Travel Insurance for Israel: Why It Matters in 2026

November 26, 2025 - Meagan Palmer

Planning a trip to Israel in 2026 offers the chance to experience world-shaping history, religious heritage, and rich cultural landscapes. But with Israel’s evolving political climate and the lingering effects of the 2023–2025 conflict, travelers face unique risks that make travel insurance for Israel more essential than ever.

The right plan can protect you from costly medical emergencies abroad, unexpected cancellations, and disruptions that may impact your itinerary. It also gives you financial peace of mind in a destination where sudden changes—whether security-related, operational, or weather-driven—can affect travel plans.

Key Takeaways

• Travel insurance is essential for Israel trips due to the possibility of covered cancellations, medical emergencies, and delays.

• Standard policies usually exclude conflict-related claims tied to the ongoing Israel–Hamas conflict and civil unrest.

• Insurance still covers non-conflict emergencies like illness, accidents, natural disasters, and travel delays.

• In emergencies, contact your insurer’s 24/7 assistance line immediately and keep detailed records for claims.

Jumping Ahead

• Understanding Travel Insurance for Israel and Why You Need It
• Does Travel Insurance Cover the Israel–Hamas Conflict?
• Types of Coverage to Consider for Your Trip to Israel
• What Travel Insurance Experts Recommend for Israel Trips
• Selecting the Right Travel Insurance Plan for Israel
• Dealing with Crises and Claims
• Israel Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding Travel Insurance for Israel and Why You Need It

Travel insurance for Israel helps protect you from unexpected costs and complications during your visit. Without it, you may be responsible for significant medical bills, emergency transport, or out-of-pocket expenses if your trip is disrupted.

Coverage is especially important for travelers visiting Israel in 2026 because:

Healthcare costs for foreigners can be expensive

Regional tensions can impact flight schedules and local movement

Most U.S. health plans and Medicare don’t work abroad

Only a limited number of insurers are currently offering policies that include Israel

Many travel suppliers have strict cancellation policies

Israel-Specific Concerns Travelers Should Consider

Israel’s geopolitical landscape creates unique risks that travelers should prepare for. These can affect everything from your daily itinerary to your ability to travel through certain regions.

Key Concerns Include:

Terrorism

Rocket fire, attempted attacks, and other hostile activities can impact certain border areas. These events may cause closures, delays, or sudden itinerary changes, so be sure to check local advisories.

Civil Unrest

Protests and demonstrations are still common, especially in major cities. While most are peaceful, they can disrupt transportation, cause localized shutdowns, or delay travel plans.

Armed Conflict

Although a ceasefire framework is in place, tensions can resurface without warning, as we’ve already seen. Security incidents may affect airspace, border crossings, and internal movement.

Natural disasters

Earthquakes and flash floods—particularly in the Dead Sea and desert regions—can delay excursions or impact travel routes. Check the weather forecast and local media for more information.

Pro Tip: For a deeper look at current safety conditions, travelers can consult Yonder’s Israel Travel Safety Guide.

Does Travel Insurance Cover the Israel–Hamas Conflict?

In most cases, no — standard travel insurance does not cover claims related to the Israel–Hamas conflict. Because the conflict is considered a known event, war-related incidents are typically excluded from trip cancellation, interruption, and many emergency evacuation benefits.

Here’s what travelers need to know:

What is not covered

Most travel insurance providers exclude claims involving:

• War, invasion, or declared/undeclared armed conflict

• Civil unrest

• Government travel bans or border closures caused by conflict

• Security evacuations due to geopolitical events (unless purchased as an upgrade)

This means you typically cannot get reimbursed for canceling a trip because of:

• Heightened tension in Gaza or the northern border

• Government advisories recommending you avoid Israel

• Concerns about personal safety due to the conflict

• Fear of travel due to rising tensions, regional developments, security incidents, etc.

What may still be covered

Even with the conflict ongoing, travel insurance can still cover new and unrelated events, such as:

Illness or injury (flu, broken bone, stomach virus, etc.)

Natural disasters not tied to the conflict

Airline mechanical failures

Weather-related flight cancellations

Lost luggage or baggage delays

Non-conflict-related medical emergencies

“Injuries or losses caused by the current conflict in Israel typically aren’t covered. But new medical issues or non-conflict-related incidents are usually still eligible for coverage.”

Says Terry Boynton, co-founder and president of Yonder Travel Insurance.

Types of Coverage to Consider for Your Trip to Israel

Depending on your concerns about traveling to Israel, there are a few coverage options. Let’s walk through the options below.

Comprehensive Coverage

If you not only want medical coverage during your trip, but also want to protect your nonrefundable trip costs, then Yonder recommends getting a comprehensive travel insurance policy. This plan would include three main pillars of travel insurance coverage, including:

• Trip cancellation/interruption

• Medical expense/evacuation

• Travel loss/delay

You’ll want comprehensive coverage if you’re planning expensive tours or visiting multiple cities. Basic medical-only policies work well for short stays with flexible itineraries.

Travel Medical Coverage

If you aren’t as concerned about protecting your trip costs or aren’t liable to pay anything until you arrive in Israel, you could consider a travel medical plan instead. This would give you access to medical coverage in case of emergencies. Medical coverage should include emergency evacuation and repatriation benefits. Choose policies that offer at least $100,000 in medical coverage.

