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Travel is unpredictable, even at the best of times. Travel insurance helps to protect you against the unexpected. If your trip is canceled unexpectedly or ends early, would you be able to easily accept the financial loss? Or, if someone in your party required evacuation due to a medical issue, could you cover that expense? Travel insurance can help with these concerns and many more.
Travel insurance is unique and varies depending on the details of your trip. The best policy covers only what you need at a price that fits your budget. You can compare dozens of providers on our site using our comparison engine, filtering for only the specific coverage options you want. If you need help, our licensed travel insurance agents can assist you in comparing plans and reading the fine print for you to help explain the exclusions.
That depends entirely on you. Are there pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs you are unwilling to lose? What unpredictable expenses would you not be able to cover? Reasons that might cause an unexpected cancellation? Different plans and options are available for various concerns and coverages that you may need.
There are some USA Covid travel insurance plans available for travel that cover covid 19 as a new illness. International travelers can compare best Covid travel insurance plans and buy it online. These US covid travel insurance plans are available for visitors to the US, US citizens and US residents traveling abroad as well as non US travelers traveling outside their home country.
If pandemics or epidemics aren’t always excluded why are people getting surprised by their policy’s coverage?
For the most part, people are not cancelling their trips because there are illnesses in the world. There have always been serious illnesses in different places and most people have opted not to go to those places.
Instead, you’re likely being forced to change your travel plans due to any one or a combination of these common Travel Insurance Exclusions:
A government regulation, mandate or prohibition
Failure of any tour operator, common carrier, person or agency to provide the bargained-for travel arrangements.
If a travel supplier changes the itinerary, but still gives you a similar trip or a future travel credit or waives the change fees, there’s no payable claim.
Changes in plans by the Insured, a Family Member, or Traveling Companion, for any not-covered reason; unless the optional Cancel for Any Reason coverage was purchased.
Fear, worry, concern about something that might happen on the trip. Read this if your doctor’s suggesting you don’t take your trip: Don’t Cancel for Your Own Medical Reasons If You’re Not Ill or Injured
Travel insurance is a great way to protect your financial investment for your trip. Travel benefits can provide coverage for prepaid, non-refundable trip costs and some plans also offer limited medical coverage benefits.
Travel medical insurance is primarily used for short term medical coverage when you are traveling outside of your home country. Your domestic insurance plan often does not provide coverage for you in foreign countries. If you were to fall ill or get in an accident, you could have to pay out-of-pocket for those expenses.
Travel Insurance may provide coverage* for items such as:
Prepaid, non-refundable expenses
Trip cancellation**
Travel delay
Trip interruption
Lost or stolen luggage
Emergency medical evacuation*
Accident and sickness medical expenses*
Trip Cancellation Insurance coverage: You, a close family member or a traveling companion gets hurt or sick before you leave (your medical records must substantiate what happened to you). Travel Insurance reimburses you the money you lose. This may include pre-existing medical conditions. Other events that could cause you to cancel your trip are: you’re required to work or natural disasters.
Trip Interruption Insurance coverage: You, a close family member or a traveling companion gets hurt or sick during your trip and you have to return home early. Before the trip it’s trip cancellation. During the trip it’s trip interruption. Our plans provide coverage for the unused value of your trip and the cost of one-way airfare up to the plan’s limit.
Emergency Medical & Evacuation Insurance coverage: You get ill or injured (ie – hit by a cement truck) on your trip. Travel Insurance can reimburse you your medical expenses including medical transportation home. Our plans won’t leave you in a foreign country. See why Medicare doesn’t cover you outside the USA.
A Trip Delay forces you to have extra meal and accommodation expenses when you are delayed up to 6 or 12 hours (varies by plan) getting to your destination or returning home as scheduled.
Your luggage is delayed, lost, stolen or damaged. If your checked luggage doesn’t arrive within 12 or 24 hours (varies by plan), you may be reimbursed for items you need to buy. Or if it’s damaged or never arrives, most policies provide coverage.
You are able to get a “Cancel For Any Reason” plan to cover any possible reason to cancel your trip including: you change your mind, you’re afraid to travel, you just don’t want to go.
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Trip insurance (also called Trip Cancellation or Comprehensive Travel Insurance) covers cancellations, interruptions, baggage, delays, medical, evacuation, and more. Travel Insurance with Trip Cancellation coverage will reimburse you for the amount of pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses (e.g. airline, cruise, train, hotel, etc.) that you have insured, should you cancel your trip before departure for an unforeseen covered reason.
Check out these plans below!
We've got the perfect plans!
Check these out our recommended travel insurance plans below
We have narrowed down your search to these recommended plans for you to select from.
