In order to get the most out of a trip and enjoy it to the fullest, you want to travel with peace of mind. To achieve this, it is essential to have a comprehensive health travel insurance policy that protects you in case of any unforeseen incident or accident.
You can never know when things will go wrong on a trip, you may get really sick, suffer from a medical emergency, lose your travel documents, or encounter a delay or cancellation.
This is precisely where health travel insurance comes in, providing total financial protection for any type of traveller, regardless of the destination. Ultimately, the worst-case-scenario of travelling without insurance is far too great a risk to take.
What is health travel insurance?
A comprehensive health travel insurance policy is one that, in addition to having all the necessary coverage to receive complete medical assistance, provides full protection against possible nonmedical problems on your trip, such as:
- Delays
- Cancellations
- Loss, theft or damage to luggage
- Civil liability expenses
In other words, it is a policy that has all the coverage you need so that, whatever happens, you are perfectly covered for any issues you may encounter while on the road.
What is the best health travel insurance?
My opinion as a full-time traveller is that the best health travel insurance policy is the one that covers the following:
- It is able to provide maximum protection for your specific traveller profile.
- Offers the best coverage/price ratio. In other words, it is cost-effective.
Today’s post and the policies we’ve selected are all based on these two main criteria. With that said, here are the best health travel insurance policies currently available in May 2026:
The best health travel insurance for short trips
On short trips of 3 months or less, travellers are typically most concerned about suddenly falling ill, or having problems with luggage, such as theft or misplacement. So, those are the two main types of cover you should look for.
Here’s a great limited time offer that provides these safeguards, and plenty more.
This 5% discount from Chapka is valid until 16/05/2026.
Click here: Activate Discount
- Fill in your info: country, coverage regions, and dates.
- Click on “Calculate Price”.
- Done! Your discount will be applied automatically.
Chapka’s most useful benefits for short holidays include:
- Extensive medical assistance at the destination
- Repatriation and early return
- Cover for loss or damage to baggage
Families travelling short-term
The priorities when choosing health travel insurance change when you are accompanied by family members. For example, if you are travelling with small children, the possibility of illness is more likely. Of course, the health and safety of the kids is paramount.
You may also want to look into a policy with children’s liability, to prevent having to pay excessive amounts of money if one of the little ones causes damage to property.
Until 16/05/2026, get 5% off Heymondo Insurance when you travel as a family.
If you’re seeking coverage for an adventure with the whole family, this is a great option. It offers medical assistance abroad, pharmaceutical expenses, repatriation of minors, and children’s liability.
Solo-travellers and couples travelling short-term
On the other hand, if you are travelling alone, or with another person, you are probably looking for entirely different levels of coverage altogether.
This type of traveller usually looks to customise their insurance policy to the particular trip they’re taking. This may include adding cancellation cover, or electronic equipment cover, for example.
Get a 5% discount on Heymondo travel insurance valid until 16/05/2026!
This is the ideal option for travellers exploring the world on their own or as a couple. This policy offers good value for money, has broad equipment and medical coverage, insures you during sporting activities, and even covers pre-existing conditions.
Backpackers and adventurers travelling short-term
Do you consider yourself the adventurous type? Do you want to try all the risky activities your destination has to offer? Luckily, there are specific policies perfectly tailored to this type of traveller.
Here’s a discounted policy that offers all the guarantees that a good medical travel insurance policy should have.
Heymondo is the perfect insurer for adventurous travellers, and for travel to countries with high medical expenses. Its comprehensive coverage includes motor vehicle accidents and adventure sports.
Activate your coupon for a 5% discount on Heymondo, available now until 16/05/2026.
The best health travel insurance for long-term trip
When you embark on a long trip, and commit to leaving home for 3 months or more, I recommend that you make sure that your policy allows you to renew at any time and that you are covered for early return.
In other words, when travelling long-term, having a flexible policy will make your life much easier.
You have until the 16/05/2026 to get a 5% discount on Heymondo Insurance!
Click here: Activate Discount
- Fill in your info
- Click on “Calculate Price”
- You’re ready to go! Your discount will be applied automatically.
Remember, the longer the trip, the higher the chance that something will go wrong at some point.
Families travelling long-term
As mentioned earlier, when I travel with my family, I consider it essential to have exhaustive medical and liability coverage.
As any parent knows, sometimes the kids can break things of value or break the rules of other countries, without being aware of what it entails. You can prevent potential losses by taking out family travel insurance.
Get a 15% Discount on Chapka Adventure for a family of 3 persons or more (valid until 16/05/2026).
This is a great option for long-term family trips. It includes a 24-hour medical chat, repatriation and early return, and pharmaceutical expenses because access to prescription drugs is crucial when travelling with the little ones.
Solo-travellers and couples travelling long-term
If you are planning a long trip on your own, or as a couple, your travel plans may be prone to changing while on the road.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to find a policy that offers repatriation assistance, and renewal while on the road, in case you need to be transported back to your country because of an unforeseen event. This way, you can keep your travel plans open!
Activate 5% Discount at Heymondo Insurance (valid until 16/05/2026).
