Do Not Leave Your Country Without Basic Travel or Health Insurance

It feels like an unnecessary expense when you are healthy and the trip is short. But one fall, one food poisoning, one emergency appendectomy in a foreign hospital can cost more than your entire trip — sometimes tens of thousands. A medical evacuation flight alone can cost $50,000 to $100,000, and your domestic health insurance almost certainly does not cover you abroad. Travel insurance for a week typically costs less than a dinner out.

Get a policy that covers medical emergencies, hospitalization, medical evacuation, and trip cancellation. Read what is excluded — many policies do not cover extreme sports, pre-existing conditions, or pandemics unless specifically included. Keep the policy number and emergency phone number accessible offline, not just in your email.