Wow, that’s incredible that so few people travel without insurance … I think I’m a pretty stingy traveller (I don’t like to pay for anything that’s unnecessary) but I would always have at least basic medical coverage etc when I travel overseas. I’ve heard too many horror stories of people who didn’t and ended up with enormous bills. Plus often if I buy my tickets on my credit card then they give me automatic insurance anyway, so it’s not even costing me anything. But I make sure I’ve got the numbers or websites with me. (Fingers crossed, I’ve never needed to use it - but that doesn’t stop me buying it or making sure I have it).

I would be interested to see proper stats on this. For starters, most Americans don’t travel abroad so they’ve probably never thought about it.

Secondly, most Americans have medical insurance at home and depending on the policy, this often covers them abroad.

Thirdly, there might be a terminology issue. When you refer to ‘travel insurance’, Americans generally understand that to be insurance for their baggage, which they regard as discretionary. Travel medical insurance is often sold separately in the States and not commonly referred to as ‘travel insurance’.

I have never bought travel insurance because I just have never really found the need too. First off. as Amanda mentioned, some credit cards will provide some insurance if the ticket is purchased with the Credit Card. My general view on the issue is this; With or without insurance, you take a gamble. Like Car insurance, you can pay into it for your whole life and never get into an accident. Even with insurance, there are times when you will not be covered and denied money for one reason or another.
So when i travel, I look at it this way. I am young, good health, i consider myself to be street smart and careful. I don’t see enough reason to get insurance. I dont think it has anything to do with being reckless. Consider how many Americans cannot afford health insurance back at home! Do you think they will even think of getting insurance when traveling?
Could it be that the insurance system in the US is different than in Europe? I am an American currently living in china without insurance. One thing we learn from American insurance companies is that besides raising rates, they aren’t good for much else.
I think that the issue is a bit more complicated than what it seems.

Darren

I think it that most people are not aware of cost even with a European health card some countries still charge. We had a family of 4 go on a 2 day break to France, when a trip resulted in a broken ankle; it cost them over £2000 pounds in the end, with extra flights, hotel bills, medical treatment, extra. Which was after the E111 reduction of 90% paid out. A basic insurance for there trip would of cost around £10-14 for all of them and would of meet 80% of these extra costs.

Hi Darren,

I was stunned with your quick poll. Anybody that travels without insurance has to be a bloody idiot. Especially in today’s world.

I have to agree with Caitlin when she says we consider travel insurance as insurance that covers baggage, because that’s what we’re told it is. And I agree with Derek about how expensive insurance already is. A lot of people can’t afford it at home, much less overseas.

I think the other commentors are right about the terminology problem. Here in Canada, “travel insurance” can mean trip cancellation insurance, baggage insurance or supplementary health insurance. Most policies cover all three, but people who are living abroad for a period of time may skip the cancellation and baggage insurance and just get the supplementary health coverage.

Travel insurance here is pretty inexpensive. If I can’t afford to pay for insurance, how can I afford to travel in the first place?

Medical insurance - whether it is a separate travel insurance policy or an extension of your home health insurance - is an absolute essential when you are travelling abroad. The cost is not a factor. Firstly because you can often get a free policy through your card. Even if you have to pay for it it’s cheap - it costs about £11 for a single trip and that’s with baggage and cancellation insurance included. I pay £80 a year for two people with coverage for sports such as skiing and unlimited personal liability insurance in the United States. The second reason is that it’s not a factor is that the bottom line is this - travel is a luxury and if you can’t afford insurance, you can’t afford to travel.

The only exception is that you come from a country with universal free health care and you are travelling to a country with reciprocal health care. For example, Brits do not need health insurance in Australia and vice versa.

You might think you’re young and healthy and don’t need it. I disagree and I can speak from personal experience. I was an exchange student in Germany when I was 15 and I was hit by a car when riding a bicycle.The accident was my fault - it was very foggy and I had thought a t-intersection was clear when it was not. The insurance covered the ambulance ride, the cost of repairs to the other driver’s car, and the cost of replacing the bicycle. Had there been any further medical bills, the insurance would have covered that as well.

Tell me if I am wrong but I thought this blog was for European travellers? Travel insurance here means health, baggage, everything. I’m with Barrie on this. Anyone who travels without insurance, be it health or not are bloody idiots.

They will be the kind of people to come complaining when they have lost all of their wordly goods.

I believe that medical insurance is 100% essential when travelling abroad. I believe that baggage insurance is optional and a matter of personal choice.

I personally choose to travel with insurance that covers my baggage, but the risk of losing your bags is nothing compared with the risk of running up tens of thousands of pounds worth of medical bills.

I’m not sure if Darren is aiming the blog specifically at Europeans or not but I believe it would have been an international audience who responded to his poll.

I would be interested in what proportion of the 111 voters totalled the “majority” from the US?
I’m surprised, because for Americans it’s patently clear that health costs particularly need to be insured against at home, and so, should be in the national psyche to do so abroad too.

As an American student who travels abroad frequently on conference trips, I make sure to check my health coverage. My plan (which is through the university) includes coverage for overseas travel on a reimbursement basis at the same rate as my “out of plan” providers are covered in the US. This may be because it is a university plan, but I don’t really have anything to compare it with.

I, too, understood “travel insurance” as to cover trip expenses, etc. in case plans change, flights are canceled, and such. I haven’t been on a trip that I felt really justified that kind of insurance (yet!).