If you’re ready to dive straight into your next big adventure, either solo, or with a partner, you want peace of mind.
This insurance policy is ideal for long-term trips (from 1 to 12 months), as it includes a high level of medical costs, repatriation, and it allows for renewal whilst on the road.
Backpackers and adventurers travelling long-term
For the more adventurous sightseers, who know they will be put into risky situations, my advice is this: look for a policy that covers very broad, or even unlimited medical expenses.
Even if your destination doesn’t require you to have insurance, medical costs for non-residents are extremely high in most countries. This next policy, currently at a discounted price, will ensure your financial protection.
If you’re an intrepid traveller who’s ready to leap into the unknown and experience the adrenalin and adventure of your next trip, this next long-term travel insurance is for you.
Until 16/05/2026, get a 5% discount on Heymondo Travel Insurance.
Perfect for backpackers, this policy includes a wide variety of high-risk activities, such as activities with undomesticated animals, jet skiing, and off-roading!
The best health travel insurance for digital nomads and businesses
When choosing a travel policy for digital nomads, in my opinion, it is essential that it cover repatriation and early return. But it is also important that it covers your work materials, that is, electronic devices, as we depend on these for our livelihoods!
Get a 5% discount on Heymondo until 16/05/2026. Get in quick!
Activate Discount Here
- Fill in your trip info
- Click on “Calculate Price”.
- All done! The discount will be applied automatically.
Some of the most useful benefits of Hey Mondo travel insurance for digital nomads include:
- 24/7 assistance platform.
- Repatriation and early return.
- Travel expenses for a family member if you are hospitalised for over a week.
The best health travel insurance for Working Holiday
If you’re travelling directly with an employment contract, it’s the small details that can make all the difference. For example, your policy should cover expenses at opticians or physiotherapists, as well as early return if your project suddenly comes to an end.
Basically, any service you can contemplate needing while living and working overseas! After all, it’s not all about working, you want to enjoy your experience as well.
Enjoy a 5% discount on Chapka Working Holiday insurance (valid until 16/05/2026)
Click Here: Activate Discount
- Fill in your trip info
- Click on “Calculate Price”.
- Done! The discount will be applied automatically.
The most useful benefits that Cap Working Holiday gives those working abroad include:
- Coverage during short trips to your home country.
- Repatriation and early return.
- Medical expenses and hospitalisation abroad covered at 100%.
- This policy is renewable abroad, in case you decide to extend your stay.
Best annual health travel insurance
This type of insurance is a really simple, and has totally changed the way I travel.
Annual insurance is essential for frequent travellers. This package insures you for all the trips you take in a year, so you can save time and money on insurance. Each trip under 60 days will include cancellation coverage and a 24-hour assistance platform.
Activate a 5% Discount on Heymondo Annual Multi-trip, only valid until 16/05/2026.
Here are some of the best guarantees you should look out for when taking out annual travel insurance:
- Strong coverage for medical expenses
- Luggage theft or damage
- Trip cancellation cover
- Repatriation and early return
- Covid-19 cover
The best health travel insurance for exchange students
What did I look for when I took out insurance for my student exchange program? On the one hand, I looked for coverage for a family member to come and accompany me if I was hospitalised.
On the other hand, I also looked for coverage for adventure sports and activities because as a student, you are very likely to want to try new things, and you don’t want to miss out just because you’re uninsured!
Chapka Student is perfect for students heading abroad. This policy is especially useful for students studying in countries with high medical costs, such as the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Get a 5% discount on Cap Student in May 2026:
Click here: Activate Discount
- Fill in your trip info (country of residence, travel dates, type of insurance).
- Click on “Calculate your Insurance”.
- All done! The discount will be applied automatically.
Cap Student also covers travel and accommodation costs for a family member to visit you if you are hospitalised for 2 days or more:
- Repatriation and early return.
- Chronic, pre-existing or congenital conditions.
- Dental expenses.
- Personal injury from motor vehicle accidents.
Useful tips for cheap travel in May 2026
I’ve found that many people focus on the wrong things when it comes to saving money on the road. For example, many people spend all their time looking for the “big bargain”, but don’t take the time to find the smaller bargains and cut costs in more than one area.
Here’s what I mean: finding cheap medical travel insurance is a good start, but remember that the following factors play a crucial role in the final cost of your trip as well:
- Flights
- Accommodation
- The card you use
- How you book your activities
Here are a few tricks I’ve learned over the years, they’ll help you save money on your travels, so you can focus on the things you enjoy about travelling.
If you follow these tips, you might just find that by the end of your trip, you have enough money left over to explore an extra destination on your route home. Remember, the aim of the game is to cut costs in multiple areas.
Fly at reduced prices!
You know, flights don’t cost the same from all countries! To pay for my cheapest flights, I use NordVPN.
Basically, it’s a private network that allows you to access Internet sites from locations other than your own, and this can have some serious benefits:
In May 2026, enjoy a 59% discount on NordVPN.
Click here: Activate Discount
Flights from Barcelona to Buenos Aires don’t cost the same if you buy them from Spain as from India, for example. So, once you’ve installed NordVPN, simply access websites like Skyscanner and compare prices by entering as if you were browsing from different countries.
