Travel Insurance 101 — What It Is, Why You Need It, and When to Get It

  In this week's episode, Dannelle pulls back the curtain on something most travelers overlook until it's too late — travel insurance. From canceled flights to medical emergencies abroad, travel insurance can save your vacation (and your wallet). Using her husband's real-life experiences — kidney stones in Mexico and France — Dannelle shares exactly how insurance covered hospitals, medications, and even a nurse-escorted first-class flight home. Learn what travel insurance covers, when to buy it, how much it costs, and why it's one of the smartest investments any traveler can make. Key Takeaways 1. What Is Travel Insurance? A financial safety net for unexpected travel mishaps — everything from lost luggage to emergency medical evacuation. 2. Why You Need It Most U.S. health insurance doesn't cover international medical care or evacuation. Travel insurance does — and can save you tens of thousands of dollars if things go wrong. 3. When to Buy It Buy right after your first trip payment (ideally within 14–21 days) for full coverage and inclusion of pre-existing conditions. Waiting too long limits your benefits. 4. What It Covers Trip protection — cancellations, interruptions, and delays Medical & evacuation — hospital stays, ambulances, and airlifts Baggage & belongings — lost or delayed luggage Disaster evacuation — natural disasters, unrest, or terrorism 24/7 travel assistance — real human help anywhere in the world 5. What It Doesn't Cover Reckless or illegal activities Alcohol- or drug-related incidents "I changed my mind" — unless you add a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade Typical Cost Expect to spend 4–10% of your total trip cost — about $150–$300 for a $3,000 vacation. A small price for coverage that can reach $100,000+ in benefits. Annual vs. Per-Trip Coverage Type Best For Notes Per-Trip Plans Occasional travelers Simple coverage for one trip at a time Annual / Multi-Trip Plans Frequent travelers or professionals Covers unlimited trips per year (up to a set duration per trip)   Host & Producer: Dannelle Gay – The Traveling Cheesehead Production: Andrew Gay