Traveling to Japan is an adventure of a lifetime, but ensuring a smooth and stress-free journey requires careful planning. One crucial aspect of this preparation is securing the right travel insurance for Japan.
Some of the areas we’ll explore are how to obtain travel insurance for your trip to Japan, what to do if you need coverage after departure, and crucial advice for handling medical emergencies while in Japan. Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a seasoned explorer, these travel insurance tips will equip you with the knowledge to make the most of your Japanese adventure.
Jumping Ahead
Do You Need Travel Insurance for Japan?
We’re a little biased, but we think travel insurance is always a wise idea when traveling internationally. Travel always comes with some sort of risk and travel insurance protects from having to fork out extra money or face logistical travel challenges alone. Keep reading for a full guide on getting coverage for Japan travel.
What Travel Insurance Benefits Should I Get for Japan Travel?
When it comes to travel insurance for Japan, Yonder recommends getting the best coverage through a comprehensive policy. This means it includes three pillars of coverage: Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption, Medical Expense/Medical Evacuation, and Travel Loss/Delay.
Let’s dive into how each of these benefits could help protect you and your trip to Japan.
Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption
These are probably some of the most asked-about benefits because they could cause you to lose your trip investment. These benefits allow you to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason and receive your unused trip costs back.
Here are a few common scenarios in which travelers might have to cancel or interrupt their trip:
Scenario #1: You or your traveling companion get really sick or injured right before your trip and your doctor says you can’t travel. Without travel insurance, your travel suppliers might not refund you, causing you to lose those expenses.
Scenario #2: While on your trip, you and/or your traveling companion have to cut the trip short due to the serious illness or passing away of an elderly parent back at home. Travel insurance could recoup your unused travel expenses and potentially additional airfare to rebook your tickets home.
Medical Expense & Medical Evacuation
Another important area of getting an insurance plan for your trip to Japan is getting medical coverage in case of illness or injury. Most health insurance plans in the States won’t supply international medical coverage. This means if you were to need medical attention during your trip, you’d have to pay out of pocket for these expenses.
Luckily, travel insurance could accommodate reimbursement for the following medical expenses:
- Costs for treating a new condition
- New prescriptions to treat a new injury or illness
- Ambulatory costs to the medical facility
- Expenses for anesthetics, x-rays, laboratory tests
Trip Delay Coverage
Travel delays can happen to anyone. On the bright side, travel insurance can save you from those annoying travel hiccups and protect you from forking out extra money you didn’t plan on spending. Here are a few scenarios that could happen for travelers visiting Japan:
Scenario #1: You’re all set to explore the vibrant streets of Tokyo, but your flight gets delayed due to a typhoon or heavy fog. With travel insurance, you can get reimbursed for extra accommodation and meal expenses during the delay.
Scenario #2: Let’s say you’re all geared up for a winter wonderland adventure in Japan, but heavy snowfall unexpectedly disrupts the train schedules, causing significant travel delays. Travel insurance could reimburse your extra accommodation and meal expenses during the delay, ensuring that unexpected weather-related disruptions don’t put a dent in your travel budget.
Lost or Delayed Baggage
Protecting your belongings is crucial to a comfortable and worry-free trip to Japan. Here’s how travel insurance can bring greater peace of mind you’ll still have everything you need even if your baggage gets lost or delayed:
Scenario #1: Imagine arriving in Japan, but your luggage takes a detour and ends up in a different city. With travel insurance, you could be reimbursed for essential items like clothing and toiletries purchased due to the baggage delay.
Scenario #2: If your bags go missing during transit, travel insurance could provide coverage for the value of the lost items.
Natural Disaster Coverage
We’ve already mentioned how trip cancellation/interruption and travel delay benefits could apply if your destination is affected by a natural disaster. Japan is frequently affected by natural disasters due to its geographical location and topography.
The country experiences a high frequency of earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, making it particularly vulnerable to a wide range of natural calamities. However, if you find yourself needing a non-medical evacuation from your location due to a natural disaster, some insurance policies could assist.
Pro Tip: Non-medical evacuation coverage isn’t included with all plans, so be sure to double-check the schedule of benefits in the certificate before purchasing.
