For international trips above ₹50K, insurance is a no-brainer. For domestic, it's usually a waste.

Travel insurance maths for Indians: international trips above ₹50K of bookings cost ₹600-1,500 for solid coverage including medical evacuation, baggage, and trip-cancellation. The downside scenarios — single hospitalisation in Thailand can cross ₹2-3 lakh — make this a clear positive expected value. For domestic travel under ₹30K, the math reverses. Indian medical care is cheap enough that even unfortunate scenarios usually cost less than the insurance overhead across multiple trips. The exception is adventure travel (Ladakh road trip, Himalayan trek) — there the medical risk profile justifies the ₹400-600 premium.