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12 Best Travel Insurance Companies: Forbes-Rated 2024

Michelle Megna

Expert Reviewed

Updated: Sep 18, 2024, 11:21am

Prime Cover, Travel Insured International and WorldTrips are among the best travel insurance companies, based on our analysis of 42 policies. We evaluated costs and a variety of coverage features to find the best policies. See all our top picks.

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Best travel insurance companies: summary, best travel insurance companies ranked by experts, how much does travel insurance cost, best cancel for any reason travel insurance, best cruise insurance.

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Cheapest Travel Insurance Companies

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PrimeCover Luxe

Via Forbes Advisor’s Website

Travel Insured International Worldwide Trip Protector

$371 (Explore) $400 (Elevate)

$250,000/$1 million (Elevate) $150,000/$750,000 (Explore)

TravelSafe Classic Plus

$539 (Deluxe) $413 (Preferred)

Seven Corners Trip Protection Choice

How We Chose the Best Travel Insurance

We assessed cost, travel medical and evacuation limits, baggage and trip delay benefits, the availability of cancellation and interruption upgrades, and more. Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the methodology for the ratings below.

  • 42 travel insurance policies evaluated
  • 1,596 coverage details analyzed
  • 102 years of insurance experience on the editorial team

BEST FOR EVACUATION

PrimeCover

Top-scoring plan

Average cost

Medical & evacuation limits per person

$250,000/$1 million

We recommend the Luxe policy because it has superior benefit limits for nearly all core coverage types. We were especially impressed with its generous evacuation coverage, short waiting periods for delays and wide range of optional benefits.

More:  PrimeCover Travel Insurance Review

  • Provides “hospital of choice” in its medical evacuation coverage, meaning you choose the medical facility rather than being transported to the nearest adequate treatment center.
  • Non-medical evacuation benefits of $100,000.
  • Superior trip interruption reimbursement of 200%, which is twice as much as many competitors.
  • You can buy a “cancel for any reason” upgrade within 21 days of your initial trip deposit, compared to 15 days for many other top-rated companies.
  • Medical expense coverage of $250,000 per person is great, but some competitors provide $500,000.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Luxe policy.

Also included:

  • Change benefits of $300 for changing original travel arrangements, such as transferring airlines.
  • Itinerary change benefits of $500.
  • Lost golf fee benefits of $500 and lost ski/snowboard fee benefits of $150.
  • Rental property damage liability benefits of $1,500.
  • Search and rescue benefits of $5,000.
  • Sports equipment rental coverage of $1,000.
  • Travel inconvenience coverage of $100 each for closed attractions and flight diversions.

Optional add-on coverage includes:

  • AD&D flight-only choices of $100,000, $250,000 and $500,000.
  • “Cancel for any reason” upgrade.
  • Increased trip delay coverage choices of $4,000 or $7,000.
  • “Interruption for any reason” upgrade.
  • Rental car damage coverage of $50,000.

BEST FOR NON-MEDICAL EVACUATION

Travel insured international.

Travel Insured International

Worldwide Trip Protector

Average price

$100,000/$1 million

We recommend Travel Insured’s Worldwide Trip Protector policy because it offers robust benefits at the lowest average price among top-rated plans we analyzed. We also like its superior non-medical evacuation coverage.

More: Travel Insured International Travel Insurance Review

  • “Cancel for any reason” and “interruption for any reason” upgrades available.
  • Top-notch non-medical evacuation benefits of $150,000 per person.
  • Good travel delay and baggage delay benefits kick in after just a three-hour delay.
  • Medical coverage of $100,000 per person is on the low side compared to top competitors but might be enough for your needs.
  • Missed connection benefits of $500 are low compared to top-rated competitors and for cruise and tours only.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Worldwide Trip Protector policy.

  • Pet kennel benefits of up to $500 are included if you return home three hours or more later than your planned return date.

Optional add-ons offered:

  • Rental car damage and theft coverage of up to $50,000.
  • Event ticket protection pays up to $1,000 if you can’t attend for a reason covered by the policy.
  • Travel inconvenience coverage allows you to recoup money for unforeseen circumstances, such as closed beaches and attractions, rainy weather, tarmac delays and more.
  • Bed rest benefits pay up to $4,000 if a doctor requires you to stay on bed rest for at least 48 hours during your trip.

I have been working with Travel Insured for over 15 years, and have been using them almost exclusively. Typically, they have been quite responsive and pay their claims in a timely fashion.

– Stephanie Goldberg-Glazer, chief experience officer of Live Well, Travel Often

GREAT FOR ADD-ON COVERAGE

WorldTrips

Atlas Journey Premier

We like the Atlas Journey Elevate plan for its wide choice of add-ons. These add-ons provide extra coverage for pets traveling with you, adventure sports, medical expenses, and more. We also like that this plan has a low average cost compared to competitors.

Another option is the Atlas Journey Escape plan, but this policy doesn’t offer the “interruption for any reason” upgrade and has lower travel medical benefits of $150,00 per person. Still, it hits all the marks for great benefits at a low price. It also offers lots of choices for add-on coverage.

More: WorldTrips Travel Insurance Review

  • Very good travel delay benefits of $2,000 per person after only five hours.
  • Good baggage insurance coverage of $2,500.
  • Medical coverage limits of $150,000 aren’t as high compared to some top-rated competitors but you might find it’s sufficient.
  • Baggage delay benefits have a 12-hour waiting period.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Atlas Journey Premier policy.

  • Travel inconvenience benefits of $750 if your arrival home is delayed due to a transportation delay and you can’t work for at least two days, your flight lands at a different airport than scheduled, your passport is stolen and can’t be reissued, and more.
  • “Cancel for any reason” and “interruption for any reason” coverage.
  • Destination wedding coverage in case the wedding is canceled.
  • Baggage insurance upgrade to $4,000 per person.
  • Rental car theft and damage coverage of $50,000.
  • Political or security evacuation benefits of $150,000 per person.
  • Vacation rental accommodations coverage of $500 if unclean or overbooked.
  • Adventure sports add-on to extend coverage to safaris, bungee jumping and more.
  • Hunting and fishing coverage for equipment and cancellation due to government restrictions.
  • School activities coverage if trip has to be canceled due a test, sporting event, etc.

WorldTrips offers a streamlined process for purchasing insurance online and filing claims. A user-friendly interface and efficient claims handling contribute to a positive customer experience and increased satisfaction.

– Joe Cronin , advisory board member

BEST FOR MISSED CONNECTIONS

TravelSafe

Classic Plus Plan

TravelSafe’s Classic Plus plan stood out in our analysis for its superior missed connection benefits of $2,500. We also like the Classic Plus plan’s top-notch medical evacuation coverage of $1 million.

More: TravelSafe Travel Insurance Review

  • “Cancel for any reason” upgrade available.
  • Superior baggage loss coverage limits of $2,500.
  • Great travel delay limits of $2,000 per person after a six-hour delay.
  • $100,000 in medical benefits is on the low side compared to top competitors but might be sufficient for your needs.
  • Baggage delay coverage is a little skimpy at $250 per person after a 12-hour delay.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Classic Plus policy.

  • Itinerary change coverage of $250 per person if your travel supplier makes a change that forces you to lose non-refundable costs for missed activities.
  • Reimburses $300 for fees if you have to redeposit frequent traveler awards for reasons covered by your trip cancellation insurance.
  • Pet kennel coverage of $100 a day if your return home is delayed by 24 hours or more due to a reason covered in your policy.
  • “Cancel for any reason” coverage of 75% of lost trip costs.
  • Accidental death and dismemberment for flights, up to $500,000 per person.
  • Rental car damage and theft up to $35,000.
  • Business equipment and sports equipment coverage of $1,000 if lost, stolen or damaged.

TravelSafe packs essential coverage into budget-friendly rates without skimping on key benefits, and its responsive claims handling preserves peace of mind.

– Timon van Basten, tour guide and founder of Travel Spain 24

BEST FOR POLICY PERKS

Nationwide

Cruise Luxury

$150,000/$1 million

Nationwide’s Cruise Luxury plan is one of our favorites because it has a treasure trove of benefits such as “interruption for any reason” and “cancel for work reasons” coverage. You can upgrade to “cancel for any reason” coverage. Some competitors offer none or one of those options. We also like its excellent missed connection benefit of $2,500 per person.

Note that you do not have to be going on a cruise to take advantage of this policy’s coverage.

More: Nationwide Travel Insurance Review

  • “Interruption for any reason” benefit of $1,000 per person is included.
  • Includes $25,000 per person in non-medical evacuation benefits for problems such as a natural disaster or security or political problem.
  • Good travel delay benefits of $1,000 per person.
  • Medical coverage of $150,000 per person is lower than most other top-rated plans but might be sufficient for your needs.
  • 24-hour delay required for hurricane and weather coverage, compared to some competitor policies with only a 12-hour delay requirement.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Cruise Luxury policy.

  • Inconvenience benefit of $250 per person if your cruise ship’s arrival at the next port of call is delayed for two or more hours due to mechanical breakdown or fire.
  • “Interruption for any reason” up to $1,000.
  • Coverage for extension of the school year, terrorism in an itinerary city, work-related emergency issues.
  • Coverage if the CDC issues a health warning at your destination.

Optional add-on offered:

  • “Cancel for any reason” upgrade that provides 75% reimbursement of insured trip cost if you cancel two or more days prior to your departure for a reason not listed in the base policy.

Count me in as a believer in Nationwide’s trusted track record in insurance. Their travel policies check all the boxes, especially for cruises. My only gripe is that some of their medical limits seem lower than other guys. But the rates are easy on the wallet.

– Tim Schmidt, travel expert, entrepreneur, published travel author and founder of All World

BEST FOR CUSTOMIZATION

AIG

Travel Guard Deluxe

The Travel Guard Deluxe plan impressed us with its optional pet, wedding, security, baggage, medical, adventures sports and travel inconvenience upgrades. These add-ons allow you to customize the policy to your needs. We also like that the policy includes benefits if, under certain conditions, you must start your trip earlier than planned—a feature not found in all policies.

More: AIG Travel Insurance Review

  • Offers upgrades to meet the needs and budgets of many kinds of travelers.
  • Includes $100,000 per person for security evacuation and superior medical evacuation coverage of $1 million per person.
  • Provides up to $750 per person for “travel inconveniences” such as a flight delay to your return destination, runway delays and cruise diversions.
  • Has good travel delay coverage of $1,000 per person, with a short waiting period of five hours.
  • The Travel Guard Deluxe policy has robust coverage across the board but also a high average cost ($539) compared to other top-rated policies.
  • Medical expense coverage of $100,000 per person is on the low side but might be adequate for your needs.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Travel Guard Deluxe policy.

  • Travel inconvenience benefits of $750 total ($250 per problem) if you encounter issues such as closed attractions, cruise diversion, hotel infestation, hotel construction and more.
  • Trip exchange benefits of 50% of your trip cost that pay the difference in price between your original reservation and the new one.
  • Ancillary evacuation benefits up to $5,000 for expenses related to return of children, bedside visits, baggage return and more.
  • Flight accidental death and dismemberment coverage of $100,000 per person.
  • Rental vehicle damage coverage.
  • “Name Your Family” upgrade allows you to add a person to your policy who will qualify for family member-related unforeseen events that can apply to claims for trip cancellation and interruption.
  • Adventure Sports Bundle for adventure and extreme activities.
  • Pet Bundle for boarding and medical expenses for illness or injury of dog or cat while traveling. Includes trip cancellation or trip interruption if your pet is in critical condition or dies within seven days before your departure.
  • Wedding Bundle to cover trip cancellation due to wedding cancellation. Sorry cold-feeters: Coverage does not apply if you are the bride or groom.

The Travel Guard Preferred plan also earned 4.3 stars in our analysis. We recommend this policy if you’re looking for a lower price and don’t need the higher coverage amounts provided by the Deluxe plan. The Preferred plan provides $50,000 for medical expenses and $500,000 for medical evacuation benefits per person.

AIG’s TravelGuard offers an easy-to-use online platform for purchasing insurance and filing claims. A streamlined process minimizes hassle for customers, making it convenient to obtain coverage and receive reimbursement for eligible expenses.

GREAT FOR MEDICAL & EVACUATION COVERAGE

Seven corners.

Seven Corners

Trip Protection Choice

$500,000/$1 million

We like Seven Corners’ Trip Protection Choice plan because it has superior travel medical expenses and evacuation benefits. It also provides great upgrade options and benefits across the board.

More: Seven Corners Travel Insurance Review

  • “Cancel for any reason” and “interruption for any reason” upgrade available.
  • Very good travel delay coverage of $2,000 per person.
  • Includes $20,000 for non-medical evacuation.
  • Hurricane and weather coverage has a 48-hour delay, compared to some competitors that require only 12-hour delays.
  • Average cost ($527) is only so-so compared to other top-rated policies we evaluated.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Trip Protection Choice policy.

  • Accidental death and dismemberment coverage of $40,000 per person for qualifying common carrier events
  • Change fee compensation of $300 per person if you have to change your flight or original travel arrangements due to qualifying events.
  • Pet kennel benefits of $500 if your return home is delayed by six hours or more due to qualifying missed connection, interruption or delay problems.
  • Frequent traveler coverage of $500 to pay for the cost to redeposit awards due to a trip cancellation caused by a reason listed in your policy.
  • “Cancel for any reason” coverage.
  • “Interruption for any reason” coverage.
  • Rental car damage coverage of $35,000.
  • Sports & golf equipment rental coverage up to $5,000.
  • Event ticket fee registration coverage of $15,000 if you can’t attend an event due to unforeseen reasons listed in trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

With over two decades of experience in the insurance industry, Seven Corners has built a reputation for reliability and customer service. Their track record of handling claims efficiently and providing support to customers in need adds to their credibility. Their Choice plan offers primary coverage, meaning they will pay all claims as if they are the primary insurer, so your claims will be processed faster.

BEST FOR BAGGAGE

Axa assistance usa.

AXA Assistance USA

Platinum Plan

AXA’s Platinum plan is among our favorites because it hits all the high points for coverage that you’ll want if you’re looking for top-notch protection, including excellent baggage benefits of $3,000 per person. Excellent medical and non-medical evacuation benefits are another reason we like the Platinum plan.

More: AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Review

  • Generous medical and evacuation limits, plus $100,000 per person in non-medical evacuation—among the highest for plans we analyzed.
  • Coverage for lost ski days, lost golf rounds and sports equipment rental.
  • Travel delay and baggage coverage kicks in only after a 12-hour delay.
  • The average cost for the Platinum plan is only so-so compared to other top-rated plans, although you do get robust coverage for the money.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Platinum policy.

  • “Cancel for any reason” coverage
  • Lost ski days
  • Lost golf rounds

AXA Assistance USA impresses with its strong global reach and access to an extensive network of medical providers. This is particularly valuable in travel insurance, where emergencies can occur in any part of the world. Their attention to detail in crafting policies that include benefits for trip cancellations and interruptions adds a layer of security that reaffirms their strengths in protecting travelers against a wide array of potential issues.

– John Crist, founder of Prestizia Insurance

GREAT FOR PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION COVERAGE

Generali global assistance.

Generali Global Assistance

Generali’s Premium policy stood out in our analysis for its generous window for pre-existing condition coverage. Travelers with pre-existing conditions can get coverage as long as you buy a Premium policy up to or within 24 hours of your final trip deposit. Competitors often have a deadline of 10 to 20 days after making your first trip deposit .

We also like the policy’s excellent trip interruption insurance and superior medical evacuation benefits of $1 million per person.

More: Generali Global Assistance Travel Insurance Review

  • Excellent trip interruption coverage of up to 175% of your trip costs.
  • Very good baggage loss coverage at $2,000 per person.
  • If you want “cancel for any reason” coverage you must buy it within 24 hours of making your initial trip deposit, compared to 10 to 20 days from top competitors.
  • This plan’s “cancel for any reason” coverage will reimburse you for only 60% of lost trip costs; most competitors provide 75%.
  • Baggage delay benefits kick in only after a 12-hour delay.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Premium policy.

  • Rental car coverage for theft and damage of $25,000.
  • Sporting equipment coverage of $2,000.
  • Sporting equipment delay coverage of $500.
  • “Cancel for any reason” upgrade that reimburses you 60% of your insured trip cost if you cancel at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled departure.

Generali Global Assistance excels in providing user-friendly services and efficient claims processing, which enhances customer experience significantly. Their policies are particularly valuable due to the inclusion of concierge services, which can be a lifesaver during unforeseen travel disruptions.

– Pradeep Guragain, co-founder of Magical Nepal

BEST FOR FAMILIES

Travelex insurance services.

Travelex Insurance Services

Travel Select

$50,000/$500,000

We recommend Travelex’s Travel Select plan for families because it provides coverage for children at no extra cost (when accompanied by an adult covered by the policy). Its average price is also among the lowest among the companies we evaluated, making it an option to take a look at

More: Travelex Travel Insurance Review

  • Very good travel delay coverage of $2,000 per person after a 5-hour delay.
  • Medical coverage of $50,000 per person is on the low side, but you can buy an upgrade to double it.
  • Baggage delay coverage requires a 12-hour delay and has a low $200 per person limit.
  • Missed connection benefits of $750 per person are lower than many other competitors.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Travel Select policy.

  • Sporting and golf equipment delay benefits of $200 after 24 hours or more.

Optional add-ons & upgrades offered:

  • Medical coverage upgrade to $100,000 per person.
  • Medical evacuation upgrade to $1 million per person.
  • “Cancel for any reason” coverage of 75% (up to max of $7,500).
  • Accidental death and dismemberment coverage of $200,000 per person for flights.
  • Financial default coverage if your travel supplier goes out of business that provides 100% reimbursement of your insured trip cost.
  • Car rental collision coverage of $35,000.
  • Adventure sports upgrade to cover activities that would otherwise be excluded.

Travelex is a go-to for many of our clients due to its straightforward coverage options and ease of use. The company excels in offering plans that are simple to understand, which is great for first-time buyers of travel insurance. However, their basic plans might lack the depth of coverage seen with more premium offerings.

– Jim Campbell, independent travel agent and founder of Honeymoons.com

BEST FOR TRIP INTERRUPTION

Hth worldwide.

HTH Worldwide

TripProtector Preferred Plan

We were impressed by TripProtector Preferred’s superior trip interruption benefits—200% of the trip cost. Most competitors provide 150%. Luxury-level benefits are another reason we recommend the TripProtector Preferred plan.

More: HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance Review

  • Top-notch coverage limits for medical expenses and evacuation.
  • Coverage for adventure sports—such as zip-lining, snowmobiling, whitewater rafting, and more—are included.
  • Very good travel delay coverage of $2,000 per person after a 6-hour delay.
  • Higher average price ($602) compared to most companies we evaluated, but you’re buying robust benefits.
  • Baggage delay coverage requires a 12-hour delay.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the TripProtector Preferred policy.

  • Pet medical expense coverage of $250 if your dog or cat traveling with you gets injured or sick during your trip.
  • Rental car coverage of $35,000 for damage and theft.
  • “Cancel for any reason” upgrade available that provides 75% reimbursement of trip costs if you cancel at least two days prior to your scheduled departure.

My experience with HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance has been positive. While their policies may come at a slightly higher cost, the peace of mind and level of coverage they offer make it worth considering for travelers seeking comprehensive protection. HTH Worldwide stands out for its extensive coverage of medical emergencies, which is essential for international travel. Their policies are flexible, allowing travelers to customize coverage based on their specific requirements, and their worldwide assistance services ensure travelers have access to support wherever they are in the world.

– Kevin Mercier, travel expert and founder of Kevmrc.com

GREAT FOR CRUISE ITINERARY CHANGE/INCONVENIENCE

Cruise Choice

$100,000/$500,000

The Cruise Choice plan gets our attention for its compensation if you miss activities because your cruise ship changes its itinerary and for the inconvenience of delays to the next port of call. The Cruise Choice plan’s competitive price is another reason we recommend taking a look.

  • Includes ”interruption for any reason” coverage of $500 if you buy policy within 14 days of trip deposit.
  • Includes $25,000 per person in non-medical evacuation benefits.
  • Provides benefits if your cruise ship has a fire or mechanical breakdown that delays arrival at the next port of call for two or more hours.
  • Medical coverage of $100,000 per person is lower than most other top-rated plans but might be sufficient for your needs.
  • 24-hour delay required for hurricane and weather coverage, compared to many competitors with shorter required times.
  • “Cancel for any reason” coverage not available.

Here’s a look at whether top coverage types are included in the Cruise Choice policy.

  • Shipboard service disruption of $200 per person if your cruise ship has a fire or mechanical breakdown that delays the next port of call for 2 or more hours or changes the scheduled itinerary.
  • Coverage for an extended school year, terrorism in an itinerary city and work-related emergency issues.

Nationwide stands out primarily for its versatility in coverage options catering to diverse travel needs—a vital advantage often overlooked by travelers until they face a mishap. They have built a robust system for handling claims efficiently, which I find crucial for travel insurance, where timely support can dramatically impact the customer experience.

The average cost of travel insurance is 6% of your trip cost , based on our analysis. The cost of travel insurance is usually mainly based on the age of travelers and the trip cost being insured.

Here’s a look at the average travel insurance cost for a 30-year-old woman traveling from California to Mexico for a 14-day trip.

What Affects Travel Insurance Costs?

Unlike many other types of insurance, there are usually only a few factors that go into travel insurance pricing.

Trip Cost Being Insured

The more trip costs you insure, the higher your travel insurance cost. Your trip cost includes any prepaid, non-refundable expenses, such as airfare, hotel accommodations, tours, event tickets, excursions and theme park passes.

The traveler’s age is also taken into account in travel insurance pricing. That’s because older travelers tend to have a higher likelihood of filing medical claims.

The more protection you buy, the more you’ll pay. For instance, if you opt for a “cancel for any reason” upgrade and generous travel medical expense coverage, you’ll pay more.

EXPERT TIPS

How to Buy Travel Insurance

Michelle Megna

Insurance Lead Editor

Insurance Managing Editor

Ashlee Valentine

Insurance Editor

Les Masterson

Begin Shopping Right After Your First Trip Deposit

It’s wise to buy travel insurance immediately after you make your first trip deposit. That way, you get the maximum length of time for cancellation coverage. Plus, you’ll qualify for time-sensitive benefits, such as CFAR and pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers

Start by Estimating the Non-Refundable Trip Cost

The non-refundable trip cost is the amount you want to insure for trip cancellation. If you’re unsure of what the total cost will be, estimate the amount and then update it later with the travel insurance company, as long as you do so before your departure date.

Buy Travel Medical Insurance for International Trips

If you’re traveling outside the U.S., make sure you buy a policy with ample travel medical and emergency medical evacuation insurance. It’s important because you may have little to no coverage under your U.S. health plan. Look for a policy where the medical insurance is primary, meaning the policy will pay out first, before any other health insurance you have.

Check for Delay and Missed Connection Coverage

If you’re flying to your destination, your itinerary could be derailed by weather, airplane mechanical issues or missed connections. If you’re worried about paying extra money due to a delay or missed connections, look for a policy that has a generous amount of travel and baggage delay coverage and missed connection insurance. You’ll also want to find a policy with a short waiting period for delay coverage, such as six hours.

Decide How Much Cancellation Flexibility You Want

If you have a lot of non-refundable expenses and can’t afford to lose your trip investment, consider buying a “cancel for any reason” upgrade. You never know what life will bring, and unfortunately it might bring a reason to cancel a trip that’s not covered by the base policy. Having CFAR coverage ensures you can get partial reimbursement for any oddball problems that crop up.

We found that AIG, Seven Corners and World Trips offer the best “cancel for any reason” travel insurance , based on our analysis of 24 policies. A “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrade is a great choice if you want the most flexibility to cancel your trip and still receive partial insurance reimbursement for your insured trip cost.

WorldTrips, Nationwide, PrimeCover and Travel Safe earned the top scores in our ranking of the best cruise travel insurance companies . If you want top-notch cruise insurance, look for policies that provide robust coverage for medical expenses, trip interruption and cancellation, and missed connections.

PrimeCover and Seven Corners offer the best travel insurance for seniors , based on our evaluation of 26 policies. Travel insurance for seniors should include high medical evacuation benefits (at least $500,000 per person in coverage) and have at least $250,000 per person in coverage for medical expenses.

In our analysis, GeoBlue and Trawick International have the best annual travel insurance policies. Annual travel insurance, also known as multi-trip travel insurance, is ideal if you take several trips a year because it simplifies logistics and minimizes your travel insurance costs.

Travel Insured International and WorldTrips are the cheapest travel insurance companies , based on our research. Our top picks include policies that provide generous coverage at the lowest cost.

Ask The Expert

We Answer Your Questions

What’s the best travel insurance option for 19 family members planning a multi-generational trip abroad.

– D. Frankfurt, Crested Butte, CO

Consider buying a group travel insurance plan. These policies usually allow parties of 10 or more to purchase one travel insurance policy to cover the entire group on a trip. However, individual policies typically offer higher benefit limits and upgrades. So if some family members have specific coverage needs—for example, they want high limits for medical expenses—an individual travel insurance policy might be a better fit for them.

Do I still need travel insurance if my airline is required to refund canceled flights?

– Anna P., Austin, Texas

Travel insurance still makes sense if you have a lot of non-refundable trip costs, such as excursions, accommodations and tours. It’s especially beneficial if you’re traveling internationally. It can help pay for medical expenses and evacuation if you get sick or injured during your trip.

Why do travel insurance companies need my state of residence when I get a quote?

– John T., Lewiston, Maine

Travel insurance regulations and laws vary by state, so insurers use that information to ensure the policy you buy is the one that’s approved in your state.

We researched and analyzed 42 policies to find the best travel insurance. When companies had more than one highly rated travel insurance policy we used the highest-scoring plan. Ratings are based on the following metrics.

Cost (25% of score): We analyzed the average cost for each travel insurance policy for trips to popular destinations:

  • Couple, age 30 for a Mexico trip costing $3,000.
  • Couple, age 40, for an Italy trip costing $6,000.
  • Family of four for an Italy trip costing $15,000.
  • Family of four for a France trip costing $15,000.
  • Family of four for a U.K. trip costing $15,000.
  • Couple, age 65, for an Italy trip costing $6,000.
  • Couple, age 70, for a Mexico trip costing $3,000.

Missed connection coverage (10% of score): Travel insurance policies were awarded more points if they include missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more.

Medical expenses (10% of score): Travel insurance policies with travel medical expense benefits of $250,000 and up per person were given the highest points.

Medical evacuation (10% of score): Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 and up per person were given the highest points.

“Cancel for any reason” upgrade (10%): Travel insurance policies received points if “cancel for any reason” upgrades are offered. More points were awarded for “cancel for any reason” upgrades with reimbursement levels of 75%.

Baggage delay required waiting time (5%): Policies with baggage delay benefits kicking in at 12 hours or less were given points.

Cancel for work reasons (5%): Travel insurance plans that allow cancellations for work reasons were awarded points.

Hurricane and weather (5%): Policies received points if the required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage was 12 hours or less.

“Interruption for any reason” upgrade (5%): Policies were awarded points if they offered an “interruption for any reason” upgrade.

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver (5%): Points were given to policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions (if purchased within a required timeframe after the first trip deposit).

Travel delay required waiting time (5%): Policies with travel delay benefits kicking in after six hours or less were given points.

Trip interruption travel insurance (5%): Points were given if trip interruption reimbursement is 150% or higher.

travel insurance good to go

Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Travel Insurance Companies

Editor’s note: While our parent company has an interest in PrimeCover, this review was subjected to our team’s standard rigorous editorial process, which remains independent of any influence from insurance companies, business relationships, affiliates or any other external parties.

While these policies were not among our winners, they may still be good options based on your travel needs. Many of these plans have lower coverage limits, which may be suitable depending on your trip.

What is travel insurance?

Travel insurance is a type of policy that reimburses you for money you lose from non-refundable deposits and payments when something goes wrong on your trip. These problems can range from lost baggage to flight delays to medical problems.

The more you’re spending on your trip, the more you likely need travel insurance. This is especially true for international trips and cruises, where travel problems become more expensive to solve.

What do I need for travel insurance?

The information you need to buy travel insurance includes the trip cost being insured, your age, your destination, length of trip and age. Buying travel insurance online is relatively easy. You don’t have to answer a lot of questions, and you can update your trip cost and itinerary later if plans change, as long as you do so before your departure.

What’s not covered by travel insurance?

Problems not covered by travel insurance tend to be similar among policies. We recommend that you read a policy’s exclusions so you’re not caught by surprise later if you try to make a claim. Typical exclusions include:

  • Injuries from high-risk activities such as scuba diving.
  • Problems that happen because you were drunk or using drugs.
  • Medical tourism, such as going abroad for a face lift or other elective procedure.
  • Lost or stolen cash.
  • Best “Cancel For Any Reason” Travel Insurance
  • Best Cruise Insurance Plans
  • Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Plans
  • 5 Cheapest Travel Insurance Companies
  • Best Travel Medical Insurance
  • Best Travel Medical Insurance For Visitors To The USA
  • Trip Cancellation Insurance
  • Travel Medical Insurance
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance
  • Travel Delay Insurance
  • Trip Interruption Insurance
  • Baggage Insurance
  • “Cancel For Any Reason” Travel Insurance
  • “Interruption For Any Reason” Travel Insurance
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
  • Parents Visiting The U.S.
  • The Worst Cities For Summer Travel, Ranked

Get Forbes Advisor’s ratings of the best insurance companies and helpful information on how to find the best travel, auto, home, health, life, pet, and small business coverage for your needs.

Michelle Megna

Michelle is a lead editor at Forbes Advisor. She has been a journalist for over 35 years, writing about insurance for consumers for the last decade. Prior to covering insurance, Michelle was a lifestyle reporter at the New York Daily News, a magazine editor covering consumer technology, a foreign correspondent for Time and various newswires and local newspaper reporter.

Shayla Northcutt

Shayla Northcutt is the CEO and founder of Northcutt Travel Agency and a leading world travel expert. Her main expertise includes destination weddings, honeymoons, large group travel, family travel, world travel and travel insurance. Northcutt appears regularly on KHOU 11 and ABC 13 Eyewitness News, among other media outlets, providing guidance on travel insurance for consumers. Her first-hand knowledge of destinations and resorts makes her a leading travel professional. Northcutt is married to an amazing husband and is a mom to two boys, Cayman and Crockett. She found a passion in travel and exploration of all the things the world had to offer. Feeling such a strong connection to the travel industry, she decided to open Northcutt Travel Agency in 2017. Northcutt has visited different parts of Europe numerous times, and has visited over 350 resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean leading to detailed first-hand knowledge of the resorts. She has also sailed on multiple cruise lines, giving her experience with the cruise world as well. The other places Northcutt has visited, and now helps people plan, include Disney, Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, Thailand and all major cruise lines.

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Travel insurance

Best travel insurance companies of September 2024

Amy Fontinelle

Heidi Gollub

Heidi Gollub

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

Updated 5:55 a.m. UTC Sep. 2, 2024

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Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

WorldTrips is the best travel insurance company of 2024 , based on our in-depth analysis of travel insurance policies. Its Atlas Journey Elevate plan gets the top score in our rating because of the extensive coverage it provides for the price. It offers best-in-class emergency medical and evacuation benefits, as well as high limits for baggage insurance.

Best travel insurance of 2024

  • WorldTrips : Best travel insurance.
  • Travel Insured International : Best for emergency evacuation.
  • TravelSafe : Best for missed connections.
  • Aegis : Cheapest travel insurance.
  • PrimeCover : Best for trip interruption coverage.
  • Travelex : Best for families.
  • AIG : Best for add-on coverage options.
  • Nationwide : Best for cruise itinerary changes.

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our travel insurance experts evaluate hundreds of insurance products and analyze thousands of data points to help you find the best trip insurance for your situation. 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.

  • 1,918 coverage details evaluated.
  • 588 rates reviewed.
  • 5 levels of fact-checking.

Best travel insurance companies

Best travel insurance.

WorldTrips

Top travel insurance plans

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

If you’re looking for the best travel insurance for international travel , WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey Elevate plan gives you $250,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage. This plan is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority. It also has $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage. 

See our full WorldTrips travel insurance review .

Pros and cons

  • $250,000 in primary medical coverage.
  • $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
  • Primary damage or loss baggage coverage of $500 per item, up to $2,500.
  • 5 optional upgrades, including pet care, adventure sports and rental car damage and theft.
  • No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Customer reviews

WorldTrips has a rating of 4.27 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 428 reviews of policies purchased through the travel insurance comparison site since 2008. 

Heidi’s expert take:   “WorldTrips offers primary coverage for emergency medical benefits and for baggage damage or loss. This means the travel insurance company will pay your claim first and then seek recovery from any responsible third party. Plans with secondary coverage may be cheaper, but for the amount of hassle you can save when filing a claim, I recommend looking for a plan with primary coverage.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for emergency evacuation

Travel insured international.

Travel Insured International

Top travel insurance plan

If you’re traveling to a remote area, consider Travel Insured International’s Worldwide Trip Protector. It has the best travel insurance for emergency evacuation of travel insurance policies in our rating. This top travel insurance plan provides up to $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits.

  • Only plan in our rating that offers $150,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
  • $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 is only available for cruises and tours.

Travel Insured International has a rating of 4.39 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 3,402 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Heidi’s expert take:   “The Worldwide Trip Protector plan provides rare non-medical evacuation benefits of up to $150,000. If you’re traveling to an area at risk of a political, security or national disaster, this emergency evacuation coverage could help get you back to safety.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe

TravelSafe offers good travel insurance for missed connections , with $2,500 in missed connection coverage for each person on the plan.

  • 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.
  • No “interruption for any reason” coverage option.
  • Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

TravelSafe has a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 1,506 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Heidi’s expert take:   “If you want missed connections coverage for any trip, I recommend buying a plan like TravelSafe Classic. It offers up to $2,500 in missed connection coverage and doesn’t restrict this benefit to cruises and tours like many policies do.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Cheapest travel insurance

Aegis

Go Ready Choice by Aegis has the most affordable travel insurance of the best-rated travel insurance companies in our rating. This is based on the average cost of seven international trips of varying lengths and values for travelers of different ages.

