A lucky traveller will never discover what happens when they call their travel insurance company’s assistance line. In a risk-free world, we want our sole interaction with any insurance company to be before we take a trip.

Travel health insurance—which usually covers unexpected emergency health care costs such as treatment by a physician, hospital stays, diagnostic tests and, in some cases, prescription drugs—is an important consideration for LGBTQ2S+ travellers. Especially since they are at a higher risk of violence than other travellers, especially in regions where levels of homophobia and transphobia are high—possibly including from police and government. Then there are the health issues that can affect any traveller, like a traffic accident, food poisoning or other unexpected health problems.

In the last decade, insurance companies have moved to be more inclusive of queer travellers. For example, two people travelling together don’t have to define their relationship as spouses. This sounds like a tiny tweak, but it can help prevent a same-gender couple from being outed in front of local service providers and police when getting assistance from an insurance company. 

“It’s also important for married LGBTQ2S+ travellers to understand that their marriage or civil union may not be recognized in another country and may cause additional complications, such as in a healthcare environment where one’s partner may not be considered next of kin for making decisions or even visits,” says Warren Brown, a member of the leadership council of the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada.

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