Travel insurance is now one of the things everyone looks into before heading overseas, right alongside planning the itinerary and booking flights and accommodation. The point is to cover all the uncertainties that can come up on a trip, and this article takes a detailed look at the claim information you need for everything from canceled flights to seeing a doctor abroad!
How should you buy travel insurance? What’s the difference between travel accident insurance and travel inconvenience insurance?
This complete guide walks you through everything from what’s covered to tips on buying a policy, so you can get a handle on all the key points of travel insurance. Whether this is your first policy or you want to dig into the finer details, you’ll find the most practical answers here!
Why buy travel insurance? The importance of travel coverage
When you’re traveling overseas in unfamiliar surroundings with plenty of uncertainty, travel insurance can cover your losses in the following situations:
1. Overseas medical costs are expensive
Overseas, the cost of seeing a doctor is often far higher than you’d expect!
Take Japan, for example: a single emergency room visit can run several thousand NT dollars, and if you end up needing to be hospitalized, the bill can easily start in the tens of thousands of NT dollars. For a small cost on each trip, you can cover huge, unpredictable medical bills!
2. Coverage for sudden illness
Many people assume travel insurance only covers accidents, but in fact most travel insurance plans include coverage for sudden illness. Even something as simple as a cold or gastroenteritis is covered, as long as you need to see a doctor.
The much-discussed flu travel insurance and Japan flu travel insurance both fall under this part of the policy!
Note | Before you buy, check whether the insurer’s policy covers “statutory communicable diseases”. If the flu in question is designated a statutory communicable disease and your policy doesn’t cover statutory communicable diseases, you won’t be able to claim!!
3. Accidents happen
When an accident such as a car crash, plane crash, shipwreck, or an accident during an activity (skiing, diving, hiking) occurs, medical treatment is always needed, so basic overseas travel insurance covers these costs!
What is travel accident insurance?
Travel accident insurance, as the name suggests, provides personal injury coverage while you travel, and the coverage period can be set flexibly to match your itinerary.
If the insured suffers bodily injury from an accident during the trip — such as burns, disability, or an injury requiring treatment — a claim can be made under the policy.
Travel accident insurance can be split into domestic travel insurance and overseas travel insurance. The main difference is whether the insured was traveling within Taiwan or in another country when the incident happened.
The rest of this article focuses on “overseas travel insurance,” comparing it from every angle so you can find the plan that suits you best!
Travel inconvenience insurance | The perfect companion to travel accident insurance
Travel inconvenience insurance mainly covers travelers for the inconvenience caused by unexpected situations during a trip. It usually covers financial losses, such as lost luggage, trip cancellation, or lost travel documents.
These days travel inconvenience insurance is usually bought together with travel accident insurance, and for both of these policies there are two ways claims can be paid:
1. Reimbursement of actual expenses | The insurer pays out whatever you actually spent — just submit the receipts for what you paid and you can file a claim with the insurer.
The payout is still capped by your coverage limit, so if what you paid exceeds the limit, the claim is paid up to the amount of your plan.
2. Fixed-amount payout | No matter how large the loss is, the insurer pays the fixed amount set by your plan.
Travel accident insurance vs. travel inconvenience insurance
| Travel accident insurance | Travel inconvenience insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| How claims are paid | 1. Reimbursement of actual expenses 2. Fixed-amount payout | 1. Reimbursement of actual expenses 2. Fixed-amount payout |
| What’s covered | 1. Death and disability benefits 2. Accidental injury medical expenses 3. Sudden illness overseas | 1. Trip cancellation and trip changes 2. Flight delays 3. Baggage delay and baggage loss 4. Loss of travel documents |
| Coverage limitations | 1. Death and disability benefits only pay out for accidents 2. Some insurers’ sudden illness coverage excludes statutory communicable diseases 3. Injury medical expenses are mostly paid as reimbursement of actual expenses, and mainly for amounts National Health Insurance won’t cover | 1. How delay time is determined varies from insurer to insurer 2. Cancellation reasons must match the terms stated in your policy; only then can you file a claim 3. Payouts are usually capped in both amount and number of claims |
| Claim criteria | 1. Bodily injury from an accident 2. Sudden illness overseas (not a long-term condition) | 1. One of the situations specified in the policy occurs |
| Things to note | 1. Overseas travel accident insurance can’t be purchased once you’ve left Taiwan 2. For online purchases, the insured and the cardholder must be the same person 3. Travel insurance that comes free with a credit card only covers you while you’re on board the transportation | 1. Overseas travel inconvenience insurance can’t be purchased once you’ve left Taiwan 2. For online purchases, the insured and the cardholder must be the same person |
A breakdown of travel insurance benefits
1. Death and disability benefits
Accidental death benefit
Coverage: If, during the trip, the insured suffers an accidental, sudden incident not caused by illness that results in death, the corresponding benefit is paid.
