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Can I Buy Travel Insurance Today for My Trip Starting Tomorrow?

Team AckoDec 17, 2025

Last-Minute Travel Insurance Purchase

Yes, you can buy travel insurance today even if your trip begins tomorrow! Thanks to digital purchases, getting instant coverage is easier than ever. Just make sure you buy the travel insurance for tomorrow’s trip before your flight takes off to avoid any last-minute hiccups. Do keep in mind that last-minute plans may come with limited options or slightly different pricing.

Read on to understand everything you need to know before purchasing travel insurance for a trip that starts as soon as tomorrow.

Contents

Key Considerations for Last-Minute Travel Insurance Purchases
Inclusions and Exclusions of a Travel Insurance Plan
- List of Inclusions:
- List of Exclusions:
Drawbacks of Last-Minute Purchase of Travel Insurance
How to Make the Best Last-Minute Travel Insurance Purchase?
The Bottom Line
Frequently Asked Questions

Key Considerations for Last-Minute Travel Insurance Purchases

Before you rush to pack for tomorrow’s trip, here are a few key points you should know when buying last-minute travel insurance.

1. Purchase Before Departure

You can buy a travel insurance plan only if you have not yet left for your trip. Once you are on your flight, most insurance companies will not allow you to buy one. You can also purchase a policy on the same day of your departure, before your flight departs.

2. Know Your Travel Plans

While buying travel insurance, you should know important information, such as “Purpose of Visit”, “Individual or Group”, “Stay Duration”, “Itinerary”, etc. You will need to provide this information to buy a travel insurance policy.

3. Provide Adequate Information

If you have a pre-existing health condition, you must disclose this to your travel insurer. It will help you make a claim seamlessly in case you need medical assistance.

4. Sub-Limits on Your Policy

While you are buying travel insurance for tomorrow’s trip, you must know. Insurance plans have sub-limits. This means you will get coverage for room rent or medical expenses up to a limit.

5. Check for Co-Pay Option

You also have an option for a co-pay, where you can choose to pay a percentage of your claim, and the insurer will cover the remaining amount. In this case, the premium will be lower. For example, opting for a co-pay of 15% will make you responsible for 15% of your claims.

6. Read Your Policy Wordings Carefully

Even if you are in a hurry, you must read the policy wording carefully. You must sort out your doubts with your insurer before your trip commences.

Inclusions and Exclusions of a Travel Insurance Plan

Having travel insurance is essential to protect your trip, especially when you are travelling internationally. Let’s find out how travel insurance secures your trip.

List of Inclusions:

Here is the coverage provided by travel insurance policy:

Medical Emergencies: Covers unexpected medical expenses incurred due to sudden illness or injury while travelling.
Loss of baggage: Provides compensation if your checked-in luggage is lost, stolen, or misplaced by the airline.
Legal Liabilities: Protects you against costs arising from accidentally causing injury or property damage to someone else.
Flight cancellations: Reimburses non-refundable expenses when your flight gets cancelled due to covered reasons.

List of Exclusions:

Here is the list of travel insurance exclusions:

Pre-existing medical issues: Conditions you already had before the trip that are typically not covered under travel insurance.
Self-inflicted injuries: Any injury caused intentionally by oneself, which is excluded from trip coverage.
Travelling Against Medical Advice: Any travel undertaken despite a doctor advising against it, which is typically excluded from coverage.

Drawbacks of Last-Minute Purchase of Travel Insurance

Purchasing international travel insurance for tomorrow’s trip at the last minute may have some drawbacks. Let’s know about them in detail.

1. Trip Cancellation Coverage is Limited

If you buy an insurance policy on the same day of your departure, you might not get coverage for that day. Apart from that, coverage for trip cancellations at last-minute insurance purchases might not be available, considering emergencies like sudden illness and job loss are off the table.

2. Unavailability of Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)

You can upgrade your travel insurance policy with Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR). This allows you to cancel your trip for virtually any reason, such as cold feet or a bad feeling. However, this upgrade is not available if you are buying travel insurance for tomorrow’s trip.

3. Slower Claims

Insurers scrutinise last-minute purchases more carefully as some people try to buy insurance after something has already gone wrong. This can mean slower claim processing or the requirement for stronger proof in case you make a claim.

How to Make the Best Last-Minute Travel Insurance Purchase?

If you are looking to buy an affordable travel insurance policy from a trustworthy insurer, select ACKO International Travel Insurance and get your insurance policy with minimum documentation and a hassle-free process.

We allow personalisation with flexible coverages even at the last minute. Apart from that, the 100% digital claim process ensures your convenience throughout the trip.

The Bottom Line

It is possible to buy travel insurance for tomorrow’s trip from India or even on the same day of your departure for the trip. However, last-minute purchases may lead to limited coverage and closer scrutiny during claims, especially in the initial days of the policy. To be ideal, the best time to buy travel insurance before the trip is right after you have made your bookings and you are sure about your departure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to buy a travel insurance policy?

The best time to buy travel insurance is as soon as you book your trip, and you have prepared your travel itinerary. We highly recommend purchasing your insurance policy at least 14 days before your trip begins. Knowing your itinerary allows you to assess your risks and get enough coverage to avert those risks.

Is travel insurance mandatory?

No, not all trips require travel insurance mandatorily. However, for most international visits, especially when applying for a Schengen visa, having a travel insurance policy with adequate coverage becomes mandatory.

Is there a specialised travel insurance plan if I wish to buy a travel insurance plan for my trip starting tomorrow?

No, there is no specialised travel insurance plan for last-minute purchases. You can buy a standard insurance plan from a digital insurer and enjoy travel insurance benefits for your trip tomorrow

What is the Co-Pay option in travel insurance?

Co-pay is a feature in travel insurance where you can choose to pay a percentage of your claim while buying the insurance plan. The rest of your claim will be paid by your insurer. This is a common technique to significantly reduce premium prices.

Are the exclusions in last-minute travel insurance purchases different from the pre-planned purchase of travel insurance?

No, the travel insurance policy is the same for all standard travel insurance policies, regardless of when you buy. However, you might have to face certain limitations such as “limited trip cancellation coverage” and “unavailability of Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)”.