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Best Annual Travel Insurance in 2024

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If you’re a frequent traveler, annual travel insurance may be something you’ve been considering. Unlike single-trip insurance, annual travel insurance plans can cover you for an entire year, no matter how often you’re on the road.

Let’s look at the best yearly travel insurance companies, why we choose them and the coverage you can expect.

Factors we considered when picking travel insurance companies

We used the following criteria when choosing which companies we thought were best:

Cost . Annual plans can be expensive — depending on the type of coverage you choose — so we wanted ensure that they stayed affordable. 

Types of coverage . Travel insurance for annual travelers can be limited in its coverage. We picked the ones with the broadest range of coverage for possible travel disruptions.

Coverage amounts . Annual trip insurance isn’t worth much if your limits are too low. Instead, we wanted plans with reasonable coverage amounts. 

Customizability . If your travels take you to different places, you’ll want the ability to customize your plan. The best annual travel insurance plans can provide this. 

» Learn more: What does travel insurance cover?

An overview of the best annual travel insurance

We gathered quotes from various travel insurance companies to determine the best annual travel insurance policies. In these examples, we used a year-long trip by a 22-year-old from Alabama. We indicated the main countries of travel as France and Malaysia, and when asked, put the total trip costs at $6,000.

The average cost for an annual travel insurance plan came out to $220. The plans ranged from $138-$386.

Let’s take a closer look at our top recommendations for annual travel insurance.

1. Allianz Travel

What makes Allianz travel insurance great:

Lower than average cost.

Provides health care and travel insurance benefits.

Includes rental car insurance up to $45,000. 

Here’s a snippet from our Allianz Travel insurance review :

“AllTrips Basic (annual plan) is suitable for those who would like emergency medical coverage while abroad but don't need trip cancellation and interruption benefits. The AllTrips Prime, Executive and Premier plans provide an entire year of comprehensive travel insurance benefits.

The Executive and Premier plans offer various levels of trip cancellation and interruption benefits. The Executive plan is specifically designed for business travelers since it offers protection for business equipment.”

2. Seven Corners

What makes Seven Corners great:

Offers up to $20,000 for acute coverage of pre-existing conditions. 

Includes up to $1 million for emergency medical evacuation. 

Optional add-on for adventure sport activities.

$0 deductible available. 

Here’s a snippet from our Seven Corners review :

“Seven Corners offers one annual policy called Travel Medical Annual Multi-Trip. The policy can be customized depending on how long you plan to be away from home for any one trip. You can travel as much as you like during the 364 days, so long as any one trip doesn’t exceed the option selected — 30, 45 or 60 days.”

What makes IMG great:

Good customizability with medical evacuations and sports coverage. 

Low $250 deductible.

Includes coverage for semi-private hospital rooms. 

Here’s a snippet from our IMG review:

“Some policies provide emergency medical evacuation coverage, while others skip this benefit entirely. This benefit may be more important to you if you travel to a remote location or engage in physical activity such as trekking.

More comprehensive plans may include other benefits such as assistance with acquiring a new passport, reimbursing reward mile redeposit fees or coverage for pre-existing conditions. If these are something you’re interested in, be sure to check that your policy includes these options.”

4. Trawick International

What makes Trawick International great:

100% coverage for trip cancellation and trip interruption. 

Emergency medical evacuation included. 

Trip delay reimbursement coverage. 

Here’s a snippet from our Trawick International review :

“Trawick International is a comprehensive travel insurance provider that offers trip delay and cancellation insurance, baggage delay coverage, medical coverage and medical evacuation, rental car damage protection, and even COVID-19 coverage among its various policies.

Trawick covers trips for worldwide destinations, including for foreign nationals coming to the U.S.”

What does travel insurance cover?

You’ll find a wide variety of coverage types offered by travel insurance policies. This is true whether you're purchasing a single-trip or annual travel insurance plan. Here are some common types you can expect to find:

Accidental death insurance .

Baggage delay and lost luggage insurance .

Cancel for Any Reason insurance .

Emergency evacuation insurance .

Medical insurance .

Rental car insurance .

Trip cancellation insurance .

Trip interruption insurance .

How to choose the best annual travel insurance policy

While we’ve highlighted some of the best annual travel insurance companies, the truth is that the best plan for you isn’t going to be the best plan for someone else. If you’re interested in buying annual travel insurance, you’ll want to collect a variety of quotes to see which policy best fits your needs.

This may mean opting for a plan that covers pre-existing conditions or one that specifically includes high-risk activities. Or, if you’re in a country where health care is notoriously expensive, you may want to choose a policy with higher maximums.

Many credit cards come with complimentary travel insurance .

Whatever the case, do your research first and review all the plan details before making your purchase.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

If you want to buy annual travel insurance

Annual travel insurance can be a great option if you’re often out of town. With such a wide range of policies available, selecting a plan that fits your needs is easy. We’ve done some of the work for you by choosing the best annual travel insurance companies, all of which made the top of the list for their cost, customizability, types of coverage and plan maximums.

Like any travel insurance policy, the cost of your plan is going to vary. Factors that may affect the cost of your annual travel insurance include your age, where you’re going, how long you’ll be traveling, your policy maximums and whether preexisting conditions are included.

Although not all travel insurance providers offer annual travel insurance, many of them do. We’ve gathered together the five best, including Allianz Travel, World Nomads, Seven Corners, IMG and Trawick International.

How to maximize your rewards

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

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

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

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.

U.S. News takes an unbiased approach to our recommendations. When you use our links to buy products, we may earn a commission but that in no way affects our editorial independence.

The 5 Best Annual Travel Insurance Plans of 2024

Allianz Travel Insurance »

AIG Travel Guard »

Seven Corners »

GeoBlue »

Trawick International »

Why Trust Us

U.S. News evaluates ratings, data and scores of more than 50 travel insurance companies from comparison websites like TravelInsurance.com, Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip, plus renowned credit rating agency AM Best, in addition to reviews and recommendations from top travel industry sources and consumers to determine the Best Annual Travel Insurance Plans.

Table of Contents

• Allianz Travel Insurance
• AIG Travel Guard

Buying travel insurance can be a smart move for most trips, but those who travel more than a few times a year should consider an annual travel insurance policy. Whether you regularly travel for business and/or take several vacations a year, annual travel insurance plans can help you get the coverage you need without having to price out and purchase protection every time you leave home.

If you find yourself in a situation where an annual plan makes sense, know that not all travel insurance companies offer this kind of coverage. You'll also want to consider the available annual travel insurance plans to see which options make sense for your travel style and the level of coverage you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Annual travel insurance plans all work in their own way, but the majority let travelers pay one annual premium for coverage that lasts for up to 364 days. These plans often limit the length of individual trips that are covered within the coverage year. Per-trip and annual limits on coverage can also apply.

In some cases, annual travel insurance plans require a deductible or coinsurance for certain types of coverage. If you're considering an annual travel insurance plan because you take multiple trips each year, make sure you read over the policy details and understand all coverage limits and trip limits that apply.

The cost of annual travel insurance typically varies based on factors like the age of the travelers applying, included benefits and coverage limits. You will want to shop around to compare plans across multiple providers using a platform like TravelInsurance.com or Squaremouth before you settle on a travel insurance policy.

To provide an example of the cost of annual travel insurance, U.S. News applied for a quote for two 40-year-old travelers seeking coverage for eight trips over a 12-month period. The Squaremouth travel insurance portal quoted policies with costs that range from $206 for the GeoBlue Trekker Essential plan to $610 for the Safe Travels Annual Deluxe plan by Trawick International.

Annual travel insurance can be worth it if you take multiple trips each year and want to make sure you always have coverage in place. After all, the alternative to having a multitrip policy is buying a new travel insurance plan for every vacation you take. That's not always feasible for frequent travelers who are always jetting off somewhere new – often at the last minute.

Just keep in mind that annual travel insurance plans tend to come with lower coverage limits than plans for single trips, and that you'll pay a premium for coverage that comes with comprehensive benefits and high limits for medical expenses and emergency evacuation.

• Allianz Travel Insurance: Best Overall
• AIG Travel Guard: Best for Basic Coverage
• Seven Corners: Best for Medical
• GeoBlue: Best for Expats
• Trawick International: Best for the Cost

Tailor your annual travel insurance plan to your needs

Most plans include coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, travel delays, medical expenses, and more

Lowest-tier plans (AllTrips Basic and AllTrips Prime) come with no or relatively low coverage limits for trip cancellation

Most annual plans (except for AllTrips Premier) do not cover trips longer than 45 days

• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to between $2,000 and $15,000
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to between $2,000 and $15,000
• Emergency medical coverage worth up to $50,000
• Up to $500,000 in emergency medical transportation coverage
• Up to $2,000 in coverage for lost or damaged baggage
• Up to $2,000 in coverage for baggage delays
• Travel delay coverage worth up to $1,500 ($300 daily limit)
• Rental car coverage worth up to $45,000
• Up to $50,000 in travel accident coverage
• 24-hour hotline assistance and concierge service

Annual Travel Insurance Plan offers year-round travel insurance protection

Relatively high limits for medical expenses ($50,000) and emergency evacuation ($500,000)

No trip cancellation coverage and relatively low limit ($2,500) for trip interruption coverage

No coverage for preexisting medical conditions

• Up to $2,500 in coverage for trip interruption
• Up to $1,500 in coverage for trip delays of five-plus hours ($150 per day limit)
• Missed connection coverage worth up to $500
• Up to $2,500 in baggage insurance
• Baggage delay coverage worth up to $1,000 for delays of at least 12 hours.
• Up to $50,000 for emergency medical expenses ($500 for emergency dental sublimit)
• Up to $500,000 for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains
• Up to $50,000 in accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• Up to $100,000 in protection for security evacuation

Provides coverage worth up to $250,000 for emergency medical expenses

Tailor other included benefit levels to your needs

Coverage only applies to trips up to 40 days

Deductible up to $100 applies for emergency medical coverage and baggage and personal effects

• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to between $2,500 and $10,000
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to 150% of the trip cancellation limit
• Up to $2,000 in trip delay coverage ($200 daily limit)
• Up to $1,000 in protection for missed connections
• Up to $250,000 in coverage for emergency medical expenses ($50,000 in New Hampshire)
• $750 dental sublimit within emergency medical coverage
• Up to $500,000 in coverage for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
• Up to $2,000 in coverage for baggage and personal effects
• Baggage delay coverage worth up to $1,000 ($100 daily limit)
• 24/7 travel assistance services

Get annual coverage for medical expenses and routine medical care

High limits for medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation

GeoBlue plans don't offer comprehensive travel protection

Deductibles and copays apply

• Ambulatory and therapeutic services
• Inpatient hospital services
• Emergency medical services
• Rehabilitation and therapy
• Preventive and primary care

Choose among three tiers of annual travel protection

Option for basic protection with affordable premiums

No coverage for preexisting conditions

Maximum trip duration of 30 days per trip

• Trip cancellation coverage up to $2,500 maximum per year
• Trip interruption coverage up to $2,500 maximum per year
• $200 per trip for trip delays (up to $100 per day for delays of 12 hours or longer)
• Up to $500 in coverage per trip for baggage and personal effects
• Baggage delay coverage up to $100 per trip
• Up to $10,000 for emergency medical expenses per trip
• Up to $50,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage per trip
• Up to $10,000 in AD&D coverage
• 24-hour travel assistance services

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is a travel expert who has researched travel insurance options for her own vacations and family trips to more than 50 countries around the world. On a personal level, her family uses an annual travel insurance policy from Allianz. Johnson works alongside her husband, Greg – who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states – within their family media business and travel agency .

You might also be interested in:

The 5 Best Family Travel Insurance Plans

Holly Johnson

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The 6 Best Vacation Rental Travel Insurance Plans

Protect your trip and give yourself peace of mind with the top options.

Is Travel Insurance Worth It? Yes, in These 3 Scenarios

These are the scenarios when travel insurance makes most sense.

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For the Frequent Traveler: The 11 Best Annual Travel Insurance Policies

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GeoBlue Trekker Choice

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If you take multiple trips every year, insuring each one can be a hassle. There are forms to fill out, comparison shopping over and over again, and then remembering the policy documents for each specific trip. And then there’s the risk you might forget to take out travel insurance for one of your trips.

Plus, those costs add up. There must be a better way.

Enter annual travel insurance. Also known as multi-trip travel insurance, taking out an annual policy covers you for a whole year of travel. Not only is it simpler, it may be cheaper than taking out multiple single-trip policies. But is it right for you?

Annual travel insurance policies aren’t exactly the same as the trip insurance you’d buy for a weeklong holiday with your family. Here are the best annual travel insurance policies, what they do and don’t cover, and how to decide whether taking out a yearly policy might be right for you.

The 11 Best Annual Travel Insurance Policies

GeoBlue offers 2 Trekker plans for annual coverage, which are unique in several ways. These plans cover preexisting conditions, COVID-19, and all travel outside the U.S.

However, they don’t cover any trips inside the U.S. or provide any coverage for canceled, delayed, or interrupted trips. Instead, these are travel medical insurance plans . With the GeoBlue Trekker Choice plan , you’ll get higher maximum payouts in all categories and pay a lower deductible ($100). However, note that this is still secondary coverage .

You’ll get unlimited access to telemedicine and coverage for trips up to 70 days in length . Additionally, coverage is available up to age 95, which isn’t offered on most other policies.

The GeoBlue Trekker Essential plan offers the same pros and cons as the Choice plan. The main differences are the lower maximum payout values and the higher deductible ($200 instead of $100). You also won’t get the Choice plan’s lost baggage and personal effects coverage, which can provide up to $500 per trip. Again, this secondary medical insurance policy is only valid on trips outside the U.S.

Trawick International offers 2 annual plans, and the Safe Travels Annual Basic plan is more economical. You’ll have coverage for everything you expect in a trip insurance policy , such as 100% coverage for trip cancellation or interruption (up to a $2,500 annual maximum) and coverage for delays, lost luggage, delayed luggage, and even medical expenses. To make up for the lower cost of the plan, coverage limits are lower than what you’ll find elsewhere . However, if you want peace of mind while traveling, you can get it for a year and cover trips up to 30 days in length.

