To select our top picks, our team vetted 15 companies. We read the fine print on travel insurance plans and compared coverage options and prices to determine which insurers offer coverage that could meet the needs of specific groups. Read the full methodology to learn more.
Note: The following companies are listed in alphabetical order.
Why we chose it: We chose AIG Travel Guard as the best travel insurance for add-ons because it offers travelers a wide variety of coverage options with which to customize their plans.
AIG Travel Guard offers unique services such as MedEvac and Bag Trak® as well as coverage options few (if any) other insurers offer: a pet bundle, a wedding bundle (for canceled weddings) and an inconvenience bundle in the event any attractions you wanted to visit are closed.
Another of AIG’s specialized insurance products is lodging expense coverage. This benefit is for travelers who test positive for COVID-19 and must remain abroad until they present a negative test result. There’s also a Pack N’ GO Plan for last-minute trips which includes post-departure coverage and 24-hour emergency travel assistance.
Read AIG Travel Insurance Review
See rates on AIG Travel Guard’s Secure Website
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Why we chose it: Allianz Travel is our choice for the best travel insurance for business trips because its annual plan offers comprehensive coverage that includes trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical and transportation, rental car damage and theft, and business equipment protection.
Allianz offers 10 distinct travel insurance plans, ranging from basic cancellation benefits to comprehensive multi-trip protection. All plans include a 24-hour multilingual assistance hotline and the TravelSmart App, which gives quick access to travel advisories, local medical facilities, mobile claims filing and more.
Another one of Allianz’s highlights is its lack of age restrictions (most other insurers limit coverage by age). Some of its plans also cover kids 17 and under traveling with a parent or grandparent.
Read Allianz Travel Insurance Review
See rates on Allianz Travel’s Secure Website
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Why we chose it: Generali Global Assistance is our choice for the best travel insurance for emergency support services because all of its policies include 24-hour Travel Support, which can provide immediate assistance for problems that might arise during a trip — from medical emergencies to identity theft.
Travelers can choose between three plans — Standard, Preferred and Premium — that cover trip cancellation, trip interruption, travel delay, and baggage damage, loss or theft. Each plan also covers medical and dental emergencies up to specific payout limits (from $50,000 per person to $250,000 per person).
Both its Preferred and Premium plans include trip cancellation benefits or trip interruption in case a travel supplier — say, a cruise company, hotel or rental car company — becomes insolvent and can no longer offer its services.
Read Generali Global Assistance Travel Insurance Review
See rates on Generali Global Assistance’s Secure Website
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Why we chose it: HTH Travel Insurance is our choice for the best travel insurance for long-term international travel because it offers specialty coverage for expats and students. Its Xplorer Plan features no deductible for office visits, no waiting periods for preventive care services and no pre-existing condition waiting period with proof of prior coverage.
HTH Travel Insurance also offers international health insurance for students with flexible trip duration options. This plan has unlimited annual and lifetime medical care maximums, includes supplies and prescriptions and covers medically necessary COVID-19 testing and treatment.
Other global health and safety services available through HTH Travel Insurance include 24/7 call assistance, access to elite international doctors and hospitals, and translated medical terms.
Read HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance Review
See rates on HTH Travel Insurance’s Secure Website
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Why we chose it: We picked Nationwide as the best travel insurance for cruises because it offers three cruise insurance plans (Universal, Choice and Luxury) that fit different budgets and needs.
Nationwide’s emergency medical coverage starts at $75,000, and all three plan tiers include “cancel for work reasons” coverage, a $500 return-home-early benefit, $200 in coverage for shipboard service disruption, and $25,000 for non-medical evacuations.
Nationwide also has two single-trip plans: Essential and Prime. In addition to industry-standard trip protection basics, these plans offer above-average medical coverage starting at $75,000 and a “cancel for any reason” add-on that reimburses 75% of non-refundable trip costs.
Read Nationwide Travel Insurance Review
See rates on Nationwide’s Secure Website
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Why we chose it: We chose Seven Corners as the best travel insurance for large groups because it insures parties of 10 or more travelers through comprehensive policies that cover medical expenses and evacuations.
