Travel Insurance When You're Traveling Alone

The setup

When something goes wrong on a trip with a partner, one of you is the patient and the other is the project manager: calling the insurer, finding the hospital, rebooking flights. Alone, you're both, possibly from a hospital bed, possibly in a language you don't speak.

Why it's hard alone

There's no one to advocate for you, carry your documents, or make calls while you're being treated. And the costs can be huge: most US health plans don't travel with you, and the State Department puts the cost of an air-ambulance evacuation back to the US at $20,000 to $200,000. For a solo traveler, a good policy isn't just money back. It's a 24-hour assistance line that does the project-managing for you.

The solo method

1. Check what you already have. The State Department says Medicare and Medicaid don't pay for medical care abroad, and most US health plans usually don't either. Some Medigap plans (C, D, F, G, M and N) cover part of emergency care that begins in the first 60 days of a trip; check yours. Some credit cards include trip protection when you book with them.
2. Decide which kind of cover you need. Travel medical insurance covers emergencies abroad. Comprehensive travel insurance adds trip cancellation, delays and lost bags. A cheap trip mostly needs the first; an expensive prepaid tour or cruise needs both.
3. Prioritize medical evacuation. One common rule of thumb is at least $100,000 in evacuation cover for international trips, more for remote destinations.
4. Make sure it has a 24/7 assistance line. This is the part that matters most when you're alone. Save the number in your phone and on paper.
5. Check the activity list. Many policies exclude things like scuba diving, skiing or motorbiking unless you add them.
6. Share your documents. Email your itinerary, passport copy and policy details to yourself and one or two people at home. If you can't make the call, they can.
7. Name an emergency contact on the policy and tell them they're it.

What nobody tells you

Two policy styles suit solo travelers differently. SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance Essential is travel medical cover bought in four-week blocks: it covers emergencies, evacuation and a ticket home for a family emergency, but not cancelling a trip before you leave. Traditional trip policies (World Nomads, for example) cost more per trip but also protect prepaid bookings. Match the policy to the trip, not to the brand you've heard of.