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COVID Travel Insurance

What does travel insurance cover .

We recognize that the outbreak has created unprecedented challenges for travelers and have sought to provide coverage that is relevant and useful in the current context. One of the most significant changes that we have made to our  Travel protection plans  is to include COVID coverage. This coverage varies depending on the policy and includes benefits such as  Trip Cancellation  or  Trip Interruption  coverage if the insured or a family member contracts COVID, as well as  Emergency Medical  and  Evacuation  coverage related to COVID.

AXA Travel Protection coverages:

  • Coverage for medical emergencies if you have an accident or become ill, including COVID
  • Coverage for medical repatriation, including when its causes are related to COVID
  • Cancellation of your trip if you fall ill with COVID before your departure or if you are placed in quarantine
  • Your doctor advises you not to travel due to a proven medical contraindication
  • You (or your travel companion) fall ill with COVID before your departure
  • You are placed in quarantine because a member of your household has tested positive for COVID or if you have been officially notified

Disclaimer: The COVID Coverage applies within the limits provided in the general conditions and when supporting documents are provided to us - i.e., results of an official PCR test medical certificate attesting to your isolation. It is important to note that the specifics of travel coverage for COVID will depend on the plan selected, date of purchase, and state of residency. Customers are advised to carefully review the terms and conditions of their policy and to contact AXA Partners with any questions or concerns they may have. Consult the general conditions of the travel policy to ensure that the guarantees offered correspond to your needs.

Getting Travel Insurance has never been easier!  

Start your  quote  now, and within minutes, you’ll have your insurance certificate in hand. Select your destination, travel dates, and traveler details,  compare travel coverage options , and add any optional  benefits  to create a custom policy that fits your unique needs.  In addition, we have taken steps to ensure that our customers can access the coverage and assistance they need if they contract COVID while traveling. Travelers seeking more information while traveling or who have any other questions regarding their specific travel protection plan, call us at  1-855-327-1442 or via collect call at 1-312-935-1719 While travel remains challenging in the current context, our effort to provide relevant and useful coverage can help provide peace of mind for travelers as they navigate the new normal. IMPORTANT : This list is subject to change depending on the evolution of the health situation. Travelers are advised to keep themselves regularly informed of the situation in the country they wish to visit. We advise you to consult the website of the U.S. Department of State, which updates and details the conditions of entry and/or obtaining visa country by country.

AXA Travel Insurance

Compare Travel Insurance Plans

Get covered against Trip Delays, Medical Emergencies, Lost Baggage, and more!

If I am quarantined before or during my trip because of COVID exposure or illness, am I covered?

Can i take out travel insurance even though i am not yet vaccinated against covid, if i want to cancel my trip because i’m afraid of exposure to covid, does my travel protection plan cover that, if i have booked a trip that leaves at some future date and my destination is affected by covid-19, will i receive reimbursement for my claim if i cancel my trip, does the u.s. require covid testing for re-entry, if i am required to be quarantined on my scheduled return date, will my additional expenses be covered for hotel, food, and transportation, if i test positive for covid during my trip, does the plan provide reimbursement for my lodging expenses, can i claim the ticket expenses if the airlines denied my boarding due to failure to meet the entry requirements of the destination country related to travel restrictions associated with covid, a family member who was our host contracted covid, and i am now forced to incur hotel expenses. is this covered, if the destination/resort to where i traveled mandates covid testing: 1) is the cost of the mandatory test covered 2) will a positive test result administered by a non-qualified physician be satisfactory, due to the restrictions in place in the country where i had to travel, my travel agent changed my dates of stay and/or destination. does my travel coverage apply the same way, i tested positive for covid and my physician ordered me to quarantine. my quarantine is now over, and i am feeling well; however, i have an upcoming trip next month, can i proceed to file a trip cancellation claim.

Do you have questions about your policy regarding COVID? Receive a  free quote  within minutes Or call us at  855-327-1441  to speak with our licensed Travel Insurance Advisors. Monday-Saturday, 8 AM-7 PM Central Time  

licensed agents available

Need Help Choosing a Plan?

Speak with one of our licensed representatives or our 24/7 multilingual Insurance advisors to find the coverage you need for your next trip. From Medical Coverage to Trip Cancellation Protection, our team of travel experts will help you choose the right coverage.

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AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Review (2024)

AXA Assistance USA offers affordable travel insurance plans that cover unexpected medical and cancellation expenses

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Sarah Horvath is one of the home service industry’s most accomplished writers. Her specialties include writing about home warranties, insurance, home improvement and household finances. You can find her writing published through distributors like HouseMethod, Architectural Digest, Good Housekeeping and more. When not writing, she enjoys spending time in her home in Orlando with her fiance and parrot.

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AXA Assistance USA, a global insurance provider, offers travel insurance and travel medical insurance with benefits that go above and beyond many other providers — but is it the best choice for your next trip? AXA.

We at the MarketWatch Guides team examined AXA’s coverage options, what you might pay for insurance and how it compares to the best travel insurance companies . Read on to find out whether it’s a good fit for you.

