International Health Insurance vs Travel Insurance: What's the Difference?

The Key Difference

The simplest way to think about it:

• Travel insurance is for trips. It covers emergencies and travel problems during short-term travel.
• International health insurance is for living abroad. It works like regular health insurance but covers you in other countries.

Many people confuse these because both can cover medical emergencies abroad. But they're designed for different situations and have very different coverage.

What Travel Insurance Covers

Travel insurance is designed for vacations and short trips. A typical policy includes:

• Emergency medical: Treatment for sudden illness or injury during your trip
• Medical evacuation: Transport to a hospital or back home if needed
• Trip cancellation: Reimbursement if you need to cancel your trip
• Trip interruption: Coverage if you need to cut your trip short
• Lost or delayed luggage: Compensation for lost belongings
• Travel delays: Coverage for expenses due to flight delays

What Travel Insurance Doesn't Cover

• Routine doctor visits or checkups
• Ongoing treatment for chronic conditions
• Pre-existing conditions (usually)
• Dental care (beyond emergencies)
• Mental health treatment
• Pregnancy and maternity (usually)

What International Health Insurance Covers

International health insurance (also called expat health insurance) is comprehensive medical coverage for people living abroad. It typically includes:

• Inpatient care: Hospital stays, surgery, treatments
• Outpatient care: Doctor visits, tests, specialists
• Prescriptions: Ongoing medication coverage
• Preventive care: Checkups, screenings, vaccinations
• Emergency care: Including medical evacuation
• Mental health: Therapy and psychiatric care

Optional Add-Ons (Varies by Plan)

• Dental and vision care
• Maternity coverage
• Wellness programs
• Home country coverage

Side-by-Side Comparison

Here's how these two types of insurance compare across key features:

Which Do You Need?

The right choice depends on your situation:

What About Digital Nomads?

If you move between countries frequently, you have a choice:

• Travel medical insurance (like SafetyWing) works if you're young, healthy, and mainly need emergency coverage
• International health insurance is better if you want comprehensive care or stay in places for months at a time

Read our guide to insurance for digital nomads

Can You Use Both?

Yes, and sometimes it makes sense. For example:

• You have international health insurance for living abroad, plus travel insurance for specific trips that includes trip cancellation
• You have local insurance in your new country but add travel insurance for trips outside that country

However, you can't "double dip" — if both policies cover the same medical expense, you can only claim from one.

Common Questions

Can travel insurance work for a long trip abroad?

Some travel insurance policies cover trips up to 6-12 months. However, they still won't cover routine care or pre-existing conditions. For stays over a few months, international health insurance is usually the better choice.

Does international health insurance cover trip cancellation?

No. International health insurance only covers medical expenses. If you need trip cancellation coverage, you'd need separate travel insurance for that.

What if I'm just staying abroad for 3 months?

This is a gray area. Travel medical insurance can work for 3 months if you're healthy and just need emergency coverage. But if you want to see doctors for routine issues or have any ongoing health needs, international health insurance may be worth the extra cost.

Is international health insurance required for visas?

Many countries require proof of health insurance for long-term visas. Travel insurance usually doesn't meet these requirements. You'll need an international health plan that meets the specific visa criteria.

See our Spain visa insurance guide for an example

What about my home country's insurance?

Most domestic health insurance plans don't cover you abroad, or only cover emergencies with limited reimbursement. If you're moving abroad, you generally need international coverage regardless of what you have at home.