Travel insurance vs health insurance: which do you need?

What travel insurance covers

Travel medical plans cover sudden illness and accidents while you are away: hospital treatment, doctors, prescriptions linked to the emergency, evacuation and, on some plans, emergency dental. Some also include trip cancellation, and some cover luggage or delays. Most exclude your home country, several exclude or limit the USA, and some must be bought before you leave or have a waiting period if bought abroad. Check the wording.

Limits vary much more than people expect. Among the plans Jet checks, Auras packages start at a US$35,000 medical limit, Genki Traveler covers €1,000,000, IMG Patriot goes from US$50,000 to US$2,000,000 and VUMI Travel VIP up to US$5,000,000 under age 70.

Many travel medical plans include medical evacuation, with different limits; see medical evacuation cover.

What international health insurance covers

International health insurance is built for living abroad. Depending on the plan, it can include inpatient and outpatient care, routine doctor visits, specialists, prescriptions, ongoing treatment for conditions that start after you join, and optional benefits such as maternity, dental and evacuation. It renews every year, so you are not tied to a trip or a return date.

The key differences

Length: travel cover runs per trip or month: IMG Patriot from 5 days to 12 months, Genki Traveler as a monthly subscription for up to 12 months, IMG GlobeHopper up to 24 months with extensions. Health insurance renews every year with no end date.

Routine care: travel insurance covers emergencies only. Health insurance covers check-ups, specialists and ongoing treatment.

Pre-existing conditions: travel plans usually exclude them, though some cover stable conditions up to a limit (VUMI Travel VIP: stable pre-existing conditions up to $500,000). Check the wording. Health insurance can cover them through underwriting or after a moratorium. See our pre-existing conditions guide.

Maternity: travel plans exclude routine maternity. Health insurance offers it on many plans after a waiting period. See our maternity guide.

Home country: travel plans usually exclude your home country, and several exclude or limit the USA. Health insurance can include it.

Price: travel insurance is far cheaper because it covers far less.

What it costs: an example

Example only. Indicative prices from Jet:

IMG Patriot International: about US$40 to US$81, depending on the level of cover.

IMG GlobeHopper: about US$46 to US$100.

Genki Traveler: €63.90 for the month.

VUMI Travel VIP: about US$158.

Indicative, per person. Based on insurers' published wording and sample quotes as of 24 Sep 2026. The insurer confirms the final price.

Which do you need?

A holiday or short trip from home: travel insurance.

A few months away with a home base and health cover at home: a long-stay travel plan; see long-trip travel insurance.

Living abroad, or no health cover at home: international health insurance. Many visas also require it; see our digital nomad visa insurance guide.

Both: health insurance as your main cover, plus travel insurance for cancellation and luggage on trips, unless your health plan already includes travel benefits.

When the rules decide for you

Some countries require insurance to enter: as of 30 September 2026, 5 countries require health or travel insurance from every visitor. Some visas set the type: Spain's digital nomad visa needs health insurance from an insurer authorised to operate in Spain and does not accept travel insurance, while Portugal's D8 visa checklist (VFS Global for Portuguese consulates in the US, July 2025) asks for travel insurance covering necessary medical expenses, including urgent medical assistance and possible repatriation.

Checked 3 October 2026 against each insurer's published plan details. Prices are indicative examples from the HealthiNomad travel matcher, not quotes.