Can You Buy Travel Insurance After Booking a Flight?
Yes, you can buy travel insurance after booking a flight. Whether you’ve just finalized your itinerary or are days from your departure, comprehensive insurance policies are still available for purchase even after booking, and the moment you add them to your trip, you’re protected from unforeseen circumstances.
Buying it early offers the most protection, and we’re here to help. We break down everything you need to know about buying travel insurance after booking, including how to do it, when it might be too late, and why timing matters.
Is Buying Travel Insurance After Booking My Trip Possible?
Absolutely! You can purchase travel insurance after booking your trip, even until the day before departure. First, secure travel dates, finalize arrangements, set accommodations, and plan excursions. Then, review the coverage types you need to protect yourself. Waiting too long limits cancellation protection and may exclude benefits like pre-existing condition coverage and Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR), which must be purchased within 14-21 days of the initial trip deposit.
When Can You Buy Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance is available for purchase at nearly any point between booking your trip and the day before you depart. Some providers may even let you buy it on the day of departure, but your options for protection and benefits may be limited. For example, you may not have coverage for CFAR or Pre-Existing Conditions. However, you’ll still have access to core benefits like Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical Evacuation, Emergency Medical (or travel health insurance), and baggage coverage, so your trip costs have a safety net. But the policy won’t cover disruptions already in motion before or during purchase.
How Can I Buy Travel Insurance After Booking a Flight?
You can protect your plans and finances even if you’ve already booked your trip because purchasing travel insurance after booking a flight is usually simple and relatively swift. Follow the steps below to gain protection against unforeseen circumstances, including Trip Cancellation, medical protection, and trip delays.
Step 1: Start your search as early as possible.
After booking your flight, consider your travel insurance options. Many benefits are limited to a specific timeframe from your initial payment date, so shopping early increases your choices. For example, purchasing a plan within 10-14 days of the initial deposit allows access to extended coverage periods for time-sensitive add-ons like Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and Pre-Existing Condition coverage.
Step 2: Determine your travel insurance coverage needs.
If Trip Cancellation coverage is important, and you want reimbursement for trip cancellation, buy your travel insurance early. This coverage can help refund trip expenses for covered reasons, such as illness, injury, or family emergencies. With comprehensive coverage, you also access benefits like emergency medical support, financial protection for cancellations of accommodations, excursions, and events, and support for lost or stolen luggage and necessary item replacements, among many others.
Step 3: Compare plans from reputable providers.
Use a comparison tool like Squaremouth to view policies from top-rated travel insurance companies side by side. Compare coverage limits, benefits, exclusions, and customer reviews, not just prices, to find the plan with the best coverage for your trip.
Step 4: Select the best travel insurance plan for your trip.
Once you find a travel insurance plan that fits your needs, considering your trip details, who’s in your travel crew, any health issues, and where you’re headed, double-check the plan’s details. Cancelling insurance later can get complicated! Since travel insurance plans differ a lot in price, coverage limits, benefits, and exclusions, being specific about what you need will help you enjoy a relaxing vacation. Just remember, a higher price doesn’t always mean better coverage, so focus on what really works for you, rather than just the cost.
Step 5: Buy and travel with peace of mind.
After making your purchase, keep a digital and a physical copy of your policy in case you need it for a claim or as proof of purchase for a specific activity. Having a policy readily available often helps travelers feel more protected, knowing they have taken steps to minimize risk.
When is it too Late to Buy Travel Insurance?
Generally, it’s too late to buy travel insurance on the day of your departure date. Travel insurance companies do not sell policies to individuals who have already departed. Most require that you purchase coverage by the day before your departure and before you leave your home. If your trip has already begun, options for new coverage are limited and usually restricted to specialized medical plans.
Some circumstances allow for purchasing travel protection while on vacation, including travel health benefits like Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage. However, we recommend buying travel insurance before your travels begin for comprehensive coverage, including trip cancellation and interruption, financial protection for prepaid non-refundable trip charges, or medical expenses.
If you’re traveling and want insurance, contact travel insurance companies directly for coverage options.
Top 5 Tips for Adding Travel Insurance After Booking
Finding the right travel insurance policy after booking doesn’t have to be stressful; with Squaremouth, it can be pretty straightforward. Whether your departure is weeks away or just around the corner, the following tips can help you lock in trustworthy and reliable travel insurance protection.
