12 Surprising Things Your Travel Insurance Probably Doesn't Cover

When gallivanting around the world these days, purchasing travel insurance is arguably a must. In general, insured person(s) can submit claims for travel delays and trip cancellations or interruptions so their vacation is not completely ruined if something goes wrong. With trip insurance in tow, travelers can also be reimbursed for various expenses and specific lost or stolen personal effects. Moreover, opting for a comprehensive plan means medical care and other unexpected costs are likely to be covered as well — and it's one thing you must do before traveling. Of course, not all insurance plans are the same — as some offer more limited coverage than others. 

Doing your research ahead of time when it comes to choosing a prospective insurance policy is very much a part of the vacation planning process, however. Even after selecting the right travel insurance for your needs, it is still in your best interest to read the fine print. Yet, many people simply do not take the time to thoroughly read their insurance policies before embarking on their upcoming adventure. But it is important to know what you can actually submit a claim for — as only certain incidents tend to be covered, and more often than not, there is a long list of common exclusions travelers need to be mindful of. So, to help, here are the 12 surprising things your travel insurance probably doesn't cover.

Travel insurance is usually for covering the unexpected and when it comes to natural disasters, things tend to get a little tricky. For coverage purposes, a natural disaster is often defined as an unavoidable event of severe weather that impacts one's ability to travel or causes grave damage to the surrounding destination. Typically, wildfires, tropical storms, blizzards, lightning strikes, and more fall under this category (policies vary, of course). Yet, expected natural disasters that have extensive news coverage or are classified as known or ongoing events are generally not covered under most travel insurance plans.

Moreover, if your trip is temporarily interrupted due to less-than-favorable (but not severe) weather, then it is unlikely that you will be able to submit a claim. Natural disasters or extreme weather that are covered by your travel insurance policy, however, are still subject to timing and the overall circumstances. For instance, if a covered natural disaster only impacts a portion of your trip, then being reimbursed for the entire vacation is not likely. And if, during or after a natural disaster, your accommodations are unaffected or remain habitable, and your flights are still on schedule, then coverage is often not applicable. It is also important to remember that acts of God (i.e., hail, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes) are not necessarily seen as the same thing as natural disasters and may not be covered by your particular travel insurance policy.

Pre-existing conditions, or rather injuries or illnesses that require medical treatment and medication to manage ongoing symptoms, are typically not covered under travel insurance policies. This can be something as simple as having chronic asthma. But, the good news is that the majority of travel insurance companies offer free exclusion waivers for pre-existing conditions. To have your pre-existing condition covered, however, there are certain caveats that you need to meet first. For instance, many insurance companies require that you are physically able to travel on the day of purchase and that you insure your entire trip. 

The time frame in which you buy your travel insurance is also a factor in getting your pre-existing condition covered, and there is often a cap on related expenses if approved. That said, there are still certain health constraints that you cannot fill out an exclusion waiver for regardless — and they commonly include mental health conditions, substance abuse conditions, cosmetic procedures, pregnancy, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease. So, in addition to finding an affordable travel insurance policy with the kind of coverage you are looking for, you need to find out if you can actually utilize said exclusion waiver, if available, for your particular health-related issue.

Adventure sports and dangerous hobbies are just two more things that standard travel insurance will not cover. So, thrill seekers need to tread lightly when planning out their itinerary. Activities such as skydiving, mountain climbing, caving, extreme sports, and deep-sea scuba diving without a professional dive master (or without having a diving license) are all things you cannot submit a claim for if you are injured. Any activity that involves a high amount of risk is unlikely to be insured under most travel insurance policies.

In fact, more insurance companies are adding common leisure activities to their exclusion list. As a result, everything from snorkeling and sea kayaking to certain forms of camping and skiing are being excluded from coverage. Of course, one of the best ways to experience a destination is to get out there and enjoy the culture, cuisine, and often limitless opportunities for excitement and adventure, especially if you're trying to plan a successful vacation. Yet, if you are looking at standard or bare-minimum trip insurance policies, then coverage may not extend to potentially dangerous excursions and outings. So, if you are a fan of adventure sports or just want to live life to the fullest while on vacation, then you will need to look explicitly for travel insurance that allows for such merriment.

