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What Is Travel Insurance?

Understanding travel insurance, how travel insurance works, comprehensive travel insurance.

• Trip Cancellation or Interruption

Damage and Baggage Losses Coverage

Rental insurance, travel health insurance.

• AD&D Coverage

Other Travel Insurance Coverage

How to get travel insurance, the bottom line.

• Personal Finance

What Is Travel Insurance, and What Does It Cover?

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia.

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Travel insurance is a type of insurance covering financial losses associated with traveling, and it can be useful protection for domestic or international travel. Whether you missed your flight to Florida, lost your bags in Berlin, or broke your ankle in Ankara, the best travel insurance companies can help remedy all kinds of travel mishap costs.

Key Takeaways

• Travel insurance can be purchased online, from your tour operator, or from other sources.
• The main categories of travel insurance include trip cancellation or interruption coverage, baggage and personal effects coverage, rental property and rental car coverage, medical coverage, and accidental death coverage.
• Coverage often includes 24/7 emergency services, such as replacing lost passports, cash wire assistance, and rebooking canceled flights. 
• It's important to understand what's covered and what's not, and any limitations on coverage amounts and coverage requirements.

Travel insurance helps cover financial losses associated with surprise circumstances that could ruin a trip, including illness, injury, accidents, flight or other transportation delays, and other issues. This insurance costs 4% to 10% of a trip's price. So, for a $10,000 trip, trip insurance could cost between $400 and $1,000.

Premiums—or the price you pay for coverage—are based on the coverage type, your age, destination, trip cost, and more. Specialized policy riders focus on the needs of business travelers, athletes, and expatriates .

You may already have travel insurance coverage from your homeowners or renters insurance or your credit cards. Call your insurance agent to find out about your current travel coverage, and your credit card company to find out about any benefits you get when you purchase air or train tickets, rent a car, or book a hotel using the card. Many travel rewards cards come with built-in travel insurance and other travel benefits.

Travel insurance may be sold online by travel agents, travel suppliers (airlines, cruise lines), private insurance companies, or insurance brokers when booking your flight, accommodations, or car.  Travel insurance companies include AIG Travel, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, Generali Global Assistance, GeoBlue, Nationwide, and more.

Typically, you'll purchase coverage shortly after initial bookings for lodging, flights, or other transportation, activities, and rental cars. Some policies may require you to do so to retain full coverage. Here are some terms to know for travel insurance.

Primary and Secondary Coverage

If you buy travel insurance, you may have concurrent insurance coverage , meaning you're covered under more than one policy. When the travel coverage is primary, the travel insurance reimburses you first without needing to make a claim through another company—and sparing you potentially increased policy rates.

If the travel insurance coverage is secondary, you'll first need to attempt to file a claim with other coverage, such as an airline (lost baggage) or your own auto insurance (damaged car).

Coverage Requirements

There are usually stipulations spelled out on how you qualify for coverage. Your claim must fall under the types of coverage offered. For example, lost baggage insurance might include coverage for personal items, prescriptions, credit cards, and your passport or visa. You may also need to take extra steps to qualify for coverage, such as reporting the loss or theft to the police.

Policy Coverage Limits

This is the maximum amount you can receive for the claim. For example, you might only receive $500 per bag. You may not even receive more for expensive items such as jewelry or electronic devices. You might need to provide receipts for items over a certain amount. Without receipts, the insurer may only pay for repairs.

Some coverage might require you to pay a deductible, or flat amount, before covering the remainder of your claim up to the limit.

These are the conditions under which your coverage will not cover the loss. Each policy differs. For example, your baggage damage coverage may not cover losses caused by animals. It may exclude coverage of bicycles, hearing aids or other medical devices, keys, and tickets, or seizure by a government or customs official.

Pre-existing conditions may not be covered by travel medical insurance, or may only be covered if you buy a travel insurance plan within one to two weeks of booking your trip.

Comprehensive travel insurance includes many types of coverage listed below, bundled into one plan. Most commonly, comprehensive travel insurance bundles a 24-hour assistance line to help find doctors or get assistance in an emergency, reimburse you for trip cancellation , interruption and delay, baggage loss or delay, and medical expense and medical evacuation coverage.

Alternatively, you can purchase each coverage type separately. This may be wise if you already have coverage through other insurance or can cover your losses in many cases.

Trip Cancellation or Interruption Coverage

This insurance reimburses a traveler for some or all prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses, and comes in the following forms:

• Trip cancellation : Reimburses you for paid travel expenses if you can't travel for a preapproved reason.
• Travel delay : Reimburses you for expenses if you can't travel because of a delay.
• Trip interruption : Reimburses you for travel costs if your trip is cut short.
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) : Reimburses you for a portion of costs if you cancel the trip for any reason; typically more expensive than the other types listed above.

With most of the above, acceptable cancellation and interruption causes and reimbursement amounts vary by provider. Acceptable reasons for a claim might include the following: 

• Your illness
• Illness or death in your immediate family
• Sudden business conflicts
• Weather-related issues
• Legal obligations such as jury duty

You may need to pay more or meet more requirements to file a claim for a cancellation due to financial default, terrorism in your destination city, or work reasons.

When traveling, register your travel plans with the State Department through its free  travel registration website , the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). The nearest embassy or consulate can contact you if there is a family, state, or national emergency.

Baggage and personal belongings being lost, stolen, or damaged is a frequent travel problem—and can quickly ruin a trip as you must shop for replacements. Baggage and personal effects coverage protects lost, stolen, or damaged belongings during travel to, in, and from a destination.

However, many travel insurance policies pay for belongings only after you exhaust all other available claims. Baggage coverage may have many restrictions and exclusions, such as only covering up to $500 per item and $250 for each additional item. You may be able to increase or decrease amounts, shop around for coverage, or increase limits by paying more.

For example, the insurance may not pay for lost and damaged luggage due to airline fault. Most carriers, such as airlines, reimburse travelers if baggage is lost or destroyed due to the airline's error. However, there may be limitations on reimbursement amounts, so baggage and personal effects coverage provide an additional layer of protection.

Vacation rental insurance covers costs from accidental damage to a vacation rental property. Some plans also offer trip cancellation and interruption to help reimburse costs when you can't use your vacation rental. Some of these reasons could include the following:

• Lost or stolen keys
• Unsanitary or unsafe vacation property
• Vacation rental wasn't as advertised
• The company oversold your vacation rental

Rental car insurance covers a rental car's damage or loss while on a trip, taking the place of the rental agency's collision damage waiver (CDW) or your regular car insurance policy. Policies vary and may cover collisions, theft, vandalism, and other incidents. Rental car insurance may be a secondary policy to your own car insurance. However, it doesn't cover your liability or legal responsibility for damage or injury you cause to others.

Medical coverage can help with unexpected international medical and dental expenses, and help with locating doctors and healthcare facilities abroad. As with other policies, coverage will vary by price and provider.

• Foreign travel medical coverage : These policies range from five days to one year or longer, and cover costs arising from illness and injuries while traveling.
• Medical evacuation: May cover airlift travel to a medical facility and medical evacuation to receive care.

Consult with your current medical insurers before purchasing a policy to determine whether a policy extends its coverage outside the country. Most health insurance companies pay “customary and reasonable” hospital costs if you become sick or injured while traveling, but few will pay for a medical evacuation.

The U.S. government doesn't insure citizens or pay for medical expenses abroad. Before purchasing a policy, read the provisions to see what exclusions, such as preexisting medical conditions, apply. Don't assume that the new coverage mirrors that of your existing plan. Routine medical care is typically excluded unless you buy a long-term medical plan intended for expatriates, missionaries, maritime crew members, or others abroad for extended periods.

Medicare or Medicaid generally don't cover medical costs overseas unless you have specific Medicare Advantage or Medigap plans covering emergency overseas care.

Accidental Death and Dismembership (AD&D) Coverage

If an accident results in death or serious injury, an AD&D policy pays a lump sum to surviving beneficiaries or you for an injury. The insurance usually offers three parts, providing coverage for accidents and fatalities:

• Flight accident insurance: Occurring during flights on a licensed commercial airliner. 
• Common carrier: Resulting from public transportation such as train, ferry, or bus travel.
• General travel: Occurring at any point during a trip.

Exclusions that may apply include death caused by drug overdose or sickness. In addition, only some injuries may be covered, specifically hand, foot, limb, or eyesight. There are stated amount limits per injury.

Accidental death coverage may not be necessary if you already have a  life insurance  policy. However, benefits paid by your travel insurance coverage may be in addition to those paid by your life insurance policy, leaving more money to your beneficiaries. 

Depending on your plan or package selected, you may be able to add the following travel insurance types:

• Identity theft resolution services
• School activity coverage
• Destination wedding coverage
• Adventure sports coverage
• Pet health as a reason for cancellation or delay
• Hunting or fishing activities as a reason for cancellation or delay
• Missed flight connections

Travel insurance varies in cost, exclusions, and coverage. Coverage is available for single, multiple, and yearly trips. To get travel insurance, you fill out an insurance company's application about your trip, including the following:

• Travelers going
• Destination
• Travel dates
• Date of first payment toward your trip

The insurance company reviews the information using underwriting guidelines to guide issuing a policy and the rate. If it accepts your application, the company will issue a policy covering your trip. If the company rejects your application, you can apply with another insurer.

When you receive your policy, you'll typically get a 10- to 15-day review period to review the contract's fine details. If you don't like the policy, you can return it for a refund. Read through the document and ensure the plan you purchased doesn't apply too many loopholes, and that it covers:

• Emergency medical care and transport back to the U.S.
• High enough limits to cover your costs or damages
• Regions you're traveling to
• Your trip duration or number of trips
• All activities you plan to enjoy
• Preexisting conditions and people of your age

Also, read through for any exclusions. For example, types of property covered, and whether property lost or damaged by the airline is covered, and how.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

You might consider travel insurance if you can't afford to cancel and then rebook an expensive or long trip. You might also consider travel health insurance if your health insurance doesn't cover international costs. An alternative is to book an easily cancellable vacation—look for a pay-later hotel room and car rental options, flexible cancellation terms, and the ability to rebook without a fee.

What Is Not Covered by Travel Insurance?

Review the travel insurance policy to discover exclusions. According to NAIC, common travel policy exclusions are:

• A traveler's pre-existing health conditions
• Civil and political unrest at the traveler's destination
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Coverage for those engaging in adventure or dangerous activities.

Pandemics may also be excluded from coverage.

How Can I Get Cheap Travel Insurance?

Your  homeowners  or renters insurance may provide some protection for personal belongings, and airlines and cruise lines are responsible for loss and damage to your baggage during transport. Also, credit cards may provide automatic protection for things like delays and luggage or rental car accidents if used for deposits or other trip-related expenses.

The main types of travel insurance include trip cancellation or interruption coverage, baggage and personal effects coverage, medical expense coverage, and accidental death or flight accident coverage. Before buying a policy, check to see if you already have coverage through your own health or car insurance or a credit card.

Mass.gov. " Travel Insurance. "

Minnesota Department of Commerce. " Travel Insurance ."

U.S. Travel Insurance Association. " Frequently Asked Questions ."

Texas Department of Insurance. " Should You Get Travel Insurance? "

U.S. Department of State. "Insurance Providers for Overseas Coverage."

Medicare.gov. " Medicare Coverage Outside the United States ." Page 4.

Medicare.gov. " Medigap & Travel. "

Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. " Travel Insurance. "

NAIC. " Travel Insurance ."

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Travel Insurance 101: How Travel Insurance Works

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is a plan you purchase that protects you from certain financial risks and losses that can occur while traveling. These losses can be minor, like a delayed suitcase, or significant, like a last-minute trip cancellation or a medical emergency overseas.

In addition to financial protection, the other huge benefit of travel insurance is access to assistance services , wherever you are in the world. Our elite team of travel and medical experts can arrange medical treatment in an emergency, monitor your care, serve as interpreters, help you replace lost passports and so much more. Sometimes, they even save travelers’ lives.

A few things you should know about travel insurance:

• Benefits vary by plan. It’s important to choose a plan that fits your needs, your budget and your travel plans. Here are definitions of all available travel insurance benefits.
• Travel insurance can’t cover every possible situation. Allianz Travel Insurance is  named perils  travel insurance, which means it covers only the specific situations, events, and losses included in your plan documents, and only under the conditions we describe.
• Travel insurance is designed to cover  unforeseeable events —not things you could easily see coming, or things within your control. If, for example,  you wait to buy insurance for your beach trip until after a named hurricane is hustling toward your destination, your losses wouldn’t be covered.

How does travel insurance work?

In most scenarios, travel insurance reimburses you for your covered financial losses after you file a claim and the claim is approved. Filing a claim means submitting proof of your loss to Allianz Global Assistance, so that we can verify what happened and reimburse you for your covered losses. You can  file a claim online , or do it on your phone with the  Allianz TravelSmart TM app .

How does this work in real life? Let’s say you purchase the OneTrip Prime Plan , which includes trip cancellation benefits, to protect your upcoming cruise to Cozumel. Two days before departure, you experience a high fever and chest pain. Your doctor diagnoses bacterial pneumonia and advises you to cancel the trip. When you notify the cruise line, they tell you it’s too late to receive a refund.

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. Once you’re feeling better, you gather the required documents—such as your airfare and cruise line receipts and information about any refunds you did or did not receive—and you file a claim . You can even choose to receive your reimbursement by direct deposit, to your debit card, or via check.

Sometimes, this process works a little differently. Travel insurance may pay your expenses upfront if you require emergency medical treatment or emergency transportation while traveling overseas. Or, with the  OneTrip Premier and OneTrip Prime plans, you may be eligible to receive a fixed payment of $100 per day for a covered travel delay or $100 for a covered baggage delay . No receipts for purchases are required; all you need is proof of your covered delay.

Many travelers are wondering: Can COVID-19 be considered a covered reason for trip cancellation? And can travel insurance help if you become seriously ill with COVID-19 while traveling? Most of our travel insurance plans now include epidemic-related covered reasons (benefits vary by plan and are not available in all jurisdictions). The Epidemic Coverage Endorsement adds covered reasons to select benefits for certain losses related to COVID-19 and any future epidemic. To see if your plan includes this endorsement and what it covers, please look for "Epidemic Coverage Endorsement" on your Declarations of Coverage or Letter of Confirmation. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Benefits may not cover the full cost of your loss. All benefits are subject to maximum limits of liability, which may in some cases be subject to sublimits and daily maximums.

> Learn more: Travel Insurance and COVID-19: The Epidemic Coverage Endorsement Explained

How to choose a travel insurance plan

There’s a wide range of Allianz Travel Insurance plans, each with different benefits and benefit limits. So how do you know which is best for you? To begin, get a quote for your upcoming trip. When you enter your age, trip costs and trip dates, we can recommend a few plans for you. Then, you can compare the costs and benefits of each.

If you’re a budget-conscious traveler who’s traveling in the U.S., you may like the OneTrip Cancellation Plus Plan . It includes trip cancellation, trip interruption and trip delay benefits.

If you want protection in case of medical emergencies overseas, but you have few pre-paid trip expenses, you may consider the OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan . This affordable plan includes emergency medical and emergency transportation benefits, as well as other post-departure benefits, but not trip cancellation/interruption.

If you want the reassurance of carrying substantial travel insurance benefits, the best fit may be the OneTrip Prime Plan . This plan also covers kids 17 and under for free when traveling with a parent or grandparent (not available on policies issued to Pennsylvania residents).

If you’re planning several trips in the next 12 months, consider annual travel insurance such as the AllTrips Prime Plan . It gives you affordable protection for a full year of travel, including benefits for trip cancellation and interruption; emergency medical care; lost/stolen or delayed baggage; and Rental Car Damage and theft protection (available to residents of most states).  

> Find the right travel insurance plan for you 

How to get the most from your travel insurance plan

Don’t wait too long to buy travel insurance! The best time to buy travel insurance is immediately after you’ve completed your travel arrangements. The earlier you buy insurance, the bigger your coverage window. Also, you must buy your plan within 14 days of making your initial trip deposit in order to be eligible for the pre-existing medical condition benefit (not available on all plans).

Read your plan documents before you leave. If you're not completely satisfied with your plan, you have 15 days (or more, depending on your state of residence) to request a refund, provided you haven't started your trip or initiated a claim. Premiums are non-refundable after this period.

Call us when you need help. If you have questions about how travel insurance works, or how to file a claim, or which benefits you need, please contact us ! Our representatives are available 24/7. If you’re already traveling, and you’re facing a travel crisis or just need some advice, call our emergency assistance hotline .

> Read more about how we can help

Related Articles

• What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
• How Travel Insurance Covers Family Members
• Trip Delay, Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation Insurance Explained

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What is Travel Insurance and How Does it Work?

Most people have some experience with car, home or health insurance, but not everyone is familiar with travel insurance and how it works. With interest in travel insurance at an all time high after the COVID pandemic, we thought it would be a good idea to explain what it really is.

To help you understand and educate yourself, we’ve answered common questions that people who are new to travel insurance often ask, like “ what is travel insurance? ,” “ what does travel insurance cover? ” and “ how does travel insurance work? ” 

What is Travel Insurance: The Basics

We’ve all heard about canceled flights and lost baggage, but most of us don’t automatically think “do we have insurance and are we covered?” Travel insurance helps protect you from certain kinds of unexpected events that can occur before or during your trip.

Unlike auto insurance, travel insurance is elective, which means it’s up to you to decide if you want it. Ultimately, it’s meant to help you travel with more peace of mind so you can worry less and focus on having a great trip.

Learn more about travel insurance: •  How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost? •  Top 5 Reasons to Get Travel Insurance •  Travel Insurance Comparison: How to Choose the Right Plan

What does travel insurance cover?

The coverage that most people are aware of is  trip cancellation , which provides reimbursement for unused, non-refundable, prepaid trip costs if you need to cancel your trip for a  covered reason , such as sickness, job loss,  flight cancellations  due to adverse weather and more. Similarly, with  coverage for trip interruption  you can recoup trip costs if you can’t continue your trip due to a covered event, and our plans provide reimbursement for additional transportation costs to return home or rejoin your group.

See our full list of travel insurance coverage details and covered reasons

Travel insurance can also include lesser known elements including travel delay, lost, damaged and delayed baggage, medical and emergency evacuation coverage. Different providers offer different plans with a mix of these coverages and more, so be sure to  educate yourself about all the options  before choosing one. One way to tackle this is to determine your specific needs and  find a plan that fits . Don’t be afraid to  ask  your travel insurance provider if you have questions.

Let’s use an example. If you are taking your family on vacation to Paris, then you would probably want a plan that included coverage for trip cancellation and  post-departure coverages  during your trip. These may include Baggage, Travel Delay, Medical and Dental, and Emergency Assistance and Transportation.

Generali Global Assistance offers a  variety of plans  and add-on coverages that will help protect your trip, whether it’s a weekend vacation rental stay or a month-long trek across Europe. Additionally, our  24-Hour Emergency Services, Concierge and ID Theft Resolution services  are included with our plans. These services round out the travel protection plans, so not only can you be reimbursed for certain costs if something goes wrong with your trip, but you can get assistance in real-time when you need it on your trip.

Read more about what travel insurance covers  and what it doesn't cover

How does travel insurance work?

The process for filing a travel insurance claim is similar to car or home insurance. If you get in a car accident or have a water leak in your bathroom, you file a claim.

If something happens during your trip and you need to use your travel insurance, you’ll need to file a claim to be reimbursed. We have a page that explains how to start a claim , a great resource for learning more about the claims process.

Let’s say your baggage is delayed and you need to buy clothes and toiletries, you would submit a claim to seek reimbursement. Travel insurance comes in handy in scenarios like this.