While Trawick International’s Safe Travels Annual Deluxe plan offers higher maximum coverage limits than the Basic plan, its maximum payouts for medical and evacuation benefits are lower than what you’ll find with competitors . Where this plan shines is in the coverage for change fees, lost deposits on tours, and coverage for lost items if an airline misplaces your luggage.

You’ll be covered for up to $300 per trip for prepaid excursions, up to 100% of your trip cost (with an annual maximum of $5,000) for trip cancellations or interruptions, and up to $150 per item and $750 per trip for personal effects. After signing up for a plan, you’ll also get a 10-day free look period.

If you want an annual plan with a low price tag , this could be what you’re looking for. The Allianz Travel AllTrips Basic plan covers you for unlimited trips up to 45 days each over the course of a year. Coverage includes emergency medical, emergency medical evacuation, baggage loss and delays, travel delays, rental car theft and damage, and travel accident coverage.

However, there’s a fair list of exclusions from this plan . That includes trip cancellation, trip interruption, missed connections, and change fees. As the name implies, you’ll get basic coverage at a basic price.

The Allianz Travel AllTrips Prime option covers 365 days of trips, though the maximum trip length is just 45 days. While you’ll get coverage for all the standard travel insurance benefits, including trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical, delays, and baggage mishaps, there are limits you should know about with this plan.

The travel accident coverage, which applies to death or the loss of a limb, maxes out at $25,000 per trip, baggage delay maxes out at $200, and baggage loss or damage maxes out at $1,000. The maximum coverage for emergency medical is $20,000, and costs can exceed that quickly in a true emergency.

However, this is a decent option if you want a fair amount of coverage across numerous categories without a high price tag.

For those worried about expensive business equipment or losing points and miles, this plan has you covered. On top of higher maximum payouts in categories such as trip cancellation, emergency medical transportation, or travel delays, you’ll also get rental car damage and theft coverage, change fee coverage, and reimbursement for renting business equipment if yours is lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed during a trip.

Moreover, you can be reimbursed up to $500 to cover fees for reinstating your points and miles if a covered trip is canceled or interrupted. The Allianz Travel AllTrips Executive plan also provides coverage for preexisting medical conditions if you meet certain criteria and buy at least 14 days before the first trip.

Allianz also has a customizable AllTrips Premier plan , allowing you to choose between several payout tiers for trip cancellation and interruption. You’ll pay more when choosing higher maximums, but this allows you to choose exactly what you want in coverage and not pay for more than you need. Another positive is coverage for preexisting medical conditions if you meet certain criteria and buy your policy at least 14 days before your first trip.

You’ll also get rental car damage and theft coverage , $500,000 of emergency medical transportation coverage, $50,000 of emergency medical, and coverage for travel delay expenses after a delay of 6 hours or more. The baggage delay coverage is up to $2,000, but it requires a delay of 12 or more hours. The maximum trip length allowed is 90 days.

The AIG Travel Guard Annual Travel Insurance plan isn’t available to Washington state residents. Still, it provides coverage for trip interruption, trip delay, lost baggage, delayed baggage, and missed connections, as well as both medical and security evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, and travel medical expenses. However, the coverage limit for dental is just $500, and the maximum coverage for travel medical expenses is just $50,000. Those are lower limits than other plans. Additionally, trip cancellation isn’t included.

However, Travel Guard has some strengths. Trip delay coverage applies for up to 10 days and requires a delay of just 5 hours, and the missed connection benefit applies after just 3 hours. You get a “free look” period of up to 15 days to cancel for a refund, so long as you haven’t started your trip or filed a claim. Maximum coverage for any particular trip is 90 days.

USI Affinity’s Voyager plan has a Silver and Gold option , and pricing is easy to determine from the chart. Simply find your age bracket and the associated cost. The key differences between the plans are in the higher maximum payouts for nearly every coverage type with the Gold plan, other than emergency dental and accidental death and dismemberment. However, the Gold plan also includes coverage types the Silver plan doesn’t: political and natural disaster evacuation, airline ticket change fees, and trip interruption. However, trip cancellation isn’t included with either plan .

The maximum trip length is 90 days, and coverage for Silver and Gold plans lasts for 364 days. An unlimited number of international and domestic trips are covered, and you’re covered for trips as little as 100 miles from home. That’s a lower requirement than most other plans (which tend to require 150 miles).

This plan is ideal for those who don’t live in the U.S., as other plans on this list are only available to U.S. residents and citizens. While the plan technically lasts for 364 days, Seven Corners’ Travel Medical Annual Multi-Trip plan is customizable. It lets you choose a maximum trip length of 30, 45, or 60 days and include or exclude coverage for the U.S. Note U.S. citizens and residents cannot add coverage for inside the U.S.

Seven Corners also provides coverage for travelers aged 14 to 75 years, though maximum payouts decrease in some categories for those aged 65 and older. If you receive medical care in the U.S., Seven Corners will pay 90% of the first $5,000 of covered expenses and 100% of the cost afterward. You’re covered 100% outside the U.S. Note that coverage doesn’t apply to your home country (which includes the U.S. if you’re a citizen, even if you live in another country) and isn’t available in Antarctica, Cuba, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Russia, Syria, or Ukraine.

We considered another plan. Here’s why this annual travel insurance policy didn’t make our “best of” list.

IMG Patriot Multi-Trip International : For trips inside the U.S., you may be on the hook for 20% of your medical expenses if you visit a provider outside IMG’s PPO network. Additionally, the maximum trip length is 30 days, and coverage limits are quite low in multiple categories. These include $50,000 for emergency medical evacuation and $10,000 for political evacuation, a maximum of $50 per item and $250 overall for lost luggage, a $100 maximum for dental treatment, and $25,000 for accidental death and dismemberment 24/7 coverage.

Annual travel policy plans vary considerably. Most provide secondary medical insurance, so you may need to submit to your other coverage (home healthcare plan, credit card insurance provider, etc.) first and then submit to your travel insurance provider for any remaining expenses or deductibles. If you won’t have other coverage, you may want to look for a plan that provides primary health coverage instead. Also, understand that most plans provide reimbursement, so you would pay out of pocket for overseas hospital visits and then submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement after the fact.

What Is Annual Travel Insurance?

Annual travel insurance covers you for many trips over the course of a year (or sometimes 364 days). Rather than needing to buy a travel insurance policy for each trip separately — which can add up — you can buy a single policy that covers all your trips for the next year. It’s important to understand the terms of these policies, though. Some may require buying coverage in advance, such as 14 days before your first trip, while that requirement normally doesn’t exist on single-trip travel insurance.

It’s also important to note which types of trips and destinations are covered by your policy — and which aren’t. Look for how far from home you must travel to be covered and whether domestic trips are included. Moreover, consider what benefits you’re looking for. These can vary from medical-only to all the bells and whistles, such as baggage delay and medical evacuation. Once you know the type of coverage you want, you can find a policy or policies that align with your needs, helping you narrow down your options to conduct a more effective comparison.

Annual travel insurance works as an umbrella policy, covering all your trips during the policy period. You don’t need to inform the policy provider about each trip’s start and stop dates or destinations. You simply buy a policy, and then you’re protected for every trip that meets the conditions while your policy is in effect. Some regions may be excluded from coverage, and you may be subject to a maximum trip length.

Trip length is an important element to pay attention to. Annual travel insurance doesn’t cover you for a year-long trip. It covers you for a year for many small trips within that time, typically up to 30 or 45 days per trip. If you’re looking for a plan to cover you during a year-long trip to another country, you should look for specialized plans for study abroad, mission work, or other situations that apply to you. Traveling full-time? You may need a policy geared toward digital nomads and backpackers.

You should buy your annual travel insurance policy as soon as you know you’ll have multiple trips in the next year and determine that the cost of insuring each alone would be higher than that of a single multi-trip plan. What’s the break-even point on that cost? It depends on the coverage you want.

Considering that single-trip plans can sometimes be found for $10, yet an annual trip is likely to cost $150 or more per adult, you’d need 15 trips to justify the annual policy. However, that’s not really an apples-to-apples comparison, as a $10 basic travel insurance policy won’t provide as much coverage as you’re likely to find on even the most basic of annual policies.

It’s also not just about the number of trips you take but the types of trips, the complexity of the trips, and money at risk in nonrefundable costs. The more of these you foresee in your next year of travels, the more likely an annual plan would be good for you.

We already highlighted that annual policies don’t cover traveling nonstop for a year due to their restrictions on the maximum trip length. Annual travel insurance policies also restrict how far you must travel for coverage to kick in. Driving to the next town over may be a trip in your kids’ eyes, but it’s probably not far enough for your travel insurance to kick in.

While coverage varies by policy, you’ll typically have coverage for sickness, accidental death and dismemberment, lost or delayed luggage, trip cancellation, and possibly injuries during skiing or snowboarding. However, it’s important to read the terms of each policy because coverage maximums and inclusions vary widely. Some policies only provide medical coverage, while others offer robust coverage across the board.

Each policy specifies a maximum trip length. How trips longer than that are treated can vary. Most policies won’t cover any expenses related to a trip longer than the maximum trip length. Suppose you take a trip of 41 days on a policy with a maximum of 40 days. In that case, claims for delayed luggage or medical expenses may be rejected when the claim evaluator asks for your trip confirmation details.

However, GeoBlue covers the first 70 days of any particular trip. If something goes wrong during that time, you’re covered. You’re on your own for anything that happens on days 71 or beyond. Still, you’re covered on those first 70 days, despite taking a longer trip.

If you foresee long trips in the future, make sure you understand these rules.

For some travelers, yes, annual travel insurance is worth it. For others, it’s not.

Annual travel insurance is worth it when it costs less than what you’d pay to insure each trip individually. It’s also worth it if you think you might forget to purchase some of those individual policies throughout the year and would prefer to be done with them for another 365 days.

However, annual travel insurance isn’t worth it if you only take a few trips a year, they’re mostly domestic, and you don’t have major nonrefundable expenses. If you’re traveling within the U.S. with your standard health insurance policy in effect and you have credit cards that provide trip insurance for delays or cancellations, that coverage may be sufficient.

Costs will vary by your home state, age, and number of people included in the policy. Here are the “starting at” costs for our best annual travel insurance policies, sorted from lowest to highest:

Yes and no. Using a credit card to pay for your trip can provide some built-in protections. However, you should be mindful of annual maximums on any policy. You may run into limitations such as a maximum of 2 claims per 12-month period or similar exclusions. If you take many trips, that could be an issue.

To better understand what is and isn’t covered, check out our complete guide to credit card insurance .

To choose the right policy, look beyond the cost alone. Rather than immediately choosing the cheapest policy, find the policy or policies that provide the coverage types you want with payout maximums that cover your travel plans for the next year — both confirmed bookings and likely plans.

Consider your coverage needs. Will you be carrying expensive items such as scuba equipment for a trip to the Galapagos or top-notch camera lenses for a bird-watching tour in Papua New Guinea? How many extreme sports will you participate in?

Conversely, how many “never heard of this airline before” flights will you take to get off the beaten path? These are flights where you may be worried about cancelations that lead to extra costs or a misplaced suitcase.

Consider the types of trips you’ll take and the up-front money at risk if something goes wrong or you get delayed, then look at which plans align with your travels. From there, choose the best plan that aligns best with your needs, which may or may not be the cheapest one.

As an annual travel policy holder myself, I promise you that having the right plan is important when you wind up in a remote hospital in Tanzania with malaria.

Annual travel insurance isn’t right for everyone. However, it makes sense for those who travel often and could save money by taking out a single policy instead of many separate policies. It also makes sense if you’d prefer to avoid filling out paperwork numerous times throughout the year for each trip.

Annual travel insurance policies aren’t great for those who tend to travel closer to home, don’t have major nonrefundable travel expenses, or need to customize coverage for each trip because their travels tend to vary. For example, you might need different coverage for a backcountry ski trip with friends versus a 2-hour drive with your family.

Look at what annual policies do and don’t cover and see if these align with your travel goals and needs. Then, consider the prices for the plans that align well with your situation. After taking an informed look, you should have a good idea of whether an annual policy is right for your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is yearly travel insurance worth it.

For some, yes. For others, no. Annual travel insurance is worth it when the cost is less than what you’d pay to insure each trip separately or you would prefer to just sign up once then be done for a year. However, annual travel insurance isn’t worth it if you only take a few, mostly domestic, trips a year where your healthcare coverage works, and you don’t have major nonrefundable expenses.

How much does annual trip insurance cost?

Costs vary greatly depending on the type of coverage you want. Annual travel insurance plan costs range from $140 to $500 for a single person. If you take a lot of trips, the cost can be worth it over the course of a year, but each person’s situation is different.

When should I take out annual travel insurance?

You should buy your annual travel insurance policy as soon as you know you’ll have multiple trips in the next year and that the cost of insuring each alone would be higher than the cost of a single multi-trip plan. What’s the break-even point on that cost? It depends on the coverage you want. Look at the different types of coverage and your expected costs for insuring each trip separately, then see if it makes sense for you.

Does annual travel insurance automatically renew?

It varies by policy provider, but some companies have an auto-renew feature to ensure you don’t have gaps in coverage.

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About Ryan Smith

Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and now plans to let his wife choose their destinations. Over the years, he’s written about award travel for publications including AwardWallet, The Points Guy, USA Today Blueprint, CNBC Select, Tripadvisor, and Forbes Advisor.

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The Best Annual Travel Insurance (Updated April 2023)

Annual travel insurance covers several trips you take throughout the year.

Travelers buy annual travel insurance when they plan on taking two or more trips in a year. The main reason people buy annual travel insurance is for medical coverage. It also covers medical evacuation, delays, and baggage. Some even cover cancellation and interruption, but this is not typical.

Criteria for picking the best annual travel insurance

Further down this page there is a complete guide that covers everything you need to know about annual travel insurance. First, we’ll answer the simple question, “what is the best annual travel insurance plan?”.

Here are the criteria used to select the best plan:

• Must cover Covid-19 for emergency medical coverage
• Medical evacuation coverage $1,000,000 minimum
• Covers Pre-existing Conditions
• Trip Interruption coverage
• Travel Delay and Baggage coverage
• Options for deductible, limits, and extras like hazardous activity coverage

Best Annual Travel Insurance

Every annual plan is different, but the following plan from Seven Corners checks all the boxes above. This plan is an affordable way to get a lot of coverage. You can select from a few different trip lengths (30, 45, 60) which lets you adjust the cost depending on your travel plans. Deductible and coverage limits can be selected as well which can adjust your cost.

Seven Corners has been a leader in travel medical insurance since 1993. They are a reputable company, insure thousands of travelers every year, and even handle medical administration for some US federal agencies.

Wander Frequent Traveler Plus

• Covid-19 covered for medical treatment
• $1,000,000 Emergency Medical coverage up to 64
• $50,000 Emergency Medical for 65+
• $1,000,000 Medical Evacuation
• Deductible options, including $0
• Can select individual trip lengths of 30, 45, or 60 days

Example Quote: One year of coverage for a 40 year-old traveler is $400. This covers $1,000,000 each for both medical and evacuation, and has $0 deductible.

What is annual travel insurance?

Annual travel insurance (also called multi-trip insurance) covers several trips throughout the year. It covers medical emergencies, evacuation, travel delays, and baggage. Some plans cover costs for a trip cut short (trip interruption).

Annual plans cover each trip while you are traveling. It is not meant to be year-round insurance. It covers multiple trips, but there is a limit for how long any single trip can be. For example: You could be covered for every trip, but any single trip must be 30 days or less.

Annual plans don’t cover canceled trips. If you are taking a vacation and want to insure the cost of the trip, you need single-trip travel insurance. This type of plan covers cancellation, interruption, delays, baggage, and more. Read more about the best travel insurance plans here .

What does annual travel insurance cover?

The following coverage is typically found in an annual trip insurance plan.

Emergency Medical Expenses Coverage for emergency medical and dental care , including hospital visits, surgery, prescription drugs, doctor and dentist office visits, and more.

Medical Evacuation Emergency medical transportation so you can receive medical care for your illness or injury.

Travel Delays Reimbursement for unexpected lodging, meals, and transportation costs if your travel is delayed a certain number of hours (usually 6-12).

Baggage Loss, Theft, or Damage Reimbursement for lost, stolen, or destroyed baggage and personal effects (up to the policy limit) whether they are lost or destroyed by the airline, a taxi driver, a hotel employee, or anyone else.

Delayed Baggage Reimbursement (up to the policy limit) for personal essentials if your baggage is delayed a certain number of hours (usually between 12 and 24 ).

Travel Assistance The convenience of 24/7 travel assistance services for help with medical emergencies, travel emergencies, business emergencies, pre-trip planning, and more.

What is the difference between single trip and annual travel insurance?

The main difference between annual travel insurance and a single-trip plan is coverage for cancelled trips. Annual plans do not cover trip cancellation; single-trip travel insurance does cover trip cancellation.

If you’re planning a vacation and want to cover the costs of that trip, you are looking for single-trip insurance.

Annual plans are for people that take several trips in a year, and don’t want coverage for trip cancellation.

What makes worldwide annual travel insurance unique?

Many travelers like the convenience and savings of a worldwide annual trip insurance plan.

Same worldwide coverage for 12 full months

The reason many travelers like an annual trip insurance plan is the convenience of having the same coverage for all their travel plans all year long. Most plans have a long per-trip length limit (usually 30-70 days). One policy to read and understand; only one number to call for travel assistance services.

Comprehensive and economical

Annual plans are relatively cost-effective because the coverage for cancellation is not included (some plans offer limited trip cancellation coverage). Age is taken into account, but most annual plans run a few hundred dollars per year, per traveler.

Key difference is no (or little) trip cancellation coverage

As we talked about above, a main difference with an annual plan is the lack of trip cancellation coverage.

Insurance companies can’t include this because their risk exposure would vary so much. One travelers might have an annual trip cost of $5,000, while another traveler could spend $100,000 a year on travel. Single-trip travel insurance is priced based largely on trip cost. The insurance company can’t charge the same for the $5,000 traveler as the $100,000 traveler.

Who should buy annual travel insurance?

Travelers like these should purchase annual travel insurance:

Frequent travelers, such as business owners and academics When much of your time is consumed by traveling for your work or study, it’s difficult to research travel insurance for each trip and much more economical to have one plan with consistent coverage you understand all year long.

Active, healthy, traveling retirees You may have waited all your life for your retirement and want to put as many trips on the schedule as possible. Of course, you want the safety of travel insurance on each of those trips too.

Journalists and writers frequently sent on last-minute assignments When you have to travel often at the last minute, there’s no time to understand, purchase, and review a single-trip policy. Plus, it’s useful to have the same coverage all year round so you know what to expect without having to sign up for new coverage every time.

How much does annual trip insurance cost?

Most full-featured annual multi-trip insurance plans will cost a traveler $200-$400, depending on these factors:

• The traveler’s age (primary factor)
• The estimated number of days for the longest trip of the year
• Medical limit ($50,000 is cheaper than $1,000,000)
• Deductible ($1,000 deductible is cheaper that $0)
• Options like Hazardous Activities coverage

Is it worth buying annual travel coverage?

It depends on the types of trips you’re planning. For lower-cost trips, like domestic trips or road trips where your primary concern is catastrophic needs like medical expenses and evacuations, an annual plan might be your best option.

Here’s how you know it’s worth getting annual travel coverage:

• If you’re taking a lot of trips within a year.
• If you’re not concerned about trip cancellation benefits.
• If you take last-minute trips and want the convenience of the same travel insurance all year long.
• If you’re a business traveler who frequently travels alone or on short notice.

Tip : Because an annual travel insurance plan covers all your trips in a year, it’s not necessary to know how many trips you’ll take ahead of time.

Where should you buy your annual travel insurance?

Use the link below to quote and purchase directly from Seven Corners.

Note: I am a licensed insurance agent. If you purchase using this link I will earn commission from the company. This does not cost you anything, it is paid by the company. Earning commission for insurance purchases is how this website if funded.

• Frequent travelers often like the convenience of a single plan for all their trips in a year
• Annual travel insurance is often quite economical as it limits trip cancellation coverage
• Annual plans cover multiple trips in a 12-month period with some limits to the length of each trip

Annual Travel Insurance FAQs

Annual plans are purchased to cover all trips within a 365 day period. You would choose when the coverage starts, and the insurance policy is active for the following year. There may be a limit on the length of any given trip within that year. Most companies allow you to renew after the first year is up.

Single-trip insurance is meant to cover one trip, such as a vacation or cruise, in case you need to cancel your trip. It also covers medical, evacuation, baggage, and delays. Annual travel insurance covers several trips throughout the year, but does not cover cancellation for any of them.

Because it runs for 365 days from purchase, you should buy annual travel insurance right before the first trip you want to insure. This will maximize the amount of time of coverage.

Annual travel insurance covers you for 365 days, and are often renewable.

Annual travel insurance is typically purchased in a single payment.

Annual travel insurance is available from Seven Corners, Trawick, GeoBlue, and Travel Guard. I recommend Seven Corners’ Wander plan.

You would consider annual travel insurance if you take several trips throughout the year, and want the medical and loss benefits of travel insurance for each one. This is simpler than buying a plan for each trip separately.

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 Best Annual Travel Insurance Plans (2024)

Alex is a MarketWatch Guides team writer that covers automotive and personal finance topics. She’s worked as a content writer for over a dozen car dealerships across the U.S. and as a contributor to several major auto news websites.

Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.

Annual travel insurance can provide travelers with protection for multiple trips in one year. After researching and reviewing travel insurance companies nationwide, the MarketWatch Guides team found that Seven Corners and Trawick offer the best annual travel insurance plans. International Medical Group, Allianz and AIG Travel Guard also offer annual plans worth considering.

What Is Annual Travel Insurance?

Annual travel insurance — also known as multi-trip travel insurance — can protect multiple trips over a year. For frequent travelers planning several vacations in a year, an annual travel insurance plan can offer a more economical option than purchasing multiple single-trip policies. With annual travel insurance, you should only pay one premium for a year’s worth of coverage.

While each annual travel insurance plan varies by provider, you may find that per-trip or yearly coverage limits apply rather than item-specific limits. In addition, some coverages found with single-trip policies are not typically included in an annual travel insurance plan, such as trip cancellation insurance, baggage loss and rental car coverage. Providers may also not offer the option to add cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage with an annual plan. Annual travel insurance usually focuses more on medical protection versus a broader range of coverages, based on our assessment.

The 5 Best Annual Travel Insurance Plans

Based on our team’s extensive research on annual, multi-trip travel insurance plans, we’ve named the following as our top picks. 

• Seven Corners : Trip Protection Annual Multi-Trip
• Trawick International : Safe Travels Annual Basic
• International Medical Group (IMG): Patriot Multi-Trip Travel Medical
• Allianz Travel Insurance: AllTrips Premier
• AIG Travel Guard: Annual Plan

Seven Corners Travel Insurance

Pros and Cons

Why we picked seven corners.

Seven Corners provides annual coverage through its Trip Protection Annual Multi-Trip plan. The plan includes COVID-19 protection, trip cancellation insurance and pre-existing condition coverage as standard, and allows for unlimited trips lasting 40 days or less throughout your policy term. You can also customize your annual trip cancellation limit, with up to $10,000 in total benefits.

Trawick International

Why We Picked Trawick

If you’re looking for basic coverage at a low cost, Trawick International offers its Safe Travels Annual Basic plan for a flat rate of $155 per person. Coverage extends up to 30 days for each trip taken more than 100 miles from home during your coverage period and can apply to both U.S.-based and international trips. While Trawick features lower coverage limits than other providers on our list, it offers 100% trip cancellation coverage at no additional cost.

International Medical Group

Why We Picked IMG

International Medical Group (IMG) provides the highest medical coverage maximum of all the providers on our list through its Patriot Multi-Trip Travel Medical plan. The policy offers protection of up to $1 million after paying a $250 deductible for medical benefits, dental, emergency medical evacuation and more. IMG also provides medical and emergency medical evacuation coverage if you have a sudden and unexpected recurrence of a pre-existing condition. Note that you can upgrade your plan to allow for 45 days of coverage per trip versus 30 days.

Allianz Global Assistance

Why We Picked Allianz

The Allianz AllTrips Premier plan provides annual travel insurance coverage for your entire household through one plan — regardless of whether you travel separately or together. The plan includes trip cancellation and interruption benefits as standard coverage, but you can customize the coverage limits at an additional cost. The AllTrips Premier plan also provides rental car coverage, which most providers in this review lack.

AIG Travel Guard

Why We Picked AIG

AIG Travel Guard (AIG) offers one annual travel protection policy, called the Annual Plan. It provides non-flight accidental death and dismemberment coverage up to $50,000, which is not typically included in other yearly policy offerings based on our review. AIG also offers up to $100,000 specifically for security evacuations. Note that there is no age limit to purchasing a policy — the only requirements include holding U.S. residency and buying the policy no later than 24 hours before departure.

Compare Annual Travel Insurance Plans

You can refer to the table below for a side-by-side comparison of our team’s picks for the best annual travel insurance policies.

* Our team gathered quotes from each provider’s website for the above-listed plans based on a 30-year-old sample traveler.

How To Choose an Annual Travel Insurance Plan

There are several steps you can take to help make the process of choosing an annual travel insurance plan easier while ensuring you pick the right plan for your needs as a traveler.

First, it is best practice to research providers before choosing an annual travel insurance plan. Not all travel insurance providers offer this type of policy, and for the ones that do, we recommend you consider industry and customer reputation when making a decision. Note the coverage limits, medical benefits and any additional add-ons each company offers. While the providers listed in this article are our top picks for annual coverage, every traveler’s needs and best-suited plan will vary.

If you have your travel itinerary for the year mapped out and know what you’re looking for in terms of coverage, consider an annual plan that aligns with your needs and concerns. For example, if you have a pre-existing medical condition , you may consider a provider that provides a pre-existing condition waiver and high medical coverage limits. If you’re more concerned about cancellation coverage, you may choose a plan that offers this type of protection, which not all companies include in their annual plans.

How Does Annual Travel Insurance Work?

Annual travel insurance works by covering a traveler during multiple trips over the course of a year. There’s usually no limit to the number of trips you can take during this time. However, companies do include limits on how long each trip can last under coverage. This limit varies by provider, but a standard threshold is a maximum of 90 days based on our review.

Some annual travel insurance benefits work on a per-trip or per-year basis. For example, a yearly plan may have a baggage loss limit that resets every trip, while it sets separate limits for trip interruption benefits for an entire year of travel. Plans are typically non-renewable, so once your coverage is up, you would have to buy a new plan to cover another year of travel.

After purchasing a plan, coverage begins on the effective date, which your provider should list within your policy documents. Coverage ends on your policy’s expiration date, which your provider should also detail within your policy. How long coverage extends per trip, and the associated coverage levels, will depend on your provider.

We recommend you read your policy carefully to ensure you fully understand the applicable limits of your annual travel insurance plan.

Benefits of Annual Travel Insurance

The benefits of an annual travel insurance plan include low costs compared to purchasing individual plans, convenience and consistent coverage across all of your trips. Learn more in the sections below.

Cost-Efficiency

Annual travel insurance plans are often more cost-efficient than several single-trip policies, according to our quote collection process. If you’re taking more than one or two trips within a year and looking for coverage on a budget, you may consider an annual travel insurance policy.

Convenience

Purchasing one travel insurance policy to cover a year’s worth of multiple trips is easier than buying several single-trip policies. You only need to worry about one set of terms, conditions, policy limits and more instead of juggling multiple plans.

Consistent Coverage

An annual travel insurance policy can ensure that coverage stays consistent throughout your travels. You can take trips of varying lengths to different destinations, but your coverage and benefits should remain the same within your term limits.

