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9 Best Travel Insurance Companies of April 2024

According to our analysis of more than 50 travel insurance companies and hundreds of different travel insurance plans, the best travel insurance company is Travelex Insurance Services. In our best travel insurance ratings, we take into account traveler reviews, credit ratings and industry awards. The best travel insurance companies offer robust coverage and excellent customer service, and many offer customizable add-ons.

Travelex Insurance Services »

Allianz Travel Insurance »

HTH Travel Insurance »

Tin Leg »

AIG Travel Guard »

Nationwide Insurance »

Seven Corners »

Generali Global Assistance »

Berkshire hathaway travel protection ».

Why Trust Us

U.S. News evaluates ratings, data and scores of more than 50 travel insurance companies from comparison websites like TravelInsurance.com, Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip, plus renowned credit rating agency AM Best, in addition to reviews and recommendations from top travel industry sources and consumers to determine the Best Travel Insurance Companies.

Table of Contents

• Travelex Insurance Services
• Allianz Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can help you protect the financial investment you made in your vacation when unexpected issues arise. Find the best travel insurance for the type of trip(s) you're taking and the coverages that matter most to you – from interruptions and misplaced belongings to illness and injury.

• Travelex Insurance Services: Best Overall
• Allianz Travel Insurance: Best for Trip Interruptions
• HTH Travel Insurance: Best for Groups
• Tin Leg: Best Cost
• AIG Travel Guard: Best for Families
• Nationwide Insurance: Best for Last-Minute Travel Insurance
• Seven Corners: Best for 24/7 Support When Traveling
• Generali Global Assistance: Best for Medical Emergencies
• Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection: Best for Specialized Coverage

Customizable upgrades are available, including car rental coverage, additional medical insurance and adventure sports coverage

Medical and trip cancellation maximum are not as high as some other companies

• 100% of the insured trip cost for trip cancellation; 150% for trip interruption
• Up to $1,000 in coverage for lost, damaged or stolen bags and personal items; $200 for luggage delays
• $750 in missed connection coverage
• $50,000 in emergency medical and dental coverage
• Up to $500,000 in emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage

SEE FULL REVIEW »

Annual and multitrip policies are available

Distinguishing between the company's 10 travel insurance plans can be challenging

• Up to $200,000 in trip cancellation coverage; $300,000 in trip interruption coverage
• $2,000 for lost, damaged or stolen luggage and personal effects; $600 for bag delays
• Up to $1,600 for travel delays
• Emergency medical coverage of up to $75,000
• Epidemic coverage

Generous coverage at the mid- and high-tier levels, and great group discounts

Preexisting conditions coverage is only available at mid- and high-tier plans

• 100% trip cancellation coverage (up to $50,000); 200% trip interruption coverage
• Up to $2,000 in coverage for baggage and personal effects; $400 in baggage delay coverage
• Up to $2,000 in coverage for trip delays; $1,000 for missed connections
• $500,000 in coverage per person for sickness and accidents

Variety of plans to choose from, including two budget-friendly policies and several more premium options

More limited coverage for baggage issues than other companies

• 100% trip cancellation protection; 150% trip interruption
• $500 per person for lost, stolen or damaged baggage and personal items
• Up to $2,000 per person in travel delay coverage ($150 per day); $100 per person for missed connections
• $100,000 per person in emergency medical coverage, including issues related to COVID-19

Travel insurance policy coverage is tailored to your specific trip

Information about policy coverage inclusions is not readily available without first obtaining a quote

• Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of your trip's cost; trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost
• Up to $2,500 in coverage for lost, stolen or damaged baggage; $500 related to luggage delays
• Up to $1,000 in missed connection and trip delay coverage
• $100,000 in emergency medical coverage

Variety of plans to choose from and coverage available up to a day before you leave on your trip

Limited trip cancellation coverage even at the highest tier

• Trip cancellation coverage up to $30,000; trip interruption coverage worth up to 200% of the trip cost (maximum of $60,000)
• $2,000 for lost, damaged or stolen baggage; $600 for baggage delays
• Up to $2,000 for trip delays; missed connection and itinerary change coverage of $500 each
• $150,000 for emergency medical and dental issues

Customer service available 24/7 via text, Whatsapp, email and phone

Cancel for any reason coverage costs extra

• 100% trip cancellation coverage (up to between $30,000 and $100,000 depending on your state of residence); interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost 
• Lost, stolen or damaged baggage coverage up to $2,500; up to $600 for luggage delays
• Trip delay and missed connection coverage worth up to $1,500
• Emergency medical coverage worth up to between $250,000 and $500,000 (depending on where you live)

Generous emergency medical and emergency evacuation coverage

Coverage for those with preexisting conditions is only available on the Premium plan

• 100% reimbursement for trip cancellation; 175% reimbursement for trip interruption
• $2,000 in coverage for loss of baggage per person
• $1,000 per person in travel delay and missed connection coverage
• $250,000 in medical and dental coverage per person

In addition to single-trip plans, company offers specific road trip, adventure travel, flight and cruise insurance coverage

Coverage for missed connections or accidental death and dismemberment is not part of the most basic plan

• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to 100% of the trip cost; interruption coverage worth up to 150% of the trip cost
• $500 in coverage for lost, stolen or damaged bags and personal items; bag delay coverage worth $200
• Trip delay coverage worth up to $1,000; missed connection coverage worth up to $100
• Medical coverage worth up to $50,000

To help you better understand the costs associated with travel insurance, we requested quotes for a weeklong June 2024 trip to Spain for a solo traveler, a couple and a family. These rates should help you get a rough estimate for about how much you can expect to spend on travel insurance. For additional details on specific coverage from each travel insurance plan and to input your trip information for a quote, see our comparison table below.

Travel Insurance Types: Which One Is Right for You?

There are several types of travel insurance you'll want to evaluate before choosing the policy that's right for you. A few of the most popular types of travel insurance include:

COVID travel insurance Select insurance plans offer some or a combination of the following COVID-19-related protections: coverage for rapid or PCR testing; accommodations if you're required to quarantine during your trip if you test positive for coronavirus; health care; and trip cancellations due to you or a family member testing positive for COVID-19. Read more about the best COVID-19 travel insurance options .

Cancel for any reason insurance Cancel for any reason travel insurance works exactly how it sounds. This type of travel insurance lets you cancel your trip for any reason you want – even if your reason is that you simply decide you no longer want to go. Cancel for any reason travel insurance is typically an add-on you can purchase to go along with other types of travel insurance. For that reason, you will pay more to have this kind of coverage added to your policy.

Also note that this type of coverage typically only reimburses 50% to 80% of your nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses. You'll want to make sure you know exactly how much reimbursement you could qualify for before you invest in this type of policy. Compare the best cancel for any reason travel insurance options here .

International travel insurance Travel insurance is especially useful when traveling internationally, as it can provide medical coverage for emergencies (in some cases for COVID-19) when you're far from home. Depending which international travel insurance plan you choose, this type of travel insurance can also cover lost or delayed luggage, rental cars, travel interruptions or cancellations, and more.

Cheap travel insurance If you want travel insurance but don't want to spend a lot of money, there are plenty of cheap travel insurance options that will offer at least some protections (and peace of mind). These are typically called a company's basic or standard plan; many travel insurance companies even allow you to customize your coverage, spending as little or as much as you want. Explore your options for the cheapest travel insurance here .

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance Trip cancellation coverage can help you get reimbursement for prepaid travel expenses, such as your airfare and cruise fare, if your trip is ultimately canceled for a covered reason. Trip interruption insurance, on the other hand, kicks in to reimburse you if your trip is derailed after it starts. For instance, if you arrived at your destination and became gravely ill, it would cover the cost if you had to cut your trip short.

Trip delay insurance can help you qualify for reimbursement of any unexpected expenses you incur (think: lodging, transportation and food) in the event your trip is delayed for reasons beyond your control, such as your flight being canceled and rebooked for the next day. You will want to save your receipts to substantiate your claim if you have this coverage.

Lost, damaged, delayed or stolen bags or personal belongings Coverage for lost or stolen bags can come in handy if your checked luggage is lost by your airline or your luggage is delayed so long that you have to buy clothing and toiletries for your trip. This type of coverage can kick in to cover the cost to replace lost or stolen items you brought on your trip. It can also provide coverage for the baggage itself. It's even possible that your travel insurance policy will pay for your flight home if damages are caused to your residence and your belongings while you're away, forcing you to return home immediately.

Travel medical insurance If you find yourself sick or injured while you are on vacation, emergency medical coverage can pay for your medical expenses. With that in mind, however, you will need to find out whether the travel medical insurance you buy is primary or secondary. Where a primary policy can be used right away to cover medical bills incurred while you travel, secondary coverage only provides reimbursement after you have exhausted other medical policies you have.

You will also need to know how the travel medical coverage you purchase deals with any preexisting conditions you have, including whether you will have any coverage for preexisting conditions at all. Read more about the best travel medical insurance plans .

Evacuation insurance Imagine you break your leg while on the side of a mountain in some far-flung land without quality health care. Not only would you need travel medical insurance coverage in that case, but you would also need coverage for the exorbitant expense involved in getting you off the side of a mountain and flying you home where you can receive appropriate medical care.

Evacuation coverage can come in handy if you need it, but you will want to make sure any coverage you buy comes with incredibly high limits. According to Squaremouth, an emergency evacuation can easily cost $25,000 in North America and up to $50,000 in Europe, so the site typically suggests customers buy policies with $50,000 to $100,000 in emergency evacuation coverage.

Cruise insurance Travel delays; missed connections, tours or excursions; and cruise ship disablement (when a ship encounters a mechanical issue and is unable to continue on in the journey) are just a few examples why cruise insurance can be a useful protection if you've booked a cruise vacation. Learn more about the top cruise insurance plans here .

Credit card travel insurance It is not uncommon to find credit cards that include trip cancellation and interruption coverage , trip delay insurance, lost or delayed baggage coverage, travel accident insurance, and more. Cards that offer this coverage include popular options like the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card , the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and The Platinum Card from American Express . 

Note that owning a credit card with travel insurance protection is not enough for your coverage to count: To take advantage of credit card travel insurance, you must pay for prepaid travel expenses like your airfare, hotel stay or cruise with that specific credit card. Also, note that credit cards with travel insurance have their own list of exclusions to watch out for. Many also require cardholders to pay an annual fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best time to buy travel insurance is normally within a few weeks of booking your trip since you may qualify for lower pricing if you book early. Keep in mind, some travel insurance providers allow you to purchase plans until the day before you depart.

Many times, you are given the option to purchase travel insurance when you book your airfare, accommodations or vacation package. Travel insurance and travel protection are frequently offered as add-ons for your trip, meaning you can pay for your vacation and some level of travel insurance at the same time.

However, many people choose to wait to buy travel insurance until after their entire vacation is booked and paid for. This helps travelers tally up all the underlying costs associated with a trip, and then choose their travel insurance provider and the level of coverage they want.

Figuring out where to buy travel insurance may be confusing but you can easily research and purchase travel insurance online these days. Some consumers prefer to shop around with a specific provider, such as Allianz or Travelex, but you can also shop and compare policies with a travel insurance platform. Popular options include:

• TravelInsurance.com: TravelInsurance.com offers travel insurance options from more than a dozen vetted insurance providers. Users can read reviews on the various travel insurance providers to find out more about previous travelers' experiences with them. Squaremouth: With Squaremouth, you can enter your trip details and compare more than 90 travel insurance plans from 20-plus providers.
• InsureMyTrip: InsureMyTrip works similarly, letting you shop around and compare plans from more than 20 travel insurance providers in one place. InsureMyTrip also offers several guarantees, including a Best Price Guarantee, a Best Plan Guarantee and a Money-Back Guarantee that promises a full refund if you decide you no longer need the plan you purchased.

Protect your trip: Search, compare and buy the best travel insurance plans for the lowest price. Get a quote .

When you need to file a travel insurance claim, you should plan on explaining to your provider what happened to your trip and why you think your policy applies. If you planned to go on a Caribbean cruise, but your husband fell gravely ill the night before you were set to depart, you would need to explain that situation to your travel insurance company. Information you should share with your provider includes the details of why you're making a claim, who was involved and the exact circumstances of your loss.

Documentation is important, and your travel insurance provider will ask for proof of what happened. Required documentation for travel insurance typically includes any proof of a delay, receipts, copies of medical bills and more.

Most travel insurance companies let you file a claim using an online form, but some also allow you to file a claim by phone or via fax. Some travel insurance providers, such as Allianz and Travel Insured International, offer their own mobile apps you can use to buy policies and upload information or documents that substantiate your claim. In any case, you will need to provide the company with proof of your claim and the circumstances that caused it.

If your claim is initially denied, you may also need to answer some questions or submit some additional information that can highlight why you do, in fact, qualify.

Whatever you do, be honest and forthcoming with all the information in your claim. Also, be willing to provide more information or answer any questions when asked.

Travel insurance claims typically take four to six weeks to process once you file with your insurance company. However, with various flight delays and cancellations due to things like extreme weather and pilot shortages, more travelers have begun purchasing travel insurance, encountering trip issues and having to submit claims. The higher volume of claims submitted has resulted in slower turnaround times at some insurance companies.

The longer you take to file your travel insurance claim after a loss, the longer you will be waiting for reimbursement. Also note that, with many travel insurance providers, there is a time limit on how long you can submit claims after a trip. For example, with Allianz Travel Insurance and Travelex Insurance Services, you have 90 days from the date of your loss to file a claim.

You may be able to expedite the claim if you provide all the required information upfront, whereas the process could drag on longer than it needs to if you delay filing a claim or the company has to follow up with you to get more information.

Travel insurance is never required, and only you can decide whether or not it's right for you. Check out Is Travel Insurance Worth It? to see some common situations where it does (and doesn't) make sense.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is an award-winning content creator who has been writing about travel insurance and travel for more than a decade. She has researched travel insurance options for her own vacations and family trips to more than 50 countries around the world, and has experience navigating the claims and reimbursement process. In fact, she has successfully filed several travel insurance claims for trip delays and trip cancellations over the years. Johnson also works alongside her husband, Greg, who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states, in their family media business.

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The best travel insurance policies and providers

It's easy to dismiss the value of travel insurance until you need it.

Many travelers have strong opinions about whether you should buy travel insurance . However, the purpose of this post isn't to determine whether it's worth investing in. Instead, it compares some of the top travel insurance providers and policies so you can determine which travel insurance option is best for you.

Of course, as the coronavirus remains an ongoing concern, it's important to understand whether travel insurance covers pandemics. Some policies will cover you if you're diagnosed with COVID-19 and have proof of illness from a doctor. Others will take coverage a step further, covering additional types of pandemic-related expenses and cancellations.

Know, though, that every policy will have exclusions and restrictions that may limit coverage. For example, fear of travel is generally not a covered reason for invoking trip cancellation or interruption coverage, while specific stipulations may apply to elevated travel warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Interested in travel insurance? Visit InsureMyTrip.com to shop for plans that may fit your travel needs.

So, before buying a specific policy, you must understand the full terms and any special notices the insurer has about COVID-19. You may even want to buy the optional cancel for any reason add-on that's available for some comprehensive policies. While you'll pay more for that protection, it allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and still get some of your costs back. Note that this benefit is time-sensitive and has other eligibility requirements, so not all travelers will qualify.

In this guide, we'll review several policies from top travel insurance providers so you have a better understanding of your options before picking the policy and provider that best address your wants and needs.

The best travel insurance providers

To put together this list of the best travel insurance providers, a number of details were considered: favorable ratings from TPG Lounge members, the availability of details about policies and the claims process online, positive online ratings and the ability to purchase policies in most U.S. states. You can also search for options from these (and other) providers through an insurance comparison site like InsureMyTrip .

When comparing insurance providers, I priced out a single-trip policy for each provider for a $2,000, one-week vacation to Istanbul . I used my actual age and state of residence when obtaining quotes. As a result, you may see a different price — or even additional policies due to regulations for travel insurance varying from state to state — when getting a quote.

AIG Travel Guard

AIG Travel Guard receives many positive reviews from readers in the TPG Lounge who have filed claims with the company. AIG offers three plans online, which you can compare side by side, and the ability to examine sample policies. Here are three plans for my sample trip to Turkey.

AIG Travel Guard also offers an annual travel plan. This plan is priced at $259 per year for one Florida resident.

Additionally, AIG Travel Guard offers several other policies, including a single-trip policy without trip cancellation protection . See AIG Travel Guard's COVID-19 notification and COVID-19 advisory for current details regarding COVID-19 coverage.

Preexisting conditions

Typically, AIG Travel Guard wouldn't cover you for any loss or expense due to a preexisting medical condition that existed within 180 days of the coverage effective date. However, AIG Travel Guard may waive the preexisting medical condition exclusion on some plans if you meet the following conditions:

• You purchase the plan within 15 days of your initial trip payment.
• The amount of coverage you purchase equals all trip costs at the time of purchase. You must update your coverage to insure the costs of any subsequent arrangements that you add to your trip within 15 days of paying the travel supplier for these additional arrangements.
• You must be medically able to travel when you purchase your plan.

Standout features

• The Deluxe and Preferred plans allow you to purchase an upgrade that lets you cancel your trip for any reason. However, reimbursement under this coverage will not exceed 50% or 75% of your covered trip cost.
• You can include one child (age 17 and younger) with each paying adult for no additional cost on most single-trip plans.
• Other optional upgrades, including an adventure sports bundle, a baggage bundle, an inconvenience bundle, a pet bundle, a security bundle and a wedding bundle, are available on some policies. So, an AIG Travel Guard plan may be a good choice if you know you want extra coverage in specific areas.

Purchase your policy here: AIG Travel Guard .

Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz is one of the most highly regarded providers in the TPG Lounge, and many readers found the claim process reasonable. Allianz offers many plans, including the following single-trip plans for my sample trip to Turkey.

If you travel frequently, it may make sense to purchase an annual multi-trip policy. For this plan, all of the maximum coverage amounts in the table below are per trip (except for the trip cancellation and trip interruption amounts, which are an aggregate limit per policy). Trips typically must last no more than 45 days, although some plans may cover trips of up to 90 days.

See Allianz's coverage alert for current information on COVID-19 coverage.

Most Allianz travel insurance plans may cover preexisting medical conditions if you meet particular requirements. For the OneTrip Premier, Prime and Basic plans, the requirements are as follows:

• You purchased the policy within 14 days of the date of the first trip payment or deposit.
• You were a U.S. resident when you purchased the policy.
• You were medically able to travel when you purchased the policy.
• On the policy purchase date, you insured the total, nonrefundable cost of your trip (including arrangements that will become nonrefundable or subject to cancellation penalties before your departure date). If you incur additional nonrefundable trip expenses after purchasing this policy, you must insure them within 14 days of their purchase.
• Allianz offers reasonably priced annual policies for independent travelers and families who take multiple trips lasting up to 45 days (or 90 days for select plans) per year.
• Some Allianz plans provide the option of receiving a flat reimbursement amount without receipts for trip delay and baggage delay claims. Of course, you can also submit receipts to get up to the maximum refund.
• For emergency transportation coverage, you or someone on your behalf must contact Allianz, and Allianz must then make all transportation arrangements in advance. However, most Allianz policies provide an option if you cannot contact the company: Allianz will pay up to what it would have paid if it had made the arrangements.

Purchase your policy here: Allianz Travel Insurance .

American Express Travel Insurance

American Express Travel Insurance offers four different package plans and a build-your-own coverage option. You don't have to be an American Express cardholder to purchase this insurance. Here are the four package options for my sample weeklong trip to Turkey. Unlike some other providers, Amex won't ask for your travel destination on the initial quote (but will when you purchase the plan).

Amex's build-your-own coverage plan is unique because you can purchase just the coverage you need. For most types of protection, you can even select the coverage amount that works best for you.

The prices for the packages and the build-your-own plan don't increase for longer trips — as long as the trip cost remains constant. However, the emergency medical and dental benefit is only available for your first 60 days of travel.

Typically, Amex won't cover any loss you incur because of a preexisting medical condition that existed within 90 days of the coverage effective date. However, Amex may waive its preexisting-condition exclusion if you meet both of the following requirements:

• You must be medically able to travel at the time you pay the policy premium.
• You pay the policy premium within 14 days of making the first covered trip deposit.
• Amex's build-your-own coverage option allows you to only purchase — and pay for — the coverage you need.
• Coverage on long trips doesn't cost more than coverage for short trips, making this policy ideal for extended getaways. However, the emergency medical and dental benefit only covers your first 60 days of travel.
• American Express Travel Insurance can protect travel expenses you purchase with Amex Membership Rewards points in the Pay with Points program (as well as travel expenses bought with cash, debit or credit). However, travel expenses bought with other types of points and miles aren't covered.

Purchase your policy here: American Express Travel Insurance .

GeoBlue is different from most other providers described in this piece because it only provides medical coverage while you're traveling internationally and does not offer benefits to protect the cost of your trip. There are many different policies. Some require you to have primary health insurance in the U.S. (although it doesn't need to be provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield), but all of them only offer coverage while traveling outside the U.S.

Two single-trip plans are available if you're traveling for six months or less. The Voyager Choice policy provides coverage (including medical services and medical evacuation for a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition) for trips outside the U.S. to travelers who are 95 or younger and already have a U.S. health insurance policy.

The Voyager Essential policy provides coverage (including medical evacuation for a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition) for trips outside the U.S. to travelers who are 95 or younger, regardless of whether they have primary health insurance.

In addition to these options, two multi-trip plans cover trips of up to 70 days each for one year. Both policies provide coverage (including medical services and medical evacuation for preexisting conditions) to travelers with primary health insurance.

Be sure to check out GeoBlue's COVID-19 notices before buying a plan.

Most GeoBlue policies explicitly cover sudden recurrences of preexisting conditions for medical services and medical evacuation.

• GeoBlue can be an excellent option if you're mainly concerned about the medical side of travel insurance.
• GeoBlue provides single-trip, multi-trip and long-term medical travel insurance policies for many different types of travel.

Purchase your policy here: GeoBlue .

IMG offers various travel medical insurance policies for travelers, as well as comprehensive travel insurance policies. For a single trip of 90 days or less, there are five policy types available for vacation or holiday travelers. Although you must enter your gender, males and females received the same quote for my one-week search.

You can purchase an annual multi-trip travel medical insurance plan. Some only cover trips lasting up to 30 or 45 days, but others provide coverage for longer trips.

See IMG's page on COVID-19 for additional policy information as it relates to coronavirus-related claims.

Most plans may cover preexisting conditions under set parameters or up to specific amounts. For example, the iTravelInsured Travel LX travel insurance plan shown above may cover preexisting conditions if you purchase the insurance within 24 hours of making the final payment for your trip.

For the travel medical insurance plans shown above, preexisting conditions are covered for travelers younger than 70. However, coverage is capped based on your age and whether you have a primary health insurance policy.

• Some annual multi-trip plans are modestly priced.
• iTravelInsured Travel LX may offer optional cancel for any reason and interruption for any reason coverage, if eligible.

Purchase your policy here: IMG .

Travelex Insurance

Travelex offers three single-trip plans: Travel Basic, Travel Select and Travel America. However, only the Travel Basic and Travel Select plans would be applicable for my trip to Turkey.

See Travelex's COVID-19 coverage statement for coronavirus-specific information.

Typically, Travelex won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition that existed within 60 days of the coverage effective date. However, the Travel Select plan may offer a preexisting condition exclusion waiver. To be eligible for this waiver, the insured traveler must meet all the following conditions:

• You purchase the plan within 15 days of the initial trip payment.
• The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, nonrefundable payments or deposits applicable to the trip at the time of purchase. Additionally, you must insure the costs of any subsequent arrangements added to the same trip within 15 days of payment or deposit.
• All insured individuals are medically able to travel when they pay the plan cost.
• The trip cost does not exceed the maximum trip cost limit under trip cancellation as shown in the schedule per person (only applicable to trip cancellation, interruption and delay).
• Travelex's Travel Select policy can cover trips lasting up to 364 days, which is longer than many single-trip policies.
• Neither Travelex policy requires receipts for trip and baggage delay expenses less than $25.
• For emergency evacuation coverage, you or someone on your behalf must contact Travelex and have Travelex make all transportation arrangements in advance. However, both Travelex policies provide an option if you cannot contact Travelex: Travelex will pay up to what it would have paid if it had made the arrangements.

Purchase your policy here: Travelex Insurance .

Seven Corners

Seven Corners offers a wide variety of policies. Here are the policies that are most applicable to travelers on a single international trip.

Seven Corners also offers many other types of travel insurance, including an annual multi-trip plan. You can choose coverage for trips of up to 30, 45 or 60 days when purchasing an annual multi-trip plan.

See Seven Corner's page on COVID-19 for additional policy information as it relates to coronavirus-related claims.

Typically, Seven Corners won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition. However, the RoundTrip Choice plan offers a preexisting condition exclusion waiver. To be eligible for this waiver, you must meet all of the following conditions:

• You buy this plan within 20 days of making your initial trip payment or deposit.
• You or your travel companion are medically able and not disabled from travel when you pay for this plan or upgrade your plan.
• You update the coverage to include the additional cost of subsequent travel arrangements within 15 days of paying your travel supplier for them.
• Seven Corners offers the ability to purchase optional sports and golf equipment coverage. If purchased, this extra insurance will reimburse you for the cost of renting sports or golf equipment if yours is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed by a common carrier for six or more hours. However, Seven Corners must authorize the expenses in advance.
• You can add cancel for any reason coverage or trip interruption for any reason coverage to RoundTrip plans. Although some other providers offer cancel for any reason coverage, trip interruption for any reason coverage is less common.
• Seven Corners' RoundTrip Choice policy offers a political or security evacuation benefit that will transport you to the nearest safe place or your residence under specific conditions. You can also add optional event ticket registration fee protection to the RoundTrip Choice policy.

Purchase your policy here: Seven Corners .

World Nomads

World Nomads is popular with younger, active travelers because of its flexibility and adventure-activities coverage on the Explorer plan. Unlike many policies offered by other providers, you don't need to estimate prepaid costs when purchasing the insurance to have access to trip interruption and cancellation insurance.

World Nomads offers two single-trip plans.

World Nomads has a page dedicated to coronavirus coverage , so be sure to view it before buying a policy.

World Nomads won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition (except emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains) that existed within 90 days of the coverage effective date. Unlike many other providers, World Nomads doesn't offer a waiver.

• World Nomads' policies cover more adventure sports than most providers, so activities such as bungee jumping are included. The Explorer policy covers almost any adventure sport, including skydiving, stunt flying and caving. So, if you partake in adventure sports while traveling, the Explorer policy may be a good fit.
• World Nomads' policies provide nonmedical evacuation coverage for transportation expenses if there is civil or political unrest in the country you are visiting. The coverage may also transport you home if there is an eligible natural disaster or a government expels you.

Purchase your policy here: World Nomads .

Other options for buying travel insurance

This guide details the policies of eight providers with the information available at the time of publication. There are many options when it comes to travel insurance, though. To compare different policies quickly, you can use a travel insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip to search. Just note that these search engines won't show every policy and every provider, and you should still research the provided policies to ensure the coverage fits your trip and needs.

You can also purchase a plan through various membership associations, such as USAA, AAA or Costco. Typically, these organizations partner with a specific provider, so if you are a member of any of these associations, you may want to compare the policies offered through the organization with other policies to get the best coverage for your trip.

Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?

Is travel insurance worth getting?

Whether you should purchase travel insurance is a personal decision. Suppose you use a credit card that provides travel insurance for most of your expenses and have medical insurance that provides adequate coverage abroad. In that case, you may be covered enough on most trips to forgo purchasing travel insurance.

However, suppose your medical insurance won't cover you at your destination and you can't comfortably cover a sizable medical evacuation bill or last-minute flight home . In that case, you should consider purchasing travel insurance. If you travel frequently, buying an annual multi-trip policy may be worth it.

What is the best COVID-19 travel insurance?

There are various aspects to keep in mind in the age of COVID-19. Consider booking travel plans that are fully refundable or have modest change or cancellation fees so you don't need to worry about whether your policy will cover trip cancellation. This is important since many standard comprehensive insurance policies won't reimburse your insured expenses in the event of cancellation if it's related to the fear of traveling due to COVID-19.

However, if you book a nonrefundable trip and want to maintain the ability to get reimbursed (up to 75% of your insured costs) if you choose to cancel, you should consider buying a comprehensive travel insurance policy and then adding optional cancel for any reason protection. Just note that this benefit is time-sensitive and has eligibility requirements, so not all travelers will qualify.

Providers will often require CFAR purchasers insure the entire dollar amount of their travels to receive the coverage. Also, many CFAR policies mandate that you must cancel your plans and notify all travel suppliers at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure.

Likewise, if your primary health insurance won't cover you while on your trip, it's essential to consider whether medical expenses related to COVID-19 treatment are covered. You may also want to consider a MedJet medical transport membership if your trip is to a covered destination for coronavirus-related evacuation.

Ultimately, the best pandemic travel insurance policy will depend on your trip details, travel concerns and your willingness to self-insure. Just be sure to thoroughly read and understand any terms or exclusions before purchasing.

What are the different types of travel insurance?

Whether you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy or rely on the protections offered by select credit cards, you may have access to the following types of coverage:

• Baggage delay protection may reimburse for essential items and clothing when a common carrier (such as an airline) fails to deliver your checked bag within a set time of your arrival at a destination. Typically, you may be reimbursed up to a particular amount per incident or per day.
• Lost/damaged baggage protection may provide reimbursement to replace lost or damaged luggage and items inside that luggage. However, valuables and electronics usually have a relatively low maximum benefit.
• Trip delay reimbursement may provide reimbursement for necessary items, food, lodging and sometimes transportation when you're delayed for a substantial time while traveling on a common carrier such as an airline. This insurance may be beneficial if weather issues (or other covered reasons for which the airline usually won't provide compensation) delay you.
• Trip cancellation and interruption protection may provide reimbursement if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason, such as a death in your family or jury duty.
• Medical evacuation insurance can arrange and pay for medical evacuation if deemed necessary by the insurance provider and a medical professional. This coverage can be particularly valuable if you're traveling to a region with subpar medical facilities.
• Travel accident insurance may provide a payment to you or your beneficiary in the case of your death or dismemberment.
• Emergency medical insurance may provide payment or reimburse you if you must seek medical care while traveling. Some plans only cover emergency medical care, but some also cover other types of medical care. You may need to pay a deductible or copay.
• Rental car coverage may provide a collision damage waiver when renting a car. This waiver may reimburse for collision damage or theft up to a set amount. Some policies also cover loss-of-use charges assessed by the rental company and towing charges to take the vehicle to the nearest qualified repair facility. You generally need to decline the rental company's collision damage waiver or similar provision to be covered.

Should I buy travel health insurance?

If you purchase travel with credit cards that provide various trip protections, you may not see much need for additional travel insurance. However, you may still wonder whether you should buy travel medical insurance.

If your primary health insurance covers you on your trip, you may not need travel health insurance. Your domestic policy may not cover you outside the U.S., though, so it's worth calling the number on your health insurance card if you have coverage questions. If your primary health insurance wouldn't cover you, it's likely worth purchasing travel medical insurance. After all, as you can see above, travel medical insurance is often very modestly priced.

How much does travel insurance cost?

Travel insurance costs depend on various factors, including the provider, the type of coverage, your trip cost, your destination, your age, your residency and how many travelers you want to insure. That said, a standard travel insurance plan will generally set you back somewhere between 4% and 10% of your total trip cost. However, this can get lower for more basic protections or become even higher if you include add-ons like cancel for any reason protection.

The best way to determine how much travel insurance will cost is to price out your trip with a few providers discussed in the guide. Or, visit an insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip to quickly compare options across multiple providers.

When and how to get travel insurance

For the most robust selection of available travel insurance benefits — including time-sensitive add-ons like CFAR protection and waivers of preexisting conditions for eligible travelers — you should ideally purchase travel insurance on the same day you make your first payment toward your trip.

However, many plans may still offer a preexisting conditions waiver for those who qualify if you buy your travel insurance within 14 to 21 days of your first trip expense or deposit (this time frame may vary by provider). If you don't need a preexisting conditions waiver or aren't interested in CFAR coverage, you can purchase travel insurance once your departure date nears.

You must purchase coverage before it's needed. Some travel medical plans are available for purchase after you have departed, but comprehensive plans that include medical coverage must be purchased before departing.

Additionally, you can't buy any medical coverage once you require medical attention. The same applies to all travel insurance coverage. Once you recognize the need, it's too late to protect your trip.

Once you've shopped around and decided upon the best travel insurance plan for your trip, you should be able to complete your purchase online. You'll usually be able to download your insurance card and the complete policy shortly after the transaction is complete.

Related: 7 times your credit card's travel insurance might not cover you

Bottom line

Not all travel insurance policies and providers are equal. Before buying a plan, read and understand the policy documents. By doing so, you can choose a plan that's appropriate for you and your trip — including the features that matter most to you.

For example, if you plan to go skiing or rock climbing, make sure the policy you buy doesn't contain exclusions for these activities. Likewise, if you're making two back-to-back trips during which you'll be returning home for a short time in between, be sure the plan doesn't terminate coverage at the end of your first trip.

If you're looking to cover a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition, select a policy with a preexisting condition waiver and fulfill the requirements for the waiver. After all, buying insurance won't help if your policy doesn't cover your losses.

Disclaimer : This information is provided by IMT Services, LLC ( InsureMyTrip.com ), a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 5119217) and a member of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies. IMT's services are only available in states where it is licensed to do business and the products provided through InsureMyTrip.com may not be available in all states. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not create or modify any insurance policy terms in any way. For more information, please visit www.insuremytrip.com .

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Best Travel Insurance Companies for April 2024

According to our research, Travelex is the best travel insurance company because its comprehensive coverage comes at a relatively low cost. We chose the best travel insurers in our list based on an analysis of 31 travel insurance companies across several areas that are most important to travelers, including options available for your coverage, claim and policy limits, what the policy does and doesn't cover, and typical policy costs. We took time to research insurance coverage limits and what the policies covered and rank companies accordingly.

Travel insurance is an important product to consider when booking a trip, especially if it's a pricy one or you believe there's a chance it could be canceled. If you're like the 40% of people who told Nationwide Travel Insurance they plan to travel more in 2024 than in 2023, then travel insurance could be key to making those plans a reality.

Our list of top travel insurance companies can help you choose the right provider, but you should also do your research to make sure the policy covers your particular trip. And if general travel insurance isn't enough, you may be able to add cancel for any reason (CFAR) travel insurance to your policy to ensure an unexpected situation comes up, like a last-minute work or family obligation, or safety concern.

• Best Overall: Travelex
• Runner-Up, Best Overall: Allianz Travel Insurance
• Best Value: InsureMyTrip
• Most Comprehensive Coverage: World Nomads
• Best for Older Adults: HTH Travel Insurance
• Best for Cruises: Nationwide
• Best for Medical Coverage: GeoBlue
• Our Top Picks

Allianz Travel Insurance

InsureMyTrip

World Nomads

HTH Travel Insurance

• See More (4)

The Bottom Line

• Compare Providers
• What Is Travel Insurance?

How to Get Travel Insurance

What does travel insurance cover.

• How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?
• What Happens When You Cancel a Trip?

Best Overall : Travelex

• Number of Policy Types: 3
• Coverage Limit: Up to 100% up to $50,000 for cancellations
• Starting Price: $24

Travelex offers coverage (up to 150% for interruptions) for you or your family members at a competitive price—and kids are included at no extra charge. A relatively low price for the high levels of coverage made it our top choice. Look for the Travel Select plan for the best coverage.

Competitive pricing for comprehensive coverage

Multiple plan options with customizable features

Children younger than 21 covered at no extra cost

Mixed pre-existing medical condition coverage depending on the policy purchase date

No annual plan available

Basic coverage plan features minimal coverage

Travelex Insurance Services is a well-known travel insurance provider based in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1996, Travelex offers several insurance packages depending on the coverage you need for your trip. Policies are underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, which earns an A++ rating from AM Best and AA+ from Standard & Poor’s.  Coverage is available to customers worldwide.

The Travel Select plan starts at about $36 and includes trip cancellation insurance, trip interruption, and emergency medical and evacuation, but there also are several ways to customize and upgrade coverage.

Travel is covered up to 100% up to $50,000 for cancellations. You can receive up to 150% of the trip cost, up to $75,000, for trip interruptions. Emergency medical limits are $50,000, and emergency evacuation coverage is good for up to $500,000.

In addition, Travel Select has a 15-day pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver. If you purchase your policy within 15 days of paying for your trip and insure the full cost of the trip, your pre-existing injury or illness is likely covered.

Runner-Up , Best Overall : Allianz Travel Insurance

• Number of Policy Types: 10
• Coverage Limit: Up to $10,000 per insured, per year for trip cancellation
• Starting Price: $138

Allianz gets the runner-up spot because it offers coverage for frequent travelers with a low cost per trip. Get the best coverage from the AllTrips Executive Plan. Individual trip coverage is also available.

Annual- or single-trip plans are available

Many policy types fit varying needs

Cover yourself and your household all year even if you’re not traveling together

Does not cover extended travel periods

Some annual plans have per-trip limits while others have annual limits

Limit for emergency medical transportation coverage is only $250,000

Allianz Travel is a subsidiary of Allianz, which traces its history back to 1890 in Germany. Travel policies are underwritten by insurers with AM Best ratings of A to A+ and are available only to legal U.S. residents.

Travelers who want to hit the road many times per year should consider annual travel insurance rather than individual per-trip policies. Allianz Travel offers four different annual plans with varying benefit levels. We particularly like its AllTrips Executive Plan, which has the highest limits and coverage.

The AllTrips Executive Plan provides tiered limits starting at $5,000 for trip cancellation insurance or interruption coverage. It also offers $50,000 for emergency medical and $250,000 for emergency transportation per insured per trip. There is a lengthy list of exclusions, including extreme sports, so make sure to read the fine print before jumping into adventure activities.

Quotes for a single traveler, a couple, and a family of four had a price point of $500 per traveler per year. If you pay for comprehensive coverage at $120 per person per trip and are going to travel at least five times per year, you will break even with this plan. If you’re looking for lower costs, the AllTrips Basic, Premier, and Prime options are also available from Allianz.

Best Value : InsureMyTrip

• Number of Policy Types: Multiple options from over 20 providers
• Coverage Limit: Varies
• Starting Price: $25 to $100

Compare policies from more than 20 different travel insurance providers with one form so you know you’re getting a good deal for the coverage you need. You can find low-cost trip coverage or customize a plan to meet your needs so you don’t overpay for coverage you won’t use.

Search for quotes from multiple reputable insurers

Shop around with one application for multiple trip types

View multiple plans from eligible insurers for your planned trip

Many popular insurers are not included in listings

Initial listing pages don’t show policy limits

Includes some policies with low coverage limits

Founded in 2000, InsureMyTrip is a travel insurance comparison website that searches from more than 20 insurers using one intake form. It offers an easy-to-use sign-up tool to quickly compare multiple policies based on your specific needs. Filters are available to pick policies that cover adventure sports, higher limits, increased medical coverage, and more.

A quote for a family of four taking a 14-day trip that costs $4,000 and includes plane and hotel expenses resulted in three suggested plans with costs of around $100 to around $400 for varying levels of travel protection. Basic features included luggage coverage, travel delay, and medical care. Note that rates will differ based on where customers are originating from and where they are vacationing, as well as other variables.

The insurers you'll find while using InsureMyTrip have earned a variety of industry ratings and are generally considered reputable and financially stable. Still, as with policies bought directly from insurers, it’s a good idea to read the policy details before clicking the buy button. Each underlying insurer has different claims processes, exclusions, and limits. InsureMyTrip makes it easier, however, to be an informed travel insurance buyer.

Most Comprehensive Coverage : World Nomads

• Number of Policy Types: 2
• Coverage Limit: Up to $10,000 for trip cancellation
• Starting Price: $100 to $200

Adventure travelers and digital nomads receive good trip protection from this plan, which offers coverage of up to $100,000 for accidents for some of the most extreme adventures.

Extensive coverage with high limits for medical and emergency evacuation

Protects your bags, computers, and sports equipment when traveling

Explorer plan covers adventure sports

Only single-trip plans are available

Most pre-existing medical conditions are not covered

Not all policies cover adventure sports

World Nomads is a good insurer for those looking for adventure. The Australia-based provider was founded in 2000 and is a solid choice for worldwide travel with few excluded activities. Policies are underwritten by various insurers including the financially strong and well-known Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Generali Global, AIG, and Lloyd’s.

Coverage includes terrorist attacks, assault, medical repatriation, equipment and baggage, and overseas medical and dental. The high-end Explorer Plan covers activities including snow sports, water sports, aviation, motorsports, athletics, and high-adventure experiences. It names more than 200 activities, many of which other insurers specifically exclude.

For the Explorer Plan, a solo 35-year-old would pay around $200, depending on inputs like state of origin, for a month in Thailand, which is reasonable for such extensive coverage. The Standard Plan costs around $100 for the same trip, but it makes sense to choose higher coverage levels if you’re worried about something going wrong.

This U.S.-based policy is underwritten by Nationwide (rated A by AM Best) with a $100,000 limit for emergency accidents and illnesses, $500,000 for emergency evacuation, $10,000 for trip cancellation insurance (or interruption), and much more.

Though it doesn’t have the same insurance reputation as some other providers, it works with reputable companies to underwrite policies.

Best for Older Adults : HTH Travel Insurance

• Number of Policy Types: 5
• Coverage Limit: Up to $50,000 for trip cancellation
• Starting Price: Varies

Medical coverage may be important to older adults who need excellent travel protection with flexible options while on a budget. This is where HTH Worldwide stands out. Older adults can get high levels of medical coverage.

High levels of medical coverage for adults up to 95 years old

Up to a $1,500 allowance for someone to visit you in the hospital

May be expensive depending on your needs

Best plan for older adults requires existing health insurance

Lowest policy has a $50,000 maximum benefit per person

Headquartered in Pennsylvania, HTH Worldwide was founded in 1997, and HTH Travel Insurance offers plans with high levels of medical coverage. That’s a big concern for older adults leaving the country , as they could end up in a doctor’s office or hospital with an expensive bill to follow. HTH Travel Insurance offers up to $1 million in total coverage for medical.

Policies for travelers with existing primary insurance enjoy 100% coverage for typical hospital charges, including surgery, tests, office visits, inpatient hospital stays, and prescription drugs outside of the U.S., among other coverage.

Medical evacuation is available up to $500,000, but trip interruption and baggage coverage are pretty light. Most people will choose this plan for medical rather than travel benefits. This policy is available to applicants who are 95 years old or younger.

Travel insurance is also available for people without existing health coverage. Most older adults in the U.S. are covered by some existing coverage, such as Medicare, but Medicare doesn’t work outside of the United States, leaving people uninsured when abroad. HTH Travel Insurance provides policies for those without existing medical coverage. The age limit is 95, but there is a 180-day pre-existing medical condition exclusion.

Best for Cruises : Nationwide

• Number of Policy Types: 8
• Coverage Limit: Up to $30,000 for trip cancellation
• Starting Price: $100

Multiple options protect your cruise vacation with tailored coverage for common cruise trip issues. This makes Nationwide a good pick for those who take to the high seas for their vacations. Make sure to review the benefit levels so you pick the right coverage for your needs.

Large insurer with a strong reputation

Three different cruise insurance plans to choose from

Coverage for common cruise issues like missed connections and itinerary changes

Some plans have low coverage levels for some incidents

Benefit limits are low for trip interruption for any reason

Pre-existing medical conditions may not be covered

Nationwide has been around since 1925. The Columbus, Ohio-based insurance company offers the most popular types of insurance including auto, home, and life. It also offers a few types of travel insurance coverage for individual trips, multi-trips, and cruises.

For single trip protection, Nationwide offers trip cancellation insurance of up to $10,000 with its Essentials plan and $30,000 with its Prime plan. Travelers may also get an annual travel insurance package for just $59 a year to cover delays, medical expenses, medical evacuation, lost luggage, and travel assistance.

Its custom-tailored plans for cruises, however, are what landed it in this category. The Universal Cruise plan, Choice Cruise plan, and Luxury Cruise plan make it easy to pick the right coverage for your individual needs. The cost for a couple on a 10-day cruise to Mexico, for example, was quoted at around $200 for both the Universal and Choice plans.

Cruise insurance from Nationwide covers what you worry about most with a cruise. Things like broken-down ships and itinerary changes can lead to missed excursions and flights or other costs. For the Universal Cruise plan, emergency medical expenses are covered up to $75,000 with medical evacuation benefits up to $250,000.

Additionally, all plans include coverage for the weather, an extension of school sessions, work emergencies, and terrorism. The luxury plan also covers the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warnings in effect at your destination.

Travelers in 2024 have concerns over trip cancelations due to unprecedented events. Nationwide's survey showed that 51% are still worried about a resurgence of COVID-19, while 54% worry about weather-related delays or cancellations. Other worries include technology issues (38%), unruly fellow travelers (37%), and employee strikes (25%). Travel insurance can help alleviate some stress about a trip being canceled.

Best for Medical Coverage : GeoBlue

GeoBlue offers multiple options to buy travel medical insurance coverage for a lower price than a full travel insurance package. It offers medical coverage on its own if you don’t want or need additional travel coverage.

Up to $1 million in medical coverage

Gives a la carte medical coverage when other trip costs are already covered

Different policies allow you to cover various needs and pre-existing medical conditions

Primarily covers medical costs

Additional primary medical coverage required

GeoBlue, headquartered in Pennsylvania, is part of Worldwide Insurance Services, and policies come with a license from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Policies are issued by 4 Ever Life International Limited, a company with a history of more than 60 years and an A rating (Excellent) from AM Best.

If you just need coverage for medical needs, GeoBlue is a good choice. This insurer offers only travel medical coverage. Paying for medical coverage means you aren't paying for the rest of your travel insurance, which you already may have covered. If you already have a credit card with travel insurance included, your card's terms likely protect things like lost luggage and missed flights, for example. Instead, you get covered just for medical, and the costs for that are as low as a few dollars per day.

Because you’re mostly getting travel medical coverage, you will pay a lot less than most other insurers on this list. Just make sure you completely understand what it does and doesn't cover. You will receive only minimal luggage protection and travel interruption coverage with GeoBlue's plans.

GeoBlue has two general plans for single trips, multiple trips, and long-term travel. Additionally, there are five specialty policies for niche travel medical insurance needs, like study abroad. It doesn’t cover everything related to your trip, but it makes medical coverage much more affordable.

Travelex is the best travel insurance company because it offers competitive pricing for comprehensive travel insurance. Policies from Travelex cover everything from canceled or interrupted trips to medical emergencies and evacuations. It also features a 15-day pre-existing medical conditions waiver, which means that as long as you book your trip several weeks in advance, you and your family members will likely still be covered.

There are many options to choose from when it comes to travel insurance. It can provide you with peace of mind and save you thousands of dollars if your travel plans are canceled or interrupted at the last minute. With world events like pandemics, natural disasters, and wars that could easily throw an unexpected wrench in your travel plans, travel insurance helps you to stay prepared. Overall, our top choice for travel insurance is Travelex.

Why You Can Trust Our Expert Recommendations for the Best Travel Insurance

Investopedia collected several key data points from over 30 travel insurance companies to identify the most important factors for readers choosing a travel insurance company for their trips. We used this data to review each company for cost, coverage limits, exclusions, customer service, and other features to provide unbiased, comprehensive reviews to ensure our readers make the right decision for their needs. Investopedia launched in 1999, and has been helping readers find the best travel insurance companies since 2020.

Compare the Best Travel Insurance Companies

Travel insurance covers common problems when traveling. From trip interruptions to full cancellations, it can help protect the money you put down for your travel experience.

Common coverage includes more than just an unexpected trip stoppage. It can also cover lost or damaged luggage and changes to your itinerary for covered reasons, among other benefits.

Medical coverage is an important factor to consider because your current health insurance may not work away from home. The best travel insurance includes coverage for medical treatment, dental emergencies, and medical transportation. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions or are at risk, it’s important to make sure your policy covers these, too.

Tips for Picking the Best Travel Insurance for You

When picking the best travel insurance policy, there are a few things you should consider. Here are some tips and factors to think about:

• Look for low pricing and good coverage : Pricing is one of the most significant factors when comparing travel insurance policies. Look for a provider that offers low rates and doesn’t skimp on coverage.
• Don't settle for the first policy type : Depending on where you’re traveling and how long you’re staying there, different types of travel insurance policies may work best for your situation. For instance, you may need a different policy for a weeklong trip than you would if you plan to travel abroad for several months.
• Match your coverage limits to your travel costs : Travel insurance plans have coverage limits for trip cancellation, interruption, and medical expenses. Look for a plan whose coverage limit matches the amount you’ve spent on your travel plans.
• Don't forget to look at the exclusions : Some travel insurance plans come with exclusions. If you’re worried about a particular event or accident, make sure it’s covered before you pay for a plan.
• Look for high customer satisfaction ratings : Customer satisfaction is also an important factor when purchasing a travel insurance plan. Look for a provider with high customer satisfaction ratings and a history of good customer service.

"As someone who is always purchasing travel insurance, and has been for years, the thing that matters to me the most is mainly coverage and customer service. I want to know what my policy will cover, especially if I am taking a trip that involves a lot of activities, as well as how easy it will be to contact the company should I need to do so.I have found in the past that the price is always very reasonable and you can shop around, so it has never been the biggest concern for me." -Alice Morgan, Senior Digital Art Director, Dotdash Meredith

• Select a travel insurance company.
• Apply for the travel insurance plan of choice on the company's website or over the phone.
• Provide basic info about who is traveling and travel plans, like name, age, location of trip, and travel expenses and costs like hotels or airfare.
• Wait to be approved.
• Create an online account for easy access while you travel. Some companies may have an app, too.
• Enjoy your trip, and file a claim online or over the phone if needed.

When you’ve selected a travel insurance plan that meets your needs, the next step is to apply for travel insurance. You’ll need to provide the insurance company with some basic information about yourself and your travel plans, including your age, where you live, the date and location of your trip, and your total travel expenses, including things like flights and hotel stays.

Many insurance companies let you apply for a policy entirely online. When your application has been approved, you can typically manage your account online and add details about your trip. If you do need to file a claim, you can typically complete the process online.

Travel insurance may include many different benefits. Here’s a look at some common situations covered by many travel insurance plans:

• Trip cancellation
• Trip interruption
• Missed connection
• Baggage and possession loss, damage, and theft
• Delayed luggage
• Emergency medical treatment
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)

Emergency medical treatment may include things like ambulance services, x-rays, doctor bills, dental work, lab work, and more. It'll depend on the travel insurance company, so be sure to ask before paying for the insurance and/or additional benefits.

There are additional specialty coverages as well, such as customized policies for cruises. It’s a good idea to shop around and compare before making a final decision.

What Does Travel Insurance Not Cover?

Just as homeowners insurance often excludes damage from things like earthquakes and floods, travel insurance has common exclusions you need to know about. Here are some types of coverage you may not get with travel insurance:

• Weather-related cancellations and delays
• Trip cancellations or changes due to acts of terrorism
• Trip cancellations or changes due to a pandemic
• Injuries from extreme sports and high-adventure activities

Though most policies have limits and exclusions around these circumstances, not all do. Some insurers on this list have special coverage for these exact causes or include them in standard plan terms. Again, this is why it’s so important to read your policy documents before paying for and locking in your policy.

Travel insurance costs vary widely by coverage and insurer. You can expect to pay anywhere from a few dollars a day to more than $10 a day for short-term and single-trip coverage. The cost of your trip is another major factor in the insurance rate.

That means insurance for a single trip could cost anywhere from around $20 to hundreds of dollars. Annual policies cost around $500 per year for high levels of coverage.

There are many inexpensive travel insurance plans available, but most travelers are best protected with comprehensive coverage. It costs a bit more, but if you need to file a claim, you’ll be glad you have it.

Is Travel Insurance Worth the Cost?

If you pay a lot for a trip or vacation, then travel insurance should be worth the cost because you don't want to lose out on that investment. It won't always be necessary, but if travel insurance costs just a fraction of what you paid for the trip, then you'll be happy you had it if you have to cancel a trip worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. For example, if you book a European vacation worth $4,000 and your travel insurance costs just $400, it might be worth it so that if anything happens and you need to cancel, you still get $3,600 back in your pocket.

How Does Travel Insurance Work When You Cancel Your Trip?

When canceling your trip, you'll want to contact the travel insurance company right away. The policy and travel insurance company you selected will cover certain parts of your trip. It's important to review this policy and details to understand exactly what you need to do to get your money back for your trip.

Don't cancel your trip until you read your policy and know what is required for your claim.

For example, if you are ill and a doctor tells you not to travel, you may need to get a written note from the doctor and submit it with your trip cancellation claim.

Before you submit a claim and cancel your trip, consider if you can delay it and reschedule it instead. If you can't, then make sure you have all the required documents (receipts, proof of hotel booking, airline ticket confirmation, etc.). Once you submit your claim, it could take days (Allianz says up to 10 business days, sometimes) for you to receive notice that the claim was processed.

Frequently Asked Questions

In which countries is travel insurance required.

Travel insurance is not mandatory or required by all countries, but some do. For example, Cuba requires people traveling from the U.S. to Cuba to have non-U.S. medical insurance, which may be covered through travel insurance or an airline. Other countries that may require or strongly encourage travel insurance include Antarctica, Egypt, Chile, Turkey, and more. Check a country's specific travel requirements before booking your trip to understand if travel insurance is required.

Does Travel Insurance Really Pay?

Travel insurance might not be worth the cost for lower-cost trips and low-risk vacations. However, expensive international trips or large family vacations can make additional travel insurance a reasonable investment.

If you spend thousands of dollars on a trip, it is probably worth spending a couple of hundred more to make sure you get your money back if the trip doesn’t go as planned. If something goes wrong, which can lead to expenses valued at tens of thousands of dollars, it’s good to have a financial backstop so you don’t have to pay for everything out of pocket.

That said, you should check to see what coverage is already available to you through other venues. For instance, many credit cards cover the cost of lost or delayed luggage if you purchase your airfare using that card. Your primary health insurance may cover your medical insurance needs, especially for domestic travel.

Do I Need Travel Insurance for a Cruise?

Just as with any kind of trip, whether you need cruise insurance largely depends on the cost of the trip, and where you're going. If you're paying more than $1,000 for a cruise, travel insurance is probably worth it. For instance, you may want international medical insurance if you're traveling to other countries because some health insurance policies do not cover international travel—Medicare and Medicaid in particular.

Just be aware that if you buy cruise insurance (as opposed to a general travel insurance policy), it may not cover travel before and after the cruise, such as your flight to the port and any hotel expenses you may have pre- or post-trip.

Does State Farm Offer Travel Insurance?

