trip insurance 101

Trip & Vacation Insurance Marketplace

Compare the usa's leading trip & vacation insurance providers.

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Prices are regulated by law. You won't find a lower travel insurance price anywhere else for a plan found on Trip Insure 101

What our customers say

We love our customers and our customers love our travel insurance ❤️

Don was the best

I was so happy to speak to someone who I could understand! Don was very helpful and patient and I appreciated his clear communication.

Terri Young - 4 days ago

Great Customer Service and Pricing

Honest, professional, thorough and very friendly customer service. All my questions or concerns were addressed and the travel insurance prices are ver...

P. Lawson - 5 days ago

Amanda was wonderful

Amanda was wonderful. Very polite, friendly and helpful. She found a perfect policy for my daughter's trip to SE Asia and made the purchasing proce...

David S - 5 days ago

Real easy experience

Maura B - 6 days ago

Very efficient site.

Well organised site. Easy to read, understand, and compare options. Easy to choose plan according to needs. Fast purchase. Immediately sent document...

Mariya Spektor - 7 days ago

Amanda professionally answered all my questions, and made me feel very comfortable about the policy purchase.

customer - 9 days ago

Great travel insurance service

The site provides a wide variety of providers along with a synopsis of the benefits of each. There's also a link to the providers when sure for more d...

Scott Luchesi - 9 days ago

Superb Travel Insure 101 Assistance

I spent a great deal of time and was frustrated trying to secure a travel insurance plan to fit my needs. I was getting conflicting information. By an...

John W. Hunt - 10 days ago

Exellent Website Professional Agent

I found your website to be very informative. I was able to comp a couple of different plans before making my choice. Your agent was very helpful/pro...

Consumer - 10 days ago

Great price!

MARY HERNANDEZ - 11 days ago

Very clear and concise explanation of…

Very clear and concise explanation of benefits over the phone. Miranda was extremely helpful and patient with my questions.

Kim Kienzle - about 7 hours ago

Fair price. Great coverage.

Tia - 1 day ago

Awesome find!

Finding Tripinsure101 was one of the great finds for our trip to South Africa. Christianna and Nicole helped me navigate to find the best coverage fo...

customer - 1 day ago

insurance comparison

The areas of my concerns were all listed and I could do a comparison. Also when compared to other travel insurance sites, these prices were lower.

wichitalady - 2 days ago

Great experience

Melanie took her time & patience to explained in detail the package we were needing for our trip. We are very happy with our choice for our upcoming t...

Dennis E - 2 days ago

Curtesy and Confidence

Curtesy and Confidence Denise was the rep that I worked with and I found her to be efficient, knowledgeable and pleasant. She lesioned to my concern...

James - 3 days ago

won't really know how good unless I…

won't really know how good unless I have to file claim. buying it was very easy

customer - 4 days ago

Everything was fine.

Don was extremely helpful.

Don was extremely knowledgeable and professional. He took the time to answer all my questions. He made this an enjoyable experience.

Kenneth - 4 days ago

Quick and easy

Quick and easy, great price for the coverage needed for the trip

Jay Whitney - 4 days ago

How it works

At Trip Insure 101, we work to get you the coverage you need at a price you can afford. By comparing rates from over 30 plans, we're able to do just that. Here's what to expect:

To get started, we'll ask for information about your trip and yourself. This is so we can give you the most accurate quote.

We'll use the information you provide to get policies and rates from all our insurers for you to easily compare and filter to your preferences.

You choose the policy that fits your needs and your budget. It's as easy as that.

to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Our insurance partners, the trip insure 101 price promise.

Travel insurance policy prices are state regulated. We have partnered with our insurance providers, and using the information you provide, we can find the best state approved rates.

So you won't find a lower price for the same plan anywhere else

Trip Insure Marketplace

Trip Insure 101 is the leading Trip & Vacation Insurance Marketplace in the USA. Customers get to compare and save on their Trip Insurance.

We share trip protection Reviews , plans and Ratings .

• We love Amazon. They make comparison-shopping simple.
• Trip Insure 101 does exactly the same for you when purchasing Travel Insurance.
• Would you like to visit each travel protection carrier directly? Of course not.
• So, enjoy the Amazon-like experience and find the best travel insurance with Trip Insure 101.

Which Travel Insurance Policy Should You Choose?

That's the beauty of insurance comparison. You get to see a huge selection of policies, with guaranteed best pricing. You will not find the same travel insurance policy at a better price. This price protection is one of the best ways to assure that a traveler finds affordable travel cover.

How To Buy Trip Insurance

Each year, Travelers in the USA spend over $3Bn on Trip and Travel Medical Insurance. Some of them are topping up trip insurance that is on their credit cards, once they have realized how limited the cover is.

Others will have been offered Flight Insurance during the check-out process with their airline. Smart travelers question whether airline protection is good value and start looking where else they can buy the best trip insurance. Time and time again we have shown our customers that airline insurance is expensive with poor cover.

Many travelers use vacation sites such as Expedia. And Expedia , like so many other travel companies, tries to sell insurance for travelers during their check-out. Again, customers who really care about where to buy the best trip insurance should not be buying from a single-policy site like Expedia. Expedia has zero-choice and poor value travel insurance. There are much better choices available.

Customers who are asking 'Should I get Trip Insurance?' can probably get a better answer if they have options to choose from.

Why Should I Buy Trip Protection Insurance? Top 20 Reasons

• You need to cancel your trip and be refunded.
• Your flight is cancelled.
• You miss your flight connection.
• A terrorism event occurs at your destination.
• State Department advises that your destination is unsafe.
• A hurricane damages your holiday destination.
• Your bags are lost or stolen.
• Your bags are delayed.
• You get sick whilst on your vacation.
• If you get injured whilst on your trip.
• You prefer to choose your own hospital and be fully refunded.
• If you need to be medically evacuated home.
• You lost your passport.
• Your travel company goes bankrupt.
• You have a free-look period and can cancel anyway for a refund.
• If you want to Cancel for Any Reason and be partially refunded.
• You want Cancel for Work cover for a full refund.
• If you worry about being made redundant.
• You need an assistance service whilst abroad.
• Coverage costs are affordable.

TripInsure101 – Best Trip Insurance Marketplace

We have become used to comparison-shopping for almost every possible purchase, so it only makes sense that we should do the same for insurance.

Trip Insurance Comparison is what we do; we are a Travel Insurance Agency.

In the USA there are a number of highly respected trip insurance carriers. They support customers at home and abroad. They 'file' their insurance policies with each state insurance commission. The price of each trip insurance policy is declared. These policies range from very basic through to highly comprehensive.

How to Purchase Affordable Travel Insurance with Price Certainty

Why is 'filed' insurance important? Well, it means that, by law, a customer will not find the same policy cheaper. It cannot be done. So, when shopping for cover, they can be confident knowing that the price they see for an AIG Gold policy, for example, is the price they would get if they went to AIG directly. This is hugely powerful for a consumer. It's how to get travel protection with price certainty – our prices are the best in the market. When you purchase online with us, you can do so with absolute pricing certainty.

How to find Best Trip Insurance Work? – Shop Around

In a $3Bn annual market, there is significant competition. Trip Insurance carriers work tirelessly to create travel protection plans that will be competitive. These insurers are licensed to operate in all 50 states, and DC. They distribute insurance for travelers through their own sites, and also through TripInsure101's Travel Insurance Marketplace.

When you visit a site run by one of the carriers, you will only see their own products. They will not attempt to show you policies provided by any other insurer. That makes sense – why would they try to compete against themselves?

Which is the Best Trip Insurance? - Compare & Save

As an alternative, you could search for policies from many different travel protection carriers, and run the same quote with each and every one of them. You would need to compare relevant cover levels, in addition to prices, across each site you came to. But this type of checking, site by site, takes a long time.

So, why not let us do it for you? A trip insurance store, like TripInsure101, makes so much sense. It is free to you – we do not charge you for our services.

Cancellation Trip Insurance

When booking a vacation many of us are worried about trip cancellation. What if I get sick? If I lose my job I need to cancel my vacation - can I get a refund? What if I just change my mind and don't want to go?

For these, and other reasons, travelers will frequently look to insure their trip with Cancellation Travel Insurance . This type of protection is embedded into every comprehensive trip cancellation plan, along with other benefits.

But, there are different types of cancellation coverage, and it is important to know what is covered, and what is not. Every travel policy will have a type of 'Dreadful Cancellation' cover. This trip cancellation benefit is designed to help when something has gone truly wrong. A death, or serious illness of a family member or traveling companion, for instance.

Trip Cancellation Insurance - Options

Cancel for Work Reasons cover is more expensive. This cover starts to work in the event that an employee is made redundant before travel. Some insurance carriers insist that a worker has been employed for at least 3 years, whilst others need only a single year of service. Such details matter, which is why it is worth reading the insurance certificate.

Where Cancel for Work Trip Insurance coverage can be helpful is if it incorporates cover for vacation cancellation. Many of us have vacation approved by an employer, only to have that vacation cancelled again in the future.

The final type of holiday cancellation protection that some travelers seek is called Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance . It does exactly what it sounds like. It allows a traveler, subject to certain booking conditions, to receive a 75% refund on any non-refundable travel costs, if they cancel within 48 hours of departure.

Medical Travel Insurance - Critical Timing

The purchase of Travel Medical Insurance is time sensitive. What we mean by that is that certain benefits within a policy will only activate if the policy has been bought very soon after initial vacation deposit. We share time sensitive information within each quote. This way a traveler can compare time sensitivity within each vacation insurance plan.

Many comprehensive travel medical insurance plans will offer a Pre-Existing Waiver to provide cover for a pre-existing condition within the travel health insurance element of cover. These are complex insurances, and can be of great comfort to a traveler. But they will only be activated if the policy is bought quickly after the initial trip deposit. Pre-Existing Conditions are something that many people live with. It is simple to gain medical travel insurance for a pre existing condition if travelers act quickly.

We cannot stress this enough – the time to think about travel medical insurance is not just before departure. It is when you make your initial trip payment.

Travel Health Insurance – US Domestic

Many travelers seek out trip insurance simply for the medical travel insurance that comes embedded in a policy. Travel Health Insurance can offer great value.

Many domestic travelers within the USA seek travel medical cover. For some it is because their out-of-state medical cover is very weak, or very expensive. So, trip medical coverage for a US domestic traveler can be good value.

Travel health insurance cover can allow 'hospital of choice' as well as 'primary cover'. Primary cover means that the trip medical insurance carrier takes immediate financial responsibility. This means that the insured traveler does not have any out-of-pocket expenses.

Travel Health Insurance - International

International medical travel insurance is a further extension. Most travelers do not have health coverage that supports them overseas. So, trip medical cover can be critical for them. Remember as well that US Medicare does not apply overseas. The US Government will not provide a letter of guarantee for payment. Our Insurers have travel medical assistance teams who support injured or sick travelers. They can advise on hospitals or clinics, and help overcome any language barriers.

Travel Evacuation Insurance

Travel Emergency Evacuation cover can help get a traveler out of a country if the country unexpectedly becomes dangerous. The assistance service of the will work with you to help try to get you and your family to safety. Many think of this as an invaluable form of cover in an unstable world.

Medical Evacuation Insurance helps bring people home, or to a suitable medical facility, in the event of injury or sickness overseas. Long-range medical evacuations can cost in excess of $100,000. So it is no wonder that travelers would prefer to insure the costs of an emergency evacuation or a medical evacuation.

Our Travel Health Insurance Reviews share the level of cover that is offered on every policy.

Lost and Delayed Baggage

It is a sad fact that airlines get delayed, and bags get lost. Included within the rates that we provide are coverage levels for lost baggage and delayed flights.

Best Travel Insurance Reviews

We review each and every insurer that we work with. The first part of our trip insurance review concerns the financial health of the individual insurer. There is little point in buying the cheapest trip insurance from a carrier who is financially weak. We would worry that the insurer may not be able to make good on any insurance claim.