When you’re ready to buy a plan, you can purchase directly from the travel insurance company online . Oftentimes, travel insurance is offered when buying a cruise, airfare or booking a vacation rental . We encourage customers to pay attention to the fine print. For example, a cruise line’s travel insurance may not pay cash to cover a cancelled or interrupted cruise, but instead, offer credit towards a future cruise. If you prefer cash reimbursement, that’s reason to consider purchasing direct from a travel insurance provider instead. Also consider the type of trip you are taking. If you are taking a cruise, then you may want a plan that includes Missed Connection coverage, as our plans do.

Also read:  Why Travel Insurance is Crucial for Cruise Trips

Be sure to bring a print out of your plan documents with you. If you are affected by a storm and can’t get internet or lose power, you still know what number to call and what instructions to follow. 

  Learn more about: How does travel insurance work?

When to buy travel insurance

As with all things in life, timing is everything, especially when it comes to deciding when to buy travel insurance . Travel insurance is designed to protect you against unforeseen events, which means it is meant to be bought before an event occurs. For example, you would not want to buy travel insurance after you decided to cancel a trip, for the same reason that you can’t buy car insurance to cover an accident that has already occurred.

It’s best to buy your plan when you book your trip so you are eligible for coverages that apply prior to departure. For example, if you break your leg and need to postpone hiking in the Alps, then you could be covered. 

Get the right travel protection plan for you

Should you buy travel insurance?

Now that we’ve covered the basics, we can tackle the big question. Should you buy travel insurance? There are a few major factors to consider before determining if travel insurance is right for you: cost, destination and who is traveling.

If you can’t afford to lose the amount you’ve invested in your trip, then you should probably consider travel insurance. If you’re traveling far , maybe around the world, or to a remote area where the nearest hospital is many miles away, then a travel protection plan could help save the day. It’s impossible to know what might happen to you or a traveling companion that could throw a wrench in your travel plans, especially if travelers include children or the elderly , who might be more vulnerable, travel insurance may help you rest easier before and during your trip. 

Also read:  Do You Really Need Travel Insurance?

Travel Insurance Questions Answered

What is travel insurance?

• Is Travel Insurance Worth It? 3 Examples Where it Pays Off
• Guide to Understand, Purchase and Use Trip Insurance
• How Travel Insurance Can Help When You Fly
• See detailed answers to your travel insurance coverage questions
• Are You Protected? How Travel Insurance Can Help During Your Trip
• Travel insurance in the USA: Why insure your trip even if you're not leaving the country
• Does Travel Insurance Cover the Flu or Other Illness?
• Travel Insurance Comparison: How to Choose the Right Plan
• When to Buy Travel Insurance: Timing is Everything
• How Travel Insurance Covers You and Your Belongings While Away

Travel Resources

1.   U.S. Travel Insurance Association

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What Is Travel Insurance?

Trip Insurance Explained

Lorraine Roberte is an insurance writer for The Balance. As a personal finance writer, her expertise includes money management and insurance-related topics. She has written hundreds of reviews of insurance products.

Meredith Mangan is a senior editor for The Balance, focusing on insurance product reviews. She brings to the job 15 years of experience in finance, media, and financial markets. Prior to her editing career, Meredith was a licensed financial advisor and a licensed insurance agent in accident and health, variable, and life contracts. Meredith also spent five years as the managing editor for Money Crashers.

Definition and Examples of Travel Insurance

How travel insurance works, what does travel insurance cover.

• The Best Time To Buy Travel Insurance

How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

Alternatives to travel insurance, do i need travel insurance.

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Travel insurance guards against certain travel-related financial losses resulting from circumstances such as trip cancellations or delays, lost luggage, and even medical expenses while traveling.

Travel insurance is a popular type of policy that reimburses you for travel-associated expenses due to unforeseen events such as canceled flights, tours, cruises, and theme-park bookings. It can also cover medical emergencies and delayed suitcases .

Travel insurance policies typically have named-perils coverage, meaning they cover only specific instances and losses under certain conditions named in the policy.

• Alternate name : Trip insurance

Typically, your plan provider reimburses you for a covered financial loss after a claim approval. That means you usually pay for expenses out of pocket first, then receive your money back later.

Say you purchase travel insurance for your family vacation to the Bahamas in August. Three days after you arrive, a hurricane hits the island. Everyone is okay, but everything shuts down on the island while you’re there because of widespread flooding and power outages. Travel insurance covering trip interruption can reimburse you for nonrefundable prepaid expenses you weren’t able to use, and change fees to move up your flight.

You can purchase a plan through insurers, travel agents, travel insurance providers, travel suppliers, and internet aggregators.

In prior years, there weren’t industry standards for travel insurance policies. But in 2016, concerns were raised about the lack of regulation. As a result, a travel insurance working group was appointed to address this. Two years later, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted a model law, which covers market regulation, rate regulation, and enforcement.

Travel insurance typically bundles three types of coverage: trip cancellation, interruption, and delays; medical insurance and evacuation coverage; and 24-hour assistance in case of emergency.

Trip Cancellation, Interruptions, and Delays

• Illness, injury, or death
• Uninhabitability of your destination from flooding, fire, and other natural disasters
• Work-related reasons, such as involuntary job loss
• Acts of terrorism
• Other reasons like jury duty, extended school year due to weather, and more

Baggage Loss, Delays, and Personal Effects

• Lost, stolen, or damaged bags up to your plan limits, such as 75% of actual cash value
• Cost of personal items due to delayed baggage

Travel Medical Insurance

• Injury and illness medical expenses while traveling
• May act as primary or secondary insurance, depending on the policy

Primary insurance means that you don’t need to use your own medical insurance for covered losses. Secondary means it will only cover medical expenses that your health insurance plan doesn’t cover.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

• Medical evacuation to the nearest hospital

Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR)

• Coverage for trip cancellations for any reason, up to a specified time frame
• May give partial refund of 50% to 75% of total price

Assistance Services

• Help arranging medical treatment in an emergency
• Monitoring your care
• Help replacing lost passports
• Interpretation services
• Help arranging accommodations in an emergency

Travel insurance may not offer coverage for:

• Preexisting health conditions
• Civil and political unrest at the destination
• Extreme sports such as snowboarding and bungee jumping
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Fear of traveling to countries
• Medical travel

Each type of travel protection provided under a travel insurance policy has its coverage limitations and exclusions. Read your policy’s terms carefully to ensure you have the kind of coverage and amounts you think you do. Also, search for any conditions of coverage, such as needing to obtain approval before receiving medical care. 

When Is the Best Time to Buy Travel Insurance?

Many plans allow you to purchase coverage up until the day before you leave. But like other insurance, travel insurance is designed to protect against unforeseeable circumstances. So the best time to buy it is before you need it.

You don’t have to purchase travel insurance as soon as you book your cruise, but if you wait to buy it until a named hurricane starts heading toward your destination, any related losses wouldn’t be covered.

Some travel insurance providers may also provide bonus coverage if you buy within a certain window, such as within 15 days of making your first trip deposit.

Travel insurance may cost between 4% and 10% of your total trip cost. Factors influencing your price include:

• Total trip spending
• Coverage amounts
• Coverage add-ons
• Number of people covered
• Your destination location
• Number of days traveling

Discounts aren’t allowed with travel insurance. Providers must file rates with each state, and they cannot offer discounts off the filed pricing.

Before purchasing travel insurance, check to see if you already have it through other means. Some credit cards include a travel protection benefit when you make travel purchases on the card. Your card may cover trip cancellation, medical coverage, and baggage and personal-effects loss. It can also offer things like rental car damage coverage and death benefits .

Another place to look is your home or renters insurance, which can provide coverage if your personal belongings are lost or stolen while traveling. Depending on your policy, you may receive the item’s actual cash value or replacement cost value, up to your policy’s limits. Some common items, such as sunglasses, may be excluded.

Even if you have coverage for your personal effects under your home or renters insurance, it’s not always worth filing a claim because your deductible may be close to or above the value of what was lost. Your home insurance could even be canceled if you make more than two claims within five years.

Trip insurance can be a good investment if you can’t afford the costs of the following:

• Losing your prepaid vacation expenses due to unforeseen events
• A return flight home if you need to shorten your trip because of an emergency
• Medical expenses while away from home if your health insurance plan doesn’t cover foreign emergency care
• Lost or delayed baggage and canceled or delayed flights, such as an extra night at a hotel or replacing clothes and personal hygiene items

Consider that you may already have many of the major protections offered by travel insurance through a credit card. Decide whether that’s enough coverage for you or whether supplementing with travel insurance gives you greater peace of mind.

The U.S. Department of State urges consumers to consider their medical insurance options before traveling abroad, such as travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance. U.S. citizens overseas aren’t provided medical insurance by the U.S. government. Your current health insurance provider may not extend coverage overseas either.

Key Takeaways

• Travel insurance is usually a comprehensive policy that bundles three types of coverage: trip cancellation, interruption, and delays; medical insurance and evacuation coverage; and 24-hour assistance in case of emergency.
• You may already have a credit card providing many of the same protections covered by travel insurance. Your homeowners' or renters' insurance may also protect your personal belongings.
• Travel insurance is best for people who don’t already have travel protections through other means. It’s also a good option for those who can’t afford the travel-related financial losses arising from unforeseen events.

U.S. Travel Insurance Association. " Frequently Asked Questions ."

National Association of Insurance Commissioners. " Travel Insurance ." See "Status."

U.S. Travel Insurance Association. " Frequently Asked Questions ." See "What Will It Cost?"

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. " What Is Travel Insurance All About? " Pages 15-18.

Ohio Department of Insurance. " Guide to Homeowners Insurance ." Page 12.

U.S. Department of State. " Insurance Providers for Overseas Coverage ."

• Travel Advice
• General Information

What is Travel Insurance?

Last Updated: February 14, 2019 September 27, 2023

Travel insurance is designed to provide financial protection for unexpected events that impact a traveler’s trip. Popular benefits on a travel insurance policy include coverage for trip cancellations, medical emergencies, travel delays, and luggage. There are three different types of travel insurance policies: single trip, annual, and group.