State Farm does not offer travel insurance. State Farm offers car insurance, motorcycle insurance, boat insurance, motorhome insurance, off-road vehicle insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, condo insurance, life insurance, liability insurance, small business insurance, and more.

Can You Buy Travel Insurance After Booking a Flight?

Yes, you can book travel insurance after booking a flight. This may be a great time to book travel insurance because you'll know what coverage you need in case something happens and your trip is canceled. Signing up for travel insurance as soon as possible will always be your best bet.

Which Travel Insurance Is Best?

The best travel insurance company is Travelex because it offers comprehensive coverage at a relatively low price. Travelex has multiple plan options and family members younger than 21 are covered at no extra cost. Another perk is Travelex's Travel Select plan which has a 15-day pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver. If you purchase your policy within 15 days of paying for your trip and insure the full cost of your trip, your pre-existing injury or illness is likely covered.

Does Travel Insurance Cover Canceled Flights?

Most travel insurance covers canceled flights, as well as delayed flights. If your flight is delayed by a certain number of hours, your travel insurance may reimburse you for the additional money you spent as a result of that delay or cancelation.

What Is the Best Rate for Travel Insurance?

The best rate for travel insurance will be whatever it costs for comprehensive coverage for your trip. While you can get travel insurance that costs just $10 per day, it may not come with the coverage you need for your trip—especially if it's an expensive trip or if you're worried it could be canceled or interrupted.

How We Found the Best Travel Insurance Companies

To come up with this list of the top travel insurance providers, we looked at more than 30 different travel insurance companies and plans. Major areas of focus included coverage options, claim and policy limits, what’s covered, and typical insurance policy costs.

The biggest focus was on insurance coverage limits and what each policy covers. Cost is important, but a difference of $20 for much better coverage is often negligible. The most important features examined in this review are the ones that make your policy valuable and easy to use if you ever need it.

Your Guide to Travel Insurance

• Do I Need Travel Insurance?
• How to Get the Cheapest Travel Insurance
• Best Travel Insurance Options for Older Adults
• Best Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) Travel Insurance
• How Much Is Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance?
• How to Buy Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance

Nationwide. " Survey: U.S. Consumer Travel to Surge in 2024 ."

Travelex. " About Travelex ."

S&P Global Market Intelligence. " Insurance Ratings Actions: S&P Acts on Berkshire Hathaway’s Insurance Segment ."

AM Best. " AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Berkshire Hathaway Life Ins Co of Nebraska and First Berkshire Hathaway Life Ins Co ."

Travelex. " Travel Select ."

Allianz. " History of Allianz ."

AM Best " AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of BCS Financial Group Members ."

AM Best. " AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Allianz SE and Rated Subsidiaries ."

Allianz Travel. " AllTrips Executive ."

InsureMyTrip. " About ."

World Nomads. " About World Nomads ."

World Nomads. " What's Covered for Americans? "

World Nomads. " Summary of Plan Benefits: Explorer Plan ."

AM Best. " AM Best Downgrades Credit Ratings of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Its Property/Casualty Subsidiaries; Affirms Credit Ratings of Life Affiliates ."

HTH Travel Insurance. " About Us ."

U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. " Travel Outside the U.S. "

HTH Travel Insurance. " Options for Travelers Without a Primary Plan ."

Nationwide. " About Nationwide ."

Nationwide. " Nationwide Single-Trip Insurance ."

Nationwide. " Nationwide Annual Travel Insurance ."

Nationwide. " Cruise Travel Insurance ."

4 Ever Life. " About Us ."

AM Best. " AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of BCS Financial Group Members ."

GeoBlue. " Travel Medical Insurance Plans ."

Squaremouth Travel Insurance. " Emergency Medical ."

Allianz. " Trip Cancellation Checklist ."

U.S. Embassy in Cuba. " Medical Assistance ."

InsureMyTrip. " Which Countries Require Travel Insurance? "

State Farm. " Types of Insurance Coverage ."

Travelers. " When to Get Travel Insurance ."

Travelex. " Trip Delay Coverage ."

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Travel Insurance

Cheapest travel insurance of April 2024

Mandy Sleight

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 9:52 a.m. UTC April 11, 2024

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WorldTrips is the best cheap travel insurance company of 2024 based on our in-depth analysis of the cheapest travel insurance plans. Its Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier plans offer affordable travel insurance with high limits for emergency medical and evacuation benefits bundled with good coverage for trip delays, travel inconvenience and missed connections.

Cheapest travel insurance of 2024

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our team of travel insurance experts analyzes hundreds of insurance products and thousands of data points to help you find the best travel insurance for your next trip. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
• 567 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Best cheap travel insurance

Top-scoring plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, medical evacuation limit per person, why it’s the best.

WorldTrips tops our rating of the cheapest travel insurance with two plans:

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheaper travel insurance plan of the two, with $100,000 per person in emergency medical benefits as secondary coverage and an optional upgrade to primary coverage. It’s also our pick for the best travel insurance for cruises .
• Atlas Journey Premier costs a little more but gives you $150,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage . This is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority.

Pros and cons

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans.
• Atlas Journey Premier offers $150,000 in primary medical coverage.
• Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
• Each plan offers travel inconvenience coverage of $750 per person.
• 12 optional upgrades, including destination wedding and rental car damage and theft.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Cheap travel insurance for cruises

Travel insured.

Top-scoring plan

Travel Insured offers cheap travel insurance for cruises and its Worldwide Trip Protector plan gets 4 stars in our rating of the best cruise travel insurance .

• Worldwide Trip Protector offers $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and a rare $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits, which means you won’t have to file medical claims with your health insurance first.
• Cheap trip insurance for cruises.
• Offers a rare $150,000 for non-medical evacuation.
• $500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
• Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
• Missed connection benefit of $500 per person only available for cruises and tours.

Best cheap travel insurance for families

Travelex has the best cheap travel insurance for families because kids age 17 are covered by your policy for free when they’re traveling with you.

• Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
• $2,000 travel delay coverage per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
• Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
• Only $50,000 per person emergency medical coverage.
• Baggage delay coverage is only $200 and requires a 12-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for seniors

Evacuation limit per person

Nationwide has the best cheap travel insurance for seniors — its Prime plan gets 4 stars in our best senior travel insurance rating. However, Nationwide’s Cruise Choice plan ranks higher in our best cheap travel insurance rating.

• Cruise Choice has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion. It also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay, for cruises or tours. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.
• Coverage for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
• Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
• Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
• Travel medical coverage is secondary.
• Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
• No “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrade available.
• Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person is only for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for add-on options

AIG offers the best cheap travel insurance for add-on options because the Travel Guard Preferred plan allows you to customize your policy with a host of optional upgrades.

• Travel Guard Preferred upgrades include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings. There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million.
• Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your affordable travel insurance policy.
• Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
• Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
• $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
• Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Best cheap travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe has the best cheap travel insurance for missed connections because coverage is not limited to cruises and tours, as it is with many policies.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
• Most expensive of the best cheap travel insurance plans.
• No “interruption for any reason” coverage available.
• Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

Cheapest travel insurance comparison

How much does the cheapest travel insurance cost?

The cheapest travel insurance in our rating is $334. This is for a WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred travel insurance plan, based on the average of seven quotes for travelers of various ages to international destinations with a range of trip values.  

Factors that determine travel insurance cost

There are several factors that determine the cost of travel insurance, including:

• Age and number of travelers being insured.
• Trip length.
• Total trip cost.
• The travel insurance plan you choose.
• The travel insurance company.
• Any add-ons, features or upgraded benefits you include in the travel insurance plan.

Expert tip: “In general, travelers can expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 10% of their total prepaid, non-refundable trip costs,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.

Is buying the cheapest travel insurance a good idea?

Choosing cheaper travel insurance without paying attention to what a plan covers and excludes could leave you underinsured for your trip. Comparing travel insurance plans side-by-side can help ensure you get enough coverage to protect yourself financially in an emergency for the best price. 

For example, compare these two Travelex travel insurance plans:

• Travel Basic is cheaper but it only provides up to $15,000 for emergency medical expense coverage. You’ll also have to pay extra for coverage for children.
• Travel Select will cost you a bit more but it covers up to $50,000 in medical expenses and includes coverage for kids aged 17 and younger traveling with you. It also offers upgrades such additional medical coverage, “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage and an adventure sports rider that may be a good fit for your trip.

Reasons to consider paying more for travel insurance 

Make sure you understand what you’re giving up if you buy the cheapest travel insurance. Here are a few reasons you may consider paying a little extra for better coverage. 

• Emergency medical. The best travel medical insurance offers primary coverage for emergency medical benefits. Travel insurance with primary coverage can cost more than secondary coverage but will save you from having to file a claim with your health insurance company before filing a travel insurance claim.
• Emergency evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote location or planning a boat excursion on your trip, look at travel insurance with a high medical evacuation insurance limit. If you are injured while traveling, transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility could cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands. It may make sense to pay more for travel insurance with robust emergency evacuation coverage. 
• Flexibility. To maximize your trip flexibility, you might consider upgrading your travel insurance to “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage . This will increase the cost of your travel insurance but allow you to cancel your trip for any reason — not just those listed in your policy. The catch is that you’ll need to cancel at least 48 hours before your trip and will only be reimbursed 50% or 75% of your trip expenses, depending on the plan. 
• Upgrades. Many travel insurance plans have optional extras like car rental collision and adventure sports (which may otherwise be excluded from coverage). These will cost you extra but may give you the coverage you need. 

How to find the cheapest travel insurance

The best way to find the cheapest travel insurance is to determine what you’re looking for in a travel insurance policy and compare plans that meet your needs.

 “Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs, wants and concerns. This is why comparison is key,” said Morrow.

Consider the following factors when comparing cheap travel insurance plans.

• How often you’re traveling. A single-trip policy may be the most cost-effective if you’re only going on a single trip this year. But a multi-trip travel insurance plan may be cheaper if you’re going on multiple international trips throughout the year. Annual travel insurance policies cover you for a whole year as long as each trip doesn’t exceed a certain number of days, usually 30 to 90 days. 
• Credit card has travel insurance benefits. The best credit cards offer perks and benefits, and many offer travel insurance-specific benefits. The coverage types and benefit limits can vary, and you must put the entire trip cost on the credit card to use the coverage. If your trip costs more than the coverage limit on your card, you can supplement the rest with a cheaper travel insurance plan.
• The coverage you need. When looking for the best travel insurance option at the most affordable price, only buy extras and upgrades you really need. A basic plan may only provide up to $500 in baggage insurance, but if you only plan to take $300 worth of clothes and accessories, you don’t need to pay more for higher coverage limits.

Is cheap travel insurance worth it?

Cheap travel insurance can be worth it, as long as you understand the plan limitations and exclusions. Taking the time to read your policy, especially the fine print, well before your trip can ensure there won’t be any surprises about what’s covered once your journey begins.

“If a traveler is looking for coverage for travel delays, cancellations, interruptions, medical and baggage — a comprehensive travel insurance policy will provide the most bang for their buck,” said Morrow. But if you’re on a tight budget and are only worried about emergency medical care and evacuation coverage while traveling abroad, stand-alone options are cheaper.

Before buying travel insurance, you should also consider what your health insurance will cover. 

“Most domestic health insurance plans, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills abroad,” said Morrow. Even if you’re staying stateside, you may find value in an affordable travel insurance plan with medical coverage if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). 

A cheap travel insurance plan is better than none at all if you end up in a situation that would have covered some or all of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance . From those top-scoring travel insurance plans, we chose the most affordable for our rating of the cheapest travel insurance.

Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:

• Cost: 40 points. We scored the average cost of each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles.
• Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
• Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
• “Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
• Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
• Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
• Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.

Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

Cheapest travel insurance FAQs

When buying travel insurance, cheapest is not always the best. The most affordable travel insurance plans typically offer fewer coverages with lower policy limits and few or no optional upgrades. Add up your total nonrefundable trip costs and compare travel insurance plans and available features that cover your travel expenses. This strategy can help you find the cheapest travel insurance policy that best protects you from financial loss if an unforeseen circumstance arises.

Get the coverage you need: Best travel insurance of 2024

According to our analysis, WorldTrips , Travel Insured International and Travelex offer the best cheap travel insurance. Policy coverage types and limits can vary by each travel insurance provider, so the best way to get the cheapest travel insurance plan is to compare several policies and companies to find the right fit for your budget.

A good rate for travel insurance depends on your budget and coverage needs. The most comprehensive travel insurance plan is usually not the cheapest. But cheap trip insurance may not have enough coverage or the types of coverage you want. Comparing different levels of coverage and how much they cost can help you find the best cheap insurance for travel. 

The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% to 6% of your total travel expenses for one trip, according to our analysis of rates. However, you may find cheaper travel insurance if you opt for a plan with fewer benefits or lower coverage limits. How much you pay for travel insurance will also depend on the number of travelers covered, their ages, the length of the trip and any upgrades you add to your plan.

Travel insurance covers nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs — up to the policy coverage limits — when your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason outlined in your plan documents. Even the cheapest travel insurance policies usually provide coverage for:

• Medical emergencies.
• Trip delays.
• Trip interruption.
• Trip cancellation.
• Lost, stolen or damaged luggage.

However, if you’re looking to save on travel insurance, you can shop for a policy that only has travel medical insurance and does not include benefits for trip cancellation .

Even when you buy cheap travel insurance, you can often use upgrade options to customize your policy to meet your specific needs. 

Some common travel insurance add-ons you may want to consider include:

• Rental car damage coverage. 
• Medical bundle.
• Security bundle.
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
• Adventure sports bundle.
• Pet bundle.
• Wedding bundle.
• “Cancel for work reasons” coverage.
• “Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage.
• “Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage .

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Mandy is an insurance writer who has been creating online content since 2018. Before becoming a full-time freelance writer, Mandy spent 15 years working as an insurance agent. Her work has been published in Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Insurance Bulletin, U.S. News and more.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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I'm a financial planner, and I'd recommend annual travel insurance to anyone who loves to travel abroad

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• Frequent and spontaneous travelers will likely benefit from annual travel insurance policies.
• Your credit card may come with some travel protections, but it may not be enough.
• When choosing a policy, look at what it covers, not just what's cheapest.

