Editorial policy
Travel insurance affects people's health and money, so we hold our content to a clear standard. This page explains how we research, write, check and correct it.
Last updated
Our sources, in order of preference
- Laws and official texts, such as the EU Visa Code or a government notice.
- Government and public health agencies, such as the CDC, US State Department, GOV.UK, Smartraveller and the Government of Canada.
- Regulators, embassies and consumer organizations, such as a consulate's checklist or CHOICE and Which?.
- Reputable news reports, especially for very recent changes in the rules.
- Industry sources, such as insurers, comparison sites and assistance companies. These are useful for market data and policy terms, but they often have a commercial interest, so we name them and treat their figures as estimates.
We list the sources we checked at the end of each guide. A listed source doesn't mean that organization endorses us.
How we handle uncertainty
Some rules are unclear, and sources conflict. When that happens we say so. We use "reported" where we rely on a secondary source, and we mark some destinations as unsettled rather than guessing. If a page says "we could not confirm this", that's the honest state of our research at the date shown.
We also avoid precise-sounding claims that can't be supported. Our cost estimator, for example, applies published percentage benchmarks. It doesn't pretend to be an insurer's pricing model.
What we won't do
- Invent reviews, testimonials, experts, statistics or credentials
- Rank insurers as "the best" unless we can show a clear, fair method
- Let advertisers influence what we write
- Offer personal insurance, legal, medical or financial advice
- Present examples as real cases. Worked examples on our site are illustrations
How we write
We write for readers rather than for search engines. That means plain language, direct answers near the top of the page and concrete examples. We explain jargon when we use it, and our glossary covers the most common terms.
Our team may use software tools, including AI writing assistance, to help research and draft material. Every published page is meant to be reviewed against its sources before it goes live, and responsibility for what we publish rests with us rather than with any tool.
Keeping pages up to date
Each guide shows the date it was last updated. Our destination tracker shows when each entry was last checked. We review pages when we learn about a change, and we prioritize fast-moving topics such as entry rules. Our country directory covers every country, but a country's page is marked "not yet verified" and kept out of search results until an editor has checked its rule and added original guidance. Even so, rules can change between our checks, so please always confirm anything important with the relevant embassy or authority before traveling.
Corrections
If you've spotted a mistake, please tell us, ideally with a link to your source. When we verify an error, we correct the page and update its date. If a correction substantially changes our advice, we'll say so on the page.
Independence
We're funded by advertising, and our writers don't take money or gifts from insurers for coverage. If that ever changes, we'll disclose it clearly on the page concerned. See our advertising disclosure.