Travel Insurance Guide 2026: What Actually Gets Paid

Most insurance complaints are not about fraud. They are about people who never read what their policy excludes until the day they needed it.

Buy it for the medical cover

The single reason travel insurance matters is medical care abroad. A broken leg, a car accident or an infection far from home can cost more than a year of premiums. Everything else, from delayed bags to cancelled flights, is small change beside that.

So look at the medical limit first. A policy with generous medical cover and modest extras beats one with flashy gadget cover and a low hospital cap. Check whether it pays upfront or reimburses you later; hospitals abroad often want payment first.

Pre-existing conditions: the trap

Most policies exclude pre-existing medical conditions unless you declare them and the insurer accepts. A condition you consider minor can void a claim that seems unrelated. If you take regular medication, declare it, even if it does not feel relevant.

This is where cheap policies fail. They are cheap because they exclude more. Read the exclusions list before you compare prices, not after.

Adventure sports and extensions

Standard policies treat skiing, diving, cycling and even hiking at altitude as excluded activities. If your trip includes any of them, buy the extension. Claiming for a ski injury on a policy that never covered skiing is the most common way travellers lose money.

Motorcycle travel is another common gap. Riding without a licence in the category of the bike can also void claims, so check the rules before you rent.

A policy is not a promise to pay. It is a contract with a list of things it will not.

Cancellation and delays

Cancellation cover protects your prepaid costs if you cannot travel for a covered reason. Delays are usually capped at a small daily amount, so do not expect a delay to pay for a luxury hotel. These benefits are nice to have, not the point.

Some credit cards include basic travel cover if you book with them. Check the limits. Card cover is often thinner than a standalone policy, and it may not include medical evacuation.

Making a claim that gets paid

Claims are won or lost on paperwork. Keep every receipt, get a police report for theft, and collect medical notes at the time rather than months later. Report the loss to the insurer within the window stated in the policy, often just a few days.

Photograph documents as you gather them and store them in the cloud. A claim fails more often on a missing receipt than on a genuine dispute about cover.

How to choose

Decide what you are protecting. For a short city break, a basic medical policy is enough. For a costly trip or one with risky activities, pay for real cover. Then read the exclusions, declare everything and keep the paperwork.

For what to pack with that policy, see our carry-on packing guide, or browse Travel Tips. the World Health Organization publishes country health advice worth reading before you buy cover.