The 8 countries from which it is cheapest to buy flights are: Malaysia, Bulgaria, India, Turkey, Romania, Indonesia, Portugal, and Thailand. Once you have NordVPN, head over to Skyscanner and start paying reduced prices for flights all over the world!
Stay at a discount all year round
Access Booking.com now and get discounts of up to 15% in May 2026 by becoming a Genius user.
There are also ways to save money when booking your accommodation with Booking. The first of which is becoming a Genius user, something you get from making 2 bookings (Genius level 1), and 5 bookings (Genius level 2).
As a Genius user in Booking.com, you can enjoy:
- Discounts on room rates.
- Free breakfast.
- Upgrades to superior room categories.
- Free parking.
- Late check-out.
- Welcome gifts.
In addition, there are hotels in Booking.com that directly offer you a 10 to 15% discount on your rate for being a Genius user.
Access to get discounts of up to 15% by becoming a Genius user.
Finally, Booking.com has a Minimum Price Guarantee program, so if you find a cheaper price for your hotel on any other website, they’ll match it!
Get the best travel card
If you travel frequently, the Revolut Metal Card is another great way to save money. For starters, they offer you unlimited currency exchanges without paying any fees!
This Card allows you to make unlimited domestic transfers free of charge, and withdraw up to £800 a month from international ATMs.
If you spent £650 abroad in a month using a standard card, and withdrew £350 at ATMs, you would have paid around £44 in fees.
With the Revolut Metal card, you would have paid £0 in fees.
Reserve your entertainment and sightseeing in advance
GetYourGuide is an indispensable tool for organising any trip to any destination. It’s a platform that helps you book tourism and leisure activities for your trip.
With GetYourGuide, you can book your activities online to avoid queues, and take advantage of a discount for online bookings. This way, you save time and money, so you can enjoy more activities during your trip!
Discounts on Travel Insurance
To help you get the best deals available in May 2026, I’ve outlined the best discounts on travel insurance currently available. Take a look!
Promo code applies an automatic and immediate discount.
- After clicking on the offer, you will be redirected to the insurer website
- Fill in the details of your next trip
- Then click on “Get a quote”.
- The promo code will be applied automatically.
Is it compulsory to take out health travel insurance?
Health travel insurance is a necessary requirement to visit many popular tourist destinations in Europe, Latin America and Asia. For example, if you are a non-EU resident, you will need Schengen travel insurance to travel to that economic area.
On the other hand, many countries do not have explicit requirements to have health travel insurance, but this is by no means an indication that you should travel without it.
If you are travelling to North America, for example, taking out insurance could save you thousands, as medical costs in the USA and Canada are extremely high, as with many other countries around the world.
Below is a list of countries that may or may not have insurance requirements for entry, depending on where you are from, but where taking out health travel insurance is highly advisable:
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
- South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Galápagos Islands, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Uruguay.
- Asia: Cambodia, China, India, Israel, Iran, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam.
- North America: Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, and the United States.
- Africa: Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa.
- Oceania: Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Samoa.
What should my health travel insurance cover?
We’ve touched on what each traveller profile should look for when seeking health travel insurance. Now, we’re going to take a look through a wider lens at the most important benefits your travel insurance should have to ensure a smooth trip:
- Repatriation of travellers.
- Early return.
- Medical expenses: either extensive or unlimited.
- 24-hour assistance: this may come in the form of a phone line or an application.
- Accident compensation.
- Theft or loss of personal belongings.
- Reimbursement for cancellation or interruption of the trip.
- Covid-19 coverage.
How much does health travel insurance cost?
The cost of any travel insurance policy will depend on your destination, and the length and type of trip, but here are some average prices you can use as a benchmark:
- From 20 to €45 per week for short trips.
- From 40 to 125 € per month for long-term trips.
- From 30 to 85 € per month for nomadic or business trips.
- From 40 to 160 € per month for business travel (Working Holiday).
- From 30 to 85€ per month for study trips.
How to take out travel health travel insurance
Here’s a quick step-by-step on how to get your travel insurance:
- Access the official website of the chosen insurer and select the policy you want.
- Fill in your trip details, including the destination(s), number of people travelling to the destination, and the duration of the trip. In the case of long-stay insurance, you will see that the minimum is 3 months.
- Fill in the traveller details of those you want to insure.
- Select an add-on if necessary.
- Enter your payment details: and that’s it! You now have insurance that will cover you if something goes wrong on your trip, and you can travel with peace of mind.
Final Remarks
As we’ve discussed in this post, taking out insurance is an essential step to enjoying a care-free trip. However, simply jumping at the most cheap medical travel insurance is not the right answer.
It’s important to remember that the best option for one traveller might not be the ideal option for you, and vice versa, so it’s crucial that you do your research. This means taking the time to find a policy suited to your specific needs.
I hope today’s post has given you the information you need to make an informed decision on health travel insurance, and remember, we have plenty more content to help you travel safely, and at the best price. Safe travels! 🌍✈️