Summer is just a few months away — and if you're planning a vacation this year, the last thing you want is an unexpected event to derail your plans (and cost you hundreds).

Flights get delayed or canceled constantly. Luggage disappears into the ether. Medical emergencies occur in remote destinations. Yet many jetsetters simply cross their fingers and hope for the best rather than prepare for the worst.

That's why, as a financial planner, I believe it's crucial to consider protecting your trips with the right insurance coverage. One option often overlooked, particularly by frequent travelers, is annual travel insurance .

Annual travel insurance covers all your trips within 365 days. Unlike stand-alone travel insurance, which only covers you for a specific trip, an annual policy covers any trips you take within the year.

That's why I tell clients who travel frequently that an annual policy is a good choice for their needs. By opting for an annual plan, you don't have to go through the hassle of booking multiple policies and potentially save money compared to purchasing individual trip coverage. Here's how it works.

What to look for in a policy

While specifics may vary depending on the insurer and plan tier, most include the following key benefits:

• Trip cancellations or interruptions: You may be able to get reimbursed for expenses (even nonrefundable ones!) related to an illness, injury, or natural disaster that forced you to cancel or cut your trip short.
• Emergency medical and dental care: If you fall ill or get injured while traveling, your insurance can help cover the cost of medical treatment.
• Emergency evacuation: In a serious medical emergency or security situation, your policy will arrange and pay for transportation to a hospital or back to your home country.
• Lost, delayed, or damaged baggage: If your luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged during your trip, you can get financial coverage for essential items while you wait for your stuff to be recovered or replaced.
• Trip delays and missed connections: When your travel plans are disrupted due to issues like mechanical problems or severe weather, you may get reimbursement for additional expenses incurred, like meals, lodging, and transportation.

It's important to note that annual travel insurance plans have limitations. Certain high-risk activities, pre-existing medical conditions, and travel to specific regions may be restricted or require additional coverage.

Some travelers may assume that their credit card's built-in travel protections are enough. While many travel rewards credit cards offer perks like rental car insurance, trip cancellation, and baggage reimbursement, the coverage limits are often much lower than a dedicated annual travel insurance plan.

Credit card coverage for emergency medical care is also particularly limited — capped at a few thousand dollars — which may not be enough in the face of a major international medical emergency.

How much travel justifies an annual plan?

For the occasional traveler who takes one or two trips a year, single-trip policies will probably work for you. But if you fall into any of these buckets, you may want to consider an annual policy:

• Regular international travelers (three or more trips abroad yearly)
• Road warriors frequently away for work
• Adventurers engaging in high-risk activities like heli-skiing, scuba diving, or mountain climbing
• Cruisers and tour group travelers
• Students or retirees taking extended trips throughout the year
• Those visiting developing countries with limited medical care

Annual plans cover all of your trips within a 365-day period after purchasing. They're basically a bundle of multiple policies into one package deal. This means you only have to buy one policy to manage, locking in your coverage for the year.

How to decide if an annual policy makes sense for you

Start by reviewing your travel plans this year — and your risk tolerance. Calculate how much buying individual travel insurance policies would cost you over the next year and compare it to the price of an annual plan.

Don't just focus on the premium — carefully evaluate coverage limits, exclusions, and deductibles to ensure you have enough protection for your needs.

An annual policy gives you the flexibility to take spontaneous trips without the hassle of obtaining last-minute insurance. More importantly, it provides peace of mind, knowing that you're covered for a wide range of travel disruptions and emergencies.

As the busy summer travel season ramps up, definitely explore protecting your trips with insurance, especially if you're jetting off internationally. Spending hours on the phone trying to rebook canceled flights or worrying about affording an overseas medical emergency is no way to vacation.

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Is travel insurance worth it?

The right policy can protect your wallet, your belongings and your peace of mind..

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

You might have planned your next vacation, but consider travel insurance before you start packing. A comprehensive policy can protect you if the unexpected happens before or during your trip.

"Travel insurance is often an overlooked investment until the unforeseen happens," says Beth Godlin, president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice . "It's designed to give travelers peace of mind and financial protection against travel risks."

A policy doesn't have to be expensive, according to Godlin, and it can add a layer of protection and security.

Getting travel insurance

How do i get travel insurance, what does travel insurance cover, how much does travel insurance cost.

• Bottom line

There are many options in the travel insurance marketplace: Aggregator site Squaremouth lets you get price quotes from different carriers and, because it receives a commission from the insurance companies on its site, users aren't charged any additional fees.

Allianz has both single-trip and annual plans, with a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policy that reimburses up to 80% of prepaid, non-refundable expenses — more than most similar plans on the market.

In addition to trip cancellation, Allianz's popular OneTrip Prime plan includes travel interruption, emergency medical care and emergency transportation. Children 17 and under are covered for free when traveling with a parent or grandparent.

AIG's Travel Guard® plans are great if you need to customize your coverage: The mid-range Travel Guard Preferred plan pays out 100% for trip cancellation and 150% for trip interruption, with up to $50,000 in coverage for medical expenses and up to $500,000 for emergency evacuation. There's even a payout of up to $1,000 if you miss your connection.

Travel Guard® Travel Insurance

The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote

Policy highlights

Travel Guard offers a variety of plans to suit travel ranging from road trips to long cruises. For air travelers, Travel Guard can help assist with tracking baggage or covering lost or delayed baggage.

24/7 assistance available

If you're booking a trip with an aggregator site like Expedia , review the details of any travel policy that's offered. Plans are usually based on the elements of the trip (hotel, flight, rental car, etc.) and can differ every time you book.

Travel insurance typically costs between 4 and 10% of the overall price tag for your trip. The cost can vary:

• Plans with higher limits and more optional coverage cost more.
• A plan with a CFAR benefit can cost up to 40% more.
• Older travelers typically pay more because there's more of a likelihood of a claim being filed. 

Whichever plan you choose, read the fine print so you understand what you're paying for.

Travel insurance generally covers your expenses, your belongings and your well-being. When shopping for a policy, look for these benefits:

Trip cancellation

If your trip is canceled for a covered reason, a policy will often reimburse airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, tours, cruises and other prepaid, non-refundable expenses. Covered situations can include illness or injury, the death of a family member or traveling companion, job loss, military deployment and even unplanned jury duty, according to Allianz's Daniel Durazo.

Cancellations can also be covered if a natural disaster, severe weather or airline strike prevents your carrier from getting you to your destination for at least 24 hours.

Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) plans provide a lot more flexibility and typically reimburse 50% to 75% of your expenses. But they can bump up the cost by about 40%, said Durazo, and policyholders are still usually required to cancel no later than 48 hours before their scheduled departure. 

Trip delay 

Should you experience a hiccup in your plans, your policy can provide some relief: Food, lodging and local transportation are usually covered if a delay is due to severe weather, airline maintenance or civil unrest.

"For a traveler to be eligible, they must be delayed for the minimum amount of time listed on their policy," Squaremouth spokesperson Megan Moncrief said. "Some policies are very lenient and provide benefits for any length delay, while others list a length requirement — usually somewhere between three to 12 hours."

Daily payout limits range from $150 to $250 per traveler, Moncrief said, while the total policy limit can be anywhere from $500 to $2,000. Save any receipts to submit with your reimbursement claim.

Don't miss: The best credit cards with trip delay insurance

Trip interruption

Should you need to cut your trip short due to illness or injury, or if there's a family emergency back home, your policy may reimburse non-refundable expenses you forfeited.

It may also cover the cost of a one-way economy airline ticket home.

Baggage loss

Airlines are required to compensate passengers luggage lost in transit, but a travel insurance policy may have a higher benefit limit, and cover you if your bags, passport or other possessions are lost, damaged or stolen once you've gotten to your destination., The Platinum plan from AXA Assistance USA has a $3,000 benefit limit for lost luggage, well beyond the $1,700 that airlines are required to cover on international flights. AXA has offices in more than 50 countries, with multilingual operators available 24 hours a day to help reschedule flights, book hotels and make other arrangements.

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance

AXA Assistance USA offers several travel insurance policies that include travel interruption, trip cancellation, and the option of cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage.

Travel insurance doesn't cover every loss: Cash is not reimbursable and many policies won't reimburse for expensive jewelry or heirloom items. Read your policy carefully to see what is included.

Medical expenses and emergency evacuation

If you travel within the U.S., your health insurance should cover any illness or injury you sustain. If you're traveling abroad, though, your plan may provide little or no coverage. The right travel insurance should cover doctors' fees and hospital bills, Durazo said. 

The provider can also help coordinate care and ensure you're at a medical facility that's up to U.S. standards.

An emergency medical evacuation can be a major expense, costing anywhere from $15,000 to over $200,000, Durazo added.

If you've spent money on nonrefundable airline tickets, tours and hotels, you could be at a loss if something goes awry. Travel insurance covers numerous scenarios, from a medical emergency to a tropical storm. It could be particularly useful if:

• You've spent a lot on prepaid, non-refundable expenses
• You're traveling internationally where your health insurance won't apply
• You're traveling to a remote area
• Your flight involves multiple connections or destinations

"When deciding if travel insurance is right for you, ask yourself how much you could stand to lose if you had to cancel at the last minute," said Godlin.

If you're not as concerned about risk, your credit card may offer built-in travel protection if you book with that card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® , Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Card and the  *American Express® Gold Card all come with trip cancellation and interruption coverage, among other benefits.

*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.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Earn 5X total points on flights and 10X total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3X points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases plus, 10X points on Lyft rides through March 2025

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Regular APR

22.49% - 29.49% variable

Balance transfer fee

5%, minimum $5

Foreign transaction fee

Credit needed.

Terms apply.

Read our Chase Sapphire Reserve® review.

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases, 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare; 2X points on internet, cable and phone services; select streaming. 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

21.49% - 28.49% variable

Foreign transaction fees

Excellent/Good

American Express® Gold Card

4X Membership Rewards® points at Restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X), 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, 1X points on all other purchases

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Not applicable

See Pay Over Time APR

See rates and fees , terms apply.

Read our American Express® Gold Card review .

Research your card's travel benefits before making any purchases related to your trip.

Policies vary, but most comprehensive travel insurance plans cover travel cancellation and interruption, baggage loss, medical care and emergency transportation.

While the price for coverage varies, most policies cost between 4% and 10% of the trip's prepaid, non-refundable expenses.

When should I get travel insurance?

It's best to take out a policy within days of making your reservations.

Does travel insurance cover COVID-19?

If you contract COVID-19 before or on your trip, it may be covered by your policy's trip cancellation/interruption benefit . You'll likely have to confirm your test results with a diagnosis from a healthcare provider.

Bottom line 

Travel can be a wonderful experience, but it involves a lot of time, planning and money. Missing a single connection can have a cascade effect that impacts your flight, hotel room, dinner reservations and more. A good travel insurance policy can provide peace of mind so you can focus on your vacation.

Compare and find the best life insurance

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Meet our experts

At CNBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority. For this story, we interviewed Beth Godlin, president of Aon, which provides custom travel insurance for tour operators, cruise lines, travel websites and others. We also spoke with former Squaremouth Megan Moncrief and Allianz communications director Daniel Durazo.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors . While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

For rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card , click here .

• Aura review: Protect your identity, finances and family Elizabeth Gravier
• 5 hidden insurance fees to avoid Liz Knueven
• Can I pay my mortgage with a credit card? Kelsey Neubauer

June 1, 2020

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after

Ukraine; Belarus; Moldova, Republic of; North Korea, Democratic People's Rep; Russia; Israel

This is a test environment. Please proceed to AllianzTravelInsurance.com and remove all bookmarks or references to this site.

Use this tool to calculate all purchases like ski-lift passes, show tickets, or even rental equipment.

Safer travel starts with travel protection

If you are a travel agent or were referred by one, enter the ACCAM number below.

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If your trip involves multiple destinations, please enter the destination where you’ll be spending the most time. It is not required to list all destinations on your policy.

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At Allianz, we continue to show our commitment to sports through our sponsorship with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee. Read More >>

Entry Requirements & COVID-19 Travel Resources 

Confused about entry requirements for your destination? Our  interactive map shows current travel rules and restrictions for each destination, including info on COVID-19 testing, necessary travel documents and quarantine periods.

Find out how our  Epidemic Coverage Endorsement can protect your next trip from certain losses related to COVID-19.

Why do I need travel insurance?

Because sometimes..., you have to cancel a trip last-minute..

Travel insurance can reimburse you for your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs — including vacation rentals, car rentals, hotels and flights — if you have to cancel for a covered reason.

Travel delays leave you stranded.

Travel insurance can reimburse you for eligible meals, accommodation and transportation expenses during a covered delay.

You get sick or hurt when you're far from home.

Travel insurance can reimburse you for care following a covered medical emergency while traveling. We can even arrange and pay for a medical evacuation if needed.

Fender-benders are unavoidable.

Renting a car means taking on a big financial risk; even a tiny scrape can cost you hundreds. Low-priced rental car insurance lets you drive worry-free.

You need help in a hurry.

Whether you're planning a week-long road trip or a weekend getaway, you never know what might happen. Travel insurance gives you access to our 24-Hour Assistance hotline for expert, personalized support in a crisis.

Why go with Allianz Travel Insurance?

As a world leader in travel protection, we help more than 70 million people answer the call of adventure with confidence every year.

We're Protecting You

From protection for trip cancellation to medical bills abroad, our benefits are designed to help you explore reassured.

We're There For You

We've got your back with award-winning 24/7 assistance and a worldwide network of prescreened hospitals to help you get the right care.

We're Built For You

From our Allyz ® TravelSmart app to proactive SmartBenefits, we innovate for the way you travel today - and tomorrow.