Drawbacks of Annual Travel Insurance

As with most types of insurance, there are both pros and cons to annual travel plans. These drawbacks include limited benefits and a variety of exclusions, which we’ll detail below.

Variety of Exclusions

Many providers do not include trip cancellation coverage if you purchase a basic annual policy. While some providers allow you to add these benefits to annual policies for an extra cost, coverage is not typically included as standard as with a single-trip policy.

Offers Lower Limits

Annual travel insurance limits are often lower than with a single-trip policy. If you’re looking to insure a costly trip or need a plan with high medical coverage limits, you may want to consider a single-trip plan instead.

Annual Travel Insurance vs. Single Trip Travel Insurance

You will likely notice differences and similarities when comparing annual travel insurance versus single-trip travel insurance policies. For one, both yearly and single-trip policies usually bundle travel medical, emergency medical evacuation, baggage loss, baggage delay and travel delay coverage within a standard policy . Single-trip policies, however, often include trip cancellation benefits, which many annual policies only offer as an add-on.

Both annual travel insurance and single-trip policies limit the length of trips covered. For yearly plans, limits can range from 30 to 90 days for a single trip, and you’ll need to head back to your home base in between trips. For a single-trip policy, plans often limit trip length to no longer than 180 days.

Cost Differences Between Annual and Single-Trip Travel Insurance

Annual multi-trip policies can be more cost-effective than single-trip coverage for frequent travelers, based on our review. Typically, single-trip policies may benefit travelers taking one or two trips in a year. Annual travel insurance is usually more suited for those who travel often, taking upwards of three trips or more within a year’s time.

There are times when a single-trip plan may better suit your needs compared to an annual policy. For example, if you are taking high-end, luxury trips with a high overall cost, you may benefit more from single-trip policies for each trip with high cancellation and interruption limits.

Who Needs Annual Travel Insurance?

Various types of travelers could benefit from an annual coverage plan. A multi-trip travel insurance plan is worth considering if you travel frequently for business or pleasure and do not need coverages such as trip cancellation insurance. Annual insurance may also suit travelers who like to take last-minute trips or longer vacations, as having an annual travel insurance plan in place can offer more convenience.

Annual plans are also worth considering for lower-cost trips where the primary concern is covering a potential medical emergency. As mentioned, annual plans do not usually offer trip cancellation coverage as a standard inclusion. However, they typically include medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation coverages — ideal for those looking to protect their health versus trip expenses during their travels.

If you’re taking expensive or high-value international trips throughout the year, you may prefer a single-trip policy for the trip cancellation benefits that come with each plan. Or, if you’ve booked a variety of non-refundable expenses, such as hotel or tour reservations, a single-trip plan with cancellation coverage may also better suit your needs.

What Does Annual Travel Insurance Cover?

Annual travel insurance policies offer a variety of coverages to offer financial protection if  unexpected events occur. From medical emergencies to travel inconveniences, yearly plans can provide comprehensive coverage for peace of mind.

Exclusions and Limitations of Annual Travel Policies

Annual travel insurance policies usually have the same exclusions as single-trip policies. Typically, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered. Still, some providers offer a waiver to extend coverage for medical bills or claims related to your recent medical history. Standard annual policies don’t cover adventure sports, but this coverage is often available as an add-on. Moreover, “foreseeable” events, such as natural disasters or named storms that began before you purchased your policy, are also excluded from annual travel coverage.

The coverage provided through an annual travel insurance policy also has limitations. For example, travel medical expenses and emergency medical evacuations have capped monetary limits. If the medical bills incurred during your travels cost more than the coverage you’ve purchased through your policy, you will have to cover the excess out-of-pocket. In addition, trip interruption benefits will cover a percentage of your non-refundable travel expenses, with the amount depending on your plan and provider.

According to Angela Borden, Product Marketing Specialist at Seven Corners, “One of the most common reasons for a denied claim is because a traveler misunderstood the details of their plan. If you have any questions about what’s covered, contact your provider. They’ll be able to address any concerns so that you can travel more confidently.”

We recommend you read through your annual travel policy documents thoroughly to understand the exclusions and limitations associated with your coverage. 

How To Buy Annual Travel Insurance

Purchasing an annual travel insurance policy is usually a straightforward process, as most providers allow you to get a quote and buy a policy entirely online. However, there are some specifics to pay attention to when purchasing a policy. 

Coverage Start and End Dates Vary

It is best practice to pay attention to when your coverage starts and ends with your chosen policy. Most providers specify the start date as when you begin your travels. Plans will likely end a year after your start date or when your benefits are exhausted, whichever comes first. Coverage for each trip cannot exceed the specified maximum length outlined in your policy, so take note of the stipulations around coverage start and end dates.

Understand the Claims Process

It can help to understand how to file a claim with your provider before an emergency occurs during your travels. Many companies allow you to file a claim online, but you can often speak with a claims representative during specified hours if you’d prefer to talk to someone over the phone. You’ll likely have to provide documentation for your claims, so we recommend you keep all receipts and other necessary documents during your travels.

Look for Add-On Options

Some annual travel insurance providers offer optional add-on coverages for an additional cost. You may find that you can customize your coverage limits as well. For example, Allianz and Seven Corners allow you to choose your trip cancellation coverage limits, but increasing the amount can result in an additional cost. Other companies, such as IMG, provide adventure sports riders for those looking to participate in activities such as paragliding, skydiving, windsurfing and more.

Is Annual Travel Insurance Worth It?

Annual travel insurance plans can be worth it for certain travelers . If you travel frequently for business or pleasure and prefer consistent, cost-effective insurance protection, an annual multi-trip policy may be the right choice for you over a single-trip policy. However, examining your unique coverage needs can help you better gauge whether you need a yearly policy.

“When you’ve made a financial investment in your trip or need to protect your health when you travel, travel insurance is 100% worth it. Travel insurance can reimburse you for prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses if you need to cancel or interrupt your trip for a covered reason. This means you get money back in your pocket if the unexpected happens. Travel insurance can also reimburse you if your belongings are lost, stolen, or damaged and you need to replace them during your trip.” Angela Borden, Product Marketing Specialist at Seven Corners

We encourage you to gather multiple annual travel insurance quotes from various providers, comparing the costs and coverage limits on each policy. This can help you choose the coverage that best fits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Annual Travel Insurance

What is the difference between annual multi-trip and long-stay trip insurance.

Annual multi-trip travel insurance covers multiple short-term trips — usually lasting 90 days or less — over the course of a year. Comparatively, long-stay trip insurance protects extended trips to one location and can be ideal for those working or studying abroad , taking a gap year and more.

Is an annual travel insurance plan worth it?

Annual travel insurance plans can be worth it for people who travel frequently and want affordable, consistent protection throughout the year. It may not be worth it for travelers looking for protections such as CFAR coverage or general trip cancellation benefits.

How much does annual trip insurance cost?

The average cost of annual trip insurance can range from $155 to $485 , based on quotes we gathered for multiple companies. The cost of an annual trip insurance policy will depend on factors such as your chosen plan, provider, coverage limits, add-on coverages and more. The best way to learn how much an annual multi-trip plan will cost you is to obtain free quotes from multiple providers.

Methodology: Our System for Rating Travel Insurance Companies

• A 30-year-old couple taking a $5,000 vacation to Mexico.
• A family of four taking an $8,000 vacation to Mexico.
• A 65-year-old couple taking a $7,000 vacation to the United Kingdom.
• A 30-year-old couple taking a $7,000 trip to the United Kingdom.
• A 19-year-old taking a $2,000 trip to France.
• A 27-year-old couple taking a $1,200 trip to Greece.
• A 51-year-old couple taking a $2,000 trip to Spain.
• Plan availability (10%): We look for insurers with a variety of travel insurance plans and the ability to customize a policy with coverage upgrades.
• Coverage details (29%): We review the baseline coverage each company offers in its cheapest comprehensive plan. A provider with robust coverage earns full points, including baggage delay and loss, COVID-19 coverage, emergency evacuation and medical coverage, trip delay and cancellation coverage, and more. Companies also receive points for offering a variety of policy add-ons like accidental death and dismemberment, extreme sports, valuable items, cancel for any reason coverage and more.
• Coverage times and amounts (34%): We compare each company’s waiting periods and maximum reimbursement amounts for baggage, travel and weather delays. Companies that offer customers reimbursement after fewer than 12 hours of delays earn full points in this category. We also reward travel insurance providers that cover more than 100% of trip costs in the event of cancellations or interruptions.
• Company service and reviews (17%): We look for indicators that a company is well-prepared to respond to customer needs. Companies with an established global resource network, 24/7 emergency hotline, mobile app, multiple ways to file a claim and concierge services score higher in this category. We assess reputation by evaluating consumer reviews, third-party financial strength and customer experience ratings, specifically from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

For more information, read our full travel insurance methodology.

A.M. Best Disclaimer

All you need to know about annual travel insurance policies

As demand for travel soars and everything from weather to staffing issues leads to higher prices and cancellations, it's more important than ever to protect your trip arrangements with travel insurance .

However, it's not always easy figuring out which type of plan to pick. There are standard policies that cover general delays, interruptions and cancellations; "cancel for any reason" plans that account for personal whims in addition to unforeseen circumstances; and lesser-known annual options.

In this article, I'll go over what you need to know about the third type: annual travel insurance coverage.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

What is annual travel insurance?

Annual travel insurance plans (also known as multi-trip plans) last for one year and generally cover all trips taken within that period until either the policy expires or the maximum payout amounts are reached. The policy usually kicks in for trips that take you more than a certain distance from home.

For example, my Allianz AllTrips Prime annual plan remains in effect for one year following the purchase date of my policy. I'm covered on all trips during which I'm at least 100 miles from my residence.

This differs from standard travel insurance, which is purchased on a per-trip basis and covers only one specifically insured journey per policy. Standard policies begin when travel for the insured trip begins and end when the insured trip ends, rather than covering multiple travel experiences within a specific period of time.

What does annual travel insurance cover?

Coverage depends on the plan you purchase. There are usually several tiers from which to choose, with the lowest offering the least coverage and the highest offering the most.

Using my policy as an example, I'm covered for up to $3,000 per year in trip interruption expenses, including hotel room coverage at $250 per night, which I used when I was recently isolated for 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19.

My policy also offers a $3,000 annual trip cancellation benefit, $20,000 in emergency medical coverage, $100,000 in emergency transportation (including medevac services), $45,000 in rental car theft and damage protection, $25,000 in travel accident coverage and $1,000 for essentials in the event of baggage loss or damage, along with a handful of other small benefits.

Note that many annual policies do not include things like "cancel for any reason" coverage or trip interruption benefits. If those items are important to you, check with your provider before making a purchase.

How much is an annual travel insurance policy?

Sure, an annual travel insurance policy may sound great, but how much does one cost? I was surprised to find that insuring your trips for a whole year with an annual policy is often not much more expensive than insuring one or two trips individually, depending on the options you select.

A decent annual travel insurance plan will likely set you back a couple hundred dollars. The more coverage you add, the more expensive the plan will become. The cost also changes depending on variables like your age and where you live.

The best thing to do is contact your preferred provider for a quote or check out an aggregator like InsureMyTrip to compare premiums.

Which companies offer annual travel insurance plans?

The Points Guy recommends the following travel insurance providers , all of which sell annual or semi-annual policies:

• Allianz Travel Insurance .
• Seven Corners .
• Travel Guard .
• World Nomads .

When should I purchase annual travel insurance?

There are several reasons why annual travel insurance might be better for you than separate policies for individual trips. If you travel a lot — more than two or three times annually — it could be more cost-effective than purchasing separate policies for each journey.

For me, it makes sense because I travel for a living, often taking a dozen or more trips each year. Also, much of my travel is comped, which makes insurance more difficult to acquire. (If I haven't paid for a cruise, flight or hotel, I can't attach a dollar amount to it and, therefore, often can't insure it. I also wouldn't be able to provide purchase receipts in the event something went wrong and had to file a claim.)

Other factors to consider include your health, how adventurous your travels might be, whether you have coverage as a credit card perk and how much your travel arrangements cost versus how much coverage you can get with an annual plan versus individual policies.

Another consideration right now is COVID-19. For me, the annual plan made sense because most of Allianz's individual plans don't cover issues linked to COVID-19. However, the annual coverage I purchased does.

Other things to know about annual travel insurance policies

Here are a few additional tidbits I learned after filing a trip interruption claim under my annual travel insurance policy. Keep them in mind when deciding if an annual policy is right for you.

• Before committing to the purchase of any travel insurance plan, make sure to inquire about specific components that are important to you. For me, those were COVID-19 coverage, trip interruption benefits and medevac coverage.
• Know that your coverage does not reset each time you travel when you opt for an annual policy. So, if you have a trip that goes awry, you file a claim and you max out the benefit allowed by your plan, you won't have that benefit available to you for the remainder of your policy year.
• Depending on your policy, you might have to return home between travel sessions in order for each trip to be covered. Taking several back-to-back trips could prevent them from qualifying for coverage under your annual insurance plan, so be sure to read the fine print, and plan accordingly.
• If you purchase annual or multi-trip travel insurance, keep your policy card and provider phone number with the other important documents you bring when you travel so they're easily accessible in a pinch.
• If you find yourself in a covered situation for which you'd like to seek reimbursement, keep all receipts and take photos that will help to support your claims when they're submitted.
• Don't assume all your expenses will be reimbursed, even if you think they'll be covered. It doesn't hurt to try, but in my case, my Allianz plan only partially covered the hotel expenses I submitted.

Best Annual Travel Insurance 2024 [Multi-Trip Insurance]

Home | Travel | Best Annual Travel Insurance 2024 [Multi-Trip Insurance]

When traveling abroad, get a policy from one of the  best travel insurance companies . Y ou can get a  5% discount   on Heymondo , the only insurance that pays medical bills upfront for you, HERE!

Annual travel insurance is the most convenient option for frequent travelers who want to travel stress-free and save some money at the same time. However, it is not the same as long-term travel insurance , which provides coverage for every day of a long-term trip that can last a year or longer.

Yearly travel insurance covers the multiple, shorter-term trips you take within 365 days so that you don’t have to waste time and money buying travel insurance for each individual trip. It’s not necessarily useful for every traveler, since you won’t need it if you only take a trip or two per year.

In my case, however, there is no doubt that I need annual holiday insurance since I have to travel to South America for work at least once a month, so I can save a ton by buying annual multi-trip travel insurance .

As you can see, I’m a frequent traveler, so eight months ago, I decided to buy multi-trip annual travel insurance and stop spending money on insurance for each individual trip.

If like me, you know that annual travel insurance is the right choice for you, then you shouldn’t settle for any less than the best annual travel insurance 2024 , Heymondo . Not only is Heymondo the best COVID-19 travel insurance , but it is also the only travel insurance annual company that pays travelers’ medical expenses upfront for them instead of making them file a claim.

5% OFF your travel insurance

Keep reading to find out more about what annual travel insurance is, how much travel annual insurance costs, and what different annual holiday insurance plans cover.

• What is annual travel insurance?
• Annual travel insurance price & comparison

Best annual travel insurance plans

• Annual travel insurance coverage

What is annual multi-trip travel insurance and how does it work?

Annual travel insurance is a type of travel insurance that covers each and every one of the trips you take within one year. During that year, you can take as many trips as you like, but there is a maximum number of days you will be covered per trip (30, 45, 60, or 90 days, depending on the annual travel insurance you choose).

The 365 days that your annual travel insurance policy covers will start from the start date of your first trip, so you can easily buy yearly travel insurance as soon as you start planning a trip.

When you leave your home country for your next destination, the day counter is reset, and your covered days start to run out. That doesn’t mean you can’t take a trip that is longer than what is stated in your policy, just that you will only be covered for the number of days specified in your policy.

For example, my Heymondo annual multi-trip insurance covers trips of up to 60 days, but if I travel for 68 days, the last eight won’t be covered by the policy. I would have to come back home and leave again for the maximum days counter to reset to zero.

To make sure you’re covered for all of your trips, every time you use your annual travel insurance coverage, you need to show a supporting document, such as a plane ticket, that proves the start date of your last trip.

However, keep in mind that you don’t have to notify your insurance provider every time you take a trip. You only have to show the proof of departure date when you need assistance from your annual travel insurance company.

Annual travel insurance vs. single trip

So what’s the difference between annual travel insurance vs. single trip insurance ? Annual multi-trip insurance is for people who travel frequently and know they will be traveling multiple times throughout the year. For instance, if you travel nationally or internationally once every two months or more, you should definitely consider multi-trip annual travel insurance .

On the other hand, single trip insurance is travel insurance for one trip at a time. If you know you won’t be traveling much or you only take one trip in a year, you need single trip insurance.

You may also be wondering, why is annual travel insurance cheaper than single trip ? Annual holiday insurance is more affordable for frequent travelers because it is cheaper to buy a 12-month travel insurance policy than it is to buy individual policies for each trip.

Who is multi-trip annual travel insurance for?

The following types of travelers often discover great benefits from purchasing annual travel insurance :

• Travel addicts who travel every chance they get.
• Couples in long-distance relationships who travel often to see each other.
• Sales team members that visit clients from time to time or attend fairs and shows in different countries.
• Athletes participating in international events.
• Members of associations that attend events periodically throughout the year.
• Photographers, international journalists, travel bloggers, and the like.
• International students, ex-pats, or international workers who return home at least every two months.

If you’re an ex-pat or international worker, or are looking for international student insurance , annual travel insurance can save you a lot of money. However, you should keep in mind that you will have to return home from time to time to extend your coverage. It may be more beneficial for you to buy long-term travel insurance instead.

In other words, don’t plan to use yearly travel insurance to take a gap year and travel the world or work abroad and not go home for a long time.

Cost of annual travel insurance

Your yearly travel insurance cost will depend on several factors, including your age, your nationality, the state you live in (if you live in the US), and the number of people who are covered by your annual travel insurance plan .

If you’re looking for cheap multi-trip insurance , just know that the younger you are and the fewer the people covered by your travel insurance annual plan , the more affordable your 1-year travel insurance worldwide will be .

Annual travel insurance comparison

To generate an annual multi-trip travel insurance comparison , I have used the example of a 30-year-old American citizen from Pennsylvania who is buying an annual travel insurance policy .

Now that you’ve seen an annual travel insurance comparison , I’m sure you’ll understand why I decided to buy Heymondo ’s annual multi-trip insurance : it has some of the highest coverage and maximum number of days per trip, and its price is lower than all the other annual multi-trip insurance plans .

Of course, all of these travel insurance annual plans are some of the best, so below I’ll get into the highlights of each of the best annual travel insurance plans .

1. Heymondo , the best annual travel insurance 2024

In search of the best annual travel insurance 2024 ? Look no further than Heymondo . Their Annual Multi-trip plan is the most affordable travel insurance annual plan but still offers some of the highest coverage and highest annual travel insurance maximum trip length .

The Annual Multitrip plan is available for travelers up to age 69, and travelers can take trips of up to 60 days. Heymondo provides the highest amount of coverage for trip cancellation and baggage loss, and their coverage in all other categories, including COVID-19, is excellent and comprehensive. You can even add Adventure Sports or Electronics coverage if you need it.

Best of all, you will never have to go through the tedious process of filing a claim to get reimbursed for medical expenses. Heymondo pays your medical expenses directly and upfront for you so that you don’t have to wait to get reimbursed.

Speaking of medical expenses, Heymondo’s only drawback is that there is a $100 deductible per claim for medical expenses and baggage loss. That means you will have to pay $100 per medical or baggage claim before Heymondo will start to pay for you.

I think that all of Heymondo’s amazing pros outweigh the cons, that is why this is the policy we have purchased for ourselves. Also, you can save 5% on Heymondo annual travel insurance with the annual travel insurance promo code link below.

2. Allianz , the best multi-trip annual travel insurance for seniors

Allianz is easily one of the best annual travel insurance for seniors since it covers travelers up to the age of 99. Travelers can travel for up to 45 days and still receive yearly travel insurance coverage .

Allianz’s AllTrips Prime plan provides great trip cancellation, trip interruption, and baggage loss coverage. Even better, there is no deductible for medical expenses, so if you get sick or injured, Allianz will cover everything for you.

With that being said, the AllTrips Prime plan offers the lowest amount of emergency medical expense and evacuation and repatriation coverage. It is also the most expensive annual travel insurance plan of the plans I compared. If you want to save money and get similar or better coverage for a lower price, Heymondo is a better option for you.

3. IMG , a cheap annual travel insurance

IMG offers one of the most affordably priced annual travel insurance plans , combined with excellent medical-related coverage. Its Patriot Multi-Trip International plan offers the highest amount of coverage for emergency medical expenses, trip interruption, and evacuation and repatriation.

The Patriot Multi-Trip International plan is intended for travelers under the age of 76 and is highly customizable since you can add Adventure Sports Rider or Evacuation Plus Rider coverage to your plan.

You can also choose between setting 30 days or 45 days as the maximum length for your trips, although choosing 45 days will add about $50 to your annual travel insurance price .

However, since IMG’s travel insurance annual plan offers low baggage coverage and no trip cancellation coverage, it is best for travelers who just want annual multi-trip travel medical insurance . It also has a very high deductible of $250 per covered illness, so that means every time you fall ill, you will have to pay $250 before IMG starts to cover your medical expenses.

If you want a lower deductible, similar coverage for a lower price, and direct medical expense payments, choose Heymondo ’s annual travel insurance plan instead.

4. AIG , the best annual holiday insurance for long trips

If you’re looking to go on longer trips, AIG ’s Travel Guard Annual Travel Plan is perfect for you, since your annual holiday insurance cover will extend to trips of up to 90 days. AIG’s annual travel insurance is also perfect for seniors because there is no age limit for travelers to be able to purchase a plan.

The Travel Guard Annual Travel plan offers solid baggage loss and evacuation and repatriation coverage. There is also no deductible for emergency medical expenses, so you won’t have to pay anything out of pocket to get covered.

Still, a big limitation of AIG’s annual travel insurance plan is the travel-related coverage. The Travel Guard plan offers no trip cancellation coverage and the lowest trip interruption coverage out of all the travel insurance annual plans I compared. Considering how expensive AIG’s yearly travel insurance plan is, particularly compared to its coverage, there’s no question that you’ll get more bang for your buck with a plan like Heymondo ’s.

What does annual travel insurance cover?

Whichever travel insurance annual plan you end up choosing, you need to make sure that you’re getting enough coverage for medical- and travel-related situations. Annual travel insurance coverage should include:

• Emergency medical expenses – medical coverage is an absolute requirement for the best annual holiday insurance. Make sure yours covers important medical expenses such as sudden illness, accidental injury, emergency dental treatment, hospitalization, and prescription drugs.
• Evacuation and repatriation – this type of coverage is crucial if you fall ill in a remote area and need to be transported to a faraway hospital or are so sick that you need to be transported back to your home country for treatment.
• Trip delays, interruptions, and cancellations – any sudden, unexpected event – serious illness, inclement weather, jury duty, unexpected job loss – can interrupt or change your travel plans, but trip delay, interruption, and cancellation coverage ensure that you will still get reimbursed for covered travel costs.
• Lost/damaged/stolen luggage – if anything happens to your belongings while you’re traveling, luggage coverage will allow you to get reimbursed so you can easily buy new toiletries and clothes.

You can also purchase travel annual insurance with sports coverage, cruise coverage, or even electronics coverage if you have more specific coverage needs.

One coverage aspect to note is that it can be more difficult for older travelers to find a multi-trip travel insurance policy since age limits tend to be lower for annual trip insurance than for single trip insurance. If you are an older traveler interested in buying an annual travel insurance plan , make sure to compare the price and coverage of annual travel insurance plans with the price and coverage of single trip insurance plans to see which works best for you.

Is annual travel insurance worth it?

Ultimately, yes, having annual travel insurance is worth it if you travel frequently and want to save time and money on purchasing travel insurance for every trip. If you only take a couple of trips a year, stick to single trip insurance.

For example, imagine that you are a US citizen who is going to take several trips over the next 365 days and buy individual travel insurance plans from Heymondo:

• Indonesia (2 weeks) – $ 70.75
• Iceland (4 days) – $ 26.04
• Spain (1 week) – $ 38.17
• Morocco (3 days) – $ 17.74
• United Kingdom (5 days) – $ 26.04
• Norway (4 days) – $ 26.04
• Brazil (1 week) – $ 38.17
• Mexico (1 week) – $ 38.17
• Argentina (1 week) – $ 38.17

If you paid for these policies individually, it would cost you $319.29.

If you bought an annual travel insurance plan from Heymondo to cover those same trips, you would pay $197.96. In other words, you would have all those trips covered by one policy, and you could take even more trips without paying any other travel insurance fees.

Of course, buying annual travel insurance only works out to be more affordable if you travel frequently enough within a year. Don’t bother buying annual multi-trip holiday insurance if you only plan on traveling once or twice a year.

If you’re still unsure about whether you need annual multi-trip travel insurance , get quotes for single trip insurance for all the trips you will take over the next 365 days and compare that total to your annual holiday insurance quote . If your single trip insurance total is greater than the annual travel insurance price , yearly travel insurance is the best option for you.

Don't miss a 5% discount on your HeyMondo travel insurance  

and the only one that pays all your medical bills upfront for you!

Ascen Aynat

One thought on “ Best Annual Travel Insurance 2024 [Multi-Trip Insurance] ”

Hey there, we are interested to purchase annual multitrip medical emergency travel insurance with specific COVID-19 cover rider. We are seniors, my DOB is April 20, 1946 and my wife’s is October 23, 1950. We reside in Canada and woud like to travel to Costa Rica in October 2020 and to Europe in 2021, if COVID-19 pandemic situation will permit. Your advice would be much appreciated.

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Best Annual Travel Insurance: Multi-Trip Coverage

On This Page

• Key takeaways

Compare annual travel insurance plans

Our picks for the best annual travel insurance plans of 2024, our methodology for choosing annual travel insurance providers, what is annual travel insurance, what does annual travel insurance cover, how much does annual travel insurance cost, annual travel insurance vs single-trip insurance, our top picks for single-trip plans, is annual travel insurance worth it, multi-trip insurance faq.

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Related topics

• Based on our research, the best annual travel insurance plans come from Trawick International & GeoBlue ( skip ahead to view these plans ).
• Annual travel insurance and multi-trip travel insurance are two different terms for a travel insurance plan that covers you on multiple different trips over the course of a year .
• Overall, annual travel insurance plans are typically cheaper than buying individual travel insurance polices for each trip . However, the coverage may be more limited.
• It’s important to understand your coverage needs before opting for a multi-trip travel insurance plan, as the inclusions vary greatly by provider .
• Annual travel insurance plans typically include medical-based coverage as a minimum, but may lack other coverage types like interruptions, cancellation, or baggage delay coverage.
• We recommend using using a comparison tool to find the best annual travel insurance plan for your needs. A comparison tool can show you quotes from multiple providers at once allowing you to quickly compare coverage and prices

An annual travel insurance plan, or multi-trip insurance plan, is a type of travel insurance policy that provides coverage for every trip you take over a period of up to 365 days.

While single-trip insurance is a great option for seldom travelers, multi-trip travel insurance might make more sense if you travel regularly.

Annual travel insurance policies can be ideal for:

• early retirees
• long-term travelers
• students abroad
• business travelers
• families who regularly bounce between countries and destinations

Annual travel insurance is not only convenient, but it can also be more cost-effective than buying a separate plan each time you travel. That said, not all travel insurance companies offer annual plans, and even then, some plans are different than others.

So, let’s get into it. You can find our top picks for the best annual travel insurance below.

Our top picks for the best annual travel insurance

• GeoBlue: Best for Basic Coverage on Trips Abroad
• Trawick International: Best Value for the Money
• Trawick International: Best Overall for Comprehensive Coverage
• GeoBlue: Best for High Medical Coverage
• Faye Travel Insurance: Best 6-Month Travel Insurance
• MedjetAssist: Best For Annual Membership
• Seven Corners: Best For Frequent Travelers

Best for Basic Coverage on Trips Abroad

Why we like it.

