travel insurance?

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=Travel+insurance&utf8=%E2%9C%93

Above is from a Search here. This is a frequent topic, so there's a wealth of info previously posted. Obviously everyone's situation is different. Most policies require you to book the insurance within a few weeks of your first trip reservation, in order to get pre-existing condition coverage.

I hope things go well. Safe travels!

Airline tickets and hotels are usually refundable so when traveling independently we don’t get trip insurance. When we book tours or cruises we get Travel Guard insurance. They paid claims for two big trips we had to cancel due to hospitalizations and paid quickly, in full. .

It is unclear to me whether you have already booked airfare and accommodations. Most policies will only cover pre-existing conditions if you purchase the insurance within a certain number of days of your first deposit or expense you are seeking to cover. Check this aspect out carefully. There is also a more expensive version that allows for cancel for any reason.

Many hotels have policies for full refund if enough notice is given. Check the actual policy for each hotel you have booked. Determine the cost if you need to cancel your trip. Can you handle that or would insurance be important to you? What other people do here doesn’t matter. Only what your financial needs and comfort zone are.

I have only made one travel insurance claim ever. It was on an Allianz policy and paid promptly. Be sure to understand what is covered and what is not covered before purchase.

Bogleheads swear by https://tripinsurancestore.com/
I have purchased medical insurance thru them, but never used it.
They are super helpful.

The insurance question is thornier than it may appear. It sounds like you are mostly worried about the possible need to cancel flights and hotel reservations. The latter are easy. Cancellable hotel reservations are not usually terribly much more than the the non.
Flights are a different story. Just look at the website for the airline you are considering to compare the two types of tickets. Then you can see how much cancellation insurance would cost. Insuremytrip and squaremouth are two sites that will show you a variety of policies and their prices.
You didn’t ask, but it is generally recommended that you also get a policy that will pay for returning you home if ill or in an accident. Not the same as transporting you to the nearest adequate medical faciity. Check your health insurance. Some policies pay for treatment in foreign countries; some don’t.

Most frequently we buy insurance after purchasing the airline ticket, and we use Allianz since it offers three coverage options. We generally get the middle/medium priced option. Occasionally we will buy it when purchasing on the airline site and that always seems to be through Travel Guard.

As others stated, get hotel and rental car reservations with free cancellation policies.

Ever since Covid I’ve found that buying travel insurance gives some peace of mind. With climate change, global instability, unforeseen health issues etc. a small investment in a good travel insurance policy can go a long way! I’ve found the best pricing and coverage options through American Express Travel. Usually the Silver Plan seems adequate to cover costs that are incurred up front such as airline tickets. In my view life can be so unpredictable so I generally avoid bookings that have really restrictive cancellation policies. I have had to file one claim with Am Ex travel and it was a relatively easy process.

Given the situation you are grappling with I would be concerned about making the trip and then something happening while we were there ( which warrants looking at a policy that covers interruption including health care costs etc. rather that just cancellation in advance of departure).