Single Trip Travel Insurance Policies

Single trip travel insurance covers travelers for one trip, starting when they leave home and ending when they return. A single trip policy can cover up to 10 travelers on international or domestic trips.

Travelers who are concerned about having to cancel their trip should consider a single trip policy with Trip Cancellation coverage. This benefit reimburses insured trip expenses if a traveler is unable to travel for one of the policy’s covered reasons. Travelers must insure all or some of their trip cost to be eligible for this benefit. Single trip policies with Trip Cancellation are the most common type of travel insurance policy purchased.

Most cancellation-style policies are comprehensive, covering travelers for their trip payments, medical emergencies, travel delays, and luggage. This type of single trip policy typically costs between 4% and 10% of a traveler’s trip cost, depending on their age, the length of their trip, and their total trip cost.

Travelers who are not concerned about cancelling do not need to insure a trip cost, and can buy a single trip, non-cancellation style policy to cover medical emergencies, travel delays, and luggage. Because there is no insured trip cost, these policies are typically less expensive. However, except for Trip Cancellation coverage, the benefits included are usually the same.

Annual Travel Insurance Policies

Annual travel insurance policies are designed to cover travelers taking multiple short trips throughout a year. Travelers select a specific start date for an annual policy, which can be the departure date for their first trip. An annual policy will last one year from that date.

Annual policies typically limit how long one trip can last, and may have limits for how many trips can be taken throughout the year. The Maximum Trip Length ranges from 30-365 days, depending on the policy.

The coverage offered on an annual policy usually differs from a single trip policy. Most annual policies are primarily designed to provide medical coverage, offering  Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation benefits. These policies typically do not include Trip Cancellation coverage.

Group Travel Insurance Policies

While a single trip policy can cover up to 10 travelers, group travel insurance allows parties of 10 or more travelers to purchase one policy for their trip. Group policies offer benefits similar to single trip policies, including coverage for cancellations, medical emergencies, travel delays, and luggage.

Purchasing a group travel insurance policy can be a more convenient and affordable option for organized groups traveling together. The premium of a group policy does not take the travelers’ ages into account. Therefore, because age is one of the main factors that determines a policy’s premium – along with trip cost and trip length – group policies can be significantly less expensive per traveler.

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What Is Travel Insurance and What Does It Cover?

By understanding what travel insurance is and what it covers, you can decide whether to buy it for your upcoming trips.

in under 2 minutes

Sarah Horvath is one of the home service industry’s most accomplished writers. Her specialties include writing about home warranties, insurance, home improvement and household finances. You can find her writing published through distributors like HouseMethod, Architectural Digest, Good Housekeeping and more. When not writing, she enjoys spending time in her home in Orlando with her fiance and parrot.

Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.

Travel insurance is a type of financial protection you can buy to reimburse a portion of prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if your trip gets interrupted or canceled. Travel insurance may cover medical bills incurred abroad, lost baggage, lost airline fare and more.

Read on to learn more about travel insurance and what it covers, and explore a few of our top-rated providers .

What Is Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is a type of insurance coverage that protects you from financial loss when you travel. Depending on the type of policy you purchase, travel insurance usually covers emergency situations such as trip cancellation or interruption, accidents, illnesses and trip delays. 

Since your primary health insurance is not applicable abroad, many travelers will purchase travel health insurance to cover unexpected medical expenses.

The cost of a travel insurance policy depends on the age of the travelers, duration of the trip, location of the trip, how much the trip costs, policy tier selected and more. If you’re planning a trip and you’ve made a significant investment that you can’t afford to lose, you might need travel insurance.

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How Does Travel Insurance Work?

Like most types of insurance, travel insurance works on a reimbursement model. You pay for your travel first and if you experience a covered loss, apply for a reimbursement with your insurance provider later. For this reason, it is important to understand what a plan does and does not cover and how it works before you buy a policy. 

Primary vs. Secondary Insurance Coverage

If you purchase a travel insurance policy to supplement your standard health insurance, it is important to determine which policy will serve as the primary insurance. If your travel insurance provides the primary medical coverage, it will act as the first source of payment for eligible medical expenses. So if you incur medical bills abroad, primary medical insurance will cover your expenses without requiring you first to file a claim with your standard health insurance.

If your travel insurance offers secondary medical coverage, it will only kick in after other applicable insurance policies. In most cases, you must file a claim with your standard health insurance provider first before filing one with your travel insurance provider. Your travel medical coverage would then cover any remaining eligible expenses not covered by your primary insurance.

If you do not have health insurance, having travel insurance with secondary medical coverage is likely not as beneficial. Travel insurance policies are usually more affordable than primary medical coverage, and because you do not have backup insurance, can act as immediate primary coverage. 

However, some policies offering secondary coverage outline a minimum health insurance requirement for claim validity. So, read all the terms of your proposed travel policy before purchasing.

Coverage Limits and Requirements

Travel insurance policies have financial caps or dollar limits on covered situations. For example, if your policy offers $150,000 in emergency medical expenses, your provider will pay out a maximum of $150,000 toward covered expenses. If your expenses exceed $150,000, you are responsible for the extra costs. 

For trip interruption and cancellation protection, insurers usually calculate coverage as a percentage of your total trip cost. So, if interruption benefits include 125% coverage reimbursement on a trip with a total value of $5,000, you can claim up to $6,250 in benefits. For reference, most travel insurance plans include 100% trip cancellation coverage and a minimum of 125% trip interruption coverage to compensate for extra charges such as unexpected flight changes.

In addition to knowing coverage limits, noting any policy use restrictions before buying a plan is good practice. Your provider will likely require you to document all expenses incurred when you file a claim, such as if you buy clothing and cosmetics to replace lost baggage. Most travel insurers also ask you to contact a representative to request authorization before using a medical evacuation benefit, even after being hospitalized.  

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Travel insurance is a holistic insurance that covers you in multiple areas. Let’s look at the most common coverages you’re likely to find on your travel insurance policy. 

Trip Cancellation and Interruption

Most travel insurance plans include trip cancellation and interruption coverage to reimburse prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if your trip is canceled or delayed for a reason outlined in your policy. Valid reasons for cancellation usually involve extreme personal or financial hardship, such as:

• An illness, injury or hospitalization that prevents you from traveling
• Death of a family member or travel companion 
• Legal obligations, such as jury duty
• Natural disasters
• Acts of terrorism or war 

Trip interruption coverage offers financial protection if you must return home earlier than originally planned. If a family member gets sick back home while you’re abroad, your trip interruption coverage may cover a sudden return flight and reimburse unused trip expenses.

Specific reasons that qualify the use of trip cancellation and interruption benefits vary by insurance company. If you want to extend your benefits to cover more situations, consider buying cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage , which lets you claim a partial reimbursement no matter why you cancel.

Baggage Loss or Delay

Benefits for lost or delayed baggage pay for the cost of belongings if an airline temporarily or permanently loses your luggage. However, baggage delay coverage usually has more limited benefits for temporary needs — such as clothing and toiletries — if a travel carrier sends your luggage to the wrong location. This coverage will also typically reimburse you for stolen belongings during a trip. 

To prove a loss or delay to your insurer, you usually need to provide documentation, such as receipts and a property irregularity report (PIR) from an airline. It is also important to note the financial limits on eligible claim items. For example, while most baggage loss policies cover jewelry, you may face a limitation of $100 or less for each lost piece of jewelry. You can also consider additional coverage riders for exceptionally high-value items, such as musical instruments and sporting equipment. 

Auto Rental Damage Coverage

If you plan to rent a vehicle while away, consider adding rental car coverage to your travel insurance policy. Travel insurance usually includes auto collision coverage, which usually pays for damage to a rental car. So if you total your rental car in an accident, collision insurance helps pay the cost of repairs.

Depending on your rental car provider and where you’re visiting, you may need liability coverage to drive legally. In the U.S., for example, each state sets liability requirements for drivers. Travel insurance with auto coverage usually does not supply the necessary liability insurance to drive, so consult with your rental car company to learn more about meeting local requirements.

Vacation Rental Coverage

Some insurance companies also have vacation rental coverage that pays for the cost of any damage done to a short-term rental property. For example, if you rent an Airbnb and your pet urinates on the carpet, the rental owner might charge you for the cost of cleaning or replacing the rug. Depending on your policy coverage, vacation rental insurance would cover this charge.

Travel insurers typically classify auto rental and vacation rental coverage as add-ons, meaning coverage is not included under most standard plans. If you select either add-on, your premium will increase. 

Emergency Evacuation and Transportation

If you’re visiting a remote area or taking a cruise , you might consider insurance to cover medical transportation. Emergency medical evacuation coverage can help you pay for the cost of transportation services if you are far from a local facility equipped to treat your injuries. 

Some policies also offer the ability to use emergency evacuation services because of civil unrest or a political emergency.

Travel Medical Insurance Coverage

Travel medical insurance helps cover medical bills you might incur while on a trip away from home. Many health insurance policies, including government-sponsored policies like Medicare , do not cover injuries and illnesses incurred abroad. A travel medical insurance plan can help you pay the medical bills if you need healthcare while traveling outside your primary health insurance plan’s service area. 

Travel Insurance Additional Benefits

Some travel insurance providers offer benefits beyond the above-listed standard inclusions, such as:

• Document replacement: If you lose your passport or personal ID card while abroad, you may need to visit a local consulate for a replacement. Travel insurance with document replacement coverage can help you cover the associated cost.
• Flight departure delay: Some insurers, such as Berkshire Hathaway , give you a credit if your flight gets delayed by more than two hours. You can use the credit to pay for refreshments or entertainment, such as Wi-Fi, during a delay.
• Tarmac delay: Some companies provide a set benefit if your flight is stuck on the tarmac for a specific number of hours. 
• Other benefits : Some insurance providers include additional benefits, such as rental car coverage or identity theft coverage.

What’s Not Covered by Travel Insurance?