AXA Assistance USA

  • Average Cost: $230
  • BBB Rating: A-
  • AM Best Score: A+
  • Medical Expense Max: $250,000
  • Emergency Evacuation Max: $1,000,000

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Why Trust MarketWatch Guides

Our editorial team follows a comprehensive methodology for rating and reviewing travel insurance companies. Advertisers have no effect on our rankings.

Companies Reviewed

Quotes Collected

Rating Factors

Our Take on AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance

After reviewing dozens of travel insurance providers, AXA ranks high on our list with 4.2 out of 5 stars. We also named the company as the best travel insurance choice for leisure.

AXA’s Platinum travel insurance plan — its top-tier offering — comes with unique perks, such as $500 for lost rounds of golf and $25 per lost ski day. Its Gold and Platinum plans also provide pre-existing medical coverage when you purchase the plan within 14 days of your initial trip deposit date.

While AXA offers unique benefits and competitive pricing, there are some limitations on its policies. Cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) upgrades are only available on its most expensive plans, and add-on options are more limited than other insurers.

AXA is best for travelers with pre-planned activities and those looking for medical coverage on affordable plan options. If you’re looking for more customization, Trawick may be a better choice.

AXA Assistance USA Pros and Cons

AXA Assistance USA is part of AXA Group, which is a multinational conglomerate of companies that offer a wide variety of insurance products. We recommend AXA travel insurance as one of the top-rated providers of travel insurance in the U.S., particularly for leisure travelers looking for insurance.

AXA’s tiered policy plan system provides even basic policyholders with comprehensive coverage including medical costs, baggage loss and trip delays or interruptions. The range of insurance plans is limited, with fewer add-ons available compared to competitors, but we think the overall value of AXA’s insurance is very good.

AXA Assistance Travel Insurance Plans

AXA offers three plan options for international travel:

  • Silver: AXA’s most affordable option, the Silver plan includes 100% trip cancellation and interruption coverage. It also includes $100 a day in trip delay coverage , $25,000 in medical expense coverage and $100,000 in emergency evacuation coverage.
  • Gold: The Gold plan extends trip interruption coverage to include a 150% reimbursement and extends medical coverage to include $100,000 worth of protection. It also provides $500,000 in emergency evacuation coverage.
  • Platinum: The Platinum plan extends coverage to include $250,000 worth of medical coverage and up to $1 million in evacuation coverage. The plan comes with a few leisure-related benefits, including coverage for lost ski days.

All plans include complimentary concierge coverage, 24/7 travel assistance and free identity theft protection.

AXA Add-On Options

Travel insurance add-ons, which are also referred to as riders, are optional extras that you can personalize your insurance policy with, depending on the kind of coverage you need. AXA travel insurance only has a couple of add-on options for their travel insurance plans, along with additional coverage in their Gold and Platinum Plans.

AXA’s coverage add-ons include:

  • Cancel for any reason (CFAR)
  • Collision damage waiver

Their Platinum Plan also includes:

  • $25 for a lost skier day
  • $500 for lost golf rounds
  • $1,000 for sports equipment rental

Cost of AXA Travel Insurance Plans

How much you pay for an AXA travel insurance plan depends largely on which coverage tier you choose. Different plans provide reimbursements for varying situations, which means the risk the insurer takes on also varies.

AXA Assistance USA International Travel Cost

To help give an idea of the cost of AXA Assistance USA Insurance policies, below is an estimate we received for a travel insurance policy from AXA for an international trip to Croatia. Two citizens from the U.S., aged 25 and 27 years old, are traveling. Their trip is from September 1st, 2023 until September 9th, 2023 and costs $4,000. The initial deposit for the trip was made on May 5th, 2023.

Your trip cost will also play a role in coverage costs . For example, if you are traveling internationally and spend a high amount on airfare, the insurer will need to pay more to reimburse you if you file a claim.

AXA Assistance USA Domestic Travel Insurance

AXA Travel insurance works for trips both domestic and abroad. Take a look at how much you might pay for Gold-level domestic travel insurance based on where you are starting your trip, the trip’s cost and your age.

Read More: Travel Insurance For United States Tourists

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Reviews

The majority of positive reviews about AXA travel insurance show that customers are pleased with the coverage options and the peace of mind that trip insurance provides. While many customers have positive claims experiences, others mentioned slow claims processing, slow response times from customer support staff and a generally low standard of customer service.

Below are company reviews that were found on Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot .

“I found myself in a medical emergency whilst abroad and required surgery. Every single member of staff I spoke to [was] helpful, friendly and empathetic to my situation. They ensured additional seats for my journey home as well as airport assistance. I have made an additional claim on returning to the UK for expenses I incurred whilst in the hospital — this has been processed quickly and without issue. I feel very strongly that people only tend to complain on the back of a negative experience, but I felt compelled to make people aware of my experience which was completely positive.” —Abigail N. via Trustpilot “Every time I've made a claim with this company it's been dealt with superbly, no issues at all. Paid on two [COVID-19] claims this year, a cancelled holiday for illness a few ago and the sickness whilst away 7 years ago, comes as part of my bank package. Would have no hesitation in recommending them to anybody.” — Silver F. via Trustpilot “They paid very slowly, but they eventually did pay. I took a trip in June 2022. While there, I got COVID just before I was to return. My return home was delayed by 9 days, and I had to buy a new return ticket home. They do not respond to emails (other than the standard automatic "We received your correspondence, blah blah") but no personal communication until 8 to 10 weeks later. Don't bother calling because you will be put on hold for a very long time, then be disconnected. Can I recommend them? No. Will I be insured with them in the future? Certainly not. But to their credit, they did reimburse me, and for the full amount I asked for.” — William S. via BBB “Worst company to buy travel insurance . I had to cancel my return ticket due to being sick last year and I already provided all the asked documents and submitted the claim in December 2021 and am still awaiting a response. No updates, no progress on my claim, and it's been almost 6 months now. [...]” — Dilshadahemad K. via BBB

How To File a Claim with AXA Travel Insurance

Filing a travel insurance claim with AXA is straightforward. Follow these steps:

  • Gather documentation: Once you are able to do so, gather documentation that proves your claim. If you are filing a claim for medical bills, gather a summary of the treatment you received and bills you owe or paid.
  • Call or submit documentation online: Next, connect with a representative to submit your claim. You can reach AXA at 888-975-5015 or by logging into your online portal.
  • Wait for reimbursement: Once you have filed your claim and any necessary documentation, the last step is to wait for reimbursement. You can contact AXA for updates as needed.

AXA Assistance USA vs. Competitors

Check out how AXA compares with some of the other top international travel insurance providers we have reviewed.

The destination you select plays a significant role in your pricing. Browse the table below to learn more.

annual travel insurance axa

Is AXA Assistance USA a Good Choice for Travel Insurance?

We found that AXA’s travel insurance coverage is best suited for adventure travelers and those looking for top-tier coverage. AXA’s Platinum plan can offer travelers more unique benefits, including payments for lost ski days and medical coverage for pre-existing conditions.

AXA might not be best for those looking for quick, cheap coverage . While its pricing is in line with other companies, it limits its CFAR coverage and most inclusive benefits to the highest pricing tier. Options like Faye Travel Insurance specialize in offering streamlined, quick coverage choices at lower prices, which can be beneficial for last-minute travelers.

Frequently Asked Questions About AXA Travel Insurance

What are the benefits of axa travel insurance.

One of the key benefits of AXA Travel Insurance is that they have a huge international network, which means you’ll receive travel assistance services along with insurance coverage. They also advertise a 24/7 concierge service that can be used before you travel for advice or recommendations on what to book and where to visit.

Who owns AXA Travel Insurance?

AXA Assistance USA is part of AXA Group, which is a multinational insurance company that was originally founded in France. The group is a collection of independently run businesses which includes travel insurance companies in countries across the world, primarily in North America, Western Europe and the Middle East.

Does AXA cover me abroad?

If you purchase a travel insurance policy from AXA, then you will be covered when you travel abroad. This includes coverage if you require medical treatment while in another country and emergency evacuation due to medical conditions or an unrelated incident.

What travel insurance is underwritten by AXA?

Many different travel insurance providers and policies are underwritten by AXA Insurance, which means that AXA determines the coverage that can be offered and how much this will cost. Travel insurance providers underwritten by AXA include TUI Travel Insurance, Coverwise travel insurance, Just Travel Cover and ABTA Travel Insurance.

Other Travel Insurance Providers to Consider

  • Faye Travel Insurance Review
  • TravelSafe Travel Insurance Review
  • Nationwide Travel Insurance Review
  • WorldTrips Travel Insurance Review
  • World Nomads Travel Insurance Review
  • Allianz Travel Insurance Review
  • GeoBlue Travel Insurance Review

Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Travel Insurance Companies

  • A 30-year-old couple taking a $5,000 vacation to Mexico.
  • A family of four taking an $8,000 vacation to Mexico.
  • A 65-year-old couple taking a $7,000 vacation to the United Kingdom.
  • A 30-year-old couple taking a $7,000 trip to the United Kingdom.
  • A 19-year-old taking a $2,000 trip to France.
  • A 27-year-old couple taking a $1,200 trip to Greece.
  • A 51-year-old couple taking a $2,000 trip to Spain.
  • Plan availability (10%): We look for insurers with a variety of travel insurance plans and the ability to customize a policy with coverage upgrades.
  • Coverage details (29%): We review the baseline coverage each company offers in its cheapest comprehensive plan. A provider with robust coverage earns full points, including baggage delay and loss, COVID-19 coverage, emergency evacuation and medical coverage, trip delay and cancellation coverage, and more. Companies also receive points for offering a variety of policy add-ons like accidental death and dismemberment, extreme sports, valuable items, cancel for any reason coverage and more.
  • Coverage times and amounts (34%): We compare each company’s waiting periods and maximum reimbursement amounts for baggage, travel and weather delays. Companies that offer customers reimbursement after fewer than 12 hours of delays earn full points in this category. We also reward travel insurance providers that cover more than 100% of trip costs in the event of cancellations or interruptions.
  • Company service and reviews (17%): We look for indicators that a company is well-prepared to respond to customer needs. Companies with an established global resource network, 24/7 emergency hotline, mobile app, multiple ways to file a claim and concierge services score higher in this category. We assess reputation by evaluating consumer reviews, third-party financial strength and customer experience ratings, specifically from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

For more information, read our full travel insurance methodology.

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  • Key takeaways

Is AXA Insurance legit?

Axa travel insurance plans & coverage, cost of axa assistance travel insurance plans, axa travel insurance reviews from customers, is axa travel insurance worth it, faq: axa travel insurance, related topics.

AXA Travel Insurance Review April 2024

Leigh Morgan

  • AXA Insurance has only three plans, but all offer comprehensive travel coverage.
  • All of AXA’s plans offer coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage delays, and more.
  • Rental car coverage & cancel for any reason can be added to AXA’s premium plans.
  • AXA has excellent ratings of A+ from AM Best & an A- from the Better Business Bureau.
  • AXA offers comprehensive coverage while still remaining affordable.
  • We recommend using a comparison tool to see all available travel plans for your trip.

AXA is a huge name in the industry and is a top choice for travel insurance as its plans boast quality over quantity. 

AXA offers fewer plans than other providers but every plan comes packed with comprehensive coverage inclusions and high limits.

Apart from medical care costs and medical evacuation coverage, AXA has several cushy inclusions that most other providers charge extra for.

With most other insurance companies, these coverage types are only available on more expensive insurance plans, but with AXA they come standard :

  • Trip cancellation coverage
  • Trip interruption coverage
  • Trip delay coverage
  • Missed connection coverage
  • Baggage delay coverage
  • Baggage and personal effects coverage for loss, theft, & damage.
  • Reliable claim payments
  • Online claim filing options
  • Easy to change coverage dates
  • Easy to buy policies
  • Friendly customer service
  • Claims team can be slow to respond
  • Claim payments take time
  • Extensive documentation requirements

Yes, AXA Assistance USA is one of the world’s largest and most reputable insurance companies with over 60 years of operations . The Better Business Bureau rates AXA Insurance with a solid score of A- and cites no major complaints or ethical issues. AXA also boasts strong financial health ratings and received an A+ credit rating from AM Best. This score shows that AXA Assistance USA is a financially stable insurer and can make good on paying out insurance claims. 

AXA may not be a familiar name to some Americans, but the AXA Group is a big name in Europe and is known for being a global leader in financial protection.

Below, we’ve put together a detailed guide on the main highlights and benefits of AXA travel insurance to help you understand what they offer.

AXA offers three comprehensive plans with varying levels of coverage:

AXA Assistance USA

Here are our top picks for the best alternative plans, seven corners.

Tin Leg

Generali Global Assistance

The base-level plan is AXA’s most affordable option and is a great fit if you’re traveling within the United States, North America, or the Caribbean. The plan covers 100% of trip costs for cancellations and interruptions and offers $100,000 for emergency medical evacuations and $25,000 for medical expenses. While the medical expense limit is on the lower side, it is a good amount for supplementing your existing U.S. health insurance for trips within the U.S. Keep in mind that for farther-flung destinations abroad or trips with a higher risk of needing medical care (hiking, covid, etc) you may want to opt for the Gold or Platinum.

If you need higher coverage limits for trips abroad or within the United States, the Gold plan is the perfect option. It’s a solid mid-tier plan with all the coverage you need — including 100% for trip cancellation, $100,000 in medical expenses, and $500,000 for emergency evacuation. These limits are typically enough for most travelers and most destinations worldwide.

AXA Platinum

Coverage includes $1 million for emergency evacuation and $250,000 for medical expenses which makes it ideal for traveling to hard-to-reach locations that may have high evacuation costs, like on an expedition to Antarctica . Apart from having higher limits overall and giving you access to optional add-ons, the platinum plan also covers a range of premium extras such as lost ski days, golf rounds, sports equipment rentals, etc.

Here is a brief look at how each plan differs:

Optional add-ons

AXA offers add-ons only when you opt for the Gold or Platinum plans.

Add-ons are an easy way to boost your coverage, customize your plan, and further protect yourself against unforeseen travel issues. 

There are two main types of optional add-ons available through AXA:

Rental car damage coverage

CFAR – Cancel for any reason coverage

Rental car collision damage waiver

The Gold and Platinum plans allow you to purchase optional rental vehicle coverage. The collision damage waiver applies to collisions, loss or damage to the car, both in the United States and Abroad. 

With the Gold plan, you can get a waiver covering up to $35,000, and with the Platinum plan, you can get a waiver for up to $50,000 in damages.

CFAR - Cancel for any reason

Cancel for any reason coverage is just as the name sounds. You can cancel your trip for any reason whatsoever and still be reimbursed for your trip. 

This coverage is only available with the AXA Platinum plan and will increase the cost of your policy by around 50%, but it allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and receive a reimbursement for 75% of prepaid expenses.

It’s important to understand that this does not include reimbursement of any refundable costs , so you’ll need to communicate with service providers separately to get that money back.

There are two caveats with AXA’s CFAR coverage:

  • You must purchase it 14 days or less from the date you paid the first trip deposit.  
  • To claim the benefit, AXA requires you to cancel at least 48 hours from the time you’re scheduled to depart.  

Keep these deadlines in mind and consider adding specific dates to your calendar as a reminder to maximize policy benefits.

What is not covered by AXA Assistance USA travel insurance

AXA’s plans tend to be very comprehensive, but they don’t quite cover everything.  

Exclusions vary by plan, but generally, AXA will not cover the following:

  • Travel to high-risk countries (see policy documents for a list)
  • Canceled events
  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Non-emergency medical care
  • Non-emergency dental care
  • Medical tourism
  • Non-reconstructive cosmetic surgery 
  • Medical treatments when you’re traveling against medical advice
  • Injuries resulting from extreme sports and high-risk, such as flying an aircraft, hang gliding, skydiving, bungee jumping, contact sports and rock climbing
  • Standard pregnancy care or childbirth (unless there are complications)
  • Injuries resulting from wars, terrorism, rioting, or participating in civil unrest
  • Attempted self-harm or taking your own life

Since the specific exclusions depend on the plan you choose and can change at any time, we always recommend reading the policy’s fine print to understand exactly what is covered and what is excluded.

Reading the terms and understanding your coverage before you commit can save you from potential losses and will ensure you get the most out of your plan.

Despite offering comprehensive plans with high coverage limits, AXA travel insurance remains quite affordable. Notably, AXA’s plans get more expensive as the limits increase , but even so, they remain competitive in price. 

Below, we prepared some examples to give you a general idea of how much AXA travel insurance costs.  It’s important to note that the cost of travel insurance varies greatly depending on the specific factors of your trip such as the plan you choose, number of travelers, ages of travelers, length of trip, destination, and more. 

Therefore, these prices are for example purposes only as your cost will vary.

That said, below we have collected quotes with a range of trip parameters and highlighted the average cost for each plan based on the example parameters.

The example quotes below used Illinois as the state of residence:  

From the table above, it’s clear to see that the price of AXA’s plans increases dramatically with age as is common with most providers. It’s also clear that for a few extra dollars, you can upgrade to the Gold plan and boost your coverage limits with a minimal price difference.

AXA has mostly favorable reviews from customers and boasts a 4.2-star rating out of 5.

This equates to a score of 84% customer satisfaction. However, it’s important to remember that disgruntled customers are more likely to leave reviews. We researched real customer feedback to see what others have to say about AXA and how they perform. 

Below, we’ve included a list of client feedback with some of the most insightful positive and negative customer reviews we saw. After all, sometimes the best way to gauge if a provider is right for you is by seeing what others say.

What customers like:

  • Easy-to-buy policies

A customer named Terri mentioned: “I broke my wrist while in Portugal and required two surgeries while I was there. AXA reimbursed me for 100% of my claim. ”

Another user named Rebecca said: “Easiest claim possible. I filled out the claim form online and within a month a check for the full amount was issued.”

That said, there were a few gripes customers had with their policies from AXA.

What customers don’t like:

  • Claim payments can take time
  • Extensive documentation requirements (depending on claim)

A customer named Joyce prefers a more personal experience: “Communication was slow and impersonal, but the claim was handled fairly. ”

ZEV wanted quicker claims: “Policy purchase is fast and easy. Claims are slow and non-responsive.”

One important caveat of these negative reviews is that these points are common to almost all insurance providers. The claims investigation process is lengthy, but if you stick with it, you will be reimbursed as promised.

AXA travel insurance is definitely worth the price as they offer solid, comprehensive coverage with even their budget plans. ​​Regarding cost, they are neither the most expensive nor the cheapest, but the level of quality ranks them among the top providers in the US for travel insurance.

Their record speaks for itself. AXA Assistance USA is an established, respected provider with a long track record of serving customers for over 60 years. Customers often cite their reliability and ease of working with them. Their plans are well suited for traveling abroad or staying within the US. 

Which plan is right for you?

Unless you want premium coverage, it may not be necessary to pay for a higher plan than the Silver plan. The Silver plan offers enough coverage for trips within North America and nearby destinations like Canada , Mexico , or the Bahamas . However, the medical limit on this plan may not be enough for some travelers, like those on a trip to Tanzania where higher coverage limits are recommended.

For international trips, the Gold and Platinum plans provide higher limits for medical care and evacuation , so you’re well covered if an emergency happens overseas, such as on a trip to Japan or when visiting Ireland .

The optional add-ons available with these plans may also be a deciding factor for upgrading. 

If you’re interested in higher coverage limits or a wider variety of add-ons, you may want to consider plans from other providers. None of AXA’s travel insurance plans are included in our list of the most sold travel insurance plans for 2023 . Therefore, you may want to have a look there if you are still not convinced.

Are AXA travel insurance plans good?

Yes, AXA offers solid, comprehensive travel insurance plans — each one, even the most affordable tier, comes with a wide variety of standard coverages. No matter which option you select, you’ll be protected when it comes to trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost baggage, and more.

Does AXA Assistance USA include 24/7 Travel Assistance?

Yes — AXA Assistance USA has a 24/7 emergency assistance line at 855-327-1442. Operators are available around the clock to answer questions and help find the care you need.

Does AXA travel insurance come with a money-back guarantee?

AXA Assistance USA will offer your money back in certain scenarios but does not offer an unlimited money-back guarantee. AXA will offer a refund if you request cancellation in writing within 10 days of original purchase. AXA does not offer refunds for your policy once you’ve started traveling or you’ve already submitted a claim against the policy. For example, if you filed a trip interruption claim, you won’t be able to get the plan cost back.

Does AXA travel insurance cover trip cancellations?

Every AXA travel insurance plan covers trip cancellations in some capacity. The Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans all cover 100% of the non-refundable, prepaid costs when you cancel for a reason stipulated in the policy. That usually includes an illness or accidental injury that prevents you or someone else on the policy from going on the trip. For example, cancellation coverage will apply for accidental injuries, sickness, or death of a non-traveling family member who resides in the United States, Canada, or Mexico.

Keep in mind that you’ll need a doctor to attest to your inability to travel. Other covered reasons include a job transfer and home relocation of more than 250 miles, revocation of a previously approved military leave, and unforeseen natural disasters that destroy your accommodations.

Does AXA travel insurance work abroad?

AXA travel insurance covers trips to most foreign countries. When you buy a policy, make sure to note all the countries you’ll be visiting to ensure coverage.

Does AXA travel insurance cover cancel for any reason?

Only the AXA Premium plan offers “cancel-for-any-reason” coverage as an optional add-on. This feature will increase the policy cost significantly, but it can help you recoup up to 75% of your money.

Is AXA no longer doing travel insurance?

AXA still sells travel insurance in the USA. AXA stopped selling its own branded plans in the UK. However, in the USA, AXA still available and is a great company to buy travel insurance from. AXA Assistance USA has 3 different plans to choose from that offer comprehensive travel insurance fit for domestic or international trips.

Leigh Morgan

Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development.

In the last 5 years, she’s authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of “77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse,” a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams.

In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.

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Policy Details

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Best Annual Travel Insurance in 2024

Carissa Rawson

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If you’re a frequent traveler, annual travel insurance may be something you’ve been considering. Unlike single-trip insurance, annual travel insurance plans can cover you for an entire year, no matter how often you’re on the road.

Let’s look at the best yearly travel insurance companies, why we choose them and the coverage you can expect.

Factors we considered when picking travel insurance companies

We used the following criteria when choosing which companies we thought were best:

Cost . Annual plans can be expensive — depending on the type of coverage you choose — so we wanted ensure that they stayed affordable. 

Types of coverage . Travel insurance for annual travelers can be limited in its coverage. We picked the ones with the broadest range of coverage for possible travel disruptions.

Coverage amounts . Annual trip insurance isn’t worth much if your limits are too low. Instead, we wanted plans with reasonable coverage amounts. 

Customizability . If your travels take you to different places, you’ll want the ability to customize your plan. The best annual travel insurance plans can provide this. 

» Learn more: What does travel insurance cover?

An overview of the best annual travel insurance

We gathered quotes from various travel insurance companies to determine the best annual travel insurance policies. In these examples, we used a year-long trip by a 22-year-old from Alabama. We indicated the main countries of travel as France and Malaysia, and when asked, put the total trip costs at $6,000.

The average cost for an annual travel insurance plan came out to $220. The plans ranged from $138-$386.

Let’s take a closer look at our top recommendations for annual travel insurance.

annual travel insurance axa

1. Allianz Travel

What makes Allianz travel insurance great:

Lower than average cost.

Provides health care and travel insurance benefits.

Includes rental car insurance up to $45,000. 

Here’s a snippet from our Allianz Travel insurance review :

“AllTrips Basic (annual plan) is suitable for those who would like emergency medical coverage while abroad but don't need trip cancellation and interruption benefits. The AllTrips Prime, Executive and Premier plans provide an entire year of comprehensive travel insurance benefits.

The Executive and Premier plans offer various levels of trip cancellation and interruption benefits. The Executive plan is specifically designed for business travelers since it offers protection for business equipment.”

annual travel insurance axa

2. Seven Corners

What makes Seven Corners great:

Offers up to $20,000 for acute coverage of pre-existing conditions. 

Includes up to $1 million for emergency medical evacuation. 

Optional add-on for adventure sport activities.

$0 deductible available. 

Here’s a snippet from our Seven Corners review :

“Seven Corners offers one annual policy called Travel Medical Annual Multi-Trip. The policy can be customized depending on how long you plan to be away from home for any one trip. You can travel as much as you like during the 364 days, so long as any one trip doesn’t exceed the option selected — 30, 45 or 60 days.”

annual travel insurance axa

What makes IMG great:

Good customizability with medical evacuations and sports coverage. 

Low $250 deductible.

Includes coverage for semi-private hospital rooms. 

Here’s a snippet from our IMG review:

“Some policies provide emergency medical evacuation coverage, while others skip this benefit entirely. This benefit may be more important to you if you travel to a remote location or engage in physical activity such as trekking.

More comprehensive plans may include other benefits such as assistance with acquiring a new passport, reimbursing reward mile redeposit fees or coverage for pre-existing conditions. If these are something you’re interested in, be sure to check that your policy includes these options.”

annual travel insurance axa

4. Trawick International

What makes Trawick International great:

100% coverage for trip cancellation and trip interruption. 

Emergency medical evacuation included. 

Trip delay reimbursement coverage. 

Here’s a snippet from our Trawick International review :

“Trawick International is a comprehensive travel insurance provider that offers trip delay and cancellation insurance, baggage delay coverage, medical coverage and medical evacuation, rental car damage protection, and even COVID-19 coverage among its various policies.

Trawick covers trips for worldwide destinations, including for foreign nationals coming to the U.S.”

What does travel insurance cover?

You’ll find a wide variety of coverage types offered by travel insurance policies. This is true whether you're purchasing a single-trip or annual travel insurance plan. Here are some common types you can expect to find:

Accidental death insurance .

Baggage delay and lost luggage insurance .

Cancel for Any Reason insurance .

Emergency evacuation insurance .

Medical insurance .

Rental car insurance .

Trip cancellation insurance .

Trip interruption insurance .

How to choose the best annual travel insurance policy

While we’ve highlighted some of the best annual travel insurance companies, the truth is that the best plan for you isn’t going to be the best plan for someone else. If you’re interested in buying annual travel insurance, you’ll want to collect a variety of quotes to see which policy best fits your needs.

This may mean opting for a plan that covers pre-existing conditions or one that specifically includes high-risk activities. Or, if you’re in a country where health care is notoriously expensive, you may want to choose a policy with higher maximums.

Many credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance .

Whatever the case, do your research first and review all the plan details before making your purchase.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

If you want to buy annual travel insurance

Annual travel insurance can be a great option if you’re often out of town. With such a wide range of policies available, selecting a plan that fits your needs is easy. We’ve done some of the work for you by choosing the best annual travel insurance companies, all of which made the top of the list for their cost, customizability, types of coverage and plan maximums.

Like any travel insurance policy, the cost of your plan is going to vary. Factors that may affect the cost of your annual travel insurance include your age, where you’re going, how long you’ll be traveling, your policy maximums and whether preexisting conditions are included.

Although not all travel insurance providers offer annual travel insurance, many of them do. We’ve gathered together the five best, including Allianz Travel, World Nomads, Seven Corners, IMG and Trawick International.

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

Chase Sapphire Reserve 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℠.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

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℠.

Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

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.

annual travel insurance axa

U.S. News takes an unbiased approach to our recommendations. When you use our links to buy products, we may earn a commission but that in no way affects our editorial independence.

The 5 Best Annual Travel Insurance Plans of 2024

annual travel insurance axa

Allianz Travel Insurance »

annual travel insurance axa

AIG Travel Guard »

annual travel insurance axa

Seven Corners »

annual travel insurance axa

GeoBlue »

annual travel insurance axa

Trawick International »

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 Annual Travel Insurance Plans.

Table of Contents

  • Allianz Travel Insurance
  • AIG Travel Guard

Buying travel insurance can be a smart move for most trips, but those who travel more than a few times a year should consider an annual travel insurance policy. Whether you regularly travel for business and/or take several vacations a year, annual travel insurance plans can help you get the coverage you need without having to price out and purchase protection every time you leave home.

If you find yourself in a situation where an annual plan makes sense, know that not all travel insurance companies offer this kind of coverage. You'll also want to consider the available annual travel insurance plans to see which options make sense for your travel style and the level of coverage you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Annual travel insurance plans all work in their own way, but the majority let travelers pay one annual premium for coverage that lasts for up to 364 days. These plans often limit the length of individual trips that are covered within the coverage year. Per-trip and annual limits on coverage can also apply.

In some cases, annual travel insurance plans require a deductible or coinsurance for certain types of coverage. If you're considering an annual travel insurance plan because you take multiple trips each year, make sure you read over the policy details and understand all coverage limits and trip limits that apply.

The cost of annual travel insurance typically varies based on factors like the age of the travelers applying, included benefits and coverage limits. You will want to shop around to compare plans across multiple providers using a platform like TravelInsurance.com or Squaremouth before you settle on a travel insurance policy.

To provide an example of the cost of annual travel insurance, U.S. News applied for a quote for two 40-year-old travelers seeking coverage for eight trips over a 12-month period. The Squaremouth travel insurance portal quoted policies with costs that range from $206 for the GeoBlue Trekker Essential plan to $610 for the Safe Travels Annual Deluxe plan by Trawick International.

