Best Travel Insurance for Japan: Your Worry-Free Guide

Planning a trip to Japan is exciting, as a rich cultural heritage, vibrant cities, and breathtaking natural settings await you. Though generally considered a safe travel destination, a trip to Japan can still be perilous, as you could encounter natural disasters such as earthquakes or typhoons, travel delays, injuries, or illness. Before you take off for the Land of the Rising Sun, look into travel insurance that can offer reassurance and relieve some of the uncertainties of international travel. 

While travel insurance isn’t required to visit Japan, getting it can safeguard your travel investment and give you peace of mind as you travel. Whether you need to cut your trip short, experience a medical emergency, or have unexpected travel disruptions, travel insurance can protect you financially and help you connect with the necessary resources.

Read this guide to find everything you need to know about insurance policies for trips to Japan, including when it’s a good idea to buy it, what it costs, what’s covered, and examples of real travel insurance plans you can use for your next trip there.

The 5 Best Travel Insurance Policies for Japan

Travel insurance for Japan can be affordable and offer comprehensive coverage. We checked out quotes for policies that at least include trip cancellation and interruption insurance and coverage for medical emergencies. What you pay depends on your age, coverage, trip cost, and other factors, so we’ve run the numbers for various scenarios to give you an idea of what you can expect in terms of coverage and cost.

Consider these travel insurance policies for a trip to Japan:

‌Best Japan Travel Insurance for Young Travelers: Aegis 

Affordable travel insurance policies are plentiful for young travelers because insurance companies generally offer reasonable rates for young adults. For a weeklong trip to Japan, a 25-year-old can expect to pay $35 for an Aegis Go Ready Choice policy. This policy offers trip cancellation coverage for 100% of your trip cost and trip interruption for up to 150%. You can even get covered for an employment layoff after a 14-day wait as long as you’ve been employed for 2 continuous years. Emergency medical coverage offers $50,000 in secondary coverage, including COVID-19, and $250,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation coverage.

‌Best Japan Travel Insurance for Seniors: Tin Leg

Though seniors should expect to pay more for travel insurance than younger travelers, Tin Leg’s economy policy may still be cost-effective and offer valuable coverage at a relatively low price. A 65-year-old would pay $90 for this policy, which offers up to 100% of your trip cost for trip cancellation and interruption insurance. There’s $20,000 for secondary emergency medical coverage and up to $100,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation benefits.

Best Japan Travel Insurance for Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR): Seven Corners

If you’re concerned you may need to cancel your trip to Japan for reasons not covered by the policy’s regular trip cancellation coverage, Cancel for Any Reason benefits can help. With Seven Corners Trip Protection Basic coverage, you can get up to 75% of your nonrefundable trip costs back if you need to cancel your trip. This policy also offers up to 100% trip cancellation and interruption for covered reasons, $100,000 in secondary emergency medical coverage, and $250,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation benefits. This policy costs slightly more than others at $106.50 for a 45-year-old.

Best Japan Travel Insurance for Adventure Tours: Battleface

Whether you’re planning to hit a Japanese ski resort, go whitewater rafting, or hike Mount Fuji, a travel insurance policy that covers adventure sports can help if you get hurt. With a Battleface Discovery Plan, you can get coverage for sports and adventurous activities that would otherwise be excluded. This policy is $71.84 for a 45-year-old and also offers up to 100% coverage of your trip costs for trip cancellation, 150% for trip interruption, $100,000 in secondary emergency medical coverage, and $500,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation benefits.

Best Japan Travel Insurance for COVID-19: Berkshire Hathaway

Japan has dropped its requirements for vaccination certificates and predeparture tests, but COVID-19 can still interfere with your Japan travel plans. A travel insurance policy that covers COVID-19 offers protection if you need to cancel or cut your trip short due to COVID-19. With the Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection ExactCare Value plan, you pay $49 for a 45-year-old and get up to 100% reimbursement for trip cancellation or interruption for covered reasons, including COVID-19. And if you get hurt or seriously ill while you’re visiting, the $15,000 in secondary medical coverage and $150,000 in medical evacuation benefits can help you get the medical treatment you need.

Is Travel Insurance for Japan Worth It?

Wherever you travel, getting travel insurance can be worth it if you have nonrefundable travel expenses at stake. It is especially helpful if medical care is costly at your destination. It can also be worth it if you’re unfamiliar with your destination and expect to need travel assistance.

Japan is typically considered a moderately expensive travel destination, especially during peak travel times such as cherry blossom season. You likely have significant travel expenses invested in your upcoming trip to Japan. If those expenses are nonrefundable, such as flights without change options or prepaid hotel bookings, travel insurance can protect those payments and give you money back if you need to cancel your trip or cut it short for a covered reason.

While Japan has excellent medical services and universal health care that covers Japanese citizens, health coverage is not extended to visitors. Medical treatment can be costly in Japan, and it’s unlikely your U.S.-based health insurance offers coverage in Japan. Getting travel insurance for your trip to Japan that includes emergency health coverage can help you pay for medical expenses if you need treatment while you’re in Japan — or if you need evacuation for health reasons.

Visiting Japan can be confusing for new visitors, particularly if you’re traveling without a guide. Although travel insurance is most helpful for major problems, such as canceling or cutting your trip short or getting emergency medical care, this coverage can also come in handy if you use your travel insurance company’s travel assistance hotline for less catastrophic issues. For example, a travel hotline can help you get a prescription replaced or get connected with emergency cash or roadside assistance. Travel assistance hotlines may also offer translation services.

