COVID-19 Pandemic
We understand travelers are concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic. Certain Trip Cancellation, Emergency Medical and Cancel For Any Reason benefits may still be available, however coverage is limited. Our Guide to Travel Insurance for the COVID-19 Pandemic explains what coverage can still be purchased, and options for current policyholders.
Find out moreQuickly Compare and Buy Travel Insurance
Using Squaremouth’s comparison engine, you can search, compare, and buy coverage
from every major provider in the United States.
Squaremouth helps travelers quickly search, compare, and buy travel insurance. Our goal is to help every customer find the best policy for their trip for the lowest possible price. Once you have entered your trip details and traveler information into our comparison engine, you will be presented a list of all available policies for your trip. We recommend sorting policies by least expensive to most expensive, and using our side-by-side comparison tool to choose the least expensive policy that matches your coverage needs.
There are two primary reasons travelers buy travel insurance: to protect their financial investment through Trip Cancellation coverage, or to protect themselves from costly medical expenses in the event of an accident or emergency during their trip. However, the policies on Squaremouth.com are comprehensive and are designed to cover a wide range of other traveler concerns.
Squaremouth provides a list of countries that require travel medical insurance, for Covid-19
or other reasons, and explains which standards you must meet to enter each country.
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted just about every country in the world, and has changed the way travelers think. With that, the pandemic has led to many new regulations that travelers must follow to enter certain countries. This includes coverage for medical expenses in the event a traveler contracts the virus, and may also include other specific requirements like coverage for a quarantine.
Even before the pandemic, requiring travel insurance for medical emergencies had been a growing trend, as many countries around the world were already implementing these regulations for foreign travelers to gain entry into the country.
View Country RequirementsFeatured Articles
Our number one goal is to be as helpful as possible for our customers. Our topic experts analyze trends and changes in the industry to answer your questions.
In general, the cost for a comprehensive policy with Trip Cancellation is typically between 5% and 10% of the total trip cost. Travelers who choose not to insure the cost of their trip can expect to pay much less.
What is the cost of travel insurance?The financial cost of traveling can be significant, as airfare, hotels, and other trip activities can compound quickly. Adding to that total by buying trip insurance may not sound great, but it can help travelers save a lot of money.
Is travel insurance worth it?Important Travel Insurance Information
Here are some of our most frequently asked questions from travelers like you.
Can I Buy Coverage for Covid-19?
Some policies can protect travelers’ trip investments if the Covid-19 pandemic causes them to cancel their trip for medical or economic reasons. If a traveler contracts the virus, or is quarantined, Trip Cancellation coverage may apply. As the pandemic impacted the global economy, many people are experiencing changing work requirements or unexpected terminations. Certain policies may include coverage for these specific events within Trip Cancellation. For any other concerns related to the pandemic, the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is the best option for travelers with recently purchased trips.
For detailed and frequently updated coverage information, please review our Covid-19 Travel Insurance Guide.
What Does Travel Insurance Cover?
Travel insurance is designed to cover a variety of events that may cause a financial loss before or during your trip. This can include an illness or injury preventing you from traveling, severe weather impacting your travel plans, or a medical emergency that occurs during your trip, among others. Most policies are comprehensive and are built specifically with travelers’ main concerns in mind, including coverage for trip cancellations, medical emergencies, flight delays, and lost luggage. While most policies include many of the same benefits, the specific coverage varies. To make sure you have the coverage you need and select the best policy for your next trip, it’s important to read each policy’s documentation to understand what benefits are included.
When Should I Buy a Policy for my Trip?
Many travelers think they can buy insurance anytime before their trip, and assume they will be covered if anything happens that impacts their travel plans. However, the best time to buy a policy depends on the benefits and the type of coverage you are interested in. Although Trip Cancellation policies can be purchased up until the day before they leave, we recommend travelers who want cancellation benefits buy as soon as possible, because only unforeseen events can be covered. Travelers who primarily want medical coverage during their trip should buy anytime prior to the day before they leave, unless they need Pre-Existing Condition coverage. Travelers who are interested in specific time-sensitive benefits, such as Pre-Existing Condition coverage or Cancel For Any Reason, must buy a policy within 14-21 days of making their initial trip deposit.
How Does Travel Insurance Work?
Trip insurance is designed to protect travelers in case something goes wrong before or during their trip, such as a cancellation or medical emergency. Your policy can reimburse you if your trip is impacted for a covered reason, including benefits that provide coverage in the event of an emergency before your trip that forces you to cancel, as well as benefits in the event something occurs while you are traveling. To get a quote, enter your trip details into Squaremouth’s search form, which will then generate a list of all available policies for your trip. Once you buy a policy, the benefits included within that policy will become effective at midnight that day. If you have any questions about your coverage during your trip, you can contact your provider’s 24-hour Emergency Assistance department for immediate help or information about how your policy’s benefits work.
Who Needs Travel Insurance?
Most policies are designed to cover the most common traveler concerns, including trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and travel delays. Travelers who buy coverage want to protect themselves from a financial loss before or during their trip.
A policy with Trip Cancellation protects a traveler’s financial investment if they are unable to travel for a covered reason. A trip insurance policy can cover 100% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses if you have to cancel for a reason listed in the policy. In addition to cancellation benefits, many travelers need medical coverage while they are traveling. A travel medical insurance policy can provide medical benefits at an affordable premium for travelers who don’t have medical coverage at their destination, or for those who just want additional coverage outside of their primary health insurance.
How Much Does a Policy Usually Cost?
The cost of a policy depends on four primary factors: the trip cost, the age of the travelers, the length of the trip, and the amount of coverage included within the policy. While the premium calculation varies between providers and coverage, a standard policy with Trip Cancellation coverage will typically cost between 5% and 10% of the total trip cost. A policy without an insured trip cost will likely be significantly less expensive. Because the cost varies by policy, Squaremouth always recommends the least expensive policy with the coverage you need.