Seven Corners’ simple and budget-friendly Trip Protection Choice plan covers trip cancellation, interruption or delays for specific reasons, including COVID-19 for groups of 10 or more. Its emergency medical protection goes up to $500,000 and offers up to $1,000,000 for medical evacuation and repatriation of remains.
In addition to its group trip travel insurance plans, Seven Corners has three travel medical plan tiers with comprehensive medical coverage for emergency room visits, hospital room and board, and onset of pre-existing medical conditions. These plans include 24/7 multilingual customer service.
Read Seven Corners Travel Insurance Review
See rates on Seven Corners’s Secure Website >>
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Why we chose it: Travelex is our choice as the best travel insurance for families with children because it offers two plans that cover family members under 17 at no additional cost.
Travelex Insurance Service features two main plans for international trips, Travel Basic and Travel Select — plus a Travel America plan for trips in the USA. Both plans include children 17 and under at no additional cost.
The Travel Basic is an affordable plan perfect for students, backpackers, small groups or those on a budget. These plans cover trip cancellation and interruption at 100% of the trip cost and offer up to $2,000 for trip delays or missed connections.
Read Travelex Insurance Services Review
See rates on Travelex’s Secure Website
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Why we chose it: We picked TravelInsurance.com as the best travel insurance for comparing quotes because it allows users to quickly and easily view plan details and prices from some of the top travel insurance providers in the industry.
TravelInsurance.com is a travel insurance comparison platform that simplifies the shopping process by connecting users with top-rated carriers. It breaks down coverage options and presents policies in a simple table for easy comparison.
This marketplace simplifies the process for travelers to input their trip details and receive customized quotes based on factors such as trip cost, duration and traveler ages. The results page presents essential coverage information, reviews, ratings and a link to each provider’s COVID-19 policy FAQs.
Read TravelInsurance.com Review
See rates on TravelInsurance.com’s Secure Website
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Why we chose it: World Nomads is the best travel insurance for travelers who enjoy adventure sports because it covers over 150+ sports and adventure activities, unlike most companies.
Its Standard and Explorer plans cover scuba diving, skiing, surfing and 150+ other sports and activities. Both plans include accident and illness coverage and 24/7 emergency support as well as emergency evacuation, trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, accidental death and lost luggage or theft.
While most companies don’t let you purchase or extend coverage during the trip, World Nomads offers a rare alternative; individuals who didn’t purchase coverage before their trip can enroll in the company’s “Buy While Traveling” plan. Those who already purchased a policy can also extend their coverage to keep exploring.
Read World Nomads Travel Insurance Review
See rates on World Nomads’s Secure Website
HIGHLIGHTS
In this section, we feature popular companies that didn’t make our top picks. The table below highlights the highest coverage available for each type of benefit. Check out the full reviews to learn more about each provider:
Trip cancellation insurance
Trip interruption insurance
Baggage maximum/per item limit
Travel insurance reimburses you if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip early. It can also pay for stolen or lost baggage and medical expenses if you get sick or have an accident during the trip.
Read on for more information on coverage benefits and tips on how to select the right type of coverage.
Comprehensive travel insurance covers common travel issues and mishaps, from accidents to baggage delays.
The following are standard coverage options and add-ons.
Here we explain a variety of add-ons or riders that allow you to increase benefit limits and cover activities that may be excluded from standard policies.
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Cancel for any reason coverage |
CFAR coverage allows you to cancel your travel plans for any reason and get reimbursed for 50% to 75% of pre-paid, non-refundable expenses. |
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Pre-existing medical condition waiver |
Adds coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Travelers must select this option within a certain number of days after making their initial trip deposit. |
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Covers theft of or damages to a rental car due to causes beyond your control (think collisions, vandalism and weather events). |
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Adventure sports coverage |
Covers injuries or losses caused by participating in adventure sports such as skydiving or bungee jumping. |
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Identity theft protection |
Helps you notify creditors, cancel your cards, and get a replacement for your lost passport, credit card or other important documents. |
The most common exclusions in a travel insurance policy are:
The cost of travel insurance can range from 4% to 12% of the total cost of your trip and depend on:
6% of trip cost (estimated travel insurance cost)
* Insurance for a $2,200 trip for a family of four ranged from $90 to over $300, based on 6% of trip costs.
Travel insurance could be worth it in specific situations. Before buying a policy, consider the following scenarios.
