Yes. A multi-month, multi-country trip has too many variables to go without coverage. Look for a policy that covers trip interruption, medical evacuation, and missed connections. World Nomads and SafetyWing both offer plans built for long-term multi-country travel.
Strongly recommended. For a multi-country, multi-airline trip spanning weeks or months, travel insurance moves from "nice to have" to "effectively essential."
Here's what you're protecting against. Medical emergencies abroad: a hospital visit in Thailand might cost $500, but a medical evacuation from a remote location can run $50,000 to $100,000. Your domestic health insurance almost certainly doesn't cover you internationally, and Medicare covers nothing outside the US. Trip cancellation or interruption: if you need to fly home for a family emergency mid-trip, last-minute one-way international flights cost a fortune. Lost or delayed luggage: annoying on a weekend trip, genuinely disruptive when you're three months into an RTW route.
For RTW and long-term travel, look for policies specifically designed for multi-country trips. Standard vacation policies cap out at 30 days. You need a policy that covers the full duration of your trip, which could be months.
Good options include World Nomads, SafetyWing, Allianz Global Assistance, and IMG Global. Expect to pay $100 to $300 per month depending on your age, destinations, and coverage level. For a 3-month trip, that's $300 to $900 total. Measured against a potential $50K medical evacuation bill, it's one of the easiest financial decisions on your trip.
Key things to check in any policy: medical coverage limits (at least $100K, preferably $250K+), emergency evacuation coverage, trip interruption benefits, and whether adventure activities (scuba diving, trekking, motorbike riding) are included or excluded. Pre-existing condition coverage varies widely between providers, so read the fine print if that applies to you.
We recommend purchasing insurance within 14 days of booking your trip, as some policies offer broader coverage when bought early. We have several policies that we recommend, depending on your needs/wants.