See our full Aegis travel insurance review .

  • Cheapest of our best trip insurance plans.
  • Pet care benefit of $500 under travel delay benefits.
  • Low emergency medical and evacuation limits.
  • Low missed connection benefit of $500 per person for cruises and tours only.
  • Low baggage and personal items loss benefit of $500 per person.

Aegis has a rating of 4.06 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 1,111 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2013.

Heidi’s expert take:   “If you’re looking for a  budget travel insurance policy , Go Ready Choice may fit the bill. It has comparably low coverage limits, but if you have health insurance that will cover you on your trip, its $50,000 in secondary medical coverage may be sufficient.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best for trip interruption coverage

PrimeCover

Why it’s the best

If you need to cut your trip short and head home early for a covered reason, PrimeCover Luxe has the best trip interruption coverage of all our top-rated plans. This top-tier travel insurance plan offers trip interruption coverage of up to 200% of your trip cost. You also have the option to add a rare “interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage upgrade for even more flexibility with your travel plans.

  • Trip interruption coverage of up to 200% of total trip cost.
  • Excellent $1 million emergency medical evacuation and $100,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
  • Pre-existing medical condition waiver available if you buy travel insurance within 21 days of first trip deposit.
  • Good primary medical coverage of $250,000.
  • Luxe plan is the most expensive of our best-rated travel insurance plans.

There are no reviews online for PrimeCover yet as it is a relatively new product offering.

Heidi’s expert take: “PrimeCover Luxe is on the high end of cost in our rating, but it does offer robust coverage for the price. If you’re concerned about the money you’d lose if you had to end your trip early, it offers an “interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage option, which I don’t see very often. With IFAR, you can pull the plug on your trip for any reason and seek up to 60% reimbursement for any prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses you’ll lose.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for families

Travelex

Top-scoring plan

Travelex Insurance Services has the best travel insurance for families because you can add kids aged 17 and younger to your Travel Select plan at no additional charge.

See our full Travelex travel insurance review .

  • Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
  • Robust travel delay coverage of $2,000 per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
  • Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
  • Low emergency medical coverage of $50,000 per person.
  • Non-medical evacuation is not included.
  • Low baggage delay coverage of $200 requires a 12-hour delay.

Travelex has a rating of 4.43 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 2,048 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2004.

Heidi’s expert take:   “If you’re traveling with kids, I recommend looking for a plan that will cover them for free, like Travelex. The number of children you can add to a Travelex policy is unlimited and they’ll get travel protection at no additional cost.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for add-on coverage options

AIG

Travel Guard Preferred from AIG allows you to customize your policy with a host of available upgrades, making it the best traveler insurance for add-on options . These 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. This is a good option if you’re looking for foreign travel health insurance.

See our full AIG travel insurance review .

  • Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your 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.
Heidi’s expert take: “You can add riders to your AIG travel insurance policy to maximize your coverage. Choose from these bundles: adventure sports, medical, pet, quarantine, security and wedding. You may also want to add “cancel for any reason” coverage and rental vehicle damage coverage.”  Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Best travel insurance for cruise itinerary changes

Nationwide

Nationwide’s Choice Cruise is good travel insurance for cruises . It has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion.

Choice Cruise also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay when you’re taking a cruise or tour. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.

See our full Nationwide travel insurance review .

  • Benefits for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
  • Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
  • Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.
  • 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” upgrade available.

Nationwide has a rating of 4.02 stars out of 5 on Squaremouth, based on 570 reviews of policies purchased on the travel insurance comparison site since 2018.

  Heidi’s expert take: “Nationwide Choice Cruise has protections for cruisers when it comes to prepaid expenses. But its emergency medical coverage is secondary, which means you’d have to file medical claims with your health insurance first. Since your health insurance won’t help you at sea, I recommend cruisers look for cruise travel insurance with primary medical coverage instead.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Compare the best travel insurance plans

Travel Insured International

Via Compare Coverage’s website

TravelSafe

Heidi’s expert take: “Here are my tips on how to buy travel insurance that gets you the most coverage for the lowest price: Buy early . Getting travel insurance within two weeks of making your first trip deposit may qualify you for coverage of pre-existing medical conditions, and it won’t cost you any extra.  Look for primary emergency medical coverage . If you buy a plan with secondary coverage, you’ll have to file a claim with your health insurance first, even if you know it will be denied.  Don’t overinsure . Calculate the value of only your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses that are not already covered by other insurance (like credit card travel insurance or health insurance, if your coverage extends to where you are traveling). Even if this value is $0, you can still buy travel insurance for the travel medical insurance benefits, and you’ll only be paying for the insurance you need.  Understand exclusions . If you are planning to go scuba diving, for instance, make sure this adventure activity is not excluded from a policy’s coverage. If so, you may need to pay for a rider or shop for another plan that offers the coverage you need.” Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

What is the best travel insurance?

The best travel insurance for international travel is sold by WorldTrips, according to our in-depth trip insurance comparison.

The best travel insurance plan for you will depend on the trip you are planning and the coverage areas that are most important to you.

  • Best cruise travel insurance
  • Best COVID travel insurance
  • Best “cancel for any reason” travel insurance
  • Best senior travel insurance

Best travel insurance for cruises

The best cruise travel insurance is Atlas Journey Preferred sold by WorldTrips . This plan offers solid travel insurance for cruises for a low rate.

WorldTrips

Best travel insurance for COVID-19

The best COVID travel insurance is the Trip Protection Basic plan sold by Seven Corners . It is a relatively low cost travel insurance plan with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Travel Insured

Best travel insurance for “cancel for any reason” 

The best “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance is Seven Corners’ Trip Protection Basic. Adding CFAR coverage to a RoundTrip Basic plan only increases the cost by about 40%, which is lower than other plans we analyzed. For the extra cost, you get coverage of 75% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses, as long as you cancel at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure.

Best travel insurance for seniors

The best senior travel insurance is the Gold plan sold by Tin Leg . It is an affordable travel insurance plan with travel medical primary coverage of $500,000 and a pre-existing conditions waiver if you insure the full amount of your trip within 14 days of your first trip deposit.

Trawick International

How much is travel insurance?

The average cost of travel insurance is 5% to 6% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs . 

How much you pay for travel insurance will depend on:

  • The cost of your trip.
  • Your destination.
  • The length of your trip. 
  • The ages of travelers being insured.
  • Your state of residence.
  • The travel insurance policy you choose.
  • The total coverage amounts in your policy.
  • Any travel insurance add-ons you select. 

Travel insurance price determining factors include trip cost, length and destination as well as the travelers' ages

Here are average travel insurance rates for a 30-year-old female who is insuring a 14-day trip to Mexico.

Looking to save? Discover cheap travel insurance options.

How much travel insurance should I buy?

Travel insurance companies typically offer several plans with varying maximum limits. The higher the coverage limits, the more you’ll pay for travel insurance. 

Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison site, recommends the following coverage limits for international travel: 

  • Emergency medical coverage: At least $50,000. 
  • Medical evacuation coverage: At least $100,000. 

If you’re going on a cruise, or to a remote location, Squaremouth recommends: 

  • Emergency medical coverage: At least $100,000. 
  • Medical evacuation coverage: At least $250,000.

When evaluating travel insurance plans, our team of insurance analysts considered the best medical travel insurance policies to have at least $250,000 in emergency medical coverage and at least $500,000 in medical evacuation coverage. 

When should I buy travel insurance?

The best time to buy travel insurance is within two weeks of making your first nonrefundable travel payment, whether it’s for a plane ticket, hotel stay, cruise or excursion. 

Travel insurance costs the same whether you buy it early or last minute, and buying it early has added benefits: 

  • You may be able to add on “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , an upgrade that is typically only available for a limited time after you’ve started paying for your trip. 
  • You may qualify for a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver , meaning your pre-existing conditions will be covered by travel insurance. This waiver is generally added to your policy automatically, provided you buy the travel insurance within a certain window after your first trip deposit.
  • You will be covered over a longer period of time for unforeseen events that could cause you to cancel your trip, such as medical emergencies, inclement weather and natural disasters. 
Expert tip: You can buy travel insurance up to the day before you leave on your trip, but waiting may cost you the opportunity to qualify for a pre-existing conditions exclusion waiver or to buy a “cancel for any reason” upgrade.

Where can I buy travel insurance?

You can buy a travel insurance plan:

  • Online. Visit a travel insurance company’s website to buy a policy directly or use a comparison website like Squaremouth or Travelinsurance.com to see your options and compare plans. You may also be able to purchase travel insurance online through an airline, cruise, hotel, rental car company or other provider you book a ticket with.
  • In person. A travel agent or insurance agent may be able to assist you in buying travel insurance.

Travel insurance trends in 2024

Americans are changing the way they travel and this includes buying travel insurance when they might have skipped it in the past. As spending on trips continues to rise, travelers have more to lose if their plans are disrupted. 

Based on travel insurance quote requests on the Squaremouth website last month, these are the main benefits travelers are looking for in a travel insurance policy.

Source: Squaremouth.com. Travel insurance quote filter usage from July 28, 2024 to Aug 27, 2024.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,918 coverage details and 588 rates to determine the best travel insurance of 2024. For companies with more than one travel insurance plan, we shared information about the highest-scoring plan.

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

  • $3,000, 8-day trip to Mexico for two travelers age 30.
  • $3,000, 8-day trip to Mexico for two travelers age 70.
  • $6,000, 17-day trip to Italy for two travelers age 40.
  • $6,000, 17-day trip to Italy for two travelers age 65.
  • $15,000, 17-day trip to Italy for four travelers ages 40, 40, 10 and 7.
  • $15,000, 17-day trip to France for four travelers ages 40, 40, 10 and 7.
  • $15,000, 17-day trip to the U.K. for four travelers ages 40, 40, 10 and 7.
  • 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.

If you’d like to dig in deeper, head over to our travel insurance ratings methodology page.

Best travel insurance FAQs

According to our analysis, WorldTrips has the best trip insurance. Two of its plans — Atlas Journey Explore and Atlas Journey Elevate — get 5 stars in our rating.

The best travel insurance policy for you will depend on what type of coverage you need. With so many different policies and carriers, the policy that was best for your friend’s trip to California might not be ideal for your trip to Japan. If you’re looking for the best travel insurance for international travel, you may be willing to pay more for higher coverage levels.

A comprehensive travel insurance plan bundles several types of travel insurance coverage, each with its own limits. To ensure you have adequate financial protection for your trip, your travel insurance policy should include the following travel insurance coverages:

  • Trip cancellation . With trip cancellation insurance , you’re covered if you need to call off your trip because of a reason listed in your policy, such as unexpected illness, injury or death of you, a family member or a travel companion, severe weather, jury duty and your travel supplier going out of business. 
  • Travel delay. Once your trip has started, travel delay insurance reimburses you for unexpected expenses you incur after a minimum delay, such as five hours. It can cover needs like airport meals, transportation and even overnight accommodation. 
  • Trip interruption. If you need to cut your trip early for a reason listed in your policy, trip interruption insurance can reimburse you for any prepaid, nonrefundable payments you’ll lose by leaving early. It can also pay for a last-minute one-way ticket home. 
  • Travel medical . Emergency medical benefits are especially important if you need international health insurance for travel outside of the country. Your domestic health insurance may provide limited coverage once you leave the U.S. The best travel medical insurance pays for ambulance service, doctor visits, hospital stays, X-rays, lab work and prescription medication you may require while traveling. 
  • Emergency medical evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote area, or planning excursions such as boating to an island, emergency medical evacuation coverage is a good idea. This coverage pays to transport you to the nearest adequate medical facility if you are injured or sick while traveling. 
  • Baggage delay. After a certain waiting period, such as six or 12 hours, this coverage will reimburse you for necessities you need to buy to tide you over while you wait for your bag to arrive. Be sure to save your receipts and look at your coverage limit, as some caps are low, like $200. 
  • Baggage loss. Baggage insurance can reimburse you if your bag never arrives, or if your personal belongings are stolen during your travels. Coverage limits apply here, as well as exclusions for certain items such as electronics.  

“Typically, travelers are expected to pay their expenses out of pocket, and then file a claim for reimbursement,” said James Clark, spokesperson for Squaremouth. “However, there are medical situations in which a provider may be required to pre-authorize payment to make sure the policyholder receives the treatment they need.”

According to Clark, “Providers can pre-authorize payment for medical care and emergency evacuations. With that said, every circumstance is unique, and providers will handle each situation on a case-by-case basis.”

Travel insurance covers your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs — as well as extra money you may need to spend due to unforeseen circumstances and emergencies — both before and during your trip.

Travel insurance coverage varies by plan, but in general travel insurance covers costs associated with these problems: 

  • Bankruptcy of a travel insurance company, such as your airline or tour operator. 
  • Dangerous weather conditions.
  • Delayed and lost luggage.
  • Illness or death in your family that requires you to stay home or cut your trip short.
  • Illness that needs medical attention.
  • Injury requiring medical evacuation.
  • Jury duty. 
  • Travel delays and missed connections.
  • Theft of your personal belongings while traveling.
  • Unexpected job loss. 

Travel insurance policies often exclude or limit “foreseeable” losses. Typical travel insurance exclusions include:

  • Accidents or injuries caused by drinking or drug use.
  • Canceling your trip because you changed your mind.
  • Ending your trip early because you changed your mind.
  • Losses caused by intentional self harm, including suicide.
  • Losses due to war, civil disorder or riots.
  • Medical tourism.
  • Medical treatment for pre-existing conditions.
  • Mental health care.
  • Natural disasters that begin before you buy travel insurance.
  • Non-medical evacuation.
  • Normal pregnancy. 
  • Medical treatment related to high-risk activities.
  • Routine medical care, such as physicals or dental care.
  • Search and rescue.

Your U.S. health insurance may provide little or no coverage in foreign countries. Check with your health insurance company to see if you have any global benefits and ask how they work. If your health care does extend across the border, the benefits it provides abroad may not be the same benefits it provides domestically. 

Medicare usually won’t pay for health care outside of the United States and its territories, so older travelers planning an international trip should look into the best senior travel insurance with robust medical benefits. 

Some credit cards , such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , offer benefits such as trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement when you use your card to pay for your trip.

Ask your credit card issuer for your card’s benefits guide to see what coverage you may have. Keep in mind that it may not cover all the risks you want to protect against, such as the cost of international health care or emergency medical evacuation .

Business travel insurance makes sense if you are self-employed and paying for your own travel expenses, or if you are traveling internationally and want medical coverage abroad.

You might also consider buying travel insurance for a business trip if your company won’t cover extra expenses if your flight is delayed or you need to head home early.

Some travel insurance plans cover rental cars as an optional upgrade, for an additional cost. The 5-star rated travel insurance companies in our rating offer these optional rental car benefits:

  • Travel Insured International — Rental car damage and theft coverage of $50,000.
  • WorldTrips — Rental car damage and theft coverage of $50,000 with a $250 deductible. 

Travel insurance typically only covers a single trip, although your insured trip can have multiple destinations. 

If you’re looking to insure several trips in the same year, annual travel insurance may be a good option for you.

Editor’s note: While our parent company has an interest in PrimeCover, this review was subjected to our team’s standard, rigorous editorial process, which remains independent of any influence from insurance companies, business relationships, affiliates or any other external parties.

Editor’s Note: This article contains updated information from previously published stories:

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  • ‘This is not our proudest moment’: Spirit Airlines CEO says more flight cancellations expected this weekend
  • Hurricane Irma: Flight cancellations top 12,500; even more expected
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  • Angry passengers brawl after Spirit cancels flights
  • What to do when travel insurance doesn’t work
  • How lockdowns, quarantines and COVID-19 testing will change summer travel in 2021
  • Travelers will pay and worry more on summer vacation this year. But they won’t cancel
  • How to find a hotel with COVID testing and quarantine facilities wherever you travel
  • Yearning to travel in 2022? First, figure out your budget – then pick a destination
  • Pro tips for surviving a long flight during a pandemic: Get the right mask, bring a pillow
  • Want to steer clear of contracting COVID-19 on your next vacation? Follow these guidelines
  • Post-pandemic travel: Is it OK to ask another passenger’s vaccine status or request they mask up?
  • These days, forgetting these important travel items could cost you thousands of dollars
  • International travel hacks: When to book flights and hotels, how to deal with COVID-19 rules
  • Traveling post-coronavirus: How do you book your next trip when so much remains uncertain?
  • The COVID-19 guide to holiday travel – and the case for why you shouldn’t go this year
  • Should you travel during the holidays? Americans struggle with their decision
  • ‘There’s still pent-up demand’: What you should know about fall travel
  • Planning for life after coronavirus: When will we know it’s safe to travel again?
  • ‘Busiest camping season’: Travelers choose outdoor recreation close to home amid COVID-19 pandemic
  • Considering a camping trip this summer? Tips to make sure your gear is good to go
  • RVing for the first time? 8 tips for newbies I wish I’d known during my first trip
  • Five myths about travel agents
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  • Five myths about travel insurance and terrorism
  • These eight things could get your travel insurance claims rejected
  • There’s a good chance that your credit card already gives you some kind of travel insurance coverage
  • How to avoid a hotel cancellation penalty
  • Change fees and travel insurance continue to rise

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.

