Best Travel Insurance for Seniors in 2026: Medical Coverage Abroad

Medical care abroad is the biggest financial risk on any trip after 65. A broken hip in Italy or a heart scare on a cruise can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and a medical evacuation flight can cost far more. Here is what your Medicare covers and what travel insurance should fill in.

What Medicare covers outside the U.S.

Original Medicare generally does not pay for health care outside the United States and its territories. The exceptions are narrow: a medical emergency where the nearest hospital is across the Canadian or Mexican border, travel through Canada between Alaska and another state, and care on a ship within six hours of a U.S. port. Medicare also does not cover prescription drugs bought abroad.

Medigap’s foreign travel emergency benefit

If you have a Medigap plan, check its letter. Plans C, D, F, G, M and N (and older E, H, I and J plans) include a foreign travel emergency benefit. It pays 80% of medically necessary emergency care that begins during the first 60 days of a trip, after a $250 yearly deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime maximum. Plans A, B, K and L do not cover care abroad. The benefit does not cover medical evacuation, which is often the most expensive part of an emergency.

Medicare Advantage abroad

Some Medicare Advantage plans include emergency and urgent care worldwide; others do not. Look up the word “worldwide” or “foreign” in your plan’s evidence of coverage, or call the plan before you go.

Types of travel insurance

• Travel medical insurance pays for emergency care and usually medical evacuation while you are abroad. This is the coverage most seniors need.
• Trip cancellation insurance reimburses prepaid, nonrefundable costs if you cancel for a covered reason, such as illness. Most comprehensive plans include medical coverage too.
• Medical evacuation memberships pay to transport you to a hospital, or home, after an emergency.

Pre-existing conditions

Most comprehensive plans exclude pre-existing conditions unless you qualify for a waiver. The usual requirement is buying the policy within a short window after your first trip deposit, often 14 to 21 days, and insuring the full nonrefundable trip cost. Rules vary by insurer, so read the policy’s definition of a pre-existing condition and its look-back period.

How to choose a plan

• Emergency medical coverage of at least $100,000 for international trips, and higher for cruises or remote destinations.
• Medical evacuation coverage, ideally several hundred thousand dollars.
• A pre-existing condition waiver if you have any ongoing health conditions.
• Age limits and price: premiums rise with age, and some plans cap coverage for travelers over 80 or 85.
• 24-hour assistance you can reach by phone from anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need travel insurance for trips inside the U.S.?

Usually not for medical care, because Medicare covers you anywhere in the U.S. Trip cancellation coverage can still protect expensive prepaid trips.

Does travel insurance cover cruises?

Yes. Look for higher medical and evacuation limits, because a ship’s medical center bills separately and evacuation from sea is costly.

When should I buy travel insurance?

Shortly after your first trip payment. That keeps you eligible for pre-existing condition waivers and covers cancellations from that date.