Travel insurance is a policy you buy that helps protect against certain risks associated with travel, especially non-refundable costs if you cancel, medical emergencies while abroad, lost or delayed baggage, travel delays, etc.

Some of the main reasons:

• You’ve paid non-refundable trip costs (flights, hotels, tours) and want protection if you must cancel or interrupt.

• Your regular health insurance doesn’t cover you abroad (or doesn’t cover evacuation back home) so you want medical/evacuation coverage.

• You want assistance if things go wrong while traveling (e.g., lost passport, travel delay) — many policies bundle 24/7 support services.

Coverage varies by plan, but common benefits include:

• Trip cancellation or interruption (if you must cancel or interrupt for a covered reason)

• Emergency medical treatment while traveling, and sometimes medical evacuation (transport back home or to a suitable medical facility)

• Baggage loss or delay, travel delay, missed connections in some cases

• Travel assistance services (help finding a doctor, replacing passport, etc.)

• It’s best to buy soon after you make your first trip deposit, which ensures more of your trip is covered and can enable benefits like “pre-existing condition waiver” or “cancel for any reason” options.

• Some plans allow purchase right up until departure (sometimes within 24 hours) but earlier is better.