Travel insurance is one of the more obscure aspects of planning a trip. Do you really need it? And what does it cover? And why would another country require visitors to have it? Let's get into the thick of it.
Is travel insurance necessary?
In its broadest formtravel insurance covers potential losses that may occur during your trip. Sounds simple, right? In reality, travel insurance policies only cover specific items, like medical emergencies, missed flights, and lost luggage.
But the average insurance policy may not cover things like medical emergencies due to pre-existing conditions, unforeseen changes due to political conflict, tour operator defaults and a range of other obstacles. It's always worth reading the fine print.
You may also want to reconsider whether travel insurance is necessary.
Here's why other countries want you to have it: so you are less of a financial burden if everything goes wrong. Here's why you might need it: If you are financially unable to recover your travel losses, then you need one.
Countries that require travel insurance
Before we get into which countries require travel insurance, I want to direct you to the Smart Traveler app. This handy tool comes from the US Department of State. It offers live updates on travel recommendations from the United States and all our embassies. It also has a rating of 4.8 on the Apple App Storewhich is quite remarkable for a state-run app.
Now back to insurance. Sometimes getting travel insurance isn't up for debate. A growing number of countries require U.S. citizens to purchase travel insurance. I got this from the US State Department.
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Cuba
- Galapagos Island (Ecuador)
- Jordan
- Burma
- Nepal
- Qatar
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Countries with Schengen visa (more information below)
- Seychelles
- Sri Lanka
- Türkiye
- Ukraine
Do you need travel insurance in Schengen countries?
Have you never heard of Schengen? This area includes 29 countries across Europe where borders have been “abolished”. This means that Europeans can travel freely among themselves without a passport.
It also makes things easier for travelers; U.S. citizens can spend 90 days in a 180-day period in Schengen countries. According to US Department of StateThe only official requirement for entry into the European Schengen area is to have a passport valid for at least another six months.
At the same time, travelers are advised to take out insurance when traveling to Europe. For now, I recommend you ignore it. However, the EU recently decided that in 2025, American citizens will have to officially apply for a visa before coming to the United States. I'm sure this will involve proof of travel insurance.
My opinion on travel insurance
As someone who has traveled extensively and lived in Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, I recommend focusing solely on travel insurance. as required.
In other words, think about the type of trip you are taking and not just where you are going.
In almost fifteen years of traveling and living on the road, there have only been two times where travel insurance would have been relevant to me.
Firstly, when I traveled to see Swedish House Mafia play in Mumbai during their last world tour in 2013 (don't judge me). On the day of the show, the mayor of Mumbai died and political upheaval ensued. My friends and I were stuck in our friend's apartment for days. In theory, travel insurance would have helped us recover travel expenses to Mumbai.
I also had the pleasure of traveling to Cuba a week after the death of Fidel Castro in 2016. The nation entered a period of mourning, which meant that things like alcohol, music and dancing were no longer available. were not authorized. Travel insurance, in this case, might not have helped me recover my travel losses.
Common cases
So, here is my final thought: travel insurance is useful when there is a lot at stake. If you're going on a long, extended vacation, you're more likely to encounter bumps in the road. Travel insurance can go a long way in helping you overcome everything from lost luggage to last-minute doctor's exams.
If you need to transport expensive equipment, you absolutely need to be covered. This is true for people going on adventure trips, such as skiing or snowboarding, as well as musicians who may have expensive instruments with them. If Fido is accompanying you, you should both be covered.
Finally, think about your medical background. If you take several medications and experience a small medical emergency from time to time, I very recommends using travel insurance. You don't want to have hiccups when you're rushed to an urgent care center.
