Whether you’re jetting around the globe or driving cross-country, a dream vacation is a big investment. Travel insurance can help you protect it. But if you’ve never bought travel insurance before, you might be wondering just how it works. The answers to these frequently asked questions will help.

When planning your vacation, you imagine everything going perfectly. But reality can often derail your plans – from losing a suitcase or missing your cruise because of a delayed connecting flight to having a medical emergency overseas. Travel insurance helps protect your financial investment in the wake of unforeseeable events like these – and many more.

What does travel insurance cover?

The most common protections provided by travel insurance relate to trip cancellation, trip interruption and emergency medical transportation.

• Trip cancellation coverage reimburses prepaid nonrefundable expenses if you have to cancel your trip because of certain unforeseen events – including a covered illness, job loss and even acts of terror.


• Trip interruption coverage reimburses any remaining nonrefundable payments if you start a trip but can’t finish it because of a covered illness, death or other covered circumstances.


• Emergency medical transportation coverage arranges and pays for transport to a medical facility — or gets you back home to receive care — if you suffer a serious covered injury or illness during your trip.


• Travel insurance can help in other situations, too. You can get benefits for lost, delayed or damaged luggage; expenses incurred if your trip is delayed; and even some emergency medical treatments not covered by your insurance policy when you’re abroad.