Planning a trip for 2026? Don’t miss this must-have accessory, experts say

It's not fear driving Harry Wenkert to make a "must-have" travel purchase for 2026. It's peace of mind, he says.

"I have a parent who is 94 years old and living in a long-term care facility," says Wenkert, a retired pharmaceutical industry marketer from Pittsburgh. "I'm also concerned about having enough medical and evacuation insurance coverage."

As travelers look to travel plans — spring break, summer vacations and holiday trips — they're rethinking the way they handle risk. And for them, their must-have accessory is travel insurance. They saw what happened in 2025, and they don't want a rerun.

Please, anything but a rerun.

"In 2026, travel insurance today is less about fear and more about peace of mind," explains Naresh Dahal.

He should know. He's the operations manager at Everest Luxury Holidays, based in Kathmandu. His company designs high-end experiential travel across Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, which carries some risks. He says almost all of his customers are buying travel insurance, "especially as they look at 2026."

Hang on. If you talk to the experts, they'll tell you that everyone needs travel insurance or that you should get the same insurance, no matter where you're going. But the truth is, some people don't need insurance.

Wenkert, who is planning a trip to Ireland, is one of the travelers who does. He checks a lot of boxes, including health concerns and a high possibility he'll have to cancel. He searched for a standard policy on Squaremouth.com and found one through Travel Insured International that covered everything he needed, including $100,000 in medical coverage and $500,000 in evacuation coverage. He paid $850 to cover himself and his wife.

"The more exotic and farther away we travel, the more emergency medical coverage we purchase," he says.

Do you need travel insurance?

You probably do.

"Deciding whether you need travel insurance often comes down to personal comfort," explains Beth Godlin, president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice.

It helps to consider the total value of your trip relative to the cost of helping protect it. Big-ticket vacations, like extended cruises to exotic ports, luxury land tours or multicity international trips, are prime candidates for travel protection, she says.

"These trips typically involve significant nonrefundable costs and are booked well in advance," says Godlin.

However, trips where there are no significant non-refundable components are less likely to need insurance. For example, if you're driving to Grandma's for the holidays and staying in her guest bedroom, you don't have any nonrefundable airline tickets or hotel rooms to insure. Also, as long as you're staying in the country, your health insurance will probably cover you.

Your credit card might also cover parts of your trip, but you'll want to check on the type of coverage it offers. Some cards offer a minimal amount of coverage with heavy restrictions. Check the fine print, say experts.

Money-saving travel insurance trick: an annual policy

Savvy travelers are turning to a little-known option to protect their 2026 trips. Instead of buying separate policies for each trip, they're choosing an annual travel insurance policy.

"I realized we were buying one insurance policy after another for trip coverage," says Mark Beales, a retired mortgage banker from Mill Creek, Wash. "An annual policy was cheaper and covered most of our trips."

But there's a catch. His policy only covered him for $10,000, so for trips exceeding that amount he needed a new policy. But overall, his annual policy cost about $1,050, or roughly 40% less than buying the policies separately.

"Annual travel insurance provides the same coverage for each trip, which means travelers with different types of trips might miss out on important single-trip plan benefits that can be tailored to each journey," says Terry Boynton, co-founder and president of Yonder Travel Insurance.

If you travel more than four times a year, you might save money by buying an annual travel insurance policy for 2026.

For the risk-averse, try "cancel for any reason" insurance

If you're extra worried about your trip, you might need a policy that gives you the flexibility to cancel your trip for any reason and receive a partial refund of your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses.

Travelers often assume a garden-variety policy can do that, but they're mistaken. You can only file a successful claim for a covered reason, such as a delay, cancellation or a medical emergency.

"Cancel for any reason" insurance works differently. You can file a claim for any reason and receive reimbursement of 50% to 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. It costs a little more than conventional insurance — roughly 10% to 12% of the cost of your trip — but if you're afraid you might cancel, it can protect your trip investment, according to experts.

"I highly recommend that travelers look beyond basic trip cancellation policies, especially for longer trips, international travel, or travel to remote areas," says Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance. "A 'cancel for any reason' policy can provide the peace of mind that you'll be able to back out in any circumstances if you choose, whereas many policies won't."

Expert strategies for buying a better policy

If you're thinking of getting insurance for an upcoming trip, here are a few pro tips.

Know the risks. Many travelers fail to understand the risks of travel risks, so they don't know what kind of insurance they need. "Conduct research on your destination, to not only plan your itinerary, but also to learn about any events, construction or attraction closures that could result in delays or a change of plans," advises Scott Adamski, head of global product development and underwriting governance at Travel Guard.

Think beyond the policy. Most travelers don't know that travel insurance includes other features, such as 24/7 global travel assistance, translation services and medical advice. When you look at a policy, keep in mind that you're buying more than insurance, says Stan Sandberg, co-founder of TravelInsurance.com. "Global travel assistance services can also include help in finding local attorneys, replacing lost or stolen prescriptions, and rebooking travel," he says.

Don't wait. Boynton of Yonder says many travelers are waiting too long to buy insurance. The average traveler waits 42 days after booking their trip to even start considering travel insurance. "Many time-sensitive benefits like 'cancel for any reason,' coverage for pre-existing conditions, and travel supplier bankruptcy coverage are required to be purchased within 21 days of the initial trip booking," he notes.

This isn't abstract advice. As someone who is on the road more than 300 days a year, I rely on a good travel insurance policy.

I've used policies by Allianz, Faye, Travel Guard, as well as medical insurance from GeoBlue and Cigna. And I wouldn't dream of leaving the country without a Medjet membership. The policies have covered emergency room visits in Cape Town; helicopter evacuations in Chur, Switzerland; and medical exams before an Antarctic expedition. And there's no telling what else they will cover in the future.

But as I look to my 2026 trips, I am happy to be covered — and if you run into trouble, you will be, too.

Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at [email protected].