Each travel insurance company creates its own policy packages, meaning exclusions vary from company to company. You should assume that any services not listed in your contract are excluded from coverage. Some of the most common circumstances when you cannot use your travel insurance coverage include the following:

Most travel insurance policies cover sudden travel expenses resulting from unexpected natural disasters, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. However, your coverage won’t apply to losses caused by storms that were already named when you booked your insurance.

If you’re traveling abroad to seek medical treatments, there’s always the chance of complications increasing the cost of your services. Medical tourism expenses are not covered under travel insurance policies.

Even if you purchase trip cancellation coverage, you cannot cancel your travel for any reason and still claim a refund. If you change your mind and don’t want to travel anymore, your travel insurance will not reimburse you for your expenses

Other standard exclusions include:

• Fear of flying
• Injuries incurred during extreme sports
• Preexisting conditions (on medical policies)
• Travel to high-risk destinations

How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

The price you pay for travel insurance depends on several factors, including:

• Your total trip cost: The amount you pay for your trip will impact your travel insurance quote, with more expensive trips usually costing more to insure due to the risk of higher payouts.
• Destination: Some countries have more robust government and healthcare infrastructures than others. The quality and average cost of medical services in the country you’re visiting will typically influence your insurance cost.
• Length of your vacation: The longer the duration of your trip, the more you will typically pay for travel insurance.
• Your age: Older travelers usually pay more for travel insurance because insurance companies assume they are more likely to get hurt, sick or experience an accident, such as a fall, while abroad.

To help give you an idea of what you might pay for travel insurance, the MarketWatch Guide team gathered a series of quotes for several sample trips. Here is the pricing for popular plans with our recommended providers. 

What Is the Cheapest Travel Insurance?

After extensive review, our team found the average cost of a basic travel insurance policy is between $91 and $108 . The least expensive travel insurance companies are Travelex, Faye and Nationwide, according to our review. 

Read more about the cheapest travel insurance providers in our review. 

How Do I Get Travel Insurance?

Are you thinking about buying a travel insurance policy for your upcoming trip ? Here’s how to start comparing policies to get the coverage you need.

Check Current Coverage

If you’re primarily concerned about buying travel insurance for medical expenses and already have health insurance, travel insurance might not be a necessary expense. Employer-sponsored medical coverage, for example, will provide health care coverage anywhere you travel within the United States. Companies that provide ACA-compliant health insurance plans are also legally required to cover emergency services administered at any medical facility in the United States.

If you’re traveling internationally, your health plan will likely have exclusions or limitations on treatments you receive abroad. For example, most Medicare plans don’t offer coverage for international treatments. Contact your health insurance provider to learn what, if anything, your plan will cover abroad.

You might also have additional protections you’re unaware of. Some credit card companies offer limited coverage for airline baggage delays, and life insurance coverage for accidental death and dismemberment still applies abroad.

Assess all your household coverages and consult with insurance providers you’re currently working with to see how much extra trip insurance you need.

Consider Individual Needs

The best travel protection for your upcoming trip will depend on what you’ve spent on the trip, where you’re going and how often you travel. You’ll also need to consider the types of coverage you might need, especially if you’re headed abroad. For example, if you have a chronic condition that requires regular medical care in professional settings, you should consider coverage for a medical evacuation.

Like every other type of insurance, no single travel insurance policy will cover all expenses you might incur. Coverage limits apply to every trip, with the upper limit as the maximum amount that your insurance will compensate you. The higher your coverage limit, the more you’ll pay for your travel insurance plan — but it’s essential to tell the truth about your trip cost to be sure that you have adequate coverage. 

You can often save money on your coverage by selecting a policy with a lower deductible .

Now that you understand the multiple travel insurance types available, it’s time to begin claiming free quotes from competing insurance providers. Though most travel insurance providers allow you to claim a quote online, you can also contact most companies’ representatives via phone or email if you prefer personal assistance.

Remember to get a free quote from multiple insurance providers before choosing the right policy.

How Do I Use My Travel Insurance?

If you’ve ever needed to file a claim with your car insurance or pet insurance provider, you’re already familiar with the process of filing a travel insurance claim. While you’ll need to cover any emergency expenses on your own at the time of service, you can file a claim with proof of your loss or expense to your insurance company. Your insurance company will then assess your claim to ensure that your situation is covered before reimbursing you according to your policy.

You’ll need to incur a travel cost or expense that’s specifically covered by your insurance policy to claim a reimbursement. Make sure you read the fine print on your insurance contract before signing up for coverage, and save all receipts from your trip to maximize your benefits.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

While some countries or visa requirements require travel insurance, many countries do not require U.S. travelers to purchase a policy as a condition of entry. You also do not need travel insurance to travel within the U.S. or visit Canada. 

Whether you should purchase travel insurance depends on your circumstances. Travel insurance is typically most valuable for expensive trips because you can recoup a higher value of expenses. In other words, reimbursement eligibility scales with vacation value. You may find insurance for low-cost trips tougher to justify financially — especially if part of the trip is refundable or you already have some insurance benefits through a travel credit card. 

Travel insurance is potentially of value if your regular health insurance is limited or you’re traveling to an area with a limited medical infrastructure. Getting sick or hurt abroad often comes at a high expense, especially if you require medical evacuation services to a hospital. Travel insurance that covers medical expenses and evacuations can help cover these costs, especially if your primary health insurance does not extend abroad.

Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

If you’re preparing for a trip, is it worth purchasing travel insurance ? The answer to this question will vary depending on your unique circumstances. If you’re preparing for an expensive international vacation, it’s likely worth the money to insure your trip against cancellation. This is especially true for long-distance trips that require expensive airfare. 

You might also want to consider travel insurance if you have known medical conditions that might cause you to need last-minute trip adjustments. 

Even if you don’t think you’ll buy travel insurance, getting a free quote or two takes only a few minutes — coverage might be more affordable than you think.

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Insurance

Is it necessary to have travel insurance.

No law mandates purchasing travel insurance when you go abroad. However, you will be financially liable for any money lost due to travel delays or cancellations if you don’t have insurance. If you’ve prepaid for your upcoming trip, you should at least consider a trip cancellation coverage package to recoup a portion of your funds in an emergency.

What are the benefits of travel insurance?

Travel insurance benefits can include reimbursement for lost baggage, medical expenses and other costs incurred when you cancel a trip or encounter a delay. Travel insurance can give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can recover a portion of the cost of your trip if something goes wrong or you have an emergency.

Where can I purchase travel insurance?

You can purchase travel insurance through independent insurance companies, many of which offer a range of insurance products. Some of the most well-known names in travel insurance include Allianz, Nationwide and AIG. If you booked your vacation through a travel agency, your agent might also be able to recommend and book travel insurance for your journey.

What is the difference between travel insurance and a medical plan?

Travel medical insurance is a limited type of health insurance coverage that can help you pay for treatments and emergency services you require abroad. While you likely have a medical plan in the form of health insurance through your employer, most insurance companies don’t extend benefits to international services. Travel insurance covers medical expenses like a domestic medical plan but allows you to file claims for specific services and treatments received abroad.

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Everything you need to know about travel insurance before you book your next trip

With more and more people traveling , travel disruptions have increased. You might be ready to book your next vacation, but it's smart to consider buying a comprehensive travel insurance policy that will protect you from financial losses you may incur due to unexpected issues both before you travel and during your trip.

"Travel insurance is often an overlooked investment until the unforeseen happens," says Beth Godlin, a spokesperson with Aon Affinity Travel Practice . "It's designed to give travelers peace of mind and financial protection against the risks of travel."

While some travelers decline purchasing travel insurance because they think it will be costly, Godlin says it doesn't have to be expensive and notes "purchasing it adds an extra layer of protection and security." 

Travel insurance is obviously valuable for big-ticket trips, such as a luxury cruise, safari or multi-city international vacation, but it can even be helpful when you're staying closer to home. "When deciding if travel insurance is right for you, I suggest asking yourself what you could stand to lose if you had to cancel last-minute," says Godlin.

CNBC Select spoke to experts in the travel insurance space to get their best advice on everything consumers need to know about travel insurance.

How to find an insurance carrier

Purchasing travel insurance is relatively easy, and there are lots of different options in the marketplace. If you have never purchased a travel insurance plan, a good place to start is sites like InsureMyTrip.com , CoverTrip or Squaremouth , which let you compare different carriers based on both price and coverage. You simply fill out a brief questionnaire about the trip and the traveler.

The benefit of using aggregator sites is shoppers have the ability to view the entire travel insurance marketplace and compare policies all in one place. Squaremouth also provides verified customer reviews to help travelers feel confident about the policy they are purchasing. 

There is no charge to use Squaremouth, as they receive commission on every sale directly from the provider, and do not charge any type of fee to consumers.

Beyond comparison sites, you can always visit a specific travel insurance carrier's website for a quote or call the company's toll-free customer service number for information.

CNBC Select has reviewed many of the top travel insurance companies and named AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance as the best choice overall with three tiers of coverage to choose from and a high financial strength rating. Our runner-up was Travel Guard® Travel Insurance for its offerings available online and coverage for one related child age 17 or younger.

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance

The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote

Policy highlights

AXA Assistance USA offers several travel insurance policies that include travel interruption, trip cancellation, and the option of cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage.

24/7 assistance available

Travel guard® travel insurance.

Travel Guard offers a variety of plans to suit travel ranging from road trips to long cruises. For air travelers, Travel Guard can help assist with tracking baggage or covering lost or delayed baggage.

If you're using a site like Expedia , for example, to book your reservations, you usually have the option to purchase travel insurance, too, through a third-party provider. You should make sure to carefully review the full details of the policy, because the plans are based around the trip elements (hotel, flight, rental car) and could differ every time you book, and you want to make sure you understand what you're getting.

What does travel insurance cover?

Travel insurance can vary, but policies generally provide coverage for three things: protection for your financial expenses, protection for your well-being and protection for your personal belongings.

When shopping for a policy, look for these benefits:

Trip cancellation coverage  

Your travel insurance policy can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable trip deposits if a trip is canceled for a covered reason. These outlays can include airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, tours and cruises, says Daniel Durazo, spokesperson with Allianz Travel Insurance .  

