Do you ever get travel insurance?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (122121)
United States
July 2, 2026 10:47am CST
I was watching a video of a guy from Scotland who had been posting about how much he was enjoying America at the World Cup, and he had posted once about having to take his wife to the ER for food poisoning. He raved about the good care, and commented the bill was about $800, but he had travel insurance so nothing was coming out of his pocket.
Last September my family was supposed to have gone on the cruise to Canada, but it was also around the time I went to the ER twice. Scared I might need help during the trip, my dad took out insurance on me. He told me the story of my Aunt Joyce having to seek help from the doctor on the cruise she was on with her family. The bill was $17,000. She almost panicked until she found out her husband had taken out travel insurance on her and she was covered.
So have you guys taken out insurance on your trips, just in case?
17 people like this
15 responses
@snowy22315 (209979)
• United States
7h
No, never thought about it..but it sounds like it could be a lifesaver.
3 people like this
@BelleStarr (61532)
• United States
5h
I usually get comprehensive travel insurance when traveling out of the country.
2 people like this
@xFiacre (14906)
• Ireland
7h
@AmbiePam I never did when I was young and foolish and travelled a lot in dodgy places. Then when I got married I became all sensible and got insurance and needed it on our first trip 3 months after we got married. Paris, and my wife got food poisoning. The man who owned the “hotel” we were at assured us she was just pregnant and told us of a good doctor but he turned out to run an abortion clinic. It was Christmas Eve. I called my parents who booked us flights home with tickets waiting for us at the airport. Only had 1st class seats but had no choice, though I discovered economy was empty. Insurance wasn’t going to cough up for flights because we had gone to Paris by train and boat and came back by air. Said most people returned the way they went and I told them I’m not most people. Got reimbursed. Couldn’t enjoy 1st class because wife couldn’t tolerate smell of food so I got none of their fancy stuff. I always have annual travel insurance.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169808)
• United States
Just now
It has been years since I have traveled in a way that insurance would apply. Your discussion serves as a prod to do so if I were ever to take a big vacation like that.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56659)
• Canada
2h
Absolutely, when we went out to BC, I bought out of province insurance.
Here our coverage isn't by the entire country, but by the actual province that you reside in.
So we can never, ever get sick in another province without insurance, our pockets aren't deep enough.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56659)
• Canada
2h
@AmbiePam No, there seems to be a disconnect between many provinces.
Out West, they dislike Ontario, and most provinces dislike Quebec, and so on.
My travel insurance for just a 5 day period, which was the least amount that I could get for my trip to BC in April was north of $500. They base it on existing health conditions, based on the medications you take.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122855)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
2m
I would take travel insurance if I were going to travel as a safety precaution.
1 person likes this
@thedevilinme (5270)
• Northampton, England
1h
I Always get travel insurance in AMerica .Health costs astronomical. I think it was 22 grand just to fixa broken bone
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (122121)
• United States
1h
Where the heck was that? Was that including a surgery? Because that’s definitely not how much it costs “in my neck of the woods”. My dad broke a wrist with no health insurance, and everything including X-rays cost $1,500. But that is without any surgery. I’m sure surgery is a game changer so you could be right.
@AmbiePam (122121)
• United States
59m
@thedevilinme About ten years ago, my state took care of ambulance rides for the uninsured, and it was a blessing. They added $1 to every citizens water bill, and now no one, whether insured or not, has to pay for an ambulance.
@thedevilinme (5270)
• Northampton, England
1h
@AmbiePam You called the right ambo to take him in.Tourists are picked up by the nearest one. South Florida
1 person likes this
@MommyOfEli2013 (90347)
• Rupert, Idaho
2h
I don't go on trips, but that is a good thing to think about. I never would have thought of it before.
1 person likes this
@sissy15 (13006)
• United States
Just now
It sounds like a good idea. The two guys I follow who come to America from the UK get travel insurance when they come here, which came in handy during their trip to Michigan when one of them hurt their back. Our healthcare is better here, but we also have to pay so much for it. I had a friend who went to France once and had to have his gallbladder out. He said even though he didn't have insurance, it was still way cheaper there than it would have been here.
