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11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in March 2024

Sean Cudahy

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that travelers need to be prepared for the unexpected — from a pandemic to flight troubles to the crowded airport terminals so many of us have encountered.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care or a policy that includes extreme sports, these are the best travel insurance providers to get you covered.

How we found the best travel insurance

We looked at quotes from various companies for a 10-day trip to Italy in April 2024. The traveler was a 35-year-old woman from Illinois who spent $2,000 total on the trip, including airfare.

On average, the price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $76.64. The costs displayed below do not include optional add-ons, such as Cancel For Any Reason coverage or pre-existing medical condition coverage.

Read our full analysis about the average cost of travel insurance so you can budget better for your next trip.

However, depending on the plan, you may be able to customize at an added cost.

As we continue to evaluate more travel insurance companies and receive fresh market data, this collection of best travel insurance companies is likely to change. See our full methodology for more details.

1. Set up a payment plan

  • Best travel insurance companies

Get a secured credit card

2. apply for a medical credit card, 3. consider other credit options, get a credit-builder product or a secured loan, 4. hire a medical bill advocate, 5. see if you qualify for an income-driven hardship plan, use a co-signer, 6. try negotiating costs on your own, become an authorized user, get credit for the bills you pay, summary of medical debt payoff options, things to consider, practice good credit habits, check your credit scores and reports, types of travel insurance, what does travel insurance cover.

  • What's not covered?

How much does it cost?

Do i need travel insurance, how to choose the best travel insurance policy, what are the top travel destinations in 2024, more resources for travel insurance shoppers.

  • Frequently asked questions

Best travel insurance overall: Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

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Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

  • ExactCare Value (basic) plan is among the least expensive we surveyed.
  • Speciality plans available for road trips, luxury travel, adventure activities, flights and cruises.
  • Company may reimburse claimants faster than average, including possible same-day compensation.
  • Multiple "Trip Delay" coverage types might make claims confusing.
  • Cheapest plan only includes fixed amounts for its coverage.

Under the direction of chair and CEO Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has been around since 2014. Its plans provide numerous opportunities for travelers to customize coverage to their needs.

At $56 for our sample trip, the ExactCare Value (basic) plan from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers a low-cost option for coverage.

Even cheaper? Air travelers looking for inexpensive, less comprehensive protections might opt for a basic AirCare plan that includes fixed amounts for its coverage .

Read our full review of Berkshire Hathaway .

What else makes Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection great:

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers available at no extra cost.

Plans available for travelers going on a cruise, participating in extreme sports or taking a luxury trip.

ExactCare Value (basic) plan was among the least expensive we surveyed.

Best for emergency medical coverage: Allianz Global Assistance

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Annual or single-trip policies are available.

  • Multiple types of insurance available.
  • All plans include access to a 24/7 assistance hotline.
  • More expensive than average.
  • CFAR upgrades are not available.
  • Rental car protection is only available by adding the One Trip Rental Car protector to your plan or by purchasing a standalone rental car plan.

Allianz Global Assistance is a reputable travel insurance company offering plans for over 25 years. Customers can choose from a variety of single and annual policies to fit their needs. On top of comprehensive coverage, some travelers might opt for the more affordable OneTrip Cancellation Plus, which is geared toward domestic travelers looking for trip protections but don’t need post-departure benefits like emergency medical or baggage lost.

For our test trip, Allianz Global Assistance’s basic coverage cost $91, about $15 above average.

What else makes Allianz Global Assistance great:

Annual and single-trip plans.

Plans are available for international and domestic trips.

Stand-alone and add-on rental car damage product available.

Read our full review of Allianz Global Assistance .

Best for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions: Travel Guard by AIG

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Travel Guard by AIG

  • Offers last-minute coverage.
  • Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Exclusion Waiver available at all plan levels.
  • Plan available for business travelers.
  • Cancel For Any reason coverage only available for higher-level plans, and only reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost.
  • Trip interruption coverage doesn't apply to trips paid for with points and miles.

Travel Guard by AIG offers a variety of plans and coverages to fit travelers’ needs. On top of more standard trip protections like trip cancellation, interruption, baggage and medical coverage, the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available on certain Travel Guard plans, which allows you to cancel a trip for any reason and get 50% of your nonrefundable deposit back as long as the trip is canceled at least two days before the scheduled departure date.

At $75 for our sample trip, the Essential plan was about average.

What else makes Travel Guard by AIG great:

Three comprehensive plans and a Pack N' Go plan for last-minute travelers who don't need cancellation benefits.

Flight protection, car rental, and medical evacuation coverage, as well as annual plans available.

Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver available on all plan levels, as long as it's purchased within 15 days.

Read our full review of Travel Guard by AIG .

Best for those who pack expensive equipment: Travel Insured International

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Travel Insured International

  • Higher-level plan include optional add-ons for event tickets and for electronic equipment
  • Rental car protection add-on for just $8 per day, even on lower-level plan.
  • Many of the customizations are only available on the higher-tier plan.
  • Coverage cost comes in above average in our latest analysis.

Travel Insured International offers several customization options. For instance, pet owners might want to add on kennel coverage, which covers boarding costs if your trip is delayed. Traveling with expensive gear or attending an expensive concert/sporting event? Consider adding on coverage for electronic equipment and ticketed events.

Be sure to check which policies are available in your state. You will need to input your destination, residence, trip dates and the number of travelers to get a quote and see coverages.

What else makes Travel Insured International great:

Comprehensive plans include medical expense reimbursement accidents, sickness, evacuation and pre-existing conditions, depending on the plan.

Flight plans include coverage for missed and canceled flights and lost or stolen baggage.

Read our full review of Travel Insured International .

Best for adventurous travelers: World Nomads

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World Nomads

  • Travelers can extend coverage mid-trip.
  • The standard plan covers up to $300,000 in emergency evacuation costs.
  • Plans automatically cover 200+ adventurous activities.
  • No Cancel For Any Reason upgrades are available.
  • No pre-existing medical condition waivers are available.

Many travel insurance plans contain exclusions for adventure sports activities. If you plan to ski, bungee jump, windsurf or parasail, this might be a plan to consider.

Note that the Standard plan ($81 for our sample trip) provides less coverage than the higher-priced Explorer but can be a good choice for travelers who are satisfied with trip cancellation and interruption coverage of $2,500 or less, do not need rental car damage protection, find the limits to be sufficient and do not need coverage for certain more adventurous activities.

What else makes World Nomads great:

Comprehensive international travel insurance plans.

Coverage available for adventure activities, such as trekking, mountain biking and scuba diving.

Read our full review of World Nomads .

Best for medical coverage: Travelex Insurance Services

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Travelex Insurance Services

  • Top-tier plan doesn’t break the bank and provides more customization opportunities.
  • Offers a plan specifically for domestic travel.
  • Sells a post-departure medical coverage plan.
  • Fewer customization opportunities on the Basic plan.
  • Though perhaps a plus for domestic travelers, keep in mind the Travel America plan only covers domestic trips.

For starters, basic coverage from Travelex Insurance Services came in at $63, nearly 17% below average for our sample trip.

Travelex’s plans focus heavily on providing protections that are personalized to your travel style and trip type.

While the company does offer comprehensive plans that include medical benefits, you can also choose between cheaper plans that don’t provide cancellation coverage but do offer protections during your travels.

Read our full review of Travelex Insurance Services .

What else makes Travelex Insurance Services great:

Three comprehensive plans available, two of which cover international trips.

Offers a post-departure plan geared exclusively toward disruptions after you leave home.

Two flight insurance plans available.

Best if you have travel credit card coverage: Seven Corners

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Seven Corners

  • Annual, medical-only and backpacker plans are available.
  • Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available for the cheapest plan.
  • Cheapest plan also features a much less costly Interruption for Any Reason add-on.
  • Offers only one annual policy option.

Each Seven Corners plan offers several optional add-ons. Among the more unique is a Trip Interruption for Any Reason, which allows you to interrupt a trip 48 hours after the scheduled departure date (for any reason) and receive a refund of up to 75% of your unused nonrefundable deposits.

The basic coverage plan for our trip to Italy costs $75 — right around the average.

What else makes Seven Corners great:

Comprehensive plans for U.S. residents and foreigners, including travelers visiting the U.S.

Cheap add-ons for rental car damage, sporting equipment rental or trip interruption for any reason.

Read our full review of Seven Corners .

Best for long-term travelers: IMG

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  • Coverage available for adventure travelers.
  • Special medical insurance for ship captains and crew members, international students and missionaries.
  • Claim approval can be lengthy.

While some travel insurance companies offer just a handful of plans, with IMG, you’ll really have your pick. Though this requires a bit more research, it allows you to search for coverage that fits your travel needs.

IMG is also a good option for the budget-minded: the iTravelInsured Lite plan comes to just $59 for our trip to Italy — more than 20% below average.

Read our full review of IMG .

What else makes IMG great:

More affordable than average.

Many plans to choose from to fit your needs.

Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands: Tin Leg

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  • In addition Cancel For Any Reason, some plans offer cancel for work reason coverage.
  • Adventure sports-specific coverage is available.
  • Plans have overlap that can be hard to distinguish.
  • Only one plan includes Rental Car Damage coverage available as an add-on.

Tin Leg’s Basic plan came in at $64 for our sample trip, knocking about $10 off the average basic policy cost. Note that you’ll pay a lot more if you shop for the most comprehensive coverage, and there are eight plans to choose from for trips abroad.

The multitude of plans can help you find coverage that fits your needs, but with so many to choose from, deciding can be daunting.

The only real way to figure out your ideal plan is to compare them all, look at the plan details and decide which features and coverage suit you and your travel style best.

Read our full Tin Leg review .

Best for booking travel with points and miles: TravelSafe

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  • Covers up to $300 redepositing points and miles on eligible canceled award flights.
  • Optional add-on protection for business equipment or sports rentals.
  • Multi-trip or year-long plans aren’t available.

Selecting your travel insurance plan with TravelSafe is a fairly straightforward process. The company’s website also makes it easy to visualize how optional add-on elements influence the total cost, displaying the final price as soon as you click the coverage.

However, at $89, the Basic plan was among the more expensive for our trip to Italy.

What else makes TravelSafe great:

Rental car damage coverage add-on is available on both plans.

Cancel For Any Reason coverage available on the TravelSafe Classic plan.

Read our full TravelSafe review .

Best for group travel insurance: HTH Insurance

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HTH Travel Insurance

  • Covers travelers up to 95 years old.
  • Includes direct pay option so members can avoid having to pay up front for services.
  • A 24-hour delay is required for baggage delay coverage on the TripProtector Economy plan.
  • No waivers for pre-existing conditions on the lower-level plan.

HTH offers single-trip and multitrip medical insurance coverage as well as trip protection plans.

At around $73, the TripProtector Economy policy is just below the average mark for plans we reviewed.

You can choose to insure group trips for educators, crew, religious missionaries and corporate travelers.

What else makes HTH Insurance great:

Medical-only coverage and trip protection coverage.

Lots of options for group travelers.

Read our full review of HTH Insurance .

As you shop for travel insurance, you’ll find many of the same coverage categories across numerous plans.

Trip cancellation

This covers the prepaid costs you make for your trip in cases when you need to cancel for a covered reason. This coverage helps you recoup upfront costs paid for flights and nonrefundable hotel reservations.

Trip interruption

Trip interruption benefits generally involve disruptions after you depart. It helps reimburse costs incurred for flight delays, cancellations and plenty of other covered disruptions you might encounter during your travels.

This coverage can cover the costs for you to return home or reimburse unexpected expenses like an extra hotel stay, meals and ground transportation.

Trip delay coverage helps cover unexpected costs when your trip is delayed. This is another coverage that helps offset the costs of flight trouble or other travel disruptions.

Note that many policies have a total amount a traveler can claim, with caps on per diem benefits, too.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason coverage allows you to recoup some of the upfront costs you paid for a trip even if you’re canceling for a reason not otherwise covered by your standard travel insurance policy.

Typically, adding this protection to your plan costs extra.

Baggage delay

This coverage helps cover the costs of essential items you might need when your luggage is delayed. Think toiletries, clothing and other immediate items you might need if your luggage didn’t make it on your flight.

Many travel insurance plans with baggage delay protection will specify how long (six, 12, 24 hours, etc.) your luggage must be delayed before you can make a claim.

Lost baggage

Used for travelers whose luggage is lost or stolen, this helps recoup the lost value of the items in your bag.

You’ll want to make sure you closely follow the correct procedures for your plan. Many plans include a maximum total amount you can claim under this coverage and a per-item cap.

Travel medical insurance

This covers out-of-pocket medical costs when travelers run into an emergency.

Because many travelers’ health insurance plans don’t cover medical care overseas, travel medical insurance can help offset out-of-pocket health care costs.

In addition to emergency medical coverage, many plans have medical evacuation or repatriation coverage for costs incurred when you must be taken to a hospital or return to your home country because of a medical situation.

Most travel insurance plans cover many trip protections that can help you be prepared for unexpected travel disruptions and expenses.

These coverage are generally aimed at protecting the money you put into your trip, expenses you incur because of travel trouble and costs incurred if you have a medical emergency overseas.

On top of core coverages like trip cancellation and interruption and travel medical coverage, some plans offer add-on options like waivers for pre-existing conditions, rental car collision damage waivers or adventure sports riders. These usually cost extra or must be added within a specified timeframe.

What’s not covered?

Typical travel insurance policies offer coverage for many unforeseen events, but as you research to select a plan, consider your needs. Though every plan differs, there are some commonly excluded coverages.

For instance, you typically can’t get coverage for a named storm if you bought the coverage after the storm was named. In other words, if you have a trip to the Caribbean booked for Sept. 25 and on Sept. 20 a hurricane develops and is named, you generally won’t be able to buy a travel insurance plan Sept. 21 in hopes of getting your money back.

Many plans also don’t cover activities performed under the influence of drugs or alcohol or any extreme sports. If the latter applies to you, you might want to consider a plan with specific coverages for adventure-seekers.

For numerous plans, a few other situations don’t qualify as an acceptable reason to cancel and make a claim, such as fear of travel, medical tourism or pregnancies (unless you booked a trip and bought insurance before you became pregnant or there are complications with the pregnancy). This is where a Cancel For Any Reason add-on to your coverage can be helpful.

You can also run into trouble if you give up on a trip too soon: a minor (or even multihour) flight delay likely isn’t sufficient to cancel your entire trip and get reimbursed through your plan. Be sure to review what requirements your specific plan has when it comes to canceling a trip, claiming trip interruption, etc.

Travel insurance costs vary widely. The final price of your plan will fluctuate based on your age, length of trip and destination.

It will also depend on how much coverage you need, whether you add on specialized policies (like Cancel For Any Reason or pre-existing conditions coverage), whether you plan to participate in extreme sports and other factors.

In our examples above, for instance, the 35-year-old traveler taking a $2,000 trip to Italy would have spent an average $76 for a basic plan to get coverage for things like trip cancellation and interruption, baggage protection, etc. That’s a little less than 4% of the total trip cost — lower than average.

If there were multiple members in a traveling party or if they were going on, say, a rock-climbing or bungee-jumping excursion, the costs would go up.

On average, travel insurance comes to about 5% to 10% of the trip cost. However, considering many of the plans reimburse up to 100% of the trip cost (or more) for disruptions like trip cancellation or interruption, it can be a worthwhile expense if something goes wrong.

It depends. Consider the following factors that might affect your decision: You’re young and healthy, all your bookings are refundable or cancelable without a penalty, your flights are nonstop, you’re not checking bags and a credit card you carry offers some travel protections . In that case, travel insurance might not be necessary.

On the other hand, if you prepaid a large chunk of money for a nonrefundable African safari, you’re going on a Caribbean cruise in the middle of a hurricane season or you’re going somewhere where the cost of health care is high, it’s not a bad idea to buy a travel insurance plan. Here’s how to find the best travel insurance coverage for you.

If you’re thinking of booking a trip and not planning to buy travel insurance, you may want to consider at least booking refundable airfare and not prepaying for hotel, rental car and activity reservations. That way, if something goes wrong, you can cancel without losing any money.

Selecting the best travel insurance policy comes down to your needs, concerns, preferences and budget.

As you book, take a few minutes to consider what most concerns you. Is it getting stranded because of flight trouble? Having the ability to cancel for any reason you see fit without losing money? Getting sick or injured right before departure and needing to postpone the trip? Injuring yourself or falling ill while overseas?

Ultimately, you want a plan that protects you, your money and the large investment in your trip — but doesn’t cost too much, either.

Medical coverage. If your priority is having adequate medical coverage abroad, you might want to look for plans with high limits for medical emergencies and medical evacuation.

Complex travel itinerary. If your itinerary has lots of flight connections, prepaid hotels and deposits for activities you can’t get back, prioritizing a plan with the best coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions may land at the top of your list.

Travel uncertainty. If you’re on the fence about a trip and have nonrefundable reservations, you may want to select a plan with a Cancel For Any Reason coverage option, which can help you recoup about 50% to 75% of the costs. This helps provide peace of mind, placing the decision on whether to travel entirely in your hands.

Car rentals. If you’re renting a car, a collision damage waiver is often worth looking into.

The following destinations are the top insured destinations in 2024, according to Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner).

The Bahamas.

Costa Rica.

Antarctica.

In 2022, travelers spent about 25.53% more on trips than they did before the pandemic.

As of December, NerdWallet analysis determined travel prices are 10% higher than pre-pandemic. Each statistic makes a strong case for protecting your travel investment as you plan your next trip.

Bookmark these resources to help you make smart money moves as you shop for travel insurance.

What is travel insurance?

CFAR explained.

Is travel insurance worth getting?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance.

Methodology

We used the following factors to choose insurance providers to highlight:

Breadth of coverage: We looked at how many plans each company offered plus the range of their standard plans. 

Depth of coverage: We considered two data points to get a sense of how much each company pays out for common travel issues — the maximum caps for trip cancellation and trip interruption claims.

Cost: By looking at the costs for basic coverage across multiple companies, we determined an average cost for shoppers to benchmark plan prices against.

Customizability: While standard plans can cover a lot of ground, sometimes you need something a little more personal.

Customer satisfaction. Using data from Squaremouth when available, and Google Reviews as a backup, we can give kudos to companies with better track records from their clients.

No, it doesn’t necessarily get more expensive the longer you wait to purchase. However, as you put off buying insurance, you may lose access to potential plans and coverage options.

In general, buying travel insurance within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

But, generally, many plans do allow you to buy coverage quite close to your departure date.

To get the most out of your travel insurance plan, buy it soon after making your initial prepayment or deposit to ensure you have access to the biggest menu of plans possible.

Select a plan that’s comprehensive enough to cover the travel scenarios you’re most concerned about or likely to encounter but not too expensive or laden with protections you’d never likely need.

Whatever your coverage, thoroughly review the plan so you understand what’s covered and what’s not, plus how to adhere to the plan’s rules for making a claim.

Travelers frequently use phrases like “trip insurance” and “travel insurance,” as well as “trip protection,” interchangeably, but they do mean different things, according to Stan Sandberg, founder of insurance comparison site TravelInsurance.com.

Trip insurance, or trip protection, generally refers to predeparture (or preevent) coverage if you need to cancel. You may see these plans sold by airlines, online travel agencies or even ticketed event sellers.

“You could refer to it as the portion that protects the investment in the trip,” Sandberg says.

A travel insurance plan typically includes that — plus more comprehensive benefits to protect you during your trip, from medical coverage to trip delay and lost baggage protections, and many more elements, depending on the plan.

