Buffer Insurance helps you find travel insurance that protects your trip investment and your health abroad. We compare plans from multiple carriers for trip cancellation, medical emergencies, evacuation, and more — at no cost to you.
Get Free Travel Insurance Help →You invest thousands of dollars in flights, hotels, tours, and cruise bookings — often months in advance. Travel insurance protects that investment and your health when the unexpected happens. Without it, a medical emergency abroad, a cancelled flight, or lost luggage can turn a dream trip into a financial disaster.
A hospital stay in another country can cost tens of thousands of dollars — and most domestic health insurance plans (including Medicare) provide little to no coverage overseas. Emergency medical evacuation alone can cost $50,000 to $250,000 depending on location. Travel insurance gives you a safety net so you can focus on the trip, not the what-ifs.
Travel insurance is not one-size-fits-all. Plans can include one or more of these coverage types. Buffer helps you build the right combination for your trip.
Reimburses prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you need to cancel or cut your trip short for a covered reason — illness, injury, severe weather, airline bankruptcy, jury duty, and more. This is the most commonly purchased travel insurance benefit.
Covers emergency medical expenses incurred while traveling — doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, and emergency dental care. Essential for international travel where your domestic health insurance may not apply.
Covers the cost of emergency medical transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility — or back home if necessary. Includes air ambulance, medical escort, and repatriation of remains. Costs can exceed $100,000 without insurance.
Reimburses you for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage and personal belongings. Also covers essential purchases if your bags are delayed for an extended period — clothing, toiletries, and other necessities.
The most flexible cancellation coverage available. Lets you cancel your trip for any reason — not just covered reasons — and receive 50%–75% of your prepaid trip costs back. Must typically be purchased within 14–21 days of initial trip deposit.
Travel insurance is smart for anyone investing significant money in a trip or traveling where their domestic health insurance will not cover them. Here are the most common scenarios.
Family trips are expensive to plan and hard to reschedule. Travel insurance protects your investment if a family member gets sick, a flight is cancelled, or plans change unexpectedly. It also covers emergency medical care for kids abroad.
Most domestic health insurance — including Medicare — does not cover you abroad. Travel medical insurance and emergency evacuation coverage are essential for anyone leaving the country, especially for extended stays or remote destinations.
Cruises are booked and paid for months in advance. If you need to cancel, cruise lines offer limited refunds. Medical care on a ship is expensive, and evacuation from sea to shore can cost tens of thousands. Travel insurance is particularly valuable for cruises.
Skiing, scuba diving, hiking in remote areas — adventure activities carry higher risk. Standard policies may exclude some activities, but specialized plans cover them. Emergency evacuation from remote locations is especially important for adventure travelers.
If your employer does not provide travel insurance for business trips, you may be personally exposed to medical costs abroad, trip interruption expenses, and lost equipment. Individual travel insurance fills that gap.
Retirees spending months in another state or country need extended travel medical coverage. Medicare does not cover you outside the U.S., and even within the U.S., your Medicare Advantage plan may not cover you outside its service area for extended periods.
Not all travel insurance plans are created equal. Here are the key factors to consider when choosing a plan — and where Buffer can help you compare.
Check the maximum benefit for each coverage type — medical, evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage. Make sure the limits are high enough for your destination. Medical care in some countries (especially the U.S. for inbound travelers) can be extremely expensive.
Many travel insurance plans exclude pre-existing medical conditions unless you purchase within a specified window (usually 14–21 days of initial trip deposit) and meet other requirements. Buffer helps you find plans with pre-existing condition waivers.
Standard plans may exclude injuries from activities like skiing, scuba diving, bungee jumping, or mountain climbing. If your trip includes adventure activities, make sure the plan covers them — or add an adventure sports rider.
CFAR gives you the most flexibility but must be added early and increases the premium by 40%–60%. Consider CFAR for expensive trips, trips to destinations with political instability, or when your plans are uncertain. It must typically be purchased within 14–21 days of your first trip payment.
If you are on Medicare and planning international travel, this is one of the most important things to understand: Medicare generally does not cover you outside the United States.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) does not pay for healthcare services received outside the United States, with very limited exceptions for emergencies near U.S. borders or on cruise ships in U.S. territorial waters.
Some Medigap plans (C, D, F, G, M, and N) include a foreign travel emergency benefit, but it is limited:
Medicare Advantage plans generally do not cover care outside the U.S. at all. For any international travel — especially extended stays, cruises, or trips to remote areas — a dedicated travel insurance policy is essential for Medicare beneficiaries. Buffer can help you find a plan that fits your trip and your health needs.
Straightforward answers to the questions we hear most about travel insurance coverage, costs, and claims.
Let Buffer compare travel insurance plans from multiple carriers and find the right coverage for your trip — at no cost to you.
Schedule a Call with Taylor →Travel insurance is one part of a complete coverage plan. Explore these related solutions for comprehensive protection.