How Long Does Travel Insurance Last? (2024)

FAQs

How Long Does Travel Insurance Last? ›

Annual travel insurance policies provide Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage for multiple trips throughout one year. These policies last one year from the start date, which should be the departure date of your first trip.

Annual travel insurance plans all work in their own way, but the majority let travelers pay one annual premium for coverage that lasts for up to 364 days. These plans often limit the length of individual trips that are covered within the coverage year. Per-trip and annual limits on coverage can also apply.

Single trip cover ends on the day you are due to return home from the trip in question. Annual multi-trip cover lasts for 12 months from the start date you chose for your policy. Long-stay cover, like single-trip cover, protects you for a specific period and ends on the date you are due to return home.

The validity period of a travel insurance plan is determined by the plan type selected. For instance, a single-trip plan (covering a single journey for 3-6 months) or a multiple-trip plan (providing coverage for multiple trips within a year). Choose based on your travel frequency and duration.

How much travel medical insurance do you need? Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site, recommends buying at least $50,000 in emergency medical coverage for international travel. For travelers going on a cruise or to a remote destination, the site recommends at least $100,000 in coverage.

Please note there's a limit to the length of time you can spend away on any individual trip. All Post Office Travel insurance policies cover you up to a maximum of 31 days. If you're going to be away for longer, you can add our trip extension cover.

The medical stability period is a defined time frame in which an individual's pre-existing medical condition must remain unchanged to be covered under a travel insurance policy. This period can vary, typically ranging from 30 to 180 days, depending on the insurer.

Instead, an annual travel insurance plan covers an entire year of trips. These plans can save you money even if you only travel two or three times a year. One of the major benefits is that you'll know you're covered — so it's one less thing to think about as you're planning your trip.

Buy travel insurance as soon as you know your travel dates. That way you're covered if your trip is cancelled before you even leave or if you're unable to travel at all.

Without travel insurance, you'd lose the money you spent on your vacation. Fortunately, a serious, disabling illness can be considered a covered reason for trip cancellation, which means you can be reimbursed for your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs.

What is the effective date of a travel insurance policy? ›

Because of this, the effective date of the plan will be one minute after midnight the day after you bought the plan. If you purchased your travel insurance on April 26th at 4:13pm, your plan will go into effect on April 27th at 12:01am. This will allow you to utilize your trip cancellation coverage if needed.

It's smart to buy travel insurance immediately after booking for two reasons. One: You won't forget! Far too many travelers postpone buying travel insurance and then realize, too late, that they forgot to buy it at all. And two: The earlier you buy insurance, the bigger your coverage window.

While it's possible to buy travel insurance up until just before — or even after — you depart, the best time to do so is shortly after you begin booking the trip.

If you're wondering when you should buy travel insurance, the simple answer is as soon as possible. Ideally, you'll buy coverage no later than 15 days prior to your trip.

If all conditions are met, most of the policies will reimburse you 50% to 75% of your trip costs, unless otherwise noted.

In general, you should expect a plan will cost anywhere from 4%-10% of your total pre-paid, nonrefundable trip cost. For example, if you purchased a trip with a total cost of $5,000, travel insurance policies available to you will likely range in price from $250-$500, depending on variables.

Many insurers offer policies that range in duration from five to 364 days. However, each insurance company is different and some offer longer initial terms. If you're planning multiple trips throughout the year, search for a provider that offers an annual travel insurance plan to cover all your journeys.

Cost: Travel insurance will add to the overall cost of your trip. Some may choose to forgo it to save money, especially on shorter or less expensive trips. Exclusions and Limitations: Policies may have various exclusions and limitations, so it's essential to read the fine print.

Reasonably foreseeable events. Known storms, epidemics, acts of war. Travel restrictions imposed by government authorities. Pre-existing conditions, unless the Premium plan is bought within the window for coverage.

Offered as an add-on to many insurance policies, this coverage lets you cancel your trip for a reason not covered within a typical trip cancellation benefit. If you need to use this coverage, you'll typically get 50% to 80% of your prepaid travel expenses refunded.