Summer’s Coming… Don’t Let a Hospital Bill Crash Your Vacation

Beach days, road trips, and international escapes are just around the corner but so are flight delays, lost luggage, and unexpected ER visits. 

When planning a trip, whether it's a quick getaway or a bucket-list adventure, travel insurance might not be the first thing on your packing list. But it should be.

So, what is travel insurance exactly?

Travel insurance is a type of protection designed to cover financial risks and losses associated with traveling. Depending on the plan, it can help with anything from trip cancellations and lost luggage to emergency medical treatment abroad.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

There are several types of travel insurance, each offering different benefits. Here are the most common:

• Trip Cancellation or Interruption: Reimburses prepaid, non-refundable expenses if your trip is canceled or cut short due to illness, injury, weather, or other covered reasons.

• Travel Medical Insurance: Covers medical expenses if you get sick or injured while traveling—especially important if you're going abroad.

• Emergency Evacuation: Pays for transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility or back home if needed.

• Baggage Loss/Delay: Provides reimbursement if your luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged.

• Accidental Death & Dismemberment: Offers coverage similar to life insurance in case of fatal or disabling accidents during travel.

Travel Medical Insurance vs Trip Interruption Coverage

It’s easy to confuse the two, but they serve different purposes:

• Travel Medical Insurance pays for health-related costs while you're traveling, like doctor visits, prescriptions, or hospital stays.

• Trip Interruption Insurance reimburses you for non-refundable trip costs or extra travel expenses if you have to cut your trip short due to an emergency (like a family illness or a natural disaster).

Both can work together to protect your trip and your health—just in different ways.

Isn’t My Regular Health Insurance Enough?

In most cases, no—your domestic health insurance likely won’t go far once you leave the country.

Many U.S.-based plans don’t provide coverage outside the United States, or they limit it to emergencies only. Even if they do offer coverage, you may need to pay out-of-pocket first and deal with complicated reimbursement processes later.

Also, Medicare does not cover international travel, with only a few narrow exceptions. If you're on Medicare, having travel medical insurance is critical.

Travel medical plans often include:

• Access to international provider networks

• 24/7 multilingual emergency assistance

• Coverage for emergency evacuations, hospitalizations, and medications

• Coordination of care abroad

If you're traveling with chronic conditions or need peace of mind in unfamiliar healthcare systems, this coverage is essential.

Credit Card & Airline Coverage vs Standalone Travel Insurance

Many travelers assume they’re already covered because they used a credit card or booked through a travel site—but that coverage is often limited, conditional, or incomplete.

Here's how they compare:

Credit Card Travel Protection
Often covers trip cancellation, delay, or lost baggage
Rarely includes emergency medical or evacuation
May require you to pay with that card and meet eligibility conditions
Benefits vary widely by card issuer

Booking-Site Coverage (like airlines or Expedia)
Easy to add on at checkout
Usually offers basic trip protection only
Coverage limits tend to be low
No customization or comprehensive medical benefits

Standalone Travel Insurance
Fully customizable to your trip, destination, and health needs
Can include medical, dental, trip interruption, and even Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) options
Often offers higher benefit limits and more reliable claims service
Available year-round for single trips or multi-trip annual plans

If you’re investing in your trip, don’t settle for minimal protection. Standalone plans provide the kind of comprehensive support that bundled or free coverage can’t match.

Who Should Consider Travel Insurance?

While anyone can benefit from travel insurance, it's especially important for:

• International travelers

• Older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions

• Adventure travelers or cruise passengers

• Families with children

• Students and exchange visitors studying abroad

• Volunteers or missionaries traveling internationally

• Travelers on prepaid, non-refundable trips

Whether you're a student on a semester abroad or headed overseas for mission work, having the right travel insurance is just as essential as your passport.

Final Takeaway

Travel insurance protects more than just your trip—it protects your health, your peace of mind, and your investment. From flight delays to foreign hospitals, travel insurance fills the gaps so you can enjoy your journey without worry.

Ready to Enroll?

Choose the right travel insurance plan for you:
Enroll with IMG – great for international travelers, students, and mission work.
Enroll with GeoBlue – ideal for U.S. residents looking for comprehensive, Blue Cross Blue Shield-backed global coverage.

✔️ Need help picking the right plan?
📅 Schedule a travel insurance consultation
📧 Or email us at quote@fyiteam.com

Don't leave your trip to chance—let's make sure you're covered from takeoff to touchdown.