When you’re purchasing a flight through an airline’s website, they’re going to ask you if you want to add travel insurance. I decline that offer every time, and here’s why.
You should never purchase travel insurance through the airline. Always buy separately from an independent provider because when you book through the airline, the policy is written to minimize their exposure – not yours.
Hidden clauses, narrow definitions, and low caps aren’t accidents. They’re the product.
Travel insurance isn’t complicated in theory. Here’s what a real policy should always include and how to actually use it when things go sideways.
The five protections that aren’t optional
- Emergency medical coverage. Your domestic health insurance almost certainly won’t follow you overseas. A serious illness or injury abroad can cost way over six figures. Look for policies that cover at least $500,000 in medical expenses — that number isn’t excessive; it’s realistic.
- Trip cancellation and interruption. This reimburses non-refundable costs if you have to cancel before departure or cut a trip short. Typical reasons for coverage include illness, injury, natural disasters, or family emergencies. Read the definitions carefully; “illness” doesn’t always mean what you think it means.
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation. This is a separate line item from medical coverage and one that travelers routinely overlook. It doesn’t pay hospital bills – it pays to get you to a facility that can actually treat you, or to fly you home once you’re stabilized. In remote destinations, this coverage alone can be worth the entire premium.
- Baggage loss, theft, and delay. Lost or delayed luggage is the most common travel claim and the one most poorly understood. Delay coverage buys you essentials while you wait. Loss coverage reimburses what’s gone. Know the per-item caps before you assume your camera or laptop is covered.
- Travel delay and missed connection. When a delay stretches into an overnight stay, this covers meals, lodging, and transport. It’s not glamorous coverage, but a single-stranded night in an airport hotel makes it worth having.
Three add-ons worth a second look
- Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) is the most flexible protection available. It reimburses a portion of trip costs even when your reason for canceling doesn’t qualify under standard terms. If your plans have any real uncertainty, this is worth the upcharge.
- Vacation rental damage protection applies specifically to short-term rentals like Airbnb. Skip it for hotels, it’s not designed for that context.
- Pet care coverage is one of those things travelers never think about until they’re stuck overnight and their pet is waiting at a boarding facility they can’t reach. Travel is unpredictable; this add-on accounts for that.
How to actually file a claim and why the airline is still part of the process
Even with independent travel insurance, the airline is your first stop when something goes wrong with your luggage. Here’s the sequence that matters:
Before you fly, photograph your bag and any high-value items inside it. Save digital receipts. Pack medications and valuables in your carry-on, not because I’m being cautious, but because I’ve seen what happens to checked bags when things get busy in a terminal.
At the airport, the moment you realize your bag is lost, delayed, or damaged, go directly to the airline’s baggage desk before leaving the secure area. File an incident report and get the Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with a claim number. Document everything: carousel screens, bag tags, boarding pass, and the agent’s name.
Within 24 hours, file an official claim with the airline online, even if you already reported at the desk. For delayed bags, buy only what’s necessary and keep every receipt. For damaged bags, don’t discard anything until a claim is approved.
Then notify your travel insurer immediately, don’t wait for the airline to resolve it first. Provide your policy number, itinerary, PIR, airline claim number, photos, receipts, and an itemized list of what’s missing or damaged. No receipts for everything? Submit what you have. Photos, bank statements, and descriptions can all support a claim.
Here’s how the money flows: the airline pays first, up to its legal limit, roughly $3,800 for U.S. domestic flights and around $1,800 internationally under the Montreal Convention. If your actual loss exceeds that, your travel insurance covers the gap up to your policy limit. Insurance also covers items airlines won’t handle, such as baggage delay expenses and higher-value items that exceed airline caps.
One last thing
There are so many providers that offer great coverage. I personally use Faye Travel Insurance as I love how responsive their customer service team is, and they do a great job with clearly explaining what your policy covers and what it doesn’t.
Disclosure: Some links in this article may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them at no additional cost to you.