Amy Fontinelle

Amy Fontinelle has more than 15 years of experience helping people make informed decisions about their money, whether they’re refinancing a mortgage, buying insurance or choosing a credit card. As a freelance writer trained in journalism and specializing in personal finance, Amy digs into the details to explain the products and strategies that can help (or hurt) people seeking greater financial security and wealth. Her work has been published by Forbes Advisor, Capital One, MassMutual, Investopedia and many other outlets.

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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The best travel insurance policies and providers

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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

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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 .

Protect Your Trip »

Is travel insurance worth it yes, in these 3 scenarios.

These are the scenarios when travel insurance makes most sense.

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Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

Plane replica and travel insurance form against blue background

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Travel insurance can be useful, but it's not always necessary.

The key to knowing if you need travel insurance is figuring out your specific risks for any given vacation, then deciding if you can buy coverage that adequately protects you from any financial losses and pitfalls that might occur.

While insurance can be invaluable no matter the traveler and trip, these are the scenarios where it's especially useful:

  • You're concerned about flight disruptions: Flight cancellations and delays are commonplace, especially during the holiday and summer travel seasons. Most trip insurance will reimburse you for incidental expenses that occur while you wait for your flight to depart or for your checked luggage to arrive. Examples include meals and hotel stays if your flight is delayed overnight, or clothing and toiletries you have to buy while you wait for your bags to show up at your destination. Limits apply to this coverage, but it can still pay off if you have to use it.
  • You need the option to cancel your trip: Do you have a medical condition that might suddenly prevent you from traveling? What about young children who are prone to illness, or the possibility of your beach vacation getting rained out during hurricane season ? These are just some of the instances when cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage can help. Offered as an add-on to many insurance policies, this coverage lets you cancel your trip for a reason not covered within a typical trip cancellation benefit. If you need to use this coverage, you'll typically get 50% to 80% of your prepaid travel expenses refunded.
  • You're traveling internationally: U.S. health insurance policies typically don't cover medical care or emergencies overseas, which is why so many people seek out travel medical insurance . According to Allianz Travel Insurance, the average costs of international medical evacuation can range from $15,000 in Mexico all the way up to $220,000 in Asia, Australia and the Middle East. Fortunately, many travel insurance policies offer up to $500,000 in medical evacuation coverage or potentially more.

The best travel insurance options

If one of the above applies and/or you're still curious about travel insurance, you can find the top-rated policies in a variety of categories below.

Any rates listed are for illustrative purposes only. You should contact the insurance company directly for applicable quotes.

What does travel insurance cover?

You'll quickly notice that each travel insurance policy is different from the next. Most plans offer coverage for trip cancellations and interruptions, lost or delayed baggage, medical emergencies, and other common perils; some let you add optional coverage for a rental car , sporting equipment and more.

To give you an overview of the way different travel insurance policies work, the chart below shows the included benefits in several plans from a travel insurance company called Travelex:

Compare Travelex plans and get a quote .

What does travel insurance not cover?

It's important to note that travel insurance policies cannot possibly cover every unexpected bill you encounter before, during or after a trip. That's because travel insurance is not meant to be used like other types of insurance, including traditional medical coverage you have for routine health care expenses.

According to Allianz Travel Insurance , travel insurance "does not cover losses that arise from expected or reasonably foreseeable events or problems." Here are some of the most common exclusions found in travel insurance policies:

  • Civil unrest
  • Epidemics (except COVID-19)
  • Extreme, high-risk sports
  • Government-issued travel bulletins or warnings
  • Natural disasters
  • Nuclear reaction, radiation or radioactive contamination
  • Preexisting conditions (unless specifically covered by your plan)
  • Pregnancy-related medical expenses that aren't an emergency (including regular labor and delivery)
  • Terrorist events
  • Travel to participate or train for a sporting event

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When should you skip travel insurance?

While the cost of a travel insurance policy can be worth it in the end, there are plenty of travel scenarios where you may not need to purchase a plan. Consider the following situations where buying insurance may not be worth the trouble:

  • You're planning a short road trip within the U.S.: If you're planning a short trip within the U.S. where your own health insurance coverage will apply, you may not need trip insurance for medical expenses. The fact that you're not flying also means you don't have to worry about flight cancellations, and that your luggage will likely remain in your possession the entire trip.
  • You plan to use credit card travel insurance: There may be instances where credit card travel insurance coverage is sufficient for your plans, although only you can make this decision. For example, the popular Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with trip cancellation and interruption coverage worth up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip; primary rental car coverage for damage or theft worth up to $75,000; lost luggage reimbursement worth up to $3,000 per passenger; emergency evacuation and transportation coverage worth up to $100,000; and more.
  • You bought insurance from your travel provider: There may be instances where the travel insurance coverage from your airline or cruise line is good enough. If you're flying within the U.S. to see a family member and staying in their home for free, for example, you'll likely just need protection against flight cancellations, eligible trip delays, and lost or delayed baggage.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is an award-winning writer who has extensive experience when it comes to researching and buying travel insurance for her own trips to more than 50 countries around the world. Johnson has interviewed top executives from many of the best travel insurance companies and has successfully filed several travel insurance claims for trip delays and trip cancellations over the years. Johnson also works alongside her husband, Greg, who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states, in their family media business.

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The Ultimate Guide to Buying the Best Travel Insurance [For You]

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The Ultimate Guide to Buying the Best Travel Insurance [For You]

Table of Contents

Why you need travel insurance, you may already have coverage — here’s where to look, where to buy travel insurance, single/multiple trip policies vs. annual policy: which is better, travel insurance for special situations, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our  Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Whether you’re traveling with family or solo, on an epic adventure or a weekend getaway , travel insurance can go a long way toward providing peace of mind during your trip. And if things should go wrong, you’ll find consolation in being financially covered.

With all that’s at stake, you’ve probably seriously considered purchasing travel insurance, just like I have. There have certainly been times when I’ve needed it, including severe flight delays, a parasailing accident in Mexico, and when my luggage took its own trip!

Unfortunately, it’s also easy to become overwhelmed by the vast travel insurance options available. We’ve created this guide to help you sort through the confusion and demystify the process.

In this article, we’ll cover all the information you need to:

  • Determine the type of coverage you need
  • Find out if you currently have any travel coverage
  • Narrow your options to just a few policies that fit
  • Select a reputable travel insurance company

Let’s get started with helping you find the best travel insurance policy for your situation.

Situations Where Travel Insurance Can Help

If you travel frequently, you’ve probably experienced an event where travel insurance would have helped.

Whether it was a severely delayed flight, illness abroad, stolen possessions, or a canceled trip due to an unforeseen event — travel insurance could have made the situation better.

Travel Insurance can cover a variety of situations. Here is just a sampling of those you can easily purchase coverage for:

  • You have an accident and need medical evacuation to a nearby hospital: According to travel insurance company Allianz, the estimated cost of medical evacuation ranges from $15,000-$20,000 in Mexico to over $200,000 in Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.
  • You miss your cruise because your flight is severely delayed or canceled: Catching up with your cruise once it has departed can be costly!
  • You can’t take a planned trip due to illness: The entire cost of your trip and any pre-paid arrangements could be at risk if you become ill and unable to travel. Coverage is even available when travel companions become ill and you must forego your trip.
  • You become ill while abroad: The cost of medical attention abroad can be expensive, and it can result in increased costs to rearrange your itinerary.
  • Your baggage is lost or delayed: After your bags have been delayed a minimum amount of time, usually 12-24 hours, coverage kicks in and provides money for essentials.

Bottom Line: It’s prudent to buy travel insurance for expensive trips. You may go several years without using the coverage you’ve purchased, but one incident could cause you to incur thousands of dollars in expenses, far exceeding the cost of insuring multiple trips. 

Travel Insurance Coverages

Covering Your Major Concerns

If money is no object, you can purchase a lot of travel insurance to make sure you’re covered for nearly every situation you’ll encounter. In reality, you’ll probably want to balance cost with the coverages that are most important to you.

For some travelers, their greatest concern is the huge cost of an emergency medical evacuation. For others it can be the risk of getting ill and not being able to travel on a trip they’ve paid thousands of dollars for already.

But don’t fret: there’s a travel insurance plan for just about any travel concern that can cost you money if things go wrong.

Here are some of the plan types available:

  • Emergency Medical Evacuation: Pays to get you to the nearest hospital, even in remote areas
  • Travel Medical Insurance : Provides medical care if you get sick or injured while traveling
  • Annual Travel Insurance: Covers you for multiple trips taken throughout the year
  • Comprehensive Package Travel Insurance: Conveniently groups many travel insurance coverages together in one policy
  • Cancel for Any Reason Rider ( CFAR ): When certain conditions are met, this coverage lets you cancel your trip for any reason and receive reimbursement
  • Policies that Cover Families: Comprehensive travel policies that cover all family members/domestic partners before and during your trip.

When to Buy Travel Insurance

Most travel insurance policies can be purchased up until the day of your departure. However, some policies contain pre-departure benefits, so you’ll want to buy your policy as soon as possible.

For example, you may have coverage that covers you getting ill and not being able to take your trip.

The general advice is to buy your policy when you make your first payment on the trip.

Since policies can be priced according to how much your total trip costs, you can take out the insurance based on what you’ve already paid and call the company to raise the amount of the policy once you’ve made additional payments.

Read our guide to find out more on when to buy travel insurance .

Hot Tip:  Travel insurance policies include a free-look period, where you can review your policy once you’ve received it and decide if it’s right for you. This free-look period is usually 10-15 days depending on the company and type of policy. 

Before you purchase a travel insurance policy, you should check these 4 places where you may have some current coverage.

You may find that you have a credit card with travel insurance , with your employer-sponsored health plan, with club/organization memberships, and on Medicare gap policies.

It is helpful to know which types of coverage you currently have so you can select a comprehensive travel insurance policy without paying extra for duplicate coverage.

Rental Car View

Credit Cards

Credit cards commonly carry travel insurance benefits, but whether they’re included and the level of coverage provided will vary depending on which card you carry.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular credit card issuers and the types of travel insurance/protection they provide.

American Express offers several travel insurance benefits on their cards.

  • Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Secondary coverage is included on various American Express cards . Primary Car Rental Protection is available to purchase for one low fee that covers the entire rental period.
  • Travel Accident Insurance: Limits of $250,000-$500,000 depending on the card.
  • Baggage Insurance: Provides coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged checked or carry on baggage. Included on various American Express cards. 
  • The Global Assist Hotline: Included on various American Express cards . Premium cards such as the Platinum Card ® from American Express and Business Platinum Card ®  from American Express  include premium versions of the Global Assist Hotline that provide support before, during, and after your trip.
  • Roadside Assistance: While Amex has removed roadside assistance from many of its cards, there are still several Amex cards with the coverage. Coverage includes assistance with jump starts, gas, towing, and lockout.

Chase is another major card issuer that includes various travel insurance coverages on their credit cards.

Citi credit cards have recently had several travel benefits removed,  similar to other credit card issuers. Your exact coverage benefits will depend on which Citi card you have. To learn the details of Citi’s credit card travel protections, you can access Citi’s credit card guide to benefits  here .

Hot Tip: To receive coverage from any credit card, you must meet the purchase requirements. Some credit cards require you to charge the entire purchase, while some grant coverage if you pay for just a portion of the purchase with your card. You may also be able to receive coverage by using points for your purchase.

Requirements vary, but you can call the number on the back of your credit card for questions on coverage specific to the card you’re using.

See our article for information on additional credit card travel insurance coverage .

Bottom Line: Credit cards may offer incidental travel protections and benefits, but they should not be considered a replacement for a comprehensive travel insurance policy. 

Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance

You’ll first want to check your current health insurance policy to see if it might cover you while traveling. Many do not extend health insurance benefits while traveling, but there may be ancillary travel insurance coverages included in your policy.

For example, some employer-sponsored health insurance plans contain travel insurance coverage that can be quite significant. Unum is one of the most common group insurance companies offering employers travel insurance for their employees through Assist America .

The employee is provided a 24/7 phone number that can be called for immediate assistance when traveling more than 100 miles from home.

Here is a sample of coverage provided:

  • Hospital admission assistance
  • Emergency medical evacuation
  • Prescription replacement assistance
  • Transportation for a friend or family member to join a hospitalized patient
  • Care and transport of unattended minor children
  • Referrals to Western-trained, English-speaking medical providers
  • Legal and interpreter referrals
  • Passport replacement assistance

There is no charge for any of these services when the coverage is included on an employer-sponsored healthcare plan, so you’ll want to check your current employer-sponsored health plan to see if you have this coverage.

Emergency evacuation helicopter

Club Memberships

If you’re a member of any club or organization, you’ll want to ask about travel insurance benefits.

Here are just a few clubs where membership includes various types of travel insurance benefits.

Divers Alert Network — Membership is $35/year for singles, $55/year for families

  • DAN members receive $100,000 of emergency medical evacuation assistance coverage . Evacuation is covered for diving and non-diving medical emergencies when you are more than 50 miles from home.
  • Membership also includes TravelAssist , a 24/7 access to prescription assistance, medical monitoring, emergency messaging, and much more.

American Alpine Club — Membership is $80 per year and includes search and rescue insurance. The insurance applies to any land-based activity.

  • Up to $7,500 of Global Rescue Trailhead Rescue Services (available worldwide)
  • Up to $5,000 of Domestic Rescue Benefits (available in the U.S. only)

Gold Wing Road Riders Association  ($55/year) and the American Motorcycle Association ($49/year)

  • Members receive FREE emergency roadside assistance and 24/7 towing up to 35 miles per disablement for their motorcycle or any motorcycle they are riding, even as a passenger.
  • Gold Wing Coverage is limited to motorcycles; American Motorcycle Association members receive coverage for motorcycles, cars, trucks, trailers and RVs.

Family Motor Coach Association — Membership costs $60/year and includes discounted worldwide travel assistance insurance plus several other travel benefits.

Hot Tip: Club memberships can include travel insurance coverage at no additional cost or at a discounted price. Checking your current memberships and seeking out organizations you can join for cost-effective coverage may result in travel insurance coverage you can use.

Medicare Supplements and Advantage Plans

With rare exceptions, Medicare does not extend coverage to another country outside the United States. However, some supplement and advantage insurance plans do include coverage when traveling.

These supplemental policies, called Medigap plans, pay 80% of medical emergency care outside the U.S. after a $250 deductible. The expense must not be covered by Medicare, and it must be incurred within the first 60 days of your travel. There is also a lifetime limit of $50,000.

Medigap plans C, D, F, G, H, I, J, M, and N contain this coverage. Visit Medicare.gov for a complete explanation of the coverage and information on out-of-country coverage for Medicare Advantage plans.

Remember, these are plans that you purchase in addition to your base Medicare Plans A and B. Medicare does not cover you out of the country except in rare circumstances detailed here .

Bottom Line:  It’s important to know the travel insurance coverages you have currently, as you may save money not duplicating those coverages when purchasing a travel insurance policy. You’ll also want to be able to take advantage of and use these existing coverages if you experience a covered event. 

Under water scuba diver

All insurance companies are rated based on their financial stability; A.M. Best is the oldest, most recognized provider of ratings in the global insurance industry. We’ll include only those companies with excellent or above ratings.

Before we discuss specific travel insurance companies, however, we’ll cover a few great travel insurance comparison sites that can help narrow your choices before selecting a specific company and travel insurance policy.

Travel Insurance Comparison Tools/Websites

Purchasing travel insurance is a balancing act between getting the coverage you need without spending above your budget . That’s why comparison sites can ease the pain of searching hundreds of policies and dozens of companies individually.

Another benefit of using these sites is that your information is entered just once, and their search engines will quickly find the best fit for your budget and coverage requirements.

Here are 3 comparison sites to help you get started:

1. Travelinsurance.com (recommended)

  • Easy-to-use online comparison tool
  • Instant coverage
  • Best price guarantee; this means you won’t find a lower price anywhere else for a plan that’s found on TravelInsurance.com.

2. Squaremouth

  • Award-winning customer service team
  • 20 travel insurance companies and 116 different policies
  • Over 60,000 customer reviews

3. InsureMyTrip

  • Licensed agents to help you with questions and claims
  • 21 providers; both large and boutique highly-rated companies
  • Glossary and articles explaining coverage and plans

Once you’ve completed a few easy comparisons, you’ll have an idea of the type of policy you want, a range of costs, and what options are available.

You’ll find most of the major travel insurance providers on these comparison sites, but not all carriers participate.

Hot Tip:  Don’t miss our dedicated article on the Best Travel Insurance Companies For All Travelers !

Let’s take a look at some specific travel insurance providers you’ll want to consider:

World Nomads — Best for Comprehensive Coverage and Adventure Activities (Recommended)

Included in the top 10 travel insurance companies by  Consumer Advocate , World Nomads offers a comprehensive portfolio of travel insurance products including medical/evacuation insurance, 24-hour emergency assistance, trip delay/cancellation, and coverage for a long list of adventure activities.

There are several reasons to purchase travel insurance with World Nomads.

  • Backed by established, reputable, highly-rated companies such as AIG Insurance Company , Lloyds, and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company
  • Understand world travel and the associated risks
  • Single-trip, multiple-trip, and annual policies are available
  • Good for active travelers, as most activities/sports are covered
  • Plans include standard to comprehensive coverages
  • Ability to purchase or extend coverage while traveling
  • Available for travelers through age 69

Sample Pricing

Click to get a quote with World Nomads >>

Hot Tip: If you participate in sports and adventure activities when traveling (even dangerous ones), World Nomad’s travel insurance is a perfect fit with over 150 travel activities covered.

Travel Insurance example

Travelex /Berkshire Hathaway Travel Insurance — Family Protection for Children at No Extra Cost

The family Travel Select plan covers children 17 and under for no additional cost. This comprehensive plan includes protection for trip interruption/cancellation/delay, medical and evacuation, baggage and personal effects, and travel assistance. For more information check out our Travelex review.

GeoBlue — Affordable Annual Medical Travel Insurance

If you currently have health insurance that does not cover you outside of the United States, you’ll find GeoBlue an affordable option for medical coverage while you’re traveling.

Their Trekker Choice policy covers unlimited international trips up to 70 days in length for a 12-month policy period. The cost for an annual plan for a 40-year-old was $175 for the Trekker Choice policy, but even less expensive plans are available!

USAA — Travel Insurance for Military and Families

Active military, their families, and post-military USAA members receive exclusive rates for travel insurance that includes these coverages. Children are included on most plans at no additional cost.

  • Lost/delayed baggage
  • Trip delays
  • Trip interruption/cancellation
  • Trip interruption/cancellation due to accident or illness
  • Medical expenses
  • Interruptions due to weather
  • Emergency assistance and evacuation

Travel Insurance example

Allianz — Affordable Annual Travel Insurance

With nearly a dozen awards so far in 2018, highly-rated Allianz is a trusted company in the travel insurance arena.

I was particularly impressed with their annual travel insurance policy offerings that are surprisingly affordable. The prices listed above are for an annual policy for travelers ages 30-80, and it covers unlimited trips of 45 days or less during the 12-month period.

It’s not just a medical policy either. In the top 2 plans above you’ll find trip cancellation/interruption, change fee coverage, collision damage waiver, and even business equipment coverage.

For coverage details and a specific quote, visit their website .

Expedia — An Impulse Buy You Can Prepare For

Expedia is the world’s leading travel provider, so a mention of their  Expedia ® Package Protection plan seems appropriate.

Pricing varies from $49 per person for travel within the continental U.S. to $89 per person for multiple international destinations.

The trip insurance includes trip cancellation/interruption coverage even for bad weather, mechanical failure, or strike. Medical emergencies/transportation and lost/stolen baggage coverage are also included. You can review details and additional coverages here . You may only purchase the package at the time of booking.

Before purchasing the Expedia Package Protection plan, you should price and compare a policy from one of the major providers. You may be able to find more coverage for a lower cost.

Other Travel Insurance Companies

The U.S. Department of State publishes a list of travel insurance companies that provide coverage overseas; you can access it here .

Hot Tip:  Some travel insurance policies require you to be outside the United States for coverage, but others will cover you as few as 50 miles from home. Since travel insurance is widely available (and in many cases affordable), it may make sense to purchase a policy for medical and other valuable coverage even if you’re traveling domestically. 

Single Trip Policies

  • If you take 1 major trip annually, purchasing a single trip policy is the way to go. If it’s a trip you put together yourself, utilizing one of the providers mentioned in this article to purchase an individual travel insurance policy can be a simple solution and cover your trip appropriately.
  • If your trip is a packaged tour, there’s nothing wrong with selecting insurance offered by the tour provider, but arm yourself first by doing some research. You’ll want to be sure you’re not overpaying, and that you’re purchasing travel insurance coverages that take care of  your  personal concerns, not just those of the tour provider.

Multiple Trip or Multi-Destination Policies

  • If you’re taking 2 trips a year, you can purchase a separate policy for each trip. If you’re taking 3 or more trips, you should consider an annual policy.
  • If you’re going on an extended trip and visiting several countries (say 3 months in length), companies such as World Nomads can issue a policy that covers your entire trip.

Annual Policies

  • Taking a year off and traveling the world or just taking frequent international trips? You may want to consider a comprehensive annual travel insurance policy that covers multiple trips.
  • Pricing can vary widely, so it’s important to compare prices and select the coverage that’s most important to you.

Hot Tip: The best way to determine if a multiple-trip or annual travel policy is better is to simply price each option, compare coverage, and review any terms/conditions. You may find that insuring 2 or 3 trips could cost as much as an annual trip insurance policy. 

Travel Insurance for Seniors

In your late 60s, your options for purchasing travel insurance start to diminish (but they don’t disappear!). There are still several travel insurance companies where you can purchase great coverage.

  • Allianz and Berkshire Hathaway each allowed me to quote a policy up to age 99
  • GeoBlue medical travel insurance covers through age 84
  • “Silver Nomads” age 70 and above can purchase coverage with World Nomad partner TripAssure

Special Needs and Travel Insurance for Those With Disabilities

If a person is healthy enough to travel, they’re usually able to purchase travel insurance from many providers.

Allianz Global Assistance comes highly recommended by Wheelchair Travel.org for travelers with disabilities. Their policy for a 45-year-old traveling on a 2-week trip costing $2,200 quoted between $76-$143 depending on the coverages I selected.

Group Travel Insurance

When you have 10 or more travelers in a group, you might consider group travel insurance as an affordable option.

For a group of 10 traveling to Mexico for a 2-week trip that cost $2,200 per person, the lowest quote according to a search on Squaremouth.com was $838, or $83.80 per person.

Coverage per person included:

  • Trip cancellation ($2,200)
  • Trip interruption ($2,200)
  • Good medical coverage ($20,000)
  • Good medical evacuation coverage ($100,000)
  • Trip delay ($150/day $500 max)
  • Baggage delay/personal effects ($700)

Pet Travel Insurance

If you’re a traveling pet owner, you’ve probably considered insuring your pet during your travels .

While some travel insurance policies include coverage for pets, separate policies for medical/veterinarian care for your pet can also be purchased.

Here are a couple of options for purchasing pet insurance that cover your pet while traveling.

  • PetPlan – PetPlan insurance covers your pet in the United States and Canada and costs as little $8/month for $20,000 in annual coverage.
  • Travelex Travel Max  – The policy provides $1,000 in emergency medical treatment for your pet. If you are hospitalized while traveling and cannot take care of your pet, the policy will also pay to return your pet back home (up to $10,000).

Insurance is an intangible; we can’t see it or hold it in our hands. Unless you have a claim, you’re simply buying the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re covered if things go wrong.

Travel insurance is a bit different than home or auto insurance, however — if you travel frequently, you know it’s common to experience delays, illness, lost baggage, and other travel disruptions where travel insurance could be useful.

Insurance is meant to protect you from disaster and major financial setbacks. Insuring yourself against losing money on an expensive trip or having a major medical event when traveling makes sense, especially since travel insurance is widely available and affordable.

Whether you should purchase travel insurance will depend on your risk tolerance level for what you could lose personally if things go wrong during your travels.

All information and content provided by Upgraded Points is intended as general information and for educational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as medical advice or legal advice. For more information, see our  Medical & Legal Disclaimers .

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The Best Travel Insurance Companies for All Travelers [2024]

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Traveling is an adventure, a leap into the unknown, a story waiting to unfold. But every story needs a safety net, and that's where travel insurance comes in. In this guide to the best travel insurance, we'll embark on a journey to help you better understand travel insurance and uncover the benefits that make it an indispensable companion for any traveler.

Best Travel Insurance Companies of 2024

  • Best Overall: Nationwide Travel Insurance
  • Runner-Up: AXA Assistance USA
  • Best for Cruises: Travel Guard
  • Best Reputation:  C&F Travel Insured
  • Best for Pre-existing Conditions:   Tin Leg Travel Insurance
  • Best for Digital Nomads:   WorldTrips Travel Insurance
  • Best Low-Cost Option:   Trawick International Travel Insurance
  • Best for Road Trips: Travelex Travel Insurance
  • Best for Adventure Sports :  World Nomads Travel Insurance

Best Travel Insurance Companies

The best travel insurance companies offer comprehensive coverage options for a wide range of people and needs. For this guide, we looked at coverage options, customizability, and the best companies for specific situations, such as pre-existing conditions.

Here are Business Insider's picks for the best travel insurance companies in 2024. 

Nationwide Travel Insurance

Nationwide is of the largest players in the travel insurance space, offering nearly endless options for any customer on the travel spectrum, including annual travel insurance plans which can offer frequent travelers the flexibility to "set it and forget it" on their travel insurance coverage.

Nationwide Essential also offers some of the most affordable policies in the market compared to similar plans from competitors, which makes it a great pick for just about anyone. Buyers can discuss bundling options as Nationwide also sells homeowners, auto, pet, and other insurance products. Its travel insurance quoting is just as easy as it has been with other Nationwide insurance products.

Read our Nationwide travel insurance review .

AXA Assistance USA

AXA offers consumers a great option for no-stress travel insurance: low-priced plans, generous coverage limits on key categories including primary insurance on lost luggage, and up to 150% reimbursement for qualifying trip cancellations.

While add-ons are limited and rental car coverage is not included by default on cheaper plans, AXA is a perfect fit for travelers who don't plan to drive (or who already hold a travel credit card with rental car coverage), and don't need any additional bells and whistles.

Read our AXA Assistance USA travel insurance review .

Travel Guard

AIG is well-known insurance provider, and a great fit for travelers who want to ensure that they can get their money back in the event of canceled or interrupted travel plans.

While the company's policies can be pricey compared to its competitors, the high medical and evacuation limits make AIG a solid choice for older travelers who value peace of mind and simplicity over highly customizable plans that may be bolstered with medical upgrades.

Read our AIG Travel Guard travel insurance review .

C&F Travel Insured

While every travel insurance company has negative reviews about its claims process, C&F Travel Insured 's claims process has a consistent stream of positive reviews. One customer wrote that C&F processed a claim within 48 hours. Additionally, C&F regularly responds to customer reviews within one business week, making reviews a consistent way to reach the company.

Additionally, in C&F's fine print, it mentions that any claims that take more than 30 days to pay out will begin to accrue interest at 9% APY.

C&F's reputation isn't the only thing to speak highly of. It offers an array of add-ons uncommon in the travel insurance industry, such as Interruption for Any Reason insurance and CFAR coverage for annual plans. C&F also offers discounts for children on its Protector Edge plan and free coverage on its Protector plan.  

Read our C&F Travel Insured review . 

Tin Leg Travel Insurance

Tin Leg is a great fit for travelers with medical issues in particular. Seven of Tin Leg's eight travel plans include coverage for pre-existing conditions as long as you purchase your policy within 15 days of your initial trip payment.

Thanks to coverage for pre-existing medical conditions as well as for potential COVID-19 infection while traveling, this company offers some of the best financial investment options for travelers who are or will be exposed to higher health risks and issues.

Read our Tin Leg travel insurance review .

WorldTrips Travel Insurance

WorldTrips has affordable premiums, highly customizable add-ons, and generous coverage for core categories of travel insurance. All this makes it a great option for digital nomads, students studying abroad and backpackers.

However, travelers should keep in mind that plans are not particularly flexible, and coverage amounts are limited unless you plan ahead to pay for the areas and amounts that you need.

Read our WorldTrips travel insurance review .

Trawick International Travel Insurance

Trawick offers low premiums across its five plans, most of which offer coverage for pre-existing conditions. You'll find robust medical travel insurance that can help higher-risk and anxious travelers find peace of mind while on the road. This company also offers high medical evacuation coverage limits, up to $1,000,000.

Read our Trawick travel insurance review .

Travelex Travel Insurance

Travelex offers three plans:

  • Travel Basic
  • Travel Select
  • Travel America

The Travelex America plan is meant for trips limited to the U.S., but it has the highest coverage limits in many areas compared to its other programs. If you're flying somewhere, the lost baggage limits are higher. Its natural strengths shine for road trippers, though. Travelex America adds coverage for roadside service and rental car coverage for unexpected accidents. It also covers pets should you be involved in an accident while on the road.

While your standard auto insurance does extend to car rentals within the U.S. for a limited time, any accident would affect future rates. Travelex would eliminate the risk of reporting to your auto insurance provider for minor incidents within its purview.

Read our Travelex Travel Insurance review .

World Nomads Travel Insurance

World Nomads distinguishes itself from others by covering over 300 sports and activities, from skydiving to golf. Additionally, its one of the few travel insurance companies that allow you to purchase after departing for your destination. However, you'll have a 72-hour waiting period before coverage kicks in.

That said, World Nomads doesn't have the highest coverage limits compared to its competitors on this list, travel medical insurance capping out at $100,000. It also isn't the most flexible provider, only providing two plans to choose from with no options for pre-existing condition coverage. Yet, World Nomads still stands out for its sports coverage and post-departure coverage.

Read our World Nomads travel insurance review .

Introduction to Travel Insurance

Why travel insurance is a must-have.

The unpredictable nature of traveling – from flight cancellations to medical emergencies – can turn your dream vacation into a nightmare. Travel insurance acts as a personal safeguard, ensuring that unexpected events don't drain your wallet or ruin your trip.

Understanding Different Types of Travel Insurance

Not all travel insurance policies are created equal. From single-trip travel insurance policies to annual travel insurance plans , from minimal coverage to comprehensive protection, understanding the spectrum of options is your first step in finding the right fit for your journey.

Key Features to Look for in Travel Insurance Coverage

Travel insurance for medical emergencies.

Imagine falling ill in a foreign country; daunting, right? A robust travel insurance plan ensures you don't have to worry about how much emergency medical care while traveling will cost, even in the most remote corners of the globe. This coverage will often come in tandem with emergency medical evacuation coverage.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Benefits

Life is full of surprises, some less pleasant than others. Trip cancellation and interruption coverage ensures that you're not left out of pocket if unforeseen circumstances force you to cancel or cut your trip short. You may also look for cancel for any reason and interruption for any reason options, which will reimburse you for a percentage of your nonrefundable fees, but expands the covered reasons you can cancel a trip. You can find our guide on the best CFAR travel insurance companies here.

Coverage for Personal Belongings and Baggage Loss

Losing your belongings is more than an inconvenience; it's losing a piece of your world. Insurance that covers personal belongings and baggage loss ensures that you're compensated for your loss, helping you to rebound and continue your adventure.

Support and Assistance Services

In times of trouble, having a lifeline can make all the difference. Look for insurance that offers 24/7 support and assistance services, giving you peace of mind that help is just a phone call away. Also, check websites that field customer reviews like Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, and InsureMyTrip , to see how well a company responds to customer requests.

Choosing the Best Travel Insurance

Reputation and reliability of the travel insurance provider.

A provider's reputation is not just about being well-known; it's about reliability, customer satisfaction, and the ability to deliver on promises. Researching and choosing a reputable provider is a cornerstone in ensuring your safety and satisfaction.

Understanding the Policy's Fine Print

The devil is in the details, and understanding the fine print of what your travel insurance policy covers is crucial. Be aware of coverage limits, exclusions, and the process for filing a claim to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

For example, to get coverage for a canceled trip due to work, many travel insurance companies require that you've been with that company for at least a year. 

Customer Reviews and Feedback

In the age of information, customer reviews and feedback are goldmines of insight. Learn from the experiences of others to gauge the reliability and customer service of the insurance provider you're considering. While the ratings are important, you should also look at whether or not a company responds to customer complaints.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Travel Insurance

Knowing your policy inside out.

Familiarize yourself with every aspect of your policy — what it covers, what it doesn't, how to file a claim, and who to contact in an emergency. Being informed means being prepared. At the very least, you should have the terms readily available while you're on your trip.

Steps to Take When a Problem Arises

If you face an issue during your travels, knowing the immediate steps to take can make all the difference. Your insurance company may even have a 24/7 assistance hotline that can walk you through an emergency during your trip, even issues that don't involve claims. 

When a problem arises. you'll want to document as much as possible, in case you need proof when filing a claim. Ask for receipts and invoices when possible.

How to Pick the Best Travel Insurance Company for You

There isn't a one-size-fits-all policy that works perfectly for every traveler. Young, healthy solo travelers can opt for much cheaper plans that offer bare-bones coverage, while families juggling complex itineraries will do best by investing in a robust policy that can help defray any costs associated with lost baggage, delayed transportation or other trip-impeding obstacles.

That being said, you can't go wrong with a travel insurance provider that boasts a reputable history and offers a wide range of customizable plans. In some cases, you may be comparing plans that are only a few dollars' apart from each other. In such situations, you should generally opt for the insurance company that offers the strongest customer service. It's also worth considering whether or not the travel insurance provider has been reviewed by other travelers with similar itineraries to your own. 

An insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip or Squaremouth is one of the best tools for searching travel insurance policies. Once you input the specifics of your travel itinerary, you'll be able to see hundreds of search results to compare the ones that catch your eye. If the options are too overwhelming, use the filters to the left of your search page to eliminate as many irrelevant plans as possible.

To come up with our list of the best travel insurance companies, Business Insider evaluated each insurer based on the following factors:

Guide Methodology: What We Considered

Policy Types

Travel insurance is essential, but often underused partly because people aren't getting what they want. Business Insider's 2023 travel study showed 10.65% of travelers surveyed bought cancel for any reason insurance. Cost may be a factor, but in many cases, the coverage is more affordable than you might think. Regardless, companies must offer a diverse range of coverage options. We award five stars to companies offering all standard coverages and additional options like pet and sports equipment protection.

Our 2023 travel study indicated the majority of purchases were made through the travel provider (ex: flight protection insurance when you're purchasing your airline tickets). While these may be sufficient for some customers, we look for companies offering a more comprehensive range of services.

According to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, the average cost of travel insurance will be between 4% and 8% of total travel expenses. Anything beyond that price point should include additional benefits beyond the standard inclusions, such as CFAR protection or upgraded medical coverage. Anything below that 4% threshold may leave you lacking important or sufficient coverage in an emergency.

Convenience and Flexibility

Whether you're an infrequent traveler or a suitcase warrior, a good travel insurance company should have you covered. In many cases, you might not even have to talk to a person in order to purchase your policy.

Many people think of travel insurance in context with specific trips, but most of these top contenders sell both single-trip and multi-trip policies, also known as annual travel insurance. Some companies also offer plans specifically designed for cruisers, students abroad, and business travelers. (Read our guide to the best cruise travel insurance companies for more details.) Finally, all of these providers offer multiple options for getting the specific areas and amounts of coverage that you want.

Claims Handling

Most travelers never have a large claim. Premiums are low, and it provides peace of mind for the just in case situations. So they leave reviews based on their reduced stress levels. But what happens if you lose your luggage or have to stay a few extra days due to an unexpected accident? Will your insurance carrier cover your claim without all the hassle? We check real customer reviews to sort this out for you.

Ease of Use and Support

When purchasing, during your trip, and throughout the claims process, you may need extra support. Does the company have a 24/7 help line? Does it have an online or mobile system allowing you to self-manage? Essentially, what are the options when you need help? We look at the big picture to evaluate the average customer experience with each company.

You can read more about how Business Insider rates travel insurance for even more details. And see our guide to the best travel insurance in California if you're traveling to that state, specifically.

Best Travel Insurance FAQs

There isn't one best travel insurance company; there are many great providers on the travel insurance market today. Our overall winner was Nationwide for its breadth of coverage options. AIG Travel Guard, AXA, Berkshire Hathaway, Tin Leg, WorldTrips and Trawick also made the cut. The best pick for you will depend on what features you value the most, like a low premium or high coverage limits.

While coverage varies by policy, common exclusions often include pre-existing medical conditions (unless you have purchased a waiver), accidents caused by high-risk activities if not specifically covered (e.g., skydiving, scuba diving), travel for medical procedures, and events known before purchasing the policy (e.g., traveling during a pandemic). Always read your policy carefully to understand the exclusions.

The average cost of travel insurance is 4% to 8% of your total trip cost, so it could vary widely depending on where you're traveling and the length of your trip. Your age, the number of people in your group, and other factors can also influence how much you'll pay.

Yes, travel insurance typically offers some coverage of canceled flights, but if this benefit is important to you, make sure you read the fine print of your policy to make sure it offers adequate reimbursement. If you think you may need to cancel your travel plans, you should consider purchasing cancel for any reason (CFAR) travel insurance .

The right amount of travel insurance depends on your trip, but $100,000 should be sufficient for most travel plans. You may want more coverage for travel medical insurance and emergency medical evacuation coverage.

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Is Travel Insurance Worth It in July 2024?

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Table of Contents

What does travel insurance cover?

What does travel insurance not cover, when is travel insurance not necessary, when is trip insurance worth it, where to buy travel insurance, how much does travel insurance cost, should you rely on credit card travel insurance instead, so, is travel insurance worth it.

Travel can be expensive. Insurance protects your nonrefundable vacation investment if the unexpected occurs. But is travel insurance worth it?

The answer will depend on whether your trip is refundable, where you're going, whether you'll have health coverage at your destination and how much coverage you already get from your credit card. Here are some key topics to understand when deciding if travel insurance is right for you.

Travel insurance (or trip insurance) covers a number of travel-related risks, from flight cancellations to lost bags to medical emergencies.

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 delay insurance .

Trip interruption insurance .

The dollar amount of your coverage depends on the policy you bought and where and when you bought it. Most travel insurance providers offer several different policies to choose from, with higher or lower levels of coverage and higher or lower prices to match.

» Learn more: What to know before buying travel insurance

You can buy policies that cover a single trip, multiple trips or a full year. You can buy an individual policy or one that covers your entire family. There are many companies that offer policies, with Allianz and Travel Guard among the best-known. Here is a chart showing the benefits and coverage levels available on some Allianz policies.

NerdWallet recently analyzed various travel insurance policies to help you choose the plan that best aligns with your travel goals. Check out our results here: Best Travel Insurance Companies Right Now .

» Learn more: Does travel insurance cover medical expenses?

Incidents not covered by your travel insurance vary by policy and provider.

Pre-existing medical conditions are often excluded from coverage, meaning your benefits don't apply to claims related to that condition. Some policies cover pre-existing medical conditions if you meet certain criteria, for example if you purchased the policy within 14 days of paying for your trip and if you were well enough to travel when you booked your trip.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards might surprise you

Plan on mountain-climbing or engaging in other dangerous activities on your trip? Many policies won't cover you if something goes wrong unless you buy a policy that specifically includes adventure sports. World Nomads travel insurance , for example, offers the Explorer plan, which includes coverage for cave diving, cliff jumping, heli-skiing and many other activities that are considered risky.

Other incidents excluded from a trip insurance policy may involve war, acts of terrorism and the use of alcohol, which can cause your injuries to be designated as "self-inflicted," or the use of drugs, which may be illegal.

If you want full flexibility to cancel your trip you'll need to find a policy that allows you to purchase a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) add-on. This additional benefit does exactly what the name implies and allows you to cancel your trip for any reason. Typically, you'll get around 75% of your prepaid nonrefundable trip expenses back, although exact timing and percentages vary by policy.

» Learn more: Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) travel insurance explained

Travel insurance primarily covers two aspects of your trip — your nonrefundable reservations and your medical expenses while traveling.

If all of your reservations can be canceled without penalty, then trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage isn't necessary. But even if your trip isn't 100% refundable, insurance may not be necessary. For example, a cheap flight and hotel stay may not be worth covering, though you may still want to purchase travel insurance for medical situations.

Medical coverage typically is not necessary if you have a U.S.-based health insurance policy and you're traveling within the U.S. In those cases, you probably already have adequate coverage for illness or injury.

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There are a few reasons that travel insurance can be worthwhile: to protect your nonrefundable trip costs, your luggage or your health.

When should you get trip cancellation and/or trip interruption insurance?

If you would lose the money you paid for your flights, accommodations, rental car, or activities if you had to cancel or go home early, travel insurance that specifically includes trip cancellation and trip interruption is probably a good idea. If your trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason, this protection will cover your reservations.

For example, if you're planning to travel to a destination that could have weather-related issues, like hurricanes in the Caribbean, travel insurance may protect your noncancelable reservations. Some policies also provide emergency evacuation to escape dangerous situations. However, if you try to purchase travel insurance after the storm poses a risk, the insurance probably will not protect you.

When should you get baggage delay and/or lost luggage coverage?

Imagine if you go on a one week trip and your checked baggage is lost or delayed. While you’re waiting to get your luggage, baggage delay insurance will reimburse you for any essentials (i.e. toiletries, medicine, socks, clothing, etc.) that you may need to purchase because you don’t have your own things.

But what if the worst case scenario happens and your bag is just lost or stolen? Lost luggage insurance will reimburse you for your misplaced bag, up to a specified dollar amount.

If you’re only traveling with a carry-on, you don’t need these two types of coverage.

When should you purchase travel medical insurance?

U.S.-based health insurance policies generally offer coverage anywhere within the U.S. But if you get sick or hurt when you travel internationally, some policies like Medicare may not cover you.

Even if your health insurance covers you outside the country, doctors at your destination may not accept it. Without travel insurance, you could be stuck paying for these bills out of pocket, then seeking reimbursement from your healthcare provider.

When should you purchase CFAR?

Most travel insurance policies won’t help you get your expenses if you cancel for a “non-covered” reason, like when your plans change or you simply don’t want to go anymore. That’s when it might be good to purchase CFAR.

If you’ve booked a trip but think that you may need to cancel for a reason that’s not covered by trip cancellation, the CFAR add-on will allow you to get up to 50-75% of your nonrefundable trip costs back as long as you cancel at least 2 - 3 days before the trip starts. The add-on must also be purchased within a specific time of the initial trip deposit (usually 14 - 21 days).

What can be an example of a cancellation that’s reimbursable under CFAR? Let’s say you book a trip with your significant other but you break up a week before the trip and don’t want to go alone. Or you book a trip really far in advance but when the date nears, you realize that you don’t want to go anymore. CFAR will be helpful for you in these instances.

When should you purchase travel insurance even though you already have a credit card that provides it?

If you already have some travel insurance protections (e.g., trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage delay) from your credit card, but you feel that the limits are insufficient, consider purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance plan or a standalone travel medical insurance policy to protect you in case of medical emergencies on your trip.

» Learn more: The majority of Americans plan to travel this year, according to recent NerdWallet study

If you booked your trip through a travel agent, you can likely purchase coverage through them. That includes online travel booking engines like Expedia. If you're taking a cruise , you're usually offered the chance to purchase coverage during the booking process. Similarly, airlines may offer you certain types of coverage when you book a flight through their website. If you have an award booking , you have travel insurance options too.

Another option: Purchase travel insurance directly through the website of a travel insurance company, like Allianz , AXA or Travel Guard .

» Learn more: Airline travel insurance versus independent travel insurance: Which is right for you?

The cost of travel insurance is based on the specifics of your trip. The best way to get a price is to request a quote through the websites of travel insurance providers. Or you can compare multiple insurers in one place with a consolidator like InsureMyTrip.com or SquareMouth .

Many travel credit cards provide certain types of coverage in case your flight is delayed or canceled, your rental car is damaged, or your luggage is lost or delayed.

Here are a few credit cards offering travel protections that could serve as an alternative to travel insurance. But even with these cards, the benefits have a lot of fine print.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card

on American Express' website

Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Travel accident: Up to $500,000.

• Rental car insurance: Up to $75,000.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Travel accident: Up to $1 million.

• Rental car insurance: Up to the actual cash value of the car.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

Terms apply.

These are attractive benefits, but the coverage may not be as broad as you would get buying insurance. For example, AmEx cards only cover round-trip travel, so if you don’t have a return flight booked yet, you might want to consider additional coverage.

Secondly, only the Chase Sapphire Reserve® provides emergency medical and dental coverage. The other cards don’t.

Plus, these cards can come with steep annual fees that may be more than you would pay for a travel insurance policy. So don't sign up for a card just to cover one trip unless you've compared costs.

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

If you've paid a considerable sum for a nonrefundable vacation, travel insurance is likely a good idea. International travelers who need coverage in case they get sick or injured should also consider buying a policy. If troubles arise, you'll be glad that you're protected.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

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

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ 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

Coming soon: Earn up to 4% cash back on every purchase

U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card

U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card

Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase.

Up to an additional 2% cash back when paired with a U.S. Bank Smartly® Savings account.

Cash back rates can be obtained when rewards are redeemed into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account.

The U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card will be available soon - be among the first to apply. Read our review and join the waitlist below.

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MarketWatch Guides is a reviews and recommendations team, independent of the MarketWatch newsroom. We might earn a commission from links in this content.  Learn More

The Best Travel Insurance Companies

  • Based on the MarketWatch Guides team’s comprehensive review of over two dozen travel insurers and 49 different policies, the best travel insurance company is Travelex.
  •  Travel insurance policies offer reimbursement if your trip gets canceled for a covered reason, you incur emergency medical bills, and for other situations such as missed flights or baggage delays.
  •  According to our survey of 1,000 travel insurance policyholders nationwide, 97% of respondents claim travel insurance is worth the cost.

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Alex Carver is a writer and researcher based in Charlotte, N.C. A contributor to major news websites such as Automoblog and USA Today, she’s written content in sectors such as insurance, warranties, shipping, real estate and more.

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Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.

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Here’s a breakdown of how we reviewed and rated the best travel insurance companies

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The Best Travel Insurance of 2024

After reviewing dozens of travel insurance providers operating throughout the U.S., the following are our top recommendations:

  • Travelex Insurance: Our top pick
  • Nationwide Travel Insurance : Best for baggage coverage
  • AIG Travel Guard : Best for families
  • Faye : Best cancel for any reason coverage
  • WorldTrips : Most affordable comprehensive coverage
  • Generali Global Assistance : Best for trip interruption coverage
  • Seven Corners : Best for visitors to the U.S.
  • AEGIS : Best for immediate reimbursement
  • Travel Insured International: Best for evacuation coverage

How We Ranked the Best Travel Insurance Providers

To rank the best travel insurance providers, we took a closer look at each provider’s ratings calculated using our comprehensive travel insurance methodology . This process involved considering the cost, coverage timelines and amounts, and customer service and reviews. We also awarded each provider a superlative based on key strengths identified by our team.

Read more about the providers we’ve chosen as best in the sections below.

Best Travel Insurance Companies in Detail

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Why We Picked Travelex

We chose Travelex as our overall pick for the best travel insurance company thanks to its above-average scores in all rating categories across our methodology. In addition, the provider has made several of our top travel insurance lists. This includes best travel insurance for families , as Travelex includes children under 17 for free with the purchase of an adult policy. However, note that the provider’s Travel Basic plan lacks this extended coverage for children.

Travelex also topped our list of best long-term travel insurance providers with its Travel Select policy, which can cover travelers for up to a year abroad with no primary health insurance requirement. While our research found that most providers with long-term policies don’t offer trip cancellation or cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage, Travelex’s Travel Select plan does, making it stand out compared to other insurers with this type of travel insurance plan.

Pros and Cons

Flat-rate policies available from $60 per person

Includes emergency evacuation as a standard coverage

Offers an adventure sports waiver

Includes a $15,000 medical limit on the lowest coverage tier

Only offers up to 50% in cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage

Customer Reviews and Ratings

Travelex holds a 4.4 out of 5-star rating on Squaremouth with over 2,000 confirmed customer reviews.

How Travelex Scored in Our Methodology:

Coverage and Cost

Travelex’s base plan, the Travel Basic coverage, includes 100% protection for both trip cancellation and interruption. It also includes $15,000 worth of emergency medical coverage, $100,000 in emergency evacuation coverage and $500 for lost baggage. Travelex’s Travel Select plan extends additional coverage, such as sporting equipment delay benefits of $200 and you can include kids with your policy.

Travelex offers the following add-ons for the Travel Select policy:

  • CFAR coverage (50% reimbursement)
  • Medical expense extension (extends coverage to $50,000)
  • Adventure sports waiver for medical expenses coverage
  • Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) extension (extends coverage to $25,000)

*Higher medical and evacuation coverage limits are available on other policies. Contact the company to learn more. 

Our research team obtained premium costs for eight unique traveler profiles and found that Travelex’s average trip cost is $202.

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Nationwide Travel Insurance

Why we picked nationwide.

We named Nationwide as the best for baggage coverage thanks to its generous limits across several plans. It offers $2,000 for lost or damaged baggage and $600 for delayed luggage through its most comprehensive standard plan. It also provides $2,500 for lost or damaged baggage and $1,000 for baggage delays through its cruise-specific Luxury Cruise policy.

Nationwide’s unique cruise insurance policies is why the company tops our list of best cruise insurers . Few providers offer plans tailored explicitly for cruises, but Nationwide offers three to fit various budgets and traveler needs. Some standout coverages for cruises with these plans include missed prepaid excursion coverage, itinerary change coverage and more.

Offers specific coverage for cruise vacations

CFAR upgrade offers up to 75% reimbursement

Provides multiple levels of annual plan coverage and multi-destination, single-trip plans

More expensive premiums on average

Enforces a longer waiting period before baggage delay benefits begin

Nationwide has a 4 out of 5-star rating from 600 verified customers on Squaremouth .

How Nationwide Scored in Our Methodology:

Nationwide offers three levels of cruise coverage: the Universal, Choice and Luxury cruise policies. As the names suggest, each tier covers varying levels of cruise expenses. For example, the Universal policy covers $500 worth of expenses related to missed connections while the Luxury policy offers $2,000.

Nationwide offers the following add-ons for its cruise coverage:

  • AD&D benefits
  • CFAR coverage (up to 75% of trip costs)
  • Vendor financial default coverage
  • Interruption for any reason (IFAR) coverage
  • Pre-existing conditions waiver
  • Rental car collision damage

In addition to cruise coverage, Nationwide also offers the following two travel insurance plans, which include standard baggage and cancellation insurance.

After gathering quotes from Nationwide using our sample traveler profiles, we found the average cost of a policy is $206.

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AIG Travel Guard

Why we picked aig.

We chose AIG Travel Guard as the provider best for families, as it offers free coverage to children under 17 with the purchase of an adult policy. Our research shows the cost of a policy from AIG is $237, around 16% more than the average overall cost calculated by our team. However, the free coverage for children can make it a better value overall for some travelers.

We appreciate how AIG provides a unique Medevac plan with up to $5 million in medical evacuation coverage, which could benefit adventurers traveling to remote locations lacking medical infrastructure. It also provides coverage for last-minute travels through its Pack N’ Go policy, providing immediate trip and medical protections alongside 24-hour emergency travel services.

Medevac plan can provide up to $5 million in medical evacuation coverage

The Deluxe policy includes “Travel Inconvenience Benefits” for situations such as runway delays

Offers immediate coverage with the Pack-N-Go plan for last-minute trips

Charges higher premiums on average, based on our review

Only offers 50% in CFAR coverage

While AIG Travel Guard lacks customer ratings through Squaremouth, the provider holds accreditation and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). However, it also has a 1 out of 5-star customer review rating.

How AIG Scored in Our Methodology:

AIG’s primary travel insurance product is its international travel plans, which provide 100% trip cancellation insurance, up to $1,000 in trip delay coverage, up to $1 million in medical evacuation coverage and other benefits commonly found with competitors. It also offers two unique policy options: the quick approval Pack-N-Go plan and an annual plan for frequent flyers.

AIG offers three travel insurance plans, all of which include family coverage:

It also offers the following add-ons:

  • CFAR coverage (up to 50% reimbursement)
  • Missed connection benefit ($150)

*Higher medical and evacuation coverage limits are available on other policies. Contact the company to learn more.

According to our research on travel insurance costs across dozens of providers, we found the average price of a travel policy from AIG Travel Guard is $237.

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We chose Faye as the best option for CFAR coverage because it offers 75% reimbursement of total trip costs at a budget-friendly price for many travelers. After gathering quotes for a $4,000 weeklong trip to France, we found that adding CFAR coverage only cost an additional 31% of our Faye policy premium. Our research has found that most providers charge 50% or more of your premium to add this protection.

Faye tops several of our best travel insurance lists, such as best travel insurance for seniors and best group travel insurance . It provides $250,000 worth of primary medical coverage and a pre-existing conditions waiver that can benefit seniors with chronic illnesses. In addition, its convenient and quick online process makes it easy to sign up for a group travel policy in less than 10 minutes.

Offers quick, all-online quotes and enrollment

Can provide $200 if your bags get delayed for six hours or more

Optional cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) add-on covers up to 75% of trip costs

Be reimbursed on approved claims to your phone’s wallet

Only offers one plan option

Does not offer add-on coverage for accidental death and dismemberment

Faye lacks customer reviews and a customer rating through Squaremouth. However, it holds a 4.7 out of 5-star rating from over 800 customer reviews on Trustpilot.

How Faye scored in our methodology:

Faye offers one plan with several optional add-on options.

Optional Add-Ons 

  • Cancel for any reason (CFAR) 
  • Rental car damage or theft
  • Adventure and extreme sports protection 
  • Vacation rental damage protection

*Coverage limits and availability may vary by state of residence.

We obtained quotes for various trips and sample traveler profiles as outlined in our review methodology, and Faye’s average trip cost is $256.

WorldTrips Travel Insurance logo

WorldTrips Travel Insurance

WorldTrips earned the designation of most affordable comprehensive coverage from our research team. We gathered quotes for each of the provider’s three plans and found that the highest tier, Elevate, was 17% cheaper than the average cost of a policy calculated using our sample traveler profiles. This plan includes perks such as $250,000 in emergency medical coverage, $1 million in medical evacuation protection, $50,000 in accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage, and more.

Additional coverage add-ons offered by WorldTrips include CFAR, interruption for any reason (IFAR), adventure sports, rental car damage and pet care, further rounding out the provider’s comprehensive trip and medical benefits.

Offers cheap comprehensive coverage, according to our research

Provides 50% in add-on IFAR protection

Allows your choice of 50% or 75% in CFAR add-on coverage

Provides AD&D insurance as standard with each policy

Adding the 75% CFAR coverage option almost doubles your policy costs

Only provides secondary medical coverage through its lowest plan tier

WorldTrips currently holds a 4.3 out of 5-star rating from over 400 verified customers on Squaremouth .

How WorldTrips Scored in Our Methodology:

WorldTrips offers the Escape, Explore and Elevate plans through its Atlas Journey line, which are single-trip, comprehensive insurance policies. The provider also has specialized plans for group travel, travelers looking for an annual policy, digital nomads and more.

WorldTrips provides the following options as add-ons with most plans:

  • CFAR coverage
  • Adventure sports coverage
  • IFAR coverage
  • Rental car damage and theft

After gathering quotes from WorldTrips using our sample trips and traveler profiles, we found the average cost of a policy is $157.

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Generali Global Assistance

We named Generali Global Assistance as the best provider for trip interruption coverage. It provides up to 175% reimbursement for trip interruptions through its Premium plan, whereas most insurers only offer up to 150% in their highest plan tiers. While Generali isn’t the cheapest provider out of our top provider picks, it still comes in at less than the average cost of travel insurance by a few dollars.

Generali Global Assistance also offers 24/7 concierge-level services from multilingual representatives, which may prove helpful if you travel to an area where you cannot speak the primary language. In addition, you’ll find rental car and sports equipment coverage as standard through the provider’s higher-tier plans — coverage that most providers only offer as add-ons.

All plans include 24/7 concierge emergency assistance

No dental sub-maximum included under medical coverage

Extends up to 175% trip interruption coverage

Offers less delay compensation than other providers

Optional CFAR coverage capped at 60%

Generali Global Assistance has a 4.3 out of 5-star rating from over 4,500 reviews on Squaremouth .

How Generali Global Assistance Scored in Our Methodology:

Generali offers three plan tiers: Standard, Preferred and Premium. The Standard Plan includes a variety of benefits, including 125% trip interruption coverage, $150 per day toward delay-related expenses, $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage, $50,000 worth of medical coverage and more. Preferred and Premium plans extend benefits included with the Standard Plan and add some extras — like sports equipment coverage and rental car collision insurance.

Generali offers the following add-on options:

  • Rental car damage
  • CFAR coverage (up to 60% reimbursement)

Based on cost data calculated using sample trips and various traveler profiles, we found the average cost of a travel insurance policy from Generali Global Assistance is $201.

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Seven Corners Travel Insurance

Seven Corners earned the superlative of best for visitors to the U.S., including for visitors to the country and parents . The Travel Medical Basic plan can cover groups of up to 10 non-U.S. residents and non-U.S. citizens, making it ideal for families and solo travelers alike. With coverage extendable up to a year and a medical maximum of $1 million for travelers up to 69, this plan is ideal for those hosting parents from abroad.

Note that maximum medical coverage levels drop to $100,000 for travelers aged 70 to 79 and $10,000 for those 80 years or older. In addition, coverage for pre-existing conditions isn’t available for travelers 80 years and older. Despite this, many providers won’t cover senior travelers beyond a certain age, so we appreciate that Seven Corners has no age limit.

Includes trip interruption coverage up to 150% of your outlined limit

Customizable trip cancellation coverage limits of up to $10,000

Offers pre-existing condition coverage

Limits travel medical coverage to $50,000 for New Hampshire residents

Only covers pre-existing conditions for 60 days into your plan term

Seven Corners currently holds a 4.4 out of 5-star rating from almost 4,000 customer reviews through Squaremouth .

How Seven Corners Scored in Our Methodology:

Seven Corners doesn’t just offer travel medical plans for travelers visiting the U.S. — it also offers an annual plan that provides a wide range of coverages, including:

  • $5,000 in trip interruption protection
  • $1 million in medical and healthcare coverage
  • $25,000 worth of AD&D coverage
  • $100 per day in trip delay benefits (with a maximum of two days)
  • $50 worth of coverage for each lost bag, up to $500

It also includes extra benefits for items such as lost travel documents and baggage delays but does not cover trips within the U.S. Policies include a range of deductibles between $0 and $500. However, selecting a lower deductible will come with a higher premium.

Seven Corners also offers coverage for single trips in the U.S. and abroad, known as its RoundTrip Basic and RoundTrip Choice plans.

You can purchase the following add-ons to enhance travel insurance coverage with Seven Corners:

  • Event ticket registration fee protection
  • Sports and golf equipment rental
  • IFAR coverage (up to 75% of trip costs)

Based on quotes gathered using several sample traveler profiles, the average cost of a travel insurance policy from Seven Corners is $206 — on par with the overall average cost calculated by our team.

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Aegis Travel Insurance

Why we picked aegis.

We named AEGIS as best for immediate reimbursement thanks to its short claims processing time. You can open a claim easily by phone, email, live chat or web form, and you can check the status online without contacting a customer service representative. AEGIS states that most claims take about a week or so to process fully.

AEGIS offers seven different policies to suit a variety of traveler needs. These include a policy solely offering trip cancellation and interruption benefits, a plan for travelers taking a cruise, and two annual, multi-trip policies. We also found that plans through AEGIS cost around 32% less than the average travel insurance cost calculated by our team.

Cheaper than other top insurers, based on our research

Provides standalone trip cancellation and interruption insurance

Processes most claims within a week or so

Offers seven different policies to choose from

Some multi-trip plans limit trips to 31 days

Multi-trip Preferred Plan only provides secondary medical coverage

AEGIS has a 4.1 out of 5-star overall review rating from over 1,000 customer reviews on Squaremouth .

How AEGIS Scored in Our Methodology:

We appreciate how AEGIS offers a variety of plans to suit different traveler needs. Its Pandemic Travel Insurance Plus Plan provides primary medical coverage, comprehensive trip benefits and CFAR coverage as a standard protection — not an add-on. You’ll also find coverage that exclusively provides trip cancellation and interruption benefits.

In addition, AEGIS offers a plan tailored to travelers taking a cruise, with missed connection benefits and itinerary change coverage. If you’re looking for annual multi-trip coverage, AEGIS provides two plans that cover multiple trips over the course of a year.

Single-trip policies sold by AEGIS include the Go Ready Choice Plan and VIP Travel Plan.

Add-on coverages provided through an AEGIS policy include:

  • Increased maximum limit for medical coverages
  • Increased limit for evacuation and repatriation
  • Additional AD&D coverage
  • Pre-existing condition waiver
  • Higher baggage compensation limits

After averaging the cost of a travel insurance policy through AEGIS using our sample traveler profiles, we found the average cost of a policy with the company is $155.

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Travel Insured International

Why we picked travel insured international.

Based on our comprehensive review, we named Travel Insured International as the best provider for evacuation coverage. While most travel insurance companies offer coverage for emergency medical evacuations and repatriation, this provider takes its protection one step further by providing up to $150,000 for political, security and natural disaster evacuations. However, note that Travel Insured International only includes this coverage through its highest plan tier.

Travel Insured International provides two single-trip policies and one annual, multi-trip plan for travelers to choose from. We appreciate how the insurer’s multi-trip policies start at a flat rate of $94 for adults and $64 for children for a year’s worth of coverage, which may benefit frequent world travelers who’d like to bring their family along on trips.

Does not base plan costs on your travel destination

Provides optional pet kennel and rental car coverage

Includes political, security and natural disaster evacuation coverage

No pre-existing medical condition coverage waiver

Offers a low travel delay coverage amount compared to other providers

Travel Insured International earned a 4.4 out of 5-star rating from almost 3,500 reviews on Squaremouth .

How Travel Insured International Scored in Our Methodology:

Travel Insured International offers two comprehensive single-trip insurance plans — Worldwide Trip Protector and Worldwide Trip Protector Edge. The provider also offers one annual, multi-trip policy.

Add-on protections offered by Travel Insured International include the following:

  • Travel inconvenience benefits
  • Optional electronic equipment protection
  • Flight AD&D
  • Pet kennel coverage

Based on quotes gathered using several different trip and traveler profiles, the average cost of a policy from Travel Insured International is $199.

Compare The Best Travel Insurance For International Trips

Comparing the costs of coverage offered by different providers can help you find the most affordable option for your travel insurance needs. See the table below for a direct cost comparison between the companies we’ve chosen as our top picks, as well as BBB ratings and notable coverage limits.

“When comparing plans across the same or various insurers, pay close attention to the benefits limits offered and make sure they offer the right amount of coverage you are looking for regarding certain unexpected events. For instance, if you invest $10,000 into a tour package, you may want to consider a trip cancellation limit that meets the value of the non-refundable trip cost.”

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What Is the Best Travel Insurance?

The best travel insurance for you depends on factors such as your destination, travel needs and coverages that you deem most important in a policy. Read on to learn more about our top travel insurance picks for CFAR coverage, cruise protection, senior travelers and more.

Best “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) Travel Insurance

We chose Faye as the best CFAR coverage provider, with Seven Corners and Travelex also making our list of top picks. While all three offer reimbursement of up to 75% of your total trip costs if you need to cancel for virtually any reason, Faye’s add-on only cost us an additional 31% of our premium when we got a quote for a $4,000 weeklong trip to France. Most providers offer this coverage at an extra 50% of your policy cost.

Based on our research, CFAR coverage is a time-sensitive benefit. This means purchasing a travel policy as soon as possible after booking your trip is essential if you want to buy this coverage. If you wait to buy, you risk losing the opportunity.

Best Cruise Insurance

Nationwide, Allianz Global Assistance and AIG Travel Guard topped our list of the best cruise insurance providers. Nationwide offers three plans tailored explicitly to cruisers, with benefits such as shipboard service disruption, prepaid excursion reimbursement and more. Allianz provides free coverage for children under 17, which could benefit families cruising together. AIG Travel Guard also made our list with non-flight AD&D coverage that protects policyholders if they lose their life or a limb on a cruise.

Best Travel Insurance For Seniors

We chose Faye, Travelex and Nationwide as the best senior travel insurance companies. Faye offers seniors primary medical coverage and a pre-existing conditions waiver, while Travelex allows seniors to upgrade to a Travel Select plan with additional medical and evacuation coverage. Nationwide also offers a pre-existing condition waiver for up to 21 days after your initial trip deposit.

If you’re between 60 and 80 years old and are looking for travel coverage, expect to pay more than younger customers. Based on quotes we gathered from dozens of travel insurers, the cost of a policy for senior travelers increases anywhere from 80% to 303% from the price of a policy for a 20-year-old.

Best Travel Medical Insurance

We chose Faye, International Medical Group (IMG) and GeoBlue as our top picks for the best travel medical insurance providers. Faye offers high medical coverage limits coupled with robust trip benefits, while IMG provides a wide variety of medical plans to suit many types of travelers. GeoBlue offers budget-friendly medical-only policies for those looking to forgo trip coverage.

How To Choose the Best Travel Insurance

Knowing what to look for when comparing travel insurance providers can help you pick the best plan for your needs. We encourage you to compare brand pricing and policies between multiple providers to help narrow down your available coverage options.

Asking yourself a few key questions can help further simplify your search for travel insurance. 

  • Is this an important or pricey trip?: The value and price of a trip play a major role in travel insurance pricing. If you’re insuring a higher-value vacation, you may want to look for policies with higher overall coverage limits and travel interruption reimbursements. If you’re taking a budget vacation, you might see more value in an insurer that specializes in low-cost, affordable policies.
  • Where are you going?: It is also good practice to consider a location’s available amenities and your itinerary when shopping for coverage. For example, if you’re traveling to a remote area with a less robust medical system than a city with many options, you could face a higher chance of needing emergency medical evacuation if you end up seriously injured. In this case, we recommend a policy with higher coverage limits on medical evacuation services.
  • How are you getting to your destination?: If you’re taking a cruise, consider getting a quote from a travel insurance provider that offers cruise-specific coverage, such as Nationwide. While most travel insurance providers design policies to cover the basic risks associated with flying — such as lost luggage, missed connections, etc. — it is worth comparing options that include coverage specific to your trip. For example, those traveling for work may prefer Allianz Global for its business-centered plans.
  • Do you have any health concerns?: When planning to travel, consider whether you could need medical services based on your health history and travel itinerary. In addition, companies often include COVID-19 treatment under standard emergency medical coverage, but it is best to read through coverage terms and conditions to confirm. Angela Borden, a product marketing specialist at Seven Corners , says: “Contact your insurance provider to be sure you fully understand the pre-existing conditions coverage for the plan you choose.”
“I recommend that every traveler gets a strong medical evacuation policy. When the worst-case scenario happens, you can get to a hospital of your choice at home. I really push this coverage for folks traveling in Mexico because it’s a short trip to a home hospital.”

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What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

The specifics of what is covered under your travel insurance policy will vary depending on the provider you select. The following are some of the most common types of coverage you are likely to find as you get quotes from the best travel insurance providers.

Is Travel Insurance Required?

In most cases, travel insurance is not required. However, some countries require visitors to have travel insurance due to visa requirements or diplomatic unrest. These countries typically only require proof that your policy covers emergency medical expenses. You can extend your coverage to also protect you against baggage loss, trip delays and cancellations.

Even if your destination does not mandate travel insurance, the U.S. Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens traveling overseas purchase a policy that covers unexpected medical bills while abroad.

Who Needs Travel Insurance?

While most people can benefit from some level of travel insurance coverage, consider a policy if you are planning any of the following:

International trips: Traveling internationally can expose you to unfamiliar healthcare systems, unpredictable events, and potential trip interruptions. Travel insurance offers financial protection for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and unexpected expenses that may arise in foreign destinations.

Regular vacations: If you frequently travel for business or leisure, an annual travel insurance policy can be a cost-effective solution. This policy provides continuous coverage for multiple trips, saving you time purchasing separate policies.

Senior travelers: If you are a senior traveler with Medicare, your health insurance excludes most medical care outside of the country. Travel insurance with medical expenses and evacuation coverage can financially protect you if you need care while away from home.

Adventure sports: Adventure enthusiasts planning to engage in activities like hiking, skiing or scuba diving may find travel insurance with adventure sports coverage beneficial. These policies can cover potential injuries and equipment losses, which you may be more likely to run into due to your itinerary. However, not all standard travel medical insurance covers injuries related to adventure sports.

If you are considering travel insurance, we suggest getting a few sample quotes to compare coverage. Getting a quote is free, takes only a few minutes and can provide more personalized insights into the cost of your upcoming travel plan.that U.S. citizens traveling overseas purchase a policy that covers unexpected medical bills while abroad.

When To Buy Travel Insurance

You can typically purchase a travel insurance policy up until the date of your departure, with some providers offering specialty plans that can cover you after you leave the country. However, there are benefits to buying a travel insurance policy soon after you make your first trip deposit.

You can only purchase certain add-on coverages and riders, such as CFAR coverage and pre-existing condition waivers, within a specific time frame from your first trip payment. For example, many insurers only allow you to qualify for a pre-existing conditions waiver if you purchase your policy two weeks or less from your first trip purchase. If you’re looking for specialty coverage like this, buying your policy as soon as possible is best practice.

“There are benefits to travelers who purchase far in advance of their trip, as they can take advantage of pre-trip benefits like trip cancellation. You never know what kind of unexpected events may arise and derail your trip plans before you even take off. Specific events coverage varies based on the insurance policy booked, but generally trip cancellation can cover events such as natural disasters and severe weather-related events, illness or injury that prevent you from traveling, and unannounced airline strikes.”

When To Skip Travel Insurance

Travel insurance may only be worth it in some scenarios. For instance, if you booked your trip using a credit card that also offers travel insurance protection, you may not need coverage through an additional provider . We encourage you to check the details of your credit card coverage, if applicable, to ensure it aligns with your needs. If so, you can likely skip buying a separate travel insurance policy.

In addition, if you’ve booked your trip with flexible airline tickets or with a hotel that offers a flexible change or cancellation policy, you may not need a travel insurance policy. Also, travelers booking excursions or activities with refundable policies will likely not benefit from a travel insurance plan. 

Finally, note that if you’re a U.S. citizen traveling within the country and have insurance through a domestic provider, you likely will need travel insurance with medical coverage. However, your coverage may not extend abroad, notably if you have a government-issued plan. But if you have private insurance that covers emergency medical expenses abroad, you may not need to purchase a travel insurance plan.

Generally, we encourage you to consider your trip, the overall cost and the flexibility surrounding your reservations when deciding whether or not to skip purchasing a travel insurance policy.

“You don’t need to insure trip expenses if they’re already covered by someone else or if you are comfortable losing the money you paid for your trip if you must cancel or interrupt it.”

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How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

In our comprehensive review of the travel insurance market, our team found the average cost of travel insurance was about 3% to 5% of a trip’s total value. Based on the quotes our team gathered from multiple providers, the average cost across eight different traveler profiles came out to $206, with the average traveler paying between $95 and $316 for most trips.

To further understand the average travel insurance cost in relation to total trip value, we gathered multiple quotes from various providers for a 30-year-old traveler taking a week-long trip to France. See the table below for the average travel insurance cost based on the total cost of trips ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.

Remember that your travel insurance costs will vary based on various factors. We encourage you to get a quote from at least three travel insurance providers before purchasing coverage to ensure you get the best price for your coverage needs.

The following chart outlines the average insurance cost for our top 10 companies from least to most expensive:

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How We Found Our Cost Data

We calculated the average cost of travel insurance by gathering quotes from two dozen travel insurers using several unique trips and sample traveler profiles. This helped us to gain an understanding of costs for different people and scenarios. Weeklong trip details and sample profiles include:

After using each profile to gather quotes for different plans, we calculated the average cost of each provider and the individual policies offered. Note that your plan of choice may cost you more or less than our averages depending on factors unique to your travel needs. The best way to know how much a travel insurance policy will cost is to request quotes from multiple providers for your trip.

What Impacts the Cost of Trip Insurance?

Several factors can determine how much your travel insurance will cost, including age, total trip cost, plan type, add-ons, number of travelers, destination, company and trip length.

A graphic displaying the factors that affect travel insurance costs are age, destination, policy type, number of travelers, trip cost, trip length and add-ons.

Where To Buy Travel Insurance: Best Travel Insurance Comparison Sites

Most travel insurers make buying a policy directly from their website simple, with many catering to a seamless online purchasing experience. For example, Faye lets you quickly buy a policy by answering a few simple questions about your trip and adjusting your coverage limit — checking out with a tailor-made plan in just a few minutes. You can also purchase a plan from aggregate sites that allow you to compare coverage from multiple providers simultaneously.

Travel insurance comparison sites are like a marketplace for travel insurance. You can compare multiple plans from competing providers all at once, making it easy for you to see the difference between coverage, cost, plan details and more. If you’d like to compare policies in this way, we recommend checking out travelinsurance.com and squaremouth.com .

TravelInsurance.com

Travelinsurance.com provides access to 14 travel insurance providers, allowing you to compare and contrast well-known brands such as Trawick International , World Nomads , Travelex, Generali Global Assistance and more. The aggregate site also promises to remove policies if its ratings drop below 4 out of 5 stars.

  • Compare companies at once : No limit, but can only see five at a time
  • Customer reviews : Over 100,000 5-star reviews
  • Filter options : Price, insurance provider, customer ratings, number of reviews and more

Squaremouth

Squaremouth offers policies from 32 different travel insurance companies, including Tin Leg , GeoBlue , Berkshire Hathaway and more. The aggregator ensures that if you need to file a travel insurance claim, any provider you’ve purchased a plan from through Squaremouth will handle it fairly.

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  • Compare companies at once : No limit, but only can see five at a time
  • Customer reviews : Over 150,000+ customer reviews
  • Filter options : Emergency medical coverage, trip interruption, cruise, Schengen visa and more

Travel Trends for 2024

As the world continues to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospitality industry is slowly seeing a return to pre-pandemic levels. According to research from the U.S. Travel Association , domestic leisure travel is expected to fully return to pre-pandemic levels throughout 2024. Some of the factors contributing to travelers’ return to airports across the globe include:

  • Easing international visa and travel restrictions
  • Vaccine distribution and effectiveness
  • Increased demand for travel following COVID-19 lockdowns

As the demand for travel increases, so has the sale of travel insurance. The travel insurance market size is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5% between 2022 and 2028 . Highly publicized stories of flight delays and cancellations occurring across the country are also contributing to public demand for travel insurance.

Top Purchased Travel Insurance Plans in 2024 So Far

We gathered data from travelinsurance.com from March 2024 to August 2024 to discover what plans were the most popular with travelers.  

Top Travel Destinations of 2024

To learn more about the top travel destinations of 2024 and the average price travelers paid for coverage, our team conducted a Pollfish survey in February 2024 consisting of 1,000 U.S.-based respondents.

Of those respondents, 46% said the last time they purchased travel insurance was for a domestic trip within the U.S. The remainder of our survey participants purchased a travel policy for an international vacation, with the following countries ranking among the most popular destinations:

Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

While travel insurance is not required to enter countries in most parts of the world, it can be worth the cost to purchase some level of coverage. In our review, we found the average cost of travel insurance is less than 7% of what you can expect to pay for your vacation — but may provide hundreds of thousands of dollars in reimbursements if you experience an unexpected cancellation or delay. The medical expense coverage included with travel insurance is also an invaluable protection, as many health insurance policies exclude care provided outside of the U.S.

“Like any insurance policy, it’s a lost cost until you really need it. Travel insurance offers narrow or broad range coverages that can really help when things don’t go as planned. From Medical Evacuations to trip cancellation, it’s worth investing in a policy.”

Survey Majority Say Travel Insurance Is Worth It

Over half of our survey respondents paid between $50 to $200 for their most recent travel insurance policy, with $200 to $300 being the second most commonly selected price range. In addition, 40% of respondents said they purchased travel insurance mainly to protect the cost of their trip. Trip cancellation coverage and medical were the next most popular reasons for buying a policy.

If you plan to travel in 2024, our team recommends purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Over 60% of survey participants agree with our sentiments, endorsing a policy that includes coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, baggage and more.

Ask The Experts

“It’s essential the plans are well-defined including specific activities and regions a traveler will visit. For instance, a vacation spent relaxing at a nearby resort requires different insurance coverage compared to a trip involving various activities across multiple countries. Insurance premiums are inherently linked to the level of risk involved, so it’s wise for budget travelers to tailor their insurance based on their detailed travel plans. Moreover, the inherent risks of the destination must be considered. Higher-risk areas naturally have a greater likelihood of issues arising, and appropriate insurance should be in place to manage these risks. When assessing the risk factors of a destination, it’s crucial to go beyond common knowledge and actively seek out information to accurately gauge the safety level of the destination.”

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“It’s important to understand what is not covered by a travel insurance policy. Most policies will not cover man-made disasters if your trip is canceled or interrupted. Other exclusions may include acts of war, participating in dangerous activities such as extreme sports, self-harm and foreseeable events. Read the policy carefully. One alternative to standard travel insurance is cancel-for-any-reason coverage.  However, the cancellation typically must occur within a preset number of days before the trip is to begin and is more expensive.”

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Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Insurance

Does travel insurance get more expensive closer to the trip.

Unlike most other types of insurance, you won’t be penalized for buying your travel insurance closer to the dates you might use it. However, many travel insurance companies require that you purchase coverage within a limited time after booking your trip. Luckily, travel insurance prices do not increase as you get closer to your departure date. That being said, some options (like CFAR coverage) may only be available for a limited time before you travel.

When does travel insurance expire?

Your travel insurance policy will expire on the date you indicate when you purchase the plan. For most travelers, this will be the final day of your vacation. Frequent travelers might also have the option to buy annual travel insurance that protects them for a year.

What does international travel insurance cover?

International travel insurance provides you with a reimbursement for nonrefundable travel expenses if you’re forced to cancel your trip or leave your destination early. In addition, it may reimburse you for travel expenses like airfare and hotel costs if you cannot claim a refund from your vendors directly.

Does insurance still cover trips if you cancel right before your departure date?

That depends. Most travel insurance companies require canceling anywhere from 24 hours to a week or more before departure in order to be eligible for reimbursement.

Travel insurance premiums often increase as your departure date approaches, since the likelihood of last-minute interruptions or cancellations increases closer to your flight. It’s generally advisable to purchase travel insurance in advance to get access to the most favorable rates.

What is the most common type of travel insurance?

The most common type of travel insurance is trip cancellation and interruption coverage, which reimburses you if you’re forced to cancel your trip or go home early. These coverages are included on almost every travel insurance policy, except medical-only plans.

Methodology: Our System for Rating Travel Insurance Companies

Our team created a scoring system to assess travel insurance providers based on cost, coverage, quality and service. We also collect sample quotes from each company, both over the phone and on the internet, to simulate an authentic customer experience. 

Here are the factors we take into consideration when reviewing providers, which we use as a scoring basis to then determine a five-star rating:

  • 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 taking a $1,800 trip to Greece.
  • A 51-year-old taking a $2,000 trip to Spain.
  • A 23-year-old taking a $4,000 trip to Europe (Italy, Spain, Ireland and Greece).
  • Coverage Details (15%) : We review the baseline coverage each company offers in its cheapest comprehensive plan. A provider with robust travel protection earns full points, including coverage for baggage delay and loss, COVID-19, emergency evacuation and medical expenses, trip delays and cancellations, and more. Companies also receive points for featuring various add-ons such as accidental death and dismemberment, extreme sports, valuable items and more.
  • Claim Eligibility and Time Constraints (12%) : Travel insurance providers enforce time constraints that outline when you can file a claim after a covered event. We give companies more points in this category for having shorter time limits for baggage and weather delays. 
  • Cancellation and Interruption Coverage (12%) : Our team reads through each company’s coverage details and assigns points based on the coverage amount assigned to trip cancellations and interruptions. To earn full points in this category, a company must offer 100% or more coverage.
  • Customer Service and Reviews (12%) : 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 and third-party financial strength and customer experience ratings, specifically from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  • Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) Coverage (10%) : Companies earn points in this category for offering CFAR coverage, which allows you to cancel a trip for reasons outside your policy. In addition to offering coverage, companies received higher scores for meeting or exceeding the standard offering of 75% reimbursement. 
  • Delay Coverage Amount (10%) : We also consider what a company offers for travel delays and baggage delays or loss, all of which can upend a trip. A company can earn 10% total between its travel and baggage delay coverage amounts.
  • Credit Rating (5%) : Since credit ratings can help customers assess a company’s ability to meet financial obligations, our team considers AM Best ratings when scoring providers.
  • Coverage Extras (4%) : In addition to standard coverage, we also research how many add-ons a company offers, which can help customers customize their plan. Companies can earn full points in this category for offering eight common travel insurance add-ons.

For more information about how we rate and review providers, read our full travel insurance methodology.

AM Best Disclaimer

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If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides. com .

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Perm Krai Capital of Culture

  • Support of regional and other partners
  • Working groups
  • Policy papers
  • Newsletters
  • Main themes
  • Social and cultural integration
  • Citizenship and civil society
  • Historical heritage
  • Music and cinema

Youth policy

  • External Cooperation
  • Testimonials

Project initators: 

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“ Cultural Planning will help to ensure the Perm region will remain distinctive and unique” , Mr. Protasevich said. “It will mean planning ways to support and preserve our heritage, developing appealing opportunities for artists and musicians regardless of age, and generating education and employment. It will mean building a creative community with a buzz.”

“Some of the identified objectives of “Perm krai international:young journalists@school” project include facilitating greater communication and cooperation among young community and official organizations in Perm krai”, said the Vice-Minister of Perm krai.

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“Perm Krai International: young journalistes@school”

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

The international children festival of theatre arts “Long Break”

What is the international child festival of theatre arts “Long Break”? It is a real holiday for young spectators and their parents. The international child festival of theatre arts “Long Break” will be hold from the 30th of April to the 5th of May. It will be in Perm and Lysva. It will be hold under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture, Youth Politics and Mass Communications of Perm Krai. The program of the festival is prepared by Russian and foreign experts of child theatre. There are the most interesting for children events of the world arts. The “Long Break” familiarizes children with actual artists. It is the platform where people communicate with people using the language of modern arts which is understandable for a new generation.

The festival “The White Nights in Perm”

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  • The participants of the festival of land art “Ural Myths” will create art objects using natural materials. The objects will have the same mythological idea.
  • During the festival of bears “MedveDay” the masters Teddy-makers will tell gripping stories about a symbol of the city. They will organize some exhibitions of teddy bears and they will give master classes.

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  • The exhibition “Mammoth’s track” will gather mammoths from different corners of Russia on Perm’s territory. There will be even a famous mammoth Dima.
  • And at last the international festival of street arts «Open sky» will represent the various program: carnival processions, a 5-day master class «Mask Art», street shows and performances, performances of Russian and foreign street theatres.

The IX International festival “Heavenly Fair of Ural”

From the 26th to the 3rd of July the IX International festival “Heavenly Fair of Ural” takes place in Kungur. There will be a fight for the I Privolzhski Federal Disctrict Cup for aerostatics and the VII Perm Krai Open Cup for aerostatics.This year Kungur won’t hold rating competitions which results are taking into general account of the pilots. They counted on creating entertainment activities “Air battles over Kungur”. There will be the representatives of sub-units of ultralight aviation, detachment of parachute troops and water means. All the battles will take place straight over the city. And natives will take part in the festival too.According to initial data 15 aeronauts and about 50 ultralight aviation pilots expressed willingness to take part at the festival. And a dirigible pilot confirmed his participation.Ultralight aviation pilots will take part in the “Air games” within the festival. As last year a campsite of ultralight aviation will base in an area near a village Milniki.

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    Project initators: Alexandre Protasevich is a Minister for Culture and Youth of Perm krai with 20 years institutional experience at all levels within the cultural project management. He works at the Ministry of Culture since 2008 and has worked in cultural field in the public sector for 15 years in Russia. Mr Protasevich is now…

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