International travel with kids
Do You Need Travel Insurance for an International Trip With Kids?
For an international trip with kids, yes. Most US health plans cover little or nothing abroad, and Medicare doesn’t cover care outside the US. A comprehensive plan usually costs 4 to 10% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs and covers cancellation, medical care and evacuation.
This is the one I don’t let families skip on an international trip. Kids get ear infections. Flights get canceled. Somebody slips on the cobblestones.
What it covers
The three parts that matter
Trip cancellation
Pays back your prepaid, nonrefundable costs if you have to cancel for a covered reason, like a sick kid.
Medical
Doctors, hospitals and medicine abroad, where your US plan may not pay.
Evacuation
Getting you to the right hospital, or home. This is the expensive one.
What I look for
Before you buy
- Medical limits high enough for where you’re going
- Evacuation coverage
- Buy soon after your first payment, so preexisting conditions can be covered
- Check how kids are priced. Some plans include them at no extra cost
- Cancel for any reason, if you want that flexibility. It costs more
- Read what counts as a covered reason
“I sort the order of the cities, the trains, and hotels that actually fit five people. And I’m there if something goes sideways.”
Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel. Former social studies teacher, mom of three, 60+ countries.
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More answers
More for your first international trip
Quick answers
How much does travel insurance cost for a family?
Comprehensive plans usually run 4 to 10% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs, about 6% on average.
Does my US health insurance work abroad?
Often only a little, or not at all. Call your plan and ask what they pay outside the US before you go.
Does Medicare cover me abroad?
Medicare doesn’t cover care outside the US, so grandparents coming along need a plan too.
When should I buy travel insurance?
Soon after your first trip payment. Some benefits, like coverage for preexisting conditions, depend on buying early.
Is travel insurance worth it for kids?
For an international trip, yes. Kids get sick, and medical care and evacuation abroad can cost a lot.
What’s the difference between medical only and comprehensive?
Medical only covers care while you travel. Comprehensive adds trip cancellation and interruption.
Keep planning: International travel with kids, step by step, more travel questions, answered.
Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel. Adventures We Seek is my travel blog and planning resource. Trips are booked through Favorite Grampy Travels. Prices, fees and processing times last checked October 2026 and change often.
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