You may want travel insurance if:
You may not need travel insurance if:
You’ve pre-paid for high-cost, non-refundable expenses like tours.
You’re traveling domestically and have alternate coverage (car insurance, medical insurance that covers you across state lines, and a credit card that offers travel benefits).
You’re traveling internationally and need coverage for medical emergencies and evacuation.
You can get reimbursed for trip expenses, especially costly ones.
You’re visiting an area where weather is unpredictable or there is political unrest.
You’re going on a short and relatively low-risk trip.
You plan to participate in high-risk activities such as skiing or scuba diving.
You can afford to cover emergency expenses out of pocket.
You can buy travel insurance after booking a flight. However, it’s advisable not to delay obtaining a policy. The longer you wait between your initial trip payment and purchasing trip insurance, the greater the chance you’ll miss out on valuable add-ons like coverage for pre-existing conditions and CFAR upgrades.
The best time to purchase travel insurance coverage is right after you’ve booked your trip’s costliest non-refundable expenses, such as flight tickets and lodging.
Consider your reasons for traveling and how long you’ll be away, taking into account who is traveling with you as well as your planned activities.
Business travel insurance is suitable for frequent travelers who need coverage for items like work laptops and phones. Vacationers who booked a cruise may need a specialized policy such as Nationwide’s cruise insurance plans, and students in overseas programs may want to look into a plan like Trawick International Insurance.
Each travel insurance benefit has a specific payout limit, which may or may not be enough for your particular situation. For example, individuals traveling with expensive personal belongings such as cameras or jewelry may want a higher payout limit for personal effects or riders for high-value items.
Make sure the trip insurance policy you’re interested in covers the activities you have planned, especially if there are recreational sports involved.
Travelers with pre-existing medical conditions should also confirm whether those are covered under their policy. If not, they may need to look for a different provider or purchase supplemental medical coverage.
Take a moment to check if emergency assistance services are available 24/7 and what kind of assistance you can expect should you have a medical emergency or your belongings be stolen.
We recommend getting insurance quotes through comparison sites and marketplaces such as InsureMyTrip.com or SquareMouth Travel Insurance. Even if you’re traveling on a tight budget, you can still find cheap travel insurance that will cover the essentials, such as medical expenses and personal effects.
Consider the following when comparing quotes:
Before buying travel insurance, consider what losses you would incur if unforeseen events forced you to cancel the trip or if you suffered an unexpected medical emergency.
Many credit cards offer flight insurance and travel protection for lodging and luggage if you use the card to pay for these trip expenses. That being said, if you compare credit card travel coverage with travel insurance, you’ll see that most credit cards lack benefits such as medical expenses and emergency evacuation coverage.
Read our guide to the best travel credit cards for more information on how your credit card can help you travel smarter.
Pre-existing conditions are illnesses or injuries diagnosed 60 to 180 days before purchasing a policy. Definitions vary by provider, so clarify with your insurer, even if you have a waiver, to avoid claim denial due to misunderstandings.
Travel insurance can be worth it, especially for international trips with non-refundable expenses. It acts as a financial safety net for unforeseen events, covering flight insurance, medical expenses and reservation costs if you get sick or need to cancel or interrupt your trip. However, if your credit card offers travel insurance, additional coverage may be unnecessary.
Travel insurance reimburses covered expenses or losses before or during your trip, including medical emergencies and prepaid costs like airfare and accommodations. To get reimbursed for a covered loss, file a claim with evidence. The insurer will review and reimburse if the claim is valid; you can appeal if it’s denied.
Based on our research, the best travel insurance companies are Seven Corners, Generali Global Assistance, World Nomads, Nationwide, Travelex, Allianz Travel, AIG Travel Guard and HTH Travel Insurance.
Once you depart, you can’t buy travel insurance. Coverage may be available up to 24 hours before departure, but specifics vary by provider. Last-minute policies cover basics like trip interruptions, delays, medical emergencies, and baggage loss, but exclude benefits like “cancel for any reason,” “trip interruption for any reason,” and pre-existing condition waivers.
As part of our methodology, we obtained travel insurance quotes from the online comparison site Travelinsurance.com using the following profile:
We then reviewed the available plans and looked at the following factors to evaluate and compare each company:
