Imagine a trip during which you go wherever you want to go, eat whatever you want to eat, and never have to settle or compromise.

It’s all about you, 24/7.  It’s downright self-indulgent. And that’s kinda the point.

Trekking around the globe by your lonesome is growing in popularity. Surging, really. Google searches alone for “solo travel” spiked 40 percent over the past few years.¹ Credit woman and millennials for leading the movement. Tour companies, in particular, are seeing a spike in women booking solo travel arrangements. For example, walking tour operator Country Walkers reported that 87 percent of its female travelers were single — outpacing male travelers by three to one.² Meanwhile, about a quarter of millennials are planning solitary jaunts in the next two years.³

The rationale for booking solo travel engagements runs the gamut, from folks making journeys of self-discovery sans distractions to travelers seeking uber-immersive experiences in which they can connect with the native culture. Sometimes travelers simply have niche interests, from birding to cheese-making and fly fishing that narrows a trip’s focus. Or maybe it’s an ancestry tour, in which one brave soul is looking to shake a few branches on the family tree.

There are innumerable itineraries in which it just makes sense to travel solo, unencumbered from finding a restaurant in a small town halfway around the world that will make chicken fingers for your kids. Or accommodating your significant other’s early-to-bed, early-to-rise preference when you just want to stay up late and sleep in.

But despite all the popularity of solo travel and all the apparent benefits, there are a few potential drawbacks to not having a travel buddy or a whole pack of them. Some of these may be minor inconveniences, such as having trouble getting a table for one or wanting a second opinion before you buy that frock from the open-air market (They really do need more mirrors at these marketplaces…).

Another potential downside of solo travel is a bit more serious: getting sick or injured when you’re traveling alone, whether it’s a weekend getaway two states away from home or a month-long, zig-zagging odyssey. This is a scenario all solo trekkers need to plan for — and travel insurance plans including emergency medical benefits can go a long way to making sure you get home safe and sound if something goes awry.

Why Are Emergency Medical Benefits Important for Solo Travel?

Let’s throw a couple of scenarios at you. First, you’re hiking in Montana’s Glacier National Park by yourself. It’s a beautiful day. You’re breathing in the Rockies and taking selfies with snow-capped peaks just beyond your shoulder. Then, just as you see a great spot to unpack your lunch, your foot catches a tree root, and you take a tumble. At first, you think it’s no big deal. But when you attempt to put weight on your ankle, you nearly collapse, clutching a tree limb to regain your balance. You stay calm, assess the situation and take out your phone to plan your next move. But you’re a few miles from civilization, give or take a few miles.

OK, we’ll leave that first scenario as a cliffhanger for a moment. Here is one more. You’re in Marrakesh, where you spent a long day touring gardens, palaces, and tombs. You hunt down a pastilla for dinner, which is pigeon pie made with pastry and spices. It smells… divine. And that’s when things take a turn, your stomach, specifically. You’re down for the count in your hostel, and starting to think you need a little medical attention.

Both of these situations can cause some anxious moments, especially when you’re traveling alone. In fact, many of the most common mishaps — from fractures from falls to cardiovascular problems and trauma — have something in common: They’re even more a cause for anxiety when you’re alone in a strange land, possibly not able to speak the native language.⁴ Further compounding your stress is the fact that you don’t have access to your regular physician and your existing health insurance benefits likely either won’t work, including Original Medicare, or won’t work the same (For example, you may be required to pay for medical service out of pocket and then apply for reimbursement upon return home.)⁵

Don’t worry, there is some good news. When you have travel insurance, you’re never truly alone. Purchasing a travel insurance plan can provide more than specific emergency medical benefits; it can connect you with travel experts to help troubleshoot your travel mishaps, however big or small. With Allianz Global Assistance, this can include 24/7 assistance via phone. This multi-lingual service will help you hunt down medical help, including medical facilities and doctors.

Here is an in-depth look at Allianz Global Assistance’s emergency medical benefits and other travel benefits.

Emergency Medical Benefits & Solo Travel

Remember that tidbit about your regular health insurance not working when traveling abroad, or at least not working the same as you’re accustomed to at home? Well, it’s true. That’s why it’s of crucial importance to call your health insurance provider before traveling overseas to get a sense of what coverage levels you can expect. This includes inquiring about coverage for pre-existing conditions and any out-of-pocket costs you’ll need to pay in the event of treatment.⁵

So, what is an emergency medical benefit? This is a plan benefit that provides for one’s losses due to covered medical and dental emergencies during your trip. This could include emergency room surgeries and covered outpatient treatment. Depending on your travel insurance provider and policy, the total coverage amounts will vary. Another detail to look at when weighing options is if you have a pre-existing condition, and how it would be handled by your given policy.

A separate but related benefit is emergency medical transportation, which can provide medically necessary transport to the nearest hospital or appropriate facility following a covered illness or injury.⁶ Know that this cost, in particular, can easily run tens of thousands of dollars for transporting injured or ill travelers home in a medically safe manner. It can cost $100,000 for a medical evacuation from South America and more than $200,000 from Asia or Australia. And that’s the potential out-of-pocket cost for transportation alone, not treatment.⁷

Travel insurance can provide more than peace of mind in these scenarios. If you would like a specific example, take a look at Allianz Global Assistance’s OneTrip Prime Plan, a popular choice among travelers for vacation coverage. For this plan, the Emergency Medical benefit can be up to $25,000, while the Emergency Medical Transportation benefit can be up to $500,000.⁶

Let’s be straight: while we’re talking about solo travel, emergency medical benefits can also come in big for tour group trips, tandem excursions, and family getaways. But there is just something different about solo travel. Think about how traveling by yourself could potentially impact any fallout from getting injured or falling ill. For example, it’s reasonable to imagine that with the assistance of one or more travel companions, you’d be able to help your situation or at least ease the stress of going it alone. Think back to that trip to Glacier National Park. Some hiking buddies may have been able to help you back, depending on the severity of the injury. Or remember that Moroccan dinner you’d like to forget? Some friendly travel mates could have helped get you to a health clinic before it got ugly — or at least have reminded you of your repeated transgressions involving spicy ethnic fare and your sensitive stomach.

Solo travel is growing. It’s the ideal way to build an itinerary all around what you want to do. But what you don’t want to do is be stuck in a precarious position because you’re traveling without family and friends. With a travel insurance plan with emergency medical benefits, you can focus on the fun and avoid running through countless “what if” scenarios. That’s what travel insurance is all about — packing peace of mind.

Related Articles

• 9 Tips for Planning Your International Solo Trip
• The Real Cost of Emergency Medical Transportation
• What Are The Most Common Medical Emergencies While Traveling?