Should you get travel insurance for domestic trips?

A lot goes into planning a trip. From time spent creating the perfect itinerary to money spent on travel and lodging, you have a lot invested in everything going smoothly. But life doesn't always follow your plans. Should the unexpected happen, the last thing you need to add to your stress is worry over how you'll afford to make things right.

Travel insurance can cover you in a host of situations, from flight delays to lost luggage, potentially saving you thousands of dollars. But many people don't opt for it, especially if they're not planning on leaving the country. This can be a pricey mistake.

The notion that you don't need travel insurance when you travel domestically is a common travel insurance myth. In this article, we'll explore how travel insurance can protect you when you're traveling within your own country.

How much travel insurance coverage can you get? Check out your options here.

Should you get travel insurance for domestic trips?

Here are three big reasons travel insurance is worth considering, wherever your travels take you.

You can't predict the future

When you travel, there are lots of things outside your control. Illness, weather, flight delays and more can disrupt your trip or prevent you from traveling altogether. In these situations, travel insurance can reimburse you up to 100% for a number of covered reasons.

"Unfortunately, many travelers have a basic misunderstanding of travel insurance — assuming it's for people who anticipate that they may need to cancel their trip," says Michelle Couch-Friedman, travel ombudsman and the founder of Consumer Rescue. "The truth is that travel insurance is to protect travelers from unanticipated events like illness, injury — even job loss — things that will prevent the insured from completing their trip as planned."

These things are more common than many of us would like to admit. Travel insurance can protect you from them no matter how confident you are in your plans.

Air travel can be messy

"People are accustomed to not getting travel insurance because historically they haven't needed it," says travel agent and full-time traveler Veronica Hanson. "Their own experiences have taught them over the years that insurance is a waste of money. If something went wrong, companies usually stepped up and made it right for the customer. These days are a whole different story. Infrequent travelers might not realize the chaos of the airline industry these days."

Since the upheaval of the COVID pandemic, airline delays have been in the news on a regular basis. Statista reports that in 2022, Southwest Airlines flights alone were delayed about 26% of the time. American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines delays ranged from about 16% to about 22%. 

"There is no guarantee that a confirmed seat on a plane will actually get you to your intended destination," says Hanson. "A leg of your journey mid-trip can be canceled without notice, which causes a ripple effect. Hotels are sticking to their cancellation policies, meaning travelers are paying for rooms they aren't able to get to because of delays or cancellations."

Start your search for the right travel insurance policy by comparing quotes here.

Travel is expensive

"Travel insurance is highly important, especially if you've laid out a significant amount of money for your travel endeavors," says Matthew Roberts, COO and co-founder of insurance aggregator service My Choice Financial. "With everything that's happening around the world, you'll never know what's going to happen next. Having travel insurance will help you recoup the money you spend due to unforeseen events during or before your trip."

When you forgo travel insurance, you're taking a chance that may prove disastrous. The cost of a policy can be well worth it when you consider how much you stand to lose.

"Over the years, I've seen firsthand the terrible repercussions when unexpected calamities befall travelers who have taken off on vacation without the protection of a comprehensive travel insurance policy," says Couch-Friedman. "I often receive pleas for help from consumers who have been blindsided by the loss of thousands of dollars invested in dream vacations that they failed to protect by purchasing travel insurance."

The bottom line

International trips aren't the only time travel insurance can be worth purchasing. You never know what could happen, from you or your traveling companions getting sick to the airline experiencing an all-too-common delay.

You can protect the money you've spent — and save yourself unnecessary stress — by purchasing travel insurance. You can even make it more affordable by choosing the right amount of coverage and checking out these tips to save on travel insurance.

To explore your travel insurance options, start by getting a customized price quote here now.