Payout: Depends on your plan; the basic maximum is usually NT$10 million
Accidental disability benefit
Coverage: If, during the trip, the insured suffers an accidental and sudden incident not caused by illness that results in partial loss of function, the corresponding benefit is paid.
Grading: Disability is graded from level 1 to 11, with payout ratios ranging from 5% to 100%
Payout: Sum insured x disability grade ratio (5%–100%)
2. Medical expense benefits
Accidental injury medical expense benefit
Coverage: If you have an accident during your trip and need emergency medical treatment, costs such as outpatient visits and surgery are covered — “after National Health Insurance reimbursement has been verified” — with the insurer paying the remaining amount that can’t be reimbursed.
Payout: Depends on your plan, typically NT$1 million, paid as reimbursement of actual expenses for “the amount still out of pocket after National Health Insurance reimbursement“
Hospitalization and surgery allowances: Depends on the terms of your policy; not every plan includes them
Note | This benefit applies only to overseas travel insurance. Before you buy, check whether the policy covers “statutory communicable diseases”
3. Coverage for sudden illness overseas
Hospital treatment for sudden illness
Coverage: The illness must not have been treated in the 90 days before the policy was purchased, and treatment must be received overseas right when symptoms appear; the corresponding benefit is then paid.
Payout: Usually split into “inpatient treatment costs,” “outpatient treatment costs” and “emergency treatment costs,” and National Health Insurance reimbursement must be deducted first — only the remaining amount is paid out
Note | If you already have a medical condition that could flare up and require treatment, consider adding a separate “overseas medical insurance” policy to fill the gaps in your medical coverage
Travel insurance recommendations | Comparing 11 travel insurance plans in 2026
The table below bases its travel insurance recommendations on a sample quote for “NT$10 million in death and disability benefits, a five-day trip to Japan”. Insurers that do not offer NT$10 million in coverage are not listed below, so feel free to search for and buy the plan that best fits your needs!
| Insurance plan | Sample premium | Death and disability coverage | Accident medical expenses | Hospitalization expenses | Outpatient expenses | Emergency room expenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fubon Insurance Plan A (includes statutory infectious diseases) | NT$1,153 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1 million | NT$800,000 | NT$16,000 | NT$40,000 |
| Tokio Marine Newa Adult custom plan | NT$920 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1 million | NT$500,000 | NT$5,000 | NT$5,000 |
| Mingtai Insurance First Class Diamond | NT$901 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1 million | NT$1 million | NT$5,000 | NT$200,000 |
| Taiwan Fire & Marine Insurance Deluxe Travel | NT$1,376 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1 million | NT$1 million (includes statutory infectious diseases) | NT$5,000 (includes statutory infectious diseases) | NT$20,000 (includes statutory infectious diseases) |
| Chubb Insurance Premier plan | NT$1,283 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1 million | NT$1 million (includes statutory infectious diseases) | NT$10,000 (includes statutory infectious diseases) | NT$10,000 (includes statutory infectious diseases) |
| Cathay Century Insurance Overseas T2 | NT$1,260 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1 million | NT$1 million | NT$5,000 | NT$10,000 |
| Nan Shan General Insurance Travel Guardian | NT$896 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1 million | NT$1 million | NT$10,000 | NT$10,000 |
| Tai An Insurance Package C | NT$949 Get covered | NT$10 million | NT$1,000,000 | NT$1,000,000 | NT$6,000 | NT$6,000 |
| Shin Kong Insurance Premium plan | NT$818 Get covered | NT$10,000,000 | NT$1,000,000 | NT$1,000,000 | NT$1,500 | NT$6,000 |
| Chung Kuo Insurance Plan 3 | NT$940 Get covered | NT$10,000,000 | NT$1,000,000 | NT$1,000,000 | NT$10,000 | NT$10,000 |
| South China Insurance Premium plan | NT$818 Get covered | NT$10,000,000 | NT$1,000,000 | NT$1,000,000 | NT$5,000 | NT$10,000 |
Note 2: All of the plans above are compared at their highest tier; each insurer also offers several other plans you can choose from.