As an international student, peace of mind is a priority when you study abroad. Your educational adventure or cultural exchange program should be an enjoyable experience.
These plans are designed to specifically meet the needs of international students, scholars, and people involved in long-term educational and cultural exchange programs. Plans that offer a robust package of benefits while outside your home country.
Please send us your full name, contact details and most importantly - your policy number so that our team can assist you promptly!
We've got you covered!
Group travel insurance policies offer comprehensive benefits to cover travelers' main concerns, including Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical, Medical Evacuation, and Travel Delay coverage.
Check out our recommended plans below
Now that sounds like an adventure!
Let's get you covered with the best travel insurance plans available. . There are often cancellation penalties tied to travel purchases, especially cruise trips, and you could get a portion of your trip costs back or none at all. Those penalties tend to get more severe as the departure date gets closer. This is where Trip Cancellation coverage can help you.
Check out our recommended cruise insurance plans below
This type of plan covers the expenses and associated services for your emergency medical evacuation or repatriation back to your home country.
That's ok! We're here to help!
If you're anything like us and enjoy speaking to a human, please leave your name and best way to contact you and one of our friendly TWI agents will reach out to you. We will help you go through the various options and best insurance plans for your trip.
Or alternatively, send us an email with your trip details and we will assist you personally in getting the perfect plan for your trip.
Such a beautiful place! We've got you covered!
Check out these travel insurance plans specifically designed for traveling to Costa Rica.
Annual Multi-Trip Plan
Provides coverage for all trips made within a year.
Baggage and Personal Effects Coverage
Covers a policy holder’s baggage, passport, credit cards, and personal effects.
Benefits
The amount a beneficiary receives from the insurance provider after a claim has been filed.
Benefit Period
The period of time during which the insured receives compensation from their insurance company for medical purposes, and can vary from policy to policy. For example, one policy may state that your benefit period begins the day you are hospitalized for a serious illness and ends 30 days after you stop receiving treatment.
Co-Insurance or Co-Pay
Refers to the amount paid by the policy holder after payment of the deductible is completed.
Common Carrier
Any land, sea, or air conveyance operating under a valid license for the transportation of passengers for hire.
Continuous Coverage
Health insurance coverage that is not interrupted by a lapse of a predetermined number of days.
Coverage Area
The geographical region where an insurance policy is in effect.
Covered Expenses
Expenses that the insurance company agrees to cover based on the insurance policy purchased. A summary of “covered expenses” will be listed in the Schedule of Benefits.
Covered Reasons
The specific situations and events that are covered by a specific coverage or policy.
Deductible
The amount a policy holder is required to pay before the insurance provider starts making payment. It can be a yearly amount, an amount based on the duration of the policy, or amount based on incident.
Death Benefit (Survivor Benefit)
The total compensation that is paid to the beneficiary of the life insurance plan when the insured passes away.
Dependent
Usually a spouse and/or children who are legally dependent on the insured. Depending on the insurance plan, dependents may qualify for insurance coverage on the insured’s policy.
Emergency Benefits
Provides coverage for expenses incurred when a person is transported to a place where they receive immediate medical attention.
Evacuation: Emergency Evacuation Categories
Emergency medical evacuation (to the nearest qualified medical facility that can handle the medical condition)
Medical due to outbreaks, epidemics
The threat of natural disaster
Political evacuation due to civil unrest (treated separately)
Includes expenses for reasonable transportation (either public transport or private as reasonable based on the condition) resulting from the evacuation; and the cost of returning to either the home country or the country where the evacuation occurred. Sometimes includes remote transportation in the event of a diagnosis of a critical medical condition that is not necessarily immediately life-threatening, but severe enough that it could result in death or a permanent disability if not treated right away. Any medical treatment (after any deductibles) is usually paid from your medical insurance benefit. May also include an Emergency Reunion Benefit, or Return of Minor Children.
Emergency Reunion Coverage
Covers the traveling and accommodation expenses incurred when a friend or family member of an ill or injured policy holder travels to visit them.
Exclusions
Expenses the insurance provider will not cover, and they usually include expenses that result from participation in high-risk sports or recreational activities.
Effective Date
The date when the insurance coverage becomes effective.
Elimination Period (Waiting Period)
the period of time between the insured’s accident and the arrival of benefit payments. For example, if you broke your leg in January and received your first benefit payment in February, the elimination period would be one month.
Epidemic
An outbreak of a contagious disease that spreads rapidly and widely and that is identified as an epidemic by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Exclusions
Cases under which an insurance provider does not provide coverage to the insured. For example, an insurance company may include an exclusion for car accidents if the insured is driving under the influence.
