Travel insurance premiums typically run between 4% and 10% of total trip cost, but the exact figure depends heavily on traveler age, destination risk, trip duration, coverage level, and which add-ons you select. Senior travelers and high-risk destinations dramatically increase the premium, while young, healthy travelers on standard domestic trips pay the least. Our travel insurance calculator estimates each component separately — base premium, age loading, destination loading, coverage loading, plus medical, cancellation, and adventure add-ons — so you can see exactly what's driving your quote and which add-ons are worth keeping.
Input the total trip cost and duration in days.
Provide the primary traveler's age and the number of people covered.
Select the destination risk and coverage level.
Choose whether to include medical, cancellation, and adventure coverage.
See the per-traveler and total premium plus the percentage of trip cost.
The base premium is 5% of trip cost — the industry midpoint. Age loading reflects the dramatic increase in medical risk for older travelers. Destination loading captures geopolitical, healthcare, and evacuation risks. Coverage level lets you trade premium against benefit limits. Medical, cancellation, and adventure add-ons are optional but highly recommended for international or high-risk travel.
Premium = Base × (1 + Age Mul + Dest Mul + Coverage Mul) + Add-ons
Travel insurance should be 4-10% of trip cost — anything outside this range deserves scrutiny
Buy within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit to qualify for pre-existing condition waivers
Senior travelers (65+) pay 75-150% more — get quotes from senior specialists
Trip cancellation is the most claimed benefit — usually worth including for non-refundable trips
Medical evacuation is the most expensive thing not to have — minimum $50,000 coverage for international travel
If you have credit card travel insurance, check what's actually covered before buying separately
Annual multi-trip plans are cheaper than single-trip if you travel 3+ times per year
Travel insurance protects against financial losses from trip cancellations, medical emergencies abroad, lost luggage, and travel delays — risks that affect millions of travelers annually. According to the US Travel Insurance Association, claim payouts exceeded $1.8 billion in 2023, with medical evacuations averaging $25,000-$250,000 depending on location and condition. Premiums typically range from 4% to 10% of total trip cost, influenced by traveler age, destination, trip duration, coverage limits, and pre-existing medical conditions. A $5,000 trip for a healthy 35-year-old might cost $200-$350 to insure, while the same trip for a 70-year-old could be $500-$800. The most critical coverage for international travelers is emergency medical — standard US health insurance, including Medicare, provides little or no coverage abroad, and a hospital stay in Europe or Asia can cost $10,000-$50,000 out of pocket. Trip cancellation coverage typically reimburses 100% of non-refundable costs if you cancel for a covered reason (illness, injury, death in family, natural disaster), while "cancel for any reason" (CFAR) upgrades reimburse 50-75% regardless of cause but add 40-60% to premium cost. Evaluating whether travel insurance is worthwhile depends on your trip cost, health status, destination risk, and tolerance for financial loss.
Travel insurance pricing reflects three main risks: medical (driven by age and destination healthcare costs), cancellation (driven by trip cost and how prepaid the trip is), and incident (driven by destination safety and activities). A 30-year-old taking a $1,500 domestic trip might pay $50; a 70-year-old taking a $10,000 international cruise might pay $1,200. Both are correctly priced for their respective risks.
This is an estimator for typical retail policies. It does not capture pre-existing condition surcharges, country-specific medical loadings, employer or credit card group discounts, or specialty riders for very expensive equipment, business travel, or adventure expedition coverage. Use the result as a budgeting baseline and get actual quotes from at least 3 providers before buying.
Data sourced from trusted institutions
All formulas verified against official standards.