On the morning of September 11, 2001, Insana was walking towards the World Trade Center (aware of the ongoing attack) with MSNBC producer John Zeta. As they saw one of the towers begin to collapse, they turned and ran. The pair lost each other in a cloud of oncoming dust. Insana took refuge inside a parked car. Still covered in dust, he described what he had witnessed on NBC's "Today" show with Matt Lauer and Katie Couric. He was nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy Award as part of NBC's coverage of 9/11.