BCBS Global Solutions Travel Insurance

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Sell Travel Insurance?

Blue Cross Blue Shield has offered travel health insurance for nearly 30 years. In 1997, it founded Highway to Health to help U.S.-based travelers find quality healthcare worldwide. This eventually became GeoBlue Travel Insurance, which was rebranded as Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions in 2025.

Today, BCBS Global Solutions offers policyholders access to a trusted network of healthcare providers in more than 190 countries, a very rare perk for travelers that only one other provider offers, along with multilingual 24/7 travel assistance and telehealth services.

Squaremouth offers 4 travel medical insurance policies from BCBS Global Solutions, comprising single-trip and annual options. These plans include strong medical coverage, low average premiums, and a generous Free Look Period.

Does Geoblue Travel Insurance Still Exist?

Yes, GeoBlue Travel Insurance still exists. The company was rebranded as BCBS Global Solutions in 2025. Aside from the name change, it offers the same 4 plans under new names:

• Trekker Essential → Multi-Trip Gold
• Trekker Choice → Multi-Trip Platinum
• Voyager Essential → Single Trip Gold
• Voyager Choice → Single Trip Platinum

Our Take: BCBS Global Solutions is a strong choice for travelers who need last-minute medical coverage that includes pre-existing conditions. You’ll get highly rated customer service and access to a rare international medical network that can pay providers directly. But it won’t cover your trip costs if you need to cancel due to a pre-existing condition.

Pros & Cons of BlueCross BlueShield Travel Insurance

Is Blue Cross Travel Insurance Good?

BCBS is a good fit for international travelers, people on longer trips, students and business travelers, who prioritize medical coverage while away from home. Its plans are particularly useful for people with pre-existing conditions who need coverage at the last minute, but may not be the best choice for those who want to protect prepaid trip costs.

Why BCBS Global Travel Insurance stands out:

• Potential for direct payment abroad: BCBS has a large network of physicians in over 190 countries that can bill the issuer directly. When you receive care for an in-network physician, you may be able to avoid paying upfront and waiting for reimbursement.
• Flexible pre-existing condition coverage: 3 out of 4 of its plans offer pre-existing condition coverage for people with primary health insurance, with no time-sensitive purchase window. This makes it a standout choice for people with pre-existing conditions who need coverage and missed the eligibility window on other policies.
• High medical coverage limits: Its annual travel insurance plans have some of the highest medical limits on our site.
• Highly-rated customer service: BCBS has the highest customer service rating of all our providers, making it a strong option for travelers who value support when navigating medical care abroad.

The main drawback of BCBS travel insurance is that it doesn’t include Trip Cancellation coverage, and won’t cover your prepaid trip costs if you need to cancel due to an illness or injury. Also, medical coverage is secondary and has strict limits on hazardous activities, so it is not a top choice for adventure travelers.

Ready to explore your options? Compare BCBS Global Solutions plans against other top providers.

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How Does BCBS’s Global Network of Hospitals Work?

BCBS has a network of physicians in over 190 countries that can bill BCBS directly, saving you from having to pay upfront and file a claim. This is a major advantage of BCBS insurance, since most travel insurers require you to pay out-of-pocket and wait for reimbursement. BCBS is one of two insurers on our site with a direct-pay network.

BCBS also offers around-the-clock telemedicine support. You can use its telemedicine line for medical advice, and even treatment, diagnoses, and prescriptions for minor medical issues with no out-of-pocket costs.

Which Blue Cross Travel Insurance Plan Should I Choose?

The right BCBS plan for you depends on how often you travel, whether you have a pre-existing condition, and how much medical coverage you want. Start by deciding whether you need single-trip or annual coverage. BCBS’s multi-trip plans cost about 3 times as much as its single-trip plans, so may be a better value if you travel more than 3 times per year.

Here’s which plan to consider for your needs:

• Single Trip Gold excl US: Healthy travelers on a single international trip
• Single Trip Platinum excl US: Travelers on a single trip with a pre-existing condition
• Multi-Trip Gold excl US: People who frequently travel internationally and want strong travel health insurance
• Multi-Trip Platinum excl US: People who frequently travel internationally and want the highest Emergency Medical limit

Compare All Plan Details

Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Offer Enough Medical Coverage for International Trips?

BCBS’s annual plans automatically meet our recommended limits for international travel insurance: $100,000 for Emergency Medical coverage and $250,000 for Medical Evacuation coverage. BCBS’s Single-Trip plans don’t immediately meet this limit for Emergency Medical coverage, but you can purchase an upgrade to increase coverage to the recommended amount.

Does BCBS Offer Primary or Secondary Medical Coverage?

BCBS offers secondary medical coverage on all its plans. This means that, if you have primary health insurance that covers medical care outside the U.S., your primary insurer will need to process your claim first, and then BCBS will reimburse costs not covered by your primary insurer. This can lengthen the claims process, since claims must be coordinated between insurers.

Is BCBS Global Solutions’ Secondary Medical Coverage A Dealbreaker?

Secondary medical coverage is not necessarily a dealbreaker because BCBS’s direct pay model means your policy can function like primary coverage by paying directly for your in-network care at the time of service. This makes it unique in the travel insurance industry, functioning as both primary and secondary coverage, depending on the scenario.

In some cases, BCBS will reach out to your primary insurer to coordinate benefits if necessary.

However, it’s unlikely that your U.S. health insurance will pay for treatment, since most U.S. health insurance policies, including Medicare, don’t cover medical care abroad.

What Do Customer Reviews Say About Blue Cross Blue Shield Travel Insurance?

BCBS has a strong reputation on all measures, including an A (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best, an A+ rating from the BBB, and excellent ratings from customers on its customer service before, during, and after the trip. It is the highest-rated provider on our site, with especially high marks for pre-trip support. This is due, in part to a generous Free Look period that lets you modify or cancel your policy for a free refund up until the effective date.

Customers also praise BCBS’s customer support while traveling, including its telemedicine line, which provides medical guidance while traveling. As with any provider, a few reviewers report unexpected denials and slow claims processing. Despite these complaints, it has an overall excellent rating for customer service after the claim.

How Does Blue Cross Travel Insurance Compare to Other Travel Insurance Providers?

BCBS fares well against other providers on its pre-existing coverage, pricing, and its Free look period. BCBS offers one of the most generous policies for pre-existing condition coverage. You’re fully covered for any pre-existing condition at any time of purchase up to the day before departure, as long as you have primary health insurance. No other provider offers this.

BCBS also offers lower-than-average pricing for medical-only insurance, especially compared to comprehensive travel insurance, and a generous Free Look period, although it’s not the cheapest provider. On the other hand, its Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation limits are far from the highest, and can be especially low on single-trip plans.

For example, BCBS’s Single Trip Platinum plan offers lower limits for Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation than some competing plans. It’s also more expensive on average than comparable plans from IMG and WorldTrips. However, these alternatives offer more limited pre-existing conditions, or put a time limit on purchasing coverage. For travelers who need broader protection for pre-existing conditions, BCBS may be worth the higher price.

What Do BCBS Single Trip Plans Cover?

BCBS Single Trip plans cover Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation, as well as Trip Interruption, Baggage Loss, and AD&D. The main difference between the two is that Platinum covers pre-existing conditions, while Gold does not. Gold also has lower AD&D coverage.

What Do BCBS Annual Plans Cover?

BCBS’s annual plans offer mostly the same coverages as the single trip plans, but with higher Emergency Medical limits, pre-existing condition coverage on both plans, and no Trip Interruption coverage. Its Multi-Trip Platinum plan offers higher medical limits than its Gold plan, plus coverage for Baggage Loss and AD&D.

Tips for using Blue Cross Blue Shield While Traveling Internationally

• Call the 24/7 Assistance line before seeking medical care, unless it’s an emergency. BCBS’s representatives can confirm benefits and help you find in-network care. If you can’t call immediately, call as soon as possible. Prior authorization is a requirement for Medical Evacuation.
• Use BCBS’s telemedicine line for minor issues. You can talk to a doctor remotely via the BCBS app to get treatment for minor issues like sore throat, rash, or problems with a prescription, and save yourself a trip to a clinic.
• Be prepared to pay upfront for medical care. Even with BCBS’s wide provider network, it may not always be possible to find a doctor in-network. Also, there may be cases where you have to pay out-of-pocket even with in-network providers.
• Collect documents as you go. Make sure you keep track of all itemized bills, diagnoses, proofs of payment, copies of medical records, and receipts for prescriptions. You’ll need these to make a claim.
• Follow up on your claims and keep copies of documents. Save everything you submit, along with the date and a note of who you spoke to on each call, so you can follow up if your claim is delayed.