Key Takeaways
- Mental health travel insurance coverage varies by policy, but typically requires proof of hospitalization to qualify.
- Review policy exclusions carefully, as some plans do not cover mental health at all.
- Cancel for any reason (CFAR) provides the most flexibility, allowing you to cancel for mental health concerns not otherwise covered by your plan.
According to our experts, some travel insurance providers may provide benefits in the event you are hospitalized due to a defined mental, nervous, or psychological disorder.
We spoke to some of our travel insurance providers to get an understanding of how mental health travel insurance works, and what you should look for to be included in your policy.
What Is Mental Health Travel Insurance?
Mental health travel insurance is coverage that may reimburse trip cancellation, trip interruption, or medical costs related to hospitalization for a mental or nervous health condition.
Covered reasons for hospitalization typically include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Neurosis
- Panic attack
- Phobia
- Psychosis
- …or any related physical manifestation
However, you’ll need to read your policy carefully, as some plans exclude all mental health issues from coverage, even with hospitalization.
Mental Health Travel Insurance Coverage
Some policies provide the following benefits if you or your traveling companion suffers a mental, nervous, or psychological condition or disorder that requires hospitalization or partial hospitalization:
- Trip cancellation: Reimburses 100% prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if you cancel due to a covered mental health reason. Trip cancellation benefits generally require hospitalization for at least one or more days, and a physician may need to certify the condition as preventing you or your travel companion from going on the trip. If you’re concerned about needing to cancel for mental health reasons, consider cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage.
- Trip interruption: Typically pays up to 150% of your insured trip cost if you must cut your trip short due to a covered mental health event. For greater flexibility, consider interruption for any reason (IFAR) coverage, which is available as an add-on to some plans.
- Emergency medical expense: Reimburses up to your policy limit for emergency treatment costs incurred during your trip, for covered reasons. Some plans explicitly exclude mental health care from medical and dental expense benefits.
Is Mental Health Covered With Hospitalization?
Many travel insurance providers offer trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage if you are hospitalized because of a defined mental, nervous, or psychological disorder.
Sometimes plans require hospitalization for a minimum amount of time, such as one or five consecutive days, before coverage applies.
If you’re interested in travel insurance for mental health, carefully read the terms of your policy to ensure you have the coverage you need.
Pre-Existing Conditions Waiver May Apply to Mental Health
If you or your traveling companion has been diagnosed with mental health issues, you might benefit from buying travel insurance with a pre-existing conditions waiver. This waives your policy’s pre-existing condition lookback period, the timeframe during which any change in your medical condition might disqualify coverage.
To be eligible for a pre-existing conditions waiver, you’ll typically need to:
- Buy travel insurance within 10 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit, depending on the policy
- Insure the full cost of your trip
- Be medically fit to travel at the time of purchase
Of course, having a waiver will only help if you buy a travel insurance policy that does not exclude mental health as a covered reason. Be sure to read your policy carefully to understand its exclusions.
InsureMyTrip tip: You can compare policies that offer pre-existing condition waivers when conditions are met by getting a quote and filtering the results by plans that include “PRE-EX Waivers.”
Cancel for Any Reason Is a Smart Option
Our travel insurance experts recommend upgrading to cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage, if you’re concerned you might need to cancel your trip for mental health reasons that aren’t otherwise covered by your policy.
CFAR is an optional upgrade that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason, as long as you do so at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure. With CFAR, you’ll typically be reimbursed up to 50% or 75% of your prepaid costs, depending on the plan.
As with the pre-existing conditions waiver, CFAR is a time-sensitive benefit. You’ll need to buy it within a specific timeframe, such as seven or 21 days from your initial trip deposit, and insure your entire trip, to qualify. CFAR is not available in all states.
Will Mental Health Travel Insurance Cover Your Condition?
Travel insurance might provide coverage for certain mental health issues, depending on the details of your policy.
It’s important to carefully research your options before purchasing, so you can ensure you are purchasing the right coverage for your unique situation. You can read policy certificates in our online quote tool to help you compare policies before buying.
Most policies also come with a free look period. Take advantage of this period after buying a policy to read through your documents carefully. If you find that it doesn’t meet your needs, you can request a refund from the provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Travel Insurance Cover Anxiety or Depression?
Travel insurance might cover anxiety or depression if you are hospitalized for a specified period because of the condition. Coverage depends on your policy terms and whether a pre-existing conditions waiver applies.
What Is a Pre-Existing Condition Waiver for Mental Health?
A pre-existing condition waiver removes a travel insurance plan’s lookback period, such as 180 days, during which any conditions you were being treated for would be excluded from coverage. However, if your policy excludes coverage for mental health issues, or requires hospitalization for coverage, that criteria would still apply.
How Does Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) Work for Mental Health Concerns?
CFAR allows you to cancel your trip for any reason, including mental health concerns not covered elsewhere in your policy. You must cancel and notify all suppliers at least 48 hours before departure, and reimbursement is typically up to 50% or 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable costs.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article serves as a general overview of benefits and should only be used for informational purposes. Refer to your individual certificate of insurance for specific coverages, exclusions and benefits. When in doubt, please contact one of our licensed agents for additional assistance.