TRAVEL RESOURCES

How Travel Insurance Works

How the Cancel Anytime Upgrade Works

What Does Rental Car Insurance Cover?

Is It Too Late to Buy Travel Insurance?

The Comprehensive Guide to Annual Travel Insurance

5 Ways the Allyz ®  TravelSmart App Can Help During Winter Travels

Travel Insurance with Emergency Medical Benefits

Destination Guide: Croatia

Travel Insurance & COVID-19: The Epidemic Coverage Endorsement Explained

More Travel Resources »

LATEST COVERAGE ALERTS

The events listed below are considered "known and foreseeable" for travel insurance purposes on the date listed next to the event. Please consult your policy for more information.

More Coverage Alerts »

Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please see your plan for full details. Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply.

Insurance benefits underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: 2 Mid America Plaza, Suite 200, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181), rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233), rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101-C series or 101-P series, depending on your state of residence and plan chosen. A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) are the 2nd and 3rd highest, respectively, of A.M. Best's 13 Financial Strength Ratings. Plans only available to U.S. residents and may not be available in all jurisdictions. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are marks of AGA Service Company dba Allianz Global Assistance or its affiliates. Allianz Travel Insurance products are distributed by Allianz Global Assistance, the licensed producer and administrator of these plans and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance benefits and assistance services. Any Non-Insurance Assistance services purchased are provided through AGA Service Company. Except as expressly provided under your plan, you are responsible for charges you incur from third parties. Contact AGA Service Company at  800-284-8300 or 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233 or [email protected] .

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Specialist Medical Travel Insurance

POLICIES TAILORED TO YOU, FOUNDED FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Travel Insurance Policies

Getting specialist travel insurance ensures you have the most suitable cover for emergency care when you need it. It provides you with protection if the unexpected does happen, so you can enjoy your holiday without worrying. We believe you shouldn’t be charged a fortune for peace of mind whilst you travel.

xRated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot

Based on over 5,900 customer reviews

Concerned about COVID-19?

We’ve got coronavirus cover on all policies, and offer more cover with our optional COVID-19 Extension. See how coronavirus impacts your existing travel insurance policy

Why Insurancewith?

After Fiona Macrae , Insurancewith’s founder, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, she found it almost impossible to get affordable travel insurance. Like anyone else, she was looking forward to a holiday, but sensibly-priced cover seemed out of reach.

Insurancewith was created to help people with all kinds of conditions – including cancer , mental health , epilepsy , and many disabilities – get the most suitable cover for your personal needs at a price to suit your budget.

Customers tend to come to us after they’ve been quoted extraordinary prices for specialist travel insurance. They’re often worried they won’t be able to travel again.

At Insurancewith, we believe everyone deserves a holiday. We offer something a bit different. We don’t charge more than we need to on your medical declaration (we don’t think it’s right to make money from your situation) and won’t charge you more than necessary for quality cover.

You have the option of chatting through quotes and queries with one of our trained advisors as well as using our online quote system. We are very proud of the service we provide and the savings our customers make. If you’d like to find out more, take a look at our Customer Savings Stories here.

All of our polices include the following benefits:

• Award-Winning¹ Travel Insurance
• Over 5,000 conditions and the side-effects of treatment covered
• Discounts for couples, families and single-parent families
• Up to £5,000 cancellation cover
• 24/7 emergency medical assistance team
• No upper age limit for single trip policies (depending on the destination and trip duration)

Thank you Insurancewith

“After a long struggle trying to find affordable travel insurance for my husbands grandad who has terminal cancer, we were about to give up. This caused a major problem as we were getting married in Cyprus and we desperately wanted him to be there.

I discovered InsuranceWith and after a questionnaire and phone call, we were given an extremely affordable and reasonable quote. We had been completely honest about his cancer and I was amazed they would cover him.

Without InsuranceWith, Grandad would not have been able to be there with us for our special day. We cannot thank them enough and have recommended to all of our friends and family. Just because you have a terminal illness, this should not deprive you of holidays abroad.”

We have insured thousands of people, helping them make those precious memories, and saving some of them a lot of money along the way!

Find out how much you could save...

Why Choose Insurancewith?

We specialise in medical travel cover . By working with charities, clinical specialists, and you – our customers – we’re always improving our understanding to create products and services to meet your needs. It’s all part of our efforts to address any of the issues people have when looking for specialist travel insurance.

Refer-A-Friend

for a chance to

Protectif Screening

In order to give a fair assessment of your situation, we use Protectif Medical Risk Rating. Our screening process allows us to ask relevant questions about your condition or treatment in order to assess the risk effectively. Protectif allows us to provide affordable coverage to our consumers and instead of categorising all of our customers with the same condition as having the same amount of risk, we ask relevant questions based on the medication you are taking to effectively evaluate your circumstance.

Instead of looking at the perceived risk of each condition, we use our award-winning risk rating system, Protectif, to understand your situation. We not only offer a broad range of cover levels suiting every traveller and budget, but we assess risk more effectively than other insurers. It’s one of the industry’s closest things to a personally underwritten travel insurance policy. For an accurate assessment, we’ll ask you about your lifestyle and personal experiences. Find out what else to expect from questions asked during our quote process.

• Question sets allow us to understand individual circumstances
• Thousands of conditions and side effects of treatment able to be screened

Our Charities

When you take out a policy with Insurancewith, we’ll also donate £1 to charities that help support people like our customers every day. We support a number of charities including FACT, YourSimPal and Make 2nds Count to name a few.

¹ Insurancewith Awards Won: Finalist in the UK Broker Awards, 2011. Winner of Insurance Times Innovation of the Year Award, 2013. Bronze Award Winner for Best Travel Insurance Provider at British Travel Awards, 2016. Customer Champion of the Year at the Insurance Times Awards, 2017. Plus, our founder Fiona Macrae was awarded the Consumer Marketing and Awareness Award at the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) Public Trust Awards, 2018

*Please note, Insurancewith’s online prices automatically include a 15% discount against our Customer Service Centre prices. This code entitles you to an additional 5% off your policy, and is a discount from the base price, not including the additional cost of optional extensions or any additional medical premium

$ Insurancewith has been rated 4.8 out of 5 (Excellent) based on over 7000 customer reviews on Trustpilot. Based on  Trustpilot data  2023 

§ Based on quote data from 2023. Correct as of 12/09/2023 

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Planning a trip involves a lot of moving parts, and while you want everything to go smoothly, the truth is that unexpected things can happen. In these cases, travel insurance can help make those issues easier to deal with — whether it’s by paying for your hospital bills in another country or reimbursing you for lost luggage.

However, the types of travel insurance that are available to you depend on when you purchase your policy. Let’s look at when to buy travel insurance, how late you can buy travel insurance and what different policies can offer.

The different types of travel insurance

There are many different kinds of travel insurance coverage depending on your needs. Here are some of the most common.

Trip cancellation insurance . Will reimburse nonrefundable costs when your trip is canceled due to a covered event. 

Trip interruption insurance . Pays costs incurred when a trip is cut short for a covered reason. 

Trip delay insurance . Provides financial assistance in case your flight is delayed beyond a certain amount of time.

Travel medical insurance . Covers medical costs for illness or accidents that arise during your travels.

Emergency evacuation insurance . Pays for the cost to evacuate you elsewhere (reasons can vary from medical to extreme weather).

Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance . Like life insurance, it provides a payout to a beneficiary in the event of death or dismemberment during travels. 

Baggage loss insurance . Will reimburse you if your bag is lost, stolen or damaged.

Rental car insurance . Provides insurance for collision and damage to a rental car.

Cancel for Any Reason insurance (CFAR). An optional add-on that covers a portion of nonrefundable costs if you choose to cancel your trip for any reason.   

» Learn more: What does travel insurance cover?

How early can you buy travel insurance?

Understanding when to get travel insurance can make a big difference in the policies you’re able to purchase. Typically, you can’t buy one before knowing some details about your trip.

While it’s possible to purchase a policy before you’ve booked your flights or made other travel plans, many insurers ask you for information about your trip to help you find the correct insurance. This means you’ll need to at least know where you’re going, when you’re going and the cost of your trip before purchasing travel insurance.

Multi-trip or annual travel insurance can cover you for a year with a single purchase. This is convenient if you travel frequently or take last-minute trips.

When to purchase travel insurance

So if you can’t buy travel insurance before doing some preliminary trip planning, you might be wondering “When should I buy travel insurance?” The answer to that is that it depends on what you want covered.

This is because not all types of coverage are available at all times. Two notable examples include CFAR insurance and pre-existing medical conditions.

CFAR insurance is a supplement to your existing policy that allows you to cancel your plans for any reason. Standard trip cancellation or interruption insurance requires that you cancel for a covered reason to receive reimbursement. Covered reasons may include sickness, death, job loss or financial insolvency, but CFAR insurance faces none of these limitations.

Many insurance companies only give you a short window to purchase a CFAR add-on. This will generally be within two to three weeks of your initial trip deposit, but the deadline varies by insurer so be sure to double-check if you’re interested in this type of coverage.

Likewise, many travel medical policies specifically exclude coverage of pre-existing health conditions — unless you take some additional steps in a timely manner. Some policies will cover acute re-occurrence of the pre-existing condition, provided you complete a waiver within a specific time period, usually within two weeks of your first trip payment.

» Learn more: Can I get travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions?

When is it too late to buy travel insurance?

It’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance sooner rather than later, especially if you’re interested in any time-sensitive add-ons. However, running late on buying insurance doesn’t mean that you’re out of luck.

While you’ll likely get better coverage if you buy a policy soon after making an initial payment on your trip, it’s still possible to buy a plan if your trip is days away — or if you’ve already departed. Typically, these plans may include things like trip interruption, emergency medical and baggage delay coverage, but they won’t provide trip cancellation or other pre-departure benefits.

Credit cards that offer travel insurance

It’s tempting to purchase a travel insurance policy when planning a trip, but before you do, you’ll want to do some research. Many travel credit cards offer complimentary travel insurance. To qualify, you’ll need to pay for your trip with your card. Keep in mind that different cards have different coverage limits.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card, for example, is a premium travel credit card that provides a wide range of coverage:

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance. 

Baggage delay and lost luggage insurance. 

Emergency medical and evacuation insurance. 

Travel accident (AD&D) insurance. 

Rental car insurance. 

The coverage offered by the Chase Sapphire Reserve® isn’t limited to just the cardholder; immediate family members are also included in this policy. They don’t even need to be traveling with the cardholder to receive coverage as long as the trip was charged to the card.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for travel insurance benefits

When should you buy travel insurance?

Purchasing travel insurance isn’t mandatory for a good vacation, but it can certainly come in handy if your plans go awry. While it’s possible to buy travel insurance up until just before — or even after — you depart, the best time to do so is shortly after you begin booking the trip. This allows you to provide the information required to buy a policy while also remaining eligible for time-sensitive add-ons and benefits like trip cancellation.

Before you purchase travel insurance, however, you’ll want to take a look at any travel credit cards you own to see what types of complimentary insurance they offer.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Money: How to earn thousands letting stars like Stormzy and David Attenborough film in your house

Weekend Money has spoken to people who've made serious cash letting film and music stars shoot in their home. You can read this and our other weekend features, and leave a comment, below - and check back on Monday for hourly updates on consumer and personal finance news.

Saturday 13 April 2024 15:36, UK

Weekend Money

• How to earn thousands letting film and music stars shoot in your home
• Prepayment meters now have cheapest default tariff - should you switch?
• 'It's cost me £8,000 to get out of an abusive relationship' - Readers respond to divorce story
• Money news of week: Blow for expats in Spain | Where will Labour get money from? | Shell could quit London

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• Britons are buying homes, having babies, getting married and retiring later - but one key life event is happening earlier
• 'WTF is going on with the price of olive oil?'
• Cheap Eats: Great British Menu legend shares ultimate toastie recipe
• Money Problem: The monthly charge on my leasehold flat has gone up by more than £60 a month - what are my rights?

Ask a question or make a comment

By Brad Young, Money team

Earning up to £60,000 a year for letting Stormzy film a music video in your kitchen or Paloma Faith play with Lego in the living room might sound farfetched to homeowners unfamiliar with the shoot locations industry. 

But every star, studio or big brand that wants to film in a residential property needs someone willing to offer up their home for the day - and they'll pay between £700 and £3,000 for the privilege.

Homeowners and shooting agencies have spoken with the Money team about the promises and pitfalls of working with the likes of Disney, Netflix and ITV to take advantage of this niche income stream. 

Among them was Ed Reeve, a photographer from Hackney, who has had stars such as David Attenborough, Stormzy and Jim Broadbent walk through his doors in the 17 years he's been renting out his home. 

"It has been a really positive experience on the whole for us. Generally, the shoot crews are really lovely people and they're very respectful of your home," said Mr Reeve, who is registered with location agency 1st Option.

He hosts between 12 and 20 productions a year. Most bring in £1,000 for a one-day shoot, but some earn him up to £3,000 per day or last multiple days.

"We've met lots of interesting people," said Mr Reeve, including Gillian Anderson, who stars in Sex Education, Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) and Claire Foy (The Crown).

After Stormzy filmed a music video, Mr Reeves said that "every grime artist wanted to shoot here".

David Attenborough once turned up early for a BBC shoot, resulting in the pair sitting down for a cup of tea and Mr Reeve introducing his three-day old daughter to the presenter.

"He held her and looked at her with delight... it was a really special moment," said Mr Reeve. 

Shoots can result in scratches around the interior, but Mr Reeve said he uses some of the money to redecorate – or in one case, let a Delux advert do it for him. 

'It's never free money'

Less enthusiastic about the industry was Emer Stamp, 48, a children's author from London, who has hosted for two years.

"You think, 'Oh yeah, my house is going to be rocking', and everyone comes round and goes 'Your house will be perfect', but for whatever reason, it's not.

"My takeout is it's not as easy to make money as you think."

Ms Stamp said her home had been chosen for three productions, including a Dell shoot and a Lego advert starring Paloma Faith, earning her approximately £6,000. 

Hosting also puts your schedule at the mercy of production companies – and sometimes they may not show up, said Ms Stamp.

"Like anything, you think it's free money but it's never free money."

So what does make a location popular? 

Becky Butler, managing director at agency Location Collective, said there is demand for average-sized family homes with a 60s/70s vibe and unusual features. 

And while a lot of the homes listed by location agencies look expensive, that was far from a deal-breaker. 

"All the practical side of things are as important, if not more so, than the aesthetics of the location," said Ms Butler.

Parking, easy-going neighbours and having one large room for equipment goes a long way with clients.

Getting the combination right can create "a fantastic additional income stream", said Jennifer Marshall, of Shootfactory, which has connected homeowners with everyone from Little Mix to Killing Eve. 

"We have properties that through our company have earned anywhere between £20,000 and £60,000 a year."

Much of the industry is based in London but, between them, the three agencies contacted by the Money team have organised filming in Manchester, Birmingham, the Midlands, the Home Counties and coastal areas.

Both Ms Marshall and the team at Location Collective said having a neighbour willing to get in on the action can be a real selling point.

This might mean a second house on the same street for a TV show, or simply somewhere to house the production team.

"Being able to let them pretty much take over is quite key. Sometimes they might have demands like painting or moving furniture," said Lily Gonnissen, head of business development at Location Collective. 

Being quick to respond to questions, contactable during the working day, and able to accommodate viewings at short notice was a top priority, said Ms Gonnissen. 

"Be friendly and welcoming - brands remember a good owner," said a spokesperson for 1st Option: "And make sure the house is clean and clutter free before any shoots."

The default tariff for prepayment meters is now cheaper than other types of meter.

It follows the energy price cap update to unit rates and standing charges from 1 April.

Uswitch data shows 56% of households don't know about the change.

What do you need to know?

Prepayment meters have traditionally been a more expensive way of paying for energy - but now prepayment standing charges have been lowered to match those for direct debit customers.

Because prepay units are cheaper, people with these meters should pay around £47 less a year than those on direct debits (£1,643 versus £1,690).

Customers who pay when they get a bill are forking out the most - around 5.8p more per day on the standing charge than those with direct debits.

Should we all get prepayment meters?

As energy costs come down, suppliers like EDF Energy have now started offering fixed deals lower than the price cap - and as things stand these are the cheapest options for many.

Eon Next's Pledge tariff promises to be 3% below whatever the price cap is for a year.

There can be catches if you want to leave these fixed deals (though Octopus doesn't charge them) - so make sure you do your research.

How many people have prepay meters?

The number of prepayment meters has fallen almost 8% from the peak in 2019, but there's still more than seven million gas and electricity units in action.

In total, 195,503 prepayment meters were installed in 2023.

Are people swapping?

Uswitch has some research that says young people (18 to 34) are far more likely to go for prepay meters - 51% would consider it, compared with 5% of over-55s.

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch, said: "Prepayment meters have got a bad reputation among some households, but changes to the price cap mean that their default tariffs are now cheaper than standard credit meters.

"With prepayment meters, you pay for your energy before you use it, and while there are emergency provisions, it does mean it is possible to be cut off if you have not put enough money into your account. 

"This means that younger consumers and vulnerable people are at greater risk of disconnecting themselves from their energy supply when money is tight.

"Direct debits also allow consumers to spread out their costs evenly throughout the year, meaning bills won't rise significantly in the winter when energy usage is highest."

We've had a mixed mailbag of comments this week - with readers getting in touch about pensions, tipping and divorce among other things.

Following this feature on divorce costs last weekend...

...we had dozens of comments...

So many people must be trapped in abusive relationships. A loan has helped me get away - covering legal costs, paying the bills/mortgage on marital home whilst being unable to stay and finding thousands for a rental. Costs so far about £8k - only one year in and at decree nisi. H

Since broken families are ever more common why isn't the government doing something to help divorcees get back on the housing ladder like first-time buyers are? Countless thousands, despite having the income, are doomed to rent expensive family homes. Men especially! Twice Divorced Of Surrey

Trust me, it costs a whole lot more than £30k, stay away from solicitors, work through it yourself. Toby

When one party will not communicate with the other, this makes the process much more expensive. Around £80k in solicitors and barrister fees. Vbkinguk

Another story that cut through was London restaurant chain Ping Pong scrapping tips - months before new legislation will require restaurateurs to give staff 100%.

Readers don't seem impressed...

Best thing employees and customers can do is boycott them. Just goes to show what they actually think of their staff. Dave

I don't want to eat somewhere that doesn't look after its employees. Jack

I'm sure patrons and staff will vote with their feet! How disgraceful to remove tips, probably as the owners aren't getting any cut of their staff's hard work! Elijah

We've reported extensively on the rise to the state pension this month - including how, due to frozen income tax thresholds, more pensioners will be dragged into paying income tax. Chris seems to be one of those impacted...

I deferred taking my state pension for five years to hopefully boost my pension, because I happened to be the last group of people to get the old state pension. Unfortunately because of the tax band freeze any benefit from the pension uplift is being eroded every year, is this fair? Chris

And finally, on Monday we suggested a cheaper way to buy herbs and spices in the supermarket - by using the world food aisle...

We had this comment...

Best money-saving practice for herbs and spices is to source them at Asian stores - not supermarkets! Pip

Spain is planning to scrap a "golden visa" scheme that grants residency rights to foreigners who make large investments in real estate.

Ending the scheme would help make access to affordable housing "a right instead of a speculative business", Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said.

The programme awards non-EU citizens investing at least €500,000 (around £429,000) in Spanish real estate - without taking out a mortgage - a special permit, allowing them to live and work in the country for three years.

In better news for Britons who hope to live abroad, Italy is allowing non-EU citizens who can work remotely to apply for a year-long "digital nomad" visa.

There's a few salary/reference based criteria to meet - read about them here...

Labour this week tried to address questions over how it would pay for key pledges  after the Tories used their idea of scrapping the non-dom status to fund a national insurance cut.

Labour had been committed to abolishing non-dom status for years - upon gaining power they planned to use the money to fund breakfast clubs for primary school children and additional appointments in the NHS.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves this week announced the party's plan to raise £5bn a year by the end of the next parliament...

• Labour said it would raise £2.6bn by closing "loopholes" in the government's non-doms plan - after certain exemptions were kept in place by Jeremy Hunt;
• Labour said the "tax gap" - the difference between the amount of money HMRC is owed and the amount it receives - had widened to £36bn in 2021-22 - £5bn more than it had been the previous year;
• To close the gap, Labour said it would invest up to £555m a year in boosting the number of compliance officers at HMRC, increasing productivity and improving the organisation's "dire" customer service;
• It would also consider requiring more tax schemes to be registered with HMRC to ensure they are legitimate, and renew the focus on offshore tax compliance.

The government responded by saying: "The Conservatives have introduced over 200 measures to clamp down on tax non-compliance and we are sticking to the plan to strengthen the economy so we can cut taxes, putting £900 in the pockets of the average worker and helping families to build a brighter future."

Shell is weighing up quitting the London Stock Exchange (LSE) for a move to New York over concerns its listing is currently "undervalued".

Chief executive Wael Sawan  told Bloomberg  that he was mulling "all options".

The British oil and gas giant is currently the largest company in the FTSE 100 index, and its departure from the LSE would be a significant blow to the UK stock market that is fighting to stay relevant.

There's been a run of bad news for the LSE over the past year or so. The world's largest building products manufacturer, CRH, moved to New York, while travel company Tui moved to Frankfurt. And despite the lobbying of numerous prime ministers, UK-based chip company Arm chose the NYSE.

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

UK lenders have seen a rise in defaults on mortgages and credit cards - with the trend expected to continue in the coming months, according to a survey.

A poll of banks and building societies by the Bank of England reveals lenders reported higher default rates on secured loans and unsecured lending in the three months to the end of February.

The rates for mortgages, credit cards and other loans, as well as loans to small to medium businesses, are all expected to rise in the next quarter.

The BoE carries out the survey every quarter as part of its role to maintain financial stability.

It also revealed increased demand for borrowing, with this also expected to climb during the three months to the end of May.

Karim Haji, global and UK head of financial services at KPMG, said the latest BoE data suggests "a more positive economic outlook hasn't fed through to household finances yet".

"Defaults across all unsecured lending increasing over the same three-month period indicates many people are still struggling to meet their day-to-day costs. Lenders will need to be vigilant and continue to offer support for borrowers in the interim," he said.

By  Sarah Taaffe-Maguire , business reporter

Poor software and bias toward making only small, sequential changes is one of the reasons economic forecasters at the Bank of England failed to predict and prepare for the cost of living crisis, brought about by high inflation, according to a "once in a generation" review.

The review announced last year was undertaken by the former head of the US central bank, known as the Fed, and said the quality of the Bank's economic expectations "deteriorated significantly in the past few years" due to out of date software and "excessive incrementalism".

Though the "unusually large forecasting errors" were said to be "probably inevitable", according to the review, conducted by Dr Ben Bernanke.

The problem was not unique to the Bank, rather something all central banks and private forecasters suffered from, it said.

Read the full story here...

After the UK airports with the worst delays were revealed earlier today (see post at 1.15pm), we've been looking at your rights.

If you're unlucky enough to get stuck at an airport due to a flight delay, you may wonder if you're entitled to any compensation.

The good news is you may be - in certain circumstances.

First, it's important to know what flights are covered by consumer law. These are: 

• Any flight leaving a UK airport
• Flights operated by a UK/EU airline arriving at a UK airport
• Flights operated by a UK airline only arriving at an EU airport

When will I be entitled to help? 

You'll qualify for support if a short-haul flight under 932 miles (1,500km) is pushed back by two hours. 

This rises to three hours for journeys up to 2,175 miles (3,500km).

For long-haul flights going any further than this, four hours or longer counts as a significant delay.

What support will I get?

Under UK law, airlines must give passengers who are affected by a delay of at least two hours:

• A reasonable amount of food and drink (usually provided in the form of vouchers)
• Refunds for the cost of two free phone calls, faxes or emails
• Accommodation for passengers stranded overnight (usually in a nearby hotel)
• Transport to a hotel - or their home

Will I get compensation?

Usually, airlines have to provide compensation if a person's flight arrives more than three hours late.

The exception to this is when there are air traffic control problems or extreme weather, as these issues aren't their fault.

If you agree to travel on a later flight, the airline is no longer obliged to offer food, drink or accommodation while you wait.

Thankfully, you are entitled to a full refund if you decide to abandon your journey after five hours of delays.

The length of your flight affects how much you are entitled to:

• Short-haul flight - £220
• Medium-haul flight - £350
• Long-haul flight - £520 if the flight arrived more than four hours late, £260 for a delay of between three to four hours

What if I'm about to travel?

Transfer passengers who end up missing a connecting flight because their first plane was delayed are entitled to a service back to their original departure point.

But things get a little more complicated for passengers on package holidays - especially if they decide not to travel on a delayed outbound flight.

The CAA's guidance says: "You may lose your holiday too, so we recommend you contact your package organiser or the airline for further information.

"If you still want to travel then your airline must get you to your destination. You might have to be patient while they rearrange transport and rebook passengers, but the law says they must get you there."

What if my flight is cancelled? 

You're entitled to a refund or replacement flight if yours is cancelled. Your rights to assistance are the same as if your flight is delayed.

If the reason for the cancellation was within the airline's control, and it was made with no more than 14 days' notice, then depending on the timings of the new flight offered you could also be entitled to compensation.

You'll be able to claim £110 and £520 depending on the length of the route and timings of the new flight.

Drivers are still feeling the strain of rising insurance premiums - but there are signs of a slowdown, according to one index.

New figures from insights firm Consumer Intelligence suggest the average quoted price of car insurance rose by 56.4% in the year to February.

This was the third-highest annual increase since its records began in 2012 - but in slightly better news for motorists, it marked a lower annual rise than the 67.2% recorded in November.

And there was only a slight rise of 0.5% when looking at the three months to February - the lowest quarterly increased since November 2021.

Drivers most commonly received a quote between £500 and £749 in February, Consumer Intelligence said. It analysed the average of the five cheapest offers from price comparison websites.

Max Thompson, the firm's insurance insight manager, said big insurance brands made "competitive movements" to reduce premiums at the start of the year.

"However, some of this was unwound in February indicating it may have been more of a tactical move than a long-term trend," he added.

Jonathan Fong, manager of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers, said insurers were "aware of the financial challenges customers are facing" and were working to keep prices affordable.

"Our motor premium tracker is the only collection based on the price customers pay for their policy, rather than quotes, and shows that the average motor premium increased by 25% last year to £543.

"This was largely driven by above inflation increases in the cost of repairs, thefts and replacement cars."

The Abu Dhabi-backed vehicle that had been on the brink of buying The Daily Telegraph is in detailed talks with Whitehall officials about the structure of an onward sale of the newspaper. 

Sky News has learnt that RedBird IMI is negotiating with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport about whether it can convert a call option which constitutes the right to take ownership of the Telegraph and Spectator into shares in the assets prior to their purchase by a new owner.

Read the exclusive story by our City editor Mark Kleinman ...

The telecoms entrepreneur who turned Daisy Group into one of the industry's most successful private companies is closing in on the latest in a string of significant takeover deals.

Matthew Riley, Daisy's chairman, has orchestrated a £215m deal to acquire 4Com , a provider of cloud communications services to more than 17,000 corporate customers, Sky News understands.

City sources said the deal was expected to be signed within days and was likely to hand 4Com founder Daron Hutt a windfall worth more than £100m.

Read the full story here ...

The Financial Conduct Authority has told motor finance firms they need to put funds aside as it continues a probe into the sector.

The City regulator also said many firms are "struggling to promptly provide the data we need" for the investigation.

A review was launched by the FCA earlier this year into whether people could be owed compensation for being charged too much for car loans, following a high number of complaints on historic agreements.

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