For that reason we rely on A.M. Best Insurance ratings. Each of our medical travel insurance carriers holds an A.M. Best Rating of at least 'A' – Excellent. Think of these as our Trip Insurance Ratings.

Our customers should notice that there is an A.M. Best rating in every quote box. We use this system to share our opinion of each carrier's travel insurance ratings. These trip and travel heath insurance reviews offer great clarity to a customer.

This 'A' rating means that our insurance carriers have very strong balance sheets, operating performances and business profiles. Both when viewed as stand-alone entities, but also when compared with other insurance carriers.

How to Buy Travel Insurance – Compare & Save, Quickly

Purchasing best rate travel insurance is simple through our Travel Insurance Marketplace. Your medical travel insurance quote shows you the insurance carrier, their plans, and the cost of travel insurance. You will see within the trip insurance quotation each and every carrier's A.M. Best Rating. Your trip insurance policy is issued immediately upon purchase.

There are not many tips for buying travel insurance online. But, we think that comparing among top-rated plans is one of the best.

At TripInsure101 we always suggest that when you travel you should consider travel protection. You can get an anonymous trip protection quote in seconds, and compare dozens of the top travel insurance plans from many of the largest US travel insurers.

Remember, you won't find the same plans available at a better price. Price certainty is guaranteed as a result of anti-discriminatory insurance law in the US.

Travel Insurance Cost – Price Guarantee

Travel Insurance Comparison – Will I Pay More Buying Travel Insurance from a Comparison Website?

In short, a trip insurance quote from Travel Insurance Marketplace TripInsure101 is the same price you would see from the trip insurance carrier direct. We are not allowed to compete on price for 'filed' insurance products. No one is.

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How to Find the Best Travel Insurance

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 .

Table of Contents

What travel insurance covers

How much does travel insurance cost, types of travel insurance, how to get travel insurance, what to look for in travel insurance, best travel insurance comparison sites, which insurance company is best for travel insurance, when to skip travel insurance, travel insurance, recapped.

Travel insurance can cover medical expenses, emergencies, trip interruptions, baggage, rental cars and more.

Cost is affected by trip length, pre-existing medical conditions, depth of coverage, your age and add-ons.

You can get it through credit cards or third-party companies, & can shop on travel insurance comparison sites.

Before buying, evaluate risks, know existing coverage, obtain quotes online and review policy details warily.

Skip it if you buy flexible airfare and hotels, already have coverage or only book refundable activities.

Booking travel always carries some degree of uncertainty. Travel insurance provides a safety net so you can step out with confidence. You may not need travel insurance for inexpensive trips, but it can provide a sense of security when you prepay for pricey reservations, a big international trip or travel during cold and flu season, which can be unpredictable.

According to insurance comparison site Squaremouth, travelers in 2023 spent an average of $403 for comprehensive coverage, compared to $96 for medical-only policies. Comprehensive plans typically cost between 5% and 10% of the insured trip cost.

Since that price tag is no small amount, it helps to know how to shop smart for travel insurance. Here's how to find the right travel insurance plan for you and your next adventure.

Depending on the type of coverage you’re looking for, the chart below will help you determine what to look for when selecting a policy:

Depending on the policy, travel insurance reimburses you or offers services when something goes awry. There’s even coverage for the worst-case scenario: if you die in an accident while traveling. Accidental death coverage pays your beneficiary a lump sum in that case.

Before you buy, take a little time to get familiar with different types of travel insurance products, how it’s priced, and what it covers and excludes. If you’re traveling during these uncertain times, you’ll want to make sure that the policy you select covers coronavirus-related emergencies. Usually, the more thorough the coverage, the more it will cost.

Travel insurance costs vary depending on:

Length and cost of the trip: The longer and more expensive the trip, the higher the policy cost.

Cost of local health care: High health-care costs in your destination can drive up the price of trip insurance.

Medical conditions you want covered: Conditions you already have will increase the cost of travel insurance coverage.

Amount and breadth of coverage: The more risks a policy covers, the more it will cost.

Your age: Generally the older you are, the higher the price.

Any optional supplement you add to your policy : Cancel For Any Reason , Interrupt For Any Reason and more.

Keep these factors in mind when considering different travel insurance options.

You’ll find a wide selection of travel protection plans when you shop for a policy.

Typically, travel insurance is sold as a package, known as a comprehensive plan, which includes a variety of coverage.

Here are seven of the most common types of travel insurance:

Travel medical insurance

These plans provide health insurance while you’re away from home. Although in some ways these policies work like traditional health plans, generally you cannot use travel health insurance for routine medical events. For example, a routine medical checkup is usually not covered. In addition, these policies often include limitations on coverage and exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

Although most travel insurance plans cover many recreational activities, such as skiing and horseback riding, they often exclude adventure sports, such as skydiving or parasailing, or competition in organized sporting events. You may need to buy a special travel policy designed for adventure or competitive sports.

International travel insurance

Most likely, your U.S.-based medical insurance will not work while you’re traveling internationally, and Medicare does not provide any coverage once you leave the United States outside of a few very specific exemptions. If you plan on traveling abroad, purchasing travel medical insurance could make a lot of sense.

» Learn more: Travel medical insurance: Emergency coverage while you travel internationally

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay

Trip cancellation coverage reimburses you for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses if the tour operator goes out of business or you have to cancel the trip for one of the covered reasons outlined in the policy, such as:

Your own illness.

The illness or death of a family member who’s not traveling with you.

Natural disasters.

Trip interruption insurance covers the nonrefundable cost of the unused portion of the trip if it is interrupted due to a reason outlined in the policy.

Trip delay coverage reimburses you for expenses such as lodging and meals if you’re delayed during a trip (e.g., your flight gets canceled due to weather ).

Many package policies cover all three. These policies are different from the cancellation waivers that cruise lines and tour operators offer, the Insurance Information Institute says. Waivers are cheap, ranging from $40 to $60, and often include restrictions. For example, according to the institute, waivers might not refund your money if you cancel immediately before departure. Waivers are technically not insurance policies.

Some companies offer additional layers of coverage at extra cost. “Cancel For Any Reason” coverage will reimburse a large part of the trip cost, no matter why you back out. And some companies let you pay extra to cover pre-existing conditions if you cancel for medical reasons.

Some insurers and comparison sites let you customize a policy by choosing types of coverage a la carte. For example, TravelInsurance.com is a comparison site that provides quotes from different providers.

Baggage and personal belongings

How does lost luggage insurance work? This coverage reimburses you for baggage and personal belongings that are lost, stolen or damaged during the trip. Some plans also reimburse you for extra expenses if you experience a baggage delay for more than a certain period, such as 12 hours.

Your renters or homeowners insurance may cover personal belongings while you are traveling. It’s best to review your homeowners insurance policy to determine the level of coverage it provides so you do not end up paying for a benefit you already have.

» Learn more: Baggage insurance explained

Emergency medical assistance, evacuation and repatriation

This coverage pays medical expenses if you get sick or injured on a trip . Medical evacuation coverage pays for transporting you to the nearest hospital, and medical repatriation pays for flying you to your home country.

» Learn more: Can I get travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions?

24-hour assistance

This service is included with many package plans. The insurer provides a 24-hour hotline that you can call when you need help, such as booking a flight after a missed connection, finding lost luggage, or locating a doctor or lawyer.

Generally, travel insurance companies do not cover sports or any activity that can be deemed risky. If you’re thinking of incorporating adventurous activities into your vacation, choose a plan that includes adventure sports coverage.

Most travel insurers cover a wide array of services, but the specific options vary. Some plans include concierge services, providing help with restaurant referrals, tee time reservations and more. Many services also offer information before the trip, such as required vaccinations. The only way to know what’s included is to read the policy.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

Accidental death and dismemberment insurance

This coverage pays a lump sum to your beneficiary, such as a family member, if you die in an accident while on the trip. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance policies also pay a portion of the sum to you if you lose a hand, foot, limb, eyesight, speech or hearing. Some plans apply only to accidental death in a plane.

This coverage may be duplicative if you already have sufficient life insurance, which pays out whether you die in an accident or from an illness. You may also already have accidental death and dismemberment insurance through work, so it's best to check your policies to ensure you’re not overpaying.

» Learn more: NerdWallet's guide to life insurance

Rental car coverage

Rental car insurance pays for repairing your rental car if it’s damaged in a wreck, by vandals or in a natural disaster. The coverage doesn't include liability insurance, which pays for damage to other vehicles or for the medical treatment of others if you cause an accident and are held responsible.

Ask your car insurance company whether your policy will cover you when renting cars on the trip. U.S. car insurance policies generally don’t cover you when driving in other countries, except Canada.

Car insurance requirements are complex because they vary among countries. You can usually purchase liability insurance from the rental car company. Learn about car insurance requirements by searching for auto insurance by country on the U.S. Embassy website .

» Learn more: Best credit cards for rental car coverage

A note about single vs. long-term policies

Single trip insurance plans are a great option for those going on a single trip for a specific length of time (e.g., a two-week vacation) and then returning home. The price of the policy is usually determined by the cost of the trip.

Long-term travel policies cover you for multiple trips, but there are limitations to how long you can be away from home, if you can return home during your travels and how many trips you can take. In addition, trip cancellation and interruption coverage is either not offered or capped at a dollar amount that can be significantly below the total cost of all the trips taken during the covered period.

Long-term travel insurance plans — often called 'multi-trip' or 'annual travel insurance' — are a suitable option for those who travel often and are satisfied with the amount of trip cancellation coverage for all the trips they take over the duration of the policy.

» Learn more: How annual (multi-trip) travel insurance works

Below, we include how to obtain travel insurance, along with the pros and cons of each option.

Some credit cards offer trip cancellation and rental car insurance if you use the card to book the trip or car.

When you book a trip with your credit card, depending on the card you use, you may already receive trip cancellation and interruption coverage.

» Learn more: 10 credit cards that provide travel insurance

Here are a handful of credit cards with travel insurance benefits.

on Chase's website

on American Express' website

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Travel accident: Up to $500,000.

• Rental car insurance: Up to $75,000.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Travel accident: Up to $1 million.

• Rental car insurance: Up to the actual cash value of the car.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $20,000 per 12-month period.

Terms apply.

Pros: Coverage is free.

Cons: You can’t customize the insurance to meet your needs. Most credit cards offer secondary car rental insurance, which pays for the costs not covered by your regular car insurance plan.

Travel agents and travel reservation sites

You can buy travel insurance when you book your flight, hotel and car rental.

Pros: Buying is as quick and easy as clicking “yes” when you book reservations. Coverage is inexpensive.

Cons: You can’t customize the coverage.

» Learn more: Airline travel insurance vs. independent travel insurance

Travel insurance comparison sites

You can compare different policies and review quotes at once based on the trip search criteria you’ve input into the search form. Examples include marketplaces like Squaremouth or TravelInsurance.com.

Pros: You can choose a policy that fits your needs and compare policies and pricing in one place.

Cons: Comparing multiple policies takes time.

Travel insurance companies

You can purchase travel insurance directly from an insurance provider.

Pros: You can choose a policy that fits your needs. Many travel insurer websites also offer information to help you understand the coverage.

Cons: You’ll need to go to multiple websites to compare coverage and pricing.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies right now

Keep these tips in mind when you’re considering a trip insurance policy.

Evaluate the financial risks you face when traveling. Can you bear those costs yourself, or do you want insurance?

Examine what coverage you already have: Does your credit card offer travel insurance? Do you have renters or homeowners insurance to cover belongings? What is the deductible? Will your health plan cover you in all the locations where you travel?

Get quotes for trip insurance online. Choose a package of the benefits you need and compare prices for similar coverage among carriers.

Narrow your choices and then read the policy fine print to understand what’s covered, what’s excluded and the limits on coverage. You may find that the lowest-priced policy is too restrictive and that paying a little more gets you the coverage you need. Or you might find that the cheapest, most basic policy fits the bill.

If you don’t know which provider to go with, it makes sense to browse a list of plans on a travel insurance comparison site. These online marketplaces will often include plans from the best travel insurance companies along with customer reviews.