Expatriate Insurance
Expat insurance policies designed to cover financial losses that expatriates face while living and working in a country other than their own.
Family Plans
Plans that cover every member of a family who is traveling, and they usually come with discounted rates.
Grace Period
A period of time after an insurance premium payment is due during which the insured can fully enjoy the insurance coverage without incurring an additional fee. Grace periods can range from 24 hours to 30 days, and after their expiration, the insured will be required to pay an additional fee.
Hazardous Sports and Activities Coverage
Refers to coverage of medical expenses incurred to treat a policy holder who becomes injured because of participation in hazardous sports and activities, such as: sky diving, scuba diving, or rock climbing
HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This is also known as the Kassebaum-Kennedy Act enacted by the US Congress in 1996. It includes basic requirements for health insurance privacy and portability of health insurance, thus avoiding the exclusion of coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.
Hospital Indemnity
Hospital indemnity will provide $$ for each night you spend in the hospital as an inpatient when receiving treatment for a covered illness or injury. Hospital indemnity benefits are typically not subject to a deductible or coinsurance and are in addition to the payments for other covered expenses.
Insured
The individual who is covered by the travel insurance policy.
Individual Plans
Plans that provide coverage for only one person.
Inflation Protection
A feature of certain insurance policies whereby the value of benefits increases by a certain, pre-defined percentage during specific time periods to assure that insurance coverage grows at the same pace as inflation.
Insurance Provider Network
The grouping of hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers that the insured will receive the maximum insurance coverage from working with.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
– an insurance provider plan that typically limits customers to receiving insurance coverage only when working with one specific network provider.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO, or Participating Provider Organization)
– an organization of hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers who have agreed to provide health care at reduced rates to clients of a particular insurance provider. Healthcare providers who fall into your provider’s PPO are often referred to as “In-Network” providers, while healthcare providers outside of your insurance provider’s PPO are referred to as “Out of Network” providers, and will typically cost you much more than in-network providers.
In-Network, Out-of-Network
Medical facilities and practitioners that have contracted with the insurance companies to provide discounted rates, direct billing, and other services are considered In-Network (See more about Doctor Networks). Those facilities that have not contracted are considered “Out-of-Network.” The insured will typically save money by using “In-Network” providers and facilities.
In-patient
A patient admitted for at least a 24-hour residence (or at least overnight) in a medical facility where he is being treated.
Insurance Broker
An agency or individual who works as an intermediary between a person wanting insurance and one or more insurance companies to guide them in the purchase of insurance. (See Why Work with an International InsuranceBroker)
IPMI
International Private Medical Insurance or Global Health insurance.
Lost Luggage
Secondary coverage that is paid when a policy holder’s checked luggage is permanently lost. Aka Loss/Theft, if there is damage to, or loss of, or theft of your checked or stored baggage or personal items (Defined as suitcases, clothing, toiletries, books, photo equipment, mobile phones, and laptops) by a common carrier, or while stored with your hotel. It will also usually include coverage for the replacement costs of travel documents, and sometimes bag tracking. May, or may not, include delayed baggage.
Lifetime Maximum
The maximum amount an insurance company will pay for all benefits received. The usual limits are $1,000,000; $3,000,000 or $5,000,000 but may be greater or, in some cases, unlimited.
Loss
Injury or damage sustained by you in consequence of the happening of one or more of the occurrences against which the company has undertaken to indemnify you.
Maximum Policy Coverage
Refers to the maximum compensation that will be paid for expenses covered by a policy.
Medical Evacuation (MedEvac, medivac)
Timely and efficient evacuation and in-route care of ill or injured persons, usually by air transportation, to a place where they can receive adequate medical care.
Medically Necessary
Treatment that’s appropriate for your illness or injury, consistent with your symptoms, and that can safely be provided to you. It meets the standards of good medical practice and isn’t for your convenience or the provider’s convenience.
Non-Refundable Travel Expenses
These are expenses paid for a trip that cannot be reimbursed, and they include accommodation deposits and airline tickets.
Natural disaster
A large-scale extreme weather or environmental event that damages property, disrupts transportation, or endangers people. Examples include earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, or volcanic eruptions.
Online Fulfillment
Electronic communication of Medical ID card, certificate or indication of coverage, information on the policy purchased, how to file a claim, and the insurance company’s contact information.
Outpatient
A patient who receives medical treatment at a clinic or hospital, but is not admitted for an overnight stay.
Out-of-Pocket Expense
The total amount that you will pay towards your medical expenses.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Refers to medical conditions of policy holders that existed before the insurance policies were purchased: Usually, insurance providers will only provide minimal or no coverage for expenses related to such conditions.
Premium
The amount paid to purchase a travel insurance plan. The payment can be made in advance, once every month or year, or before every trip.
Primary Coverage
Form of coverage provides insurance for the policy holder even though you have other coverage.
Policy Year
The amount of time from the effective date of the policy that comprises one full year. For example, if the effective date begins April 14, 2009, the policy year will end at midnight, April 13, 2010.
Political Evacuation
Often lumped together with non-medical or security evacuation, political evacuation is for situations where one is either trapped, or expelled, or at risk due to civil uprisings, riots, military coups, political unrest, or being identified as a “persona non grata” in the country you are visiting. Security evacuations (necessary for impending natural disasters, etc.) are different from political evacuations. Political evacuations are for situations of political instability, civil unrest, or military action. Coverage is sometimes dependent on the United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, or similar government organization of the insured person’s home country, ordering the evacuation of all non-emergency government personnel from the host country.
Pre-certification
The need to check with the insurance company before receiving medical care, generally for major medical procedures, to confirm if the medical care received will be covered by the insurance company.
Premium
Payment for insurance, the amount paid by the insured to the insurance company for health insurance coverage.
Preventive Care
Medical care given in advance of symptoms to prevent illness or injury. Generally includes emphasis on healthy behavior, regular testing, screening for diseases, routine physical examinations, and immunizations.
Quarantine
Mandatory isolation or restrictions on where you can go, intended to stop a contagious disease from spreading.
Rental Car Insurance
Covers theft or damage of a car rented by a policy holder during their trip. It also covers the damage and injury sustained by other people if the policy holder causes an accident.
Repatriation Benefit
Refers to the coverage of expenses for preparing and sending the deceased person’s body to their own country
Rider (Waiver)
A formal written statement by the insurance company to the insured amending and modifying coverage, e.g., adding or excluding coverage. It could involve waiving coverage for a certain medical condition like cancer, hepatitis or adding coverage for such conditions.
Secondary Coverage
Only offers insurance for expenses not included in the primary coverage.
Single Trip Plan
A policy that provides coverage for only one trip
Schedule of Benefits (SOB)
A list of the benefits, amount of coverage provided in an insurance policy, usually one or two pages in length.
Scheduled Departure Date
The date on which you are originally scheduled to leave on the trip.
Scheduled Return Date
The date on which you are originally scheduled to return to the point of origin or to a different final destination.
Sickness
An illness or disease which is diagnosed or treated by a physician after the effective date of insurance and while you are covered under the policy.
Subrogation
Steps the travel insurance company takes, after paying a claim, to collect from other available sources such as other insurance plans or travel suppliers.
Travel Assistance Services
Refers to assistance available to a policy holder when they experiences difficulty in a foreign location. It includes: 24-hour emergency phone services, legal assistance, visa and passport assistance, and others.
Travel Supplier Bankruptcy or Default
Refers to coverage of expenses incurred when a travel supplier goes bankrupt or defaults from providing travel services.
Trip Interruption Insurance
Provides coverage for policy holders who interrupt or cancel their trips because of acceptable reasons such as injury, illness, death of a relative, flight problem, and others.
Terrorism
Terrorismis an act or threat of action by a person or group of people, whether acting alone or in connection with an organisation or government, committed for political, religious, ideological or similar purposes intended to influence any government or to frighten the public or any section of it. An 'action' means: violence, damage to property, putting life in danger, creating a public health risk, or disrupting electronic systems or transport services.
Trip Cancellation
Provides reimbursement for non-refundable trip payments and deposits if a trip is canceled for illness, death, or other specific unforeseen circumstances. The “trip cancellation” benefit covers you in the event you have to cancel prior to your trip due to a covered reason listed in your travel insurance policy prior to your departure date.
Trip Interruption
Trip interruption plans typically reimburse you for pre-paid non-refundable travel expenses if an unexpected crisis (e.g., death of a family member, sickness, airline strike, travel supplier bankruptcy, among other crises) occurs during your trip causing it to be canceled, interrupted or delayed.
Usual, Customary, and Reasonable Charges
Average amounts charged by travel insurance providers for certain services, treatments, or procedures in the same locality.
Underwriter
(1) The company that receives the insurance premium and accepts the responsibility to cover medical costs;
(2) The employee in an insurance company who decides whether or not the insurance company should assume the risk of offering the insurance to an individual or group;
(3) An insurance agent.
Usual, Reasonable & Customary (UCR)
The amount an insurance company will pay for a covered medical expense based on the customary charges of all medical providers in a given geographic area for a similar service.