Annual travel insurance can be worth it if you take multiple trips each year and want to make sure you always have coverage in place. After all, the alternative to having a multitrip policy is buying a new travel insurance plan for every vacation you take. That's not always feasible for frequent travelers who are always jetting off somewhere new – often at the last minute.

Just keep in mind that annual travel insurance plans tend to come with lower coverage limits than plans for single trips, and that you'll pay a premium for coverage that comes with comprehensive benefits and high limits for medical expenses and emergency evacuation.

  • Allianz Travel Insurance: Best Overall
  • AIG Travel Guard: Best for Basic Coverage
  • Seven Corners: Best for Medical
  • GeoBlue: Best for Expats
  • Trawick International: Best for the Cost

Tailor your annual travel insurance plan to your needs

Most plans include coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, travel delays, medical expenses, and more

Lowest-tier plans (AllTrips Basic and AllTrips Prime) come with no or relatively low coverage limits for trip cancellation

Most annual plans (except for AllTrips Premier) do not cover trips longer than 45 days

  • Trip cancellation coverage worth up to between $2,000 and $15,000
  • Trip interruption coverage worth up to between $2,000 and $15,000
  • Emergency medical coverage worth up to $50,000
  • Up to $500,000 in emergency medical transportation coverage
  • Up to $2,000 in coverage for lost or damaged baggage
  • Up to $2,000 in coverage for baggage delays
  • Travel delay coverage worth up to $1,500 ($300 daily limit)
  • Rental car coverage worth up to $45,000
  • Up to $50,000 in travel accident coverage
  • 24-hour hotline assistance and concierge service

Annual Travel Insurance Plan offers year-round travel insurance protection

Relatively high limits for medical expenses ($50,000) and emergency evacuation ($500,000)

No trip cancellation coverage and relatively low limit ($2,500) for trip interruption coverage

No coverage for preexisting medical conditions

  • Up to $2,500 in coverage for trip interruption
  • Up to $1,500 in coverage for trip delays of five-plus hours ($150 per day limit)
  • Missed connection coverage worth up to $500
  • Up to $2,500 in baggage insurance
  • Baggage delay coverage worth up to $1,000 for delays of at least 12 hours.
  • Up to $50,000 for emergency medical expenses ($500 for emergency dental sublimit)
  • Up to $500,000 for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains
  • Up to $50,000 in accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
  • Up to $100,000 in protection for security evacuation

Provides coverage worth up to $250,000 for emergency medical expenses

Tailor other included benefit levels to your needs

Coverage only applies to trips up to 40 days

Deductible up to $100 applies for emergency medical coverage and baggage and personal effects

  • Trip cancellation coverage worth up to between $2,500 and $10,000
  • Trip interruption coverage worth up to 150% of the trip cancellation limit
  • Up to $2,000 in trip delay coverage ($200 daily limit)
  • Up to $1,000 in protection for missed connections
  • Up to $250,000 in coverage for emergency medical expenses ($50,000 in New Hampshire)
  • $750 dental sublimit within emergency medical coverage
  • Up to $500,000 in coverage for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
  • Up to $2,000 in coverage for baggage and personal effects
  • Baggage delay coverage worth up to $1,000 ($100 daily limit)
  • 24/7 travel assistance services

Get annual coverage for medical expenses and routine medical care

High limits for medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation

GeoBlue plans don't offer comprehensive travel protection

Deductibles and copays apply

  • Ambulatory and therapeutic services
  • Inpatient hospital services
  • Emergency medical services
  • Rehabilitation and therapy
  • Preventive and primary care

Choose among three tiers of annual travel protection

Option for basic protection with affordable premiums

No coverage for preexisting conditions

Maximum trip duration of 30 days per trip

  • Trip cancellation coverage up to $2,500 maximum per year
  • Trip interruption coverage up to $2,500 maximum per year
  • $200 per trip for trip delays (up to $100 per day for delays of 12 hours or longer)
  • Up to $500 in coverage per trip for baggage and personal effects
  • Baggage delay coverage up to $100 per trip
  • Up to $10,000 for emergency medical expenses per trip
  • Up to $50,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage per trip
  • Up to $10,000 in AD&D coverage
  • 24-hour travel assistance services

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is a travel expert who has researched travel insurance options for her own vacations and family trips to more than 50 countries around the world. On a personal level, her family uses an annual travel insurance policy from Allianz. Johnson works alongside her husband, Greg – who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states – within their family media business and travel agency .

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The best travel insurance policies and providers

Katie Genter

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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).

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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

annual travel insurance axa

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?

annual travel insurance axa

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?

annual travel insurance axa

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?

annual travel insurance axa

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

annual travel insurance axa

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 .

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

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

  • 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.

Insider Today

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.

annual travel insurance axa

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Travel Insurance

Cheapest travel insurance of April 2024

Mandy Sleight

Heidi Gollub

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

WorldTrips

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.

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

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

Nationwide

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

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

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 Sleight

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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