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Travel insurance isn't absolutely mandatory when traveling abroad, but in most cases i would strongly recommend it. No matter how well you plan a trip there is always something that can go wrong, and it is always better to have that safety net there in case you need things like medical aid or help with lost or stolen belongings etc in an unfamiliar place where you don't know anyone to turn to for help.

Foreign countries are more difficult to visit and feel safe in anyway because of the language barriers and the longer distances from the places we feel safe than with domestic travel. Particularly if the language is different then the culture tends to be a lot different as well, which can make it a lot more stressful if something goes wrong than if you can speak to everyone easily in the same language.

As for travel insurance in foreign places i would always recommend it if you can afford it. Some places are notorious for tourists being robbed and hotels being broken into, and it always pays to have a guarantee than nothing can spoil the holiday completely. Having your things stolen could mean being stranded in the country with nothing to do and no way of getting home any quicker if the country doesn't have particularly modern money withdrawal systems and you don't have anyone who can forward you the money.

The only time when travel insurance wouldn't be an absolute must would be if you have been to the country a lot of times before, and either the language is the same or you can speak it as fluently as a native, as well as understanding the culture and customs very well as well. The only other instance would be if you were staying with relatives and had done so before, so that there was very nearly no level of risk with your belongings etc and they are there to help out if anything goes wrong, but even in these cases its probably still better to just get the insurance seen as it doesn't cost that much for a fairy short stay anyway.

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