Booking your dream trip is exciting, but what happens if you forget to purchase travel insurance when making travel arrangements? Or what if you want extra coverage after booking?
Panic, obviously! Just kidding.
Fortunately, you’re not out of options! It’s still possible to add travel insurance even if you’ve procrastinated or didn’t think about it until now.
How?
We’ll walk you through the process and offer tips on whether you can buy travel insurance after booking and the essential considerations for getting coverage at the last minute.
Is Buying Travel Insurance After Booking My Trip Possible?
Yes, it is! Most travel insurance providers allow travelers to buy travel insurance after booking their trip, often up until the day before departure. While it’s best to purchase travel insurance as soon as you’ve made your initial trip payment, it’s still possible to protect yourself and your non-refundable trip expenses even at the eleventh hour.
How to Buy Travel Insurance After Booking A Flight
Suppose you’re considering adding travel insurance after booking a flight. In that case, you should know that purchasing a policy later can affect your coverage options and eligibility for certain benefits, including medical care protections.
Here’s what to look for:
- Coverage Start Date
When you buy travel insurance after booking, ensure you know when the coverage will begin, known as the policy’s Effective Date. Most comprehensive policies go into effect the day after purchase. This means you may have a brief period before some insurance services kick in, so plan accordingly if you need specific assistance services. - Limited Policy Options
Waiting until the last minute to buy travel insurance might mean fewer options. Some providers may only offer basic plans or exclude certain benefits if you purchase your policy late. We recommend exploring insurance sooner rather than later to avoid missing out on necessary protections.
- Coverage Eligibility
Adding travel insurance after booking a flight might affect your eligibility for certain benefits, especially time-sensitive ones. For example, benefit upgrades such as Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) and Pre-Existing Condition coverage typically must be purchased within 10-21 days of your initial trip payment. If you wait too long, you may miss these valuable protections.
Tips for Adding Travel Insurance After Booking
Finding the best travel insurance policy is easy, even if you’re pressed for time. Here are some tips to help you navigate adding travel insurance after booking:
- Compare Multiple Policies: Use a comparison tool to review different policies and find one that fits your needs.
- Check for Time-Sensitive Benefits: If you’re interested in specific benefits like Cancel For Any Reason or Pre-Existing Medical Condition coverage, verify whether they’re still available based on when you’re purchasing.
- Understand What’s Covered: Read the fine print! While reading a Certificate of Insurance may not be exciting, understanding insurance benefits can ensure you get the proper protection for your trip.
What does Travel Insurance Cover?
You might wonder if travel insurance is worth the investment, especially if you add it after booking a trip. The truth is that travel insurance can be a trip saver, offering a safety net against unexpected disruptions. It provides peace of mind by protecting your financial investment in your trip and helping you manage unforeseen events that can occur before or during your travels.
Travel insurance offers financial protection, health care coverage, and more, which is especially helpful if you’ve invested significant money in your trip. Consider it a small price for huge peace of mind.
Depending on your chosen policy, travel insurance offers a wide range of coverage. Here are some of the most common benefits:
- Trip Cancellation Insurance: Reimburses you for prepaid, non-refundable trip costs (like airfare, accommodations, excursions, and more) if you must cancel your trip due to covered reasons such as illness, injury, or severe weather.
- Trip Interruption: Covers unused trip costs if you need to cut your trip short due to a covered reason.
- Medical Coverage: U.S. residents cannot take their health insurance on vacation, so travel insurance can cover medical expenses and medical treatment if you get sick or injured while traveling.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation: This service offers transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility in case of a severe health issue, such as coronavirus or injuries from a natural disaster.
- Baggage Loss and Baggage Delay: Reimburses you for lost, stolen, or delayed baggage and personal belongings.
- Travel Delay: This policy covers additional expenses if you experience a trip delay due to inclement weather or airline issues.
- Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR): You can cancel your trip for reasons not covered by standard policies, offering more flexibility.
Best Travel Insurance Plans to Purchase After Booking Your Trip
You know you need travel insurance and that you can purchase travel protection after booking your trip, but which ones should you consider? We understand the tight timeline, so here are some of our best recommendations to make preparing for your journey easier.
- Tin Leg Luxury is ideal for travelers seeking a comprehensive travel insurance plan. This plan offers high coverage limits for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and interruptions. It also includes Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) as an optional add-on, making it a helpful choice if you have high total trip costs.
- AXA Assistance USA Platinum provides generous coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, and delays. It also includes high limits for emergency medical expenses and evacuation, making it a robust option if you need extensive protection after booking.
- John Hancock Insurance Agency Silver is known for its affordability and trustworthy coverage, which includes trip cancellations, interruptions, and delays. It is a smart option for travelers who have already booked their trip and want travel protection without paying a premium price.
- Generali Global Assistance Preferred is ideal for last-minute travel insurance coverage, including sporting activities or excursions. This plan offers flexibility and options for adding sports equipment and rental coverage, making it perfect for high-risk, adventurous vacations.
Can You Buy Travel Insurance After Your Departure Date?
If you’re wondering whether you can add travel insurance after leaving for your trip, the answer is a bit more complicated.
While most travel insurance policies require you to purchase coverage before departure, there are some cases where you can still secure travel protection after you’re on your way to your destination.
For instance, some providers offer travel medical insurance or Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage even after your trip has started. Remember that you can’t purchase a policy on Squaremouth after you’ve departed for your trip, so you must contact an insurance provider directly for this coverage. These policies also provide benefits like Trip Interruption, baggage protection, and coverage for your journey home, but your options will be more limited.
Bottom Line: Yes, you can add travel insurance after booking, but the sooner you act, the better. Purchasing travel insurance right after your initial trip deposit date ensures you maximize your coverage options and eligibility for crucial benefits. If you’ve waited until the last minute, don’t worry – options are still available to safeguard your trip. Just make sure to review your choices carefully and understand when your coverage starts to avoid any surprises.