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A cruise tour is a voyage and land tour combination, with the land tour occurring before or after the voyage. Unless otherwise noted, optional services such as airfare, airport transfers, shore excursions, land tour excursions, etc. are not included and are available for an additional cost.

Travel Insurance

You have spent a lot of time planning and saving for your upcoming vacation. Your departure date will be here before you know it. However, we all know things don’t always go according to plan. What would you do if something unexpected happened before or during your trip? For instance, your flight is canceled or delayed, you experience a medical emergency, or your baggage is lost during transit?

Travel insurance can help provide a much-needed safety net if:

• You or a family member get sick the day before your departure, and you cannot travel  - Opens a dialog   
• You have a medical emergency while on your trip  
• You arrive at your destination, but your bags do not  
• You miss your plane due to a car accident on the way to the airport  

These things and more can happen and a travel insurance plan can provide valuable benefits that help cover expenses when they do.

Travel with confidence knowing that your travel insurance also provides 24/7 travel and emergency assistance. You can relax and enjoy your vacation knowing that help is just a phone call away should you need assistance 1-844-246-8470.

Don’t let an unexpected event interfere with your vacation; let a travel insurance plan help protect you against the unexpected.

Please Note: To be eligible for the waiver of pre-existing medical condition exclusion, the protection plan must be purchased within 21 days from the time you make your initial trip payment. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. For details: https://47-0351.covermore.com

Travel Insurance is offered and provided by Cover-More Inc., a company of Zurich, as made available through CWC Travel Inc., for Costco Travel. Plans are not available to residents of New York at this time. The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions are contained in the insurance Policy. Cover-More Inc. CA Agency License #0N13321. Insurance coverage underwritten by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC #16535).

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Travel Insurance

Cancellation insurance.

• Roadside assistance

Travel insurance

With Relax Assistance you enjoy comprehensive protection on trips in Switzerland and abroad: For a sense of security on your travels.

Our protection for your trip

International travel insurance.

• Assumption of cancellation costs if the trip cannot be started 

Cancellation costs 

• Assumption of cancellation costs if the trip cannot be started  

Travel insurance 

• Assumption of return travel and additional costs if the trip has to be interrupted 

Alternative travel

• Assumption of travel costs following medically necessary repatriation during the trip 

Travel legal protection abroad 

• Assistance with travel-related legal cases abroad
• Assumption of costs for roadside assistance on site, with your own or someone else's motor vehicle and ensuring mobility 
• Assumption of additional costs up to CHF 5,000 (incl. replacement vehicle) if the motor vehicle is no longer usable 
• Roadside assistance for bicycles and motorised bicycles also insured

Do you have any questions about Travel Insurance?

Will travel insurance cover the costs in the event of a grounding (airline bankruptcy).

Yes, for insurance policies concluded following the issue of the latest version of the GCI in June 2019.

Should I need to cancel a trip for business reasons, will the insurance cover the costs?

- an insured person's contract of employment is terminated unexpectedly by the employer (culpable termination is not insured); - an insured person, who is registered with the regional employment office (RAV) as unemployed after booking a travel arrangements becomes unable to commence travel due to new unforeseen needs to comply with commitments and obligations set forth by the RAV office, or in cases where the insured person accepts a new contract of employment and as direct consequence is unable to commence the previously booked travel;

Does the travel insurance apply in the event of a terror attack?

Yes, whereby the prerequisite is that no warning has been issued before travel by the FDFA or FOPH.

Does the travel insurance apply to concert or other event tickets abroad?

Yes, insofar as this pertains toattendance of one-time events like concerts or theater performances (courses excluded) with a ticket price per person of CHF 100 or more (even without a booked travel arrangement).

Does travel insurance include the costs of repatriation in the event of illness or death?

Yes, repatriation in the event of serious illness or accident on the part of the insured person to their fixed residence in Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein and/or the respective local hospital is covered.