Examples of acceptable reasons to cancel a trip include illness, injury or death of the traveler, a close family member or a traveling companion; military deployment or civil unrest; a serious family emergency, even unplanned jury duty.

Other reasons include: your travel supplier stops offering services for 24 hours due to a natural disaster, severe weather or a strike, your home or destination becomes uninhabitable or you or a traveling companion lose your job after you purchase your policy.

You typically can't cancel your trip for any reason and expect to be reimbursed just because you have travel insurance. For example, if you have a fight with your friend and don't want to travel with her, or you change your mind about taking a long-haul flight to Hawaii, these are not covered reasons. 

If you want the highest level of flexibility to make changes to your trip, consider adding "cancel for any coverage" to your policy. Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) plans will bump up the cost of your travel insurance by about 40%, but it gives you the latitude to cancel your trip if you need to as long as you meet certain requirements like canceling no later than 48 hours before your scheduled departure. 

You won't be reimbursed for 100% of your trip costs. Typically, CFAR coverage will reimburse between 50 to 75% of trip expenses.

Trip delay coverage 

Should you experience a hiccup in your travel itinerary, your travel insurance policy can provide some financial relief. 

"Travel delay coverage provides reimbursement if a traveler is delayed for one of the policy's covered reasons," says Megan Moncrief, a spokesperson with Squaremouth. "This benefit will typically reimburse for expenses such as food, lodging and local transportation that are incurred during the delay."

Covered reasons will generally include severe weather, airline maintenance or civil unrest.

There's often a waiting period before your benefits kick in.

"In order for a traveler to become eligible for this benefit, they must be delayed for the amount of time listed on their policy," says Moncrief. "Some policies are very lenient and provide benefits available for any length delay, while other policies will specifically list a length requirement. This typically ranges from three to 12 hours. All travel delay policies will come with a daily limit, as well as a policy limit ranging from a couple hundred to a couple thousand dollars."

Daily limits typically range from $150 to $250 per traveler, while the policy limit can range from $500 to $2,000, Moncrief says. It's very important to save all your receipts as you will be required to submit them with your reimbursement claim.

Don't miss: The best credit cards with trip delay insurance

Trip interruption coverage

Should you need to cut your trip short due to illness or injury you experience during your trip, or if there's a family emergency back home, your policy may reimburse non-refundable expenses you forfeit if you return home early.

Your policy may also cover the cost of a one-way economy airline ticket home. Not all reasons are covered, however. For example, if your beach vacation is a washout or you miss your new puppy, your trip interruption benefits won't apply.

Medical expenses and emergency-evacuation benefits

If you're traveling within the U.S., your personal health insurance should cover any illness or injury you sustain while you are on a trip. But if you're traveling to a foreign country, your U.S.-based health plan will provide zero or very little coverage, and Medicare isn't accepted abroad, so it's good to sign up for additional coverage. 

"Domestic healthcare plans are usually not accepted outside the U.S., so it's especially important to get travel insurance with medical coverage and emergency medical transportation when traveling internationally," says Durazo. "If you do become ill or injured while traveling, these benefits can cover your medical costs including doctors' fees and hospital costs." 

In addition, your travel carrier's customer support hotline can help. "Allianz's 24/7 assistance team can coordinate your care with the doctors treating you in your destination, as well as ensure you're at an appropriate medical facility up to U.S. standards," he says.

Even more expensive than medical treatment is an emergency medical evacuation, something the right travel insurance policy can arrange and cover. "Medical evacuation and transport costs range from $15,000 to $200,000+, depending on the traveler's health condition and their location in the world," says Durazo.

"If you're heading overseas, you'll need the additional protection of emergency medical benefits and emergency medical transportation benefits," he adds. "And if you're visiting more remote areas, there's always a chance you may need emergency medical transportation to get you to an appropriate health care facility."

Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our  credit card marketplace  or get personalized offers via  CardMatch™ .

Baggage loss

Should your checked baggage take a detour and not arrive at your destination, your travel insurance policy could be a saving grace. 

"If your travel insurance plan includes baggage benefits, your insurer can reimburse you, up to the maximum shown on the Confirmation of Coverage, for covered loss, theft or damage to your baggage and personal items," says Durazo. "Every plan has specific coverage limits for each benefit, which are outlined in the plan documents."

For example, Allianz Partners' OneTrip Prime plan , covers baggage loss up to $1,000 and baggage delay up to $300 while the OneTrip Premier includes up to $2,000 in baggage loss/damage and up to $600 for baggage delay.  

Your personal possessions are also covered if lost or stolen while you're traveling. "Travel insurance can reimburse you for the actual cash value, repair or replacement — whichever is less, based on the limits in your insurance policy's letter of confirmation," says Durazo.

You must report losses to your airline, airport, police or other relevant authority like a tour operator or hotel manager. You will need this documentation when you file a claim.

Not all items are covered by your travel insurance policy. For example, cash is not reimbursable, and many policies won't cover very expensive jewelry, art, antiques or heirloom items. To reduce the risk of losing irreplaceable items, don't bring these items on vacation. And make sure to read your policy carefully to see what is covered.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

What you should know about Covid-19 and travel insurance

When it comes to Covid coverage , travel insurance plans can vary from one another, so you should read your policy carefully and ask your insurance provider if you have questions, says Godlin.

Also, regulations around travel have evolved during the pandemic, with some countries requiring specific travel insurance coverage for entry. "As a result, we're seeing new policies emerge to directly meet those needs," she says. 

How much is travel insurance?

Travel insurance can vary a lot depending on how much coverage you're getting and how expensive your trip is. CoverTrip advises its customers that travel insurance plans cost between 4 to 10% of the total trip cost. So if you're spending $5,000 on a European tour, your insurance could be anywhere from $200 to $500.

Of course, there are budget plans out there that could cost (and cover) less. And you could also shell out for premium coverage so you can take advantage of a "cancel for any reason" policy. Whichever plan you choose, make sure you read the fine print so you understand what you're paying for.

Your credit card may offer built-in travel protection

You may have a credit card in your wallet that offers travel insurance . "Travel insurance is a common benefit for credit cards that often comes at no additional cost to the cardholder," says Francis Hondal, president of loyalty and engagement with MasterCard. "It can also be extremely easy to take advantage of it—the key is knowing what coverage you have so you don't waste money on additional coverage you don't need."

Coverage is automatic when you make a relevant purchase, she says. "So, for instance, if you have trip cancellation insurance on a card, you're covered when you book a flight using that card. Same goes for checking your bag and activating your lost luggage protection," Hondal says. 

It's important to know if and how you're covered when making travel-related purchasing decisions. Mastercard offers a digital insurance platform, mycardbenefits.com . You can usually find more information on your credit card's website.

To ensure you reap the travel insurance benefits your card offers, you must charge the trip expenses on your card.

"Where credit card travel insurance can shine is if you run into weather problems or mechanical delays, or if you get sick while traveling or even if your luggage gets lost or delayed," says Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst, Bankrate.com. 

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is an industry leader in these areas, he says. It offers up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip in the form of trip cancellation/trip interruption coverage. If you run into a flight delay lasting at least six hours, you can get up to $500 per ticket to book a different flight, stay in a hotel, buy food, etc. 

If your luggage is late, you can get up to $100 per day for up to five days to buy necessities. 

"If something really bad happens while you're abroad, [Chase Sapphire Reserve travel insurance] will pay for up to $100,000 of emergency evacuation and transportation coverage," says Rossman. "And the Sapphire Reserve also gives primary rental car insurance benefits, meaning that you can decline the rental car company's expensive coverage, and you won't need to go through your personal car insurance if you get into an accident while renting a car."

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

22.49% - 29.49% variable

Balance transfer fee

5%, minimum $5

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Terms apply.

Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.

Rossman says another good pick is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card which also has very good coverage although slightly less coverage than the Sapphire Reserve card, in line with a lower annual fee. Even the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex℠ gives up to $1,500 per person and up to $6,000 per trip in trip cancellation/trip interruption coverage, Says Rossman.

For more information on cards that offer travel insurance, check out CNBC Select's round-up of the best travel credit cards .

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, and $50 annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

Excellent/Good

Read our Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card review .

Is travel insurance worth it?

Travel insurance can be useful in many scenarios, from a medical emergency forcing you to cut your trip short to a tropical storm ravaging your destination. If you've spent a lot of non-refundable money on your trip, you could be at a loss if something goes awry.

There are several scenarios where travel insurance could be worth it , including if:

• You're traveling internationally where your US-based health insurance won't apply
• You've spent a lot on prepaid, non-refundable expenses
• You're traveling to a remote area
• Your flight involves multiple connections or destinations

For those who have spent a good amount of money on their trip, getting trip insurance generally makes sense whether that's through a separate policy or through a credit card you booked the trip with.

Catch up on Select's in-depth coverage of  personal finance ,  tech and tools ,  wellness  and more, and follow us on  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

Information about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

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Travel Insurance

Travel insurance provides financial protection if you face certain problems when you’re travelling or on holiday. Travel insurance is coverage designed to protect against risks and financial losses that could happen while traveling. The risks range from minor inconveniences such as missed airline connections and delayed luggage all the way to more serious issues including injuries or major illness. Most travel insurance plans cover medical emergencies, trip cancellation, trip interruption, delays, medical evacuation, and lost, damaged, or stolen luggage. 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.

How to Choose the Best Travel Insurance for Your Dubai Vacation?

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Trip Cancellation Insurance Explained

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Table of Contents

What is trip cancellation insurance?

Covered reasons for trip cancellation, what is not covered by trip cancellation insurance, cancel for any reason trip insurance, is trip cancellation insurance expensive, different ways to get trip cancellation insurance, which insurance coverage is best for me.

When booking travel, particularly expensive trips consisting of nonrefundable reservations, it makes sense to consider trip cancellation insurance since it can protect your deposit if your plans do not materialize due to unforeseen events. However, not every reason for canceling a trip will qualify for coverage, so you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the basics of trip cancellation insurance.