Certain travel hotspots around the world are categorized as too remote to be safe or too high-risk to vacation in. A destination is often considered to be high risk due to political reasons, increased crime, armed conflict, or frequent natural disasters. Not having access to adequate emergency and medical services, on the other hand, is generally the basis for why remote places are not covered. Overall, there are plenty of reasons why visiting a particular location may mean forgoing standard trip insurance.

Before selecting your travel insurance, then it is highly recommended that eager wanderers do their research and pay attention to government travel advisories. It is also worth noting that ongoing travel advisories can impact other aspects of your travel insurance, from medical benefits to trip cancellation coverage. So, even if one of the most dangerous destinations is currently deemed safe or has a lower-level travel advisory when booking, you still need to look at your selected policy to see what is and is not covered if things change closer to or after your departure date.  What's more, areas within a specific location can be high risk or deemed remote too, and if your itinerary takes you somewhere dangerous, your coverage may become nonexistent. In any case, if you are off to places that have the potential to be seriously unsafe regardless, then it's time to start looking at high-risk travel insurance instead.

While standard and basic travel insurance covers health emergencies overseas and internationally, if you become ill or are injured when traveling for business or pleasure, there are still clear restrictions here. Not only is the coverage provided by travel insurance minimal in such instances, but it also only covers tourists with medical emergencies and expenses related to said emergency. So, hospital stays and emergency-only medications or prescriptions are also covered under most plans. But if you need routine medical care, a check-up, non-emergency prescription drugs, or long-term treatment, then you should not expect your policy to help with these costs.

What's more, wellness benefits are not covered by most travel insurance policies either. Wellness benefits are services and programs that improve one's well-being and health, which may come in handy during extended periods of travel outside of your home country. Preventative care and mental health support, for example, are considered wellness benefits and, therefore, are not seen as emergency medical treatment. Travelers looking for such coverage then will likely have to look into more comprehensive travel medical insurance or check out supplemental and short-term health policies where available.

When it comes to diseases and health outbreaks, your travel insurance will not cover a pandemic or epidemic commonly. Much like a natural disaster, if a known outbreak or disease is prevalent in a particular destination and you book your trip regardless, then filing a claim in the event of sickness is not permitted. Similarly, if you decide to cancel your vacation before your departure date because of a known virus or widespread illness, being reimbursed for various trip-related expenses under your policy is not allowed.

Travel advisories also come into play here, so if there is a CDC-issued warning or high-level alert that has been in place for more than 60 days before your planned vacation or business trip, then treatment for said disease or outbreak will not be covered either. However, if the CDC travel advisory is issued after your arrival, then most insurance policies allow coverage for a set number of days, usually around 10 days. It is also important to note that though most travel insurance providers make general announcements about how your policy will be affected when a CDC warning is issued, still not all companies do. Thus, you need to do your due diligence when diseases or health outbreaks strike and go through your policy to be better informed about your exact coverage.

From luggage to important travel documents, trip insurance offers coverage, in most instances, for lost or stolen personal items. However, there are notable limitations. A prime example is if the airline or some other type of transportation service is the reason for your lost baggage, then it is their responsibility to reimburse you, generally. That said, your policy will kick in when your luggage or personal property is taken from your accommodations. But, expensive belongings that are taken from your hotel room, like jewelry and other pricey things, are typically only covered up to a specific dollar amount.

Also, shockingly, your travel insurance will not cover certain lost or stolen items that are left unattended or unsupervised. Thus, if you accidentally leave your bag behind somewhere, leave it with the hotel concierge, or with a stranger, your policy will not reimburse you for replacing any lost or stolen goods under these circumstances. Similarly, if you walk away from your personal belongings to enjoy a refreshing dip in the ocean or to go for a swim in the hotel pool, misplaced or taken items in this situation are not covered by your travel insurance either. The same is true for items left out "on display" in rented vehicles and for stuff lost or stolen when you are intoxicated — as most policies view this as you not acting responsibly with said belongings.