Squaremouth

Compare plans from more than 30 providers.

Over 86,000 customer reviews of insurers.

Under its Zero Complaint Guarantee, Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner) will remove a provider if any customer complaint isn't resolved to its satisfaction.

Has a filter option to see policies that provide COVID-coverage.

TravelInsurance.com

Compare plans from 13 providers.

See good and poor customer ratings and reviews for each insurer when you receive quotes.

“Learning Center” includes travel insurance articles and travel tips, including important how-to information.

Quotes provided from each provider include a link to COVID-19 FAQs, making it easy for customers to review what’s covered or not.

InsureMyTrip

Compare plans from more than two dozen providers.

More than 70,000 customer reviews.

“Anytime Advocates” help customers navigate the claim process and will work on behalf of the customer to help with appealing a denied claim.

Includes a link to plans that offer COVID coverage.

Compare plans from 11 providers.

Search coverage by sporting activity, including ground, air and water sports.

Many types of plans available for students, visiting family members, new immigrants, those seeking COVID quarantine coverage and more.

Compare different insurance plans from 35 providers.

Over 5,600 customer reviews on Trustpilot, with an average 4.9 stars out of five.

Formerly known as AardvarkCompare, AARDY includes a “Travel Insurance 101” learning center to help customers understand various policies and benefits.

Quote search results page includes COVID-coverage highlighted in a different color to make it easier for customers to review related limits.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care, COVID coverage or a policy that includes extreme sports, these providers have you covered.

Our full analysis and more details about each organization can be found here: The Best Travel Insurance Companies Today .

Allianz Global Assistance .

Travel Guard by AIG .

USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services .

Travel Insured International .

World Nomads .

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection .

Travelex Insurance Services .

Seven Corners .

AXA Assistance USA .

There are a few scenarios when spending extra on travel insurance doesn't really make sense, like:

You booked flexible airline tickets.

Your hotel room has a good cancellation policy.

It's already included in your credit card.

You haven't booked any nonrefundable activities.

» Learn more: When you don't need travel insurance

Yes, especially for nonrefundable trips and travel during the COVID-era. Whether you purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy or have travel insurance from your credit card, you shouldn't travel without having some sort of travel protection in place to safeguard you and your trip. Travel insurance can protect you in case of an unexpected emergency such as a canceled flight due to weather, a medical event that requires hospitalization, lost luggage and more.

There are many good travel insurance policies out there and a policy that may be great for you may not be good for someone else. Selecting the best plan depends on what coverage you would like and your trip details.

For example, World Nomads offers a comprehensive travel insurance policy that has excellent coverage for adventure sports. Allianz provides coverage for trips of varying lengths of time through its single trip plans and multi-trip plans. Some providers offer add-on options like Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance. If you’re not sure which plan to go with, consider looking at trip insurance comparison sites like Squaremouth or Insuremytrip.

Yes, you can. However, it's better to purchase it sooner rather than later, ideally right after booking your trip because the benefits begin as soon as you purchase a policy.

Let’s say you’re going on a trip in a month and a week before departure, you fall and break your leg. If you’ve purchased a travel insurance policy, you can use your trip cancellation benefits to get your nonrefundable deposit back.

Most comprehensive travel insurance plans offer trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical and dental, medical evacuation, trip delay and lost luggage coverage. Many plans offer COVID coverage, but you’ll always want to check to ensure that the policy you choose provides that benefit if you’re traveling during these times. Some plans may also allow you to add features like Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance.

It depends which credit card you have. Premium travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express offer travel insurance benefits if you book a trip using your card or points.

However, the coverage provided by the credit cards is usually lower than if you purchased a standalone policy. Review the travel insurance benefits on your credit card and check that the limits are adequate before foregoing from purchasing a separate plan.

Let’s say you’re going on a trip in a month and a week before departure, you fall and break your leg. If you’ve purchased a travel insurance policy, you can use your

trip cancellation benefits

to get your nonrefundable deposit back.

It depends which credit card you have. Premium travel cards like the

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

The Platinum Card® from American Express

offer travel insurance benefits if you book a trip using your card or points.

Unpredictability is one of the mind-opening joys of travel, but travel insurance should contain no surprises. The time you spend to understand your options will be well worth the peace of mind as you embark on your next adventure.

Whether you’re seeking a single or a long-term policy, each travel insurance option offers different strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right policy depends on your trip needs, your budget and how important various benefits are to you.

Keep reading

If you want to dig in deeper to world of travel insurance, these resources will point you in the right direction.

What is travel insurance? How much is travel insurance? Is travel insurance worth it? What does travel insurance cover? Does travel insurance cover COVID?

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

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

The Beginner’s Guide to Travel Insurance

This ‘Travel Insurance 101’ tutorial is a good starting point for most travelers.

Travel insurance can be confusing…this guide will walk you through the steps of understanding and buying the best travel insurance .

Over 124 million travelers in the US are covered by travel insurance or emergency services every year. 

Travelers list 3 top reasons for buying travel insurance: 

• Peace of mind
• Protection against the unexpected
• Protecting their trip investment

Let’s get started!

1. Examples of “Real Life” Travel Risks

“What can really happen, right?”

Did you ask yourself this question when you started considering  travel insurance coverage ?

You face several risks when you travel. Some are small, like having a rainy beach day or leaving an umbrella in a cab.

Others are big, like a costly cancelled trip or getting sick abroad.

Planning a trip means pre-paid expenses like plane tickets, cruise fare, or tour packages.

These expenses are at risk if you need to cancel, but you also risk additional expenses from medical emergencies while traveling.

Here are common “Real Life” examples of the risks you face when you travel:

Someone gets sick and you need to cancel your trip… losing your entire vacation investment

The family cruise on Disney departs in a few days.

Getting sick within 2 weeks of departure will cost you 100%

Disney offers no refund for cruise cancellations less than 14 days before the trip.

You lose the full cost of the trip, totalling almost $8,000 in pre-paid cash.

A hurricane damages your resort and you need to cancel

You’ve planned the perfect trip to Cancun.

Plane tickets, all-inclusive resort, a charter boat for fishing. You have invested over $4,000.

The day before you are supposed to leave a hurricane hits the island and renders your resort uninhabitable… the hotel has serious damage and the whole area is in shambles.

You lose your $4,000. How will you afford to re-book your vacation?

A family emergency cuts your vacation short and you lose the remaining travel arrangements

Your family just started a two week tour of Italy.

Two days into the trip, your father suffers a heart attack and is in critical condition.

You want to get home as soon as possible to see him, so you call off the rest of the trip and buy tickets on the first plane back home. Your father pulls through after two weeks in the hospital which is excellent news.

What happens to the Italy trip? You would have losses such as:

• Pre-paid expenses you didn’t get to use for rest of the trip
• Cost of the last-minute plane tickets to get home
• The expense of re-joining the trip if you are able to

You lose almost $11,000… and it could be a while before you can afford to go again.

A visit to a foreign hospital leaves you with a big bill

Your family trip to Switzerland is finally underway.

Your husband is struck by a taxi while crossing the street. He needs immediate care and is taken to the closest hospital where he is treated for internal bleeding and spends 2 nights.

Upon checking out, you are given a bill for the hospital expenses.

Your health insurance from home doesn’t travel with you, so you are stuck with paying the bill.

A medical airlift leaves you with a crippling debt

A hiking trip to Chile has quickly turned for the worse.

You slip on a rock and suffer fractures in both legs and a punctured lung. The nearest hospital is completely inadequate to treat you properly so you need to be airlifted 200 miles.

Your injuries are not life threatening and you receive a week of treatment. You are ready to check out of the hospital and get back home.

The bill for the emergency helicopter airlift totals over $45,000, which you need to pay somehow.

Plus, you are in double casts and need a nurse to accompany you home on a special medical flight, which will cost another $12,000.

An emergency abroad leaves you looking for a ‘lifeline’

Who do you call if there’s an accident abroad?

How do you locate a hospital? How do you arrange an ambulance, medical payments, or transportation home after receiving care?

What if you don’t speak the language…how do you know you are getting the best care?

How do you replace a missing passport or lost credit cards?

Stolen luggage leaves you without your prescription medications

Airlines lose bags, bags get stolen, and bags get damaged.

What if you lose your baggage and all the contents? How much would it cost to replace it?

And what if your prescription medications were inside…how do you get a replacement?

The list above only mentioned the common risks travelers face, but there are many more that we will discuss in this tutorial.

Summary: Travel exposes you to the risk of losing money due to cancellation, losing personal possessions, and expensive emergency medical bills.

2. What is the coverage?

There are five basic types of coverage provided with trip insurance.

Cancelled or interrupted trips

This is the #1 concern with most travelers.

Plane tickets, cruise fare, tour packages, hotel rooms, charter fishing boats, golf greens fees — these get expensive.

If the trip expenses are pre-paid and non-refundable, you risk losing the money you invested if something goes wrong.

Travel insurance covers expenses if you need to cancel your trip for a covered reason.

Need to cancel your trip before you depart? Trip Cancellation Coverage reimburses you for pre-paid, non-refundable expenses covered by the plan.

Insurance companies must provide a list of covered reasons for trip cancellation , and here’s an overview of typical covered reasons.

These are the covered reasons for canceling your trip:

• Sickness, injury, or death of you, a family member, or a traveling companion
• Hurricane damage to your destination or flights canceled due to hurricane
• Laid off from work or required to work
• Terrorist incident at your destination city
• Bankruptcy of your travel supplier
• Called for jury duty

This is only a partial list, but you can see it covers very common situations for cancelling.

The most common reason is the first one…someone gets sick or a family member passes away.

Tip : Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage will allow you to call off your trip for any reason, as long as you meet the plan criteria.

Need to cancel your trip after you depart? Trip Interruption Coverage is similar to cancellation coverage, and it covers you while you are traveling for the same list of covered reasons.

If something happens and you are required to return home, insurance will reimburse you for the lost portion of your trip…as well as any additional expenses for the last-minute changes in your travel plans (like flight change fees).

Medical emergencies abroad

This is crucial, and often overlooked.

Travelers often think they are covered for medical emergencies abroad if they already have health care insurance. Within the United States, that will be true.

Outside the US, however, cover for medical mishaps is a big IF. Most domestic health insurance plans do not provide coverage. And Medicare never covers a traveler abroad.

Would you feel comfortable having a family member risk inadequate medical care in a foreign country? What if they don’t have enough money on hand to pay for the care they need?

For cruises, your health insurance from home may not cover you if you’re traveling on a foreign-flagged ship (which is true of most cruise ships).

Travel insurance covers emergency medical expenses when a traveler is outside their health insurance coverage.

Medical Expense Coverage will cover you for accidents, illnesses, injuries, and emergency medical and dental care when you travel abroad.

Even if you are covered for basic emergency care overseas (again, a big IF), your current health insurance provider will almost certainly NOT pay for evacuation or to repatriate your body back to the US.

• Emergency evacuations

Medical emergencies can be scary, and the travel medical coverage explained above helps you get care.

But how do you get to a hospital that can treat you? And how do you get home?

Emergency Evacuation Coverage will pay for emergency evacuation expenses such as airlifts and medically equipped flights back home, and oftentimes will transport you to the hospital of your choice for care.

Evacuation expenses can be devastating.

An ambulance to the hospital, an airlift to an adequately equipped hospital, getting you back home on board a medically-staffed flight afterwards…evacuation expenses can easily cost $50,000 for starters.

Lost bags, delayed bags, delayed flights

These coverage are the “smaller things” that are nice to have. Again, this list is not complete but it will give you an idea of some additional coverages found in trip insurance.

Baggage Coverage can reimburse you for your personal belongings if your luggage is lost, stolen or damaged.

Baggage Delay Coverage provides money to buy essential items until your delayed bags arrive, such as a toiletry kit, a swimsuit, or a change of clothes.

Travel Delay Coverage provides reimbursement for unexpected expenses, like an extra night in a hotel or a meal for your family, if your flight is delayed.

Phone assistance 24/7 worldwide

This is about having someone to call when things happen.

Medical emergencies, stolen baggage, lost passports, cancelled flights. Every travel insurance company provides 24/7 support for those needs.

And it’s most important when you have a medical issue.

24/7 Travel Assistance Services can help you:

• Locate the nearest adequate hospital
• Coordinate medical transportation
• Arrange for treatment and overcome any language barriers
• Organize transportation home
• Replace prescriptions in an emergency

In addition, non-medical assistance may include:

• Lost baggage search; stolen luggage replacement assistance
• Lost passport/travel documents assistance
• Travel information including visa/passport requirements
• Emergency telephone interpretation assistance

Additional coverage with travel insurance

Trip insurance can also provide:

Life Insurance coverage for accidental death or dismemberment.

Hazardous Sports medical coverage for activities like SCUBA.

Rental Car Collision to replace your personal insurance or rental company policy.

Identity Theft services to help if your identity is stolen while traveling.

Summary : Travel insurance covers cancellations, medical expenses, evacuations, losses or delays, and 24/7 assistance plus a few additional benefits.

3. The 2 Most Popular Types of Travel Insurance

There are only two types of travel insurance that most travelers buy.

(In fact, one type of plan is so common…it represents over 94% of travel insurance sales)

Even though there are specialty plans designed for unique needs, they are too specialized for the majority of travelers taking a vacation. The vast majority of travel insurance customers fit into these two areas.

The two basic types of travel insurance are:

Trip insurance

Provides the most coverage (including trip cancellation)

When people think of ‘travel insurance’, they are thinking of a Trip Insurance.

Trip Insurance is also called a Package Plan, Travel Insurance, Trip Cancellation Insurance, or Vacation Insurance…but they are all referring to a Trip Insurance.

This type of plan provides the most coverage in a single package, including cancellations, medical emergencies, evacuations, loss or delays, luggage,  assistance, and more.

Vacation plans are very popular with travelers because they provide a simple solution to their needs.

Over 94% of travel insurance sales is Trip Insurance

These plans are the top seller because they provide all the coverages that travelers tend to look for.

Trip insurance includes coverage for:

• Canceled trips
• Interrupted trips
• Medical emergencies
• Emergency evacuation
• Delayed baggage or trips
• Lost baggage
• 24/7 Assistance
• and several other coverages

If you are looking for ‘travel insurance’ for your next vacation, you need trip insurance.

Travel medical insurance

Medical coverage while traveling abroad

Regular health insurance plans provide partial or no coverage while you are traveling outside your home country. Travel Medical Insurance plans provide coverage above and beyond your regular health provider.

Travel medical plans are for travelers leaving their home country who are not concerned with cancellation

This type of plan focuses on medical emergencies, evacuation, and sometimes life insurance. A travel medical insurance plan are perfect if you are traveling outside your home country and are not concerned with cancellation, interruption, delays, and baggage.

Travel medical plans focus on coverage for:

• Medical expenses

Some types of travel medical plans provide benefits such as medical coverage for pre-existing conditions, multi-trip and renewable protection, emergency medical evacuation, and coverage for long-term travel abroad.

Specialty plans (evacuation-only, travel accident, rental car)

Beyond the two basic types, there are specialized plans to meet unique needs, and we want to at least mention them here.

Evacuation plans focus on emergency evacuations, and are often sold on an annual basis as a membership. With an evacuation plan, the company arranges transport, and you won’t lose your savings to a costly emergency medical evacuation

Accident plans provide life insurance style coverage for travelers. It pays benefits if you should have a serious injury that results in dismemberment or loss of life. Benefits paid by these accident plans are in addition to any benefits paid by separate life insurance plans.

Trip insurance plans are best because they combine the most coverage in a single plan

The vast majority of travelers choose a vacation plan because they provide the most coverage in a single plan.

4. How to select a plan based on your needs

We have discussed how the right travel insurance coverage can protect your vacation and give you peace of mind.

You’ve also learned about the 2 most popular types of travel insurance, and how trip insurance plans are by far the most popular choice for travelers.

The next step is to pick a plan, but first we need to get back to the topic of coverage.

Each travel insurance company has a variety of plans to choose from. These plans will each have varying coverage, which makes some plans more affordable and other plans higher priced.

Start by identifying your most important coverages

When you start comparing plans, you will need some criteria to help you prioritize and narrow down your choices.

Use a list of coverages that you think are the most important for your trip. You might also factor in minimum coverage amounts on certain coverages like medical expenses.

For example:  A family taking a Disney cruise in September might have the following coverage criteria:

• Hurricane & Weather coverage for cancellations is a must
• Medical Evacuation coverage of at least $100,000 is necessary as well
• Missed Connection coverage would be nice since there is a connecting flight

This list of coverage criteria will help the family choose a plan that meets their needs. They will be able to filter out plans that do not have these minimum criteria, making the choice easier.

This is not a complete list of coverage, but simply a prioritized list of the most important coverages for their trip.

How to determine the key coverages for your trip:

• Browse the list below to find the most important coverages for your trip
• Start with the 2 or 3 key coverages to get started
• When you’re ready to compare plans use our comparison tool 

Most Popular Coverage Criteria

• Emergency Medical (at least $50,000)
• Medical Evacuation (at least $100,000)
• Pre-existing Medical Conditions
• Cancel For Any Reason
• Hazardous Sports
• Hurricanes & Weather
• Employment Layoffs
• Missed Connections
• Rental Car Coverage

Cancellations

• Trip Interruption
• Hurricane & Weather
• Financial Default
• Employment Layoff
• Cancel For Work Reasons

Medical Related

• Primary Medical
• Emergency Medical
• Pre-existing Medical
• Medical Deductible

Evacuations

• Medical Evacuation
• Non-Medical Evacuation

Loss or Delays

• Travel Delay
• Baggage Delay
• Baggage Loss
• Missed Connection

Life Insurance

• Accidental Death
• Air Flight Accident
• Common Carrier

Other Benefits

• Money Back Guarantee
• 24 Hour Assistance Service
• Identity Theft
• Renewable Policy
• All Events Upgrade

5. Five “Loopholes” and How to Avoid Them

Loopholes and ‘small print’ drive people crazy.

An insurance policy is a legal contract. The coverage, exclusions, and ‘small print’ of the insurance plan are available to read in something called the policy, certificate, or description of coverage.

Many travelers buy insurance and assume ‘everything’ is covered, but as with all insurance plans that’s not the case.

Travelers get frustrated if a claim is delayed or denied, and assume that they have been cheated because of a ‘loophole’.

These frustrations could be avoided by understanding the policy, knowing what is covered, and what is not covered.

Here are the most common ‘loopholes’, and how to avoid them:

1. Not a Covered Reason for Cancellation

No insurance plan can cover ‘everything’.

When we discussed travel insurance coverage earlier, we mentioned a list of covered reasons for trip cancellation.

This list includes reasons like someone getting sick, a hurricane, being laid off, a terrorist incident, and more.

Companies list the covered reasons in the plan’s policy, certificate, or description of coverage. If it is not on the list, it will not be covered. If insurance companies covered ‘everything’, some people would take advantage by buying insurance for a trip they already know they need to cancel, and then make up a reason.

Want to be covered no matter what the reason?

Get the optional “Cancel for any reason” rider available with many plans, which costs more money but will let you cancel a trip for any reason including simply not wanting to go. Some plans include this coverage if the plan is purchased within a certain time frame.

The bottom line: Read and understand the list of covered reasons in the policy, and if in doubt select the optional “Cancel for any reason” rider or a plan that includes that coverage.

2. Pre-Existing Conditions

This one is complicated, but there is a simple solution.

A pre-existing condition is something that happened (or started to happen) before you were insured. Insurance is meant to cover sudden and unexpected events, which excludes any event that has already taken place.

Insurance companies need to exclude pre-existing conditions from coverage; otherwise you could buy insurance coverage after you know you cannot travel. That would be like a casino taking a bet after the cards are turned over.

Companies do provide a way to get coverage for pre-existing conditions.

The solution?

A waiver to the pre-existing condition exclusion can be included with many plans.

The conditions are typically 1) you need to buy insurance soon after your first trip payment, 2) you need to be healthy when you buy insurance, and 3) you need to insure the full amount of your trip.

The bottom line: Only buy a plan that offers a waiver to the pre-existing condition exclusion, and make sure you meet the requirements for it to apply.

3. Coverage Exclusions

Every insurance plan has exclusions.

The plan’s policy, certificate, or description of coverage has a section entitled General Policy Exclusions (or something similar).

This section gives you a list of the situation in which they will not cover you, and they are very specific.

For example: You will not be covered for loss caused by ‘self-inflicted injury’, ‘driving in a motor competition’, ‘’bungee cord jumping’, ‘any criminal acts committed by you’…you get the idea.

Some exclusions are more common than others, for instance, pregnancy-related issues or loss resulting from intoxication.

The bottom line: Read and understand the list of exclusions in the policy, certificate, or description of coverage.

4. Incomplete Documentation

When a claim is filed, there is paperwork that needs to be submitted.

If a claim is delayed it is often because the company does not have the required paperwork from the insured, or from a doctor, a hospital, etc. The faster they get the required paperwork, the faster your claim can be reviewed.

Also, it’s vital to remember that cancellations must be recommended by a doctor in writing. Coverage for cancellation does not include a parent thinking their child’s cold will make the trip unpleasant for them.

The injury or sickness needs to result in a doctor recommending the trip be canceled. The policy certificate outlines the various documents that will be needed for coverage.

The bottom line: Contact the insurance company as soon as you have any issue, and start saving all receipts and documentation

5. Enrolling Too Late

If you are already sick, it’s too late to buy insurance.

If the hurricane is already named, it’s too late as well.

Insurance cannot be purchased after something has happened. Otherwise it couldn’t work for the company. Again, it’s like a casino taking a bet after the cards are turned over.

Also, certain coverage depends on you enrolling sooner rather than later.

Not only will you will have the longest period of coverage for cancellations, but you could also be eligible for benefits like a waiver for pre-existing conditions, ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage, hurricane coverage, and more.

The bottom line: Get your travel insurance as soon as you make a trip payment

6. Top 10 Travel Insurance FAQs

These are the travel insurance questions that every traveler asks.

Travelers make assumptions about their coverage, or they completely misunderstand their coverage.

We have compiled a list of the questions most commonly asked by travelers looking for travel insurance.

Here they are:

1. Doesn’t my credit card have travel insurance?

No, not in the way most travelers want it to.

Credit cards that have ‘travel insurance’ provide little coverage, but nothing in comparison to a separate policy from a travel insurance company.

Some cards provide cancellation coverage, but with an annual limit ($1,500-$2,500 per 12 month period), and the list of covered reasons is limited. Interruption coverage is limited as well, as is travel delay coverage.

Most importantly though, is that almost no credit cards provide medical expense or evacuation coverage.

2. Won’t my regular health insurance cover me abroad?

Not completely. Most regular health insurance plans provide partial or no coverage while you are traveling in another country. For Medicare, there is never coverage abroad.

Countries with ‘universal health care’ might assist with minor needs, but they are under no obligation to do so. In the event of major or ongoing medical expenses, they would cease to help, and they would never pay to evacuate you or help you return home.

3. Will my cruise line refund me?

A little. It depends on when you cancel, but generally you won’t get much back.

Most cruise companies have a declining refund schedule where they refund less and less the closer to the departure date, until they refund nothing at all. Generally within 2 weeks there is zero refund, and even canceling a month before will usually only get you a 25% refund.

We have a list of the best cruise travel insurance plans that compare all of the different coverage and pricing.

4. Are hurricanes covered?

Yes, many plans cover hurricanes and weather under trip cancellation coverage.

To be covered you need to 1) make sure it is listed as a covered reason, 2) buy before the storm is named, 3) insure for the full trip cost, and 4) some plans require that you buy soon after your trip payment to avoid the waiting period.

5. Are pre-existing conditions covered?

Yes, many plans offer a waiver that removes the pre-existing condition exclusion.

To be covered you need to 1) buy your plan soon after your first trip payment, 2) insure for the full trip cost, 3) be medically cleared for travel at the time of purchase.

6. What does travel insurance cost?

Insurance costs 4-8% of the trip cost (pre-paid, non-refundable expenses).

Basic plans can be very budget-minded at less than 4%, and premium vacation plans can be over 12%. Travel medical insurance is sold on a trip=length basis, and can be as little as dollars per day.

7. When should I purchase my plan?

Within days of making your initial trip deposit.

There are many benefits to purchasing the plan sooner, including maximizing the period of cancellation coverage, and being eligible for pre-existing condition coverage and hurricane coverage.

8. How do I know I can trust the company?

The companies featured here are companies that have years of experience with solid AM Best ratings of financial stability, and they comply with a Zero Complaint Policy.

9. What is the refund policy?

A 100% refund of premium within the Free Look Period is guaranteed by all companies. This allows travelers to review their policy and return it for any reason with the allowed time period (sometimes less a small administration fee $5-$8) as long as the traveler has not filed a claim or left on their trip.

10. How do I buy travel insurance?

Travel insurance can be quoted and purchased instantly online using a credit card.

Since travel insurance is a temporary insurance product, there is generally no underwriting period or medical examination required. You can get a quote online, buy with a credit card, print your email confirmation, and you’re all done.

7. Four Steps After You Purchase Travel Insurance

What happens after you purchase travel insurance?

You have seen how to pick the right plan based on your needs, and discovered the common ‘loopholes’ of travel insurance and how to avoid them.

This is a continuation on that theme…making sure you have the coverage you need for your trip.

Here’s what to do after you purchase a plan:

1. Print your confirmation email

You will receive an email confirmation after your purchase your travel insurance plan.

This is your confirmation of coverage, and will include general information about your plan including the policy number and effective dates.

Most importantly, it includes emergency contact numbers so you can call the insurance company with any issues during your trip.

Print it out and carry it with you, and it is a good idea to carry an extra copy in a different bag.

Keep another copy in the ‘cloud’ on your email server or Google Docs so you can access it from anywhere in the world.

2. Review your policy, certificate, or description of coverage to verify the coverage

All travel insurance companies provides a Free Look period, which is a set number of days after purchase where you can review your plan and return it for a full refund if you are not satisfied as long as you have not filed a claim or left on your trip.

Take advantage of this time to read the policy, certificate, or description of coverage and make sure you fully understand the coverage in the plan.

3. Read the Exclusions section

This is another part of using your Free Look period wisely. The policy, certificate, or description of coverage will have a section of Exclusions that lists cases in which coverage is not provided.

Read this section and make sure you understand the coverage fully.

4. Contact your insurance company immediately with any claims questions

This is very important.

If you have any situations where you think you will have a claim, contact the insurance company immediately.

Think you need to cancel? Call the company. Hurricane heading for your resort? Call the company. Get sick abroad and need a doctor? Call the company.

The insurer will be able to advise on your situation, answer coverage questions, and arrange support if necessary.

24/7 phone support is one of the best coverages provided with travel insurance…you should use it.

8. How to Get Quotes and Compare Plans

We have discussed how to select a plan based on your needs using your coverage criteria, and gone over some of the most commonly asked questions about travel insurance.

Now it is time to get travel insurance quotes and compare plans.

Here are 4 steps to get quotes, narrow your choices, compare plans, and buy:

1. Use a comparison site to get quotes from all companies

The first step is to get quotes from all companies using a comparison tool.

You’ll enter a few trip details and get a list of quotes from all major companies at the same time.

2. Filter plans based on coverages

The next step is to narrow your choices.

On the left side of the results screen, you will see a section for ‘Filters’. Using your coverage criteria, select the filters for coverages that are most important for your trip. There is a list of the most popular filters, as well as a complete list below.

Some selections will allow you to enter a minimum coverage amount (see Emergency Medical to the right for an example).

Checking these boxes will ‘filter out’ plans that do not meet your criteria. You can select as many as you like, but 2-3 is a good start.

You can also remove filters in the Filters Selected section at the top.

3. Sort the plans

Now that we’re looking at plans with the right coverage, we can organize them.

On the top-right of the results screen, you will see a a ‘Sort’ drop-down box.

Click this drop-down to sort by price, company, or coverage. Many travelers like to sort by ‘Price Low to High’, but if you are looking for a particular coverage or company you can select that as well.

4. Compare plans side-by-side

Finally, we’ll compare our final choices side-by-side.

Next to each plan company logo, you will see a ‘Compare’ check-box.

As you look through plans, check these boxes for plans you want to compare side-by-side. You can check as many boxes as you like, but 4-5 fit on a screen nicely.

Once you have selected more than one, a ‘Compare Now’ button will appear next to the check-box.

Click this when you are ready to compare plans. This will display the selected plans side-by-side .

You can compare prices, coverage, coverage amounts, and plan ratings.

See how the plans compare to each other. Look at coverage amounts, paying close attention to your coverage criteria.

At the top is a ‘Remove’ button. Click this as you eliminate plans based on your needs.

The plans will be removed from the comparison, leaving the remaining plans for comparison.

You can also click to see the plan Certificate, Email it, Print it, or add to your Favorites.

Finally, the ‘Buy Now’ button will take you to the product purchase screen.

Damian Tysdal is the founder of CoverTrip, and is a licensed agent for travel insurance (MA 1883287). He believes travel insurance should be easier to understand, and started the first travel insurance blog in 2006.

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The Ultimate Guide to Travel Insurance: Everything You Need to Know

The Editors

We are the editors of SmarterTravel! Together we have appeared in countless travel publications including ABC News, Huffington Post, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, and more. We dedicate our days to creating and producing expert travel content, including packing tips, general travel advice, destination inspiration, and helpful videos. Follow us across social media on YouTube , Pinterest , Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter or drop us a line to say hi at [email protected]!

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Editor’s Note: For travel insurance information specific to the current COVID-19 epidemic, see our stories on Travel In the Time of COVID: What You Need to Know ; Travel Insurance Coverage: 18 Things Your Policy Won’t Cover ; and Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance, Explained .

Purchasing travel insurance is wise if you want to protect your trip against an array of unforeseen events such as natural disasters , missed flights , personal injury or sickness abroad , tour operators going bankrupt , or even acts of terrorism . But with so many types of travel insurance, lots of fine print, and complicated insider lingo to decipher, it can feel impossible to determine which kind of travel insurance is right for you.

With the right resources, however, it’s possible to pick a trip insurance policy you’ll be confident traveling with and paying for. This ultimate guide to travel insurance covers:

• Who needs travel insurance
• The basic types of travel insurance
• The most common policy needs to consider
• Little-known trip insurance technicalities you need to know in case they affect you

Click on any bold, linked text on this page to read more about the subject elsewhere on SmarterTravel.com.

Who Needs Travel Insurance?

There are several different types of travel insurance policies available, ranging from trip cancellation insurance to emergency medical evacuation, all of which vary widely in what their coverage includes and how much it costs. Make sure you know exactly what your policy will and will not cover before you purchase anything, and always buy your insurance from a reputable company (check out our list of travel insurance providers at the end of this article).

Is Travel Insurance a Waste of Money? For some people and certain trips, travel insurance is a virtual necessity; for others, it’s probably not worth the money. The question boils down to a matter of risk, and the best way to assess that risk is by answering four basic questions.

• Are you willing to risk the loss of deposits or prepayments if your trip is canceled for any reason?
• Are you willing to pay out of pocket if you need to return home early from your trip for any reason?
• Are you willing to foot the bill for any out-of-pocket medical expenses, ranging from basic emergency care to emergency medical evacuation home, if you encounter any sickness or injury on your trip?
• Do you have a credit card or general insurance that includes bundled travel insurance?

If you answered “no” to any of the first three as well as the final question, you would probably be wise to invest in a travel insurance policy that includes TCI (trip cancellation or interruption) and/or travel health insurance. Read more about weighing risk and the cost of travel insurance here.  

If you need to buy trip insurance for an upcoming vacation, first look at the insurance policies you already have to see what they will cover. Some health insurance policies cover medical emergencies overseas, while others will not. Many credit cards and homeowner’s policies cover baggage loss. Also, many credit card companies (particularly gold cards) offer their members international medical assistance, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance if the user simply charges their airline tickets on their credit card. Read more about where you might already have access to travel insurance coverage here.

The Basic Types of Travel Insurance

Following is a brief description of the different types of travel insurance options available. Note that every policy is a little bit different, so be sure to read the fine print carefully before purchasing.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance covers you if unforeseen events cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip. In general, this coverage is meant for illness, injury, or death suffered by the insured or a member of the insured’s immediate family. Some policies also cover cancellation in the event of illness, injury, or death to the insured’s travel companion. Most policies exclude trip cancellation in the event of war, civil disturbance, or a change in your own financial circumstances. (Lose your job before your trip? If you don’t have job loss protection—not offered by all companies—you could be out of luck.) Some policies also exclude travel to specific destinations that are prone to political unrest.

Many comprehensive travel insurance policies now include coverage if your tour operator defaults; however, it is important to understand exactly what is covered by your policy. If you buy a policy directly from a tour provider, usually it does not cover the default of that provider—so it’s generally a good idea to purchase your policy from an independent company. Some policies only cover tour operator default if the operator ceases operations entirely, which it may not do even if it files for bankruptcy.

When considering trip cancellation insurance, take time to think about how much money you’ll be putting down before your trip. Are you purchasing expensive airline tickets that can’t be refunded? Are you putting down a large nonrefundable deposit on a cruise or tour? If the answer is yes, or if you might cancel for any reason, then buying trip cancellation insurance is a prudent idea. Some travel insurers also offer comprehensive “ cancel for any reason ” policies. Read more about TCI/TII (Trip Cancellation Insurance) here.

Cancel for Any Reason Insurance, Explained

Medical/Medevac Insurance

Medical insurance encompasses several types of coverage. Emergency medical evacuation insurance covers the cost of transportation if a qualified physician determines that you must be evacuated for treatment to the nearest medical facility or to your home country (if it’s warranted), due to injury or sickness. This insurance is highly recommended for cruise passengers and travelers visiting remote areas or developing countries.

For example, if you fall and are injured while trekking in the Himalayas, you might need to be evacuated by private helicopter, then airplane—which can get quite expensive. Emergency medical evacuation back to the United States without insurance can easily cost $35,000 or more. Check to make sure you choose an insurance provider that does not exclude adventure travel from its coverage. If you’re an adventure traveler who has paid $3,000 up front for a white water rapids package deal in a remote area of South America and you won’t receive any refund if you cancel, then you might want to consider both trip cancellation and emergency medical evacuation insurance. Read more about buying medical and evacuation insurance here.

Other types of medical insurance coverage include:

• An app, or service you can call, that will direct you to English-speaking doctors while you are overseas. In some cases the policy will also provide a physician monitoring service, where a qualified physician from the U.S. will monitor the treatment you are receiving by a local physician via telephone.
• Cash payment to the insured or beneficiary in the event of accidental death, loss of sight, or loss of limb.
• Expenses for repatriation of the insured’s remains in the event of death.

Keep in mind that you may need to pay up front for your medical services, and then your insurance company will reimburse you later, once you’ve filed a claim. On the other hand, some services provide “proof of direct payment” to the healthcare provider, who may require one before treatment occurs. Talk to your insurance provider about the process upon purchasing the policy.

Before purchasing a travel insurance policy with medical coverage, be sure to check what your regular medical insurance does or doesn’t cover, particularly when traveling overseas. You should also consider the medical care offered at your destination. Many Western countries have excellent socialized medical care available, and you may not even be charged for the care you receive. On the other hand, if you are in a remote area of a developing country and need to be evacuated for adequate medical care, the expenses can mount quickly.

Read the fine print regarding coverage or lack thereof for pre-existing conditions. Generally any medical problem that arises within 60 days prior to purchasing the policy is not covered; however, there are some exceptions to this. (See below for more information on pre-existing medical conditions.)

Baggage Loss/Delay

Baggage loss and delay coverage protects you in the event that your luggage is lost, delayed, or stolen. This often includes a cash payment if your bags are delayed for more than 12 hours after you arrive at your destination.

Flight Delay/Cancellation

Flight delay or cancellation insurance (sometimes called “travel delay”) typically pays for accommodations, meals, and new travel arrangements once you’ve been delayed a certain amount of time (often six to 12 hours—read your policy carefully).

Travel Document Protection

Travel document protection can kicks in to help you replace a passport or other travel documents when they’re lost or stolen.

Annual Travel Insurance

If you travel many times a year (particularly internationally), it may be more economical to purchase annual insurance instead of individual policies for each trip. Annual insurance may also be a good idea if you regularly travel to developing countries, even if it’s only a few times a year.

Most annual policies provide medical evacuation coverage, benefits in the event of loss of life or limb, as well as minimums for lost luggage and treatment costs for illness or injury. These policies typically do not include trip cancellation coverage, but in some cases you may add this for an additional fee. Read more about annual travel insurance (and whether or not it could save you money) here .

Now that you know what kind of insurance you might need, you can read more here about how to buy travel insurance before your trip .

The Most Common Insurance Coverage Needs

When buying trip insurance, it’s important to keep in mind the situations that might arise that call for insurance help—and to make sure they’re covered as part of the policy you purchase. The most common incidents that travelers hope are covered on their travel insurance policy are weather-related delays and cancellations, including both winter weather conditions and hurricane-season natural disasters.

Winter weather issues typically covered by travel insurance include:

• Missing your flight due to weather problems that prevent you from physically getting to the airport on time
• Flights being canceled because of winter weather conditions preventing take-off
• Flights to or from your destination being delayed because of winter conditions either in your destination or at home, which may incur lost deposits and/or extra hotel stays

Generally, you shouldn’t wait until bad weather hits or is in the forecast to purchase insurance—it won’t cover known events. Read more here about buying travel insurance that will cover winter weather issues .

Hurricane travel insurance coverage also has to be bought well in advance, generally before a storm is known or named. Hurricane travel insurance plans (and most travel insurance plans) typically cover three primary scenarios, with different levels of coverage: advance cancellation, trip interruption, and delay. Each is fairly self-explanatory, but cancellation covers the full canceling of your trip prior to departure. Read more here about how to buy hurricane-season travel insurance.

Other common travel insurance coverage needs include:

• Missed connections
• General weather problems , not just winter or hurricane coverage
• Cruise insurance

Insurance Coverage Technicalities You Need to Know

Travelers with pre-existing medical conditions will need to be more careful about the travel insurance or healthcare coverage they purchase. Pre-existing medical conditions are often defined by insurance companies as: “Any injury, sickness or condition for which medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received within the 180-day period ending on your date of departure. Conditions are not considered pre-existing if the condition for which prescribed drugs or medicine is taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription.” Meaning: The insurance may only cover health problems that are proved to be unforeseen. Read more here about how to buy travel insurance when you have a pre-existing condition .

Since September 11, 2001, and many headline-making tragedies since then, many are looking to travel insurance to safeguard their trip against any unforeseen terrorist attacks at their destination, whether it be cancellation, delayed departure, or an emergency flight home. Many policies now have an “Acts of Terrorism” clause that will reimburse you if you miss or are delayed in getting to your destination because of acts of terrorism. Check to make sure acts of terrorism are included before purchasing; some policies specifically exclude them. Read more here about how to tell if your travel insurance covers acts of terrorism .

And then there are the seemingly random things that travel insurance policies simply will not cover. Among them are some inconspicuous healthcare categories, like dental care and pregnancy complications, as well as some topics you should now know better than to try getting covered—like named hurricanes and other natural disasters that have already made the news. Flights purchased with miles also might not be covered, among other items. Read more here about things your travel insurance probably won’t cover .

Checking the specific terms of your agreement is also generally a good idea, as technical jargon could be the difference between your policy covering that nightmare situation you bought it for and the insurance company dodging responsibility. For example, some policies list supplier “bankruptcy” as a covered reason; others say supplier “default.” Default protection is stronger : Companies often fail without ever officially declaring bankruptcy, and insurers can cite that as a way to weasel out of coverage. Read more here about the travel insurance jargon tricks to look for in your policy agreement .  

Travel Insurance Companies and Comparison Sites

Here are several established travel insurance companies and comparison sites from which you can consider buying a policy:

• Allianz Travel
• SquareMouth
• Travel Guard
• TravelInsurance.com
• World Nomads

Be sure to read all terms and conditions carefully to be sure the policy provides the types of coverage you’re looking for and is valid in the countries you’ll be visiting. And don’t be afraid to ask an expert there to help you choose a policy—you are paying for it, after all.   Read more here about the best independent sites for comparing and buying a travel insurance policy .

Readers: Have you ever been saved by travel insurance? Had a nightmarish travel insurance experience? Comment below.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 5 Common Travel Insurance Questions, Answered
• Travel Insurance Coverage: 18 Things Your Policy Won’t Cover
• The 8 Worst Travel Decisions You Can Make on Vacation

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Shannon McMahon, Ed Perkins, and Carl Unger contributed reporting and editing.

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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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Travel insurance 101

There’s no doubt that travel has changed in the past two years. Travel restrictions are ever-changing, which has created more of an emphasis on being able to travel safely and confidently. That’s why we created this guide – to help you understand and navigate travel insurance to ensure you’re prepared and protected.

Benefits of travel insurance

Prior to COVID-19, some travelers wouldn’t have considered purchasing travel insurance. Now, many people are exploring the benefits of protecting their trip, which is smart. Travel insurance can bring peace of mind in knowing that there’s added protection to help ensure you don’t lose money in the event of an emergency.

The four main benefits of travel insurance are:

• Reimbursement . You can get money for the cost of your flight, hotel or rental car in the event of an unexpected trip interruption or cancellation.
• Medicinal benefits. Travel insurance can help cover medical emergencies while traveling, which can be critical when traveling abroad.
• Help with lost items. When life happens, travel insurance helps with protection for lost, damaged or stolen personal items.
• 24/7 help. With travel insurance, you can get 24-hour emergency assistance services from your provider.

Travel insurance can help when the unexpected happens

Various destinations may require you to purchase travel insurance prior to arrival, so it’s important to research your destination’s requirements before embarking. Our Travel Restrictions resource can help you navigate these, but always be sure to check local government websites as well.

Even if you are not traveling to another country, COVID-19 may still be a top concern and some travel insurance companies have been doing the right thing for their customers in uncertain times. Even if they do not cover epidemics, they’ve been making temporary accommodations for COVID-19 claims until they can release new insurance plans with the protection travelers need for today’s world.

It’s important to read the fine print carefully and to speak with a representative at the insurance company so that you really understand your benefits. To avoid confusion, you could consider exploring Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage. While CFAR plans are often more expensive, this level of coverage allows travelers to, as the name suggests, cancel their trip for any reason. Whether it be fear of travel, illness or border closures due to COVID-19, and more. NerdWallet provides a simple overview of the different types of insurance and what they typically cover.

Another reason to consider travel insurance: bad weather. It’s best to purchase travel insurance sooner than later , but again, be sure to read up on your policy. Travel insurance can help in the case that your plans get delayed or canceled due to rain, snow, storms and more.

Choosing the right insurance

According to the Better Business Bureau , it’s best to first check with your current health, car and home insurance providers. There is a potential you have existing coverage under these plans. If using a credit card to purchase your travel, check with your card provider to understand the extent of coverage offered if you need to cancel or change plans. A lot of times, there may be gaps and travel insurance can provide more holistic protection that’s specifically designed for travelers.

Once you understand your existing coverage, begin to explore what additional coverage you may need. For example, if your personal health insurance plan is one of the few that provides coverage outside the US., it may be best to look for travel insurance with trip cancellation, interruption or delay benefits when leaving the country. According to the Insurance Information Institute , travelers can expect insurance to cost around 5 – 7% of the total cost of their trip.

If all this sounds like a lot of work, the easiest way to keep your travel budget safe is to add travel insurance when booking your trip. The plan offered at checkout is often designed to provide the recommended amount of protection with the most popular benefits for your trip. It can include trip cancellation and interruption protection, emergency medical care and transportation benefits, travel delay and baggage protection, 24-hour live assistance services, and much more–all so you can worry less and make the most of your entire travel experience.

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The next time you book a trip, opting for travel insurance may offer some peace of mind. (Photo: Getty Images)

Travel Insurance 101: How Travel Insurance Works

Maybe you’ve never used travel insurance before. Or maybe you’ve just purchased travel insurance and now you’re scrolling through your policy documents, wondering what it all means.

This guide explains the basics: how travel insurance works, how to choose a plan and how to get the most out of your coverage.

What Is Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is a plan you purchase that protects you from certain financial risks and losses that can occur while traveling. These losses can be minor, like a delayed suitcase, or significant, like a last-minute trip cancellation or a medical emergency overseas.

In addition to financial protection, the other huge benefit of travel insurance is access to assistance services , wherever you are in the world. Allianz Global Assistance’s elite team of travel and medical experts can arrange medical treatment in an emergency, monitor your care, serve as interpreters, help you replace lost passports and so much more. Sometimes, they even save travelers’ lives .

A few things you should know about travel insurance:

• Benefits vary by plan. It’s important to choose a plan that fits your needs, your budget and your travel plans. Here are definitions of all available travel insurance benefits .
• Travel insurance can’t cover every possible situation. Allianz Global Assistance offers named perils travel insurance, which means it covers only the specific situations, events and losses included in your plan documents, and only under the conditions Allianz describes.
• Travel insurance is designed to cover unforeseeable events — not things you could easily see coming or things within your control. If, for example, you wait to buy insurance for your beach trip until after a named hurricane is hustling toward your destination, your losses won’t be covered.

How Does Travel Insurance Work?

In most scenarios, travel insurance reimburses you for your covered financial losses after you file a claim and the claim is approved. Filing a claim means submitting proof of your loss to Allianz Global Assistance so that they can verify what happened and reimburse you for your covered losses. You can file a claim online or do it on your phone with Allianz’s free TravelSmart app .

How does this work in real life? Let’s say you purchase the OneTrip Prime plan, which includes trip cancellation benefits, to protect your upcoming cruise to Cozumel. Two days before departure, you experience a high fever and chest pain. Your doctor diagnoses bacterial pneumonia and advises you to cancel the trip. When you notify the cruise line, they tell you it’s too late to receive a refund.

Without travel insurance, you’d lose the money you spent on your vacation. Fortunately, a serious, disabling illness can be considered a covered reason for trip cancellation , which means you can be reimbursed for your prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs.

Once you’re feeling better, you gather the required documents — such as your airfare and cruise line receipts and information about any refunds you did or did not receive — and you file a claim . You can even choose to receive your reimbursement via direct deposit, a deposit to your debit card or a check by mail.

Sometimes, this process works a little differently. Travel insurance may pay your expenses up front if you require emergency medical treatment or emergency transportation while traveling overseas. Or, with the OneTrip Premier plan, you may be eligible to receive a fixed payment of $100 per day for a covered travel delay or $100 for a covered baggage delay . No receipts for purchases are required; all you need is proof of your covered delay.

Many travelers are wondering: Can COVID-19 be considered a covered reason for trip cancellation? And can travel insurance help if you become seriously ill with COVID-19 while traveling? Some of Allianz’s most popular travel insurance plans include epidemic-related covered reasons (benefits vary by plan and are not available in all jurisdictions).

The Epidemic Coverage Endorsement adds covered reasons to select benefits for certain losses related to COVID-19 and any future epidemic. To see if your plan includes this endorsement and what it covers, please look for “Epidemic Coverage Endorsement” on your Declarations of Coverage or Letter of Confirmation. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Benefits may not cover the full cost of your loss. All benefits are subject to maximum limits of liability, which may in some cases be subject to sublimits and daily maximums.

How to Choose a Travel Insurance Plan

Allianz Global Assistance offers a range of travel insurance plans that include different benefits and benefit limits. So how do you know which is best for you? To begin, get a quote for your upcoming trip. When you enter your age, trip costs and trip dates, Allianz can recommend a few plans for you. Then you can compare the costs and benefits of each.

If you’re a budget-conscious traveler who’s traveling in the U.S., you may like the OneTrip Cancellation Plus plan. It includes trip cancellation, trip interruption and trip delay benefits .

If you want protection in case of medical emergencies overseas but you have few prepaid trip expenses, you may consider the OneTrip Emergency Medical Plan . This affordable plan includes emergency medical and emergency transportation benefits, as well as other post-departure benefits, but not trip cancellation/interruption.

If you want the reassurance of carrying substantial travel insurance benefits, the best fit may be the OneTrip Prime plan. This plan also covers kids 17 and under for free when traveling with a parent or grandparent.

If you’re planning several trips in the next 12 months, consider annual travel insurance — like the AllTrips Prime plan. It gives you affordable protection for a full year of travel, including benefits for trip cancellation and interruption, emergency medical care, lost/stolen or delayed baggage, and rental car theft and damage protection (available to residents of most states).

How to Get the Most from Your Travel Insurance Plan

Don’t wait too long to buy travel insurance. The best time to buy travel insurance is immediately after you’ve completed your travel arrangements. The earlier you buy insurance, the bigger your coverage window. Also, you must buy your plan within 14 days of making your initial trip deposit in order to be eligible for the preexisting medical condition benefit (not available on all plans).

Read your plan documents before you leave. If you’re not completely satisfied with your plan, you have 15 days (or more, depending on your state of residence) to request a refund, provided you haven’t started your trip or initiated a claim. Premiums are nonrefundable after this period.

This article originally appeared on the Allianz Travel website.

Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply. Please see your plan for full details. Plan(s) underwritten by BCS Insurance Company or Jefferson Insurance Company. AGA Service Company is the licensed producer and administrator of these plans. Plans include insurance benefits and assistance services. Contact AGA Service Company at 800-284-8300 or 9950 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA 23233 or [email protected] .

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• Posted on April, 28, 2023

A Brief Introduction To Travel Insurance & Its Average Cost

Travel insurance 101  can help a frequent to an irregular flyer in covering financial losses caused by unexpected events. For example, illness, injury, accidents, airline or other transportation delays, and other concerns may arise unwillingly either before, after, or in the middle of the journey.

In general, the cost of travel insurance is mostly determined by the cost of the trip and the age of the traveller. In addition, travel insurance costs between 4% and 10% of the cost of a trip. For example – a $10,000 vacation, for example, travel insurance should cost around $400 to $1,000.

Premiums, or the cost of coverage, are determined by the kind of coverage, age, location, trip cost, and other factors. Travel insurance policies with special coverage especially provide great coverage to business travellers, athletes, and expatriates.

Important Reminder – Your homeowners or renters insurance, as well as your credit cards, may already include travel insurance coverage. Call your insurance agent to inquire about your existing travel coverage, and your credit card provider to inquire about any perks you may receive when you use the card to purchase airline or train tickets, hire a vehicle, or book a hotel. Many travel rewards cards include free travel insurance and other perks.

Also Read: Should You Buy Travel Insurance In India Or U.S.?

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Travel insurance can cover a wide range of potential damages and losses, depending on the policy you select: –

Injury or Sickness

Travel insurance can help protect you from medical expenditures incurred when travelling overseas that are not covered by your regular health insurance. Most health insurance policies do not give complete coverage in foreign countries, and some health plans, including Medicare, do not provide any coverage at all. Travel insurance covers regular health insurance. This means travel insurance can help you pay for medical expenses if you get sick or injured before or during your vacation.

Lost Luggage

Travel insurance can assist cover the costs of lost or stolen luggage. This is especially beneficial if your baggage is lost by an airline, as it might be difficult to convince them to pay for lost luggage. In the United States, the Department of Transportation (DOT) mandates airlines to pay passengers for missing luggage up to $3,300. In other nations, the maximum sum is $1,750. However, in order to get full compensation, travellers must present invoices verifying the worth of the lost luggage and their contents. Furthermore, several airlines require the claim to be lodged within 21 days.

Last-Minute Cancellations

Travel insurance can assist cover the expenses of trip cancellations. Most resorts and cruise lines will not offer you a full refund if you cancel. These will charge a cancellation fee if you cancel two weeks or more before your vacation; many cruise companies will only offer you a 25% refund or partial credit on another cruise if you cancel two weeks or more before your trip. Most firms will not give you a refund if you cancel within two weeks of your trip. During travel or prior to the travel journey, any sort of unwanted events may arise. So you need to be prepared just in case any such thing happens to save yourself from unforeseen issues.

Coverage Beyond Your Credit Card

Some credit cards cater to very restricted travel insurance coverage. For example –  yearly travel insurance limitations or other sorts of restrictions on cancellations and interruptions. In addition, some other credit cards offer the most expensive travel risk coverage. For example – in general, most people would agree that medical expenditures or emergency evacuations are expensive. So travel insurance covers medical expenses.

Travel Insurance Coverage Includes: –

• Baggage Loss/loss Of Personal Belongings
• Theft/burglary Of Bags Or Personal Belongings
• Loss Of Passport
• Trip Cancellation Or Delays
• Medical Emergencies/accidents
• Death Of The Insured Person
• Disability Of The Insured Person
• Emergency Evacuation
• Missed Connection/departure
• Bounced Airline/hotel Booking

Types Of Travel Insurance

• Single Trip Travel Insurance Policy
• Multi-Trip Policy
• Educational Travel Insurance Policy
• Group Policy

Travel insurance products differ in terms of coverage and exclusions. They may also have other advantages. Who covers individuals, groups, students, and older citizens depends on it. It is critical to read the policy, as well as any terms and conditions and disclosure statements. Also, before purchasing a policy, compare the various plans offered by various providers.

Also Read: Travel Insurance From India To The USA All You Need To Know!

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Travel Insurance 101

It’s smart to protect your vacation investment. our primer will help you figure out what insurance you need..

by NEA Member Benefits

Most people insure their home, car and health. But fewer than half of all leisure travelers purchase travel insurance. You never know if your flight will get canceled, if you’ll miss your cruise, if a weather event will affect travel or if you’ll get sick. It makes sense to play it safe and protect your investment—and yourself—with travel insurance.

Travel insurance typically covers three areas: flight insurance; medical evacuation and insurance; and trip cancellation. These components can be sold separately or as one comprehensive package. Expect prices to be roughly 5% of the cost of your trip. Many insurers include additional services, such as arranging to transfer money to you when you are abroad, finding a legal adviser, or helping you replace lost tickets or passports.

When you should (and shouldn’t) buy travel insurance

Generally speaking, the bigger your investment and the earlier you book your vacation, the more you need travel coverage.

• That $10,000 cruise booked a year in advance? Get complete coverage.
• A week in Mexico staying in budget hotels? Probably only medical coverage is needed.
• If you’re going to Italy instead of Mexico, you may even forgo the medical coverage if you are healthy. Italy has an excellent government-run medical system that provides inexpensive care.
• A 10-day vacation to Disney staying at top resorts? Trip cancellation coverage could give you peace of mind as you put down the nonrefundable deposit on your luxury suite.
• Driving across the state (or the country) to go camping at a national park? No coverage is needed: Your health and auto insurance should give you needed protection in case of a mishap.

Coverage is strongly advised for adventure travel, travel to developing nations, expensive tours and multiple-stop itineraries with complicated air routes.

What you should do before you buy

Review all of your existing insurance policies (medical, auto, homeowners/renters) to ascertain what coverage you already have. For example, check your homeowners insurance to find out if lost luggage is covered. You can call customer service for help, but you should verify the information in your policy’s fine print.

If your medical insurance policy covers you even in a foreign country, then you won’t need medical insurance. If it includes services in a foreign country but only up to a few thousand dollars, then you might consider buying secondary coverage, which will kick in once your primary insurance coverage is exhausted.

Read up on the coverage offered by the issuer of your credit card used to pay for travel arrangements. “Premium” cards often cover many items such as baggage, emergency medical evacuation, and death and dismemberment. Card issuers also offer merchant dispute benefits: If the airline caused you to not get to your destination and it won’t reimburse you or provide satisfactory alternative transportation, then your credit card company may refund your money.

Do you need medical coverage?

Emergency evacuation coverage is essential if you’ll be far away from adequate medical services. Expenses related to evacuation can be very high, and not all medical evacuation policies cover the expense of getting you (or your remains) home. Find out whether evacuation is only to the nearest health facility or if the policy will pay for your transportation all the way home. If relatives have emergency evacuation on the same policy, coverage should allow them to accompany you home. Many higher-end tour companies provide this coverage in the tour price.

If you break an arm in a country where you don’t feel confident having the doctor set it, many policies will not cover the flight home if you don’t require hospitalization. This would be covered only by a trip interruption policy. 

International medical insurance plans provide coverage for emergency medical procedures. Many policies don’t cover the effects of a pre-existing condition, so if you have a history of heart disease or are pregnant, find a policy that will provide the protection you need. Dangerous activities such as high-altitude mountain climbing or jet-skiing may be excluded. Acts of terrorism or war also likely won’t be included.

Find out if you need prior approval for medical care. If so, make sure you know how to contact the company from abroad. Most international facilities aren’t equipped to bill your insurance company, so you probably will have to pay medical expenses out-of-pocket. Keep all receipts to send to the travel insurance company for reimbursement.

Medical coverage may not be necessary if you are traveling to a country with government-wide medical care such as Canada, Japan or most countries in western Europe. Any fees you may have to pay shouldn’t be costly, and some services may be free.

Many health insurers won’t cover you if your cruise ship is sailing under a foreign flag, which is the case with the majority of cruise ships. Check your existing health insurance policy for details.

The older you are, the more expensive—but more crucial—the health coverage is. Some companies don’t cover travelers over a certain age, while others offer senior-specific policies. Medicare rarely covers expenses incurred abroad. Carefully check the wording on pre-existing conditions.

Flight insurance to buy … or skip

Don’t bother with flight insurance covering death and dismemberment that’s sold by the airlines, credit card companies and from airport kiosks. Most people are covered by their life and health insurance.

Flight delay or cancellation reimburses you for accommodations, meals and alternative bookings if your flight has been canceled or delayed by several hours (check your policy for specifics). This is important for complicated air travel itineraries, or if you must reach your destination by a certain time, such as for a cruise departure.

Baggage insurance may be included in comprehensive coverage, but you don’t need to purchase it separately. Airlines already cover lost luggage, and your homeowners insurance likely covers baggage. Many policies, however, don’t cover expensive items such as jewelry or electronics. Coverage usually kicks in 12 hours after you have reached your destination without your bags.

Flight insurance also may include some emergency medical and evacuation coverage, and protection against lost baggage, cancellation, interruption and delay.

When to get trip cancellation or interruption insurance

If you bought expensive, nonrefundable tickets or put down a large deposit on a cruise or a tour, trip cancellation coverage would be a good investment. Buy the insurance right away. Generally, coverage is only for cancellation due to illness, injury or death of the insured or a family member. Check pre-existing condition clauses: If you bought your ticket when you knew your father was gravely ill, then canceled the trip due to his death, the insurance company could deny your claim.

Trip cancellation protects you if the tour company or airlines you booked with goes out of business. However, due to the high risk nature of many travel companies, financial default isn’t covered for all companies. Each insurance agency has a list of carriers and travel suppliers for which it doesn’t offer coverage.

If a weather event, an incident on the way to the airport or some other legitimate reason prevents you from catching your plane, this coverage will reimburse the costs associated with arranging another flight. However, if you cancel because you thought a hurricane would hit, and it didn’t, the policy may not cover you.

