When do I purchase travel insurance?

Last Updated: January 5, 2015May 30, 2023

Short Answer

When you should purchase a travel insurance policy is dependent on the specific benefits you are looking for.

Standard Trip Cancellation policies can be purchased up until the day before your departure. Some time-sensitive benefits included in Trip Cancellation policies must be purchased within 14-21 days of your initial booking date.

If you have already departed for your trip, there may be some policies available directly from providers that can provide medical coverage.

More Detail

Policies offering Trip Cancellation coverage are available for purchase up until the day before the trip begins. However, the sooner the policy is purchased, the sooner the cancellation coverage can begin. Cancellation policies begin covering you the day after the policy is purchased.

Some benefits, such as Pre-Existing Condition coverage and Cancel For Any Reason, are time-sensitive, and require the policy to be purchased within a specific amount of time following your deposit date. Typically, these benefits require the policy to be purchased within 14-21 days of the first booking date.

Once you have already departed for your trip, it is too late to purchase a travel insurance policy from Squaremouth, however, there may be some policies available directly from providers that can provide medical coverage. These policies will not include cancellation coverage but can provide Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage for the remainder of your trip. There are select providers who offer this option, including Seven Corners and Trawick International. Travelers interested in this coverage should contact the provider directly to purchase.

This information can vary based on the travel insurance policy. Please review the policy certificate to verify coverage. If you have questions about a specific policy, please contact us directly at 800-240-0369. Our customer service representatives are available from 8am to 10pm ET seven days a week and are delighted to help!