While on vacation, your travel insurance coverage often excludes canceled or missed activities and excursions. So, if your booked outing is no longer happening due to bad weather, a missing tour guide, road closures, or because of some other minor inconvenience, you should not expect your trip insurance to cover the cost. As a general rule of thumb, travel insurance providers tend to stay out of agreements made between travelers and tour companies — making it usually your responsibility to reach out to the booking or service company directly for a refund for canceled activities.

Of course, if you are postponing or rethinking your getaway for a covered reason, then your policy will likely reimburse you for your excursions since they are seen as a part of the overall trip cost. It is worth noting, however, that entertainment, tours, and bookings must be pre-paid, non-refundable, and meet the other stated requirements under your specific policy to be included. Likewise, if your trip is interrupted for a covered reason, then filing a claim for pre-paid, non-refundable activities that you are unable to participate in may be permitted under your policy as well — but it is crucial that you double-check to see what limitations apply.

Non-emergency dental procedures are also not generally covered by travel insurance. With trip insurance, policyholders have what is known as an emergency dental benefit, which will cover care and services that are necessary due to an injury, infection, broken tooth, or some other kind of immediate dental crisis. However, routine dental care such as cleanings, oral exams, fillings, teeth whitening, and root canals are excluded from coverage, even under the most comprehensive plans.

Getting cosmetic dental work done when traveling to other countries, often referred to as dental tourism, is also not covered. In fact, even necessary dental procedures that tend to cost significantly less outside of the U.S. are still seen as dental tourism if you forgo taking care of the problem back in your home country to save money. Other travel insurance exclusions, when it comes to one's overall health, include almost any elective health procedure and routine care that does not fall under your policy's definition of an emergency.

One of the touted perks of travel insurance is trip cancellation. But, what many people do not realize is that being able to cancel your vacation and receive a full refund for all pre-paid, non-refundable trip-related expenses is not a straightforward guarantee. Covered reasons that allow for full reimbursement are very limited and require the appropriate paperwork. So, if you attempt to postpone your trip due to a sickness or illness without going to the doctor first, you are in for a rude awakening.

Travelers can also hurt their chances of getting a refund if they do not provide all pertinent travel receipts, the necessary documentation, or a detailed explanation as requested. What's more, if you do not take the time to go over all the terms and conditions of your policy, you may believe you can reschedule or opt out of your getaway for any reason when that is simply not the case. Even lengthy delays and obvious trip interruptions do not automatically entitle you to reimbursement under your policy — as many plans exclude travel setbacks or disruptions that do not surpass the 24-hour mark consecutively.  These are just a few reasons why knowing the ins and outs of your travel insurance before selecting coverage is a must.

Though pregnancy, in the broad sense of the word, is covered by travel insurance, there are more than a few instances where coverage simply does not apply. From normal pregnancy-related expenses to avoiding travel due to late-term pregnancy, trip insurance is known to have limitations when a person is expecting. So, if you spent most of your vacation in bed due to morning sickness (a normal issue during pregnancy), do not expect your plan to help with the cost of anti-nausea medication, trip interruption, or any missed outings.

Furthermore, any routine treatment, pregnancy-related care, normal labor, or travel against medical advice is not covered under most policies. Surprisingly, being pregnant without any noted or unexpected complications is also not seen as a standard covered reason for trip cancellation. Therefore, if you are pregnant or are likely to become pregnant in the future, then you should definitely take a look at comprehensive travel medical coverage as well as travel insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason.

By now, it is clear that travel insurance is mainly for sudden emergencies and the unexpected. But what makes an event expected and thus excluded from coverage? Well, the answer may just surprise you. For insurance purposes, any happening or occurrence that could be anticipated by a reasonable person in a similar situation is considered to be foreseeable.

Thus, a named weather system en route to your intended destination during hurricane season, airline strikes during widespread economic hardship, or a high-level travel alert being issued before booking your trip to a destination with frequent civil unrest are all reasonably predictable. Even booking your vacation with the knowledge that you may need to cancel in the future due to a specific reason equals foreseeable. So, it is in your best interest to think long and hard about where you are off to, to go over what is and is not covered by your selected policy, and to determine ahead of time what could negatively impact your trip insurance coverage before and amidst your travels. This is one of the top travel tips worth keeping in mind.