Japan Travel Insurance Costs

Comprehensive travel insurance for Japan typically costs 5% to 10% of your total nonrefundable expenses for the trip. This type of travel insurance generally covers trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical treatment, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, and 24-hour travel assistance. 

Let’s say you’ve booked a $2,000 trip. Reasonable travel insurance costs would be $100 to $200.

What you actually pay for Japan travel insurance depends on various factors, including:

• How much your trip costs
• How long you’re traveling
• How old you are
• Where you’re traveling
• The coverage options you choose
• The level of deductibles you opt for
• Coverage limits
• Optional features, such as CFAR or adventure sports coverage

Hot Tip:

See our guide to average travel insurance costs for more insight into what you should expect to pay for a travel insurance policy.

What Japan Travel Insurance Covers

Coverage varies depending on the travel insurance policy, with some Japan travel insurance plans offering more coverage areas or higher benefit amounts than others. Still, most comprehensive Japan travel insurance policies include coverage for:

• Trip Cancellation: Trip cancellation insurance enables you to cancel your travel plans for any covered reason and receive full reimbursement for your nonrefundable travel expenses. 
• Trip Interruption: Similar to trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption insurance can reimburse you for nonrefundable travel expenses if you need to cut your trip short. Some policies offer a 150% reimbursement of your travel costs.
• Emergency Medical: Travel insurance policies with emergency medical coverage can pay out benefits if you need emergency medical treatment during your trip. Some offer primary coverage, which kicks in immediately, while others have secondary coverage, which requires you to use other available insurance coverage first before you can get benefits.
• Emergency Evacuation: If you encounter a serious medical condition and need to be moved for medical care, travel insurance with emergency evacuation benefits can pay for the cost of transportation and care to an acceptable medical facility.
• Delayed or Lost Baggage: You may need to buy replacement clothing, toiletries, and other necessities if your baggage is lost, stolen, or damaged. Coverage for delayed or lost baggage can reimburse you for these expenses.
• Rental Car Collision: Travel insurance policies may offer coverage for car rental damage so you can decline the rental company’s coverage.
• Travel Assistance Hotline: Your travel insurance coverage may include access to a travel assistance hotline that can offer help, such as directing you to medical facilities, connecting you with local resources, or communicating with loved ones on your behalf during an emergency.

Types of Japan Travel Insurance

You can choose from various travel insurance options for a trip to Japan. While we’ve highlighted comprehensive travel insurance plans with coverage for trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and more, you can customize your policy with as little or as much coverage as you need.

For example, you may look for a policy that offers emergency medical coverage or a policy that’s just for trip cancellation and interruption. Limiting your policy to specific coverage areas may offer savings. Or you may decide to upgrade your comprehensive travel insurance policy to include CFAR coverage or adventure sports, depending on your needs.

What To Look For in a Travel Insurance Policy for Japan

It’s a good idea to compare your travel insurance options before you buy a policy. Look at these factors that can influence how much you pay, your coverage, and how well your travel insurance policy works for you:

• Cost: Compare prices before you choose a policy — but also verify coverage so you’re comparing policies fairly.
• Coverage Options: Find out the details of what’s covered and the limits of how much you’re covered for. Also, understand policy limitations so you’re clear on what you’re protected for — or not.
• Policy Details: Get information such as how soon you need to cancel to get full reimbursement for your travel, what steps you need to take to get emergency medical coverage, and how to get travel assistance.
• Eligibility: Some travel insurance policies have eligibility restrictions for factors such as age and destination, so verify that you and your trip are eligible for coverage.
• Customer Reviews: Reading customer reviews can help you understand the experience others have had with a particular provider. You can learn what to expect from claims and customer service and how well the coverage works.

How To Get Travel Insurance for Japan

You have a few options for purchasing travel insurance for a trip to Japan. Usually, travel insurance for Japan is available when you book your travel, through a travel insurance website, or directly with travel insurance companies.

As you book your travel arrangements, particularly air travel or hotels, you may be offered travel insurance at booking. Though some airlines offer travel insurance, it’s also common to see third-party travel insurance offered when you book with online travel agencies such as Expedia and Booking.com. 

If you’d like to shop multiple policies at once, you can use travel insurance comparison websites such as Squaremouth. On these sites, you enter your trip information and get quotes from travel insurance companies. This approach can be good for comparing costs and coverage among policies available for your trip. 

Another option is buying travel insurance directly from an insurance company. Typically, you can get quotes from travel insurance companies and set up your policy online. You might consider buying directly if you’ve compared options and chosen a policy that works for you or if you’ve worked with a travel insurance company before and want to get another policy for an upcoming trip.

Hot Tip:

Weighing your options can save you money and help you find the right coverage at the best price, but don’t take too long to buy travel insurance. We recommend buying travel insurance within 2 weeks of your first trip payment for the best coverage.

While you can buy travel insurance for Japan, keep in mind you may already have some coverage. For example, travel cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® and The Platinum Card^® from American Express, frequently offer travel insurance benefits such as trip cancellation and interruption, rental car collision damage waivers, emergency medical coverage, and baggage insurance. Of course, you should read the details of this coverage to understand policy limitations. You may find the coverage lacking and decide to get a travel insurance policy to make sure you’re covered for everything you want.

Final Thoughts

Getting travel insurance before your trip to Japan can relieve stress and protect your travel investment. Whether you’re seeking affordability or comprehensive coverage, Japan travel insurance can cater to diverse needs. Understand your options, find the best travel insurance policy for your needs, and journey to Japan with confidence, knowing you’re covered for the unexpected.

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For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.