Travel Insurance for India: U.S. Visitor Requirements & Quotes

India travel information & requirements

Do I need travel insurance to visit India?

India does not require tourists to have travel insurance. However, traveling in India can come with a significant amount of risk. A travel insurance policy covers medical care and medical evacuation, so you can move around the country with peace of mind. If you become injured or sick, you won’t be saddled with an expensive medical bill.

Travel insurance also protects you from other unexpected circumstances that could affect your trip. If a natural disaster forces you to cancel or a political protest disrupts your plans, your policy can help reduce the financial impact. 

It can also help you prepare for other risks, such as those discussed below.

Risk of pickpockets and tourist scams

Pickpockets and petty thieves run rampant in India, often targeting unsuspecting tourists. They operate in crowded tourist destinations, such as airports and famous sites like the Taj Mahal.

Tourist scams are another common occurrence in India. Scammers try to lure travelers with false promises, only to extort them for money or put them in dangerous situations. In other cases, criminals drug visitors before robbing them. Travel insurance with coverage for personal items can help pay to replace stolen items.

Risk of canceled day trips or tours

Tours and day trips are a popular way to see sights in India. Since many operators have little to no oversight, they may cancel these excursions at the last minute without reimbursing you. Certain travel insurance policies can reduce the risk of financial loss by covering nonrefundable costs for interrupted or canceled tours.

Risk of political demonstrations 

Political demonstrations in India can be large and disruptive. In some cases, they affect airlines, train lines and major roadways. When a demonstration arises before or during your trip, you may have a hard time reaching your destination. In some cases, widespread protests make it too dangerous for foreigners to visit the affected areas. A travel insurance policy can help you recover the costs of canceling the trip, rebooking flights, or making unexpected hotel stays.

Risk of severe weather conditions

Many parts of India experience severe weather at various times throughout the year. In southern India, the monsoon season often brings severe flooding; the northern part of the country sees intense dust storms. Dangerous heat waves are possible across most of the country. While you can’t predict serious weather events, you can use insurance to prevent significant financial losses if storms affect your trip.

What does travel insurance for India cover?

As with any type of insurance, every plan offers different types and levels of coverage.

We break down some of the most common coverage types below.

Trip cancellation insurance

Trip cancellation coverage helps you recover prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if you have to cancel your plans. Travel to India is expensive, especially if you’re booking popular hotels and tours. If you fall ill a week before your flight and you’re too sick to travel, insurance can ensure that you don’t lose money in the process.

Trip delay insurance

This type of insurance covers the extra expenses that arise if your India trip is held up due to circumstances beyond your control. If your connecting flight from Amsterdam to New Delhi is pushed to the next day, insurance can cover a last-minute hotel booking and taxis to and from the airport. Keep your receipts, and you might also be able to get reimbursed for meals and nonrefundable hotel stays in your final destination.

Trip interruption insurance

Trip interruption coverage kicks in if unexpected circumstances require you to cut your vacation short. As long as the reason for the interruption is covered, the policy will typically refund the non-refundable costs of the rest of the trip. It might also cover the flight back to the U.S.

Travel medical insurance

If you get hurt or fall ill while you’re exploring India — a possibility, given the country’s inconsistent safety regulations — travel medical insurance covers the costs. In most cases, you’ll need to pay the healthcare bills first and file a claim for reimbursement. Some plans will work directly with the medical provider to settle bills if you need hospitalization after an accident or a bout of dengue fever.

Medical evacuation insurance

Medical evacuation coverage pays for your transportation in case of a medical emergency. It’s critical for trips to India — healthcare facilities aren’t always available away from major cities. That means if you’re injured while trekking in the Himalayas or cruising in Kerala, you may need to be transported a long distance by air to get to a hospital. When the situation is serious enough, a medical flight back to the United States may be necessary.

These services are expensive, but evacuation coverage can take care of the bill. Make sure you choose a policy with a high limit when traveling to India, particularly if you’re planning an adventurous itinerary to rural parts of the country.

Insurance for personal items

Personal item coverage helps you pay for damaged, lost or stolen belongings. Given the risk of theft and pickpocketing in India, this type of insurance is essential. Limits can vary considerably between policies; you may need to shop around to find adequate coverage if you’re packing computers, phones and cameras.

Rental car coverage

This type of insurance pays for damage to your rental car. It’s usually offered as an add-on for an extra fee, but don’t skip it if you’re renting a car in India — road conditions and driving safety are well below U.S. standards in many areas.

What isn’t covered by travel insurance for India?

Every travel insurance policy comes with exclusions, which are things the plan will not cover. For example, if your policy excludes preexisting medical conditions, it won’t pay cancellation costs if you have to cancel due to a chronic health condition.  

Standard travel insurance exclusions are:

• Pregnancy (except for complications)
• Anxiety and mental health
• Routine medical or dental procedures
• High-risk activities
• Extreme sports and professional sports
• Trips that go against medical advice
• Storms that have already been named
• Illegal activities

It’s also important to note that your policy might refuse to cover anything for which you don’t have the appropriate documentation. If you need to seek medical care, or you plan to file a claim for trip cancellation or interruption, call the provider immediately to ask about documentation requirements.

How much does travel insurance for India cost?

We found that travel insurance for a trip to India can cost as little as $1 per day for the most fundamental medical and medical evacuation coverage. A more comprehensive plan that covers trip cancellations and interruptions will cost around $7 to $11 per day.

See Plans

To give you a better idea of how much travel insurance costs for a trip to India, we requested quotes from four leading travel insurance providers.

We used these details for all of our quotes:

• Age: 35 years old
• Destination: India
• Trip Length: 7 days
• Trip cost: $2,000
• Date: September 2024

You can see our quotes for basic travel insurance in the table below. Prices range from less than $1 per day to $6 per day.

Example Where Plan Doesn’t Reimburse the Full Trip Cost

Our quotes for policies that include trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage are in the following table. Prices range from around $7 to $11 per day.

Example Where Plan Does Reimburse the Full Trip Cost

It’s important to note that the cost of India travel insurance is different for everyone. 

Providers base your policy premium on factors such as:

• Age
• Trip duration
• Cost of the trip
• Current health insurance
• Elapsed time between policy purchase and first trip deposit

Tips for getting the best India travel insurance

A wide range of providers offer travel insurance to India. 

These tips can help you select a plan that provides ample coverage and peace of mind: