Travel insurance offers a comprehensive suite of coverage for U.S. citizens taking international trips, students going abroad to study, missionaries, expatriates and others. Travel insurance can cover many insurance needs of travelers, including:

• Health coverage: When travelers are injured or become ill while abroad, their domestic insurance policies will not cover that expense. International travel insurance is necessary to help them control costs and secure the treatment they need. This coverage may not cover (or may offer limited coverage) for pre-existing conditions.
• Trip cancellation: When a trip is cancelled for certain reasons, such as the bankruptcy of a travel service provider or inclement weather, travel insurance can ensure that travelers are reimbursed for certain losses that the cancellation causes.
• Lost or stolen luggage: Travel insurance can provide limited coverage for luggage that is lost or is stolen.

Travel insurance policies are intricate contracts that can be designed to meet very specific risks encountered by travelers. Additional coverage and riders that can be added to policies include:

• Expatriation of remains: When a traveler passes away while abroad, their family will want their remains sent back to the States. This can be an expensive process, which is why some travel insurance policies provide the expense as a benefit.
• Adventure sports: Travelers who are injured while participating in certain activities, such as surfing or deep sea diving, may find that their regular travel insurance health policy doesn’t cover the expense unless the sports rider has been added.
• Remote transportation: Some vacations abroad involve traipsing through remote, unpopulated locations. When an injury occurs in a remote area, remote transportation coverage can pay the cost of having a helicopter deliver you to a hospital.