurance is a somewhat vague term that encompasses any insurance plan purchased for travel. This can include trip insurance and travel health insurance.
- Trip insurance is a short-term solution that covers non-medical costs related to your trip. This could be the cost of your tickets, accommodation, and other travel expenses. This type of policy is usually available only for up to 62 days.
- Travel health insurance covers medical costs incurred during a short-term trip (typically up to 1 year). This typically includes doctor visits, hospital stays, medical evacuation, repatriation, and other health-related costs.
- Some plans include trip insurance and travel health insurance, meaning both your trip and your medical needs are protected.
If you’re considering longer-term coverage or more comprehensive medical benefits, read these guides to help you see the available options:
You can find this list of countries that still require travel medical insurance as of December 2023.
Notably, most countries that were requiring medical travel insurance with COVID-19 coverage at the height of the pandemic are no longer requiring it. However, it is still highly recommended. (Read our guide for more specific details on the latest travel insurance requirements.)
It is important to double-check all requirements before booking your travel policy.
A message from the Center for Disease Control: Severe illness or injury abroad may result in a financial burden on you and your family. Although planning for every possible contingency is impossible, travelers can reduce the cost of a medical emergency by considering the purchase of 3 types of insurance for their trip: trip insurance, travel health insurance, and medical evacuation insurance. These insurance policies can be purchased before a trip to provide coverage in the event of an illness or injury and may be of particular importance to individuals with chronic medical conditions. Basic accident or travel insurance may even be required for travelers to certain destinations.
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Author / Editor: Joe Cronin, Founder and President of International Citizens Insurance. Mr. Cronin, a former expat, is an authority in the areas of international travel, and global health, life, and travel insurance, with expertise in advising individuals and groups on benefits for today's global workforce. Follow him on LinkedIn or Twitter.