Note 3: All of the plans above include travel inconvenience coverage; see the travel inconvenience comparison table below for details.
Travel inconvenience insurance: what each claim item covers
1. Trip-related coverage
Compensation for delayed flights, ferries and land transportation
What’s covered: During the policy period, if the transportation you are booked on is delayed beyond a set number of hours, the insurer reimburses the transportation, meal and accommodation costs the insured has to pay during the delay.
Payout: Depending on the type of coverage, either a fixed amount or your actual expenses.
Note | Each insurer sets its own threshold; common ones are 4, 6 or 8 hours per delay, with a maximum of two claims per policy period.
Trip cancellation compensation
What’s covered: If, within a set period before the trip starts, circumstances beyond your control force you to cancel the trip, the insurer reimburses nonrefundable tour fees, accommodation, transportation and tickets.
What counts as trip cancellation:
1. The death or critical illness of the insured, their spouse or a family member
2. A strike at the transportation company you booked with that cancels your service or delays it by more than 24 hours, or civil unrest in the area you were traveling to
3. Damage above a set amount to the insured’s home or movable property in Taiwan caused by a natural disaster
Payout: Depending on the type of coverage, either a fixed amount or your actual expenses.
Trip change compensation
What’s covered: If, during the trip, certain circumstances force the insured to change the original itinerary, the insurer reimburses the resulting transportation and accommodation costs.
What counts as a trip change:
1. A strike at the transportation company you booked with, or civil unrest or a natural disaster that makes it impossible to reach your destination
2. The death of a family member or spouse residing in Taiwan
3. Loss of the passport or other travel documents needed for the trip
4. A transportation accident while you are traveling
Payout: Limited to transportation and accommodation of the same class as the insured originally booked.
2. Baggage-related coverage
Baggage loss compensation
What’s covered: During the trip, if the insured’s suitcase, hand luggage or the personal belongings inside are lost or damaged under certain circumstances, the insurer pays out.
What counts as baggage damage:
1. Baggage or other belongings are stolen or robbed
2. Baggage checked in with a public carrier, for which you hold the baggage receipt, is damaged or lost through mishandling
Payout: Up to the sum insured, with a limit of one to two claims.
Baggage delay compensation
What’s covered: During the trip, if baggage checked in with a public carrier for which you hold the baggage receipt is mishandled and the insured still has not received it within a set number of hours after arriving at the destination, the insurer reimburses what you spend on emergency clothing and toiletries in the meantime.
Payout: Depending on the type of coverage, either a fixed amount or your actual expenses.
Note | Each insurer sets its own threshold; common ones are 4 or 6 hours per delay.
3. Other travel coverage
Loss of travel documents
What’s covered: If the documents needed for the trip are stolen, robbed or lost during the trip, the insurer reimburses the cost of replacing them.
Payout: Depending on the type of coverage, either a fixed amount or your actual expenses.
Fraudulent credit card use
What’s covered: If a credit card you are carrying is stolen or robbed during the trip, the insurer covers fraudulent charges made “in the twenty-four hours before you report the card lost.”
Payout: Usually capped at NT$50,000.
Those are the basic items in travel inconvenience insurance. Most insurers’ plans are broadly similar, differing mainly in the time thresholds and payout amounts written into the policy, so take a look at the table below to find the travel inconvenience policy that suits you fastest.
Travel inconvenience insurance picks | 11 policies compared for 2026
Travel inconvenience coverage comes in two forms: reimbursement of actual expenses and fixed-benefit payouts. In the table below, anything marked “limit” is reimbursement of actual expenses, while items that are unmarked or counted per occurrence are fixed-benefit payouts. Check the coverage items carefully before you buy, because not every insurer uses the same calculation method or the same policy terms!