Editor's take

The GeoBlue Trekker Essential excl US plan is a great basic plan for frequent travelers who are looking for medical-related coverage when heading out of the U.S. for up to 70 days per trip and is also the most affordable plan on our list. With this plan, you can take an unlimited amount of trips during a year and stay covered as long as each trip lasts under the 70-day maximum.

With a robust $500,000 emergency medical coverage limit and a $250,000 medical evacuation limit, this policy should easily cover you in almost all medical scenarios should the worst happen abroad. This policy can also cover pre-existing health conditions which is a major plus for older travelers or those with health issues.

Limitations to this plan are that it only covers trips outside of the U.S. and does not include cancellation, interruption, or travel delay coverage. Therefore, if you plan to travel domestically or are keen on being covered for things not just related to travel health, you may want to look at other plans on our list, like the ones from Trawick International.

• Solid medical coverage limits
• Coverage for an unlimited number of trips
• Covers pre-existing medical conditions
• 24-hour assistance provided
• Money-back guarantee
• No cancelation/interruption coverage
• No coverage on trips within the U.S.
• Secondary medical coverage

Best Value for the Money

Trawick international.

This plan offers great value as it’s the second most affordable plan on the list and offers many different types of coverage. Where the Geo Blue Trekker Essential excl US plan only covers you outside the U.S., the Safe Travels Annual Basic plan from Trawick International offers coverage to both domestic and international destinations. It also goes several steps further from medical-only coverage and offers basic coverage for:

• Trip interruption
• Trip cancellation
• Travel delays
• Baggage delays
• Lost baggage and personal items
• Accidental death and dismemberment

That said, it is important to note that the medical coverage limits on this plan are lower than most. You will only be covered for up to $10,000 in medical treatments and $50,000 for medical evacuation. You also won’t be covered for pre-existing conditions. That makes this coverage ideal as a supplementary plan to your U.S. healthcare and perfect for domestic travel or travel in and around North America and the Caribbean.

• Great plan to have for basic coverage
• Covers domestic & international travel
• Diverse coverage and inclusions
• Cancelation & interruption coverage
• Lower medical coverage limits

Best Overall for Comprehensive Coverage

The Safe Travels Annual Deluxe plan from Trawick International is aptly named as it represents the most deluxe and comprehensive annual travel insurance plan on our list. It’s important to note that its sister plan (the Trawick Safe Travels Annual Basic) is our choice for the best value plan thanks to the coverage it provides for the price. However, if you want to be fully covered on your trip, the Safe Travels Annual Deluxe plan is the one to go for. It offers everything that the Basic plan offers, just with higher coverage limits.

With this plan, you get international and domestic travel coverage for medical treatment and evacuation. While the medical limits are lower than other plans, they should be enough for the majority of situations domestically and abroad.

The Deluxe plan also offers coverage for any delayed trips, with an allowance of $500 per trip. The plan also includes hurricane and weather cover, up to the maximum benefit shown on the confirmation of coverage - ideal for those traveling to volatile weather destinations.

Travelers looking to cover any possibility of baggage delays or loss of items during their travels will be pleased to see that the Safe Travels Annual Deluxe plan provides both. Policyholders will be entitled to a daily cover of $200 for delays of baggage and a $150 per item cover on all lost items during travel.

With medical coverage for COVID-19 included in the Emergency Medical Coverage, the Safe Travels Annual Deluxe plan provides great peace of mind when traveling in the post-COVID world.

• Includes emergency medical evacuation coverage
• Covers interruption and cancelation of the trip
• Offers hurricane and weather coverage
• Offers sports and activities coverage
• Medical limits are low for international trips

Best for High Medical Coverage

The GeoBlue Trekker Choice excl US plan is one of the best multi-trip plans for travelers needing high medical coverage limits for trips outside the U.S. With this plan, you will get up to a million dollars worth of emergency medical coverage and $500,000 of medical evacuation and repatriation coverage. These levels are some of the highest in the industry and can ensure you are covered in almost all medical scenarios. Added to this extensive list is a 24-hour accidental death and dismemberment coverage and sports coverage, ensuring you are fully prepared for any eventuality. This plan is a step up from the Trekker Essential excl US offering higher medical coverage and coverage for lost baggage and equipment. All of these coverage inclusions make this an ideal plan for adventure travel and travel to remote areas of the globe. As with the Trekker Essential excl US, this plan does not offer coverage for trips within the U.S., cancellation or interruption coverage, nor on trips lasting longer than 70 days.

• High medical coverage limits
• Accidental death & dismemberment coverage
• Baggage and personal items loss coverage
• Covers some sports & adventure activities
• No coverage for trips within the U.S.
• No cancelation or interruption coverage

Best 6-Month Travel Insurance

Faye Travel Insurance

Faye is a new travel insurance disruptor that offers an innovative solution to travel insurance with a digital-first approach. What sets them apart is their user-friendly solution to a traditionally bureaucratic system. With Faye, users can manage everything online or via the Faye app – including the entire booking and claims process.

Although it’s a newer provider in the travel insurance industry, Faye is already rising as a fan favorite among young, tech-savvy travelers and digital nomads who want quick, convenient, and reliable travel insurance without having to go through an agent.

Apart from their online-first approach, Faye is easy to use and caters to all types of travelers including those who may want help via phone support.

Another feature that sets Faye apart from the competition is their plan offerings. Faye offers one base plan with an array of comprehensive coverage and optional add-ons to customize your plan.

Potential add-ons include:

• Rental car care
• Cancel for any reason
• Vacation rental damage
• Adventure & extreme sports

If you are looking for a convenient and cost-effective way to insure your vacation, consider opting for Faye travel insurance. *Note: Coverage limits and availability may vary by state of residence.

Read our full review

• Friendly agents
• Easy-to-use mobile app
• Fast reimbursements for eligible claims
• Prompt replies to questions
• Long wait times for reimbursement
• Difficulty reaching Faye outside of email & virtual chat

Best For Annual Membership

Medjetassist.

MedJet Assist is a membership plan that ensures individuals get the medical evacuation help they need when they need it. Paying for membership ensures travelers get help arranging medical transfers regardless of medical necessity, and it lets members determine which medical facility they want to be moved to. This plan works for medical evacuation within the United States and abroad, and it can be purchased for short-term travel or longer trips.

While the traditional MedJet Assist plan includes coverage for medical evacuation, the upgraded MedJetHorizon plan also adds in worldwide travel security, crisis response, and evacuation services powered by FocusPoint International. This add-on coverage can help pay for evacuation in the event of terrorism, natural disasters, and violent crime.

• Available for short-term or long-term travel
• Can cover pricey evacuation expenses when you need medical care
• Covers both personal and business travel
• Membership covers each trip you take during its term
• Short-term memberships start at just $99
• Does not include traditional travel insurance benefits
• Does not cover transportation from the site of an accident (medical facility transfers only)
• Covers up to two transport events per year

Best For Frequent Travelers

Seven corners.

Seven Corners’ Trip Protection Annual Multi-Trip plan allows you to travel as many times as you’d like throughout the year under one policy. With $250,000 worth of medical coverage ($50,000 for New Hampshire residents), you are protected should the worst happen during your trip.

Alongside this standard medical coverage, the Trip Protection Annual Multi-Trip plan covers emergency dental expenses up to $750 and coverage for COVID-19-related illnesses.

This plan enables you to choose from four levels of trip cancellation coverage: $2,500; $5,000; $7,500; and $10,000. Trip interruption coverage also provides up to 150% of the trip cancellation limit and up to $1,000 of missed connection coverage per year.

• $250,000 for emergency medical expenses
• Travel multiple times a year
• 24/7 emergency travel assistance included
• Provides primary coverage up to $500,000 for emergency evacuation
• Customizable benefit levels
• Coverage only applies to trips up to 40 days
• Deductible up to $100 for emergency medical coverage

When choosing our top annual travel insurance providers, balancing the many factors that makeup insurance policies is important. By pinpointing criteria such as cost, coverage amounts, types of coverage, and customizability, we were able to highlight the best annual travel insurance plans of 2024. Here is a simple breakdown of the criteria used to select our top insurance plans:

• Types of coverage: Annual travel insurance can often be limited in its type of coverage. With these chosen plans, we have tried to select policies that cover essential areas such as medical evacuation and emergency medical assistance, at a minimum.
• Coverage amounts: Taking out an annual travel insurance plan is useless if the coverage amounts are too low. Based on this, we have chosen insurance plans that provide reasonable coverage limits.
• Value: As this type of insurance plan can be more expensive than a single-trip plan, it was important to recognize providers that are able to offer more coverage at a lower price than other competitors.  

It is important to note that annual travel insurance is a niche market and there are not tons of policies available. To add to that, annual travel insurance policies often offer limited coverage options. Therefore, we have looked for policies and providers that meet our requirements for the necessary minimum coverage. In this case, we focused on providers that offered emergency medical coverage and medical evacuation coverage as a minimum.  

Annual travel insurance, also known as multi-trip travel insurance, is a type of travel insurance policy that covers you for multiple trips throughout the year. It’s important to highlight the difference between multiple trips throughout the year, and taking a single trip that visits multiple destinations.

Under annual travel insurance policies, you are able to leave your home country, take a trip abroad, return home, and repeat the process several times throughout the year. Each of these single trips, regardless of the time in between, will be covered under an annual/multi-trip travel insurance policy. 

On the other hand, a single-trip insurance plan covers you for one single trip, regardless of whether this journey includes more than one country or destination (i.e. backpacking through Europe)

With a single-trip policy, your coverage begins once you leave home and ends as soon as you return whereas with an annual/multi-trip policy, your coverage starts and stops each time you travel.

Some annual travel insurance plans are medical plans only, meaning they provide coverage for medical care that is required during travel but not much else.

That said, some annual travel insurance plans, including some mentioned above, offer comprehensive coverage with benefits for trip cancellation and interruption, travel delays, lost and delayed baggage, and more. However, it requires a cancellation reason covered by the policy. Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage can be added to most plans.

Choosing between either annual travel medical insurance or a more comprehensive option will depend on your needs and how much you are willing to spend.

• Cheaper than buying multiple single-trip plans
• The convenience of buying one plan vs. many separate ones
• Ideal option for frequent travelers
• Limited coverage options vs. single-trip plans
• Fewer plans to choose from
• Unlikely to uniquely tailored to each individual trip

All annual multi-trip travel insurance plans include coverage for medical expenses , including protection for any medical emergency that occurs.

However, coverage limits vary by plan, and some travel insurance plans offer considerably higher limits than others (even up to $1 million).

 Other common benefits of annual travel insurance plans include:

• Coverage for emergency medical evacuation: Emergency medical evacuation coverage, also known as medevac, is insurance that covers emergency transportation when you become ill or injured away from home.   
• Protection for repatriation of remains : A repatriation of remains policy provides coverage for the transportation of the policyholder’s bodily remains to their country of residence - should they result in death from a covered illness or injury. 
• Insurance for medical expenses due to COVID: This coverage allows the policyholder to be insured for any medical expenses caused by the Coronavirus/SARS-CoV-2.
• Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage : AD&D coverage pays benefits should the policyholder experience an accidental death or dismemberment. This also includes the loss, or loss of use, of body parts or limb functions.  

It’s important to note that some traditional travel insurance benefits are often not included in annual plans. This all depends on the travel insurance provider you’re considering and the multi-trip plans they have on offer. This being said, it is not a given that the following insurance benefits will be absent from any annual travel insurance policy.

Here are some traditional travel insurance benefits you may get with an annual travel insurance policy:

• Trip cancellation coverage : Trip cancellation coverage will financially cover you should any unforeseen circumstance prevent you from making your planned trip.
• Trip interruption coverage: This insurance policy will reimburse you for any unused, prepaid, or nonrefundable expenses should you be required to cut your trip short.
• Insurance for travel delays: If you experience flight or travel delays, your policy will cover you for certain expenses such as cancelation fees or unused activities.
• Protection for lost or delayed baggage: This policy allows you to claim the cost of any lost or delayed luggage en route to your travel destination.
• Coverage for missed connections : If your flight, train, boat, or any other predetermined mode of travel is delayed, this insurance policy will cover the cost of any additional transport needed to complete your trip.

To give you an idea of the cost of a travel insurance plan with annual coverage, we applied for quotes from all the top travel insurance companies included in this guide.

The quotes we received were for a multi-trip plan lasting for up to one year and aimed to cover two 45-year-old citizens of the United States.

While included benefits and coverage limits vary among these plans, the chart below shows the average premium cost for each provider meeting these criteria.

While these price examples can offer insight into ballpark figures for what an annual plan could potentially cost, it’s important to note that the cost of travel insurance varies based on many factors, such as your age, destination of choice, state of residence, and more.

Therefore, we recommend getting a quick personalized quote using a comparison tool. This can allow you to see several plans and prices all at once that are valid for your personal trip parameters.

Is it cheaper to buy annual travel insurance vs. single-trip insurance?

An annual policy intends to cover multiple trips over a period that may last up to one year. Therefore, the cost is higher. However, it’s important to consider all of the destinations you plan to visit before purchasing travel insurance for a year.

If you plan on staying in the same destination for the duration of your trip, such as a vacation to Bali , or are taking a cruise once a year, then buying affordable travel insurance for a single trip, monthly travel insurance, or a cruise insurance plan will likely be less expensive than buying an annual plan. Apart from that, single-trip travel insurance plans tend to have more types of coverage included overall. It is important to mention that many multi-trip insurances oftentimes exclude seniors and people 60+ years old. In that case, it is highly recommended to compare single-trip plans or senior insurance offers .

However, if you plan on visiting multiple destinations or countries throughout the year, an annual plan with travel insurance for one year may make more sense. If you have a list of your destinations, try searching what several single plans would cost compared to an annual multi-country travel insurance plan.

For international trips where you may need travel insurance for multiple countries, single plans will be more expensive than if you were to buy single plans for US destinations.