Hazardous Sports Coverage
Japan is a hotspot for adventure sports tourism. You can find winter sports activities in Hokkaido and Nagano. Mountain adventures can be found in and around Mount Fuji and the Japanese Alps. If you’re into water sports, be sure to add Okinawa and Ishigaki Island to your bucket list.
Not all travel insurance plans may cover certain “hazardous” sports. Yonder advises finding an insurance plan that allows you to name the sport you need coverage for or one that offers a “hazardous sports rider”. Here are a few scenarios this coverage could come into play:
Scenario #1: In the event of a medical emergency resulting from adventure activities such as skiing or mountain climbing, specialized coverage can provide essential medical assistance and evacuation services.
Scenario #2: If you’re traveling with sporting equipment that gets lost or damaged, some coverage can offer reimbursement for the cost of the equipment and/or sporting equipment rentals.
Pro Tip: Need coverage for adventure sports? Get coverage for the sports you’ll be participating in during your trip with the Safe Treker plan.
Additional Benefits of Travel Insurance for Japan
In addition to the three pillars of coverage that come with comprehensive plans, travel insurance offers a few other perks for those traveling to Japan.
24/7 Emergency Assistance
Should a travel or medical emergency occur, you’re not alone. Each insurance plan includes access to a round-the-clock professional emergency team to navigate you through tough situations you might encounter during your Japan travels.
Language Assistance
Should you need emergency translation services to sort out a travel hiccup or medical situation, the 24/7 assistance team can help.
Peace of Mind
Overall, having coverage for a trip to Japan alleviates concerns about potential disruptions and unexpected expenses. Travelers can explore and enjoy their journey with greater confidence, knowing they have a safety net to fall back on.
How Much Does Travel Insurance for Japan Cost?
In general, most policies cost between 2-10% of your total trip expenses. Generally, factors like age, trip cost, trip length, and number of travelers all affect the calculation of the overall premium.
How Do I Get Travel Insurance for My Trip to Japan?
The easiest way to purchase the best travel insurance for a trip to Japan is to use a comparison site like Yonder. You can compare policies from top insurance companies and utilize filters to find the best coverage on our site. Plus, travel insurance is often more affordable than you think!
Getting Travel Insurance After You’ve Departed
Thankfully, you can still purchase travel insurance even after you’ve left for your trip. Ask for a travel medical plan for your Japan trip instead. This type of plan will include medical and travel loss/delay benefits. Typically, these plans are even more affordable than comprehensive policies, so they shouldn’t break the bank.
Ask our friendly humans about travel medical insurance for Japan today!
What if You Need Medical Attention During Your Trip?
Although it’s unlikely, if you require medical attention during your trip, there are several steps you should take to ensure a smooth claims process.
First, you can contact the 24/7 emergency assistance provider to help locate the nearest hospital or medical facility. Be sure to keep all receipts and invoices. It helps to have the doctor describe the diagnosis and situation with a signed letter. The more documentation you can get before you head back home, the better.
Then, once you return home, you can reach out to the team of friendly humans at Yonder (if you purchased your policy through us). We can assist in initiating your claim, answer any questions, and advocate on your behalf during the claims process.
Quick Japan Travel Tips
Japan Currency: Japanese Yen
Traditional Accommodations: Ryokan (Japanese Inns)
Top Cities in Japan: Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka
U.S. Embassy in Japan: Located in Tokyo
Public Transportation: Japan Rail
We hope it’s clear the value travel insurance can bring when taking a trip to Japan! Yonder’s here to navigate you through policy options, coverage questions, and claims. Check out our Destination Guides page for other popular tourist destination travel insurance and travel safety information.
As a seasoned professional with over five years of experience in the travel insurance industry, Meagan has honed her expertise in marketing and operations working for Yonder Travel Insurance.
Throughout her career, she's shown dedication assisting customers at every stage of their travel insurance journey, from the initial quote process to navigating the claims process. Her expert understanding of travel insurance equips her to provide unbiased and valuable insights, which help travelers find the best coverage and maximize its benefits.