The table below is based on a quote for “a five-day trip to Japan“:
| Insurance plan | Estimated premium | Flight delay | Trip cancellation | Trip change | Baggage delay | Baggage loss | Loss of documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fubon Insurance Plan C | NT$1,346 Get a quote | NT$12,000/claim | NT$60,000/limit | NT$60,000/limit | NT$6,000/claim | NT$6,000/claim | NT$3,000/claim |
| Tokio Marine Newa Adult custom plan | NT$863 Get a quote | 6,000 | NT$10,000/limit | NT$10,000/limit | 6,000 | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Mingtai Fire & Marine Insurance First Class Diamond | NT$901 Get a quote | 5,000 | NT$50,000/limit | NT$50,000/limit | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Taiwan Fire & Marine Insurance Deluxe Travel | NT$1,376 Get a quote | NT$10,000 | NT$50,000/limit | NT$50,000/limit | NT$10,000 | NT$10,000 | 8,000 |
| Chubb Insurance Premier plan | NT$1,283 Get a quote | 5,000 | NT$50,000/limit | NT$50,000/limit | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Cathay Century Insurance Overseas T2 | NT$1,260 Get a quote | NT$3,000/claim | NT$60,000/limit | NT$30,000/limit | 3,000 | 3,000 | 1,000 |
| Nan Shan General Insurance Travel Guardian | NT$896 Get a quote | 5,000 | NT$60,000/limit | NT$30,000/limit | 5,000 | NT$3,000/claim | 5,000 |
| Tai An Insurance Package C | NT$949 Get a quote | NT$5,000/claim | NT$60,000/limit | NT$20,000/limit | 5,000 | 6,000 | 3,000 |
| Shin Kong Insurance Premier C | NT$818 Get a quote | NT$8,000/claim | NT$80,000/limit | NT$60,000/limit | 5,000 | 5,000 | 3,000 |
| Chung Kuo Insurance Plan 3 | NT$940 Get a quote | NT$10,000/claim | NT$60,000/limit | NT$60,000/limit | NT$10,000 | NT$10,000/claim | 6,000 |
| South China Insurance Premium plan | NT$818 Click here to buy | NT$10,000 | NT$100,000/cap | NT$60,000/cap | NT$10,000 | NT$10,000 | 6000 |
Note 2: All the plans above are compared at their highest tier; other plan levels are also available.
Note 3: All the plans above include travel accident coverage—see the travel accident insurance comparison table above for details.
Got a handle on travel accident insurance and travel inconvenience insurance? Then it’s time to pack your bags and hit the road:
👉 2026 long weekend calendar | A must-read guide to holidays and planning your days off
👉[Okinawa JUNGLIA Park] A complete guide to the key attractions at Okinawa’s jungle theme park in 2026
👉[Jeju Island travel guide] Attractions, food recommendations, transportation tips and a 4-day, 3-night itinerary
I didn’t find what I need in travel accident insurance—are there other overseas travel insurance options?
Travel accident insurance and travel inconvenience insurance can’t cover absolutely everything, so you can’t assume you have nothing to worry about on the road—there will always be items insurance won’t cover. Below are two more types of coverage travelers often come across, which can match the protection different trips call for.
Full-journey overseas travel insurance ✈️
What it covers: this policy covers you for the entire duration of your trip. Whether you’re riding in a vehicle, hit by a car on the street, or you trip and fall while walking, any accident that results in death or disability can trigger the claim process—even ambulance fees are included. However,
Claim amount: coverage usually ranges from NT$1 million to NT$10 million, with reimbursement paid on an actual-expense basis according to the benefits of each coverage level.
Note | Because full-journey travel insurance covers such a wide range, eligibility is usually tied to premium-tier credit cards such as top-tier, business or World cards.Also, not every bank includes accident medical coverage in its full-journey policy, so check the details carefully before you buy.
Overseas car rental insurance 🚗
Renting a car and driving yourself overseas is a wonderfully free way to travel, but whether you’re renting in Japan, Korea, Europe or the US, once you’re on the road you need a plan for the risk of an accident. On top of the travel accident insurance mentioned above, we strongly recommend that you also buy the rental insurance offered by the rental company when you pick up your car.
If you’re simply renting a car for a trip in Taiwan, you can comfortably buy rental insurance directly from a Taiwanese insurance company and just pick the plan that suits you best.
If you’re planning a trip to Japan soon, take a look at this article explaining car rental insurance in Japan: [Japan car rental] 2026 rental guide and price comparison—explore Japan on your own terms!
Planning to rent a car in Korea? Check out this breakdown of Korean car rental insurance: [Korea car rental guide] Recommended companies, insurance explained and everything to watch out for!
Heading to the US for a self-drive trip? This article explains US car rental insurance in detail: [US car rental roundup] The latest 2026 guide and nine things you need to know!
Things to keep in mind when buying travel accident insurance
Don’t leave it too late ⏰
Even though most travel accident policies let you buy coverage up to an hour before departure, it’s better to buy at least a week ahead.
For coverage such as trip cancellation and trip delay insurance, buying early means the window in which the policy can kick in is wider and safer.
Buying early can also get you a lower premium or broader coverage. Many insurers offer an “early-bird discount on travel accident insurance“—buy within a certain period before your trip and you can get more complete coverage for less.
Watch how you set the policy period 💡
No matter which country you’re traveling to, the policy period for travel accident insurance is always determined by Taiwan standard time.
Coverage should also start from the moment you leave home and end the moment you get back home—that way you’re protected if something happens on the way to the airport or while riding the high speed rail, MRT and so on.
Check these before you buy 📝
- Check whether the plan coverage and claim limits of the travel accident policy suit your needs
- Read the claim conditions for every item carefully, including what documents you’ll need when filing a claim
- Confirm the age limits and any special conditions, and whether you meet the eligibility requirements
- Make sure you have your own credit card to buy travel accident insurance online (online purchases can only be paid with your own card)
- Check whether the policy you’re buying overlaps with the insurance your credit card already provides
Travel accident insurance FAQ
Q: My credit card already includes travel accident insurance—do I still need to buy more?
A: Credit card travel accident coverage is usually only provided once you’ve paid for airfare, a tour package or similar with the card, and it generally applies only while you are riding in a common carrier. Once the cardholder reaches the destination, any accident after that falls outside the coverage. So buying additional insurance is the safer choice!
Q: I’ve already left Taiwan—can I still buy overseas travel accident insurance?
A: No. Travel accident insurance covers the insured’s journey from Taiwan to another country, so if you’re already abroad you no longer meet that condition and can’t buy a policy.
Q: Do I still need travel accident insurance for trips within Taiwan?
A: You can buy it—most insurers also offer travel accident policies for domestic trips, and coverage starts the moment you leave home. So whether you’re traveling in Taiwan or overseas, it’s worth buying a policy for that extra layer of protection.
Q: I already have overseas travel accident insurance—do I also need overseas medical insurance?
A: Buy according to your own needs. The medical coverage in a travel accident policy is definitely narrower than that of dedicated overseas medical insurance, so if you have specific needs around medical claims abroad, read through the claimable items first and then decide whether to add it.
Q: My flight was delayed—what proof do I need to file a claim?
A: When you submit the claim form, you’ll need your boarding pass or other ticket to prove you really were on that flight, plus an official delay certificate from the carrier. With both documents ready, you can file the claim directly with your insurer.
Q: My suitcase was damaged—what should I do to get a payout?
A: If your baggage is damaged overseas, get a damage report from the airline right away—you need that document to file a baggage loss claim under travel inconvenience insurance. If you don’t have travel inconvenience insurance, you can still try to claim compensation from the airline, though whether they pay is up to them.
Travel accident insurance: a little extra peace of mind for a lot more fun
Through this detailed guide to travel accident insurance, we’ve seen that good travel insurance is more than a piece of paper—it’s the most important guardian of your trip. Whether it’s a sudden illness, unexpected baggage loss or an unpredictable flight delay, the right coverage lets you handle it calmly.
Travel accident insurance isn’t an extra expense; it’s the best protection you can invest in for your trip. When choosing a policy, don’t look only at the price—focus on whether the coverage matches your needs. After all, a great trip needs solid insurance backing it up as much as it needs an exciting itinerary!
More articles about insurance:
👉[Latest for 2026] The complete guide to car rental insurance in Taiwan: coverage and price comparison made simple!
👉Compulsory liability insurance—rental insurance claims made simple
👉Rental insurance—how collision coverage pays out, made simple
Looking to rent a car? Head to gogoout
Browse cars in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand and the US in one place
Worried about spending hours deciding which rental company to book with, awkward language barriers, overly complicated insurance options and driving in an unfamiliar place—so you keep putting off the booking?
If you don’t see the destination you want below, our website’s customer service team can help you find the right car. Let us take care of your car rental and self-drive plans, in Taiwan and overseas.
This article was translated by AI from the original Chinese version.
