The worst nightmare for any traveler is having a trip disrupted or canceled through no fault of their own. Most travelers have already paid for flights, hotels and activities, and many choose to protect that investment by purchasing travel insurance after booking.
Stan Sandberg, founder of travelinsurance.com, says the main issue with travel insurance is unclear messaging. It is often presented as an optional add-on during the booking process without a clear explanation of what it covers. That brief exposure leaves many customers unsure or skeptical about its value.
Travelinsurance.com is primarily a rate-comparison site, similar to other travel search platforms. Since founding the site, Sandberg’s goal has been to raise awareness about the practical benefits of travel insurance and help travelers compare policies and prices.
In simple terms, travel insurance protects you financially when something goes wrong before or during a trip. Sandberg highlights two core benefits travelers typically get from purchasing a policy.
The first important component is trip cancellation and interruption coverage. If an unexpected event forces you to cancel or cut short your travel—such as illness, injury, a death in the family, or severe weather—this coverage can reimburse prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. It also applies to qualifying problems that arise while you’re on the trip.
The second key area is emergency medical and evacuation coverage. This protects travelers who need medical care or transportation in an emergency while away from home. While some credit cards offer limited travel protections, Sandberg warns those benefits often have significant gaps. Typical travel insurance policies commonly include considerably higher medical coverage limits—often around $50,000—providing better protection in serious situations.
“It protects your wallet if you find yourself in a situation outside of your control,” Sandberg says. Travel disruptions are inevitable at times, and insurance reduces the financial impact and stress of those events.
Cost is another frequent misconception. Many people assume travel insurance is expensive or unnecessary, but policies are generally priced at a small percentage of the total trip cost—roughly 2 to 3 percent in many cases. For that modest expense, travelers gain meaningful financial protection for the entire itinerary.
Some travelers are particularly wise to prioritize insurance: families traveling with children, people planning adventure or high-risk activities, and those traveling with older companions who may be more vulnerable to medical emergencies.
Another common misunderstanding is that you cannot buy insurance after initially declining it. In fact, you can purchase a policy at any time before departure; however, coverage only applies to events that occur after the policy becomes effective. That timing is important—benefits won’t cover problems that arose before you bought the insurance.
Though Sandberg endorses travel insurance for most trips, the urgency to buy it can vary by season and destination. For example, he recommends insurance for travel to hurricane-prone areas during the Atlantic storm season, typically August through September. The Caribbean, the Bahamas and similar destinations face higher risk of trip disruptions from tropical storms. In winter months, travelers to regions that frequently experience heavy snowfall should also consider coverage to protect against cancellations or interruptions caused by severe winter storms.
In short, travel insurance is an affordable safeguard that can reimburse nonrefundable trip costs and provide crucial medical and evacuation protection. Clearer information and comparisons can help travelers make informed choices so they are prepared when an unexpected situation threatens their plans.