Passport Travel Insurance

Author: Melissa A.

Published: February 11, 2025 | Updated: February 11, 2025
Read time: 3 mins

Just because you have planned your trip down to a tee doesn’t mean it will go according to plan. Travelling brings unpredictability. A travel plan can run off course, and the unthinkable could happen even to the most organized and on-the-ball traveller before or during a trip. You could lose your passport at the airport or have it stolen while on your trip. When you have travel insurance for passports, these unfortunate incidents may be covered depending on the provider and policy you get and what’s listed as a covered event.

What is passport travel insurance?

Passport travel insurance is travel insurance coverage that can protect against unfortunate incidents involving your passport before or during international travel. Travel insurance plans vary by provider. When reviewing plans, please pay close attention to their terms, conditions, limitations, and exclusions to understand what passport-related incidents they cover if you need to file a claim.

What does passport insurance cover?

Passport card travel insurance is designed to cover a lost, stolen, or damaged passport. Passport coverage is usually found in baggage and personal effects travel insurance, which protects your luggage and personal belongings.

Does travel insurance cover passport issues?

Travel insurance benefits such as trip cancellation, interruption, delay and personal effects benefits may provide coverage for passport issues, but it will depend on whether it’s a covered event in your policy. Be sure to thoroughly read your policy to know what events involving your passport you are covered for.

Does travel insurance cover passport delay?

No, there’s no such thing as travel insurance for passport delay. Travel insurance will not cover the delay in getting your passport. For example, when there’s a problem with the processing of your passport’s initial or renewal application causing your passport to not get to you in time for your trip departure. Therefore, make sure you apply for your passport well in advance.

Will coverage apply if a passport is stolen?

Baggage and personal effects travel insurance typically cover the cost of a replacement passport if yours is stolen, lost or damaged on your trip. You may also be covered if your passport is stolen before your trip and you must cancel it. Given that you have filed a police report, you may be reimbursed for the insured cost of your trip under the trip cancellation benefit.

Does travel insurance cover expired passports?

No, travel insurance does not provide coverage for an expired passport. It is your responsibility to ensure that your passport is valid for the entire duration of your trip and has a minimum validity of six months following your arrival date.

How much is passport travel insurance?

Travel insurance that provides coverage for passport-related incidents will cost approximately 4%-10% of your total prepaid, nonrefundable trip cost, which are expenses you pay before departure. The cost of your travel insurance will also depend on risk factors such as traveller(s) age, number of travellers insured on a policy, and level of coverage. Destination(s), such as high-risk or remote, limits, deductible and any options or add-ons you choose to add to a plan can also affect the cost of your travel insurance. To keep the price down, consider travel insurance you may already have through your employee benefits plan or credit card if your trip was paid for by card or existing policy. In that case, you may only require top-up coverage.

What is the best travel insurance for passports?

The best travel insurance for Canada passports for a trip abroad is all-inclusive insurance, which includes coverage benefits for trip cancellation, interruption, delay, emergency medical, emergency evacuation, baggage, and personal effects. If you do not require many of those coverages because you already have them through an existing policy, then baggage and personal effects travel insurance may be all you need.