If you are a spontaneous traveler and want the freedom to know you will be covered regardless of where you decide to travel, opting for a multi-trip insurance plan can save you time and money.

As mentioned before, annual travel insurance is right for people who travel frequently, such as digital nomads, business people, retirees, students abroad, etc.

Here are some examples of people who may and may not benefit from annual trip insurance:

An annual travel insurance policy may be right for you if you meet the following criteria:

• You take at least four or five separate trips that keep you on the road (or in the air) almost year-round
• You travel often and frequently at the last minute and you want a travel insurance policy that is always in force
• You want to limit your out-of-pocket expenses by purchasing a single travel plan once per year
• You have a pre-existing condition and you want to ensure you have medical coverage when you travel abroad
• You want  coverage for COVID-19  when you travel abroad

You may want to opt for a sing-trip plan if you meet the following criteria:

• You only take a few trips each year
• You only plan to travel within the US
• You travel within the U.S. and you have a health insurance plan that applies nationwide
• You prefer to customize each travel policy you buy with select add-ons

Seven Corners Trip Protection Choice

• Overall trip cost
• Travel delays & stipends
• Baggage & equipment loss/damage
• Emergency medical expenses

Tin Leg Gold

• Accidental death & dismemberment
• Medical coverage for COVID-19 sickness
• Pre-existing conditions (when meeting waiver criteria)
• Sports & adventure (exclusions apply)

Trawick International Safe Travels Voyager

• Hurricane & Weather
• Financial Default
• Baggage and personal items loss up to $2,500
• Baggage delay coverage up to $600 per person

Investing in an annual travel insurance plan can be well worth it if you travel often and want to ensure you have coverage each time you do.

Having an annual plan in place means you don’t have to get a new travel insurance quote for each trip you take. Instead, you can pay an upfront premium once and get coverage that lasts for multiple trips.

That said, it’s worth noting that some year long travel insurance plans are limited to medical-only coverage. Therefore, we recommend looking for annual plans with comprehensive coverage if you want protection against travel delays, trip cancellation and interruption, lost or delayed baggage, and other risks.

We suggest researching the travel insurance companies in our guide and comparing their plans side-by-side. From this annual travel insurance comparison, you can get a few quotes for the types of trips you want to take. Don’t settle on a travel insurance policy until you find one with the included coverages and benefits you need.

Ultimately, whether or not to purchase a multi-trip travel insurance plan will depend on your specific travel habits and how much you want to spend.

Jon Morgan's experience buying annual travel insurance:

“I find myself traveling quite frequently for business meetings, conferences, and networking events. Having an annual plan seemed like the most practical choice because it provides continuous coverage for all my trips throughout the year.

It just saves me from the hassle of purchasing separate insurance every time I travel, which, trust me, can get quite overwhelming with my schedule.

I would definitely buy an annual plan again . It just simplifies my life and ensures I’m protected every time I step out for a business trip.

The thought that I won’t be financially burdened if something goes wrong is a huge relief. Having the peace of mindknowing that I’m covered in case of trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or unexpected events during my travels is priceless.” –  Jon Morgan

When should I purchase annual travel insurance?

You can purchase travel insurance any time of the year as it typically lasts 364 days after the date of purchase. However, many people start a new travel insurance annual plan at the beginning of the calendar year so as never to be left without one by forgetting when to renew.

Do I need to know how many trips I will take before I buy annual travel insurance?

You typically aren’t required to give all your destinations when signing up for an annual travel insurance plan. However, regarding price, single travel insurance plans can be cheaper and more comprehensive. Therefore, we recommend annual travel insurance if you take at least four or five separate trips each year. Ultimately, these yearly travel insurance plans are geared toward jetsetters, expats, and business travelers.

What is the difference between annual travel insurance and multi-trip travel insurance?

Annual travel insurance and multi-trip travel insurance are essentially the same thing. Annual travel insurance typically lasts for up to 364 days, whereas some multiple-trip plans last for a shorter duration. Make sure to compare travel insurance plans that make sense for how long and how often you plan to travel.

What companies offer annual travel insurance?

Top providers that offer annual travel insurance plans include Allianz, GeoBlue, HTH Travel Insurance, IMG, Seven Corners, and WorldTrips.

Do you have to pay all at once?

Annual trip insurance plans require you to pay a single premium all at once. However, this means you shouldn’t have to pay any more travel insurance premiums for up to one year.

Holly D. Johnson is an award-winning personal finance writer who covers topics like insurance, investing, credit and family finance. As a leading voice in the travel and loyalty space, Johnson has traveled with her family to more than 50 countries over the last decade.

The author has also written extensively on the power of household budgeting, and she even co-authored a book on the topic. Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You’ll Love was originally published in 2017, and it teaches families how to use zero-sum budgeting to reach their financial goals. She is also the co-owner and founder of the family finance and travel website, ClubThrifty.com.

Johnson’s 10+ years of writing have focused on helping families make important financial decisions at each stage of their lives. The author also applies the financial principles she teaches to her own life, and she is currently on track to retire in her late 40’s with her partner. She currently lives in Central Indiana with her husband and children, and she is a regular contributor for Bankrate, CNN, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report Travel and many other notable publications.

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June 1, 2020

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

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

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Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please see your plan for full details. Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply.

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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Annual Travel Insurance

Get coverage for multiple trips under one policy. Annual travel insurance policies are a convenient and cost-effective travel insurance option for frequent travelers.

Annual policies are a cost-effective way to get most travel insurance benefits on one policy for several trips.

Annual policies are well-suited for frequent leisure and business travelers taking multiple short trips.

Most annual travel insurance plans include generous medical coverage, among other important benefits.

Annual Travel Insurance Benefits

Is an Annual Travel Insurance Policy Worth It?

An annual policy is recommended for:

Leisure or business travelers taking multiple short trips over the course of one year

Frequent international travelers who need medical coverage while overseas

Travelers who don’t need high Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption coverage

An annual policy is not recommended for:

Travelers who will only be traveling once or twice over the course of a year

Travelers taking extended trips, lasting longer than 90 days

Travelers with existing travel insurance coverage through a credit card

Annual policies are designed to provide long-term travel insurance benefits for travelers taking two or more trips throughout a 12-month time period. Rather than purchasing individual policies for each trip, travelers can purchase an annual plan and be covered for all trips taken within a year.

To get started, travelers should enter their intended coverage start date, their maximum trip length, their state of residence, and a few other key details. Keep in mind, most annual policies cover trips up to 30 days, while some more lenient policies will allow up to a 90-day trip length.

In general, these plans are ideal for frequent travelers looking for medical coverage while abroad. Some policies will also include coverage for trip delays and cancellations, as well as add additional policy upgrades such as pre-existing condition coverage.

Travelers who need to insure a high trip cost, have specific cancellation needs, or need medical benefits for an extended trip should not purchase an annual travel insurance policy. Travelers who do not meet the recommendations for an annual policy should consider a single trip policy. Single trip travel insurance policies can cover longer trips and provide travelers with comprehensive coverage that includes cancellation, medical, delay, and other important benefits.

Likewise, annual policies are not recommended for travelers taking a cruise , participating in adventure and hazardous sports , or traveling with a large group , as these situations are better covered by other travel insurance policy types.

How Does Annual Travel Insurance Work?

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Travel Guard®

Annual Travel Insurance Plan

Year-round coverage for your travel investments.

The Travel Guard Annual Plan is not available for residents in WA.

Do you find yourself traveling so often your hotel feels like home? Whether traveling for business or leisure, the Travel Guard Annual Plan may be just what you need to cover your travel investments. Get essential coverage for multiple trips throughout the year. You’ll not only get 24/7 emergency travel assistance services, but coverage for medical expenses, Trip interruption, lost or delayed Baggage, and medical evacuations. Travel Guard has over 40 years of experience and has covered millions of travelers. Our Annual Plan delivers the coverage you are looking for.

Perfect for travelers with multiple trips

Annual Plan Standard Coverages

For complete coverage information and exclusions, please refer to the Policy of  Insurance for your state of residence prior to purchase.

Trip Interruption: Up to 100% of Insured Trip Cost

Reimburses nonrefundable, Unused payments or deposits if you must interrupt your Trip due to an illness, Injury, or death of you, a Family Member, Traveling Companion or Business Partner, or for other covered reasons. Maximum of $2,500

Trip Delay: Up to $1,500

Reimburses up to $150 per day for Reasonable Additional Expenses until travel becomes possible if your Trip is delayed for more than 5 hours due to covered reasons.

Missed Connection: Up to $500

Reimburses you if Inclement Weather or Common Carrier causes cancellation or a delay to your point of departure of regularly scheduled airline flights for three or more hours. Does not apply if you do not leave adequate time between connecting flights.

Baggage Coverage: Up to $2,500

Reimburses you if your luggage is lost, damaged, or stolen while on your Trip.

Baggage Delay: Up to $1,000

Reimburses you for the purchase of necessary personal effects if your bags are delayed for more than 12 hours.

Travel Medical Expense/Dental Expense: Up to $50,000/$500

Travel Medical Expense pays for medical expenses incurred due to a Sickness or Injury that happens while on a Trip. A $500 sub-limit applies for dental expenses.

Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains: Up to $500,000

Covers evacuation expenses as directed by a Physician to the nearest adequate medical facility or home in the event of death or if medically required. Max of two evacuations.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment: Up to $50,000

Pays for loss of life and limb if it occurs within 365 days of an accident during your Trip.

Security Evacuation: Up to $100,000

Coverage for security evacuation or Trip Interruption due to a riot, civil disorder, or Natural Disaster.

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Coverage available to U.S. residents of the U.S. states and District of Columbia only. This plan provides insurance coverage that only applies during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home, and automobile insurance policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer or insurance agent or broker. Coverage is offered by Travel Guard Group, Inc. (Travel Guard). California lic. no.0B93606, 3300 Business Park Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54482, travelguard.com . CA DOI toll free number: 800-927-HELP . This is only a brief description of the coverage(s) available. The Policy will contain reductions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions. Insurance underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., a Pennsylvania insurance company, with its principal place of business at 1271 Avenue of the Americas, 37th FL, New York, NY 10020-1304. It is currently authorized to transact business in all states and the District of Columbia. NAIC No. 19445. Coverage may not be available in all states. Your travel retailer may not be licensed to sell insurance, and cannot answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. The purchase of travel insurance is not required in order to purchase any other product or service from the Travel Retailer.

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Annual travel Insurance Quotes

Please Note - If you are cruising around Australia you need to select Pacific. With Regions, variances can apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East. You are not required to enter stop-over countries if your stop-over is less than 48 hours.

If you don’t know where you’re traveling to within the next 12 months, choose Worldwide to ensure you’re covered no matter where you go. If you’re travelling to multiple countries choose the region that you are visiting that is furthest away (excluding stopovers less than 48 hours). In most cases you will be covered for the closer regions as well. For example, if you choose Europe, you will also be covered in the Middle East, Asia and Pacific.

Worldwide means anywhere in the world

Americas means USA, Canada, South America, Latin America, Hawaii and the Caribbean

Europe means all European countries, including UK

Middle East refers to the area from Syria to Yemen; Egypt to Iran

Asia generally means Asia and the Indian subcontinent. For some insurers this excludes Japan*

Pacific means the South West Pacific, Australia and Indonesia/Bali*. Select Pacific for domestic cruises in New Zealand waters

New Zealand means domestic travel within New Zealand only

*Note: Variances apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and Middle East. Check that your destination is covered once directed to your chosen insurer’s site.

We compare quotes from over 25 travel insurance brands in Australia. Do your comparison online to save time, worry and loads of money.

COMPARE TRAVEL INSURANCE IS LOVED BY FREQUENT FLYERS

No Hidden Fees

Travel agents and airlines charge huge commissions. We don’t! Our frequent travel insurance comparison is free to use. You'll be directed to the insurer's website to buy travel insurance without any sneaky charges. We promise!

Great Prices

If you have a serious case of wanderlust, an annual policy might be just the ticket for you. Get cover for an unlimited number of trips in 12 months for one price. You’ll be sure to save a bucket too!

Product Choice

We compare heaps of policies for all types of travellers from some of Australia’s most reputable travel insurers. We compare  25+ insurance brands  including, 1Cover, Amex, Budget Direct, Zoom & more!

The world is your oyster

Want annual cover, but not 100% sure where you’re going over the course of the year? No worries, just buy a Worldwide policy and you’re free to roam wherever and whenever you wish. #wanderlust

Frequent Flyers Points

Jetsetters can find a policy that will cover for flight cancellations (for unforeseen reasons) even if tickets were booked using points.

Spontaneous Trips

Lightbulb moment - lets go on holiday!! With an annual policy you don’t need to tell your insurer each time you travel. Say hello to spontaneity :)

Travel Insurance Extraordinarie At Your Service

So many places to go and such little time! Eugene has the answers to all sorts of travel insurance quirks to save you time, worry and loads of money. Use our quick search for frequent travellers below.

what is annual travel insurance?

An annual travel insurance policy is for travellers who leave home multiple times a year on shorter trips. This differs from a year-long single trip policy, which provides continuous cover for you to be away from home for one twelve-month long trip. Annual travel insurance policies have different maximum trip duration limits - that is, the maximum number of days you can spend overseas before you have to come home again. For example, if you purchase a 30-day annual travel insurance policy, you can go on a ten-day trip to Bali for a friend's wedding in April, go on a seven-day Pacific cruise in July, go trekking for three weeks in New Zealand and have a month-long break over Christmas in the USA, and they can all be covered under the one policy. Check out our guide on annual travel insurance and the limits that apply. If you don’t know where you’re travelling to within the next 12 months, choose Worldwide to ensure you’re covered no matter where you go. If you’re travelling to multiple countries choose the appropriate region for your trip. Stopovers of less than 48 hours generally do not need to be included (excluding USA and Canada). Worldwide  means anywhere in the world Americas  means USA, Canada, South America, Latin America, Hawaii and the Caribbean Europe  means all European countries, including UK Middle East  refers to the area from Syria to Yemen; Egypt to Iran Asia  generally means Asia and the Indian subcontinent. For some insurers, this excludes Japan* Pacific  means the South-West Pacific, New Zealand and Indonesia/Bali*. Select Pacific for domestic cruises in Australian waters Australia  means domestic travel within Australia only *Some variances apply for Bali, Indonesia, Japan and the Middle East. Check that your destination is covered once directed to your chosen insurer’s site. Depending on your circumstances, such as your age, and your trip durations and destinations, it can sometimes be cheaper to buy two or three single trip policies than an annual policy, so there are savings to be made by shopping around and comparing your options. Are you a frequent traveller considering an annual travel insurance policy? Check out our top tips for regular jetsetters:

Tips for frequent travellers

What activities are covered?

