Best travel insurance companies of September 2024 (2024)

Best travel insurance of 2024

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

Best travel insurance companies

Heidi’s expert take:

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

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Heidi’s expert take:

“The Worldwide Trip Protector plan provides rare non-medical evacuation benefits of up to $150,000. If you’re traveling to an area at risk of a political, security or national disaster, this emergency evacuation coverage could help get you back to safety.”

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Heidi’s expert take:

“If you want missed connections coverage for any trip, I recommend buying a plan like TravelSafe Classic. It offers up to $2,500 in missed connection coverage and doesn’t restrict this benefit to cruises and tours like many policies do.”

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Heidi’s expert take:

“If you’re looking for abudget travel insurance policy, Go Ready Choice may fit the bill. It has comparably low coverage limits, but if you have health insurance that will cover you on your trip, its $50,000 in secondary medical coverage may be sufficient.”

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Heidi’s expert take:

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

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Heidi’s expert take:

“If you’re traveling with kids, I recommend looking for a plan that will cover them for free, like Travelex. The number of children you can add to a Travelex policy is unlimited and they’ll get travel protection at no additional cost.”

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Heidi’s expert take:

“You can add riders to your AIG travel insurance policy to maximize your coverage. Choose from these bundles: adventure sports, medical, pet, quarantine, security and wedding. You may also want to add “cancel for any reason” coverage and rental vehicle damage coverage.”

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Heidi’s expert take:

“Nationwide Choice Cruise has protections for cruisers when it comes to prepaid expenses. But its emergency medical coverage is secondary, which means you’d have to file medical claims with your health insurance first. Since your health insurance won’t help you at sea, I recommend cruisers look for cruise travel insurance with primary medical coverage instead.”

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

Compare the best travel insurance plans

Heidi’s expert take:

“Here are my tips on how to buy travel insurance that gets you the most coverage for the lowest price:

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

Heidi Gollub, Managing Editor of Insurance, USA TODAY Blueprint

What is the best travel insurance?

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

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

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

Best travel insurance for cruises

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

Best travel insurance for COVID-19

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

Best travel insurance for “cancel for any reason”

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

Best travel insurance for seniors

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

How much is travel insurance?

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

How much you pay for travel insurance will depend on:

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

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

Looking to save? Discover cheap travel insurance options.

How much travel insurance should I buy?

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

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

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

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

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

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

When should I buy travel insurance?

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

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

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

Expert tip: You can buy travel insurance up to the day before you leave on your trip, but waiting may cost you the opportunity to qualify for a pre-existing conditions exclusion waiver or to buy a “cancel for any reason” upgrade.

Where can I buy travel insurance?

You can buy a travel insurance plan:

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

Travel insurance trends in 2024

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

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

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

Best travel insurance FAQs

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

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

• Spirit Airlines scrubs 60% of its Wednesday flights, says cancellations will drop ‘in the days to come.’
• 'Just a parade of incompetency': Spirit Airlines passengers with 'nightmare' stories want more than apology, $50 vouchers
• ‘This is not our proudest moment’: Spirit Airlines CEO says more flight cancellations expected this weekend
• Hurricane Irma: Flight cancellations top 12,500; even more expected
• Is an annual travel insurance policy right for you?
• How 2020 and COVID-19 changed travel forever – and what that means for you
• COVID-19 or delta variant have you ready to scrap your trip? Here’s how to cancel like a pro
• Sunday: Snow is over, but flight cancellations top 12,000
• After nearly 13,000 Harvey cancellations, Irma is new threat to airline flights
• What’s the difference between travel insurance and trip ‘protection’?
• How to choose the right travel insurance for your next vacation
• Travel insurance can save the day
• Angry passengers brawl after Spirit cancels flights
• What to do when travel insurance doesn’t work
• How lockdowns, quarantines and COVID-19 testing will change summer travel in 2021
• Travelers will pay and worry more on summer vacation this year. But they won’t cancel
• How to find a hotel with COVID testing and quarantine facilities wherever you travel
• Yearning to travel in 2022? First, figure out your budget – then pick a destination
• Pro tips for surviving a long flight during a pandemic: Get the right mask, bring a pillow
• Want to steer clear of contracting COVID-19 on your next vacation? Follow these guidelines
• Post-pandemic travel: Is it OK to ask another passenger’s vaccine status or request they mask up?
• These days, forgetting these important travel items could cost you thousands of dollars
• International travel hacks: When to book flights and hotels, how to deal with COVID-19 rules
• Traveling post-coronavirus: How do you book your next trip when so much remains uncertain?
• The COVID-19 guide to holiday travel – and the case for why you shouldn’t go this year
• Should you travel during the holidays? Americans struggle with their decision
• ‘There’s still pent-up demand’: What you should know about fall travel
• Planning for life after coronavirus: When will we know it’s safe to travel again?
• ‘Busiest camping season’: Travelers choose outdoor recreation close to home amid COVID-19 pandemic
• Considering a camping trip this summer? Tips to make sure your gear is good to go
• RVing for the first time? 8 tips for newbies I wish I’d known during my first trip
• Five myths about travel agents
• Should I buy travel insurance?
• Is travel insurance stacked against you?
• Five myths about travel insurance and terrorism
• These eight things could get your travel insurance claims rejected
• There’s a good chance that your credit card already gives you some kind of travel insurance coverage
• How to avoid a hotel cancellation penalty
• Change fees and travel insurance continue to rise