Last updated: 04/05/2024
No, travel insurance is not an entry requirement for Hawaii. As part of the United States, domestic travelers are able to travel to Hawaii as they would any other state.
From lava fields to lush forests, beautiful beaches to scenic mountains, Hawaii has something to offer every type of traveler. Whatever adventures fill up your itinerary, you may be considering travel insurance.
While not a requirement to visit Hawaii, travel insurance can protect you financially if things don’t go according to plan. If your trip involves high costs, potentially dangerous activities, or other situations that could put your vacation at risk, we recommend the following coverage.
To preface, if you have existing health insurance, you will likely be covered in the event you get sick or injured during your trip to Hawaii. However, those without health insurance, or those with high deductibles, should consider getting travel medical insurance before their departure date.
Travel medical insurance consists of two key benefits; Emergency Medical, which may cover the cost of common medical expenses, and Medical Evacuation, which can cover the cost of emergency transportation services.
This benefit may cover the cost of hospital bills, ambulance rides, x-rays, and other necessary treatment costs in the event you get unexpectedly ill or injured during your trip. If you’re traveling to Hawaii, we recommend at least $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage.
Those with existing health coverage should specifically consider a Primary Emergency Medical policy. In this scenario, your travel insurance provider will be first in line to cover costs, thus avoiding out of pocket expenses paid to meet a deductible.
Medical Evacuation may cover expenses incurred to transport you to an adequate medical facility in the event of an emergency. In some scenarios, this could involve transporting you from the Hawaiian Islands to mainland America for treatment.
Medical evacuations can be very expensive, especially if you need to be evacuated back home. For that reason, we recommend a policy that offers at least $100,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage.
There’s no such thing as a risk-free trip, and Hawaii is no exception. In the event you are forced to cancel your trip before it even starts, Trip Cancellation coverage may be able to help you recoup your prepaid and non-refundable trip costs, such as flights, hotels, and excursions.
This benefit can reimburse you if you are forced to cancel your trip for a covered reason, such as an unexpected illness, injury, inclement weather, and natural disasters, such as the 2023 Maui wildfires.
For added cancellation flexibility, you may also want to consider a policy that includes Cancel For Any Reason coverage, which can offer partial reimbursement for cancellations that aren’t typically covered by standard travel insurance.
Most policies that include cancellation coverage also protect travelers that need to end their trip early for a covered reason. The Trip Interruption benefit may cover any unused trip costs, as well as additional costs required to book additional travel arrangements to safely return home.
While roughly 30 U.S cities offer nonstop service to Hawaii, almost half are located on the West Coast. For the majority of travelers, a connecting flight is required to reach the islands. As delays become a growing concern among travelers, the Travel Delay benefit becomes an important travel insurance benefit.
Travel Delay can reimburse travelers for food and lodging expenses if they experience significant flight delays. If a delay forces you to miss your connecting flights, then your Missed Connection coverage may reimburse additional costs needed to book additional transportation to catch up to a trip.Most comprehensive travel insurance policies will also include coverage for delayed or lost luggage. If your luggage is delayed in transit, your policy’s Baggage Delay benefit can reimburse travelers the cost of clothing, toiletries, and other necessities.
If your luggage or belongings are lost, stolen, or damaged at any point during your trip, the Baggage & Personal Items Loss benefit may reimburse travelers for the value of the lost or damaged items up to a specified amount.
and Baggage & Personal Items Loss benefits will reimburse travelers if their luggage is delayed, lost, stolen, and damaged at any point during their trip.
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