Why travel insurance is now a modern travel necessity, not an option
Opinion
By
Stephen Lokonyo
| Jan 21, 2026
Picture this, about six months to the December holidays, a family starts saving up for their dream holiday to Malaysia. By December 20th 2025, the family has finally managed to book everything.
Their flight is catered for, their hotel accommodation booked, their essential clothes packed and their travel documents in place. Like many travellers, the family hesitates at the checkout page for travel insurance, viewing it as an unnecessary expense for a healthy family.
Ultimately, since it is a mandatory requirement, they pay up the extra Sh19,500 for a comprehensive policy for both the adults and the children—a decision that would save the family over Sh200, 000.
Midway through the trip, a sudden storm causes a flight cancellation that leaves the family stranded at their layover in Bangkok. While they wait for the storm to clear, their youngest child develops a severe allergic reaction to a local dish.
READ MORE
Profit, people and policy: The CEO's triple mandate
The downside of the cheque system on Kenya's economy
A call to account: The Sh100b question every county must answer
Why Kenya's catalytic funds are not effective in poverty alleviation
KRA seeks private funder for new multibillion revenue collection system
KPC set to shake up NSE top 10 as it seeks Sh106 billion in IPO
Communications professionals should use artificial intelligence ethically
Kenya banks on partnerships to get sea-time opportunities for cadets
The child’s health condition becomes so bad that it necessitates an emergency medical evacuation to a better health facility in the area. However, because the family had secured the right coverage, their nightmare scenario became a series of manageable steps.
The policy covers the cost of evacuation and subsequent hospital stay. The insurance also provides a daily allowance for meals and a hotel while they were stranded by the storm, preventing them from paying out-of-pocket for expensive last-minute accommodation, subject to policy terms and conditions.
The family’s story highlights why travel insurance can no longer be considered optional for modern travel.
Given the range of potential challenges faced during international travel, having travel insurance can ensure peace of mind and financial security while travelling. Travel insurance is a crucial investment for any person journeying abroad because it offers essential protection against various risks, including medical emergencies, travel-related issues and flight disruptions.
While travelling, one may be exposed to various environments, meals and activities that may raise their risk of being ill or injured. In such a scenario, insurance can protect them against the medical costs that will add to their expenses. Additionally, if one misses their connecting flight due to late arrival, flight cancellation or delays, insurance can save them the cost of rescheduling their entire trip.
No matter how alert one is, sometimes travelling abroad can get overwhelming, and one may misplace their baggage, or it may get stolen. If one has a good travel insurance policy, the cost of replacing their lost or stolen belongings may be reimbursed.
In November last year, First Assurance rolled out an online portal that allows travellers, travel agencies, influencers and the general public to access travel insurance services at the convenience of their phone.
The innovation is part of the company’s strategy to ensure that travel insurance is easily accessible to all. The company has also rolled out portals for other products, including Motor and Marine insurance. Customers can log into the online portals to get an insurance quote and personalised premium estimate within seconds, access and manage their policy remotely, pay and download policy documents effortlessly.
To this end, engaging a reputable insurance provider is thus crucial to ensuring one completes their adventure without interruptions.
The writer is the Managing Director at First Assurance