If I payed for travel insurance in December of 2018 but the coverage was for January to April of 2019. Can I claim the medical expense in 2018 or must I wait until 2019?

[marieturner1955]

If I made the payment for travel insurance in December of 2018 but the coverage was for January to April of 2019. Can I claim the medical expense in 2018 or must I wait until 2019?

[DanielV01 · Accepted solution]

That's a 2018 expense, provided that the expense qualifies for the deduction.  For individual tax returns, you claim deductions in the year they were "constructively paid", and not in the year that you were using the proceeds of the benefit.  Even though travel isn't until 2019, if you paid for it in 2018, it is a 2018 expense.

[DoninGA]

Travel insurance is not an eligible medical insurance that you can claim on a tax return Schedule A as a medical expense.

[marieturner1955]

Sorry for the confusion, it is medical travel insurance so I believe it is eligible to be claimed.

[DanielV01]

That was why I answered the way I did.  DoninGA is correct that travel insurance itself is not deductible, but if your insurance is medical related and is qualified, you deduct it in the year you paid it.

[marieturner1955]

Thank you