Though travel insurance is typically not required for international trips, your personal circumstances will play a key role in whether it’s a good investment.

For instance, young, healthy travelers with few prepaid trip expenses embarking on a relatively risk-free trip may not see a need to buy a plan.

Older travelers with complicated itineraries who are visiting destinations where they could potentially fall ill or get injured — or who could encounter bad weather or some other disrupting factor along the way — may want to buy coverage.

Consider a few key questions:

How well would your health insurance plan cover you if you needed to visit a hospital overseas?

How much did you prepay for a hotel or rental car?

How much money would you be out if weather or some other flight issue derailed your itinerary?

Could you afford an unexpected night in a city where you have a connecting flight?

Do you already have a credit card that provides some travel protections?

Your answers to these questions can help you decide whether you need travel insurance for your international trip.

In general, buying travel insurance

within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit

for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit 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 a similar note...

travelling the world insurance

travelling the world insurance

The World's Best Travel Insurance for Long-Term Travelers

Updated: Jan 13, 2023 • by Thomas K. Running

While there are many types of insurance you might buy as a digital nomad or long-term traveler, the most essential is usually travel insurance—specifically a comprehensive “travel health insurance” policy.

Some of us may also need global primary health insurance (often called expat health insurance).

To help you determine the right type of insurance for your situation, I’ve created a short, interactive quiz. No personal data or contact details required!

In short, as long as you’re covered for long-term health care in your “home country” or somewhere else where you have the legal right to live indefinitely, a travel health insurance plan that covers medical costs in case of accidents and serious illness abroad is what you’ll need. And that’s what I’ll cover in this article.

Coronavirus update 🦠 Due to the novel coronavirus and the resulting COVID-19 pandemic, I want to provide some resources related to travel, insurance coverage, and how to stay safe and avoid disruptions to your travel plans. Insurance coverage of COVID-19: It’s very common for insurance policies to contain general exclusions regarding epidemics and pandemics, meaning it’s not a given that expenses related to the coronavirus outbreak will be covered by your policy. Check with your insurance provider to be certain what’s covered. SafetyWing now fully covers COVID-19 related illness as of August 1, 2020. They even cover PCR tests if deemed medically necessary by a doctor. Read more here . World Nomads do not cover anything related to the COVID-19 (or any other) pandemic for customers from most countries (their insurance policies vary depending on where you’re from). US residents are the one exception to the rule that I spotted. Read more in their FAQ (make sure to select the same country of residence you used when signing up). Changed travel plans It also varies what insurance providers will cover if your travel plans were affected by the pandemic (so check with them). However, many airlines (as well as hotels, cruise companies, car rental agencies, etc) are allowing you to make changes to your reservations free of charge. In many cases, they’ll even refund tickets you no longer need, want, or can use. Helpful resources: Worldwide travel restrictions (IATA) Information on country-specific measures (US State Department) WHO’s COVID-19 pages CDC’s coronavirus pages
Table of Contents ↺ Coronavirus update Should you insure your stuff? The alternative: Self-insure for the little things Getting the right insurance Travel Health Insurance Emergency Evacuation Travel Insurance Things to note when picking your policy The Showdown SafetyWing World Nomads True Traveller IMG Travel Health Insurance Other insurance providers worth looking into Common questions (FAQ)

Should you insure your stuff? 🎒

While some insurance is important, I’d recommend against getting too much insurance. Keep in mind that, on average, getting insurance doesn’t pay off financially. The insurance companies need to collect enough in premiums to cover not only claims (legit and fraudulent) but also their own staff, marketing, and profit margins.

My personal policy is to insure against the unlikely events that would ruin me financially.

Yes, it sucks having to pony up $2000 for a new MacBook Pro if it were to get stolen or destroyed. But is it worth paying $500 dollars for certain every year, just in case? Only if you cannot possibly manage to save up a few thousand dollars as a buffer or make do with a less expensive laptop for a while in case it breaks and can’t be fixed at a reasonable price.

If someone stole all the belongings that I travel with—including the clothes I was wearing and the phone in my pocket—it would cost me about $6000 to replace it all with brand new items.

While painful, I have enough of a buffer that it wouldn’t put me in debt. And the likelihood of it happening in the first place is quite slim. Hence, I won’t waste any money insuring my possessions.

The alternative: Self-insure for the little things 💰

Most people are paying way too much in insurance premiums. I can appreciate that you might value the extra peace of mind that comes with knowing that you’re covered no matter what happens.

But if you start doing even rudimentary back-of-the-envelope calculations, it becomes clear that you’re throwing money out the window.

Instead, consider this approach.

Get quotes for insuring everything you instinctively want to insure. Missed flight connections. That camera you bring along but almost never use. Your smartphone. Your laptop. Baggage delays. Petty theft. And, of course, emergency travel health insurance.

Get quotes for everything with zero deductibles if possible.

Let’s say your total yearly premium comes to $3000.

Then look at what you would be paying if you only get insurance for the stuff that would ruin you financially. In other words, probably only emergency health insurance.

Pick the highest deductible you’re comfortable with. At the very least a couple of hundred dollars per year. Remember, your goal is to never actually have to use the insurance, so it’s better to pay less every year and potentially a bit more in the year where you actually need to rely on your policy.

Say you end up with a premium of about $500 per year. As you’ll see later, that’s a very easily attainable number.

Now, buy the cheap insurance with the high deductible. Every year, put the money you saved ($2500 in this example) on a high interest savings account (or even better, a low-cost index fund or ETF ) earmarked for situations where you would have relied on the expensive, all inclusive insurance.

Now sit back and watch your own personal insurance fund grow ever larger year by year. Whenever you need to pay for something that would have been covered by the more expensive insurance (including deductibles), just withdraw the money to cover it from your own insurance fund.

As an added bonus, you don’t even have to fill out lengthy claims forms, go hunting for old receipts for your valuables, and fight with claims agents that are trying their very best to find loopholes to avoid paying you what you’re rightfully owed.

Getting the right insurance

Let’s take a look at the different types of insurance you should consider getting for your trip.

Travel Health Insurance 🏥

Even if you’re covered for health expenses in your home country, it’s important to be covered for emergencies abroad.

What would happen if you’re in the US, or Japan, or Australia (or even countries where health care is cheaper), and you get a debilitating disease or end up in an accident that has to be treated locally?

You’ll very quickly end up with medical bills in the tens if not hundreds of thousands. Unless you have insurance, that is.

A good emergency medical travel insurance will take care of any costs of any life-threatening treatment you get locally.

It’s important to note that most travel health insurance policies are not “primary” health insurance policies. They rely on you being entitled to treatment somewhere and will ship you there if needed for long-term care.

So even if you get travel health insurance, it’s important that you make sure you’re covered for long-term treatment at “home”.

If that’s not the case, you should check out our article on worldwide primary health insurance .

Emergency Evacuation 🚁

Many travel health insurance policies come with built in emergency medical transportation or emergency medical evacuation as it’s often called. There are also standalone evacuation memberships, which tend to be quite a bit more expensive for similar coverage.

What exactly is covered by such policies, what limit is sufficient for your needs, and do you actually need it?

Usually, an emergency evacuation policy will kick in when the initial hospital or medical facility is not suited to provide the appropriate care for your medical emergency.

The decision to move you elsewhere will usually be made by the local doctor and your insurance company’s medical advisor.

While the policy will cover transportation to a suitable hospital, the medical costs on arrival are not covered—unless part of a travel health insurance policy . In other words, the standalone evacuation memberships usually only cover you until you’ve reached the hospital.

Due to their nature, emergency evacuation policies are most essential if you’re often hiking in remote areas, traveling or staying long-term in less developed countries, etc. If you’re spending most of your time in large cities in developed countries, it’s less important. In that case you should just make sure you’re covered for individual trips you make where it can come in handy.

The policy limits usually range from $25,000 up to millions or even unlimited . Since evacuation costs can get really high in extreme cases, I’d recommend a policy with at least a $100,000 limit. Perhaps even more if you’re traveling in very remote and underdeveloped areas.

Travel Insurance 🛫

Although all the different types of policies we have covered so far could fit under the umbrella term travel insurance , in this section I am referring to things like delayed or lost baggage, missed flight connections, car rental insurance, and so on.

If you have it included in a credit card or similar for free, then of course it’s worth having. Rental Car insurance can save you some money as well, but make sure to read the fine print.

Many travel health insurance policies include some coverage for these things as well, so if you’re anyway getting that kind of insurance (which you should) and the price differential is small, it can be worth to get it bundled. As you’ll see below, my recommended all-in-one insurance (SafetyWing) is actually cheaper than the already affordable health-only insurance from IMG.

If on the other hand you’re not covered through your credit cards or other insurance you already have, spending money on a dedicated travel insurance is usually a terrible deal bordering on pointless. There are a few reasons why this is the case:

  • It’s very unlikely that anything will happen, and if it does the insurance policy probably has an exclusion
  • If something happens, it will be relatively cheap to deal with on your own
  • In many cases you can get compensation from airlines or others, even without insurance

Let’s take one example; missed flight connection insurance . Most policies require from two to four (!) hours in between flights to be valid.

Ask yourself, how often are you traveling with connecting flights on separate tickets? Perhaps some times, but likely not that often.

And how many flights are more than two to four hours delayed? Only about 0.1% to 1.5% of flights, depending on airlines (US airlines generally coming out behind).

Assuming you mostly fly on through tickets and only have a handful of risky connections on separate airlines per year, that’s a very slim chance (perhaps 1-2%) that you will miss a flight connection on separate tickets in a given year. And even if you did, the expected cost of an average replacement ticket is only a few hundred dollars.

That means, even with as much travel as most nomads do, the expected financial loss of missed connections is only a few dollars per year. So skip the insurance, and put the money saved into your own self-insurance fund .

Things to note when picking your policy

  • Usually whenever you extend your policy (technically, when you enter a new period of coverage ) any things that happened before the extension will now be treated as pre-existing conditions , and will often no longer be covered.
  • You’re a legal (tax) resident of that country. If you’re traveling long term you might not be.
  • For trips of a certain length (often 30 or 60 days, but I’ve also seen 90 days) before you have to return to your home country. Many even require you to have purchased round trip flight tickets before embarking on your trip for your coverage to kick in.
  • If it’s a credit card policy, if at least 50% or even 100% of the trip costs have been pre-paid with the card in question.
  • Many insurance policies (even some of the ones included in this article) limits the number of visits you might make to your home country during the lifetime of the policy. Say you purchase a typical one-year policy, and you happen to visit your home country for any reason more than once in that period, the rest of your policy will be canceled with no refund given.
  • When it comes to deductibles, look out for if the deductible is per incident or per policy period (which can typically extend to a year). The latter is clearly better, since if you already had to pay the deductible once, you don’t have to pay it for the rest of the period/year.

The Showdown 🥊

In the rest of this article I will compare some of the most popular and well-suited insurance policies for digital nomads and long-term travelers who already have some sort of primary health insurance cover at home.

I’ve included policies that meet these basic requirements:

  • It should be possible to buy and renew the insurance while already traveling.
  • They should be available to the residents of many if not most or all countries.
  • There should not be any upper limit for how long you can travel before returning home.

Note that all prices are rounded to the nearest dollar.

This relative newcomer is my personal top choice , and what I’m personally using. And while SafetyWing is still a startup (launching about two years ago), their insurance policy is backed by Tokio Marine, one of the most solid insurance companies in the world. So in the unlikely event that something were to happen to SafetyWing, you would still be taken care of by Tokio Marine.

Their long term goal is to offer a complete suite of products to build a country-independent social safety net for freelancers and digital nomads , which I think is really cool! In addition to the travel health insurance described here, they also recently launched a complete worldwide primary health insurance called Remote Health , so if you don’t have health coverage in your home country, check that out! However, their first product (which is what I describe in this article) is marketed as a “ digital nomad travel insurance ”.

And compared to the alternatives, it is both a really good value and offering some genuinely useful features that I know many of you will appreciate.

In many ways it’s even more comprehensive than the competitors, but still only a fraction of the price.

Some highlights:

  • Recurring billing . Pay monthly just like you would for Spotify or Netflix without having to decide upfront for how long you need the policy. Why other companies don’t offer this is to me a complete mystery.
  • The lowest cost of any company in this comparison. For a worldwide excluding the US policy you’ll pay about $37 per month, while most comparable companies charge over $100 for a less convenient product.
  • A yearly deductible . While most companies charge a deductible for each claim, SafetyWing will cap your deductible at $250 per policy period (which—as long as you keep your subscription running—equals 364 days).
  • No deductible at all for many types of claims , including emergency dental, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, crisis response, emergency reunion, bedside visit, trip interruption, accidental death and dismemberment, lost checked luggage, travel delays, personal liability and a bunch more.
  • Home country coverage . While most of the competitors might even void the rest of your policy if you visit your home country, SafetyWing’s policy will even cover you in your home country for up to 30 days per 90 days of insurance.
  • The same low daily price no matter how short cover you buy. Perfect for nomads who have other health coverage in the countries they spend most of their time (e.g. EU/EEA residents spending a lot of time in Europe), and only need cover for part of the year while traveling elsewhere.
  • Covers private health care . No need to go to a public hospital or doctor in a third world country when there’s a much better private one available.
  • They support direct billing to most hospitals and clinics in their extensive, worldwide network (searchable on your online account page). You can still opt for a different medical provider, but you’d generally have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed later.

Some things to note:

  • A bit high price if you order their US inclusive policy for a long time. If you are planning on visiting the US, you’re better off getting the US cover only while you’re in the country and switch back to the non-US cover as soon as you leave.
  • After 364 days of coverage, the insurance will lapse if you don’t actively renew it. Luckily that’s as simple as clicking a link in an email that will be sent to you before your current policy expires.

Pricing for a 35 year old nomad who’s already traveling:

For recurring policies longer than 28 days, payment is only due every 4 weeks , so you don’t have to pay for a long policy in advance , unlike virtually any other insurance company.

Full policy wording

World Nomads

They might have been innovative a decade ago, but today I sincerely believe most bloggers are only recommending them due to financial incentives (they pay bloggers—including me—for referrals) or plain ignorance. Or perhaps a combination of both?

What they offer might have been revolutionary 10 years ago (travel insurance that could be purchased and renewed while already traveling), but today there are better alternatives available.

I’m really not sure what World Nomads offer that can justify the more than triple price, but my hunch is that it’s mostly due to brand recognition rather than any tangible benefits to you as a customer.

If you get their most expensive package, you do get pretty good extreme sports cover, although they have recently become much more restrictive here than before—without that being reflected in the price.

Highlights:

  • They support direct billing , at least in some circumstances. In my only experience being hospitalized while covered by their Explore plan, I still had to pay the hospital myself and got the settlement about 6 weeks later. But they do claim that they can arrange direct billing, so I assume they would help out if the claim was a bit bigger (mine was only about $1300).
  • Decent extreme sports cover in their most expensive package (although not as good as it used to be).

Things to note:

  • Since World Nomads use different insurance providers depending on your country of residence the insurance price, terms, limits and benefits vary from one country to another . Be extra careful to read the full policy wording for your country of residence.
  • Extensions are expensive . Say you take out and pre-pay for a long-term policy, you would pay about $75 to extend your policy with a mere week (assuming you’re from the US and on the Explorer plan).
  • You’re only allowed return home once during the entire duration of your policy. If you’re a nomad with a home base, or you tend to return home to visit friends or family on occasion, you’re effectively not able to buy a long term policy to save money. Instead you’ll have to buy a series of short and expensive policies.

I’ve used World Nomads a bit in the past (with BUPA Global as the insurance provider) and while the claims involved lots of paperwork they usually were handled fairly. Payouts aren’t super quick, and I had to send them a few reminders before the claims were settled.

The only time I had an issue (which was at least partly my fault) was when I waited until only a few days before the expiry of my current insurance policy before extending it. In that brief time window a close relative first got very ill and later passed away. Since the relative became ill before I had ordered the extension (even though I was unaware of it until a few days after and she only passed away into my new policy period, since it was no longer “unexpected”), they refused to cover my round trip tickets back to Europe so I could attend the funeral.

According to the policy wording they were of course in the right, although someone more understanding could have used their discretion to decide otherwise. Anyway, with the auto-renewal feature that SafetyWing offers this would have been a non-issue.

Note that pricing for World Nomads depend on your country of residence. To get the long term discounts you have to order and pay for the whole period in advance . Extensions are charged at non-discounted prices and will start a new policy period. If you’re at all unsure about how long you need your policy, you’re much better off using SafetyWing’s subscription feature or another insurance provider with cheap extensions (also like SafetyWing, and IMG below).

Base price of a Standard/Explorer plan for a 35 year old traveler from the UK (prices converted from GBP at the time of writing):

Base price of a Standard/Explorer plan for a 35 year old traveler from the US :

The policy wording varies depending on your country of residence . To see the full policy wording, you have to request a quote where you enter your country of residence. On the next page look for the section “View full description of coverage,” and click the View button under the heading of the plan you are interested in.

True Traveller

This is a popular provider, particularly in the UK. Their insurance is only available to residents of the UK and other countries in the EEA.

Their cheaper plans are quite affordable—especially if you pre-pay for a year or more—but they are also quite limited and restrictive in what they cover. Adding various extras will quickly increase your premium.

  • No limit on home visits , however you are not covered while in your home country .
  • They have lots of good reviews on Trustpilot , for what that’s worth.
  • They will strive to arrange direct billing for covered medical treatment surpassing £500. Below this you’ll generally pay out of pocket and be reimbursed once your claim is processed.
  • Extensions cost a lot . E.g. if you had a 52-week policy (costing $462 with no extras) you would pay a whopping $50 to extend your policy by a mere week.
  • Only available to current EEA residents . If you are a full-time nomad or have a base outside of the EEA, you likely won’t qualify even if you’re from the EEA.
  • Does not cover private medical treatment unless no public treatment is available. Personally, I was really happy that my insurance covered private hospital stays when I got hospitalized in India a few years ago. Just saying. Update: True Traveller responded below , clarifying what this policy means in practice.

Base price* for a 35 year old nomad who is already traveling (prices converted from GBP at the time of writing):

* Their pricing changes massively depending on which extras you include. A 7 day policy ranges from £34 to £361 depending on your selections. A 52 week plan can get as pricy as £1511 with all extras selected. In this table I’ve included their mid-range package (“Traveller”), with zero extras and a £75 deductible per claim.

Policy wording

IMG Travel Health Insurance

This is an affordable travel health insurance, which does not include any non-health related benefits (unlike the previous options).

IMG is a financially solid company, with some of the best prices out there. For a reasonable health-only policy it’s a popular budget option, but be aware that they have a reputation for slow claims handling and sticking to the letter of the policy wording beyond what some people would find reasonable.

  • Flexible deductibles , so you can select a high one and reduce your premiums.
  • The deductible is only payable once per 12 months of continuous coverage (like SafetyWing ).
  • Extending and renewing your policy is a lot cheaper than e.g. World Nomads and True Traveller, so if you find yourself needing your policy a bit longer than expected, it won’t break the bank. Extending this way will start a new policy period, however, (unlike SafetyWing’s subscription) which means issues that already arose while traveling will be treated as pre-existing and no longer covered.
  • This is a travel health only policy , and will not cover things like trip interruption, travel delays, lost luggage, etc. It is still more expensive than the SafetyWing insurance , which includes those things. Also note that it’s still not primary health insurance , so you still need to be covered in your home country.
  • Your insurance will be terminated if you return to your home country for more than 14 days, or at all if your home country is the United States or you returned home for medical reasons.
  • They generally don’t support direct billing (i.e. the hospital or doctor billing them directly), which mean you might have to pay pretty hefty medical bills out of pocket and then wait for your claim to be processed before you will be reimbursed.
  • The plan which includes travel in the US is not available to US residents .

Pricing for a 35 year old single traveler ( travel health only , $500,000 limit, $250 deductible):

Policy documents:

  • Patriot International (excluding travel to the US)
  • Patriot America (including travel to the US)

Other insurance providers worth looking into

While not available everywhere, Allianz is an insurance company with a good reputation and (sadly also) premium prices. They tend to be a bit pricier than the options we’ve looked at so far.

Click here to see if they offer their travel insurance product in your home country.

Note that they often require you to purchase your insurance before departing on your trip, making it a poor choice for most nomads.

Genki is a travel health insurance product, so it doesn’t come with any typical non-health-related insurance benefits, however we feel it deserves a mention as it is designed specifically for digital nomads.

While it still has few public reviews on websites like trustpilot.com, it is backed by both Dr-Walter and Allianz, so we see it as a trustworthy newcomer to the travel health insurance market.

They offer their product for travel to every country on the planet – upon questioning them on this, they said “Even North Korea” 😆.

It is based on a monthly subscription, and you can choose to be covered with their “Worldwide” plan or “Worldwide excluding Canada and the US”.

It’s a little more expensive than some of the travel insurance products available starting at €35.70 per month, however it has quite extensive coverage. Covid-19, travel costs for family members to visit your hospital in case of a medical emergency, mental ilness, sports-related injuries (only one’s that are not considered dangerous activities – hiking, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, biking, kayaking etc. are covered), pregnancy (except pre-existing), and emergency dental care are all included in their list of benefits.

Finally, in most cases there is no overall limit in medical cost cover, and they offer 24/7 emergency assistance and direct billing. They will cover emergencies in your home country as well for up to 6 weeks per 180 days.

Common questions (FAQ)

  • Q: Will airlines compensate me for lost or delayed luggage?

A: Yes, up to certain limits which depend on the route you fly. For lost luggage on international flights, usually it’s limited to about $1,600 (or 1,131 Special Drawing Rights , to be exact). The limit is $3,500 for domestic flights in the US. For delayed luggage , the practice varies a bit from airline to airline, but generally they either give you a one-off payment to cover essentials or reimburse you based on reasonable and necessary expenditures resulting from the baggage delay when seeing receipts. They will also reimburse you for damaged luggage on the same basis (on seeing receipts documenting expenses).

  • Q: Why do I have to fill in my country of residence when purchasing travel insurance? I’m traveling full time, with no fixed address anywhere.

A: While each insurer’s definition of “country of residence” will differ, they generally want to know where to send you in case of serious injury or if you need long-term treatment. So you should choose a country where you have (1) a place to stay (perhaps with family or friends), (2) will be covered by either private or public health insurance to take care of your long term medical bills, and (3) somewhere you have unlimited and unrestricted access (i.e. you don’t need a visa to enter, so typically where you’re a citizen, permanent resident, or—for EU/EEA citizens—all of the EU/EEA). While most of the providers listed in this article won’t require you to be a legal resident you should still read your policy wording carefully, exceptions do occur for certain nationalities with certain providers. Note that many insurance providers offering insurances to citizens or residents of a specific country will require you to be a legal resident there, and also in some cases part of the national social security or health insurance scheme.

  • Q: When should I buy the insurance? Can I wait until I depart or already traveling?

A: While the providers listed above all allow you to purchase your policy while traveling, it is better to get it ASAP —ideally as soon as you have your departure flights booked or at least know your departure date. The insurance won’t cover anything that happens until after you buy the policy. So if you for some reason (e.g. medical) you can’t depart when scheduled, and you haven’t purchased the insurance before the issue arises, you won’t be covered. Typically there are also quite a few exclusions to the insurance cover in the first few days after you buy the policy (to combat insurance fraud), so that’s another good reason not to wait.

  • Q: How do I know if a plan is good enough for a visa application?
  • A: Some countries require you to have travel health insurance before applying for certain visas or entering the country as a visitor. This includes Australia, Canada, the United States, Ecuador, and the entire Schengen area (most of Europe)—among others. Usually the requirements include emergency health cover with varying limits, emergency repatriation to your home country, and a few more things. The providers listed in this article should be good enough for most—if not all—visa applications around the world, but if you’re unsure you can always reach out to the insurance company to make sure. To learn about the visa and entry requirements for various countries, check out the free services listed in the visa section of my travel tools article —particularly Timatic and TravelDoc.

Tips that will make your life a lot easier in a pinch

  • Get in the habit of scanning all receipts , medical docs, etc, with your smartphone, and add it all to Evernote, Google Keep or a similar application that can be accessed on both your phone and online. Also do this for any expenses you have as a result of delayed luggage or flights, plus receipts when purchasing anything you will travel with (e.g. clothes, electronics, travel gear, valuables) in case you have to submit a claim at for it at a later date.
  • Keep digital (and optionally paper) copies of your essential travel and financial documents , such as passport, driver’s license, visas, entry stamps, etc. Store your debit and credit card information in an encrypted password manager (like LastPass).
  • Always bring both a travel-friendly debit and credit card , plus ideally leave a backup credit card at home or with some trusted friends, which you can use to make online purchases in case the cards you bring with you are lost or stolen. Accommodation (which can include breakfast), flight tickets, etc can usually be booked and paid for online.
  • Keep a paper copy of your insurance card in your wallet and/or passport. In case of an accident, it’s good to have the relevant contact and policy information on hand. You might not even be conscious yourself, so then the emergency response personnel can still find your information.
  • Use the ICE (in case of emergency) feature on your smartphone . That way emergency response or medical personnel can contact your specified ICE contacts without unlocking your phone, and also see potential allergies, blood type, and any other information you have included. It’s a good idea to also include a paper copy of this information in your wallet or on the back of your insurance card.

I hope you enjoyed the article! Hopefully it can save you both money, hassle, and maybe even your life.

Feel free to add any questions and comments (particularly your own first-hand experiences with different providers) in the community thread or below.

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The best travel insurance policies and providers

Katie Genter

It's easy to dismiss the value of travel insurance until you need it.

Many travelers have strong opinions about whether you should buy travel insurance . However, the purpose of this post isn't to determine whether it's worth investing in. Instead, it compares some of the top travel insurance providers and policies so you can determine which travel insurance option is best for you.

Of course, as the coronavirus remains an ongoing concern, it's important to understand whether travel insurance covers pandemics. Some policies will cover you if you're diagnosed with COVID-19 and have proof of illness from a doctor. Others will take coverage a step further, covering additional types of pandemic-related expenses and cancellations.

Know, though, that every policy will have exclusions and restrictions that may limit coverage. For example, fear of travel is generally not a covered reason for invoking trip cancellation or interruption coverage, while specific stipulations may apply to elevated travel warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Interested in travel insurance? Visit InsureMyTrip.com to shop for plans that may fit your travel needs.

So, before buying a specific policy, you must understand the full terms and any special notices the insurer has about COVID-19. You may even want to buy the optional cancel for any reason add-on that's available for some comprehensive policies. While you'll pay more for that protection, it allows you to cancel your trip for any reason and still get some of your costs back. Note that this benefit is time-sensitive and has other eligibility requirements, so not all travelers will qualify.

In this guide, we'll review several policies from top travel insurance providers so you have a better understanding of your options before picking the policy and provider that best address your wants and needs.

The best travel insurance providers

To put together this list of the best travel insurance providers, a number of details were considered: favorable ratings from TPG Lounge members, the availability of details about policies and the claims process online, positive online ratings and the ability to purchase policies in most U.S. states. You can also search for options from these (and other) providers through an insurance comparison site like InsureMyTrip .

When comparing insurance providers, I priced out a single-trip policy for each provider for a $2,000, one-week vacation to Istanbul . I used my actual age and state of residence when obtaining quotes. As a result, you may see a different price — or even additional policies due to regulations for travel insurance varying from state to state — when getting a quote.

AIG Travel Guard

AIG Travel Guard receives many positive reviews from readers in the TPG Lounge who have filed claims with the company. AIG offers three plans online, which you can compare side by side, and the ability to examine sample policies. Here are three plans for my sample trip to Turkey.

travelling the world insurance

AIG Travel Guard also offers an annual travel plan. This plan is priced at $259 per year for one Florida resident.

Additionally, AIG Travel Guard offers several other policies, including a single-trip policy without trip cancellation protection . See AIG Travel Guard's COVID-19 notification and COVID-19 advisory for current details regarding COVID-19 coverage.

Preexisting conditions

Typically, AIG Travel Guard wouldn't cover you for any loss or expense due to a preexisting medical condition that existed within 180 days of the coverage effective date. However, AIG Travel Guard may waive the preexisting medical condition exclusion on some plans if you meet the following conditions:

  • You purchase the plan within 15 days of your initial trip payment.
  • The amount of coverage you purchase equals all trip costs at the time of purchase. You must update your coverage to insure the costs of any subsequent arrangements that you add to your trip within 15 days of paying the travel supplier for these additional arrangements.
  • You must be medically able to travel when you purchase your plan.

Standout features

  • The Deluxe and Preferred plans allow you to purchase an upgrade that lets you cancel your trip for any reason. However, reimbursement under this coverage will not exceed 50% or 75% of your covered trip cost.
  • You can include one child (age 17 and younger) with each paying adult for no additional cost on most single-trip plans.
  • Other optional upgrades, including an adventure sports bundle, a baggage bundle, an inconvenience bundle, a pet bundle, a security bundle and a wedding bundle, are available on some policies. So, an AIG Travel Guard plan may be a good choice if you know you want extra coverage in specific areas.

Purchase your policy here: AIG Travel Guard .

Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz is one of the most highly regarded providers in the TPG Lounge, and many readers found the claim process reasonable. Allianz offers many plans, including the following single-trip plans for my sample trip to Turkey.

travelling the world insurance

If you travel frequently, it may make sense to purchase an annual multi-trip policy. For this plan, all of the maximum coverage amounts in the table below are per trip (except for the trip cancellation and trip interruption amounts, which are an aggregate limit per policy). Trips typically must last no more than 45 days, although some plans may cover trips of up to 90 days.

travelling the world insurance

See Allianz's coverage alert for current information on COVID-19 coverage.

Most Allianz travel insurance plans may cover preexisting medical conditions if you meet particular requirements. For the OneTrip Premier, Prime and Basic plans, the requirements are as follows:

  • You purchased the policy within 14 days of the date of the first trip payment or deposit.
  • You were a U.S. resident when you purchased the policy.
  • You were medically able to travel when you purchased the policy.
  • On the policy purchase date, you insured the total, nonrefundable cost of your trip (including arrangements that will become nonrefundable or subject to cancellation penalties before your departure date). If you incur additional nonrefundable trip expenses after purchasing this policy, you must insure them within 14 days of their purchase.
  • Allianz offers reasonably priced annual policies for independent travelers and families who take multiple trips lasting up to 45 days (or 90 days for select plans) per year.
  • Some Allianz plans provide the option of receiving a flat reimbursement amount without receipts for trip delay and baggage delay claims. Of course, you can also submit receipts to get up to the maximum refund.
  • For emergency transportation coverage, you or someone on your behalf must contact Allianz, and Allianz must then make all transportation arrangements in advance. However, most Allianz policies provide an option if you cannot contact the company: Allianz will pay up to what it would have paid if it had made the arrangements.

Purchase your policy here: Allianz Travel Insurance .

American Express Travel Insurance

American Express Travel Insurance offers four different package plans and a build-your-own coverage option. You don't have to be an American Express cardholder to purchase this insurance. Here are the four package options for my sample weeklong trip to Turkey. Unlike some other providers, Amex won't ask for your travel destination on the initial quote (but will when you purchase the plan).

travelling the world insurance

Amex's build-your-own coverage plan is unique because you can purchase just the coverage you need. For most types of protection, you can even select the coverage amount that works best for you.

travelling the world insurance

The prices for the packages and the build-your-own plan don't increase for longer trips — as long as the trip cost remains constant. However, the emergency medical and dental benefit is only available for your first 60 days of travel.

Typically, Amex won't cover any loss you incur because of a preexisting medical condition that existed within 90 days of the coverage effective date. However, Amex may waive its preexisting-condition exclusion if you meet both of the following requirements:

  • You must be medically able to travel at the time you pay the policy premium.
  • You pay the policy premium within 14 days of making the first covered trip deposit.
  • Amex's build-your-own coverage option allows you to only purchase — and pay for — the coverage you need.
  • Coverage on long trips doesn't cost more than coverage for short trips, making this policy ideal for extended getaways. However, the emergency medical and dental benefit only covers your first 60 days of travel.
  • American Express Travel Insurance can protect travel expenses you purchase with Amex Membership Rewards points in the Pay with Points program (as well as travel expenses bought with cash, debit or credit). However, travel expenses bought with other types of points and miles aren't covered.

Purchase your policy here: American Express Travel Insurance .

GeoBlue is different from most other providers described in this piece because it only provides medical coverage while you're traveling internationally and does not offer benefits to protect the cost of your trip. There are many different policies. Some require you to have primary health insurance in the U.S. (although it doesn't need to be provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield), but all of them only offer coverage while traveling outside the U.S.

Two single-trip plans are available if you're traveling for six months or less. The Voyager Choice policy provides coverage (including medical services and medical evacuation for a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition) for trips outside the U.S. to travelers who are 95 or younger and already have a U.S. health insurance policy.

travelling the world insurance

The Voyager Essential policy provides coverage (including medical evacuation for a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition) for trips outside the U.S. to travelers who are 95 or younger, regardless of whether they have primary health insurance.

travelling the world insurance

In addition to these options, two multi-trip plans cover trips of up to 70 days each for one year. Both policies provide coverage (including medical services and medical evacuation for preexisting conditions) to travelers with primary health insurance.

travelling the world insurance

Be sure to check out GeoBlue's COVID-19 notices before buying a plan.

Most GeoBlue policies explicitly cover sudden recurrences of preexisting conditions for medical services and medical evacuation.

  • GeoBlue can be an excellent option if you're mainly concerned about the medical side of travel insurance.
  • GeoBlue provides single-trip, multi-trip and long-term medical travel insurance policies for many different types of travel.

Purchase your policy here: GeoBlue .

IMG offers various travel medical insurance policies for travelers, as well as comprehensive travel insurance policies. For a single trip of 90 days or less, there are five policy types available for vacation or holiday travelers. Although you must enter your gender, males and females received the same quote for my one-week search.

travelling the world insurance

You can purchase an annual multi-trip travel medical insurance plan. Some only cover trips lasting up to 30 or 45 days, but others provide coverage for longer trips.

travelling the world insurance

See IMG's page on COVID-19 for additional policy information as it relates to coronavirus-related claims.

Most plans may cover preexisting conditions under set parameters or up to specific amounts. For example, the iTravelInsured Travel LX travel insurance plan shown above may cover preexisting conditions if you purchase the insurance within 24 hours of making the final payment for your trip.

For the travel medical insurance plans shown above, preexisting conditions are covered for travelers younger than 70. However, coverage is capped based on your age and whether you have a primary health insurance policy.

  • Some annual multi-trip plans are modestly priced.
  • iTravelInsured Travel LX may offer optional cancel for any reason and interruption for any reason coverage, if eligible.

Purchase your policy here: IMG .

Travelex Insurance

Travelex offers three single-trip plans: Travel Basic, Travel Select and Travel America. However, only the Travel Basic and Travel Select plans would be applicable for my trip to Turkey.

travelling the world insurance

See Travelex's COVID-19 coverage statement for coronavirus-specific information.

Typically, Travelex won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition that existed within 60 days of the coverage effective date. However, the Travel Select plan may offer a preexisting condition exclusion waiver. To be eligible for this waiver, the insured traveler must meet all the following conditions:

  • You purchase the plan within 15 days of the initial trip payment.
  • The amount of coverage purchased equals all prepaid, nonrefundable payments or deposits applicable to the trip at the time of purchase. Additionally, you must insure the costs of any subsequent arrangements added to the same trip within 15 days of payment or deposit.
  • All insured individuals are medically able to travel when they pay the plan cost.
  • The trip cost does not exceed the maximum trip cost limit under trip cancellation as shown in the schedule per person (only applicable to trip cancellation, interruption and delay).
  • Travelex's Travel Select policy can cover trips lasting up to 364 days, which is longer than many single-trip policies.
  • Neither Travelex policy requires receipts for trip and baggage delay expenses less than $25.
  • For emergency evacuation coverage, you or someone on your behalf must contact Travelex and have Travelex make all transportation arrangements in advance. However, both Travelex policies provide an option if you cannot contact Travelex: Travelex will pay up to what it would have paid if it had made the arrangements.

Purchase your policy here: Travelex Insurance .

Seven Corners

Seven Corners offers a wide variety of policies. Here are the policies that are most applicable to travelers on a single international trip.

travelling the world insurance

Seven Corners also offers many other types of travel insurance, including an annual multi-trip plan. You can choose coverage for trips of up to 30, 45 or 60 days when purchasing an annual multi-trip plan.

travelling the world insurance

See Seven Corner's page on COVID-19 for additional policy information as it relates to coronavirus-related claims.

Typically, Seven Corners won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition. However, the RoundTrip Choice plan offers a preexisting condition exclusion waiver. To be eligible for this waiver, you must meet all of the following conditions:

  • You buy this plan within 20 days of making your initial trip payment or deposit.
  • You or your travel companion are medically able and not disabled from travel when you pay for this plan or upgrade your plan.
  • You update the coverage to include the additional cost of subsequent travel arrangements within 15 days of paying your travel supplier for them.
  • Seven Corners offers the ability to purchase optional sports and golf equipment coverage. If purchased, this extra insurance will reimburse you for the cost of renting sports or golf equipment if yours is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed by a common carrier for six or more hours. However, Seven Corners must authorize the expenses in advance.
  • You can add cancel for any reason coverage or trip interruption for any reason coverage to RoundTrip plans. Although some other providers offer cancel for any reason coverage, trip interruption for any reason coverage is less common.
  • Seven Corners' RoundTrip Choice policy offers a political or security evacuation benefit that will transport you to the nearest safe place or your residence under specific conditions. You can also add optional event ticket registration fee protection to the RoundTrip Choice policy.

Purchase your policy here: Seven Corners .

World Nomads

World Nomads is popular with younger, active travelers because of its flexibility and adventure-activities coverage on the Explorer plan. Unlike many policies offered by other providers, you don't need to estimate prepaid costs when purchasing the insurance to have access to trip interruption and cancellation insurance.

World Nomads offers two single-trip plans.

travelling the world insurance

World Nomads has a page dedicated to coronavirus coverage , so be sure to view it before buying a policy.

World Nomads won't cover losses incurred because of a preexisting medical condition (except emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains) that existed within 90 days of the coverage effective date. Unlike many other providers, World Nomads doesn't offer a waiver.

  • World Nomads' policies cover more adventure sports than most providers, so activities such as bungee jumping are included. The Explorer policy covers almost any adventure sport, including skydiving, stunt flying and caving. So, if you partake in adventure sports while traveling, the Explorer policy may be a good fit.
  • World Nomads' policies provide nonmedical evacuation coverage for transportation expenses if there is civil or political unrest in the country you are visiting. The coverage may also transport you home if there is an eligible natural disaster or a government expels you.

Purchase your policy here: World Nomads .

Other options for buying travel insurance

travelling the world insurance

This guide details the policies of eight providers with the information available at the time of publication. There are many options when it comes to travel insurance, though. To compare different policies quickly, you can use a travel insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip to search. Just note that these search engines won't show every policy and every provider, and you should still research the provided policies to ensure the coverage fits your trip and needs.

You can also purchase a plan through various membership associations, such as USAA, AAA or Costco. Typically, these organizations partner with a specific provider, so if you are a member of any of these associations, you may want to compare the policies offered through the organization with other policies to get the best coverage for your trip.

Related: Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?

Is travel insurance worth getting?

Whether you should purchase travel insurance is a personal decision. Suppose you use a credit card that provides travel insurance for most of your expenses and have medical insurance that provides adequate coverage abroad. In that case, you may be covered enough on most trips to forgo purchasing travel insurance.

However, suppose your medical insurance won't cover you at your destination and you can't comfortably cover a sizable medical evacuation bill or last-minute flight home . In that case, you should consider purchasing travel insurance. If you travel frequently, buying an annual multi-trip policy may be worth it.

What is the best COVID-19 travel insurance?

travelling the world insurance

There are various aspects to keep in mind in the age of COVID-19. Consider booking travel plans that are fully refundable or have modest change or cancellation fees so you don't need to worry about whether your policy will cover trip cancellation. This is important since many standard comprehensive insurance policies won't reimburse your insured expenses in the event of cancellation if it's related to the fear of traveling due to COVID-19.

However, if you book a nonrefundable trip and want to maintain the ability to get reimbursed (up to 75% of your insured costs) if you choose to cancel, you should consider buying a comprehensive travel insurance policy and then adding optional cancel for any reason protection. Just note that this benefit is time-sensitive and has eligibility requirements, so not all travelers will qualify.

Providers will often require CFAR purchasers insure the entire dollar amount of their travels to receive the coverage. Also, many CFAR policies mandate that you must cancel your plans and notify all travel suppliers at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure.

Likewise, if your primary health insurance won't cover you while on your trip, it's essential to consider whether medical expenses related to COVID-19 treatment are covered. You may also want to consider a MedJet medical transport membership if your trip is to a covered destination for coronavirus-related evacuation.

Ultimately, the best pandemic travel insurance policy will depend on your trip details, travel concerns and your willingness to self-insure. Just be sure to thoroughly read and understand any terms or exclusions before purchasing.

What are the different types of travel insurance?

travelling the world insurance

Whether you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy or rely on the protections offered by select credit cards, you may have access to the following types of coverage:

  • Baggage delay protection may reimburse for essential items and clothing when a common carrier (such as an airline) fails to deliver your checked bag within a set time of your arrival at a destination. Typically, you may be reimbursed up to a particular amount per incident or per day.
  • Lost/damaged baggage protection may provide reimbursement to replace lost or damaged luggage and items inside that luggage. However, valuables and electronics usually have a relatively low maximum benefit.
  • Trip delay reimbursement may provide reimbursement for necessary items, food, lodging and sometimes transportation when you're delayed for a substantial time while traveling on a common carrier such as an airline. This insurance may be beneficial if weather issues (or other covered reasons for which the airline usually won't provide compensation) delay you.
  • Trip cancellation and interruption protection may provide reimbursement if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason, such as a death in your family or jury duty.
  • Medical evacuation insurance can arrange and pay for medical evacuation if deemed necessary by the insurance provider and a medical professional. This coverage can be particularly valuable if you're traveling to a region with subpar medical facilities.
  • Travel accident insurance may provide a payment to you or your beneficiary in the case of your death or dismemberment.
  • Emergency medical insurance may provide payment or reimburse you if you must seek medical care while traveling. Some plans only cover emergency medical care, but some also cover other types of medical care. You may need to pay a deductible or copay.
  • Rental car coverage may provide a collision damage waiver when renting a car. This waiver may reimburse for collision damage or theft up to a set amount. Some policies also cover loss-of-use charges assessed by the rental company and towing charges to take the vehicle to the nearest qualified repair facility. You generally need to decline the rental company's collision damage waiver or similar provision to be covered.

Should I buy travel health insurance?

travelling the world insurance

If you purchase travel with credit cards that provide various trip protections, you may not see much need for additional travel insurance. However, you may still wonder whether you should buy travel medical insurance.

If your primary health insurance covers you on your trip, you may not need travel health insurance. Your domestic policy may not cover you outside the U.S., though, so it's worth calling the number on your health insurance card if you have coverage questions. If your primary health insurance wouldn't cover you, it's likely worth purchasing travel medical insurance. After all, as you can see above, travel medical insurance is often very modestly priced.

How much does travel insurance cost?

Travel insurance costs depend on various factors, including the provider, the type of coverage, your trip cost, your destination, your age, your residency and how many travelers you want to insure. That said, a standard travel insurance plan will generally set you back somewhere between 4% and 10% of your total trip cost. However, this can get lower for more basic protections or become even higher if you include add-ons like cancel for any reason protection.

The best way to determine how much travel insurance will cost is to price out your trip with a few providers discussed in the guide. Or, visit an insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip to quickly compare options across multiple providers.

When and how to get travel insurance

travelling the world insurance

For the most robust selection of available travel insurance benefits — including time-sensitive add-ons like CFAR protection and waivers of preexisting conditions for eligible travelers — you should ideally purchase travel insurance on the same day you make your first payment toward your trip.

However, many plans may still offer a preexisting conditions waiver for those who qualify if you buy your travel insurance within 14 to 21 days of your first trip expense or deposit (this time frame may vary by provider). If you don't need a preexisting conditions waiver or aren't interested in CFAR coverage, you can purchase travel insurance once your departure date nears.

You must purchase coverage before it's needed. Some travel medical plans are available for purchase after you have departed, but comprehensive plans that include medical coverage must be purchased before departing.

Additionally, you can't buy any medical coverage once you require medical attention. The same applies to all travel insurance coverage. Once you recognize the need, it's too late to protect your trip.

Once you've shopped around and decided upon the best travel insurance plan for your trip, you should be able to complete your purchase online. You'll usually be able to download your insurance card and the complete policy shortly after the transaction is complete.

Related: 7 times your credit card's travel insurance might not cover you

Bottom line

Not all travel insurance policies and providers are equal. Before buying a plan, read and understand the policy documents. By doing so, you can choose a plan that's appropriate for you and your trip — including the features that matter most to you.

For example, if you plan to go skiing or rock climbing, make sure the policy you buy doesn't contain exclusions for these activities. Likewise, if you're making two back-to-back trips during which you'll be returning home for a short time in between, be sure the plan doesn't terminate coverage at the end of your first trip.

If you're looking to cover a sudden recurrence of a preexisting condition, select a policy with a preexisting condition waiver and fulfill the requirements for the waiver. After all, buying insurance won't help if your policy doesn't cover your losses.

Disclaimer : This information is provided by IMT Services, LLC ( InsureMyTrip.com ), a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 5119217) and a member of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies. IMT's services are only available in states where it is licensed to do business and the products provided through InsureMyTrip.com may not be available in all states. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not create or modify any insurance policy terms in any way. For more information, please visit www.insuremytrip.com .

June 1, 2020

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after

Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after

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International Travel Insurance

International travel is exciting whether it's a quick visit to Paris, an African safari or a week in the Caribbean. Wherever your adventure takes you, international travel insurance can help you travel with peace of mind. If you become sick or injured while traveling; or if circumstances cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip, international travel insurance is there to help you. And, with our  OneTrip Prime plan , kids 17 and under are covered for free when traveling with a parent or grandparent (not available on policies issued to Pennyslvania residents). If something goes wrong when you're far from home, we're here to help. Just call our 24-hour assistance hotline.

View international travel insurance products .

International Travel Articles

The rewards of international travel are incredible — but before your adventure begins, you have to get through customs. We'll help you plan your next overseas trip, figure out what to pack, and protect yourself while you're traveling.

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Insurance benefits underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: 2 Mid America Plaza, Suite 200, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181), rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233), rated “A+” (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101-C series or 101-P series, depending on your state of residence and plan chosen. A+ (Superior) and A (Excellent) are the 2nd and 3rd highest, respectively, of A.M. Best's 13 Financial Strength Ratings. Plans only available to U.S. residents and may not be available in all jurisdictions. Allianz Global Assistance and Allianz Travel Insurance are marks of AGA Service Company dba Allianz Global Assistance or its affiliates. Allianz Travel Insurance products are distributed by Allianz Global Assistance, the licensed producer and administrator of these plans and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between AGA Service Company and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance benefits and assistance services. Any Non-Insurance Assistance services purchased are provided through AGA Service Company. Except as expressly provided under your plan, you are responsible for charges you incur from third parties. Contact AGA Service Company at  800-284-8300 or 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233 or [email protected] .

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12 Best Travel Insurance Companies of March 2024

According to our analysis of more than 50 travel insurance companies and hundreds of different travel insurance plans, the best travel insurance company is Travelex Insurance Services. In our best travel insurance ratings, we take into account traveler reviews, credit ratings and industry awards. The best travel insurance companies offer robust coverage and excellent customer service, and many offer customizable add-ons.

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Travelex Insurance Services »

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Allianz Travel Insurance »

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Seven Corners »

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World Nomads Travel Insurance »

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AXA Assistance USA »

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AIG Travel Guard »

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Generali Global Assistance »

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protec... »

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HTH Travel Insurance »

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Trawick International »

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Tin Leg »

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Nationwide 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 Travel Insurance Companies.

Table of Contents

  • Rating Details
  • Allianz Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can help you protect the financial investment you made in your vacation if plans go awry. Find the best travel insurance for the type of trip(s) you're taking and the coverages that matter most to you – from interruptions and misplaced belongings to illness and injury.

  • Travelex Insurance Services: Best Overall
  • Allianz Travel Insurance: Best for Cancel for Any Reason Add-on
  • Seven Corners: Best for 24/7 Support When Traveling
  • World Nomads Travel Insurance: Best for Adventure Travelers
  • AXA Assistance USA: Best for Coverage of Luggage and Personal Items
  • AIG Travel Guard: Best for Cruise Insurance
  • Generali Global Assistance: Best for Emergency Situations
  • Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection: Best for Flight Insurance
  • HTH Travel Insurance: Best for Groups
  • Trawick International: Best for Vacation Rental Insurance
  • Tin Leg: Best for Budget-Friendly Plans
  • Nationwide Insurance: Best for Last-Minute Travel Insurance

Best Travel Insurance Companies in Detail

Travelex ».

Customizable upgrades are available, including car rental coverage, additional medical insurance and adventure sports coverage

Medical and trip cancellation maximum are not as high as some other companies

  • 100% of the insured trip cost for trip cancellation; 150% for trip interruption
  • Up to $1,000 in coverage for lost, damaged or stolen bags and personal items; $200 for luggage delays
  • $750 in missed connection coverage
  • $50,000 in emergency medical and dental coverage
  • Up to $500,000 in emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage

SEE FULL REVIEW »

Annual and multitrip policies are available

Distinguishing between the company's 10 travel insurance plans can be challenging

  • Up to $200,000 in trip cancellation coverage; $300,000 in trip interruption coverage
  • $2,000 for lost, damaged or stolen luggage and personal effects; $600 for bag delays
  • Up to $1,600 for travel delays
  • Emergency medical coverage of up to $75,000
  • Epidemic coverage

Coverage for preexisting conditions

Cancel for any reason coverage costs extra

  • 100% trip cancellation coverage (up to between $30,000 and $100,000 depending on your state of residence); interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost 
  • Lost, stolen or damaged baggage coverage up to $2,500; up to $600 for luggage delays
  • Trip delay and missed connection coverage worth up to $1,500
  • Emergency medical coverage worth up to between $250,000 and $500,000 (depending on where you live)

World Nomads »

Adventure sports are covered at no additional cost

Explorer plan only promises up to $10,000 in trip protection

  • $10,000 in trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage
  • $3,000 in protection for lost, damaged or stolen baggage, tech equipment and various travel gear
  • Up to $3,000 in trip delay costs
  • $100,000 in emergency medical coverage

All plans include missed connection coverage

Premiums are on the higher end compared to other providers

  • Trip cancellation protection for 100% of the trip cost; 150% for trip interruption
  • Up to $3,000 for baggage that's been lost, damaged or stolen; $600 in bag delay coverage
  • Trip delay coverage worth $1,250
  • $250,000 in emergency medical coverage

Travel insurance policy coverage is tailored to your specific trip

Information about policy coverage inclusions is not readily available without first obtaining a quote

  • Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of your trip's cost; trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost
  • Up to $2,500 in coverage for lost, stolen or damaged baggage; $500 related to luggage delays
  • Up to $1,000 in missed connection and trip delay coverage

Sporting equipment coverage is included in the company's mid-tier plan

Coverage for those with preexisting conditions is only available on the Premium plan

  • 100% reimbursement for trip cancellation; 175% reimbursement for trip interruption
  • $2,000 in coverage for loss of baggage per person
  • $1,000 per person in travel delay and missed connection coverage
  • $250,000 in medical and dental coverage per person

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection »

All plans include 24/7 travel assistance that can aid in finding or replacing lost luggage and assist with lost or stolen wallets, tickets and passports

Coverage for missed connections or accidental death and dismemberment is not part of the most basic plan

  • Trip cancellation coverage worth up to 100% of the trip cost; interruption coverage worth up to 150% of the trip cost
  • $500 in coverage for lost, stolen or damaged bags and personal items; bag delay coverage worth $200
  • Trip delay coverage worth up to $1,000; missed connection coverage worth up to $100
  • Medical coverage worth up to $50,000

Generous coverage at the mid-tier level

Preexisting conditions coverage is only available at mid- and high-tier plans

  • 100% trip cancellation coverage (up to $50,000); 200% trip interruption coverage
  • Up to $2,000 in coverage for baggage and personal effects; $400 in baggage delay coverage
  • Up to $2,000 in coverage for trip delays; $1,000 for missed connections
  • $500,000 in coverage per person for sickness and accidents

Generous coverage among the plans for trip cancellation and interruption

Determining the right plan may be overwhelming, with 15-plus options to choose from

  • 100% for trip cancellation (up to $100,000); 150% for trip interruption (up to $150,000)
  • Up to $2,500 for lost, damaged or stolen bags; up to $600 for luggage delays
  • Up to $3,000 for trip delays; $1,000 for missed connections
  • Up to $250,000 for emergency medical expenses

Variety of plans to choose from, including two budget-friendly policies and several more premium options

More limited coverage for baggage issues than other companies

  • 100% trip cancellation protection; 150% trip interruption
  • $500 per person for lost, stolen or damaged baggage and personal items
  • Up to $2,000 per person in travel delay coverage ($150 per day); $100 per person for missed connections
  • $100,000 per person in emergency medical coverage, including issues related to COVID-19

Variety of plans to choose from

Limited trip cancellation coverage even at the highest tier

  • Trip cancellation coverage up to $30,000; trip interruption coverage worth up to 200% of the trip cost (maximum of $60,000)
  • $2,000 for lost, damaged or stolen baggage; $600 for baggage delays
  • Up to $2,000 for trip delays; missed connection and itinerary change coverage of $500 each
  • $150,000 for emergency medical and dental issues

To help you better understand the costs associated with travel insurance, we requested quotes for a weeklong spring 2024 trip to Italy for a solo traveler, a couple and a family. These rates should help you get a rough estimate for about how much you can expect to spend on travel insurance. For additional details on specific coverage from each travel insurance plan and to input your trip information for a quote, see our comparison table below.

Travel Insurance Types: Which One Is Right for You?

There are several types of travel insurance you'll want to evaluate before choosing the policy that's right for you. A few of the most popular types of travel insurance include:

COVID travel insurance Select insurance plans offer some or a combination of the following COVID-19-related protections: coverage for rapid or PCR testing; accommodations if you're required to quarantine during your trip if you test positive for coronavirus; health care; and trip cancellations due to you or a family member testing positive for COVID-19. Read more about the best COVID-19 travel insurance options .

Cancel for any reason insurance Cancel for any reason travel insurance works exactly how it sounds. This type of travel insurance lets you cancel your trip for any reason you want – even if your reason is that you simply decide you no longer want to go. Cancel for any reason travel insurance is typically an add-on you can purchase to go along with other types of travel insurance. For that reason, you will pay more to have this kind of coverage added to your policy.

Also note that this type of coverage typically only reimburses 50% to 80% of your nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses. You'll want to make sure you know exactly how much reimbursement you could qualify for before you invest in this type of policy. Compare the best cancel for any reason travel insurance options here .

International travel insurance Travel insurance is especially useful when traveling internationally, as it can provide medical coverage for emergencies (in some cases for COVID-19) when you're far from home. Depending which international travel insurance plan you choose, this type of travel insurance can also cover lost or delayed luggage, rental cars, travel interruptions or cancellations, and more.

Cheap travel insurance If you want travel insurance but don't want to spend a lot of money, there are plenty of cheap travel insurance options that will offer at least some protections (and peace of mind). These are typically called a company's basic or standard plan; many travel insurance companies even allow you to customize your coverage, spending as little or as much as you want. Explore your options for the cheapest travel insurance here .

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance Trip cancellation coverage can help you get reimbursement for prepaid travel expenses, such as your airfare and cruise fare, if your trip is ultimately canceled for a covered reason. Trip interruption insurance, on the other hand, kicks in to reimburse you if your trip is derailed after it starts. For instance, if you arrived at your destination and became gravely ill, it would cover the cost if you had to cut your trip short.

Trip delay insurance can help you qualify for reimbursement of any unexpected expenses you incur (think: lodging, transportation and food) in the event your trip is delayed for reasons beyond your control, such as your flight being canceled and rebooked for the next day. You will want to save your receipts to substantiate your claim if you have this coverage.

Lost, damaged, delayed or stolen bags or personal belongings Coverage for lost or stolen bags can come in handy if your checked luggage is lost by your airline or your luggage is delayed so long that you have to buy clothing and toiletries for your trip. (add text and link to checked luggage). This type of coverage can kick in to cover the cost to replace lost or stolen items you brought on your trip. It can also provide coverage for the baggage itself. It's even possible that your travel insurance policy will pay for your flight home if damages are caused to your residence and your belongings while you're away, forcing you to return home immediately.

Travel medical insurance If you find yourself sick or injured while you are on vacation, emergency medical coverage can pay for your medical expenses. With that in mind, however, you will need to find out whether the travel medical insurance you buy is primary or secondary. Where a primary policy can be used right away to cover medical bills incurred while you travel, secondary coverage only provides reimbursement after you have exhausted other medical policies you have.

You will also need to know how the travel medical coverage you purchase deals with any preexisting conditions you have, including whether you will have any coverage for preexisting conditions at all. Read more about the best travel medical insurance plans .

Evacuation insurance Imagine you break your leg while on the side of a mountain in some far-flung land without quality health care. Not only would you need travel medical insurance coverage in that case, but you would also need coverage for the exorbitant expense involved in getting you off the side of a mountain and flying you home where you can receive appropriate medical care.

Evacuation coverage can come in handy if you need it, but you will want to make sure any coverage you buy comes with incredibly high limits. According to Squaremouth, an emergency evacuation can easily cost $25,000 in North America and up to $50,000 in Europe, so the site typically suggests customers buy policies with $50,000 to $100,000 in emergency evacuation coverage.

Cruise insurance Travel delays; missed connections, tours or excursions; and cruise ship disablement (when a ship encounters a mechanical issue and is unable to continue on in the journey) are just a few examples why cruise insurance can be a useful protection if you've booked a cruise vacation. Learn more about the top cruise insurance plans here .

Credit card travel insurance It is not uncommon to find credit cards that include trip cancellation and interruption coverage , trip delay insurance, lost or delayed baggage coverage, travel accident insurance, and more. Cards that offer this coverage include popular options like the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card , the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and The Platinum Card from American Express . 

Note that owning a credit card with travel insurance protection is not enough for your coverage to count: To take advantage of credit card travel insurance, you must pay for prepaid travel expenses like your airfare, hotel stay or cruise with that specific credit card. Also, note that credit cards with travel insurance have their own list of exclusions to watch out for. Many also require cardholders to pay an annual fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Travel insurance works similarly to other types of insurance, except that travel insurance intends to cover unforeseeable events. In most cases, you will pay a flat fee for a policy that covers an individual trip and all its components – like airfare, your accommodations and any prepaid excursions. However, if you travel more than a few times per year, and especially if your trips are on the pricey side, you can also buy an annual travel insurance policy.

Benefits vary among travel insurance providers and policies, meaning some travel insurance plans cover more scenarios than others, and some offer higher coverage limits as well. For example, some travel insurance policies might only offer trip cancellation coverage worth up to $2,500 per traveler, while others offer the same benefit worth up to $100,000.

With this in mind, travel insurance works like other insurance plans in the sense that you can buy a basic level of coverage or full coverage that will reimburse you up to incredibly high limits. The choice is up to you, and you should decide based on how much coverage you think you need to feel secure.

However, you should keep in mind that travel insurance cannot cover every potential situation you encounter before or during a trip. Many travel insurance policies list an array of exclusions you should know about, like war or preexisting circumstances. Several policies also offer named peril coverage that only covers the situations specifically outlined in your policy.

Travel insurance may cost anywhere from $50 to $1,500 or more. The cost of travel insurance varies depending on the age of the travelers in your group, the total cost of your trip and other factors. Travel insurance for seniors is typically more costly due to the increased likelihood of health-related issues. The total cost of your trip will also help determine the cost of your travel insurance plan since more expensive trips require higher coverage limits.

Interestingly enough, the length of your trip and the destination you are visiting will not typically affect the cost of travel insurance coverage. Further, your health may not be part of the equation either, and travel insurance companies even refrain from asking health questions when you apply for a travel insurance quote. This doesn't mean that preexisting conditions will be covered, however, so you'll want to check the details.

As an example, a few sample trip insurance quotes for a married couple who are both 40 and live in New York City are below:

  • Travel insurance for an eight-day trip to Florida with a purchase price of $3,500 might run about $85 to $385.
  • Travel insurance for an eight-day trip to Mexico with a purchase price of $5,000 could cost anywhere from $120 to $415.
  • Travel insurance for an eight-day trip to the United Kingdom with a purchase price of $7,500 may cost around $185 to $575.

The price of the plan you select will depend on how much coverage you want. Keep in mind, there are plenty of companies that offer affordable travel insurance plans if your main priority is getting a policy at a budget-friendly price. See the U.S. News list of the Cheapest Travel Insurance Companies .

The best time to buy travel insurance is normally within a few weeks of booking your trip since you may qualify for lower pricing if you book early. Keep in mind, some travel insurance providers allow you to purchase plans until the day before you depart.

Many times, you are given the option to purchase travel insurance when you book your airfare, accommodations or vacation package. Travel insurance and travel protection are frequently offered as add-ons for your trip, meaning you can pay for your vacation and some level of travel insurance at the same time.

However, many people choose to wait to buy travel insurance until after their entire vacation is booked and paid for. This helps travelers tally up all the underlying costs associated with a trip, and then choose their travel insurance provider and the level of coverage they want.

Figuring out where to buy travel insurance may be confusing but you can easily research and purchase travel insurance online these days. Some consumers prefer to shop around with a specific provider, such as Allianz or World Nomads, but you can also shop and compare policies with a travel insurance platform. Popular options include:

  • TravelInsurance.com: TravelInsurance.com offers travel insurance options from more than a dozen vetted insurance providers. Users can read reviews on the various travel insurance providers to find out more about previous travelers' experiences with them. Squaremouth: With Squaremouth, you can enter your trip details and compare more than 90 travel insurance plans from 20-plus providers.
  • InsureMyTrip: InsureMyTrip works similarly, letting you shop around and compare plans from more than 20 travel insurance providers in one place. InsureMyTrip also offers several guarantees, including a Best Price Guarantee, a Best Plan Guarantee and a Money-Back Guarantee that promises a full refund if you decide you no longer need the plan you purchased.

Protect your trip: Search, compare and buy the best travel insurance plans for the lowest price. Get a quote .

When you need to file a travel insurance claim, you should plan on explaining to your provider what happened to your trip and why you think your policy applies. If you planned to go on a Caribbean cruise, but your husband fell gravely ill the night before you were set to depart, you would need to explain that situation to your travel insurance company. Information you should share with your provider includes the details of why you're making a claim, who was involved and the exact circumstances of your loss.

Documentation is important, and your travel insurance provider will ask for proof of what happened. Required documentation for travel insurance typically includes any proof of a delay, receipts, copies of medical bills and more.

Most travel insurance companies let you file a claim using an online form, but some also allow you to file a claim by phone or via fax. Some travel insurance providers, such as Allianz and Travel Insured International, offer their own mobile apps you can use to buy policies and upload information or documents that substantiate your claim. In any case, you will need to provide the company with proof of your claim and the circumstances that caused it.

If your claim is initially denied, you may also need to answer some questions or submit some additional information that can highlight why you do, in fact, qualify.

Whatever you do, be honest and forthcoming with all the information in your claim. Also, be willing to provide more information or answer any questions when asked.

Travel insurance claims typically take four to six weeks to process once you file with your insurance company. However, with various flight delays and cancellations due to things like extreme weather and pilot shortages, more travelers have begun purchasing travel insurance, encountering trip issues and having to submit claims. The higher volume of claims submitted has resulted in slower turnaround times at some insurance companies.

The longer you take to file your travel insurance claim after a loss, the longer you will be waiting for reimbursement. Also note that, with many travel insurance providers, there is a time limit on how long you can submit claims after a trip. For example, with Allianz Travel Insurance, World Nomads Travel Insurance and Travelex Insurance Services, you have 90 days from the date of your loss to file a claim.

You may be able to expedite the claim if you provide all the required information upfront, whereas the process could drag on longer than it needs to if you delay filing a claim or the company has to follow up with you to get more information.

Travel insurance is never required, and only you can decide whether or not it's right for you. Check out Is Travel Insurance Worth It? to see some common situations where it does (and doesn't) make sense.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is an award-winning content creator who has been writing about travel insurance and travel for more than a decade. She has researched travel insurance options for her own vacations and family trips to more than 50 countries around the world, and has experience navigating the claims and reimbursement process. In fact, she has successfully filed several travel insurance claims for trip delays and trip cancellations over the years. Johnson also works alongside her husband, Greg, who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states, in their family media business.

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Can Travel Will Travel

Long-Term Travel Insurance | True Traveller and World Nomads

  • Post author:
  • Post published: 23/09/2023
  • Post last modified: 19/02/2024
  • Post comments: 21 Comments

Best Long Term Travel Insurance. True Traveller and World Nomads

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I repetitively tell people that ”I don’t travel without travel insurance” – whether that be single-trip, multi-trip or annual travel insurance, long-term travel insurance, backpacker travel insurance, digital nomad travel insurance round-the-world travel insurance, whatever. I know it can seem like a big chunk out of the travel budget, especially if you’re on the road for an extended or indefinite period of time, but for me, it’s worth it.

Affiliate link disclosure: World Nomads provides travel insurance for travellers in over 100 countries. As an affiliate, we receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance. This post also contains other affiliate links. Again, if you use them to make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our Affiliate Link Disclosure.

What you'll find in this post

Long-Term Travel Insurance 

Best Long Term Travel Insurance. True Traveller and World Nomads

What type of travel insurance you buy and with which company depends on where you’re from, where you’re travelling to, for how long, what you want to be covered for and if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. This post is specifically about long-term travel insurance, by which I mean travel insurance that’s suitable for people who plan to travel for six months to a year or longer as long-term backpackers or digital nomads. So, anyone who doesn’t have a time limit set to return to their home country. 

Note: This doesn’t include long-term/ permanent expats as they’ll often need different insurances, probably including specific health insurance.

After a huge amount of research, before we left the UK in 2016  to travel indefinitely, we could only find two travel insurance companies that would insure us for annual long-term or multi-trip insurance and also allow us to renew it without returning to the UK. They were True Traveller and World Nomads

These were also the only two companies we could find that also allow you to take out travel insurance when you’re not in your home country. I also see questions about long-term travel insurance and digital nomad travel insurance asked all the time on social media forums. With limited providers for this type of travel insurance, I thought it would be useful to share what I know about True Traveller and World Nomads and also to share stories from a selection of travel bloggers who have used them and claimed with them. 

World Nomads Travel Insurance

World Nomads travel insurance has been designed by travellers for travellers, with coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

According to the stories of the travel bloggers below, they were very happy with the coverage and customer service they received:

Pickpocketed in Mexico City, Mexico

By  wild about bc.

Mexico City

On my most recent travels, I visited Mexico City. I am from Ireland and it was my first time there but I had heard all the stories of crime in the city, especially theft involving tourists. Yet even armed with this knowledge, I was foolish enough to keep my phone and wallet in the pockets of my shorts.

The pickpocket’s eyes must have lit up when they saw me. An easy target for the group of thieves on the underground train. I was surrounded by five or six people and pushed onto the train. It only took me a second to realise what was happening but by that stage, it was too late. My hands went straight to my pockets but my phone and wallet were already gone. They split off in all directions and I was left helpless.

Thankfully, I had travel insurance with ‘World Nomads’ . I always toyed with the idea of not getting travel insurance but luckily, logic always prevailed. It’s times like these you are so glad to have insurance. I filed a police report as it is required by World Nomads when claiming for theft. I also had to submit my account of what happened, along with any receipts I had showing the value of the stolen items.

Within five days I had a reply from World Nomads agreeing to pay out for the value of my stolen items minus my small excess fee. I received just over £300 in compensation and it only took about three weeks from when I first submitted my claim to receiving the money in my account. I had a very easy claim process with World Nomads and I never felt like they were trying to short-change me. Never again will I have the debate on whether or not to get travel insurance.

Delayed in Ushuaia, Argentina

By  road unraveled .

Ushuaia Road Unraveled

When our ship pulled into port in Ushuaia, Argentina after 11 magical days exploring Antarctica, we thought it would be months before the smiles left our faces. Instead, it took just moments.

While we were packing and enjoying one final meal on board with our fellow Antarctic explorers, political tensions were rising within Argentina. To protest changes to pension calculations, the labour union for Argentina’s airlines voted to strike for 24 hours. By the time we arrived we were mere hours away from the start of the strike, which meant our flight was cancelled. While panic spread like wildfire throughout the hundreds of travellers we encountered, my husband and I managed to remain calm. After all, we had travel insurance.

We never travel internationally without an insurance policy, and our trip home from Ushuaia was the first time we ever truly needed one. We purchased a World Nomads Explorer Plan that fully covered more than $600 USD (£461 GBP) in unexpected expenses related to our extended stay in Ushuaia. Our additional hotel nights, meals, and taxis to and from the airport were completely covered.

When we finally arrived home, filing our World Nomads claim was simple. We completed an online form and submitted proof of our delay as well as our receipts, and within 30 days we received a full refund. The refund we received was more than the $450 USD  (£345 GBP) we spent on the policy! Although we hope to never encounter another travel challenge like our journey home from Ushuaia , we will always travel with a World Nomad insurance policy. We now know firsthand: it just isn’t worth the risk.

Missed Eurostar Departure to Brussels, Belgium

By  live in 10 countries.

Grote Market in Brussels, Belgium

I promise that I’m usually on time for all international travel, but there was one time that I wasn’t and World Nomads travel insurance totally saved my neck.

I booked a quick  layover hop to Brussels  on the Eurostar for a short trip and a hotel to see the Belgian capital. I was living in England’s Midlands and so had to face a three-hour journey down to London before we could get on the Eurostar. No problem, my partner and I thought, we’ll allow at least an hour and a half between arriving in London and the start of check-in for the Eurostar .

Yep, that was a fatal mistake! The coach to London hit nightmare traffic and while we slept on board, the journey was extended by two hours. We had to pay the Eurostar full fare a second time to board a later train – not exactly a great start to our holiday.

I didn’t think we’d be covered by insurance as we should have allowed more time. But thanks to the handy ‘missed connection cover’ we got the fare refunded minus our excess. Claiming was easy and the customer service was good, so thumbs up for that – it made a big difference to our trip!

Stolen GoPro 6 in Central America

By  explore with lora.

Belize in Central America

Before the start of my one-year trip around the world, I purchased World Nomads Travel Insurance Explorer Plan . The cost of purchasing the policy plan for five months of travel in Central and South America was $500 CAD (£288 GBP). On the first day of the trip, I managed to have my shiny new GoPro 6 stolen from my bag.

After the item was stolen, I contacted World Nomads and they advised me of the documentation I needed to provide to start my claim. In this case, I had to get a police report of the incident, send a copy of the receipt showing the purchase of the item, and fill out a form with my personal information. I was able to send this all through e-mail with attached pictures of the claim forms, which was great because I was travelling and did not have access to a printer or fax.

Within a couple of weeks my claim had been processed, and World Nomads reimbursed me the full price that I paid for my GoPro 6 ($650 CAD/ £375 GBP). Because I had just bought the GoPro before leaving, they reimbursed me for the entire value since there was no depreciation amount to factor in.

Overall, the claiming experience with World Nomads was excellent. Just a day into the trip and the cost of my travel insurance had already paid for itself. It made me a World Nomads customer for life!

A Loyal Customer in Europe

By  carry on or bust .

Cape Sounion Greece

At the time of writing, I have had nine World Nomads travel insurance policies in five years – two out of three of my claims have been granted (and if I am completely honest – the third one was a little bit cheeky so I don’t blame them)!

My first claim was the cheeky one – I missed a flight because I trusted the advice of an airline employee who didn’t look at my boarding pass properly, and to be fair I should have checked the details of the flight myself.

The second claim was probably the most upsetting – a guest checked into the hostel I was staying at in Paris and broke into everyone’s lockers while we were out and took all the cash they could find – about £100 in my case. I dealt with the French police for a few hours and got my report number, logging into World Nomads online claim dashboard was super easy even on hostel wifi. I uploaded scans of the police report and filled in the forms. Less than two months later I had the balance of what was stolen minus my excess transferred into my bank account.

The third claim was for the cost of replacing an iPhone that went to electronics heaven after falling into the Aegean. With this claim, all I had to do was go visit an Apple store and have them look at the phone and deem it irreparably water-damaged (took my person literally 2 seconds) and print out a pre-written letter stating this. I scanned this letter and uploaded it on the World Nomads website along with my digital receipt from when I bought the phone and again, in a few weeks the maximum payable for personal electronics was deposited into my account.

All of World Nomad’s travel insurance claims have been great and I continue to use them for my travel insurance policies.

BUY WORLD NOMADS INSURANCE HERE

True Traveller Travel Insurance

True Traveller is our personal favourite but has the disadvantage that it only covers people who are citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA). This means it excludes many nationalities, hence why I have fewer blogger stories for them. Despite this, for those nationalities, it’s an excellent option and offers the most fantastic customer service, which I, and other travel bloggers can vouch for as you’ll see from our stories below.

Ill-fated White Water Rafting Trip

By  two stay wild.

Pai in Thailand

Being from the UK, we opted for the ‘Traveller’ couple package through True Traveller , as it seemed the most cost-effective option for the cover that we required. It was annual worldwide (excluding North America) policy for a couple and cost us £600.

Unfortunately, we had to claim on the insurance after an ill-fated white water rafting trip resulted in our Go Pro taking a swim in the river Pai, Thailand. The True Traveller insurance claim process was simple: print out a form detailing what happened, and send it back to the True Traveller offices in the UK along with any supporting documentation.

We supplied a receipt of purchase and instruction manual as proof of ownership but were a little worried about proving that we had lost it in the river (no police report!). The best we could come up with was a written declaration from one of the white water rafting company employees, confirming that the camera was indeed lost in the river.

As it turned out, that was enough, and we received a refund for the value of the camera promptly after the claim was received (around £270 at the time, excluding the £75 excess). We were impressed with the service, speed of all communication and their understanding that we had tried our best to prove that the camera was lost.

Doctors Visit and Physio in Vancouver, Canada

By two scots abroad.

Vancouver in Canada

Before travelling we purchased worldwide  travel insurance from True Traveller , our policy was for 18 months with addons: winter, adventure, baggage, electronics.

Whilst in Canada, after a period of dizziness I decided to visit a walk-in GP in Vancouver to get checked out. Post investigation, the GP put it down to working on a laptop all day and referred me on to a physiotherapist. I was relieved that the dizziness was nothing too serious, the doctor ruled out any brain-related issues. 

It was lucky I was referred on to the physiotherapist because the GP’s diagnosis was a lot of rubbish. I had problems with ear crystals which resulted in two visits to the physiotherapist. The physiotherapist completed strange body movements where she pulled me up and down to get the lodged ear crystals moving again. It felt like a miracle, no more dizzy spells! 

The total bill came to $191 CAD (£110 GBP). I claimed via my insurer, True Traveller Insurance , using the provided email address. Half of the total was paid out within three weeks, the other half was excess.

The claiming process was painless (boom boom). 

Trip Curtailment in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

By can travel will travel .

Apartment and Pool in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Finally, here’s my own experience which initially prompted me to write this post.

Before we first left the UK to travel, live and work abroad indefinitely we purchased a True Traveller Annual Single Trip ‘True Value’ policy (excluding North America) which cost us £630.60 for both of us. That first year in Asia we had no need to claim which was great, then towards the end of that policy True Traveller contacted us asking if we’d like to renew it. They also advised us that we’d receive a 10% discount for renewing, so as we had no plans to return to the UK we decided to stay with them.

We actually had to get separate policies that time as Andy had gone over the age threshold for the basic policy (haha)! This meant our new policies were quoted to be more expensive than the original ones but we reduced the premium by opting not to cover baggage and money as we figured it wasn’t worth it as we carry very little of value.

Seven months later we were at the end of six weeks working from a beautiful Air BnB apartment with pool in Puerto Vallarta when we suddenly received a phone call from home. That call stopped us in our tracks, as my Mum had been told she was very unwell. It became clear we needed to return home asap to see for ourselves what was going on, and to support my family. To make matters worse my Mum had been due to visit us imminently and we’d booked and paid several internal flights around Mexico with her. Andy had also booked a flight back to Cambodia once Mum had gone home and I was in the midst of planning 5 weeks in Central America.

There was no question about going home though and we booked some (very expensive) flights back to the UK for 2 days later. I contacted True Traveller immediately who were amazing; they were also very caring and considerate given the circumstances of our claim.

Once back in the UK it was a matter of completing the claim forms and providing evidence of my Mum’s condition and receipts for everything we needed to claim for. Our claim included: two flights from Mexico to the UK, one flight from Mexico to Cambodia, four internal flights in Mexico, plus our hire car once we got back to the UK. In total, we claimed over £3,000.

Impressively, I received a call within 48 hours of submitting our True Traveller claim advising that the money was being transferred to our banks as we speak – it arrived the next day! It was such a relief because we’d have been almost broke if we hadn’t had our travel insurance. It also gave us one less thing to worry about in a very difficult time, leaving us free to be there for our family. Happily, things turned out much better than expected with Mum, but even so, we’re so glad we had insurance which enabled us to return to the UK when needed.

I honestly can’t speak highly enough of True Traveller and their fantastic customer service! We’ve continued to use them on our next travels too.

BUY TRUE TRAVELLER INSURANCE HERE

Hopefully, these stories have given you a good overview of both companies. They should help you decide if one of them is the best option for long-term travel insurance to give you peace of mind and protection when travelling.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Since I originally wrote this post, there is another contender for long-term travel insurance. SafetyWing is most definitely worth taking into consideration when you’re doing your long-term travel insurance research.  SafetyWing travel insurance is again designed with long-term travellers in mind and by default doesn’t even give you an end date. It’s set up with recurring monthly payments, like a subscription, which is useful if you have no idea how long you’ll be travelling.

Think seriously about the potential consequences of travelling without travel insurance – you just never know what might happen and when you’ll need it.

Have you claimed with True Traveller or World Nomads?

Or, do you know of any other companies that offer long-term travel insurance where you can purchase or renew coverage when already travelling? Tell us about it in the comments.

Enjoy this post? Pin it for later!

Post author avatar

Tanya Korteling

This post has 21 comments.

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The first thing I do whenever planning for a vacation is search for a travel insurance. Without any travel insurance at place, I do not pack my bags. I hope your blog will help others to know its importance.

Pingback: Guide to Planning your Vacation - World to Wander

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' src=

This blog post seems super bias, I’d bet they are affiliates because the reviews on Trustpilot are a disaster for Worldnomads

' src=

Hi Leonard;

Yes you are correct I am an affiliate for True Traveller – I disclose at the top of the post that it contains affiliate links.

However, the point of the post was to compare and offer real-life claim stories for the ONLY two insurance companies that offer long-term travel insurance to travellers which can be taken out when already travelling and also renewed when already travelling.

To my knowledge, there are no other companies that offer this except for Saftey Wing, which unfortunately is only health cover, not for any belongings, delays etc.

Thanks for your comment though.

' src=

Anyone who travels without insurance is crazy! I’m lucky and have medical through work and I’ve had to use it before. I also purchase cancellation insurance in case I have to come home early or lose my luggage

Yes I absolutely agree 🙂

' src=

Such perfect timing! I just had a friend recommend World Nomads, but the thrifter in me needed to do a little recon before committing to one. Thanks for doing the research and sharing your tips.

That’s great I hope you find it helpful!

' src=

I never travel without it! I was insured with True Traveller and got pneumonia in Indonesia. I left it a week before going to hospital so I was in a pretty bad way. I stayed five nights in an excellent hospital on Bali, my treatment ran into the thousands of pounds. TT had to get confirmation from my doctors that it wasn’t a pre-existing condition then they guaranteed payment and I had to part with nothing apart from my excess. I did have to pay by card for the initial meds and chest x-ray but this was refunded by TT and they took the excess from that rather than insisting I send them a cheque. I’ve yet to see how this will effect future premiums with them but yes, I recommend them!

' src=

Sorry that happened to you on your trip but thank goodness you had insurance! I’m very impressed with TT so far so will def be using them again!

' src=

Thanks for putting this together! It can be tricky knowing which travel insurance to get and what’s really included. Like I had no idea you could get things like your GoPro covered!

Glad you found it useful 🙂

' src=

I always take trip insurance out. I had not previously found True Traveller and World Nomads. Now I will research them to see if they will be right for our extended journeys. Thanks for the info.

That’s great, it really is important!

' src=

It is so important to have insurance! We had a bad experience on our honeymoon when my wife injured her leg. Luckily we were covered and were able to avoid an even worse experience.

Oh no that’s the worst time for an accident. Glad you had insurance and hope it all worked out o.k.

' src=

An incredibly useful collection of information. Well done.

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Heidi Gollub

Updated 9:06 a.m. UTC Nov. 13, 2023

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Best for extension of travel insurance coverage

WorldTrips

Top-scoring plan

Covers covid, medical & evacuation limits per person, what you should know.

WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey Preferred policy offers an extension of coverage benefit that’s almost three weeks longer than that of any other company we evaluated, and this extension includes medical quarantine coverage.

  • Cheapest of the 5-star plans in our rating.
  • Top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
  • Very good travel delay and missed connection coverage.
  • Optional “cancel for any reason” coverage of 50% or 75%.
  • Emergency medical coverage is secondary, with optional upgrade to primary.
  • No “interruption for any reason” coverage.

About WorldTrips travel insurance

WorldTrips Atlas Journey travel insurance plans provide customizable travel insurance coverage at a competitive price. Depending on the type of trip you are planning, you can customize your travel insurance coverage by adding upgrades such as pet care coverage, hunting and fishing equipment coverage and even destination wedding coverage.

In this WorldTrips insurance review, we break down WorldTrips’ three main insurance plans, share sample pricing for its top-rated travel insurance plan and explain some common policy exclusions.

WorldTrips travel insurance plans

WorldTrip’s Atlas Journey travel insurance plans include medical coverage and trip interruption coverage for both domestic and international trips. The three travel insurance plans — Premier, Preferred and Economy — allow you to select the plan with the appropriate amount of coverage to meet your travel needs.

Atlas Journey Economy

The WorldTrips Atlas Journey Economy plan was designed for travelers who are looking for basic coverage on their next vacation or business trip.

The plan includes all the basic travel insurance coverages such as trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, medical coverage, medical evacuation and baggage coverage.

Of the three plans, the economy plan offers the lowest payout benefits. The travel medical insurance limit is only $10,000 per person. This coverage limit might be fine when traveling through the United States where your primary medical insurance would cover any emergency medical situations. However, if you are traveling internationally through countries that do not accept your domestic health insurance , you might want to upgrade your plan to include more medical coverage.

Atlas Journey Preferred

The WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred plan includes everything the economy plan does, but increases the coverage amount for every benefit. This plan gets 5 stars in our rating of the best travel insurance . 

Atlas Journey Preferred provides the same trip cancellation , interruption and emergency evacuation benefits as the top-tier Premier plan, but offers slightly lower limits for delay, missed connection and baggage insurance.

The biggest difference between the Preferred and the more expensive Premier plan is that the Preferred plan offers up to $100,000 in secondary emergency medical coverage while the Premier plan offers up to $150,000 in primary emergency medical coverage. You can opt to upgrade the Preferred plan to primary coverage for an additional fee, however.

Know more: Flight cancellations

Atlas Journey Premier

The WorldTrips Atlas Journey Premier plan is the crème de la crème of the WorldTrips trio of plans. It offers travelers the highest payout benefits of all the plans, which is especially important for those traveling overseas.

Compare WorldTrips travel insurance plans

What worldtrips travel insurance covers.

The core types of travel insurance packaged together in WorldTrips Atlas Journey policies include:

  • Sickness or injury that renders you or your traveling companion unable to travel. 
  • Death of a family member, traveling companion or business partner.
  • Severe weather that causes your common carrier to shut down for more than 12 hours. 
  • Terrorist incident or civil unrest in your destination. 
  • Emergency medical expenses: Travel medical insurance helps pay doctor and hospital bills and emergency evacuations if you get sick or injured on your trip.
  • Travel delay: If your trip is delayed for five hours or more due to a reason listed in the policy, travel delay insurance can help cover the cost of accommodations, meals and local transportation while you are delayed. 
  • Baggage: Baggage insurance includes lost or stolen baggage, excessive baggage damage and baggage that is delayed more than 12 hours.  
  • Travel Assistance Services: Multilingual travel agents can provide worldwide travel, medical, emergency, and security assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

What WorldTrips travel insurance doesn't cover

Like all travel insurance plans, WorldTrips plans will not cover everything. While it is always a good idea to read the fine print before buying a policy, here are some exclusions to WorldTrips travel insurance plans. 

  • Traveling against the advice of a physician.
  • Medical tourism.
  • Intoxication. 
  • Pre-existing conditions, unless you qualify for a waiver of the pre-existing condition exclusion.
  • Participation in an organized sports competition or as a sporting professional.
  • Participation in bodily contact sports, extreme sports, and certain adventure sports. 

WorldTrips travel insurance rates

Worldtrips additional coverage options and benefits.

You can customize and enhance WorldTrips travel insurance plans with the following add-ons, provided they are available with the plan you choose and in your state. 

“Cancel-for-any-reason” (CFAR) coverage

A “cancel for any reason” upgrade allows you to cancel your trip for any reason not already covered by your trip cancellation benefit, as long as you do so at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure.

Premier and Preferred plan policyholders can choose to be reimbursed for 50% or 75% of their costs with CFAR. This optional coverage is not available with the Atlas Journey Economy plan. 

“Interruption-for-any-reason” coverage

The trip “interruption for any reason” (IFAR) upgrade reimburses 50% of your trip cost as long as you are at least 48 hours into your trip when you decide to end your travels early. This optional coverage is only available on the WorldTrips Atlas Journey Premier plan.

Destination weddings 

This upgrade allows you to get trip cancellation benefits if the destination wedding you are attending is canceled after you buy your travel insurance policy. The destination wedding coverage is only available on the WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred and Premier plans.

Adventure sports 

This optional coverage extends your travel insurance to include safari activities, bungee jumping, hang gliding and other extreme activities. This add-on is available for all WorldTrips Atlas Journey plans. 

Emergency medical expense primary coverage

WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred policyholders have the option to upgrade their emergency accident and sickness coverage from secondary to primary coverage. 

Rental car damage and theft

This upgrade adds collision damage and theft coverage for rental vehicles. The rental car coverage is an available add-on for all plans. 

This upgrade adds trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage in the event of the death or critical illness of your dog or cat. It also adds vet care compensation if your dog or cat becomes ill when traveling with you. The pet care coverage is an add-on option for all plans. 

Baggage damage or loss primary coverage

This add-on doubles your baggage coverage limits. It also increases the baggage insurance to primary coverage up from the secondary coverage available on the WorldTrips Atlas Journey plans. This upgrade is available on all plans. 

Vacation rental accommodations

The vacation rental coverage offers interruption coverage if your vacation rental is unclean, overbooked or the keys are lost. The optional coverage upgrade is available on all plans. 

Additional covered school activities 

This optional upgrade adds cancellation coverage if a student is required to take a test, the school year is extended or if a sporting event is scheduled. The coverage upgrade is available on all plans.

Hunting and fishing activities

The hunting and fishing upgrade covers cancellation due to government restrictions. It also covers equipment if it is lost, damaged or stolen and reimburses travelers for rental gear. The optional coverage upgrade is available on all plans.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 42 aspects of 53 policies to find the best travel insurance plans. We used data provided by Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison provider. For companies offering more than one travel insurance plan, we shared information about the highest-scoring plan (or two, in case of a tie).

Some companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans which scored the highest, so make sure to get travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

The factors we scored out of a possible 100 points include the following.

Cost: 30 points. We scored the average cost for each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles:

  • Couple, age 30 for an 8-day trip to Mexico costing $3,000.
  • Couple, age 30 for an 8-day trip to Mexico costing $3,000, with CFAR coverage upgrade.
  • Couple, age 40, for a 17-day trip to Italy costing $6,000.
  • Couple, age 40, for a 17-day trip to Italy costing $6,000, with CFAR coverage upgrade.
  • Family of four, for a 17-day trip to Italy costing $15,000.
  • Family of four, for a 17-day trip to Italy costing $15,000, with CFAR coverage upgrade.
  • Couple, age 65, for a 17-day trip to Italy costing $6,000.
  • Couple, age 65, for a 17-day trip to Italy costing $6,000, with CFAR coverage upgrade.
  • Couple, age 70, for an 8-day trip to Mexico trip costing $3,000.
  • Couple, age 70, for an 8-day trip to Mexico trip costing $3,000, with CFAR coverage upgrade.

Medical expenses: 15 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with travel medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 15 points.

Medical evacuation: 15 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 15 points.

“Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave travel insurance plans with the option of a “cancel for any reason” upgrade 5 points.

Trip interruption travel insurance: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance plans that offer trip interruption reimbursement of 150% or more.

Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in at 6 hours or less.

Baggage delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with baggage delay benefits that kick in at 12 hours or less.

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 5 points. We gave policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if purchased within a required timeline 5 points.

Non-medical evacuation: 5 points. If a policy provides coverage for non-medical evacuation, such as for political or security reasons, we gave it 5 points.

Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.

Employment layoff: 5 points. Travel insurance policies that allow you to cancel your trip because of layoff at a company where you have worked for one continuous year were scored 5 points. If a plan requires that you had the job for more than a year to qualify, no points were given.

WorldTrips insurance review FAQs

Yes, WorldTrips offers both annual and group medical insurance plans. 

  • Atlas Group medical insurance plans offer a 10% reduced rate for families and groups of five or more when traveling abroad. 
  • Atlas MultiTrip insurance is annual travel medical coverage for multiple trips abroad in a period of 364 days. 

Yes, WorldTrips offers travel health insurance for international students. WorldTrips’s Atlas America travel health insurance is for non-U.S residents and citizens who travel internationally to the United States. Atlas America insurance reviews online are overwhelmingly positive, with 96% of reviewers recommending the policy.

WorldTrips considers a pre-existing condition to be an illness, disease or other condition during the lookback period (90 days in most states) immediately prior to your effective date of coverage for which you received or were recommended to receive a test, examination or medical treatment or received a medical prescription. 

WorldTrips will waive the pre-existing conditions exclusion if you purchase your plan within 21 days of the date you made your first payment toward your trip and you are medically able to travel on the date of purchase.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Jennifer Simonson

Jennifer Simonson covers everything from business to the wine industry to international travel. Outdoor adventure, water parks and all things Texas are by far her favorite beats. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Texas Monthly, Smithsonian Magazine, Fodor's, Lonely Planet, Slate and more. You can follow her on Instagram at @storiestoldwell.

Mandy is an insurance writer who has been creating online content since 2018. Before becoming a full-time freelance writer, Mandy spent 15 years working as an insurance agent. Her work has been published in Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Insurance Bulletin, U.S. News and more.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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Travel Insurance Kara McGinley

Literally, Darling

Is Travel Insurance Really Worth It?

T raveling opens up a world of adventures, but it also exposes you to a range of unexpected events that could turn your dream vacation into a nightmare. From medical emergencies and trip cancellations to lost luggage and flight delays, the unpredictabilities of travel can lead to significant financial losses. This is where travel insurance comes into play. Yet, many travelers often find themselves pondering the value of purchasing travel insurance. Is it an unnecessary expense or a wise investment? Let’s explore the reasons why investing in travel insurance might be more valuable than you think.

Understanding the Benefits

Travel insurance is designed to cover unforeseen events that could impact your trip. For example,  UHC Safetrip has several benefits , serving as an apt example of what comprehensive travel insurance offers. Coverage typically includes medical emergencies, which can be a financial lifesaver, especially considering that many health insurance policies do not extend coverage overseas. Besides medical emergencies, policies like UHC Safetrip also provide financial protection against trip cancellations and interruptions, lost or stolen luggage, and even offer 24/7 travel assistance services. 

Medical Emergencies Abroad

One of the most compelling arguments in favor of travel insurance is its coverage for medical emergencies. When traveling abroad, you are not just exposed to the risk of accidents or illnesses; you are also venturing into territories where your domestic health insurance might not be valid. Medical treatment in foreign countries can be exorbitantly expensive, and without insurance, you could be facing a huge out-of-pocket expense. With travel insurance, however, you have the assurance that medical costs, including hospital stays and emergency evacuations, will be covered.

Protection Against Trip Cancellations

Another significant advantage of travel insurance is protection against trip cancellations or interruptions. Life is unpredictable, and unexpected events such as illness, natural disasters, or even a sudden job loss can force you to cancel or cut short your trip. Without insurance, you could lose the money you’ve already paid for flights, accommodations, and tours. Travel insurance policies typically reimburse non-refundable expenses, providing a safety net that can save you from significant financial loss.

Dealing with Lost or Stolen Luggage

Losing your luggage or having it stolen is more than just an inconvenience; it can also lead to substantial financial losses. Travel insurance offers compensation for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage, helping to alleviate the cost of replacing the contents and the bag. Some policies even cover the expenses of purchasing essentials if your luggage is delayed. This benefit can be particularly valuable if you’re carrying expensive items like electronics or special equipment for activities like skiing or scuba diving.

Coverage for Flight Delays and Cancellations

Flight delays and cancellations are all too common, and they can disrupt your travel plans and lead to unexpected expenses. Many travel insurance plans offer coverage for these inconveniences, reimbursing you for additional accommodation costs, meals, and transportation. This type of coverage can help turn a frustrating situation into a manageable one, ensuring that a delay doesn’t have a domino effect on the rest of your trip.

Peace of Mind

Beyond the financial benefits, travel insurance offers something priceless: peace of mind. Knowing you’re covered against a wide range of unforeseen events allows you to travel with confidence. Whether you encounter a medical emergency, need to cancel your trip, or face any other covered issue, travel insurance can alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with these situations. This peace of mind is invaluable, enabling you to focus on enjoying your experience rather than worrying about what could go wrong.

Is It Worth It?

So, is travel insurance really worth it? While the decision ultimately depends on your personal risk tolerance, travel habits, and the nature of your trip, the benefits outlined above paint a clear picture. The protection against potential financial losses, coupled with the peace of mind it offers, makes travel insurance a wise investment for most travelers. Whether it’s a short domestic trip or an extended overseas expedition, having travel insurance can safeguard your journey, allowing you to explore the world with confidence and security.

The post Is Travel Insurance Really Worth It? appeared first on Literally, Darling .

Is Travel Insurance Really Worth It?

Weekend Money: We complimented big brands to see if you get freebies - here's what happened

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, cost of living advice and the latest on the economy. We'll be back with live updates on Monday but for now you can read our weekend features, and listen to an episode of our new Electoral Dysfunction podcast on the budget, below.

Saturday 9 March 2024 11:38, UK

  • Are we better off now? Essential budget reading/listening/watching
  • Complaints vs compliments: Does being nice to brands get freebies?
  • How to pick clothes that will last a long time
  • What are your rights if the used car you bought turns out to be faulty?

Best of the week

  • Money Problem : My neighbour denies they own the fence between us - but the post is attached to their house
  • Savings Guide : ISAs have become valuable again - here's where you can get the best fixed rates
  • The cheapest - and least busy - days to go on holiday this Easter
  • Going for a house viewing? Here's what to look out for - including candles, phone reception and where the sun is
  • Cheap Eats : Michelin chef picks favourite low-cost meals in Wales

By Megan Harwood-Baynes , cost of living specialist

I love complaining - it is usually a surefire way to get a freebie. If something has gone wrong with my food, or an online order, I won't hesitate to send off a quick email. My three caveats are this: I am never rude about it, I never lie or exaggerate, and I take a different approach if it's a small business.

I recently watched Queenpins on Netflix and (the obvious illegality aside) was intrigued by the idea that complaining could be a guaranteed way to get coupons and vouchers. It's not a totally new idea to me - I once complained to KitKat because my chocolate bar was missing the wafer (my kit had no kat) and got a £5 voucher for more chocolate.

In the past month, I have complained twice to McDonald's customer services: once because they gave us a weird Fanta-coke hybrid and once because my order was wrong but there was a fight in the restaurant so I couldn't get it switched. Both times their customer services team replied offering me free medium meal vouchers (three for the Coke debacle and two for the fight). As it is now around £6 for a medium meal, this worked as £30 in free food.

But I started thinking: doesn't everyone love being told they are great? Would it work if, instead of complaining, I told brands how much I liked their stuff? So I opened my cupboards and fired off emails to some of the biggest companies I could find telling them why I liked their products and asking straight up if they had any vouchers they could send me because it had been a difficult month.

Here's what happened next...

  • I told Pepsi I loved their sugar-free drinks. They thanked me for the feedback but said they had no coupons they could send.
  • Ribena is sacred in our household (after my husband introduced it to me at the age of 26). The team behind the brand sent us a £6 voucher to get some squash on them after I told them how much we enjoy it. Combining it with Nectar prices got us four free bottles of the stuff.
  • Cadbury's: Their drinking chocolate is a staple in our household, and I told them so but just got a generic reply from Mondelez.
  • I emailed Cushelle to compliment their toilet paper and they sent me a 50p voucher… Arguably less than the cost of the postage. 
  • I told Pataks how much we enjoyed their butter chicken meal kit and they sent me a friendly reply and £4 to put towards their products. 
  • My cats once staged a three-day hunger strike when I tried to swap from their Royal Canin kibble but when I told the company this, they just suggested I create a loyalty account to build up points.
  • I've been addicted to Pot Noodle since my student days, and the team behind the Unilever brand sent me £5 to spend on my favourite snack.
  • My mum has been missing the M&S Om Balls since they were discontinued. But as well as confirming they had no plans to bring them back anytime soon, M&S also said they couldn't send me any vouchers.
  • I told Hovis their "best of both" had stopped my husband and me arguing over which loaf we bought. I received a nice email acknowledging this, but no offer of free goodies.
  • I told Burt's Bees how much I love their coconut and pear lip balm and they replied offering a voucher. But after sending them my address, it turned out I was emailing the US team. So I contacted the UK team and they agreed to send me a freebie in the post.
  • I live near Ben & Jerry's global headquarters but despite telling them this, and how much I enjoy their Netflix and Chill, they declined my offer to come visit and pick up some samples.
  • Who doesn't love tacos? After complimenting their enchilada kit, Old El Paso said a voucher would be sent my way, but would take two to six weeks to arrive... I was therefore delighted when, barely two weeks later, I was £6 in tacos richer.
  • Old Bay Spices and the brand behind Pick Up Biscuits also declined to send me any freebies, while Fairy, Aussie and Colgate didn't reply to my emails.

So, is it worth it?

I emailed 17 brands and heard back from 14 - of those, six sent me some kind of reward, which is a 35% success rate. 

I got £21.50 in vouchers, and two free lip balms, which wasn't bad.

To be truly scientific I should have also submitted a complaint at the same time, to see if that worked better, but see rule number one (don't make things up). I spent about an hour firing off emails over a glass of wine - it was quite a fun activity for my husband and me to think up brands we like and use. 

I can't guarantee it will work every time, but it is good to know that sometimes, it does pay to be nice. 

By Bhvishya Patel, Money team

Your rights differ significantly depending on where you buy the car, so we've broken this down into two sections...

Buying from a dealer - in person or online

You've driven off the forecourt, so there's nothing you can do right?

Well that might not strictly be the case, as consumer and motoring disputes expert Scott Dixon explains.

If you're faced with an issue where goods - including cars - are of unsatisfactory quality, unfit for purpose or not as described, you have what is known as a "short-term right to reject" under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and get a full refund.

It's limited to 30 days from the date you bought the car, and it's up to you to prove the fault - but it can be a way of ensuring you're not ripped off by dodgy sellers.

If you cannot resolve your dispute with the retailer, you can contact your bank or credit card provider and raise a chargeback instead.

Chargebacks can be enacted within 120 days from the date of purchase. The payment will be reversed and the retailer is asked to explain why they should keep the money.

Scott says chargeback disputes cost retailers money, making it a powerful tool to use against unscrupulous sellers.

Additionally, the Consumer Contracts Regulations of 2013 give you the right to cancel within 14 days of receiving goods bought online.

What if I bought it from a private seller?

This is a case of buyer beware because the above legal protections don't apply.

Sellers don't even have to declare the condition of their car.

Things change slightly if a private seller misrepresents the car in any advert or when they speak to you. Then, a claim for misrepresentation may arise allowing you to rescind the contract.  

So, it's key that you ask the right questions - and it's a good idea to get an expert car check.

You should also note that it is illegal for a dealer to pretend to be a private seller.

It is a also a criminal offence to sell an unroadworthy car - an MOT certificate from a test several months ago is no guarantee that the car is roadworthy today.

By Emily Mee, Money team

The dial appears to be slowly turning on fast fashion. More people are becoming conscious of how much they are buying and paying more attention to quality over quantity. 

But how do we know that what we're buying is good quality and is going to last? 

Katrina Caspelich, from fair fashion campaign group Remake, has these tips... 

Fabric quality

Look for garments made from high-quality fabrics such as cotton, wool, linen, silk, or blends with natural fibres. These fabrics tend to be more durable and resistant to wear and tear compared with synthetic materials.

Construction and stitching 

Examine the stitching and construction of the garment. Look for neat, even stitching with no loose threads or fraying edges. Strong seams and reinforced stitching in high-stress areas, such as shoulders and pockets, indicate better durability.

Attention to detail

Pay attention to the details of the garment, such as buttons, zippers, and embellishments. Ensure that buttons are securely attached and made of durable materials like metal or plastic. Quality zippers should glide smoothly without catching or snagging.

Fabric density and weight

Heavier, denser fabrics typically last longer than lightweight, flimsy materials. Hold the garment up to the light to check for fabric density and look for any signs of thinning or transparency.

Brand reputation and reviews 

Research the brand's reputation for quality and durability. Read customer reviews and feedback to gauge the longevity of their clothing items. Established brands with a history of producing durable garments are often a safer bet.

Fit and comfort

Ensure that the garment fits well and feels comfortable when worn. Clothing that fits properly is less likely to experience strain or stress on seams and fabric, which can lead to premature wear and tear.

Classic design and timeless style

Choose clothing with classic designs and timeless styles that won't go out of fashion quickly. Investing in versatile pieces that can be worn for multiple seasons and occasions can ensure that they remain relevant and wearable for years to come. Try to avoid microtrends and pieces from fast fashion brands as they're literally made to fall apart as well as keep you buying more.

There's been one story in town this week - so we're rounding up some essential budget content that'll help you decide whether you, and the rest of the country, is better or worse off after Wednesday's political set-piece.

First, here's a summary of the main announcement's affecting your pocket...

  • National insurance to be cut by further 2p in April;
  • Freeze on alcohol duty extended until February 2025; 
  • 5p cut to fuel duty continues for another year;
  • Abolition of non-dom status (after four-year reprieve);
  • High income child benefit charge threshold raised to £60,000;
  • VAT registration threshold for businesses increasing from £85,000 to £90,000;
  • Introduction of excise duty on vaping products and one-off increase in tobacco duty;
  • Reduction of higher capital gains tax rate on property from 28% to 24%;
  • Abolishment of stamp duty relief for people who buy multiple properties in one transaction.

Overall, are Britons better or worse off?

In the video below,  data and economics editor Ed Conway looks at analysis suggesting that while most sections of society are better off this year due to the government's tax and benefits policies, next year, and the subsequent years, this changes dramatically.

There's also some interesting data in here about public spending cuts and living standards now compared with every other modern-day parliament...

Honing in on the tax that comes out of workers' pay packets, and we got a headline-grabbing 2p cut to national insurance.

This kicks in from 6 April and means most workers will see a boost to their take-home pay from the end of April.

However, the tax burden is at a 70-year high - and the fact income tax thresholds remain frozen means British workers who have received any kind of pay rise since 2022 are now paying tax on a bigger proportion of their salary.

For people with salaries below £32,000, or those earning between £55,000 and £131,000, this so-called "fiscal drag" outweighs the two national insurance cuts we've had this year.

We made a calculator to illustrate...

Child benefit change

Another measure announced by Jeremy Hunt, and applying from 6 April, was a change to child benefit meaning parents can earn more without losing out. 

Under the current rules, you start to lose some of your benefit if you or your partner individually earn more than £50,000.

By £60,000, you get nothing.

The chancellor has now changed these thresholds to £60,000 and £80,000 respectively.

You can use our calculator below to see how much money you'll be able to claim after the changes...

How has this gone down in Westminster?

That's a theme of this week's excellent Electoral Dysfunction podcast with Beth Rigby, Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson.

In just two weeks this pod has topped the charts and become essential listening for anyone interested in what's really going on in Westminster...

Are you better or worse off?

Of course, for all the analysis in the world, everyone's circumstances are different, so we've created a calculator that should give you an idea of what the budget has done for you.

Put your details in the table below and find out if the budget as a whole makes you richer or poorer...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates from Monday to Friday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back at the start of next week with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Emily Mee, Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The owners of Riviera Travel, one of Britain's biggest providers of escorted foreign tours for the over-55s, have hired bankers to prepare a sale of the company.

Sky News understands that Silverfleet Capital, which has owned Riviera since 2017, has hired Baird, the investment bank, to oversee an auction later this year.

Riviera runs river cruises as well as holidays to destinations in Europe, India and South Africa.

Plans to impose targets for electric heat pump sales on gas boiler manufacturers could be confirmed as early as next week, after fierce debate within government and intense lobbying from industry to abandon the policy.

Sky News understands energy secretary Claire Coutinho had intended to ditch the policy, known as the Clean Heat Market Mechanism (CHMM), but will now proceed following objections from ministerial colleagues, who argued that it is crucial to decarbonising home heating and meeting wider net zero policy.

In a concession to the industry, fines for missing electric heat pump targets will be pushed back by 12 months to April 2025.

Ms Coutinho is also expected to refer several major gas boiler manufacturers to the Competition and Markets Authority for potentially colluding over price increases of up to £120 on gas boilers, imposed to cover potential fines that they described as a "boiler tax".

Japanese manga comic creator Akira Toriyama, best known for his work on popular titles like Dragon Ball and Dr Slump, has died aged 68, his publisher has said.

He died of acute subdural haematoma, a type of bleeding near the brain, on 1 March, Bird Studio, the company he created, said in a statement on Friday.

Announcing the news "with deep regret", the statement said "he would have many more things to achieve", but "he has left many manga titles and works of art to this world".

Asda has become the latest supermarket to announce a price drop for its baby formula, after a Sky News report found desperate parents were turning to stealing the essential item.

From tomorrow, prices will be cut on Cow & Gate, Aptamil and SMA baby formula products both online and in stores. 

The average price decrease is 6.5%.

Here is the full list of reductions...

  • Cow & Gate 1 First Baby Milk Formula From Birth Big Pack 1.2kg - dropped from £12.50 to £12 
  • Cow & Gate 2 Follow On Baby Milk Formula Big Pack 6+ Months 1.2kg - dropped from £12.25 to £12 
  • Aptamil Follow On Milk 6-12 Months 1.2kg - dropped from £17 to £16
  • Aptamil Milk Powder Big Pack 1.2kg - dropped from £17 to £16 
  • SMA Little Steps 1 First Infant Milk Powder Formula From Birth 800g - dropped from £9.75 to £7.95.

Previous reductions were announced by Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi and Iceland.

Some young drivers are paying close to £3,000 on average for their car insurance premiums, data reveals. 

Price comparison experts at Quotezone.co.uk looked into the UK regions with the highest premiums for young drivers - and found London, the West Midlands and Yorkshire among the worst. 

In the capital, 18 to 24-year-olds are shelling out £2,811 on average to insure their vehicles. 

This is closely followed by average premiums of £2,392 in West Midlands and £2,327 in Yorkshire.

Those in Northern Ireland are paying the least, with an average of £1,359 spent. 

The ABI says young drivers have been hit the hardest by soaring insurance costs, with premiums spiking by more than 25% year on year. 

Here is the full breakdown across the regions: 

  • London - £2,811
  • West Midlands - £2,392.30 
  • Yorkshire - £2,327.01
  • North West England - £2,297.97
  • South East England - £2,105.06
  • East of England - £2,030.26
  • North East England - £1,966.55 
  • East Midlands - £1,964.62
  • Scotland - £1,907.56
  • Wales - £1,835.09
  • South West England - £1,714.21
  • Northern Ireland - £1,359.12.

If you happened to collect Pokemon cards at one point - and still have them somewhere - you could net yourself thousands of pounds if you're lucky. 

Research by CSGOLuck has calculated the accumulative value of cards for each Pokemon character in the franchise, and found those which are most likely to earn you the most money if sold old. 

Dragon-like character Charizard is the one you want to find, with an impressive total card value of $21,468.91 (£16,665.46).

The values of its 62 cards range dramatically from $2.86 (£2.22) to $7,182.99 (£5,575.87). 

Popular character Pikachu is the second highest value, with its 196 cards coming to a total of $8,356.70 (£6,486.97). 

The value of cards can reach as high as $3,809.73 (£2,957.34). 

More good cards to have are Gengar, which has a highest single card value of $1,103.30 (£856.45), and Espeon star, of which there is only one card in existence valued at $4,122.50 (£3,200.13).  

Meanwhile, the Tropical Beach card can fetch a value as high as $1,984.38 (£1,540.39), depending on the condition of the card and which collection it belongs to. 

It's International Women's Day - but it seems there's still progress to be made. 

A recent survey found women are charged 5% more than men for vehicle services. 

Car management app Caura conducted a blind survey by contacting 100 garages for quotes on MOTs and services, using the names Emma and Edward. 

Alarmingly, the quotes for Emma were higher than for Edward - even though it was the same vehicle. 

Out of the 100 garages contacted, 70 responded to both calls. Edward was quoted £229 on average whereas Emma was quoted £241 - a 5% increase. 

In other cases, Edward was quoted £48 for an MOT, whereas Emma was quoted £49 - a 2% increase.

Fewer than a third of women (31%) feel confident about investing, compared with more than two-fifths (44%) of men, a survey has found.

The poll by HSBC UK found nearly two-thirds (63%) of women said they would not know how to start investing, compared with less than half (46%) of men.

Marianne Oliver, operations director at investment platform InvestEngine said: "Women face a myriad of challenges when it comes to investing - not least having less money to put aside as a result of societal inequalities, from the gender pay gap, and often taking on more of the caring and financial responsibilities for either children or elderly family members.

"This is obviously going to have an impact on how frequently they invest and their risk appetite, both of which would affect their returns."

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The best kids luggage of 2024.

From ride-on suitcases to personalized bags, these are the best luggage options for children.

The Best Kids Luggage

Two checkered STATE Bags Logan Suitcases between to kids

Courtesy of STATE Bags

Buying your children or grandchildren their own luggage can help teach independence when traveling. Plus, it allows them to get involved in the family vacation planning process (which is half the fun of any trip).

Based on our own experiences as well as recent consumer reviews, we've compiled recommendations for the best kids luggage in a variety of categories. Read on to see this year's top picks.

Best Overall: STATE Bags Logan Suitcase

  • Jump to features and traveler insights ↓

Best Carry-on: Stephen Joseph Rolling Luggage

Best luggage set: iplay, ilearn kids carry on luggage set, best ride-on: trunki kids ride-on suitcase, best scooter: kiddietotes luggage scooter, best duffel bag: wildkin kids overnighter duffel bag.

  • Best Personalized: Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Spinner Luggage

(Note: Prices were accurate at the time of publication; they may fluctuate due to demand and other factors.)

STATE Bags Logan Suitcase in colorful heart pattern against white background.

What sets it apart:  Ideal for children of all ages, the STATE Bags Logan Suitcase is the best kids luggage that money can buy – particularly for frequent travelers. Available in more than a dozen patterns, the soft-sided rolling bag features smooth spinner wheels, top and side carry handles, and an adjustable trolley handle. It also offers plenty of organization for the items that matter most to kids (and their parents): There's a separate mesh pocket for dirty laundry; an exterior front pocket for snacks, a tablet and toys; and side straps to secure a water bottle or favorite stuffed animal.

The Logan Suitcase is designed for children ages 6 and up, while the Mini Logan Suitcase is a great option for little kids ages 3 to 5. The latter can even attach to a parent's luggage thanks to a trolley sleeve.

Parents appreciate: Recent buyers rave about the quality of the Logan Suitcase, noting that it's lightweight and easy for their kids to use.

Price: $225 or less for Logan; $190 or less for Mini Logan

Stephen Joseph Rolling Luggage in pink with horse design against white background.

Courtesy of Stephen Joseph

What sets it apart: This rolling backpack makes the perfect carry-on bag for young kids. Available in a variety of prints – from unicorns and princesses to dinosaurs and airplanes – the bag features several exterior pockets, including one that's large enough for a tablet. It also has an adjustable handle, allowing it to grow with your little traveler. The bag can either be placed in front of your child's airplane seat or in the overhead bin.

Parents appreciate: While some buyers note the handle feels a tad flimsy, they still recommend this bag overall. Parents and kids alike appreciate its design and capacity for a lot of stuff – from clothing to toys.

Price: $75 or less

What sets it apart: With a rolling suitcase and a backpack, this two-piece set is perfect for any type of vacation. The wheeled bag has multidirectional wheels for easy maneuverability and an adjustable handle. Inside, three zippered pockets help organize items like socks, underwear and shoes. The backpack also has interior organization for securing in-flight or road trip essentials. The iPlay, iLearn Kids Carry On Luggage Set is available in four prints: dinosaur, shark, unicorn and vehicle.

Parents appreciate: Recent buyers say they're impressed with the durability of this luggage set, adding that both bags are the perfect size for young kids.

Price: $89.99 or less

travelling the world insurance

Tips on Trips and Expert Picks

Travel tips, vacation ideas and more to make your next vacation stellar.

 Trunki Kids Ride-On Suitcase in pink dinosaur design against white background.

Courtesy of Trunki

What sets it apart: Of all the ride-on luggage for kids, Trunki has the best ratings and reviews. The award-winning bag functions in a few different ways: Youngsters can sit on the bag and wheel themselves through the airport, using their feet to propel them forward while holding the horn-shaped grips, or parents can pull them using an attached strap (which doubles as a shoulder strap when the bag needs to be carried). Even when you're not on the move, the bag can be used as a seat for tired toddlers.

Inside the bag, elastic straps help keep clothes and toys in place. The Trunki Kids Ride-On Suitcase is available in a variety of fun themes, including a fire truck and a bumble bee.

Parents appreciate: Parents say this bag isn't a gimmick; instead, they note it's a well-designed piece of luggage that works efficiently and holds plenty.

Price: $79.99 or less

KiddieTotes Luggage Scooter in blue "Yeti Monster" design against white background.

Courtesy of KiddieTotes

What sets it apart: If your child is too old and/or too big for ride-on luggage, a scooter suitcase might be their speed. This well-rated option from KiddieTotes features light-up wheels and fun designs (think: race car and yeti monster) to enhance the experience. The hard-sided bag also has a telescoping adjustable handle, interior pockets and cross straps for securing belongings, and a durable zipper. When the scooter is folded, the bag can fit under the seat or in the overhead bin on a plane.

Parents appreciate: Parents say this bag is especially useful for keeping kids busy during long layovers.

Price: $149.99 or less

Wildkin Kids Overnighter Duffel Bag with cars, trucks and planes design against white background.

Courtesy of Wildkin

What sets it apart: Perfect for trips to Grandma's house, this duffel bag holds all of the essentials in one main compartment, plus a small exterior zippered pocket. It also comes with a detachable padded shoulder strap. For select designs, you can buy a matching backpack, sleeping bag and more.

Parents appreciate: Parents appreciate the durability of this bag, as well as how spacious it is.

Price: $29.99 or less

Best Personalized Kids Luggage: Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Spinner Luggage

Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Spinner Luggage in colorful hearts design against white background.

Courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids

What sets it apart: When it comes to kids luggage, many parents default to the Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Luggage – and with good reason. This rolling suitcase is available in hard- or soft-sided form, and it comes with the option for monogramming. It is offered in a variety of fun prints, many of which have a coordinating backpack and/or lunch box that can be purchased separately.

The small suitcase is a standard-sized carry-on bag that's perfect for (and can grow with) older kids. The sizing of the large suitcase varies slightly, but it's a great checked bag option. For maximum organization, we recommend one of the soft-sided bags, which feature both exterior and interior pockets. In comparison, the hard-sided bag has one internal zippered compartment.

Parents appreciate: Aside from the option to personalize this bag, parents appreciate the bag's quality and size options.

Price: $199.50 or less

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Amanda Norcross is a family travel expert who prefers to pack light. She's been using the Wildkin Overnighter Duffel for her son – who is now 3 – since receiving it as a gift when he was born. It still fits all of his belongings for weekend getaways and even longer trips, and she recommends it to all parents.

You might also be interested in:

  • The Top Travel Cribs
  • The Top Beach Wagons
  • The Top Beach Tents
  • The Best Family Travel Insurance
  • Traveling With Toddlers: The Best Places to Go (and How to Survive)

Top Resorts Where Kids Stay Free

Two kids in the pool smiling at the camera at Woodlock Resort.

Tags: Travel , Travel Gear

World's Best Places To Visit

  • # 1 South Island, New Zealand
  • # 4 Bora Bora

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

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Heathrow Terminal 5, London

This London airport is one of the world’s most luxurious, apparently

In a study of 1,800 airports, this one came second overall for its offering of lounges and designer shopping

Liv Kelly

Waiting around at airports can be an absolute drag. But if it’s a comfy place to be, that can make the time go a lot faster. And luckily for us Londoners , one of the world’s most comfortable and luxurious hubs is pretty local. 

That’s right! AllClear , a travel insurance provider, evaluated 1,800 airports from all over the world and assessed their luxury offering based on the number of lounges, designer shops and champagne and oyster bars on offer. F ancy .

After all that, Heathrow came in second place, worldwide. Impressive, eh?  It acquired a ‘luxury score’ of 82, largely thanks to the number of four or five-star hotels in close proximity (14), the number of lounges (30) and the number of luxury brands on offer for a pre-flight peruse (28). 

Heathrow was narrowly beaten only by Dubai  International Airport , but scored better than the likes of Singapore Changi and Hong Kong International airports. You can read the full ranking of the world’s most luxurious airports on Time Out here . 

The west London hub was also recently named the fourth-busiest airport in the world  and the busiest in Europe . So, all the more passengers to indulge in Heathrow’s luxe offerings!

More news on Heathrow

From the opportunity to skip security queues  to the fact that the 100ml liquid rule might soon be scrapped , Time Out has all the latest news and info on the capital’s biggest and busiest airport. We even cover the less-good stuff, too, like with our guide to potential upcoming  strikes at Heathrow . 

Did you see that London has been crowned the best city in Europe for 2024 ?

Plus: Higher fines for tube fare evasion are now in force – here’s how much you could get charged . 

Listen to Time Out’s brilliant podcast ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’: the newest episode with Iain Stirling in Shepherd’s Bush is out now .

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. 

  • Liv Kelly Contributing Writer

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Is Travel Insurance Worth It? Evaluating the Value and Benefits

Our experts answer readers' insurance questions and write unbiased product reviews ( here's how we assess insurance products ). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners ; however, our opinions are our own.

  • Travel insurance covers risks like trip cancellations, health emergencies, and lost luggage.
  • Travel insurance costs can range from 4% to 12% of your total trip cost.
  • Travel insurance is best for trips that are long, expensive, nonrefundable, and international.

Vacations can be very expensive. If you're paying a lot for yours, you might wonder if you should purchase travel insurance, especially when some costs are nonrefundable.

The answer isn't always cut-and-dried. Travel insurance isn't necessary for everyone. Whether you need it will depend on a variety of factors. Here are some key points to consider when deciding if travel insurance suits you.

Introduction to travel insurance

When planning a trip, it's essential to think about how you'll protect yourself from the unexpected. That's where travel insurance comes in. It can cover various risks like loss of personal belongings, checked baggage, and more. With the appropriate coverage, you can nullify or mitigate the potential losses. "Plain and simple, travel insurance is a layer of protection against financial loss," says Brad Cummins, owner and principal agent for Insurance Geek , an insurance comparison platform. "Whether it be lost luggage or a lost passport, travel insurance will cover the extra costs during these unfortunate events."

Benefits of travel insurance

Protection against unforeseen cancellation.

One of the top reasons to acquire travel insurance is to cover potential losses from trip cancellations. When canceling a trip due to a covered cause, travel insurance will reimburse you for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. 

Some covered causes for travel cancellations include:

  • Sickness, injury, or death of traveler or family member of traveler
  • Inclement weather
  • Unexpected work or layoffs
  • Terrorist incidents in a travel location

Some travel insurance covers trip cancellations regardless of the reason. However, you make certain trade-offs when you enroll in a  "Cancel for Any Reason" (CFAR) insurance policy . These policies are more expensive and may only refund a percentage of your trip's cost. You can find our guide on the best CFAR travel insurance  here.

Financial security and peace of mind

While your travel insurance covers any unforeseen issues before your trip, it continues to cover you even after your flight has taken off.

For example, you don't have to be as anxious at baggage claim when your fellow passengers have claimed their luggage and yours hasn't come out yet. Travel insurance offers lost luggage protection and can cover any necessary purchases while you wait for your late luggage to arrive, such as toiletries and a change of clothes.

Medical coverage on travel insurance  can also offer peace of mind as most US health insurers don't provide coverage when you're abroad. A comprehensive travel insurance plan will cover you in an unexpected accident or emergency so you can seek medical attention for an injury sustained while traveling without worrying about mounting medical bills.

Evaluating the cost of travel insurance

The average cost of travel insurance is 5%-6% of your total trip cost. However, the exact cost will vary based on factors such as your age, travel destination, and where you live, and can be as little as 4% of your trip cost or as high as 12% of your trip cost.

If you're wondering whether travel insurance is worth it, you're not alone. There are a few things to consider. If an emergency arises on your trip, travel insurance can reimburse part or all of your vacation expenditure. However, this will depend on factors such as your trip type and whether it's refundable.

Cost vs. potential savings

In general, travel insurance is worth it if you're concerned about losing money if your trip is called off or delayed or if you're worried about medical bills while traveling. However, conducting thorough research and understanding the costs and coverage provided is critical before purchasing a policy.

For example, older travelers or those with pre-existing medical conditions may pay more for their insurance. Similarly, those traveling to high-risk destinations or participating in high-risk activities may also face higher premiums. 

Ultimately, it's important to shop around and compare quotes from different travel insurance companies to find the best coverage and rate for your needs. You can find our picks for the best travel insurance companies here. 

Cost-benefit analysis for different trip types

Travel insurance may be a wise investment if you've already paid for your and can't change or cancel your trip without penalty. Suppose your trip is canceled or disrupted due to a covered cause. In that case, travel insurance will cover the trip's cost and any other nonrefundable expenditures up to a pre-determined amount.

If you're heading to a country where your health coverage doesn't apply, or if you don't have any health insurance at all, travel insurance might provide the protection you need. Travel insurance can also assist you in case of medical emergencies. It's vital to understand that not all travel insurance policies are created equal. Be sure to carefully study the details and understand what is and isn't covered before purchasing one.

Scenarios where travel insurance is essential

Expensive vacations and long-term travel.

It's a good idea to insure trips with a high, nonrefundable price tag because you'll never forgive yourself if your expensive, once-in-a-lifetime trip gets canceled and your money and planning go down the drain. For these vacations, you'll want to find a policy that covers 100% of expenses.

Similarly, if you have long-term travel plans, you'll want to have a policy that protects against travel interruption in case something cuts your plans short. You'll also want medical coverage during extended stay outside the country.

High-risk destinations and activities

High-risk destinations include regions facing political instability, war zones, and areas prone to natural disasters. Travelers headed to these areas should look into travel insurance in case their trip is canceled due to an unforeseen event. 

Additionally, certain areas are known for the thrilling activities they offer, like skydiving and bungee jumping. If you have extreme sports on your itinerary or believe you might build up the courage to plunge down a canyon, you may want to invest in a travel insurance policy. Keep in mind that some travel insurance policies don't cover high-risk activities, so shop carefully.

When travel insurance may not be necessary

Low-risk, short, or domestic trips.

There are also some situations in which you might not need travel insurance. If you are traveling within the US, you do not need travel insurance for health reasons since most health insurance plans will cover you even if you're not in your home state. 

Additionally, travel insurance may not be necessary if you're only traveling over the weekend or exclusively booked refundable experiences.

Making an informed decision

There are a few key considerations when buying a travel insurance policy. The cost of the policy is one factor, but it's also important to look at the coverage limits and what is included and excluded in the policy. Be sure to read the fine print carefully and compare policies between different companies. 

It's also important to consider the purpose of your travel insurance policy. If you're going on a trip where you'll be doing adventurous activities, ensure your policy covers those activities. Finally, remember that travel insurance is there to protect you in case something goes wrong on your trip, so don't hesitate to use it if you need to.

If you decide that you need travel insurance, here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a policy:

  • Read the fine print of any policy you are considering to understand what is and is not covered. This is especially important for those who want to add special coverage options. 
  • Compare policies from different providers to find the best coverage at the best price.
  • Purchase your policy well in advance of your trip so that you are covered in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
  • Ensure you're covered for pre-existing conditions because a number of policies will exclude pre-existing conditions if you don't pay extra for a waiver or additional coverage. 

Buying travel insurance can be a pretty quick and painless process, thanks to insurance aggregator sites like SquareMouth .

Using SquareMouth is one of the easiest ways to see multiple coverage options simultaneously. Once you've entered some personal details and information regarding your trip, you'll see a variety of insurance providers and plans from which to choose.

Assessing personal and trip risks

The first consideration you should factor into travel insurance is how much of your trip is already paid for. If you've prepaid for most or all of your travel expenses, you may want to purchase travel insurance if you have to cancel.

Another thing to consider is where you will be traveling. If you are visiting multiple countries, getting insurance that covers you in all of them might be a good idea.

Your age and overall health can also determine whether you need travel insurance. Suppose you are older or have pre-existing medical conditions, for example. In that case, it might be a good idea to purchase travel insurance if you need to cancel your trip or incur unexpected medical expenses.

Lastly, the value of your luggage can also be a factor to consider. If you plan to bring expensive items with you on your trip, it might be worth purchasing travel insurance to cover lost or stolen luggage.

Reviewing policy options and exclusions

When it comes to travel insurance, the ease of use will depend on the provider you choose. If you're working with a reputable insurer, then the process should be relatively straightforward. However, it's still important to understand what is and isn't included in your policy before you purchase it. This way, you can be sure that you're getting the coverage you need and that you won't be caught off guard by any fine print.

Travel insurance isn't necessary for everyone or every trip. But it can bring a lot of peace of mind during your travels and can certainly translate into significant savings if you're faced with a medical emergency while on your trip. It's best to do your research, compare plans, and understand your own level of risk when it comes to deciding whether or not to purchase coverage.

Travel insurance frequently asked questions

Travel insurance is highly recommended for trips that are long and expensive. For example, you should buy travel insurance for any international trips, cruises, adventure travels, and trips with significant pre-paid expenses.

To say that travel insurance will save you money in the long run isn't entirely accurate. Travel insurance will save you money when things go wrong, but it won't save you any money if your trip goes smoothly.

Short domestic trips don't necessitate travel insurance. Most health insurance policies cover you from state to state, so unless you're worried about unexpected cancellations, travel insurance isn't a must-have.

Travel insurance policies commonly exclude coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, extreme sports injuries, and travel to high-risk countries.

Cost-benefit considerations should include the total cost of your trip, the refundability of your expenses, your destination's healthcare costs, and your personal health and travel risks.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

**Enrollment required.

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Cities [ edit ]

Map

  • 56.326944 44.0075 1 Nizhny Novgorod — Russia's fourth largest city, the regional capital, located at the confluence of the Volga and Oka Rivers, and the hub for the Volga Region ; be sure to visit the kremlin and the Sakharov Museum
  • Arzamas — the region's third largest city is most notable for its grandiose Resurrection Cathedral, built to commemorate Russia's victory over Napoleon in 1812
  • Balakhna — a small historic city with several noteworthy architectural monuments, including the 16th century Saint Nicholas Church
  • Bogorodsk — a small town with a pretty, well-preserved central square and cathedral, as well as several 19th century estates outside the town that have been converted into parks
  • Bolshoye Boldino (Veliko Boldino) — a historic village that served as the estate of one very famous A.S. Pushkin; the village now has several worthwhile museums dedicated to the poet and hosts the All-Russia Poetry Prize Festival each year on the first Sunday of June
  • Bor — you can see this city while looking across the Volga from Nizhny Novgorod's downtown. Center of ship-building and glass-making industry
  • Dzerzhinsk — the region's second largest city is one of the world's most polluted, due to its history as a major chemicals production site, and has life expectancies of less than 50 years for both men and women; the city was until 1990 closed to foreigners, but is now open for those who wish to see its singular and towering hyperboloid Shukhov Tower on the banks of the Oka River
  • Kstovo — a small Soviet-era industrial city (petrochemicals), which grew out of on an old village of the same name. Kstovo is home to the World Sambo Academy; an important 18th-century church is in the adjacent village of Veliky Vrag
  • 56.650278 43.470278 2 Gorodets — an historic town, founded by Prine Yuriy Dolgorukiy in 1152, which lost a number of churches to atheistic campaigns under the USSR, but retains some wonderful fairytale-like wooden houses.
  • Sarov — a small closed city, formerly a secret city known as Arzamas-16, which serves as a major center for Russia (and the USSR's) nuclear program, has rather European architecture since it was built by German POWs, and is located near the holy Sarova monastery; in reference to the US nuclear program at Los Alamos , researchers here fondly call the city "Los Arzamas"

Other destinations [ edit ]

  • Kerzhensky Nature Reserve
  • Makaryevsky Monastery — a huge and beautiful monastery on the Volga River, which is easily reached by a summer 3 hour long hydrofoil from Nizhny Novgorod

Understand [ edit ]

Nizhny Novgorod Oblast is one of the most populous and economically important regions of the Volga Region, centered on its capital Nizhny Novgorod. Aside from the capital itself, the region is perhaps best known outside of Russia for its tradition of making painted, wooden matryoshka dolls. Less known, perhaps, are Khokhloma handicraft.

Talk [ edit ]

See Russian phrasebook .

Get in [ edit ]

travelling the world insurance

By train [ edit ]

The city of Nizhny Novgorod is one of the first major stops from Moscow on one of the main routes of the Trans-Siberian Railway (8 hour trip). Several trains form Moscow terminate in Nizhny Novgorod (two overnight trains and one or two faster day trains). Many others continue beyond, to Kirov , Perm , Yekaterinburg , and points east, up to Vladivostok and Beijing . Some of these trains also stop at a number of other stations as they cross the oblast, e.g. Dzerzhinsk before reaching the Nizhny, or Semenov , Shakhunya and Uren beyond it. These trains usually leave from Moscow's Kursk Station or Yaroslavl Station .

Several faster trains ( Lastochka and Strizh ) make the trip between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod in about 4 hours.

There is also a direct daily train to Nizhny Novgorod from Saint Petersburg , and, at least during the summer seasons, from a number of destinations on the Black Sea coast, such as Adler (for Sochi ). Trains from Nizhny Novgorod also travel south, to/from Saransk ( Mordovia ) and Kazan (via the Kanash junction in Chuvashia .

Some cities in southern part of the oblast ( Navashino , Arzamas , Sergach ) are easily reachable by trains running on another route ( Moscow - Kazan ) of the Trans-Siberian system. They leave from Moscow's Kazan Station .

By plane [ edit ]

Nizhny Novgorod's Strigino airport (GOI) had a new terminal opened in 2016, just when most of direct international flights to Nizhny Novgorod (Lufthansa from Frankfurt , Finnair from Helsinki , or Czech from Prague ) were terminated. The city is still served by inexpensive domestic flights from major Russian cities—the flight from Moscow is as cheap as $35. Kaliningrad based KD Avia offers flights to Kaliningrad and then on to a number of Russian and international destinations. There are also direct flights to a number of destination in Central Asia (popular with migrant workers), and (mostly charter or seasonal) flights to some Mediterranean tourist destinations.

The airport is served by several city bus lines (in daytime only). One can take any of these buses to get to the nearest subway lines, and then take subway to wherever it goes.

By boat [ edit ]

Nizhny Novgorod is frequently included as a stop on summer boat cruises on the Volga River; some boats also stop at the Makariev Monastery.

By bus [ edit ]

A fair number of intercity buses circulate along the Volga Highway (aka M7), between Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, and Kazan. While less convenient than trains, buses allow access to towns not served by rail, such as Lyskovo.

Bus [ edit ]

There is no rail line due east of Nizhny Novgorod. Instead, one can take a bus along the M7 highway (the Kazan highway). Commuter buses for Kstovo and other destinations nearby go from the Sennaya bus station a few blocks east of Sennaya Square; to go further east, take a bus from the Main Bus Station ( Avtovokzal ) near Lyadov Square.

One can also take a bus from the Main Bus Station to various points throughout the southern half of the oblast, e.g. Arzamas.

Buses to the west (toward Moscow), northwest (Chkalovsk), and north (Bor) run mostly from a bus station near Nizhny Novgorod's Moscow Station.

Boat [ edit ]

In the summer, hydrofoil boats (colloquially known as Raketa , after the first model of them) used to run from Nizhny Novgorod's River Terminal ( Rechnoy Vokzal ) down the Volga, to Rabotki , Makaryevo , and beyond. Unfortunately, by 2010, most of these services have been cancelled.

Ferryboats from downtown Nizhny Novgorod run to Bor across the river (very frequent service). There is also much less frequent service (half a dozen trips a day) between Lyskovo and Marakyevo, providing easy access to Makaryev Monastery. Both systems transport passengers and vehicles.

Aerial ropeway [ edit ]

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A unique installation for central Russia, an aerial ropeway spans the Volga, connecting Nizhny Novgorod with Bor. The scenic service is very frequent, although somewhat pricey for such a short distance (90 RUR, as of 2016).

See [ edit ]

Outside of the cities, there are a number of important monasteries within Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, such as Makaryev Monastery (across the Volga from Lyskovo), or the Diveyevo Monastry not far from Sarov, in the southwest of the province.

Do [ edit ]

Eat [ edit ], drink [ edit ], stay safe [ edit ], go next [ edit ].

Russia's Golden Ring is nearby and its prominent attractions at Vladimir and Suzdal can be daytripped from Nizhny Novgorod by bus.

The next major stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway are Vladimir to the west and Kirov to the east.

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Nizhniy Novgorod

Nizhniy Novgorod was founded in 1221 on the place of the ancient Slavonic settlement, on the junction of the Volga and the Oka Rivers. It was intended to be one of the main centers of the Suzdal principality. Nowadays Nizhniy Novgorod is the third-largest city in Russia with a population of more than 1,4 million. 

The old part of Nizhniy Novgorod is of great historical and architectural value. Nizhniy Novgorod is included in the list of cities, which were recognized by UNESCO as the most valuable cultural monuments in the world. The most attractive sights of Nizhniy Novgorod are the Kremlin, the Rozhdestvensky cathedral, and other orthodox churches and temples.

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