Best Travel Insurance Companies of 2024

View the Best Travel Insurance Providers for Specific Trips

The above chart showcases the best travel insurance companies among all Squaremouth customers this year.

However, no two trips are identical. A policy that would work for one trip may not work for another—location, age, members traveling, and cost all play a huge role. That’s why we recommend considering all factors beyond price when selecting protection for your journey. Whether it’s a leisure trip or a multi-country international adventure, tailoring your protection can make or break your trip. To help you narrow your options, explore the links below to find the best travel insurance providers based on your journey:

• Best Travel Medical Insurance Companies
• Best International Travel Insurance Companies
• Best Travel Insurance Companies for Seniors
• Best Travel Insurance Companies for Cruises

The Best Travel Insurance Benefits You Should Consider

A travel insurance policy consists of a collection of benefits that outline what expenses and scenarios will be covered.

Most travel insurance plans are comprehensive and protect against common disruptions, but some providers have unique methodologies or customizable plans, which is helpful if a vacation turns sour. If the worst-case scenario becomes reality, many providers make it easy to file a claim. For example, this year, 22% of claims filed required the Trip Cancellation benefit, and 25% of claims were filed under the Emergency Medical benefit.

To help you know what to add on and what to look for, consider the following benefits to include in your travel insurance policy:

Emergency Medical

Experiencing a medical emergency while traveling is the primary concern for most customers, especially Americans taking an international trip. This is mainly because most U.S. healthcare policies don’t offer coverage overseas.

The Emergency Medical benefit acts as health insurance while you travel, covering hospital stays, doctor visits, and any other unexpected medical expenses you may face while you’re away. As a baseline, you should consider plans that offer at least $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage. Exclusions, deductibles, and coverage limits will vary by policy.

Also, remember that when you travel outside the USA, your domestic health insurance may not cover you, so you will be responsible for healthcare costs out of pocket.

Medical Evacuation

Another popular travel medical benefit is Medical Evacuation, which provides coverage in the event you need to be emergency transported to the nearest adequate medical facility. This coverage is especially important if you’re taking a cruise, participating in adventurous activities, or visiting a remote destination.

Some destinations, although fascinating, can be dangerous and could require an emergency medical evacuation. Emergency evacuations, such as being airlifted, are expensive, so we recommend policies that include coverage limits of at least $100,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage.

Trip Cancellation

With the cost of travel rising, travelers are increasingly concerned about recouping their travel expenses if they need to cancel their trip before departure. Trip Cancellation is included in comprehensive travel insurance policies. It is designed to protect your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you must cancel your travel plans for a covered reason.

Most trip Cancellation insurance plans cover reasons such as unforeseen injury or illness, a death of a family member, and natural disasters at your destination, among other reasons.

The cost of travel insurance policies with Trip Cancellation coverage is typically 5-10% of your insured trip costs. The high premium is worth it in the event you need to unexpectedly cancel your trip at the last-minute.

Cancel For Any Reason

You may consider adding Cancel for Any Reason to your travel protection for additional trip cancellation coverage. CFAR coverage is an optional add-on that can partially reimburse your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs if you cancel for a reason not covered by your policy.

CFAR is a time-sensitive benefit that must be purchased 10-14 days after your initial trip deposit. Adding this benefit will increase your policy’s premium by 40-50%.

Trip Delay

Roughly a quarter of all flights are delayed. Luckily, most travel insurance policies include Travel Delay coverage that provides reimbursement for food and accommodations if your travel schedule is significantly pushed back.

Many policies also include Missed Connection coverage that can reimburse you if a delay forces you to miss a connecting flight and make new travel arrangements.

Baggage Protection

Airlines mishandle millions of bags each year. Travel insurance policies often cover lost luggage, as well as damaged or stolen luggage. However, the coverage and reimbursements are usually limited, so we recommend insuring expensive items in other ways.

Baggage Delay coverage is another popular benefit that offers protection for personal belongings. If your luggage is delayed en route to your destination, this benefit can reimburse you for clothes, toiletries, and other necessities.

Pre-Existing Condition

Pre-existing medical conditions are commonly excluded from travel insurance coverage. However, some travel medical plans will include a Pre-Existing Condition waiver, ultimately removing this exclusion, meaning you’ll be eligible for coverage.

With Pre-Existing Condition coverage, you can be reimbursed for medical care relating to a prevalent medical issue when you purchased your policy. It’s important to note that this is also a time-sensitive benefit, and pre-existing medical conditions may be subject to a lookback period.

Other Unique Travel Insurance Benefits

Depending on your trip and desired level of coverage, you may also want to consider the following, less common benefits:

• Adventure Sports Coverage: Extends medical benefits to adventurous travelers participating in activities typically excluded from basic plans.
• Sports Equipment: Included in adventure policies, this benefit covers you if your sports equipment is delayed, lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip.
• Rental Car Damage: While rare, select plans will cover damage to car rentals up to a specified amount.
• 24 Hour Emergency Assistance: All travel insurance providers on Squaremouth offer travel assistance to support you for the duration of your trip.

Tips on Finding the Best Travel Insurance Policy For Your Trip

There are more ways to protect your trip from world trips to weekend getaways than ever. Knowing what to focus on can save you time and money when looking for a policy. Here are a few essential tips to consider when you begin your search.

Review Your Itinerary

Your travel plans will play a significant role in determining which policy is the right fit for you. Understanding where you’re going, how you’re getting there, and what you plan on doing while you’re away will help you identify the areas of your trip that pose the most significant risks.

For example, a travel insurance policy designed to cover adventure activities may be optional if you plan on lounging on the beach. If your trip involves connecting flights, you should focus on policies that offer assistance services or provide higher coverage for delays and missed connections.

Determine What Coverage You Already Have

You may already have trip protection on your travel credit card. Many credit card companies offer these perks to attract new customers and provide existing cardholders with financial security while they travel. However, it’s important to remember that very few credit cards offer comprehensive medical coverage, and most will only cover expenses made using the card.

If you find out that your current coverage is limited or there are coverage gaps—either through your credit card, health insurance, or even employer benefits—supplementing with a travel insurance policy makes sense.

Travel insurance can help fill gaps in protection, especially if medical care and health benefits are at the top of your list. It also helps provide peace of mind around losing out on prepaid, non-refundable expenses if your trip needs to be canceled for your reasons or those out of your control.

So, just review your card and consider a travel insurance policy if there are gaps.

Compare Policies From Multiple Travel Insurance Companies

The only way to know if you’re getting the best bang for your buck on a policy is to compare plans and coverage amounts from multiple providers. Things like premium, upgrades, and the level of coverage a policy provides can vary from one plan to the next.

As a rule of thumb, we recommend comparing plans from at least 3-4 different travel insurance companies before you make a purchase. Using a travel insurance comparison tool like Squaremouth allows you to easily see how plans compete side-by-side.

Consider Provider Reviews & Ratings

Most travel insurance companies are not necessarily household names. Unless you purchase travel insurance frequently, you’ll likely have questions about the reliability and trustworthiness of the brands you encounter.

We suggest taking time to read reviews from past travelers. This can provide valuable insight into a provider’s ability to provide customer support before, during, and after a trip. A provider’s AM Best Rating can also highlight their ability to pay their claims.

What Type of Travel Insurance Is Right For You?

Trip protection can come in multiple forms. However, from a bird’s eye view, there are two main types of coverage options you should know about when you buy travel insurance.

Single-Trip

Single-trip plans are by far the most popular among travelers, and will be the type of policy you encounter most often. Single-trip plans, as the name suggests, are designed to cover you for the entirety of one trip, from the moment you leave home to the moment you return.

Single-trip plans provide a simple solution to travelers that want financial protection and peace of mind heading into a trip. If you want to protect your trip costs, single-trip plans are the only type of travel insurance that will include Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage.

Annual Travel Insurance

Annual plans, also known as multi-trip travel insurance, feature similar coverage to single-trip policies, but take a different approach to coverage. Rather than covering individual trips, an Annual travel insurance policy will cover you for a total of 365 days regardless of how often you travel.

These plans can be cost-effective and convenient for frequent flyers. While these plans typically provide coverage for other common disruptions such as medical emergencies, delays, and mishandled luggage, very few offer cancellation benefits.

The Bottom Line: How to Find the Best Travel Inusrance

Finding the right travel insurance doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by thinking about your trip—where you’re going, your activities, total trip costs, and how you’re getting there. This will help you spot the coverage you need.

Ultimately, you may see no absolute “best” policy. Instead, there’s just the best travel insurance policy that meets your or your group’s coverage needs, fits your budget, and provides peace of mind. These factors can vary dramatically from one traveler to the next.

If you have more questions, check out our travel insurance providers page, where you can learn more about AM Best Ratings and how they can help you select a provider and read reviews from other travelers like yourself.