Trip cancellation coverage can be purchased as part of a comprehensive travel insurance policy , or you can receive it for free when you hold certain premium credit cards. The benefit is designed to protect prepaid, nonrefundable reservations, including flights, hotel reservations and other bookings if the trip is canceled due to an extraordinary circumstance. Each policy will state exactly which events are considered valid reasons for cancellations.

With COVID-19 still affecting travel plans, you’ll want to pay close attention to which reasons for cancellation due to the pandemic are valid. For example, wanting to cancel a trip you booked a while ago because your destination now has rising COVID-19 numbers and you’re afraid to travel is not likely a valid reason.

If you want to be able to cancel a trip for truly any reason, consider the Cancel For Any Reason supplemental upgrade when purchasing your insurance policy. CFAR will allow you to get up to 75% of your trip investment back as long as the trip is cancelled at least two days before departure.

» Learn more: Does my travel insurance cover the coronavirus?

Imagine you’ve booked a two-week vacation to Italy costing $5,000 ($1,000 flight, $3,500 hotel and $500 excursions), all of which is nonrefundable. Then, a week before your departure date, you fall and break your leg.

So, what does trip cancellation insurance cover?

If you have trip cancellation insurance, you’ll be able to get your entire prepaid, nonrefundable trip cost back (as long as the entire amount was insured), since injuries that necessitate medical treatment and prevent you from taking your trip qualify as a covered reason.

Other covered reasons include death of your traveling companion, inclement weather that results in disrupted service, jury duty, terrorist incident, job termination and other extraordinary events.

Although this is not an entire list of all the covered reasons, generally the cancellation must be due to unforeseen circumstances to qualify for a reimbursement. Review the fine print of your policy for the details of exactly which reasons are covered. When seeking reimbursement, you’ll need to submit claims to the insurance provider to substantiate your claim.

Although a wide range of reasons allow you to receive your prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses back in the event of a trip cancellation, there are important exclusions to know about.

Trip cancellation insurance will not cover losses arising from self-harm, foreseeable events, acts of war, taking part in activities considered dangerous (e.g., skydiving, bungee jumping, endurance races, etc.), a felony, childbirth, dental treatment and more.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

So what if you want the flexibility to cancel your trip for reasons other than those covered by your policy? For that, you're going to need the CFAR insurance mentioned above.

CFAR is often available as an add-on to travel insurance policies, and while it can come in handy if you want to cancel your trip just because, you're not likely to get all your money back.

Most CFAR policies will only reimburse 75% of your nonrefundable travel expenditures.

» Learn more: Best travel insurance with Cancel For Any Reason Coverage

The price of trip cancellation insurance can vary based on the traveler’s age, destination, length of trip, cost of trip and insurance company.

Using the same $5,000, two-week trip to Italy as mentioned above, a search of policies on SquareMouth (a NerdWallet partner) ranged from $115 to $470, representing 2.3% to 9.4% of the total trip cost.

» Learn more: How much is travel insurance?

All policies provide 100% coverage of the trip cost, however the more expensive plans usually have higher limits on benefits like medical evacuation.

If you’re only looking for trip cancellation coverage and no other protections, a policy equating to 2.3% of the total trip expenses seems reasonable.

On your travel credit card

Trip cancellation coverage can be included as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan or offered as a benefit on premium travel credit cards.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® will reimburse you or your immediate family members up to $10,000 per trip. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express and many other American Express cards also offer up to $10,000 in trip cancellation coverage. Terms apply.

These premium cards also offer other insurance benefits like trip interruption coverage, emergency assistance services, trip delay and more.

If you travel often and typically purchase trip cancellation coverage, consider applying for one of the cards that offer complimentary travel insurance . Not only will you get trip insurance benefits, but you will also get other travel perks and statement credits that can partly offset the annual fee.

Supplement by purchasing policies out-of-pocket

If the coverage limits offered on the cards aren’t sufficient or you’re looking for more protections (e.g., coverage for emergency medical expenses), you’d be better off with a travel insurance . Although you’d incur an additional cost for purchasing a comprehensive plan, you’d have many more benefits not commonly found in the insurance policies offered by the credit cards.

A comprehensive trip cancellation policy is likely to cover canceled flights so long as the flight or flights are nonrefundable and are a part of the total, prepaid expenses covered by your policy. Insurance provided by travel cards typically includes trip delay or cancellation coverage so long as you used that card to pay for your flight reservations.

If you're forced to cancel your trip due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control, travel insurance will provide coverage for some or all of your nonrefundable travel expenditures, depending on your policy. Covered events will vary, so be sure to review the terms of any plan you intend to purchase.

Trip cancellation insurance is available for purchase from a wide range of companies and is often included as a benefit on travel credit cards. Under certain circumstances, it provides coverage for prepaid travel expenses in the event that you cannot complete your trip as planned.

A comprehensive trip cancellation policy is likely to cover canceled flights so long as the flight or flights are nonrefundable and are a part of the total, prepaid expenses covered by your policy.

Insurance provided by travel cards

typically includes trip delay or cancellation coverage so long as you used that card to pay for your flight reservations.

If you’re going on a trip consisting of costly flights, hotel reservations and excursions and would like to protect your prepaid, nonrefundable deposit but do not need any other coverage, a minimally priced trip cancellation insurance policy is a good choice.

If you have a premium travel credit card , check if you already have trip cancellation insurance as a benefit before you purchase a policy.

However, if you’re looking for additional coverage like travel medical insurance , and/or a basic plan doesn’t have adequate limits, consider a comprehensive travel insurance policy from providers such as AAA , Allianz , and AIG . Read NerdWallet's full analysis of the best travel insurance companies here .

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

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I'm a financial planner, and I'd recommend annual travel insurance to anyone who loves to travel abroad

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• Frequent and spontaneous travelers will likely benefit from annual travel insurance policies.
• Your credit card may come with some travel protections, but it may not be enough.
• When choosing a policy, look at what it covers, not just what's cheapest.

Summer is just a few months away — and if you're planning a vacation this year, the last thing you want is an unexpected event to derail your plans (and cost you hundreds).

Flights get delayed or canceled constantly. Luggage disappears into the ether. Medical emergencies occur in remote destinations. Yet many jetsetters simply cross their fingers and hope for the best rather than prepare for the worst.

That's why, as a financial planner, I believe it's crucial to consider protecting your trips with the right insurance coverage. One option often overlooked, particularly by frequent travelers, is annual travel insurance .

Annual travel insurance covers all your trips within 365 days. Unlike stand-alone travel insurance, which only covers you for a specific trip, an annual policy covers any trips you take within the year.

That's why I tell clients who travel frequently that an annual policy is a good choice for their needs. By opting for an annual plan, you don't have to go through the hassle of booking multiple policies and potentially save money compared to purchasing individual trip coverage. Here's how it works.

What to look for in a policy

While specifics may vary depending on the insurer and plan tier, most include the following key benefits:

• Trip cancellations or interruptions: You may be able to get reimbursed for expenses (even nonrefundable ones!) related to an illness, injury, or natural disaster that forced you to cancel or cut your trip short.
• Emergency medical and dental care: If you fall ill or get injured while traveling, your insurance can help cover the cost of medical treatment.
• Emergency evacuation: In a serious medical emergency or security situation, your policy will arrange and pay for transportation to a hospital or back to your home country.
• Lost, delayed, or damaged baggage: If your luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged during your trip, you can get financial coverage for essential items while you wait for your stuff to be recovered or replaced.
• Trip delays and missed connections: When your travel plans are disrupted due to issues like mechanical problems or severe weather, you may get reimbursement for additional expenses incurred, like meals, lodging, and transportation.

It's important to note that annual travel insurance plans have limitations. Certain high-risk activities, pre-existing medical conditions, and travel to specific regions may be restricted or require additional coverage.

Some travelers may assume that their credit card's built-in travel protections are enough. While many travel rewards credit cards offer perks like rental car insurance, trip cancellation, and baggage reimbursement, the coverage limits are often much lower than a dedicated annual travel insurance plan.

Credit card coverage for emergency medical care is also particularly limited — capped at a few thousand dollars — which may not be enough in the face of a major international medical emergency.

How much travel justifies an annual plan?

For the occasional traveler who takes one or two trips a year, single-trip policies will probably work for you. But if you fall into any of these buckets, you may want to consider an annual policy:

• Regular international travelers (three or more trips abroad yearly)
• Road warriors frequently away for work
• Adventurers engaging in high-risk activities like heli-skiing, scuba diving, or mountain climbing
• Cruisers and tour group travelers
• Students or retirees taking extended trips throughout the year
• Those visiting developing countries with limited medical care

Annual plans cover all of your trips within a 365-day period after purchasing. They're basically a bundle of multiple policies into one package deal. This means you only have to buy one policy to manage, locking in your coverage for the year.

How to decide if an annual policy makes sense for you

Start by reviewing your travel plans this year — and your risk tolerance. Calculate how much buying individual travel insurance policies would cost you over the next year and compare it to the price of an annual plan.

Don't just focus on the premium — carefully evaluate coverage limits, exclusions, and deductibles to ensure you have enough protection for your needs.

An annual policy gives you the flexibility to take spontaneous trips without the hassle of obtaining last-minute insurance. More importantly, it provides peace of mind, knowing that you're covered for a wide range of travel disruptions and emergencies.

As the busy summer travel season ramps up, definitely explore protecting your trips with insurance, especially if you're jetting off internationally. Spending hours on the phone trying to rebook canceled flights or worrying about affording an overseas medical emergency is no way to vacation.

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April 8, 2024, Solar Eclipse Will Pass Over All 7 US Cities Named Nineveh?

Some christian groups have preached that the eclipse is a bad omen., published march 31, 2024.

About this rating

On April 8, 2024 , a total solar eclipse will blot out the sun for a couple of minutes in a small band across the United States. The eclipse's totality is the only time humans can look directly at the sun without damaging their eyeballs, and so millions of people from around the world will flock to cities in the path of totality, such as Dallas and Indianapolis.

