The simple math for choosing between per-trip coverage and a year of unlimited trips.
Last updated: September 2026
If you travel internationally more than once a year, you have probably wondered whether buying insurance trip-by-trip is burning money. Here is the quick answer: two or more international trips per year, and an annual multi-trip plan usually wins on both price and convenience. The details below will confirm it for your situation.
You buy coverage for one defined trip: exact dates, one destination set, up to 6 months. Pricing reflects your age, destination, trip length, and the medical maximum you select (up to $1,000,000 on some plans). Ideal for the annual vacation, a semester abroad, or a one-off business trip. See our single-trip guide.
One purchase covers an unlimited number of international trips across a 365-day period, with each trip covered up to a maximum length (commonly up to 70 days per trip). You pay once and you are covered all year. No quoting before every departure. See our multi-trip guide.
Compare the annual premium against the cost of two or three single-trip policies for your typical trips. For most travelers taking two or more international trips a year, the annual plan costs less than buying separately, and the convenience of never thinking about it again is a bonus. If you take exactly one trip a year, single-trip almost always wins.
One big trip a year → single-trip. Two or more trips → annual multi-trip. One very long stay (3 to 6 months) → single-trip. Living abroad → neither; look at long-term international health insurance instead.
Get quotes for both and let the numbers decide. Most frequent travelers save with annual.
Get a QuoteNo. Annual plans cap each individual trip (commonly up to 70 days). For a single long stay, buy a single-trip plan matched to your dates instead.
Coverage for that trip typically ends at the limit. Plan around it in advance, or buy single-trip coverage for the long journey.
Yes. The 365-day coverage period starts on your chosen effective date, not on January 1.
It depends on the plan tier, not the trip type. Look for tiers that explicitly include pre-existing condition coverage rather than assuming either type covers them.