- Compare Policies From At Least 3 Companies: Use a comparison tool to review different policies and find a travel insurance company you can trust with a policy that will sufficiently cover your non-refundable expenses.
- Check for Time-Sensitive Benefits: If you’re interested in specific benefits like CFAR, Rental Car coverage, or Pre-Existing Medical Condition coverage, verify whether they’re still available based on when you’re purchasing. Typically, they’re available as add-ons to your policy within 14-21 days (2-3 weeks) from making the initial travel deposit. If you’re still within this window, prioritize plans that offer these add-ons. If not, choose a plan that maximizes core protections like Emergency Medical and Trip Interruption coverage.
- Get to Know What’s Covered: We always encourage our travelers to take a moment to read the fine print on any policy, even if they’ve used the provider before. We know that digging into a Certificate of Insurance (COI) might not be exciting, but it can help ensure you’re traveling prepared. The COI clearly outlines what’s included in your plan.. Knowing these factors can help you dodge any unpleasant surprises later on!
- Consider your Specific Travel Plans: Tailor your coverage to match your itinerary. If you’re going on a cruise, look for policies with cruise-specific benefits, such as missed port protection or shipboard medical coverage. If you’re flying internationally, prioritize plans that offer strong emergency medical and evacuation coverage. The right policy should reflect the type of trip you’re taking and the risks you’re most concerned about.
- Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute: Even though you can buy travel insurance until the day before you depart, we don’t recommend it. Waiting that long will limit your coverage. For example, if a storm is named, or you come down with an illness before you buy, you won’t be covered for related cancellations. Purchasing earlier gives you access to time-sensitive benefits and protects you if something goes wrong before your trip begins.
Top 5 Reasons It’s Smart to Buy Travel Insurance Early
While you can buy travel insurance up until the day before you depart for your trip, booking your travel insurance policy early has many advantages. Some of the most valuable and useful benefits a travel insurance policy can offer are time-sensitive, meaning, they are only available for access if you purchase a policy within the specific window each policy outlines, typically right after your initial trip deposit.
Here are five reasons to help break down the importance of buying your policy early:
- Eligible for Pre-Existing Conditions Coverage: Purchasing your plan early means you can enhance your medical coverage (available in comprehensive plans) with a pre-existing conditions waiver. But, you’ll have to purchase the waiver within 2-3 weeks of your trip deposit or first payment. This waiver covers medical issues from conditions existing before your booking, preventing claim rejections for missed deadlines.
- You Can Add CFAR Protection: CFAR is a versatile and functional benefit that allows travelers to cancel their trip for reasons not covered by trip cancellation benefits, like a change of heart or unforeseen circumstances. However, it typically must be added within weeks of your initial deposit; otherwise, you could miss the 75% reimbursement for your trip expenses.
- You’re Covered for Trip Disruptions Occurring Before Departure: You’re financially protected once your policy is active, so buy early to ensure you’re covered if an illness, injury, natural disaster, or unexpected event forces you to change or cancel your trip. If you delay, you won’t be covered if the event starts before your policy is in place.
- You’re Protected Against Financial Default of Travel Suppliers: Many travel insurance providers cover financial defaults, but you’ve got to snag them within a specific time frame after you book, usually 2-3 weeks from the first trip payment. This coverage can help if a supplier shuts down, but remember, it often won’t cover companies already in trouble when you buy the policy.
- You’ll Have Access to the Full Range of Plan Options and Benefits: Not all travel insurance plans are available if you book at the last minute, usually 2-3 weeks before making the first trip payment. If you wait, you’ll have fewer choices and might have to settle for a plan that doesn’t have everything you need.
Yes, You Can Add Travel Insurance After Booking, But Don’t Wait Too Long
When buying trip insurance after booking your trip, remember that the earlier you do it, the better. When you purchase travel insurance right after making your initial trip deposit, you have access to all the coverage options and benefits available to you, your family members, or your travel buddies, including benefits like Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and pre-existing condition coverage, lost luggage, health insurance, medical care, total trip costs, and that’s just the beginning.
But if you are in a last-minute scramble, that’s okay. There are still plenty of options available to protect your trip. Review your choices thoroughly (we have the tips above!) to know exactly when your coverage starts. No one likes surprises, right?