A sudden inability to pay for your trip due to job loss or other financial circumstances are not covered, although you can get coverage through an upgrade to a cancel-for-any-reason policy. This kind of policy upgrade will cover you no matter why you decide to cancel. Although it’s expensive, a cancel-for-any-reason policy offers greater protection against the unforeseen events that can thwart even the most meticulous planning.

The insurance travel business boomed following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but ironically, most policies now specifically exclude acts of terrorism, war and civil unrest from their coverage. If you’ll be traveling to or through a high-risk area, check to see if your policy covers acts of terrorism. Many basic policies don’t, and you may need to purchase supplemental coverage. Also check to see if your destination is on the insurer’s list of exempt countries. Generally, these are countries for which the U.S. government has issued a travel warning .

Tips to get the coverage you want

Travel agents receive commissions on selling travel insurance, but they aren’t familiar with all the details of the policies. Don’t rely on their answers to your questions. Contact the insurance company directly for answers, and always read through the policy itself.

Don’t sign up for optional travel insurance with a tour operator unless you fully understand the protection provided. As with everything, it pays to shop around and go with an insurance company that has your confidence. Ensure that claims are paid in cash, not in credit to the travel company.

The insurance you choose should be from a company that’s independent from the tour operator. If the operator goes out of business, it won’t be able to process your claim for the trip it didn’t provide to you.

Make sure the insurance company is reputable. Check with the Better Business Bureau or the U.S. Travel Insurance Association for insurance companies in good standing.

Comparison-shop online through an insurance aggregator website such as Square Mouth and InsureMyTrip.com for quotes offered by various companies.

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I'm a financial planner, and I'd recommend annual travel insurance to anyone who loves to travel abroad

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

• Frequent and spontaneous travelers will likely benefit from annual travel insurance policies.
• Your credit card may come with some travel protections, but it may not be enough.
• When choosing a policy, look at what it covers, not just what's cheapest.

Summer is just a few months away — and if you're planning a vacation this year, the last thing you want is an unexpected event to derail your plans (and cost you hundreds).

Flights get delayed or canceled constantly. Luggage disappears into the ether. Medical emergencies occur in remote destinations. Yet many jetsetters simply cross their fingers and hope for the best rather than prepare for the worst.

That's why, as a financial planner, I believe it's crucial to consider protecting your trips with the right insurance coverage. One option often overlooked, particularly by frequent travelers, is annual travel insurance .

Annual travel insurance covers all your trips within 365 days. Unlike stand-alone travel insurance, which only covers you for a specific trip, an annual policy covers any trips you take within the year.

That's why I tell clients who travel frequently that an annual policy is a good choice for their needs. By opting for an annual plan, you don't have to go through the hassle of booking multiple policies and potentially save money compared to purchasing individual trip coverage. Here's how it works.

What to look for in a policy

While specifics may vary depending on the insurer and plan tier, most include the following key benefits:

• Trip cancellations or interruptions: You may be able to get reimbursed for expenses (even nonrefundable ones!) related to an illness, injury, or natural disaster that forced you to cancel or cut your trip short.
• Emergency medical and dental care: If you fall ill or get injured while traveling, your insurance can help cover the cost of medical treatment.
• Emergency evacuation: In a serious medical emergency or security situation, your policy will arrange and pay for transportation to a hospital or back to your home country.
• Lost, delayed, or damaged baggage: If your luggage is lost, delayed, or damaged during your trip, you can get financial coverage for essential items while you wait for your stuff to be recovered or replaced.
• Trip delays and missed connections: When your travel plans are disrupted due to issues like mechanical problems or severe weather, you may get reimbursement for additional expenses incurred, like meals, lodging, and transportation.

It's important to note that annual travel insurance plans have limitations. Certain high-risk activities, pre-existing medical conditions, and travel to specific regions may be restricted or require additional coverage.

Some travelers may assume that their credit card's built-in travel protections are enough. While many travel rewards credit cards offer perks like rental car insurance, trip cancellation, and baggage reimbursement, the coverage limits are often much lower than a dedicated annual travel insurance plan.

Credit card coverage for emergency medical care is also particularly limited — capped at a few thousand dollars — which may not be enough in the face of a major international medical emergency.

How much travel justifies an annual plan?

For the occasional traveler who takes one or two trips a year, single-trip policies will probably work for you. But if you fall into any of these buckets, you may want to consider an annual policy:

• Regular international travelers (three or more trips abroad yearly)
• Road warriors frequently away for work
• Adventurers engaging in high-risk activities like heli-skiing, scuba diving, or mountain climbing
• Cruisers and tour group travelers
• Students or retirees taking extended trips throughout the year
• Those visiting developing countries with limited medical care

Annual plans cover all of your trips within a 365-day period after purchasing. They're basically a bundle of multiple policies into one package deal. This means you only have to buy one policy to manage, locking in your coverage for the year.

How to decide if an annual policy makes sense for you

Start by reviewing your travel plans this year — and your risk tolerance. Calculate how much buying individual travel insurance policies would cost you over the next year and compare it to the price of an annual plan.

Don't just focus on the premium — carefully evaluate coverage limits, exclusions, and deductibles to ensure you have enough protection for your needs.

An annual policy gives you the flexibility to take spontaneous trips without the hassle of obtaining last-minute insurance. More importantly, it provides peace of mind, knowing that you're covered for a wide range of travel disruptions and emergencies.

As the busy summer travel season ramps up, definitely explore protecting your trips with insurance, especially if you're jetting off internationally. Spending hours on the phone trying to rebook canceled flights or worrying about affording an overseas medical emergency is no way to vacation.

• Main content

Russia's Nuclear Deterrent Command Center Imperiled by Winter Freeze—Report

A Russian nuclear deterrent command center in Moscow has been imperiled by power outages that have impacted more than one-quarter of the region's cities amid freezing temperatures, a Russian Telegram channel has reported.

The VChK-OGPU outlet, which purports to have inside information from Russian security forces, reported that the 820th Main Center for Missile Attack Warnings—part of the Russian Space Forces, a branch of the country's Aerospace Forces—near Solnechnogorsk in Moscow is without power.

It serves as the space forces early warning network against potential ballistic missile attacks.

The development comes as Russians are reported to be suffering from power outages in their homes in the Moscow region caused by technical issues at plants amid subzero temperatures.

On January 4, a heating main burst at the Klimovsk Specialized Ammunition Plant in the town of Podolsk, which is about 30 miles south of central Moscow. Since then, tens of thousands of Russians are reported to have no heating in their homes.

Affected areas include the cities of Khimki, Balashikha, Lobnya, Lyubertsy, Podolsk, Chekhov and Naro-Fominsk, a map published by a Russian Telegram channel and shared on other social media sites shows.

Other Russian media outlets reported that in Moscow, residents of Balashikha, Elektrostal, Solnechnogorsk, Dmitrov, Domodedovo, Troitsk, Taldom, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Krasnogorsk, Pushkino, Ramenskoye, Voskresensk, Losino-Petrovsky and Selyatino are also without power.

The Telegram channel said that at the 820th Main Center for Missile Attack Warnings, "the crew...is on duty around the clock."

"It is here that the decision on a retaliatory nuclear strike is executed," the channel said.

Newsweek could not independently verify the report and has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry by email for comment.

Power outages have also been reported in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, in the country's western Voronezh region, in the southwest city of Volgograd, and in Rostov, which borders Ukraine, a country that Russia has been at war with since February 24, 2022.

On Sunday, two shopping malls in St. Petersburg were forced to close because of problems with light and heating, reported local news outlet 78.ru. Hundreds of other homes in the city have had no electricity, water or heating for days amid temperatures of -25 C (-13 F).

Russian authorities have also been forced to compensate passengers of a train that ran from Samara to St. Petersburg (a 20-hour journey) without heating during -30 C (-22 F) temperatures. Videos circulating on social media showed carriage windows frozen over. A passenger also said the toilet didn't work during the trip because of frozen pipes.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via [email protected].

Related Articles

• Russia Maps Show 25% of Moscow Without Power Amid Winter Freeze 'Emergency'
• Serbian Mercenary Turns on Russian Leaders: 'They Treat Us Like Cattle'
• Winter Freeze Threats Come Back To Bite Russia As Power Outages Spread

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Automotive, Travel, and Traffic Safety Information

2024 AAA Car Guide – EVs Reign Supreme

Suvs also dominate, with the addition of three new categories.

ORLANDO, Fla. (Apr. 4, 2024) – AAA awards the 2023 All Electric Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC SUV with the overall top score for the 2024 Car Guide. This year, all category winners are either electric, plug-in electric hybrids or hybrids. Additionally, the SUV category was divided into small, midsize, and large due to popularity among car buyers.   

“SUVs are a popular choice since they are a great option for families and offer loads of additional compartments for storage,” said Megan McKernan, the Automotive Research Center manager at AAA. “To help distinguish between the overwhelming number of options available, we introduced new SUV categories to make the decision process easier for consumers.”

Category Winners  

E ach of the AAA Car Guide winners has numerous ADAS safety features and performance capabilities. Announced today, the 2 023 EV Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC SUV earned the top score overall, best large SUV, and best car over $60k. Researchers noted that the Mercedes-Benz has a very comfortable ride, a quiet cabin, and excellent headlight coverage. 

The Ford F-150 Lightning ranks 1st in the pickup category. With its cutting-edge design, advanced technology, and energy efficiency, US drivers now can have everything they know and love about an F-150, designed for the electrified lifestyle. Researchers noted that the Ford F-150 Lightning has plenty of interior room for passengers and lots of standard ADAS features.   

Highest Scoring Ranked by Category:

McKernan further added, “Our research is tailored to guide consumers in making informed decisions when purchasing a new vehicle. The 2024 AAA Car Guide is here to help consumers navigate this evolving automotive marketplace by ranking and rating the newest vehicles.”

The AAA Car Guide includes comprehensive reviews of each vehicle based on 13 criteria, including the number of ADAS safety features, fuel efficiency, emissions, braking, handling, ride quality, and acceleration. These vehicles are tested, scored, and placed in one of seven vehicle type categories by the Automotive Research Center (ARC) of the Automobile Club of Southern California.    

AAA Efforts in EV Education   

If you’re an EV owner or someone interested in making the switch or trying a rental, AAA has got you covered with a range of resources and services. Since its establishment, AAA has been dedicated to advocating and educating people on mobility topics, and electric vehicles (EVs) are no exception. Don’t miss out!  

• EV 101: Online resource for anyone interested in going electric, whether shopping for new OR used.   
• #AdultingwithAAA: Car Care Electric Vehicles – Low Maintenance – No Problem: AAA series for young adults providing helpful tips, advice and life hacks on all things “#Adulting”.  
• Mobile EV Charging Pilot & AAA EV Member Benefits: Available in select cities, this service is now part of our roadside assistance and will get EV owners back on the go if they run out of charge. That’s just one of the many benefits and services we offer our EV members.  
• EV Research : AAA in-house experts conduct research about consumer sentiment around EVs and their functionality.  
• AAA Car Guide Website: For those in the market for newer used EVs, the online resources also contain links to the two prior editions in 2022 and 2023.  

AAA also provides consumers with other resources like the Y our Driving Costs calculator, estimates of the cost to own a vehicle based on financing that vehicle, owning and driving it for five years, and trading in that vehicle at the end of those five years.   

The 2023 AAA Your Driving Cost analysis revealed that EVs have the least expense associated with annual ownership costs in the categories of maintenance, repair and tire costs, fuel and licenses, registration and taxes. Check back in August for the 2024 analysis.

Overall w inners, detailed evaluation criteria, vehicle reviews, and an in-depth analysis of the ADAS technology can be found at aaa.com/carguide .   

About AAA  

Started in 1902 by automotive enthusiasts who wanted to chart a path for better roads in America and advocate for safe mobility, AAA has transformed into one of North America’s largest membership organizations. Today, AAA provides roadside assistance, travel, discounts, financial and insurance services to enhance the life journey of over 64 million members across North America, including over 57 million in the United States. To learn more about all AAA offers or become a member visit AAA.com .  

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