Travel Insurance Calculator

Buy travel insurance as soon as you make your first non-refundable booking — ideally within 10–21 days of initial deposit. This is critical for two reasons: (1) Pre-existing medical condition coverage requires purchasing within this window at most insurers. (2) Cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) add-ons, which cover cancellation for virtually any reason including fear of travel, require purchase within 14–21 days of first payment. Waiting until just before departure may mean you cannot get coverage for events that have already occurred (like a diagnosed illness).

Coverage for COVID-19 varies significantly by policy and insurer. Most standard travel insurance now covers medical costs if you contract COVID-19 abroad. However, cancellation due to fear of COVID without a positive test or official travel ban is typically not covered under standard policies. Cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) coverage (an add-on, typically 40–50% more expensive) covers COVID-related fear of travel and generally reimburses 50–75% of trip costs for any cancellation reason.

For domestic trips with fully refundable bookings, travel insurance adds little value. Where it becomes worthwhile domestically: non-refundable hotel and activity bookings, cruises (highly non-refundable with complex cancellation fee schedules), multi-day outdoor adventures with evacuation risk, and trips during hurricane season to coastal destinations. Medical coverage is less critical domestically since US health insurance applies, but trip cancellation and interruption coverage can still protect significant non-refundable investments.

Primary coverage means the travel insurance pays first, directly, without requiring you to file with your regular health insurance first. This simplifies claims internationally and is preferable for travel to countries where US health insurance is not accepted. Secondary coverage pays only after your primary health insurance has paid its share — requiring you to file with your regular insurer first, which may not cover international claims at all. For international travel, primary medical coverage is strongly preferred despite being slightly more expensive.

Pre-existing medical conditions can be covered if you meet specific requirements: (1) You purchase insurance within 10–21 days of your first trip payment (varies by insurer), (2) You were medically stable for a defined look-back period (60–180 days depending on policy), and (3) The policy includes a pre-existing condition waiver. Without meeting these requirements, claims related to pre-existing conditions will be denied. This is the most common reason travel insurance claims are rejected, so read pre-existing condition waiver terms carefully before purchasing.