Valuables
Jewellery, watches, glasses (including sun glasses), contact lenses, keys, hearing aids, any electric, electrical or electronic items or equipment including their accessories (e.g. mobile phones, laptops, games consoles, portable audio equipment, portable visual equipment, memory sticks, chargers, dongles), any kind of photographic or recording equipment and their accessories (including CDs, DVDs, tapes etc), items made of or containing precious metals or (semi) precious stones, furs, animal skins, antiques, binoculars, telescopes, musical instruments.
Waiting Period
A period of time the insured must wait before some or all of the coverages offered in an insurance plan begin and the insured can receive benefits.
Waiver (Rider)
A formal written statement by the insurance company to the insured amending and modifying coverage, e.g., adding or excluding coverage. It could involve waiving coverage for a certain medical condition like cancer, hepatitis or adding coverage for such conditions.
Wellness Benefit (Preventive Care, Well-care)
Medical care given in advance of symptoms to prevent illness or injury. Generally includes emphasis on healthy behavior, regular testing, screening for diseases, routine physical examinations and immunizations.
If you purchase one of the recommended plans, your medical expenses for Coronavirus can be covered by the COVID-19 Treatment benefit and your medical expenses for treatment for Coronavirus contracted on your trip can be covered.
Coverage for COVID-19: Benefits may include coverage for Travel Delay if you are delayed for the required number of hours for an applicable covered reason. Covered reasons vary by plan, so review your plan document.
Both travel medical insurance and trip insurance offer specific Covid related coverage and benefits. This includes coverage for the highly transmissible Omicron variant. If any strain of Covid is contracted after the policy effective date, then travel medical insurance can provide coverage. Similarly, if someone has to cancel their trip due to contracting Covid, trip insurance can cover some of the non-refundable costs.
For the most up-to-date information on the Omicron variant or any other variant, please contact the WHO or the CDC.
There are plans that offer Covid coverage that will cover the cost of testing if the insured is having symptoms and the attending physician orders it for diagnostic grounds. Preventative Covid tests do not qualify for coverage.
Travel insurance does not cover the Covid vaccination, which means you'll need to pay for the Covid vaccine. If you're traveling to the United States, for example, make sure you do research on exactly which vaccines are acceptable. However, if the virus was contracted during the policy's coverage period, there are travel medical and trip cancellation insurance plans that can cover Covid treatment and services. With the introduction of new Covid variants, it is recommended that you obtain travel medical insurance coverage that includes Covid benefits so you can relax while traveling overseas.
Is quarantine covered by Covid travel insurance? Covid coverage and quarantine benefits are included in several travel medical and trip insurance plans. To use the quarantine benefits on their travel medical insurance plan, the policyholder must meet the following requirements:
Covid-19 and quarantine indemnity compensation must be covered by your travel medical insurance plan.
After the policy's effective date, the attending physician must diagnose Covid-19.
In order to be covered, services and treatments must be ordered by a medical doctor. This can entail things like diagnostics, treatment, medicine, and being placed in quarantine.
If you have travel medical insurance and need to cancel your trip due to Covid, you may cancel and obtain a refund before the effective date, depending on the plan you selected (date of departure). For any limitations or exclusions, please verify the cancellation terms and conditions for your specific plan.
A "free look back period" is a period during which a policyholder can cancel their trip insurance coverage and receive a full refund if they do so within a certain duration. The length of the free look back period varies by plan. If a policyholder needs to cancel a trip due to contracting Covid after the free look back time has elapsed, they can use the trip cancellation benefit on the policy. If an insured person has to cancel their trip due to Covid illness, they can claim the policy's trip cancellation benefit once the free review period has expired. This benefit can cover up to 100% of non-refundable prepaid travel expenses.
If the holder of a travel insurance policy needs to cancel for any other reason that is not covered, he/she should consider purchasing a plan that offers Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage. CFAR is an optional benefit that policyholders can add to their standard coverage. With this benefit, you can cancel for any reason and the insurance company can reimburse the policyholder for up to 75% of the prepaid non-refundable travel expenses.
With the vaccine rollout, many countries are allowing travel again. If you decide to travel, be sure to take necessary precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones from the virus. Some countries are now requiring all visitors to purchase travel insurance. Please refer to your local government’s regulations and advisories.
Some travel medical and trip insurance plans do provide coverage for emergency medical evacuation. The coverage and limitations on the emergency medical evacuation will depend on the plan purchased. The evacuation will either be to the nearest hospital or back to the insured’s home country for additional treatment. Be sure to read the policy details carefully before purchasing.
Many people may not know that their domestic healthcare most likely will not provide coverage outside of their home country. This is why it’s important to have a travel insurance plan while traveling abroad.