Eclipses do not discriminate, so anyone in the path of totality will be able to see the sun fully obstructed by the moon. However, some people  have claimed online that there's one interesting coincidence about the eclipse's path of totality: It will pass through every city in the United States named Nineveh. That name is shared by an ancient city in modern-day Iraq that was described in the bible as "evil." 

Snopes received an email from a reader who requested that we check the claim about cities named Nineveh in the eclipse path. In our research, we discovered that many of the people making the claim were Christians who were interpreting the eclipse as a bad omen . 

Contrary to the claims, Snopes discovered that the path of totality in the eclipse does not pass through seven cities in the United States named Nineveh — it passes through just two. But before counting places named Nineveh, we must first briefly clarify how eclipses work.

How Eclipses Work

A total solar eclipse is caused by the moon and the sun being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. The moon fully blocks the light from the sun, casting a really large shadow on the earth. Those inside the moon's shadow, called the umbra, are the only ones who will be able to look directly at the sun without eye protection, and it's the small path of the umbra that people travel to in order to see the total solar eclipse. The website GreatAmericanEclipse.com created a visualization of the shadow's path across North America.

Outside the umbra, where the moon blocks only some of the sun, is called a partial solar eclipse, and the sun looks like it has a giant bite taken out of it. You cannot view a partial solar eclipse without special eclipse glasses, and this area is much, much larger than the umbra. The entirety of the continental United States will be able to see a partial solar eclipse on April 8, just as the entirety of the United States (even Alaska and Hawaii) was able to see a partial solar eclipse in  2017 . 

The cool part (partial) of an eclipse can be seen from a very large area, as long as you wear eclipse glasses. The really cool part (total) of an eclipse can be seen only in a small area. It is the total eclipse that people have thought held religious significance since practically as long as humans have had eyes to see and religions to follow.

To quote the essayist Annie Dillard :

A partial eclipse is very interesting. It bears almost no relation to a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him, or as flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane. Although the one experience precedes the other, it in no way prepares you for it. 

Places Named Nineveh

We started with Wikipedia's list of places named Nineveh to get a general idea of where to look. Of course, we cross checked those results with more-reliable sources of knowledge, including Google Maps and data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Wikipedia listed just six places in the U.S. named Nineveh, which made our claim of seven dubious to begin with. Checking the locations of those places on Google Maps, we found that three were actually townships, a term used for county subdivisons in some states. 

The first was the largest, Indiana's Nineveh Township (south of Indianapolis), which contains a small hamlet of the same name. Both the township and the hamlet will indeed fall in the path of the total eclipse.

Next, Wikipedia listed two townships in Missouri — one in Adair County (about halfway between Kansas City and Davenport, Iowa) and one in Lincoln County (about an hour northwest of St. Louis). But neither of the two townships contained a village named Nineveh on any of the maps we looked at. Furthermore, neither of the townships fell in the path of the total eclipse. 

The fourth place on Wikipedia's list, Nineveh, New York, is about 30 minutes east of Binghamton. We found it marked on maps but, again, it did not lie in the path of totality.

Fifth: Nineveh, Pennsylvania, roughly halfway between Pittsburgh and Morgantown, West Virginia. This Nineveh was marked on maps, but it was also outside of the total eclipse. It was also the last Nineveh listed by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sixth, we found Nineveh, Virginia, an hour and a half west of Washington, D.C. This was the easiest to check: Nobody in the state of Virginia will be able to see full totality during the eclipse. We did not find a label for Nineveh on maps, and buildings located in the area had their postal addresses listed as White Post, Virginia.

That completed the Wikipedia list, but various posts about the supposed line-up listed two more Ninevehs located in the U.S.: one in Texas and one in Ohio.

Nineveh, Texas, was not marked on maps, nor did it have a post office. It was located not far off of Interstate 45 halfway between Houston and Dallas. This one was close, but we eventually confirmed that it would be outside of the zone of totality by referencing nearby cities that also were outside of totality.

Nineveh, Ohio, was a similar story: not found on maps, no post office, no Census data. But this Nineveh, 30 minutes northwest of Dayton, was finally our second hit.

In total, we counted two places named Nineveh in the United States that could be found in the path of totality.

2024 Total Eclipse . https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

"A Total Eclipse Is near. For Some, It's Evidence of Higher Power. For Others It's a Warning." USA TODAY , https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/23/2024-total-solar-exclipse-religious-implications/72869724007/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

April 8, 2024 Eclipse Will Pass Over 7 United States Cities Named Nineveh . www.youtube.com , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n6dp85XynY. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

April 8 Eclipse and Third-Day Events in Scripture . https://www.biblejournalclasses.com/blog/april-8-eclipse-and-third-day-events-in-scripture-2. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Dawson, Brandon. "THE JONAH ECLIPSE - 40 DAYS - GODS URGENT WARNING TO AMERICA!" Tribe of Christians , 2 Mar. 2024, https://www.tribeofchristians.com/single-post/the-jonah-eclipse-god-s-great-warning-to-america-april-8th-2024.

Dillard, Annie. "Total Eclipse." The Atlantic , 8 Aug. 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/08/annie-dillards-total-eclipse/536148/.

Eclipse 2017 . https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Mark, Joshua J. "Nineveh." World History Encyclopedia , https://www.worldhistory.org/nineveh/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

"Nineveh (Disambiguation)." Wikipedia , 29 Oct. 2023. Wikipedia , https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nineveh_(disambiguation)&oldid=1182408744.

Noah. "The Upcoming U.S. Eclipse Just Got Even Stranger!" WLT Report , 4 Mar. 2024, https://wltreport.com/2024/03/04/upcoming-u-s-eclipse-just-got-even-stranger/.

The APRIL 8, 2024 ECLIPSE & The 7 Cities Named Nineveh | The APRIL 8, 2024 ECLIPSE & The 7 Cities Named Nineveh | By Messiah GuguFacebook . www.facebook.com , https://www.facebook.com/100067092253715/videos/the-april-8-2024-eclipse-the-7-cities-named-nineveh/397509926249711/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

The April 8 2024 Eclipse and the 7 Cities Named Nineveh . www.youtube.com , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLkxKT65IFc. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

"Total Solar Eclipse 2024 US." Great American Eclipse , https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

By Jack Izzo

Jack Izzo is a Chicago-based journalist and two-time "Jeopardy!" alumnus.

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What is an aftershock? This is what may follow the earthquake felt in NJ and NYC.

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake rattled New Jersey and New York City residents on Friday morning, with reports of shaking furniture and floors. No major disruptions or damage have been reported in the area.

Experts told USA TODAY that earthquakes are common in this region, but usually happen at a lower magnitude. It's unlikely a larger quake will follow, but officials are warning of possible aftershocks.

Wondering what that means? We’re answering your questions about the behavior of earthquakes, including tips on how to stay safe. 

What is an aftershock?

Aftershocks are small earthquakes that occur in the days, months or years in the general area following an earthquake. Aftershocks are minor readjustments made near the faults , or areas where stress occurs during the earthquake.

Aftershocks can occur in the thousands and can still be damaging or deadly. In earthquakes, the “mainshock” is the largest activity felt during an earthquake. 

Seismologists primarily use Bath’s law, Gutenberg-Richter law and Omori’s law to describe the behavior of aftershocks.

• Bath’s law says that aftershocks will typically be about 1.2 magnitude units smaller than the mainshock .
• Omori’s law says the number of aftershocks will decrease as time passes, according to a seismology lab from the University of California, Berkeley.  

Aftershocks are not to be confused with swarms , which are sequences of small earthquakes associated with geothermal activity with no identifiable mainshock.

Live updates: 4.8 magnitude earthquake in NYC, New Jersey

What's the chance of an aftershock?

Any time there's an earthquake , one concern is that it was merely a foreshock to a bigger quake that's coming.

Globally, the probability one earthquake will be followed by a large earthquake within 3 days is somewhere just over 6%, according to USGS . That means whenever there's an earthquake, there's about a 94% chance that it wasn't a foreshock and there won't be any more quakes linked to it.

The numbers are a little different for California, which is very seismically active. There, about half of the biggest earthquakes were preceded by foreshocks, according to USGS. But that means half were not.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to know if any one quake is a foreshock.

What is a foreshock?

Foreshocks come before large earthquakes, in the same location. Sometimes a foreshock may be identified incorrectly as the mainshock until a larger one occurs after it. 

Neither foreshocks nor aftershocks can be bigger than the mainshock. 

Why does the Earth shake when there’s an earthquake?

Earthquakes are caused by a slip on a fault, which is a fracture zone between two blocks of rock. The tectonic plates move, but their edges remain in place until this slip, when the stress overcomes the friction that normally holds them there. This causes the rest of the block to move and causes waves of energy that travel through the earth’s crust. These seismic waves shake the earth as they move through it. 

What to do during an earthquake:

Staying vigilant during an earthquake is important, especially when it comes to aftershocks that may cause damage after the mainshock. Here are tips from the California Geological Survey to keep in mind:

During an earthquake:

• Indoors: Stay indoors and away from exterior walls, glass, heavy furniture, fireplaces and appliances. Avoid elevators, windows and doorways. 
• Outdoors: Stay in the open if you’re outside, away from buildings, powerlines or other falling hazards.
• Driving: Move the car out of traffic and stop, avoiding trees, light posts, signs and powerlines or anything that could fall, like bridges or underpasses.
• Mountains: Watch out for potential landslides and get to high ground.
• Crowded place: Avoid panicking and rushing, stay low and cover your head and neck with youtr arms

After an earthquake:

• Listen to the radio for instructions, especially about aftershocks
• Check for fire hazards and fire
• Avoid driving to keep streets clear for emergency vehicles
• Check for damage in your home and for structures that are about to fall
• Share your location with family and friends

How strong is a 4.8 earthquake?: Quake magnitudes explained

Just Curious for more? We've got you covered.

USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "What causes thunderstorms?" to "What causes earthquakes?" to "Why is my dog throwing up?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.

Contributing: Elizabeth Weise