Furthermore, the costs for the burial and transportation of the body of the insured to their residence in Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein are likewise covered.

If a trip must be canceled as a result of a natural disaster (such as flooding, volcanic eruption etc.), will the insurance cover the costs?

Yes, for acts of God (sudden natural disasters including floods, inundation, storms [= winds in excess of 75 km/h], hail, avalanches, snow pressure, landslides, rock fall or earthquakes) as with other natural disasters.

Is my breakdown assistance cover also valid while traveling abroad?

The insurance applies to occurrences of loss within Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, European countries as well as countries bordering the Mediterranean and the island states of the Mediterranean. For transport across the sea the insurance coverage will continue uninterrupted, providing the point of departure and destination are within the region of validity.

However, the insurance does not apply in the following countries: Belarus, Moldavia, the Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan Kazakhstan, Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya and Syria.

Occurrences of loss or damage pertaining to rental vehicles are not covered.

Who is covered by travel insurance?

Depending on the agreement, the insurance covers the individual or all persons living in the same household.

• Individual: The policyholder is insured
• All persons living in the same household : The insurance covers the policyholder and all persons who live with the policyholder in the same household or who regularly return to the policyholder's household as weekly or weekend residents. Further information on insurance cover can be found in the GCI in our downloads.

What is the difference between travel insurance and travel cancellation insurance?

Relax Assistance travel insurance is a package and includes the following modules as standard: Cancellation costs, travel protection, replacement trip and travel legal protection abroad. At Zurich, travel cancellation insurance is called cancellation costs insurance  and can be taken out as an individual module or as part of the Relax Assistance Travel Insurance package.

Do I have to take out travel insurance before booking a trip or can can I also do this afterward to insure the trip is covered?

You can also take out travel insurance after you have booked your trip and are insured if the insured event has not begun before the conclusion of the contract.

What does the luggage insurance cover?

The insurance covers luggage which the insured person has with them for personal and private use on a journey or which has been handed over to a transportation company for transport to the travel destination, up to the sum insured listed in the policy.

Damage to luggage

The insurance covers damage to luggage as a result of theft or sudden, unforeseeable damage, destruction or loss. Parachutes, paragliders, hang gliders and kitesurfing equipment are only insured against theft or loss.

Delayed luggage

The insurance covers the costs for absolutely essential acquisitions of replacement items up to 30% of the sum insured, if the luggage handed over to a carrier for transportation is delayed.

When is a person considered seriously ill (in accordance with the GCI)? Am I always obliged to produce a doctor's certificate?

An insured person is considered seriously ill when such is stated in a doctor's certificate, which must be available for inspection in all cases.

Can the insurance also be purchased for a single trip?

No, this is an annual policy, which as a rule is priced more favorably than if you were to take out insurance for each trip individually. Plus: the insurance coverage of our annual insurance policy naturally applies to weekend excursions too.

Everything worth knowing about travel

Carefree holidays anywhere in the world

The right insurance on sabbatical

Traveling with children

Relax thanks to the Zurich Help Point

Going on a trip? Here are the best tips

Great protection when traveling with our insurance solutions.

If you have to cancel your trip: Cancellation Insurance ensures that you are refunded the costs of your trip if you are unable to travel.

24/7 Roadside assistance

Keep rolling with your car, motorbike or moped at home and abroad. Roadside insurance with recovery service.

Insurance for rental cars and carsharing

Avec les véhicules de location ou de car sharing, les accidents peuvent vite devenir coûteux, notamment en raison de la franchise élevée. L’assurance «Véhicules de location et de car sharing» vous permet de rouler l’esprit tranquille.

Business Travel Insurance

The business traveller's passport to peace of mind.

Travel for business

Zurich's Travel Insurance is designed to reflect the complexity of risks that come with business trips. Whether it's a volcanic eruption, an air traffic controllers’ strike or a natural disaster that interrupts your employee's travel plans, our policies are designed to help your people cope, recover and get back on their way. 

We offer Travel Insurance that is tailored for small-to-medium-sized businesses all the way through to multinational corporates.

Both options include:

• Zurich Assist for 24/7 support worldwide whilst travelling
• Unlimited overseas medical expenses
• Personal accident and sickness cover whilst travelling
• Loss of deposit and cancellation and curtailment expenses
• Lost, stolen or damaged baggage
• Political and natural disaster evacuation
• Vehicle excess waiver

How to apply

Zurich Insurance is available through independent insurance brokers who can assist you to obtain the right cover for your needs.

You can find a broker with the free  needabroker  service or call NIBA* on  1300 53 10 73   

*NIBA is the peak body for professional insurance brokers in Australia.

Zurich Business Travel Insurance provides travel insurance cover to small to medium size Australian based businesses , making travel insurance benefits available to their employees, directors and others specified as insured persons.

Corporate Travel Insurance

Zurich Corporate Travel Insurance provides travel insurance cover for Australian based businesses, partnerships, joint ventures and other entities who have authorised travellers including employees and members that travel in connection with the business.

Business Travel Insurance works well with…

Accident and Health Insurance

Zurich offers a wide range of products that can provide cover to businesses and their people in the event that the unexpected occurs whilst travelling, or as a result of an accident or sickness during or outside of working hours.

Business Insurance

You’ve worked hard to build your business. At Zurich, we can help you to protect your livelihood, by getting you back to business quickly when unforeseen events occur.

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11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in August 2024

Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain actions on our website or click to take an action on their website. 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.

If you don't have sufficient travel insurance coverage via your credit card , you can supplement your policies with third-party plans.

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 Mexico in September 2024. The traveler was a 55-year-old woman from Florida who spent $3,000 total on the trip, including airfare.

On average, the price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $126.53. 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.

Best insurance companies

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.

Top credit cards with travel insurance

Methodology

Best travel insurance overall: berkshire hathaway travel protection.

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 $135 for our sample trip, the ExactCare Value (basic) plan from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers protection roughly $10 above the average price.

Want something 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 nearly all plan levels. 

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

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 $149, about $22 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

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 $107 for our sample trip, the Essential plan was below average, saving roughly $20.

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

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, those going to see a show may want to add on event ticket registration fee protection. Traveling with expensive gear?Consider adding on coverage for electronic equipment for up to $2,000 in coverage.

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

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 ($72 for our sample trip), while the most affordable, provides less coverage than other plans. But it 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

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 $125, almost exactly 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

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.

» Jump to the best cards with travel insurance

The basic coverage plan for our trip to Mexico costs $124 — 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

• Coverage available for adventure travelers.
• Offers direct billing.
• 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.

However, travelers will want to be aware that IMG’s iTravelInsured Travel Lite is expensive. Coming in at $149.85, it’s the costliest plan on our list.

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

• 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 $134 for our sample trip, adding about $8 onto 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

• 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 $136, the Basic plan was among the more expensive for our trip to Mexico.

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

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 $125, the Trip Protector Economy policy is at 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 coverages 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.

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.

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 some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

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

No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph℠ 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

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

Earn 5 free nights at an IHG property after $4k in spend (each night valued at up to 60k points).

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Cover-More Group protects the travel dreams and experiences of more than 17 million people worldwide every year, whether they travel for leisure or business.

We partner with many well-known brands across the globe including travel agencies and airlines, financial institutions, and retailers. Online and in-store. We partner with like-minded groups who understand what is truly important to travellers, and who are committed to delivering a simple and seamless customer experience based on real protection and care.

We are part of Zurich Insurance Group and our operations cover more than 15 countries across five continents, with leading positions in the USA, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Ireland and New Zealand. We offer world-class emergency medical assistance and travel security support through our 24/7 command centres in Australia, Argentina, Canada and the United Kingdom.

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