Pro Tip: Some providers aren’t currently selling coverage to Israel, but there are still some that do. You can find Israel travel insurance options on Yonder’s website.

What Travel Insurance Experts Recommend for Israel Trips

Although each traveler will have different needs, there are some travel insurance benefits our experts recommend for anyone taking a trip to Israel soon. Given the complex travel environment in Israel right now, it’s best to have a policy that can protect against unexpected trip interruptions, travel delays, medical emergencies, and lost personal items.

Medical Expense and Evacuation Benefits

Medical coverage of at least $100,000 per person is essential for international travel to Israel. Check that your plan includes emergency evacuation of up to $500,000 per person to transport you to the nearest qualified medical facility.

“It’s important to note that any injuries caused by the current conflict in Israel are not likely covered under most travel insurance plans,” says Terry Boynton, co-founder and president of Yonder Travel Insurance. “However, any new injuries or medical events not related to the unrest in Israel, like getting the flu, or breaking a leg, would likely still be covered.”

Trip Cancellation Coverage

Choose a plan with trip cancellation protection that reimburses your non-refundable deposits if you need to cancel for covered reasons.

Yonder’s customers traveling to Israel spent an average of $3,020.68 per person in 2025. That’s a big chunk of change that might not be otherwise refunded by travel suppliers if you have to cancel your trip.

Most basic travel insurance plans cover cancellation reasons like illness, injury, death, natural disasters, aircraft mechanical breakdowns, and inclement weather-related flight cancellations. It should be noted that the current events in Israel are considered known events and aren’t covered by trip cancellation under most policies.

Trip Interruption and Travel Delays Benefits

In the event your travel plans get delayed on your way to or from Israel, it’s nice to have a policy that reimburses extra out-of-pocket expenses. For example, if your trip gets delayed due to an aircraft mechanical issue (which is unfortunately more common these days), you could be reimbursed for any of the prepaid bookings you missed because of that.

In addition, if the next flight out doesn’t leave until the following day, you could be reimbursed for any additional hotel or meal expenses you incur. Travel delay coverage provides $150-300 per day for extra meals and hotels during delays over 6-12 hours.

Lost Baggage and Missed Connection Coverage

On the note of disruptions, what’s more annoying than your bags getting lost by the airline or missing your connecting flight? Yonder recommends purchasing a travel insurance plan that includes at least $1,000 in baggage coverage to protect your belongings. This pays for lost, damaged or stolen items during your trip.

In addition, if your bags don’t arrive on time in Israel, that might mean you have to purchase extra clothing and personal items. Get $500-1,000 in baggage delay coverage for essential items if your bags are delayed 12+ hours.

Missed connection insurance provides $500-1,500 to book new flights if you miss a connection due to weather or carrier delays. This is crucial when flying through multiple airports.

Selecting the Right Insurance Plan For Israel

Travel insurance for Israel needs careful consideration due to the country’s unique situation. So how do you narrow down the options? Here are a few additional points our experts review when recommending policies.

Which Travel Insurance Providers Currently Cover Israel?

Because of ongoing regional instability, only a limited number of travel insurance providers are currently offering coverage for trips to Israel. Some paused coverage entirely after the escalation of conflict in 2023–2024, while others continue to insure travelers with certain exclusions.

Current Providers that Offer Coverage to Israel on Yonder’s Site:

• IMG/iTravelInsured

• Travel Insured International

• Faye

• AIG Travel Guard

Even if a provider covers travel to Israel, most do not cover claims related to the Israel–Hamas conflict as stated before, including:

• Security threats

• Rocket fire

• Evacuation due to unrest

• Cancellations tied to government advisories

Travelers should review policy exclusions carefully or use Yonder’s comparison tools to filter plans with appropriate protections.

Comparing Providers

Start by getting quotes from a comparison site like Yonder. This allows you to compare and purchase plans from top providers, all in one place. Look for providers with strong financial ratings and positive user ratings. Yonder has carefully curated policies on our site, ensuring you can confidently purchase from a trustworthy source.

What Travelers Should Look For:

Coverage limits for medical expenses

Number of trip cancellation and interruption covered reasons

Emergency assistance services available

Claims processing reputation

Price points and deductibles

Dealing with Crises and Claims

Travel emergencies in Israel require quick action and proper documentation to get support from your insurance provider. Having the right coverage and following key steps can help protect your trip investment.

Responding to Civil Unrest and Travel Advisories

When political or security events emerge, contact your insurance provider’s 24/7 emergency assistance line immediately. They can arrange evacuation services and coordinate with local authorities if needed.

Pro Tip: The emergency provider can also assist with other services like translations, passport help, and advance payment for medical services.

Keep detailed records of any government advisories or warnings affecting your travel plans. Save official communications, news reports, and receipts for emergency expenses.

Filing Claims and Reimbursement Process

Submit your claim as soon as possible after the incident. Gather necessary documents like:

Original tickets and itineraries

Proof of payments and expenses

Medical records (if applicable)

Police reports for security incidents

Official statements about travel restrictions

For a full run-through on filing a successful claim, be sure to check out our claims guide.

Israel Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions