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COVID-19 Travel Insurance Guide and FAQs

Last updated October 19, 2023

Our plans provide coverage if you, a family member, or a traveling companion become ill with COVID-19 and plan requirements are met.  See Coverages

Travel Updates: Our plans provide coverage if you, a family member, or a traveling companion become ill with COVID-19 and plan requirements are met.  See Coverages

Generali Global Assistance continues to closely monitor COVID-19 and its potential impact on our travelers. This page is intended to help you better understand how the  Standard , Preferred and Premium  plans available on this website can help you with issues related to COVID-19.

Jump straight to:

• COVID-19 Guide  - Follow our step-by-step guide to learn how to buy travel insurance that includes coverage for COVID-19 sickness, what to do if COVID-19 impacts your trip and you need to cancel, and also what to do if you get sick during your trip and need medical assistance or are required to isolate.
• Frequently Asked Questions  - Get answers to common questions travelers have about COVID-19 and travel insurance coverage.
• Countries that require travel insurance to visit
• Qualified Home Test Kits  - See requirements for at-home COVID-19 testing in order to file a travel insurance claim and common testing kits that qualify. 
• Get a quote and compare travel protection plans

Frequently Asked Questions About COVID-19 and Travel Insurance

If you have questions that aren't addressed below, check for an answer at our Main FAQ page .

Buying a Plan

If you, a family member or a traveling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19 before or during your trip, and meet the requirements for coverage due to sickness , you can be covered for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Travel Delay, Medical & Dental, and Emergency Assistance & Transportation, in addition to our 24/7 Emergency Assistance services. You can also be covered for additional lodging expenses and extension of your travel insurance plan if you are required to isolate at your destination and your return is delayed.

See our COVID-19 Travel Insurance Guide for more details

For your safety and the safety of others, travelers who believe they may have contracted the virus should call our 24/7 Emergency Assistance team who will coordinate local treatment on your behalf.

Read Plan Documents for coverage details.

Yes. If you received a voucher or credit from a travel company based on previous payment for a booking that is being transferred to a new trip, the new trip can be covered by one of our travel protection plans.

What's Covered

If you, a family member or a traveling companion are diagnosed with COVID-19 before or during your trip, and meet the requirements for coverage due to sickness , you can be covered for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Travel Delay, Medical & Dental, and Emergency Assistance & Transportation, in addition to our 24-Hour Emergency Assistance services. You can also be covered for additional lodging expenses and extension of your travel insurance plan if you are required to isolate at your destination and your return is delayed.

Please read your Plan Documents for coverage details.

If you are planning to travel to an affected area, your travel protection plan can help if you get sick during your trip and need to seek treatment or medical evacuation. In addition, our plans include access to worldwide Emergency Assistance services, which are available 24/7 should you need help while traveling. Emergency Assistance and Transportation, Medical and Dental, Trip Interruption and Travel Delay coverages can also help if you get sick on your trip.

You can be reimbursed for unused, non-refundable, pre-paid trip costs if you need to cancel your trip for one of 20 covered reasons. Generali Global Assistance plans do not offer coverage if you cancel your trip due to fear of traveling due to Coronavirus, unless you added Trip Cancellation for Any Reason coverage to your plan. In that case, you could be reimbursed a specified percentage of the penalty amount for your trip, if you meet certain requirements.

In response to COVID-19 many cruise lines, airlines, and other travel suppliers are canceling service and refunding trips or waiving change fees. To ensure you are aware of all your travel change options, we encourage you to check with your airline or travel supplier before filing a travel insurance claim. See our list of the most commonly used suppliers with links to their COVID-19 policies.

Yes. If you purchased Trip Cancellation for Any Reason coverage it is your choice whether to travel or cancel your trip according to the terms of the plan . The naming of COVID-19 as a pandemic does not affect your coverage.

Please note that a “shelter in place” order is not considered a mandatory “quarantine” and is not a covered event under our plans.

If you are diagnosed with Coronavirus or another sickness and are quarantined, you can be covered. Learn more.

If you are quarantined, but not sick, coverage depends on when you bought your plan and when the loss occurred. Coverage is unavailable if the insurance plan was purchased on or after January 29, 2020. For plans that exclude pandemics, coverage is unavailable for losses that occurred on or after March 11, 2020, the date COVID-19 was formally declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.

We will accept a positive test result from a testing facility or a positive test result from an at-home test that meets certain requirements . You do not need to have COVID-19 symptoms to qualify for coverage.

In order to qualify for coverage due to sickness, including COVID-19:

You, a Traveling Companion or your Service Animal get Sick after you purchase your plan, must seek the in person treatment of a Physician and can’t travel according to a physician. Or a non-traveling Family Member is hospitalized after you purchase your plan and you are unable to make the trip.

Important Note: Your or your traveling companion’s sickness must first occur after you purchase your plan in order to have coverage. Pre-existing medical conditions are generally excluded from coverage. However, coverage is available with the Premium plan if you purchased your plan prior to or within 24 hours of making Final Payment for your trip, provided other requirements are also met. Review Plan Documents for full details.

Also see: Do I have to have symptoms and see a doctor to qualify for COVID-19 sickness coverage?

Testing and Vaccination

Our plans include “new vaccination requirements” as a covered reason for trip cancellation. If your destination country announces and publishes a new vaccination requirement after you buy travel insurance, and you are medically unable to receive the vaccination, you can be reimbursed for your insured trip cost. This applies when vaccination is a requirement to enter the country, but not in the case of new quarantine rules for unvaccinated travelers.

If you are diagnosed with COVID-19 or another sickness, you can be covered for certain additional unexpected expenses on your trip, such as lodging.

To qualify for COVID-19 sickness coverage, your at-home test must meet certain requirements:

• You must take your test while your Trip Cancellation coverage is in effect. Trip Cancellation coverage goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. the day after you purchase your plan.
• The test must be a viral test and have Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). You can view a list of approved nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) and a list of approved antigen tests .
• The testing must include a telehealth video call during which someone authorized by the manufacturer supervises the testing procedure in real time.
• The telehealth provider must issue a report confirming the patient’s identity, the name of the laboratory or healthcare entity, the type of test and the specimen collection date.

See what tests qualify

It depends. If your Coronavirus test comes up positive and you are diagnosed before your trip, you can be covered for Trip Cancellation.

On the other hand, if you cancel your trip because you simply don’t want to go through the testing required, our plans will not cover you unless you purchased Cancel for Any Reason add-on coverage and meet the CFAR requirements .

No. If you do not get tested or do not receive the results in time, our plans do not provide coverage for those situations.

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The 5 Best COVID-19 Travel Insurance Options

Travelex Insurance Services »

Allianz Travel Insurance »

World Nomads Travel Insurance »

Generali Global Assistance »

IMG Travel Insurance »

Why Trust Us

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

Table of Contents

• Travelex Insurance Services
• Allianz Travel Insurance
• World Nomads Travel Insurance

Even though COVID-19 is no longer considered a global emergency, concerns around illness-related costs remain for many travelers. If you're looking for travel insurance that covers COVID – as well as other potential disruptions like flight delays and lost luggage – these are your best options.

• Travelex Insurance Services: Best Optional Coverage Add-ons
• Allianz Travel Insurance: Best for Multitrip and Annual Plans
• World Nomads Travel Insurance: Best for Active Travelers
• Generali Global Assistance: Best for Comprehensive Travel Insurance
• IMG Travel Insurance: Best for Travel Medical Insurance

Plans include coverage for COVID-19

Optional CFAR coverage is available with Travel Select plan

Some coverages require an upgrade, including rental car collision, accidental death and dismemberment, and more

Not all add-ons are available with every plan

SEE FULL REVIEW »

Allianz offers some travel insurance plans that come with an epidemic coverage endorsement

Single-trip, multitrip and annual plans available

COVID-19 benefits don't apply to every plan

Low coverage limits with some plans (e.g., only $10,000 in emergency medical coverage with OneTrip Basic plan)

24-hour travel assistance services included

More than 200 sports and activities covered in every plan

Low trip cancellation benefits ($2,500 maximum) with Standard plan

No CFAR option is offered

Free 10-day trial period

Some coverage limits may be insufficient

Rental car damage coverage only included in top-tier Premium plan

Offers travel medical insurance, international travel health insurance and general travel insurance plans

Some plans include robust coverage for testing and quarantine due to COVID-19

Not all plans from IMG offer coverage for COVID-19

Cancel for any reason coverage not available with every plan

Frequently Asked Questions

When comparing COVID-19 travel insurance options, you'll want to make sure you fully understand the coverages included in each plan. For example, you should know the policy inclusions and limits for COVID-related claims, including coverage for testing, treatments, trip cancellation or COVID-related interruptions that can occur. Meanwhile, you should understand how your coverage will work if you contract some other illness while away from home.

Also ensure your travel insurance coverage will kick in for other mishaps that occur, and that limits are sufficient for your needs. If you're planning a trip to a remote area in a country like Costa Rica or Peru , you'll want to have emergency evacuation and transportation coverage with generous limits that can pay for emergency transportation to a hospital if you need treatment.

You can also invest in a travel insurance policy that offers cancel for any reason coverage. This type of travel insurance plan lets you cancel and get a percentage of your prepaid travel expenses back for any reason, even if you just decide you're better off staying home.

It depends on your private health insurance provider and/or travel insurance policy. As of May 11, 2023, private health insurers are no longer required to cover the cost of COVID-19 testing. Out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 test kits at local drugstores and on Amazon are relatively affordable, however.

As you search for plans that will provide sufficient coverage for your next trip, you'll find travel insurance that covers COVID-19 quarantine both inside and outside the United States. However, you'll typically need to have your condition certified by a physician in order for this coverage to apply. Also make sure your travel insurance plan includes coverage for travel claims related to COVID-19 in the first place.

Many travel insurance plans do cover trip cancellation as a result of COVID-19, although the terms vary widely. You typically need to be certified by a physician in order to prove your condition. Disinclination to travel because of COVID-19 – such as fear of exposure to illness – will generally not be covered. This means you will actually have to test positive for coronavirus for benefits to apply; simply not wanting to travel is not a sufficient reason to make a claim.

If you want more flexibility in your COVID-19 travel insurance, ensuring you have a cancel for any reason policy may be your best bet, but be sure to check with your chosen travel insurance provider to assess your options.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is an award-winning writer who has been covering travel insurance and travel for more than a decade. She has researched the best travel insurance options for her own trips to more than 50 countries around the world and has experience navigating the claims and reimbursement process. Over the years, Johnson has successfully filed several travel insurance claims for trip delays and trip cancellations. Johnson also works alongside her travel agent partner, Greg, who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states.

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How do you choose travel insurance that covers COVID-19?

Oct 26, 2021 • 5 min read

COVID-19 has made it more important to check the health coverage on your travel insurance © Maskot/Getty Images

After 18 months of pandemic-related travel restrictions, you may be itching to act on your pent-up wanderlust⁠⁠—but the situation and the rules are still continuously evolving. So before you go anywhere, it’s best to have a travel insurance plan that protects the investment you’ve made in a long-awaited trip.

A robust travel insurance plan will reimburse pre-paid trip costs and non-refundable deposits if you have to cancel or interrupt your trip, encounter trip delays, experience baggage loss or require medical expense and medical evacuation. Your policy will also reimburse “covered reasons” in your plan, such as death, illness or injury, serious family emergencies, unplanned jury duty, military deployment, acts of terrorism, or your travel supplier going out of business.

But COVID-19 has added an additional checklist to your usual insurance needs⁠—it’s now important to check to ensure your travel insurance plan includes coverage for COVID-19 medical expenses, and losses related to illness. Your policy should also cover quarantine costs if you need to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus.

What do I look for in COVID-19 insurance coverage?

When you’re shopping for a travel insurance plan that covers COVID-19, you need to do your research and read the fine print of your plan. 

Look for a travel insurance product that will protect your non-refundable, prepaid expenses if you have to cancel your trip due to illness caused by COVID-19. Your policy should also cover emergency medical treatment and emergency medical transportation. With regard to COVID-19 coverage, be sure your policy covers medical care, medicine, hospitalization and quarantine expenses.

“The type of coverage you should look for depends on you, your needs, travel dates, and the type of trip you’re taking,” says Sasha Gainullin, CEO of battleface , a travel insurance carrier. He says some travel insurance companies have now excluded COVID-19 coverage because it has been labeled a “known/foreseeable event”, while others may exclude pandemics altogether.

“It’s important to search for plans that include medical and quarantine expenses as well⁠—this will be critical in the event you become ill and need to receive treatment while traveling,” continues Gainullin. 

One additional tip is to confirm there are no exclusions based on the destinations you’re traveling to⁠—this can happen with countries under government-issued travel warnings, Gainullin says.

“If a traveler feels uncertain, I recommend speaking with the travel insurance company directly. They can review the policy details with you, answer all of your questions, and confirm all of your required coverage options are included,” he adds.

Is getting coverage dependent on vaccination?

While it’s a good idea to be fully vaccinated before traveling, vaccination is not required to purchase a travel insurance policy, says Daniel Durazo, spokesperson with Allianz Partners USA.

What are the medical costs that are covered by travel insurance?

Travel insurance can cover the cost of both medical treatment and emergency medical transportation. A US health insurance plan, as well as Medicare, generally will not cover overseas medical expenses, so it’s best to check with your personal health insurance provider if any global coverage is available. 

“While losing the cost of a trip due to an unexpected cancellation would be painful, paying for expensive emergency medical treatment or emergency medical transportation can be financially devastating,” Durazo says.  

Under a travel insurance plan, medical costs could range doctor visits, pharmacy expenses, imaging costs and covering a hospital stay if required. Other expenses that can be covered are transportation to medical care and medicine.

Read more:  Will my health insurance cover getting COVID-19 while traveling in the US⁠⁠—or abroad?

What about covering an unexpected quarantine due to COVID-19?

Many international destinations are now requiring that visitors purchase travel insurance coverage for an unexpected quarantine. Allianz Travel Insurance has added coverage to many of its products that includes reimbursement for quarantine-related accommodations if you or a traveling companion is individually-ordered to quarantine while on their trip, says Durazo. 

This coverage typically covers the cost of additional food, lodging and transportation while quarantined. In addition, trip interruption and travel delay benefits on certain Allianz plans also provide coverage if you or your travel companion is denied boarding by your travel carrier due to suspicion of illness.

The benefits for quarantine coverage vary from carrier to carrier. For example, on select Trawick International plans, they offer $2,000 in quarantine benefits and for an additional charge, and you can increase it up to $7,000. 

What about pre-flight COVID-19 testing?

Your plan may provide coverage for flights if you are turned away at a border for not passing a health inspection. Foster says Trawick’s travel insurance plans that cover COVID-19 would cover the expenses if you could not pass your pre-health inspection.  Also, the plan would cover the costs of the failure of your PCR test to return to the United States, such as having to quarantine abroad. 

It’s important to note that the actual cost of the PCR test is not covered by your policy, just the loss associated with the negative test.

Read more:  PCR tests for travel: everything you need to know

Some destinations require COVID-specific insurance coverage⁠—how do I comply with those restrictions? 

Before any international travel, you should check the country where you are headed to make sure you comply with insurance coverage requirements. Countries like Spain, Turks and Caicos and Thailand are among the nations that mandate COVID-19 insurance coverage.

“You first must check the countries’ specific COVID regulations for entry into the country. Some countries require travelers to provide proof of travel insurance that covers COVID-19 related expenses purchased from a third party,” explains Foster. Providing proof coverage is key; so travelers need to ensure they receive documentation from their insurance provider that their policy covers COVID-19 related expenses to show customs officials, she says.

Should you arrive in a country that requires proof of insurance to cover COVID-19 medical expenses and quarantine costs, and you don’t hold a policy, you will not be granted entry.

For more information on COVID-19 and travel, check out Lonely Planet's Health Hub .

You may also like:  What happens if I'm denied entry to a country on arrival? What is a vaccine passport and do I need one to travel? What is the IATA Travel Pass and do I need it to travel?

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Travel insurance with Covid cancellation cover: the right policies

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Purchasing travel insurance during the time of Covid can be overwhelming – will you be covered in case of cancellation, or do policies that offer medical assistance for Covid exist? Here, we break down the policies that offer Covid cover, plus what to look for in a travel insurance policy and whether your insurance is invalidated if the government advises not to travel. 

What is the best travel insurance with Covid cancellation cover?

Yes, here goes... Note though, all policies currently have restrictions on claims relating to Covid-19 and be aware that the situation is changing fast, so double-check the latest cover before you buy.

All Clear Travel Insurance ( allcleartravel.co.uk ): cover is available to people of all ages but particularly suitable for travellers with pre-existing medical conditions that other insurers are reluctant to cover.

Axa ( axa.co.uk ): this long-established, French-owned company is one of the largest insurers, providing a wide range of different policies geared to a variety of travel types.

Battleface ( battleface.com ): geared to individuals and groups with an emphasis on adventurous activities abroad and travel to remote destinations.

Campbell Irvine Direct ( campbellirvinedirect.com ): this insurer was established more than 45 years ago, and policies offer cover for travel to challenging and adventurous locations, including conservation and volunteer projects.

CoverForYou ( coverforyou.com ): competitively priced policies include winter sports and backpacker cover with enhanced silver, gold and platinum options.

Holidaysafe ( holidaysafe.co.uk ): catch-all travel specialist with a portfolio of ‘niche’ policies covering specific sporting activities including triathlon, sailing and cycling .

LV Travel Insurance ( lv.com ): one of the UK’s largest and longest-standing insurers, founded in 1843, offering single and multi-trip cover.

PJ Hayman ( pjhayman.com ): strong on customer care, with cover for medical conditions and hazardous activities plus round-the-world and gap-year travel.

Puffin Insurance ( puffininsurance.com ): annual or single-trip policies for customers aged 18-74, covering more than 75 different activities with numerous optional add-ons.

Trailfinders ( trailfinders.com ): policy automatically includes children up to 21 years, free of charge (note those aged 19-21 must be in full-time education).

Can I get travel insurance during Covid?

In a word, yes. Some companies (see list above) say they will still sell you insurance – including the crucial medical-expenses cover – provided the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) doesn’t advise against all or all but essential travel. Check the current FCDO list for the latest advice. Some insurers will also offer cover for destinations on the red list , but in the current climate of uncertainty, rules governing travel to individual countries can change fast. Travel-insurance specialist Battleface has a useful country travel restrictions tool on its website to help people check the latest developments based on a variety of factors including destination and departure dates.

Why is travel insurance important?

If you have a trip booked and don’t yet have insurance, it’s important to buy a policy as soon as possible. That way, if anything changes – FCDO advice for example – you will already have cover in place. The problem with choosing the best policy is that everyone has different requirements – it may depend on your destination, the type of trip (are you doing lots of adventurous activities , for example?) and quite detailed, nerdy stuff such as ‘travel disruption cover’, which is particularly useful at the moment if you are travelling independently. There is no shortcut to checking through the key provisions of any insurance you are considering.

What should I look for in a travel insurance policy during the pandemic?

This is the key problem. Insurers are obviously jumpy about how exposed they are to claims both for cancellations because of Covid-19 and for medical treatment as a result of catching it while you are abroad. So all have added restrictions and exclusions into their policies. You need to check exactly what those are and make sure you understand the limitations of the cover.

Does travel insurance cover Covid cancellations?

If you already have travel insurance it will normally cover your cancellation costs if you, or one of your travelling companions, falls ill before departure and can’t travel – though you will need a medical report from your doctor to confirm this. Some policies – though not many – cover losses incurred if you have booked independently and have to cancel because of FCDO advice. Look for ‘travel disruption cover’ or ‘journey disruption cover’ in the policy details, which may or may not include disruption due to epidemics (see below for more information). If you are forced to quarantine in a hotel after visiting a red list country, this is unlikely to be covered by any insurance companies. If you are simply nervous of travelling and want to cancel – which is known as ‘disinclination to travel’ in the insurance industry – no policy will cover you.

So what use is travel insurance during the Covid pandemic?

The key value of travel insurance is the medical cover it offers while you are travelling. This will underwrite the cost of treatment and if necessary a hospital stay if you fall ill on holiday. But whether or not you are covered for accommodation costs if you are diagnosed with Covid-19 and have to enter self-isolation or quarantine while you are abroad varies by policy. Some insurers, however, will pay up if you need a new flight home in these circumstances. In short – it varies, so be sure to read the small print.

Is my travel insurance invalidated if the FCDO advises not to travel?

In normal times, travel insurers won’t provide cover to countries or regions where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel. Traditionally, these areas might include destinations such as Afghanistan, Iraq or Yemen, but in recent times it has included much of Europe too, with countries being regularly added to and taken off the UK's quarantine list. However, some insurers now offer affordable policies that are designed for travellers heading to these European destinations, which may be of use once the lockdowns start to ease. As ever, it’s important to read the small print. For example, policies are invalidated during a government-imposed regional or national lockdown in the UK.

Can I get insurance cover if I catch Covid abroad?

Some insurers will cover against coronavirus if the FCDO has listed your destination as safe to visit before you head off. Some offer cancellation cover if you’re diagnosed with Covid-19 within a fortnight of departure, including emergency Covid-related medical expenses while abroad and repatriation, as well as cover in the event of a travelling companion contracting the disease. And you can find insurers that offer cover for medical expenses resulting from Covid-19 for all destinations including countries under FCDO and government essential and non-essential travel advisories.

So what happens if my holiday is cancelled?

If you have booked a package with a tour operator and the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to your destination, your tour operator is obliged to cancel the holiday and offer you a full refund. They might also offer you an alternative holiday, or suggest you postpone travelling dates, but you are entitled to get your cash back. If you can afford to, consider postponing your trip rather than cancelling it completely, should your health or updated government advice mean that you can’t go away as planned. There are a lot of people out there relying on us to keep spending on travel, with around 10 per cent of the world's population earning an income that is linked to tourism. To learn more about how important this is, see our guide to why you shouldn't cancel your holiday .

What if I booked my trip independently?

Travellers who have booked, say, a flight and accommodation separately, normally have no right to a refund if they cancel unilaterally, even if the FCDO has since advised against travel. In practice, however, most airlines are cancelling flights and refunding passengers in this situation. A hotel or villa company doesn’t have to give you your money back – though it is obviously worth talking to them; they may allow you to postpone your stay.

Will my insurance cover me if my airline collapses?

It’s vital to make sure you pay for flights with a credit card (if you are booking a flight directly with the airline and it costs more than £100 you can claim your money back from the credit card company), and check that any tour operator you book with has up-to-date Atol protection – or can show that it has an alternative bonding arrangement in place.

Which websites should I check for the best travel insurance information and advice?

A good website that gives the latest figures for every country reporting cases of Covid-19 is worldometers.info . For the latest formal FCDO advice on every country in the world see gov.uk and search for travel advice. The best health advice is at nhs.uk .

Am I still covered by the EHIC scheme in Europe?

Yes and no. As of Thursday 31 December 2020, Britain left the EU, but anyone holding a valid EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) will be covered for state-supplied medical care while holidaying in Europe until it runs out. And while the EHIC card has been scrapped for anyone who doesn't currently hold one, it has been replaced by the very similar GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card).

Anything else I need to worry about?

Insurers have become very jumpy about pre-existing medical conditions in recent years because they add to the risk of expensive medical claims and cancellations. It is absolutely critical that you declare any conditions you may have when you buy a policy, otherwise – if you do need treatment while you are travelling – you may find your claim is refused.

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Travel and Coronavirus Testing: Your Questions Answered

Taking a test is the best way to assure yourself and others that you aren’t spreading the virus. Here’s what you need to know.

• Share full article

By Tariro Mzezewa

As the United States endures an alarming surge in coronavirus cases across the country, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to warn people to postpone travel and stay at home to be safe.

But whether for the December holidays or otherwise, many Americans expect to continue with their travel plans, either out of necessity or desire, and many plan to tap new ways increasingly offered by airlines and airports to get coronavirus tests before their trips.

Some destinations, like Hawaii , Washington, D.C., and some Caribbean countries have begun allowing people who have tested negative for the virus and can show test results to skip mandatory 14-day quarantines, a process that some view as risky because it is possible that people can take a test, receive a negative result and then contract the virus later.

Are all coronavirus tests the same?

No. There are two categories of coronavirus tests : virus tests, which help determine if you have the coronavirus, and antibody tests, which detect if you have an immune response because of past exposure to the virus.

[Read our 2021 Travel questions and answers guide on restrictions, vaccination and more.]

If you want to find out if you currently have the coronavirus, you should plan on taking a virus test like a polymerase chain reaction or PCR test. PCR tests are currently considered the gold standard for tests because of their accuracy and reliability. PCR tests can detect an active infection and require a swab in the nose or the back of the throat. Some tests use saliva. The test is highly sensitive and looks for the virus’s genetic material.

Another type of diagnostic test is an antigen test, which detects the presence of a specific viral antigen or bits of coronavirus proteins, implying current viral infection. For antigen tests, a sample is collected by nasal swabbing, with hopes that there are some virus proteins in the sample.

You’ve probably heard of antibody tests, too, but those aren’t what you need in order to travel . An antibody test checks for antibodies, which may tell you if you had a past infection with the virus that causes Covid-19.

Are rapid tests reliable?

Many companies have released rapid tests and they are mostly antigen tests and they take minutes to return results. These tests tend to be less accurate, and false negatives could lead people to be reckless and unwittingly spread the virus, but they are fast and affordable. You can check if your airline and destination accept results from rapid antigen tests.

How do I know which test to take?

Most airlines and destinations will accept PCR tests although others might also be allowed.

If you’re taking a test specifically because you are about to travel, you should first see if your destination has a list of tests that it will accept. Many places, including Hawaii, Washington D.C., New York and a number of Caribbean countries, specify which tests they will accept.

If you get a test that isn’t approved, you could be forced to quarantine upon arrival or the airline could prevent you from boarding the flight.

Where do I get a test?

Many places are offering coronavirus tests, including some hospitals, urgent care clinics, pharmacies and doctor’s offices. Some churches and fire stations are offering testing, too. Airlines like Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue and American Airlines are offering testing at the airport or at nearby drive-through sites for passengers heading to certain destinations. Some airports have clinics in terminals. Companies, including CareCube and Pixel by LabCorp , will mail a test to you and you send back a sample; they promise to send you your results within 12 to 34 hours and 36 hours, respectively. JetBlue has a partnership with Vault Health for mail-in tests .

It’s a good idea to start by reaching out to your doctor’s office to see what all the available options for testing are and how long it will take to get results. If you don’t have a primary care provider, a good place to start is on city and state health department websites, which outline the various testing options and locations.

I have a trip coming up. When should I take my test?

You should get a coronavirus test before you travel. Figuring out the exact time can be tricky, but you can’t wait too long to take the test because you might not get the results back in time to go on your trip.

For those reasons, many destinations, including France , Aruba, Bonaire, Puerto Rico and Hawaii, require that the test be taken within 72 hours of departure. Abu Dhabi and Croatia require test results are within 48 hours of departure. Some airlines, like Egypt Air, allow travelers to use results from a test taken up to 96 hours before traveling, depending on where they are traveling from and to.

You can walk into a testing site, but it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment and to not wait until the last minute to get the test.

How long does it take to get test results back?

It depends.

If you’re taking a test because you’re getting ready to go on a trip, you should look for test providers who will get results back to you within 36 hours, so that you have your results by the time you leave for your trip. Keep in mind that different tests will come with different wait times for results. Rapid tests typically return results in less than an hour, and results from PCR tests tend to take a few days because samples have to be sent to a lab.

There’s always a chance that your results won’t arrive in time, so try to be flexible with your travel plans.

Does insurance cover coronavirus tests?

Not all tests are covered by insurance, but since the passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in March, many people should have coverage for coronavirus testing. Under the Act, public and private insurance, including self-funded plans, have to cover F.D.A.-approved coronavirus tests and costs associated with diagnostic testing.

Rapid tests like the ones offered at the airport on the day of travel might not be covered by many insurance companies.

What should I do if I test positive for the virus?

Stay home and isolate. Don’t travel with the virus.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places list .

Tariro Mzezewa is a national correspondent covering the American South. More about Tariro Mzezewa

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As an exception, travel certificates issued during the COVID-19 situation are valid for bookings made through December 31, 2023, for travel throughout 2024. For more information please  click here .

Delta Vacations Travel Protection Plan & Travel Protection Plus

WHY TRAVEL PROTECTION? Your vacation is an investment of time and money. Delta Vacations, in conjunction with Allianz Global Assistance, the foremost provider of travel protection plans and travel insurance, help protect your investment from the unexpected.

Travel protection plans purchased prior to 2/20/20 are serviced by Trip Mate. For more information please review the details for Trip Mate policies please  click here .

Travel Protection Plan

Part A: Pre-departure Benefits Provided by Delta Vacations

Refund of cancellation fees

Documentation required

Purchase period  

Part B: Post-departure Benefits (Vacation Protector)

Provided by Allianz Global Assistance For complete details, go to:

Travel Protection Plan PLUS

Received in the original form of payment 1  

May be purchased any time prior to final payment 1

Plan Details , opens in a new window

Received in the form of a Delta Vacations travel certificate 2

May be purchased any time prior to final payment 2

1 Cancel For Any Reason Waiver applies only if the Travel Protection Plan Plus is purchased within seven (7) days of your initial deposit for your trip. Payments made with miles and/or travel certificates will be refunded in the form of a travel certificate that will have an expiration date one year from the date of issuance of such travel certificate. All other payments refunded to original form of payment. 2 Cancel For Any Reason Waiver applies only if the Travel Protection Plan is purchased within seven (7) days of your initial deposit for your trip. The refund of cancellation fees will go to a Delta Vacations travel certificate that will have an expiration date one year from the date of issuance of such travel certificate. 3 Pre-existing conditions coverage only applies if Travel Protection Plan is purchased within fourteen (14) days of initial deposit for your trip (and for pre-existing conditions, the traveler must not be disabled from travel at the time the plan is purchased.)

Provided by Delta Vacations

• The Cancel for Any Reason Waiver protects the cost of your vacation and protects you from most cancellation penalties. Also, you can cancel for any reason and have comfort in knowing that your travel investment is protected. You must cancel before your scheduled departure.
• The Cancel for Any Reason Waiver is provided by Delta Vacations and is not an insurance benefit.

With this option, you receive all of the benefits with the Travel Protection Plan (listed in the chart above) PLUS you:

• Receive the refund of the cost of your vacation package AND cancellation fees in the form of your original payment should you need to cancel your vacation for any reason (less the cost of the protection plan).
• Receive the lowest price guarantee.

Please Note: 

• If purchased, everyone on the booking must purchase the Travel Protection Plan. 
• The cost of the Travel Protection Plan is only refunded for cancellations covered by the hurricane policy (or within the state required free look period).
• Refer to Delta Vacations Cancellation & Change Policy  for penalty and refund details. 
• Certain restrictions apply to groups booked with our Group Department. 
• Certain items may not be refundable, such as show or event tickets, theme park passes, etc. 
• Airfare cancellation fees are currently being waived by Delta Vacations for a limited time and other non-air fees may still apply and will be covered under this plan.
• When one or more travelers cancel off of a booking but the entire booking is not cancelled, the booking will be repriced to reflect the remaining number of travelers. This may reduce the refundable amount for the person(s) whose travel is being cancelled.

Additional Information

For additional information about the Part A: Pre-departure Benefits or pricing or to purchase separately, please contact Delta at 1-800-800-1504.

Provided by Allianz Global Assistance and Underwritten by Jefferson Insurance Company or BCS Insurance Company

Your post-departure benefits can help protect you from the unexpected during your vacations, such as:

• Medical and emergency assistance
• Can reimburse up to $50,000 for covered emergency medical expenses, emergency medical transportation and 24-hour emergency assistance service for covered sickness or injury during the trip.
• Trip Interruption Can reimburse non-refundable, unused, pre-paid trip costs when you must interrupt your trip or return home early for reasons such as covered sickness, injury, etc.
• Travel delay Can reimburse for meals and accommodations when you are delayed on your trip for 6 hours or more
• Baggage delay Can reimburse for clothing and personal items if your luggage is delayed more than 24 hours
• Loss or damage to baggage or personal effects Can reimburse for loss or damage to baggage or personal effects that occur during the trip.

For additional information on Part B: Post-Departure Benefits, see plan and pricing details , opens in a new window .

Part B: Post-departure Vacation Protector includes insurance benefits and assistance services. Insurance benefits are underwritten by either BCS Insurance Company or Jefferson Insurance Company depending on the insured's state of residence. AGA Service Company is the licensed producer and administrator of these plans, 9950 Mayland Dr., Richmond, VA 23233.

LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE (PROVIDED BY DELTA VACATIONS)

If Delta Vacations advertises an identical vacation at a lower price, Delta Vacations will guarantee that price. The advertised vacation must be available and include the same air components (including air fare class), hotel and room category, and any other previously purchased components, including the Travel Protection Plan PLUS. Refunds for the difference in the package price will be issued in the original form of payment.

Below, you'll find information on how to request the Lowest Price Guarantee along with lowest price guarantee terms and conditions.

To request the Lowest Price Guarantee 10 days or more before departure:

• Create a new reservation with lower price and place on hold.
• Note: Some reservations may require confirmation with a credit card.
• Contact Delta Vacations at 1-800-800-1504, 6:00 am - 11:00 pm CST.
• If the new reservation qualifies, the travelers will receive confirmation of the new reservation at the adjusted price. Previous reservation will be refunded to the original form of payment.

To request the Lowest Price Guarantee within 10 days of departure:

• Create a new reservation and confirm with credit card.
• If the new reservation qualifies the travelers will receive confirmation of the new reservation at the adjusted price. Previous reservation will be refunded to the original form of payment.

Travel Protection PLUS and Lowest Price Guarantee Terms and Conditions

• The Travel Protection Plan PLUS cannot be applied to Miles to Go or upgraded bookings.
• Lowest Price Guarantee is on the total package price, not component to component.
• All components must be available at the time of the new reservation.
• Lowest price guarantee must be on the exact same vacation package including the same dates, air components, hotel and room category, and any other previously purchased components, including the Travel Protection Plan PLUS.
• Lowest price guarantee is allowed to be used only one time per booking and may be exercised up to the time of departure.
• Promotional codes applied to the original reservation must be valid at the time of the lowest price guarantee request to maintain promotional code discount. If the promotional code is no longer valid, a new promotional code can be applied, as long as all terms and conditions are met.
• Lowest price guarantee does not apply to group reservations.
• Lowest price guarantee cannot be purchased separately and is only available through the Travel Protection Plan PLUS program.
• Delta Vacations is the final authority on the interpretation of these rules and reserves the right to change these terms and conditions without prior notice.

Travel Protection Plan Terms & Conditions

Redemption Instructions

• Contact Delta Vacations at 1-800-800-1504 or online at delta.com/vacations.
• Enter/provide the 12-digit travel certificate number printed on the front of the travel certificate document during the payment step.
• Provide additional form of payment, if necessary.
• Delta Vacations will issue and send your travel documents via the delivery method requested during the booking process.

Redemption Terms and Conditions

• Travel certificate is valid for the value indicated on the front of the travel certificate document, when redeemed toward the purchase of any Delta Vacations air and hotel package; air, hotel and car package; hotel only; or hotel and car or ground transportation package purchase.
• Travel certificate can be redeemed in its entirety or in increments up to the value or balance remaining on the certificate.
• If the price of the booking is more than the value of the travel certificate, an additional form of payment for the remaining balance will be necessary to complete the transaction.
• Travel documents for the redeemed travel certificate will be issued, and sent via the delivery method identified during the booking process.
• Purchases with this travel certificate will be deducted from the balance until the value reaches zero or until the expiration date is reached, whichever occurs first.
• No refunds or credits will be issued for any unused portion of the travel certificate.
• Travel certificate is not valid for use toward the purchase of Group bookings, ski bookings, gift cards or another travel certificate.
• The expiration date for this travel certificate is printed on the front of the travel certificate document; the travel certificate is valid for payments made prior to the expiration date.
• Extensions to the expiration date will not be permitted, and travel certificate is not rechargeable.
• Lost, stolen or destroyed travel certificates will not be replaced.
• Travel certificate is void if altered or sold, is nontransferable, nonrefundable, may not be redeemed for cash, has no resale value, and is valid for use only by the person(s) indicated on the front of the travel certificate document.
• Travel certificate is not retroactive, and cannot be applied as alternative payment to reservations already paid in full.
• If a booking using a travel certificate as payment is cancelled, any remaining value after applicable cancellation fees have been deducted will be refunded back to the original travel certificate, and all terms of the original travel certificate, including original expiration date, will apply.
• Travel certificate cannot be redeemed for an Delta Vacations reservation with the same origin and destination and the same departure and arrival dates as the original trip that the travel certificate was issued for.
• Must be redeemed through Delta Vacations, and is not valid for redemption through Delta Air Lines or its website, delta.com.
• Delta Vacations must issue all airline tickets and travel documents.
• Standard Terms and Conditions and cancellation policies apply, which are outlined during the booking process; other restrictions apply.
• Delta Vacations is the final authority on the interpretation of these rules, and reserves the right to change these Terms and Conditions without prior notice.
• Travel Agents: Travel certificate can be redeemed via our agent website or Reservations.

For balance and expiration date inquiries, refer to the contact information on the front of the travel certificate document.

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Best COVID-19 Travel Insurance Companies (2024)

with our partner, Faye

Sarah Horvath is a finance writer and researcher based in New York City. She specializes in writing about home warranties, insurance and home financial protection.

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.

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

According to our research, the best travel insurance companies offering COVID-19 coverage are Faye and Travelex. While some travel insurance policies now classify COVID-19 as a standard inclusion under medical expense and evacuation coverage, others include varying terms.

As the world continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels, airlines and other hospitality-related businesses have seen a surge in travelers . However, the concern of a new variant is consistent —  experts have identified new strains of COVID-19 as recently as Dec. 2023, which could cause some travelers to consider purchasing travel insurance.

Compare Top Travel Insurance Companies with COVID-19 Coverage

Use the table below to compare COVID-19 coverage inclusions and details of travel insurance companies:

The Best COVID-19 Travel Insurance Plans

• Faye: Our top pick
• Seven Corners: Best for visitors to the USA
• Tin Leg: Best for customizable coverage
• Allianz Travel Insurance: Best for concierge services
• TravelSafe: Best for additional AD&D coverage
• Generali: Best for trip interruption coverage
• John Hancock Travel Insurance: Best for delay coverage
• Trawick: Best for student travel insurance
• HTH Travel Insurance: Best for group travel

We pulled price quotes for four vacations outlined in our methodology at the bottom of this page. The costs in this article reflect the premium for each of those four trips for each provider averaged together.

Why We Picked It

Faye is our top choice for COVID-19 travel insurance because it includes a robust set of protection to support policyholders both before and after diagnosis. The company classifies COVID-19 as a standard illness under its medical insurance policies, which means you can use any medical and evacuation coverages deemed necessary by local health professionals.

Since Faye classifies its travel medical insurance as primary coverage, it goes into effect before your domestic health coverage. This is especially beneficial for COVID-19, which could lead to hospitalization in some cases and include higher diagnosis, evacuation and treatment costs.

Pros and Cons

Coverage and cost.

Add-On Options

Faye currently offers the following add-ons for international excursions:

• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage
• Adventure and extreme sports protections
• Rental car coverage
• Vacation rental damage protection
• Pet care protection

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, Faye’s average trip cost is $298.

Another top option for COVID-related travel concerns, Seven Corners offers a wide range of medical policies, all of which include coverage for coronavirus as a standard illness. Seven Corners policies indicate that both trip interruption and cancellation coverage extends to COVID-19-related reasons, including quarantines. Missed connection coverage may even extend to your travel plans if COVID causes you to miss a portion of your trip, specifically while on a cruise . Overall, Seven Corners offers COVID-friendly policies and includes generous cancellation and interruption benefits to give you peace of mind while traveling.

Below are add-on options you may be able to include in your Seven Corners policy:

• Cancel for any reason coverage
• Trip interruption for any reason coverage
• Rental car damage coverage
• Sports and gold equipment coverage

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, Seven Corners’s average trip cost is $206.25.

Tin Leg’s Silver and Gold policies include COVID-19 hospitalization and diagnosis as a standard inclusion under trip cancellation and interruption benefits. Like competitors, Tin Leg’s policies include stipulations that allow you to use travel delay benefits for ordered quarantine periods, offering between $500 and $2,000 depending on your chosen coverage level. However, you will need to receive a documented diagnosis from a licensed medical professional to use your trip benefits — a home rapid test is not sufficient proof.

Below are add-on options for Tin Leg travel insurance:

• Rental car damage

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, Tin Leg’s average trip cost is $166.50.

Both of TravelSafe’s insurance policies for international travel include comprehensive coverages and protections for COVID-19 , with identical medical coverage and evacuation limits no matter the condition. Trip delay benefits — available up to $2,000 on the TravelSafe Classic policy — include coverage for mandatory quarantines if required by a licensed medical professional. Policyholders can also apply mandatory quarantine benefits to missed connections coverage, which adds another layer of protection if you have multi-leg trips planned.

Below are add-on options you may include to your TravelSafe policy:

• Accidental death and dismemberment (air only)
• Extended personal property coverage

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, TravelSafe’s average trip cost is $241.

Allianz Global Assistance

Allianz Global Assistance offers a policy endorsement to cover concerns related to COVID-19. Referred to as the “ Epidemic Coverage Endorsement ,” this benefit extends medical expense, emergency evacuation and trip delay coverage to include COVID-related situations. Like most other competitors, you will need a documented diagnosis of COVID-19 and a written order from a local government figure or medical authority requiring you to quarantine before you can use benefits.

When we requested a quote, all three available policies included the Epidemic Coverage Endorsement free-of-charge with standard pricing. However, it’s important to note that coverage for COVID-19 is not specifically written into the terms of Allianz’s policies in the same way as other illnesses, which is the standard verbiage in the industry. Be sure your policy includes this endorsement to maintain COVID-related coverage.

Below are add-ons to consider for your Allianz Travel Insurance policy:

• Rental car protection
• Required to work coverage

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, Allianz’s average trip cost is $265

In addition to including COVID as a standard coverage under medical, cancellation and interruption benefits, Generali Global Assistance includes the added peace of mind that comes with around-the-clock assistance. All policies include 24/7 emergency travel assistance with a multi-lingual support team, which can help policyholders communicate with medical staff. This is especially useful if you’re visiting an area where you do not speak the primary language.

However, as of Jan. 2020, newly issued policies include an exclusion that prevents you from using trip delay benefits to cover a quarantine period unless officially diagnosed with COVID-19. This exclusion does not apply if you are sick and quarantined with the virus, in which you can access your benefits to cover the cost of related expenses. This exclusion remains in effect even if a local government mandates your quarantine due to exposure — so we recommend researching the quarantine procedures for the country you’re visiting beforehand if you choose Generali.

Below are coverages you may be able to add to your Generali policy:

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, Generali’s average trip cost is $255. 

Under most travel insurance verbiage, COVID-19 is now considered a known threat, and the announcement of a new variant is considered a risk you accept when booking. This means that travel insurance may not allow reimbursement for trip cancellation due to concerns about the emergence of a new variant.

Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage extends your cancellation benefits to include fear of traveling due to COVID-19 or a new variant. In addition to classifying COVID-19 as a standard medical condition, John Hancock allows you to add CFAR coverage to a wider selection of policy choices, including its lower-cost Bronze package. Comparatively, most travel insurance providers limit your ability to add CFAR coverage to the most expensive plan.

Add-on options for John Hancock travel insurance:

• Rental car collision coverage

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, John Hancock’s average trip cost is $225.

Trawick International offers one policy with coverage for COVID-19: Safe Travels International . This plan includes up to $1 million in medical coverage, up to $2,000 in trip delay benefits for potential quarantines and up to $2 million in medical evacuation coverage. This general range of coverage combined with CFAR add-on availability can make Trawick a customizable choice for travelers looking to add protections that cover COVID-19 without reviewing multiple plans.

Below are Trawick International add-on options:

• 24-hour accidental death and dismemberment
• Additional accident and sickness medical coverage
• Interruption for any reason coverage
• Upgradable trip delay coverage

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, Trawick’s average trip cost is $212.

While HTH’s policy details do not outline special benefits specifically for COVID-19 , its plans include standard medical interruption language allowing the use of benefits if you’re hospitalized. HTH’s policies include generous medical coverage and evacuation limits of $500,000 and $1 million respectively. The company also offers higher-than-average trip interruption benefits with a maximum benefit of 200% in reimbursements.

Below are additional options that may be available through HTH Travel Insurance:

Based on quotes we obtained using the seven trip profiles outlined in our methodology, HTH’s average trip cost is $221.

HTH also offers discounted pricing for group travel insurance policies.

What To Look for in Pandemic Travel Insurance

Once you understand how travel insurance can benefit you in the event of a COVID-19 diagnosis or emergency, you can get into the details of each coverage option. We’ve compiled a few essential features to consider when shopping for travel insurance with a focus on COVID-19 coverage.

Medical Expense Coverage

If you’re traveling to an area where you think you might be at risk of catching COVID-19, consider choosing a travel insurance policy with higher medical coverage limits. Travel medical insurance can help cover the cost of medical treatments you receive outside the U.S. if you become sick or injured. Most travel insurance policy providers now classify COVID-19 as a standard illness, meaning you can qualify for reimbursement if hospitalized with coronavirus abroad. 

Trip Delay Coverage

If you contract COVID abroad, depending on the country’s requirements, you may have to undergo a mandatory quarantine period before you can leave or enter another country. In these circumstances, your trip delay benefits could help cover the cost of expenses like meals, additional hotel stays and any toiletries you might need. To qualify to use trip delay benefits, most policies state a licensed medical professional must order a quarantine for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until expiration. 

Trip Interruption Coverage

If you’re leaving dependents or older loved ones at home and concerned about the effect COVID-19 could have on their care, consider a policy with higher trip interruption coverages. Trip interruption insurance compensates you for things like the cost of an early return flight home and unused trip expenses if you must leave your trip ahead of schedule due to a covered reason. Some travel insurance providers like Seven Corners and Travelex include the illness of a family member and hospitalization with COVID-19 as a valid reason to use interruption benefits. Other providers only consider the health status of the insured traveler.  

CFAR Coverage

CFAR coverage is an optional add-on that allows you to receive a partial trip reimbursement if you cancel your trip for a reason not covered by insurance. For all providers on our list, this includes fear of a new variant of COVID-19 emerging at home or your destination. If this is a concern for you, consider a provider like John Hancock, which offers more options for policyholders to buy CFAR-level benefits. 

Does Travel Insurance Cover COVID-19 Directly?

Most travel insurance policies now classify COVID-19 as a standard inclusion under medical expense and evacuation coverage. This means coronavirus is usually treated the same way as any other illness or injury you might sustain abroad or before your trip. While this offers protection for your travel plans if you’re hospitalized due to COVID-19, fear of new variants and minor illnesses will usually not qualify you for a reimbursement . 

Let’s take a look at sample situations when you might need to use COVID-19 coverage as a part of your travel insurance. First, say you fall sick before traveling and are diagnosed with a serious case of COVID-19. Your physician determines you require hospitalization a day before you’re supposed to travel. If you purchased travel insurance, you could file a claim to reimburse nonrefundable trip costs, such as airfare and lodging, because you’re medically unable to travel. 

Now, let’s imagine you have a trip planned to Germany. A few days before your travel, information on a new Covid variant becomes available and officials advise the public to avoid travel if possible. While you may be hesitant to travel due to the new strain, you would not be entitled to reimbursement with travel insurance unless specifically outlined in your policy. However, if you opted for CFAR coverage during enrollment, you could cancel your trip and get a refund for nonrefundable expenses regardless. 

Does Travel Insurance Cover Quarantine?

Your travel insurance policy might cover the COVID-19 quarantines if ordered by a medical professional, which includes expenses related to additional lodging. If you’re diagnosed with a new variant of the virus before your trip and forced to quarantine at home, you will usually qualify for trip cancellation benefits under your policy’s illness cancellation clause. However, travel insurance will not compensate you for additional domestic quarantine-related expenses like food and rent. 

If you’re advised to quarantine abroad after being diagnosed with COVID-19, you could also qualify for coverage under your insurance’s travel delay benefits. While travel delay benefits are designed to help cover hotel rooms and alternate airfare if you’re forced to miss a connection, you can also use coverage for mandatory quarantine orders. To qualify, you will usually need to provide documentation of both your illness and a quarantine recommendation from a local medical professional. 

If you’re concerned about the cost and possibility of an international quarantine, it’s important to look at the travel delay benefits included with your insurance coverage. Policies with higher total travel delay benefits will cover more quarantine-related expenses, which can make these policies more valuable. Be sure to note both overall and daily limits on trip delay benefits, which can also influence policy value.

How Much Does COVID-19 Travel Insurance Cost?

In our comprehensive review of travel insurance policies, we found the average cost of a plan with COVID-19 coverage is about $220 per trip. However, the price of your premium will vary depending on the level of benefits included with your policy. Browse the table below to compare how some of our top travel insurance providers compare in terms of average price and included benefits. 

Factors That Impact Cost

Factors that affect the cost of your travel insurance include your age, where you’re traveling to, the cost of your trip and the length of your trip. Adding various custom riders, like protection for a rental car or cancellation for any reason coverage, will also increase the cost.

Is Pandemic Travel Insurance Worth It?

While almost all COVID-19 restrictions are lifted in the U.S., the virus is still a global health threat. Even if travel insurance isn’t required for a trip, purchasing insurance that includes COVID-19 protections can help you avoid a financial burden if you contract the virus before or during the trip.

You might not need the pandemic travel coverage if you’re taking a low-cost trip and not crossing international borders. Your health insurance may cover medical costs within the country, and the money you lose from canceling an affordable trip could be too low to justify shopping for and buying coverage. It’s different if you pay a lot of money upfront for a long, expensive vacation.

Another option is looking at the travel protections that your credit card company provides. Some cards offer trip protection for emergencies that could include coverage if you call off a trip or end a trip early after contracting COVID-19. But travel costs usually have to be paid for with the card for them to qualify.

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Insurance

What are the cheapest ways to get travel insurance for a pandemic.

The best way to find cheap travel insurance with pandemic coverage is by shopping around with different providers. Many offer free quotes online, and it takes minutes to check rates.

What are the advantages of purchasing pandemic travel insurance?

The advantage of pandemic travel insurance is that it reimburses prepaid travel costs if you cancel or cut short a trip because of getting COVID-19 before or during the trip. And if a family member contracts COVID-19 while you’re away, pandemic travel insurance may reimburse you for expenses related to returning home early to care for a loved one.

Can you cancel your flight if you have COVID?

Many travel insurance policies now include coverage for trip cancellations due to COVID-19. However, coverage is usually included under standard medical inclusions, which means you must be medically unable to travel at the time of your scheduled departure to claim a reimbursement. Review your specific travel insurance coverage to learn more about flight cancellation benefits.

What does travel insurance not cover?

Travel insurance usually does not cover cancellations due to fear of travel, government restrictions or pre-existing medical conditions. You generally cannot cancel your trip and claim any reimbursements unless it’s for a covered reason such as the illness or death of a family member or natural disasters. Carefully read your policy to understand the exclusions and limitations unique to your coverage.

Methodology: Our System for Rating Travel Insurance Companies

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

For more information, read our full travel insurance methodology.

A.M. Best Disclaimer

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

MarketWatch Guides may receive compensation from companies that appear on this page.
The compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear, but it does not influence the recommendations the editorial team provides. Not all companies, products, or offers were reviewed.

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Do You Need Special Health Insurance to Travel Internationally?

Some countries are requiring proof of medical coverage in the covid-19 era.

Before your next international trip , you may have to add an item to your packing list: proof of health insurance.

As the world begins to reopen to tourism, Americans are finding that some countries, including many Caribbean nations, now require arriving passengers to document that they have medical coverage. And a few, such as Costa Rica , are even demanding special policies that cover up to $2,000 for the expense of quarantining in a hotel if a visitor tests positive for COVID-19, as well as at least $50,000 of expenses relating to coronavirus care.

"We're seeing this more and more,” says Brook Wilkinson, an editor at travel-advice website WendyPerrin. “If someone wants an easy-breezy trip 2019-style, that's going to be tricky."

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You may already be covered by a health insurance plan in the U.S. A health insurance policy for international travel may be necessary if you don't have your own health plan, if your plan doesn't cover medical care outside of the U.S. or if your destination requires a special country-specific plan.

Here are questions to ask when considering whether you need to purchase travel health insurance.

Does the country you're visiting require travel health insurance?

Before COVID-19, some countries already required visitors to prove they had health insurance coverage, and now a growing number are requiring a special country-specific policy related to the pandemic.

While Western European countries haven't adopted the requirement, countries that have include Cambodia, which requires visitors to buy COVID-19 insurance from a local company ($90 for 20 days); Aruba; the Bahamas; the British Virgin Islands; Dubai; Egypt; Grenada; Jordan; Mauritius; Namibia; Rwanda; Saba; St. Martin/Sint Maarten; the Seychelles; Sri Lanka; and Thailand.

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Entry requirements are changing frequently. Ask your travel agent or search online for the latest updates. The best source of information is usually the country's tourism office and the U.S. State Department . Other helpful resources include CanITravel.net and WendyPerrin.com , which maintains a comprehensive list. The sites also have the latest traveler requirements for COVID-19 vaccination, testing and quarantining. Note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises delaying international trips until you are fully vaccinated.

If a country requires special health insurance, you must bring written proof, sometimes specifically mentioning coverage for COVID-19, which the insurer can provide. Without it, airlines may not let you board and some countries may not admit you.

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Travel Insurance Terms

Travel health insurance  covers medical issues that arise while you're traveling. You may need it if you don't have another form of  health insurance , your health insurance doesn't fully cover you outside the U.S. or your destination requires visitors to purchase a particular plan.

Medical evacuation insurance  covers transportation to a medical facility if there isn't one in your immediate destination. It may be included in a travel health insurance policy or bought separately.

Trip cancellation  or disruption insurance  allows you to recoup the nonrefundable portion of a trip canceled for a covered reason. Sometimes it covers cancellation in case of illness, but it doesn't cover medical care. It may or may not cover cancellation due to disease outbreaks (such as  COVID-19 ) in your destination.

Does your current health insurance policy cover medical care outside the United States?

Even if you have health insurance and special coverage isn't required for entry to your destination country, you may still need a travel health policy. Many traditional health insurance policies, including basic  Medicare plans , do not provide coverage outside the U.S. And while some Medicare supplement polices include overseas coverage, it may be limited.

"A lot of U.S. travelers really aren't aware of how much medical coverage they have when they're traveling internationally,” says Stan Sandberg, cofounder of TravelInsurance.com. “They're assuming that health insurance travels with them, but in many cases it doesn't."

If you don't have health insurance (travel or otherwise) that covers you in your destination, you could face bills running many thousands of dollars if a health emergency arises.

Will you be particularly vulnerable during your travels because of a health condition or high-risk activities?

The CDC recommends travel health insurance for international travel, particularly for those who “have an existing health condition, are traveling for more than six months, or doing adventure activities such as scuba diving or hang gliding.”

You can find travel health insurance plans that cover  preexisting conditions , but you often need to purchase one shortly after paying for your trip (usually within two or three weeks). And some plans won't cover medical care for injuries resulting from activities that are generally considered high risk. So be sure your plan does if you want to be adventurous and, say, skydive.

Do you need emergency evacuation coverage?

Even if your health insurance includes medical transportation, it may just cover the cost of getting you to the nearest appropriate medical facility. For example, if you sustained a serious injury on a safari in South Africa, your carrier may pay for transportation to a hospital in Johannesburg but not the cost to fly you back home.

Some travel health insurance policies include emergency evacuation home, and other companies, such as Medjet (MedJetAssist.com) and GlobalRescue.com, sell stand-alone plans that provide the coverage.

Choosing a travel health insurance plan

Travel health insurance generally isn't super expensive. A policy for a 65-year-old going to Europe for two weeks could cost less than $35 for $50,000 in coverage, Sandberg says. Paying just a bit more can bring higher policy limits and extras like lost-baggage coverage. (By contrast, trip cancellation insurance is pricier, costing up to 10 percent of the price of your trip. And coverage that lets you cancel for any reason runs even more.)

Shop around. Sandberg's company offers quotes from multiple plans, as do platforms such as InsureMyTrip.com. These companies also sell travel cancellation insurance, but you can narrow your search for travel health insurance policies by entering $0 as your total trip cost.

And, as noted above, you may want to consider whether a policy covers medical care for preexisting conditions or for COVID-19 and whether it includes emergency evacuation.

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Experts say travel insurance is crucial: Here's how it actually works

Whether you're a frequent traveler or setting plans for an upcoming vacation, unexpected circumstances such as bad weather can cast a cloud over a trip, which is why experts suggest investing in travel insurance.

Recently, Hurricane Beryl marked an "early and violent start" to the typical storm season. NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad confirmed in a mid-season update earlier this month that Beryl was "the earliest category-5 Atlantic hurricane on record" -- and peak storm season is right around the corner.

With increased risk of disruptions during hurricane season through November and more people opting for shoulder season getaways after avoiding summer crowds , travelers should prepare for such worse-case scenarios to avoid losing money on hotels, activities and other bookings.

Everything you need to know about travel insurance

With an array of options in the market and various individual reasons to invest in a plan that protects your purchases, "Good Morning America" tapped top industry experts to provide insights to help ensure that even if your next getaway gets rained out, your bank account won't be drained as well.

"Things can go wrong in ways that you can't begin to imagine. And if you're unlucky and unfortunate enough to be in that position, you don't want to come back from your trip with a debt to pay off as well," Daniel Green, trip insurance expert and co-founder of Faye Travel Insurance, told "GMA."

Understand the basics before you buy bespoke coverage

Katy Nastro, spokesperson for Going.com, formerly known as Scott's Cheap Flights, told "GMA" that first and foremost, folks need to "understand all the ways in which you are already protected before dishing out for things you don't need."

"When it comes to flight insurance, under federal law, you are already protected to get a full refund or rebooked on a significantly delayed flight or cancellation, regardless of the reason," she said. "With new regulations that airlines must comply with by the end of October, seeing your refund back to your payment method will get a lot faster and more seamless."

Nastro said "many travel credit cards already have built-in trip insurance that can protect you when the unexpected happens," citing perks from the Chase Sapphire Reserve card that provide "reimbursements up to $10,000 per person for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses when an interruption happens."

You should always buy insurance for one simple reason -- when you start thinking -- 'I hope we have insurance,' it's one minute too late

"These cards often pay sooner than the airlines do for expenses due to misplaced bags," she added.

Nastro also suggested to check on coverage across state lines with any existing medical or car insurance policies, which could help cut down on costs.

"Specifically, when it comes to medical insurance, medical care around the world is generally a fraction of the cost compared to what it is in the U.S. So, while it could be good to have if you need stitches in Vietnam, it probably won't break the bank," she said.

Because travel insurance is subjective, Nastro said "it's worth considering when you exhaust your existing coverages to see where you might have some gaps."

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How does travel insurance work and what's actually covered?

"A great example is when you have a trip with multiple components that aren't purchased together, like a flight and cruise," Nastro told "GMA." "The cruise won't wait when your flight has been rebooked for the next day, so in this scenario, it might be worth looking at insurance on the cruise portion. You can typically add insurance after the fact, but reading the fine print is critical."

"Trip or travel insurance tends to be cheaper to buy, but is restricted to what is actually covered and often has red tape in terms of getting that reimbursement. For example, if you have an illness and need to cancel your trip, policies might require a doctor's note," she continued.

She added, "Travel insurance with 'cancel for any reason' policies tends to be more expensive to purchase, but more inclusive in terms of what is considered a 'covered' reason. The biggest caveat is that they offer a partial refund -- 50% to 75% of nonrefundable expenses."

When it comes to weather, she reiterated that reading the fine print is critical, because "the coverage typically offered is for extreme weather and scenarios where the operator cannot operate for 24 hours or more, so a typical summer thunderstorm won't make the cut."

Green added that, generally, if a customer buys travel insurance from an airline provider, since the carrier "doesn't know all the details of your trip" beyond the price and date of the flight, "if you're renting a car and traveling around -- or staying in a $4,000 hotel, you might only have $1,000 worth of insurance because at the checkout screen of American or United or Delta, they just didn't know about those costs."

"That's why I think it makes a lot more sense to buy insurance directly from either a website portal or an agent that can show you the main limits, so you know all the things you spent are covered as part of the policy," he said.

As Nastro pointed out, payment for claims can become a sticky situation, which is why Green helped craft an more seamless way to alleviate issues by providing the reassurance of immediate reimbursement: "If you have Apple Pay or Google Pay, you can access that money instantly after the claim is settled," he told "GMA."

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Green co-founded Faye just before the COVID-19 pandemic sent the travel industry into a tailspin, but said now, "the concern on the American mind more than anything is who's gonna pay for this? Especially in these days of inflation, if you're paying significant amounts of money for travel, and something goes wrong, you'd like to at least be made whole."

3 categories to consider for travel insurance coverage

Green explained that travel insurance can generally be broken into three categories: your investment in the trip, your belongings such as luggage and passports, and your health.

For anyone booking travel on their own, without a travel agent or adviser, Green highlighted the difference between buying travel insurance directly versus clicking "yes" on an app or checkout screen.

"You're not always being offered insurance that's in your best interest if you're just hoping that whatever your credit card comes with, or whatever your airline gives you at the end of the checkout is going to provide everything you need," he said.

He noted that one important tip for any type of travel coverage purchase is "the earlier you tell your insurance company that something has gone wrong, the more likely it is that they can help you while you're on your trip -- and helping sometimes means paying for expenses so that you don't have to be out of pocket and get reimbursement."

Weather-specific products for travel inconveniences

Products like Sensible Weather offer more specific elements to cover scenarios such as rain during a beach vacation or lack of snow for a ski trip, which may derail plans.

"The idea of travel inconvenience payments, it just takes the sting out of things," Green said. "In those scenarios, you just get a fixed, agreed amount of money -- sort of no questions asked -- You just have to prove that you actually experienced the loss in question, and then you get the full amount."

"You should always buy insurance for one simple reason -- because usually at the point when you start thinking to yourself, 'Wow, I hope we have insurance,' it's one minute too late," Green said. "Hurricane season is the perfect example of that. Once a hurricane is named, you generally can't make any claims related to the hurricane if you didn't already buy a policy."

"What we're learning about the current hurricane season is the weather is becoming unpredictable all the time," Green said. "We've heard about days where the weather was so hot in Phoenix that airplanes couldn't take off from the tarmac, hurricanes coming sooner than expected, or power failures causing an airport to not be able to operate -- and because those things are so unpredictable, playing the game of wait and see before buying your insurance rarely make sense versus justbuying it around the time you buy your trip and not having to worry about that aspect again."

How much plans cost and limitations

"There is no one size fits all when it comes to travel insurance," Green noted.

However, he said "there are rules of thumb" that industry experts often follow: "You should be willing to spend up to 10% of the cost of your trip on your insurance."

"The two biggest factors that usually affect the cost of your insurance is your age at the time of purchase, not at the time of travel, and the value of your trip," he said, adding that "every company is different."

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Does Travel Insurance Cover Infectious Diseases?

Just as we thought we’d finally gotten over the COVID-19 PTSD, there’s news of another infectious disease circulating about. Yes, we’re talking about monkeypox, or Mpox for short.

Even though monkeypox has already been around for a while, there’s now a new, deadlier and even more transmissible strain. The virus was recently brought much closer to home when an infected European traveller arrived in Bangkok from Africa. 

Of course, Mpox isn’t the only infectious disease out there—there are a whole host of diseases you might get while globetrotting, including typhoid, yellow fever or hepatitis A/B. Thankfully, there are vaccines available to help with that.

But what about the costs of treatment? Does travel insurance cover infectious diseases, especially specific ones such as COVID-19 or Mpox? The World Health Organisation has already declared Mpox a “public health emergency of international concern”. While there’s no need to go into panic mode, it’s still best to take precautions when travelling because we don’t want our trips to get affected or infect anyone else, do we?

When buying travel insurance, it’s important to scour the full policy wording document—don’t just glance through the key features or look at only the price—and fine print, especially the exclusions. You can also use a comparison tool like our MoneySmart’s travel insurance comparison tool to check the latest updates and even risk of other infectious diseases at your destination. If in doubt, contact the insurer’s customer service to be sure. 

  Let’s take a closer look at the coverage offered by various travel insurance plans. The following information is correct as of 23 August 2024.

Insurers and infectious diseases: What’s covered by travel insurance?

In general, while many travel insurance plans now include COVID-19 coverage (make sure you double-check to be sure, or top-up your premium for the add-on), some still do not cover any other infectious disease, virus, bacterium or other microorganism (whether asymptomatic or not).

It’s also important to keep up to date with the news. Don’t buy the travel insurance AFTER hearing about the outbreak, because that will likely NOT be covered since it has become a known event.

By association, infectious diseases can also mean those that are sexually transmitted. Therefore, travel insurance does not cover AIDS, HIV, or anything related. You can usually find this clause under “General Exclusions” in the policy wording document.  

What is considered an infectious disease? 

According to the World Health Organisation , an “infectious disease is one that is caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi; the diseases can be spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another.” These infectious diseases can be deadly, cause disability, or spread so rapidly and unexpectedly that it can cause “serious global repercussions”.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s Ministry of Health has also outlined a list of infectious diseases that infected patients must notify doctors and laboratories of, ASAP.

Travel insurance that covers infectious diseases

Let’s look at the plans from the table above in more detail.

AIG Travel Guard Direct

AIG Travel Guard® Direct - Standard

[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   Get over S$105 worth of rewards: • Includes  S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and  Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased . • Plus, get up to S$40 via PayNow and S$30 Revolut cash reward with eligible premiums spent . T&Cs apply.   PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

Key Features

Voted TripZilla's Best Travel Insurance (Single Trip).

Up to S$250,000 in overseas COVID-19 related medical coverage if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 overseas.

Overseas quarantine allowance of up to S$100 per day per person for up to 14 days if you test positive for COVID-19 overseas and are unexpectedly placed into mandatory quarantine.

Up to S$1,500 if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have to postpone your trip.

Up to S$7,500 in curtailment costs if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 while travelling and need to return to Singapore earlier than planned.

This policy is protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). Coverage for your policy is automatic and no further action is required from you. For more information on the types of benefits that are covered under the scheme as well as the limits of coverage, where applicable, please contact AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd. or visit the AIG, GIA or SDIC websites (www.AIG.sg or www.gia.org.sg or www.sdic.org.sg).

Purchase your travel insurance with confidence and enjoy unlimited flexibility with AIG's Travel Guard® Direct

AIG offers a wallet-friendly Travel Guard Direct, available in Basic, Standard, Enhanced and Supreme. While this covers an infectious disease like COVID-19, there isn’t any coverage for epidemics or pandemics (so keep a close watch on the developing news on Mpox). High-risk countries and regions are also excluded, such as Cuba, Iran, Syria, North Korea or the Crimea region.   

One thing that’s unique, though, is that the AIG Travel Guard Direct actually covers short transit stops outside of the covered region. These are transit stops that do not necessitate entry into a country or require entry into a country only to connect to another international flight within 12 consecutive hours of arrival. 

Allianz Travel

Total Premium

Allianz Travel Silver

[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Enjoy an exclusive 57% off your policy premium   Get over S$110 worth of rewards: • Includes  S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon   and  Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased . • Plus, get  up to S$45  via PayNow with eligible premiums spent . T&Cs apply.   PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

Plans start from $28

All Plans Provide Unlimited Emergency Transportation (Includes Covid-19 Coverage)

Allianz Travel Insurance will cover you against medical costs, cancellations and curtailments due to COVID-19, or being impacted by other pandemic or epidemic, when you are diagnosed with the disease

24/7 Medical Assistance - helping you organise things like trusted medical expertise, appointments and making direct payments (to selected medical providers)

Frequent Travellers: Get covered for an unlimited number of trips with Annual Plans (up to 90 days’ duration each trip).

The Family Plan provides cover for you and the members of your family who are travelling with you on your journey. Insured persons may comprise a maximum of two adults, who need not be related. Insured persons may also include ANY number of dependents of the two named adults. Note that ALL insured persons, including dependents, must be named on the certificate of insurance.

Allianz Travel’s travel insurance is available in Basic, Silver and Platinum. This includes COVID-19 coverage, but otherwise, also doesn’t cover epidemics or pandemics, unless otherwise stated.

We like that all of Allianz Travel plans include COVID-19 Coverage, as well as 24/7 medical assistance that helps you organise things like trusted medical expertise, appointments and making direct payments (to selected medical providers).

Bubblegum Travel Insurance

[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Enjoy 10% off your policy premium   Get over S$90 worth of rewards: • Includes S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased. • Plus, get  up to S$25  via PayNow with eligible premiums spent . T&Cs apply.   PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

Bubblegum offers just 1 affordable plan to suit all your travel needs to maximise your savings

Overseas medical expenses up to $150,000 SGD (Covid-19 sub-limit of $65,000 included)

24-Hour global Emergency Assistance services including Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation

Covid-19 trip related cancellation/curtailment up to $600 SGD included

Adventurous activities like scuba diving and hot air ballooning are covered with no limit on depth or height.

While the affordable Bubblegum travel insurance includes COVID-19 coverage, this plan doesn’t cover any other infectious disease, virus, bacterium or other microorganism (whether asymptomatic or not). Likewise, there’s no coverage for a pandemic or epidemic, nor is there protection against any regulations such as border closures of a country, quarantine or other government orders, advisories, regulations or directives. However, this plan covers adventurous activities like scuba diving and hot air ballooning with no limit on depth or height!

DirectAsia Voyager

DirectAsia Voyager 250

[GIVEAWAY | FLASH DEAL | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Enjoy 40% off your policy premium.   Get up to   S$55 worth of UPSIZED rewards: • Includes  up to S$25  via PayNow and S$30 Revolut cash reward  with eligible premiums spent . T&Cs apply.   S$3,200 worth of gifts to be scored on top of existing rewards: • Samsonite Apinex 69/25 Luggage (worth S$600) when you are the 88th person to submit the MoneySmart Claim Form each week. T&Cs apply. • S$100 Revolut cash reward  when you are the  8th and 88th person  to sign up for a Revolut Account each week.  T&Cs apply.

Kids go free – up to four kids travel for free with a Family policy only (2 adults)

Matching kids limits – children enjoy the same coverage limits as adults

Optional coverage for Sports Equipment & Extreme Sports are only available for Annual Policies

Optional coverage for Single Trip Travel Insurance: Maid and COVID-19.

Emergency Dental – Accidental Dental treatment can be costly, so it is covered under the main medical expenses coverage which is higher than a separate dental benefit

The DirectAsia Voyager is available in 150, 250 and 500, each corresponding to the amount of medical coverage available. For this, there’s an optional COVID-19 cover add-on available, only for single-trip plans.

  There are also some conditions when it comes to bacterial or viral infections: These are only covered if the infection was contracted overseas and there was no health warning issued prior to your departure. The same goes for epidemics and pandemics: They are covered if it was unknown when you booked your trip/bought your insurance, whichever came later.

  Do note that transit through any excluded countries is not covered. These are Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Nepal, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Yemen. 

FWD Premium

[GIVEAWAY | FLASH SALE | MoneySmart Exclusive]   • Enjoy 25% off your policy premium. Valid till 15 Sep 2024.   Get over S$65 worth of rewards: • Includes  S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30   Trip.com Hotel Coupon and Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased . T&Cs apply.   S$3,200 worth of gifts to be scored on top of existing rewards: • Samsonite Apinex 69/25 Luggage (worth S$600) when you are the 88th person to submit the MoneySmart Claim Form each week. T&Cs apply. • S$100 Revolut cash reward  when you are the  8th and 88th person  to sign up for a Revolut Account each week.  T&Cs apply.

Enjoy cashless medical outpatient treatment in Singapore, access to emergency assistance and your travel policy documents through the FWD SG app!

Add on coverage for COVID-19 available for both Single & Annual Trips for travel period of 90 days or less.

Optional add on coverage available when your trip is cancelled for any reason for Single Trips. (To be purchased within 7 days of your initial trip deposit for your trip).

Optional add on coverage available for pre-existing Medical Conditions for Single Trips plans (up to 30 days) with S$50,000 coverage for medical expenses incurred overseas and 50% co-payment for trip cancellation, postponement and more!

FWD travel insurance plans are available in Premium, Business and First. These have COVID-19 cover as an add-on, and they do not include epidemics or pandemics. What’s interesting is that there is also a “cancel for any reason” add-on available (for single trips only), but this must be purchased within seven days of your initial trip deposit for your trip.

Do note that FWD will not pay any benefit for certain countries and regions (transit through airport included) that are Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Libya, Liberia, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, as well as the territories of Crimea including Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

  According to FWD, at the current alert level of Mpox, they can cover it under an optional add-on of “cancel for any reason”. Do continue to monitor the news and any official channels if you plan on travelling.

Great Eastern TravelSmart Premier

Great Eastern TravelSmart Premier Classic

[GIVEAWAY | MoneySmart Exclusive]    • Enjoy up to 30% off your policy premium. • Get S$30 Revolut cash reward  with every policy purchased .  T&Cs apply.    PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

Comprehensive worldwide protection with extensive medical coverage

Extended to coverage for travel inconveniences and medical expense due to COVID-19

One way coverage is available to your destination

Adventurous activities benefit - Complimentary benefits at no extra cost

Coverage for Emergency Dental Treatment, Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) and Chiropractor treatments

Protect against pregnancy-related conditions while you are overseas

Available in Classic and Elite, the Great Eastern TravelSmart Premier travel insurance is a bit more hefty in terms of price and overseas medical coverage. Of course, there are the usual exclusions such as epidemics and pandemics; but you can still get a COVID-19 extension with your plan.

Depending on your plan, there’s also an adventurous activities benefit where you can get complimentary benefits at no extra cost. Higher-tier plans also offer coverage for emergency dental, traditional Chinese medicine and even chiropractor treatments and pregnancy-related conditions (that many other plans don’t include).

  Note that the plan does not cover any country located in Central America, South America or Africa, or any country where United Nations armed forces are active in.

HL Assurance Travel Protect360

HL Assurance Travel Protect360 Basic

[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Enjoy 45% off your policy premium   Get over S$75 worth of rewards: • Includes  S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and  Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased . • Plus, get S$10 via PayNow and S$30 Revolut cash reward with eligible premiums spent . T&Cs apply.   PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

Be protected from Covid-19 with Travel Protect360 Enhance, Superior and Premier Plans. Basic plans do not cover Covid-19.

Be rewarded with No Claim Discount.* Get up to 10% off your NEXT Single Trip policy if you made no claims within 30 days from policy end date.

Be it loss of baggage or insolvency of travel agencies, our COVIDSafe Travel Protect360 ensures that you are well protected from travel cancellations, travel interruptions and other inconveniences

If you have to make changes to your trip due to the COVID-19 pandemic, COVIDSafe Travel Protect360 allows you to make adjustments to your policies.

HL Assurance offers four tiers of travel insurance plans: Basic, Superior, Enhanced and Premier. These plans (except Basic) include COVID-19 coverage, but not epidemics or pandemics. There is also no coverage for travel to certain countries, such as Afghanistan, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Sudan and Syria.  

Enjoy also a No-Claim Discount, where you can get up to 10% off your NEXT Single Trip policy if you made no claims within 30 days from the policy’s end date.

INCOME Standard Classic

[GIVEAWAY | MoneySmart Exclusive]   • Enjoy 55% off your Single Trip  policy premium. T&Cs apply.   Get over S$65 worth of rewards: • Includes S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased. T&Cs apply.    S$3,200 worth of gifts to be scored on top of existing rewards: • Samsonite Apinex 69/25 Luggage (worth S$600) when you are the 88th person to submit the MoneySmart Claim Form each week. T&Cs apply. • S$100 Revolut cash reward  when you are the  8th and 88th person  to sign up for a Revolut Account each week.  T&Cs apply.

Forgot to purchase after departure? With Income’s Travel Insurance, you can purchase it up to a day after you have departed from Singapore. (only applicable to Per-trip plans).

Coverage for adventurous activities including scuba diving, skiing, snowboarding, bungee jumping, sky diving, hiking, hot air balloon and more.

Coverage for unexpected travel delays not caused by you. (i.e. Unexpected late plane arrival or departure)

Coverage for overseas medical expenses including treatment by a Chinese medicine practitioner or a chiropractor incurred during your trip.

In the event that you get delayed overseas due to unforeseen circumstances, your policy will automatically be extended at no extra charges.

Coverage for you and your family with unlimited number of children insured when you opt for our Family cover.

Enjoy exclusive treats for Income policyholders at https://www.income.com.sg/treats

Income’s travel insurance plans include: Standard Classic, Standard Deluxe, *Enhanced* PreX Superior, and Enhanced PreX Prestige, where PreX stands for pre-existing health conditions.  

For these Income travel insurance plans, a COVID-19 extension is included for some. Last-minute holiday goers who forgot to purchase their travel insurance after departure can also do so with Income’s travel insurance plans (per-trip only). Just make sure you do so within a day after you have departed Singapore. 

MSIG TravelEasy

MSIG TravelEasy Standard

[GIVEAWAY | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]    • Enjoy up to 40% off your policy premium    Get over S$110 worth of rewards: • Includes  S$30 Revolut cash reward,   S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and  Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased . • Plus, get  up to S$45  via PayNow OR 1 x Apple AirTag (worth S$45.40) with eligible premiums spent . T&Cs apply.    PLUS, score  S$100 Revolut cash reward  in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the  8th and 88th person  to sign up for a Revolut Account each week.  T&Cs apply.

COVID-19 coverage of up to $150,000 medical cover and up to $1,500 travel inconvenience benefit for your trip protection.

Packaged tour coverage for insolvency of licensed travel agencies registered with the Singapore Tourism Board (includes NATAS registered travel agencies).

Get covered across all TravelEasy Plan types with a high limit of S$1,000,000 for emergency medical evacuation & repatriation

MSIG provides cover for insolvency of licensed travel agencies registered with the Singapore Tourism Board (includes NATAS registered travel agencies)

The MSIG TravelEasy travel insurance plan includes COVID-19 coverage, but naturally does not cover a pandemic or epidemic, as declared as such by the World Health Organisation or any governmental authority. Known events (such as virus outbreaks) are also not covered, so it’s likely that monkeypox won’t be covered if (touch wood) you go to a country where it’s rampant, and you get it.

According to MSIG, monkeypox is currently not a known event, thus Mpox is currently regarded as an illness unless it is declared by WHO as an epidemic or pandemic. This means that those who are fearful and want to pre-emptively cancel their holidays without a strong reason such as serious illness, won’t be able to claim. However, if Mpox escalates to epidemic or pandemic level, it will be excluded under MSIG’s travel policy coverage.

Singlife Travel

Singlife Travel Lite

[GIVEAWAY | FLASH DEAL | Receive your cash as fast as 30 days*]   • Enjoy 25% off your policy premium   Get over S$95 worth of rewards: • Includes S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased. • Plus, get  up to S$30  via PayNow with eligible premiums spent . T&Cs apply.   PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

Covers trip interruptions or cancellations due to COVID-19 and cover your medical treatment should you contract COVID-19 whilst overseas.

Covers rental vehicle excess up to S$500.

Payout of S$50** should your trip be affected by excessive rainfall.

**For single trips (minimum 3 days) where more than 50% of trip duration is affected by rainfall levels of >6.4mm in a 24-hour period.

Seamless claims experience with PayNow

Singlife Travel has Lite, Plus and Prestige plans available. COVID-19 cover extension for the higher tier plans is more than the Lite. It’s good that the policy wording documents remind travellers to take their recommended vaccinations or medications for tropical diseases, as well as warn against non-essential travel when there are travel advisories issued. These plans also don’t cover Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Sudan and Syria.   

Something else that’s cool: In addition to covering trip cancellation and trip curtailment for any reason (T&Cs apply), it also covers the loss of frequent flyer points, hotel points and credit card points, and includes payout should your trip be affected by excessive rainfall.

Sompo Travel Insurance

Sompo Travel Insurance Essential

Common travel insurance benefits such as personal accident, medical expenses overseas, travel delay, loss of personal belongings.

Protection against hefty overseas medical expenses, trip cancellation costs and other essential coverage if you are diagnosed with COVID-19

This Policy is only available to you if you are living in Singapore

Frankly, for Sompo Travel Insurance, while there’s Essential and Superior, the latter is a better deal with more coverage. Both plans include coverage for COVID-19, but there’s more coverage for the higher-priced one. Do keep an ear out for travel advisories as this won’t be covered, as well as travel in, to or through places that include Afghanistan, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan and Syria.  

By the way, snow/ice sports like leisure skiing and snowboarding (excludes off-piste snowboarding) are covered as well under the Premium plan. Hokkaido anyone? 

Starr TraveLead

Starr TraveLead Essential Silver

[GIVEAWAY | MoneySmart Exclusive]   • Enjoy 35% off your policy premium.   Get over S$65 worth of rewards: • Includes  S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30 Trip.com Hotel Coupon and an  Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased . T&Cs apply.   PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

For Cruise to nowhere insurance: Find out more here

Flexible coverage allows you to create a travel insurance plan with different types of coverage and add-ons that can adapt to your needs

Overseas Covid-19 related medical expenses of up to $30,000 SGD included (Excluding China).

Covers Travel Expenses for return of Child(ren) during the hospitalisation of the insured person.

24 hours Global Emergency Assistance Services help you when you need it most, connecting you with medical treatment and transportation

Seamless and Cashless claims via PayNow

Please note that travelling to Russia and Ukraine is not covered in Starr’s insurance with immediate effect.

Starr’s travel insurance plans come in Essential Silver, Comprehensive Silver, Essential Gold, and Comprehensive Gold. These plans include the extension of medical expenses for COVID-19. However, they exclude any loss or expenses about any other infectious disease, virus, bacterium or other microorganism (whether asymptomatic or not), as well as pandemics or epidemics. Travel to Russia and Ukraine is also not covered by Starr’s insurance.

  Starr’s plans also cover cruises. One unique selling point of Starr is that the insurer offers flexible coverage so you can create a travel insurance plan with different types of coverage and add-ons that can adapt to your needs. 

[GIVEAWAY | FLASH SALE | MoneySmart Exclusive]   • Enjoy 40% off your Single Trip policy premium and 80% off Covid-19 add-on for Annual Plans. T&Cs apply. Valid till 18 Sep 2024. • Get S$30 Revolut cash reward  with every policy purchased .  T&Cs apply.   PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards when you are the 8th and 88th person to sign up for a Revolut Account each week. T&Cs apply.

Comprehensive Covid-19 add-on, protecting you before, during and after your trip

Covers Cruise to Nowhere

Instant claims encashment via PayNow

24-hour worldwide emergency travel support

Get paid upon a 3-hour flight delay, even without submitting a claim

Tiq’s plans allow you to add on a comprehensive COVID-19 cover for peace of mind. Otherwise, they do not cover any infectious diseases. Take note of where you will be travelling, as Tiq’s coverage excludes countries in the Sanctioned Countries List, which include Congo, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen.

Zurich Travel Insurance 

Zurich Travel Insurance Basic

[GIVEAWAY | MoneySmart Exclusive]   • Enjoy up to 10% off your policy premium.   Get over S$65 worth of rewards: • Includes  S$30 Revolut cash reward, S$30   Trip.com Hotel Coupon and Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased . T&Cs apply.   S$3,200 worth of gifts to be scored on top of existing rewards: • Samsonite Apinex 69/25 Luggage (worth S$600) when you are the 88th person to submit the MoneySmart Claim Form each week. T&Cs apply. • S$100 Revolut cash reward  when you are the  8th and 88th person  to sign up for a Revolut Account each week.  T&Cs apply.   Don't let flight delays ruin your experience, enjoy free lounge access with Zurich Travel Insurance Essential or Prestige plans.

Covers adventurous activities and S$200,000 for terrorism.

Covers up to S$100,000 for accidental death and permanent disablement and S$500,000 for personal liability.

Covers up to S$50,000 for overseas medical expenses incurred during your trip.

Complimentary Covid-19 coverage up to S$50,000 for overseas medical expenses due to Covid-19. Protecting you against unexpected expenses and disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Enjoy 24/7 worldwide emergency travel assistance for medical emergencies, lost documents, or travel guidance.

For no-frills travel insurance, there’s Zurich Travel Insurance that includes complimentary COVID-19 coverage *of up to $50,000 for the Basic plan. The insurer offers 24/7 worldwide emergency travel assistance for medical emergencies, lost documents, or travel guidance.

According to Zurich, Mpox would need to have occurred within 60 days of the customers’ departure date, with the policy purchased three days before departure before a claim is valid.

So, does travel insurance cover infectious diseases?

To a certain extent, yes. As we have seen, most plans cover COVID-19, which is considered to be an infectious disease. However, once it is on the epidemic or pandemic scale, it will be excluded. Also, the infectious disease cannot be a known event. For example, if there is a known possibility of contracting monkeypox in Africa (certain countries are usually excluded by many insurers), then your trip there and any medical bills involving the infectious disease will not be covered.

In short, remember to do your due diligence, read the news, get all your vaccination shots, and scrutinise the policy wording documents of your insurance before buying. 

Found this article useful? Share it with your family and friends before their next trip.

About the author

Audrey Ng  is a bargain hunter who tries to sniff out the best deals possible whether it’s food, shopping or travel. She will out auntie the auntiest of aunties.

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What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

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Table of Contents

What is covered by travel insurance

Extras you can add to a travel insurance policy, what does travel insurance not cover, how to pick the right policy for your trip, if you want to understand travel insurance coverage.

If something goes wrong during a trip, your savings account could take a serious hit if you don’t have travel insurance. Flight cancellations, lost baggage or an accident can throw a wrench into your carefully made plans and cost a lot to rectify.

On the other hand, knowing that your trip is protected can help put your mind at ease before, during and after a vacation. But exactly what does travel insurance cover? Let’s find out.

Most plans typically cover a range of trip protections, including accidental death and dismemberment, baggage delay or loss, emergency medical coverage and evacuation, trip cancellation, delay or interruption and more. Here's a closer look at each one.

Accidental death and dismemberment

Accidental death and dismemberment insurance provides coverage for death or losing a limb or eyesight as a result of an accident. Note that death from natural causes, illness or by suicide isn’t covered, so it’s not the same thing as a life insurance policy.

Baggage delay

Baggage delay insurance reimburses the cost of essentials, such as clothes, toiletries or a phone charger, that you may need to purchase if your bag is delayed. Your baggage must be delayed over a certain number of hours to receive coverage — typically the range is from six to 24 hours, depending on the policy.

Baggage loss

Insurance for baggage loss reimburses the cost of your suitcase and belongings should a checked bag become lost, stolen or damaged during a covered trip.

Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation

This benefit covers the cost associated with medical evacuation if you have a medical emergency and you can’t be treated at the facility closest to you. It will cover transport costs to another hospital or your home country, if necessary, and also includes transportation of remains.

» Learn more: Travel medical insurance: Emergency coverage while you travel internationally

Missed connection

A missed connection benefit covers extra expenses if a common carrier delay causes you to miss an organized tour or a cruise, for example, and you need to pay extra to catch up to it at the next port of call.

Reinstate frequent traveler awards

If you paid for a trip with airline miles or hotel points and it is subsequently canceled, this benefit will cover any fees required to redeposit your rewards back to your frequent traveler account.

Trip cancellation

Trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for prepaid nonrefundable costs if you must cancel a trip for a covered reason. Reasons that are typically covered include:

Sickness or death of a family member.

Financial insolvency.

Natural disaster.

Airline strike.

Inclement weather.

Military duty.

Stolen passport or visa.

Loss of employment.

Trip delay covers costs associated with transportation, meals or lodging should your common carrier be delayed, as well as reimbursement of any prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. Trip delay coverage takes effect after a specified period of time depending on the policy, but typically ranges from five to 12 hours.

» Learn more: What you need to know about Chase’s trip delay insurance

Trip interruption

Trip interruption insurance reimburses you for unused, nonrefundable costs in the event you must cut the trip short and return home for a covered reason, including a family member’s sickness or death, terrorism, inclement weather or a natural disaster, among others.

Travel insurance plans usually don’t include coverage for every possible thing that can go wrong, but you can add optional extras to your policy for an upcharge. Check to see if your plan has the following types of coverage, and if you think you need it, you can add it in or buy a more inclusive policy.

Cancel For Any Reason

If you change your mind and decide not to go on a trip you’ve booked, you typically can’t get reimbursed for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses — unless you purchase a cancel for any reason policy separately. Depending on the policy, you usually get a portion of your prepaid expenses back (typically 50% to 75%), but you must purchase the policy within 10 to 21 days of initial payment. Note that cancel for any reason isn’t the same as trip cancellation listed above.

Rental car collision damage waiver

If your rental car is damaged or stolen, rental car insurance will protect you from having to pay for the damage or theft. Many credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , offer rental car collision damage insurance, so check whether the cards you hold have this benefit before adding it to a policy.

Pre-existing conditions

If you need coverage for a pre-existing medical condition, you must purchase a policy within the time specified by the insurance provider to be eligible for a pre-existing conditions waiver (usually ten to 21 days). Make sure that the coverage amount you enter is equal to all prepaid, nonrefundable costs for your trip.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies right now

Quarantine accommodations

This coverage is often part of trip delay insurance, but some providers include it and some don’t. For example, the Safe Travels Voyager plan offered by Trawick International covers lodging expenses in case you get sick with COVID-19 and have to quarantine abroad before flying home safely.

» Learn more: Travel insurance may not cover COVID-19 — unless you upgrade

Travel insurance offers coverage for many situations, but not all. Some scenarios aren’t covered by a travel policy, including:

A named storm: Most travel plans protect you from hassles stemming from inclement weather. However, a policy needs to be purchased before a tropical storm or weather event is named. If you purchase coverage after a natural disaster has begun, it won’t be covered.

Activities performed under the influence: Drug and alcohol use are a notable exception to most travel policies. If you fall off an ATV because you drank a few alcoholic beverages or took drugs before operating a vehicle, you’re no longer covered.

Extreme sports: Some high-risk sports, such as bungee jumping, scuba diving or rock climbing, aren’t covered by a comprehensive travel insurance plan. However, you can buy a separate policy for the specific adrenaline activities you’re planning to do on your vacation from World Nomads , for example.

Fear of travel because of a pandemic or another reason: This is something that would be covered under a “cancel for any reason” add-on, but a general travel policy won’t cover fear of travel.

Medical tourism: Seeking dental work in Mexico or a hair transplant in Turkey? Keep in mind that your medical expenses for elective procedures aren’t covered by a plan with emergency medical coverage.

Pregnancy: If you want to cancel a trip because you’re pregnant, you can do so only if you purchased the plan before you became pregnant. Otherwise, it’s not a covered reason. Additionally, medical costs incurred while on a trip during pregnancy might or might not be covered (check with your insurance provider).

» Learn more: What to know before you buy travel insurance

The length of trip, your age and the destination all factor into how much a policy will cost. The coverage types and their limits also influence the price tag.

Types of coverage and limits

Take a look at the terms of each policy and determine the type of coverage you need the most. Compare the coverage details and limits with the cost. If you hold a travel credit card , familiarize yourself with its benefits as some of the trip protections might be redundant.

Single trip vs. annual plan

For frequent travelers, an annual plan offers the most bang for your buck — it costs less money versus purchasing insurance for multiple single trips. An annual policy covers long international trips as well as short domestic trips in between, so you can have peace of mind all year long. But everything isn’t always included in a multi-trip plan, the coverage limits are lower and you may not be covered for pre-existing conditions.

Individual vs. family

When shopping for a quote, include everyone traveling in your party and their ages before you submit the trip details. Note that some insurance providers include free coverage for children 21 and younger if a parent is the primary policyholder.

» Learn more: 10 best travel insurance companies

Because coverage varies among the different insurance providers and policies, make sure to read over the policy terms carefully, especially if you’re looking for a specific type or amount of coverage.

If you’re still not sure whether a specific event or activity would be covered, call the insurance company and chat with a customer service representative. It’s better to be aware of what’s covered and what isn’t before you need to (but hopefully don’t have to) file a claim.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

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

on Chase's website

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

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

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

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

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

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