Are you a self-confessed adrenaline junkie? If you’re planning on doing some risky activities on your trip make sure you know if they’re covered, as not all of them are!

Annual travel insurance guide

Taking two or more flights per year?  An annual multi-trip policy is the convenient way to be covered all year round, no matter where you travel.  Learn the ins and outs of annual travel insurance with our guide.

Pre-existing medical conditions

Having pre-existing medical conditions doesn't mean you can't get cover or that it has to be expensive. It simply means that you need to dig a little deeper when doing your research.

Annual INSURANCE faqS

What does annual travel insurance mean.

This may seem like a silly question, but believe it or not, it confuses a lot of travellers! A multi-trip policy, also known as a frequent traveller policy covers you for an unlimited number of short trips throughout the year. Not to be confused with a single-trip policy which is one trip that lasts anywhere from 2 days to 12 months in duration.

Can I buy an annual multi-trip policy at any age?

No, annual multi-trip policies tend to have age limits of around 65 years. Check out our annual travel insurance guide to learn more. Use our quote box above to compare frequent traveller policies to see what cover is available for your age.

How many trips can I take a year with annual cover?

As many as you like! That's the beauty of this product. There are no restrictions on the number of holidays you can take in a year, and you don't even need to tell your insurer each time you take a trip. 

Are there trip duration limits?

Yes, that's the catch! When purchasing an annual policy, you must allocate a maximum trip duration which means you cannot go on holiday for more days than specified. See our guide for annual policy trip limits .

Am I covered for business and leisure trips?

Most insurers cover you whether you're travelling for business or pleasure but the benefits may vary. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” travel insurance for business travellers  so it would pay to contact your insurer directly if you had something specific in mind.  Some insurers offer annual business or corporate travel insurance and b usiness equipment may not be covered under personal policies if you're not personally out of pocket. What pre-existing illnesses does frequent travel insurance cover?

Most insurers have a list of pre-existing medical conditions that are automatically covered for free like asthma, cataracts, some types of diabetes, hypertension which do not require an assessment or declaration form to be submitted. If you have a pre-existing medical condition not listed, you may be able to get cover for an additional fee.  If you develop an illness lets say six months into your annual policy, you must tell your insurer as that condition would be considered pre-existing the next time you decide to take a trip. See more about pre-existing conditions and medical assessments here. 

Travel Insurance Reviews

If you're travelling with one travel insurance policy for a whole year, you're going to want peace of mind that you've got the right one for you and your needs. So if you've read the PDS and still can't decide, consider checking out the thousands of reviews left by Aussie travellers about their experience with their travel insurer. Were they helpful on the phone? Was their website easy to use? And most importantly, how did they go when customers needed to claim?  

If you're a frequent traveller, $1000 cash might come in handy, so if you've had a positive or negative experience with your travel insurer, let us know and you'll go in the draw to win! Terms and conditions apply.

Our Travel Insurance Comparision Helps You

Save time, worry and loads of money.

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Comparetravelinsurance.com.au is Australia’s leading comparison site solely focused on travel insurance.

Our comparison is a free service that allows users to compare quotes in a few simple steps based on limited personal criteria. Comparisons supplied are not a recommendation or opinion about the suitability of a policy for a user. Comparisons are default ranked according to price and users have the ability to sort by popular cover levels. Whilst we compare a vast range of policies, we do not compare all providers in the market. This site compares the following brands: 1Cover, AllClear, Budget Direct, Downunder, Fast Cover Travel Insurance, Insure4Less, InsureandGo, iTrek, Simply Travel Insurance, Ski-Insurance, Travel Insurance Saver, Travel Insuranz, Wise Traveller, Zoom Travel Insurance . The directors and shareholders are common with companies i-Trek Pty Ltd, Zoom Travel Insurance and 1Cover Pty Ltd including it’s subsidiary brand Ski-insurance. CoverDirect takes all reasonable care when preparing this information but does not warrant its accuracy. Pricing information is supplied by the providers who participate on this site and should be verified with the insurer before you purchase. This site links users to the website of the provider to verify quotes and access the relevant PDS to understand what is, and is not, covered by a policy prior to purchase.

CoverDirect Pty Ltd owns and operates this website under AFS Licence 383590.  Located at Level 12, 338 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia.

For further information view our FSG and Terms of Use . Contact us by calling 1300 659 411.

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More From Forbes

Planning a vacation here’s your 2024 summer travel insurance guide.

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The joy of a summer vacation. But do you have protection for your trip?

Planning a vacation this summer? Yeah, you and just about everyone else.

More than 9 out of 10 Americans say they'll travel more this year, according to a recent Nationwide Travel Insurance survey . Most of those trips will happen in June, July and August.

Not just that, but 40 percent of the respondents say they'll spend more this year than last year. So how do you protect your vacation investment?

Travel insurance is the standard answer, but what kind of insurance — and how do you find it? That's the question many Americans are wrestling with as they make their travel plans.

Protecting your vacation is a serious concern this summer, experts say.

“Travelers are beefing up their trip protection with security advisory and extraction protection," notes Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies .

It's not just that they're spending more. It's that there's more to lose. The ongoing war in Ukraine, the Hamas attacks on Israel, and other violent conflicts have made travel insurance a key part of trip planning.

This summer may break travel records, experts say.

Apple Confirms Innovative iPhone 16 Pro Upgrade

Wwe smackdown results winners and grades after wrestlemania 40, ‘civil war’ star on why the film’s president is not based on donald trump, it's going to be a busy summer for travel.

Overall policy sales for the 2024 summer travel season are up this year, but there's a spike in sales for policies in August, which is typically the busiest time of the summer. "Sales are up more than 25% over last year," says Stan Sandberg, co-founder of travel insurance site TravelInsurance.com .

Western Europe continues to be the most popular summer destination for Americans, with some notable hotspots. Travel insurance sales for Greece are up over 60% this year compared with 2023, followed by Norway and Portugal, which are up 57% and 52%, respectively, according to Sandberg.

Everyone's travel insurance needs are different, according to the pros.

What should you insure when you travel this summer?

Laura Heidt, the insurance desk manager for Brownell Travel in Birmingham, Ala., says there are some things every travel insurance policy should cover this summer.

"I always recommend people insure for the unexpected, such as flight delays, missed connections and medical coverage while out of the country," she says. "If you are willing to forgo the cancellation and delay coverages, which are typically the most expensive parts of a policy, you should still, absolutely, cover yourself with at least the medical component."

Heidt says she's seen a 10% boost in travel insurance sales for this summer compared with the same time last year, and many people are opting for the pricier "cancel for any reason" policies, which allow you to cancel your trip and receive a partial refund of your prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses.

Travel insurance companies are seeing a similar trend.

"A majority of travelers choose a comprehensive travel insurance plan which includes coverage for trip cancellation, emergency medical, lost or delayed baggage and delay," explains Tim Dodge, vice president of marketing at Arch RoamRight .

He says this year, travelers are purchasing travel insurance on average within 11 days of their trip deposit to receive the additional benefit of the waiver exclusion for pre-existing conditions.

If you're traveling with kids, you'll need extra travel insurance protection.

Get a policy that's tailored to your needs

Travel insurance comes in all shapes and sizes. So you'll want to try a few on for size before you buy. You can actually do that, since most policies have a "free look" period that makes them fully refundable for the first week or two (depending on the policy).

"It's important to consider your specific travel plans and any potential disruptions in order to protect your investment," says Robert Gallagher, president of the US Travel Insurance Association (USTIA).

He says traditional plans offer coverage for unexpected cancellations, interruptions, delays, emergency medical expenses and lost or delayed baggage. For international travel, USTIA advises opting for a plan with emergency medical and medical evacuation coverage.

It also depends on who you're traveling with. For example, if you're traveling with your children, you'll want to consider a family-friendly priced travel insurance plan. But your destination also matters, says Carol Mueller, vice president at Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP).

"For young families, I typically recommend the ExactCare plan due to its pricing of two children at no additional cost for every one adult on the policy," she says. "However, for families venturing abroad, I’d suggest considering a plan like BHTP's LuxuryCare, which is designed to meet the distinctive needs of a high-investment vacation.”

You have choices when it comes to family coverage. For example, Allianz’s OneTrip Prime plan also includes coverage for kids 17 and younger when traveling with a parent or grandparent.

Medical evacuations can be expensive.

Look beyond travel insurance for extra protection

Mike Hallman, CEO of the air medical transport and travel security program Medjet , says MedjetHorizon memberships are selling briskly. They offer 24/7 security and crisis response, as well as transportation to a hospital at home if you're injured. Travelers are skittish even if they aren't going bungee-jumping.

"With geopolitical tensions still growing — all the riots in France, Italy, Ecuador and other tourist destinations over the last year — and crime causing the threat level to be raised for the Bahamas and Jamaica, it’s no wonder," he adds.

He makes a good point. Travel insurance can cover many of the events you're likely to encounter, such as a missed connection, lost luggage or a medical emergency. But it's also important to know what isn't covered — and to make plans accordingly.

Beware of travel insurance "overconfidence"

The summer travel season is still a few months away, but insurance experts are worried. Yes, they've seen a general uptick in insurance sales, but some travelers remain unprotected.

"We've started to see early signs that travelers are exercising less caution and are slightly less likely to sign up for travel insurance," says Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance .

By comparison, travelers purchased plenty of medical insurance in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. Cronin believes travelers were terrified of getting stuck with COVID-19 in a foreign country without insurance.

"To those who are thinking about traveling internationally without travel insurance, my recommendation is to spend a few minutes looking deeper before deciding," he adds.

Some types of insurance, such as a standalone medical policy, cost just a few dollars a day. A medical evacuation membership is also affordable. And even full-featured travel insurance policies can be cost-effective when you consider the benefits.

"Don’t put your summer travel memories, or your investment, at risk by forgoing the right vacation coverage," says Daniel Durazo, director of communications at Allianz Partners USA . "With international travel peaking during the summer season, an unprotected trip can leave travelers on the hook for costs resulting from an unexpected trip delay or medical emergency abroad."

Bottom line: Seriously consider travel insurance to protect your trip — and don't be overconfident. You never know what might happen this summer.

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14 Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024

Best travel cards main takeaways.

• Money has evaluated hundreds of credit cards, comparing their fees, benefits, welcome offers, travel insurance policies and more.
• The top credit cards for travel offer high rewards on travel purchases, which can be redeemed for airfare, hotel nights, cash back, statement credits or more.
• Our picks feature the best travel cards for every budget and include no-annual-fee, low-annual-fee, premium and business cards.

Why Trust Us?

Our editorial team has spent well over a thousand hours analyzing, evaluating and comparing the top credit card offers in the market. We carefully vet each card’s fine print in order to understand their features, limitations and potential benefits for consumers. We review cards independently, ensuring our content is accurate and guided by editorial integrity. Read our full methodology to learn more.

• 46 travel credit cards evaluated
• 10+ data points used, including ongoing fees, reward programs and welcome offers
• 100+ sources reviewed

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings.com for our coverage of credit card products. Money and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. O ur top picks are listed strictly in alphabetical order.

Our Top Picks for Best Travel Credit Cards

Best no-annual-fee travel credit cards.

• Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for flat rate rewards
• Bilt Mastercard® – Best no-annual-fee travel card for paying rent
• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card – Best no-annual-fee card for travel partners
• Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Best no-annual-fee travel card for domestic travel
• Discover it® Miles – Best no-annual-fee travel card for simple rewards
• Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card – Best no-annual-fee travel card for everyday spending

Best low-annual-fee travel credit cards

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – High flat-rate rewards
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – High rewards earning potential with flexible redemption options

Best premium travel credit cards

• American Express® Gold Card – High rewards for foodies
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card – Low cost premium travel card with high-end perks
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® – High reward earning potential and premium travel perks
• The Platinum Card® from American Express – Airport lounge access and luxury perks

Best business travel credit cards

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express – Airport lounge access and luxury perks

Best airline travel credit cards

• United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline credit card

Best Travel Credit Cards Reviews

Our top picks are listed in alphabetical order.

Best No-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards

• No annual fee
• No foreign transaction fees
• Earns 1.5x points on all purchases
• No bonus category for travel
• Few benefits compared to other cards
• Limited redemption options

Why we chose it: The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card is an easy-to-use card best suited for travel reward beginners or those who are already Bank of America customers.

Some cardholders can earn up to 75% more points if they are Bank of America Preferred Rewards members — that’s up to 2.62 points for every dollar spent.

However, the card doesn’t offer hotel and airline point transfer partners, travel insurance or extended warranty and purchase protection. Additionally, you can only redeem your points as statement credit to cover travel and dining purchases.

All information about Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card has been collected independently by Money.com

• No annual or foreign currency conversion fee (Click herehttps://www.wellsfargo.com/credit-cards/bilt/terms/">here; for rates and fees)
• Use it to pay your rent and earn rewards without incurring any processing fees
• You can earn double points on all purchase categories (except rent payments) on the first of every month (up to 10,000 points)
• Earn 2x points on travel (when booked directly through an airline, hotels, car rental agencies and cruise lines)
• No welcome bonus or introductory APR period
• Points redeemed for statement credits are worth 0.55 cents each
• You must make at least five transactions in a statement period to earn points
• Rent payments can only be made to one rental property per month

Why we chose it: The Bilt Mastercard® lets you earn travel rewards on rent payments without incurring any processing fees — unlike most credit cards that typically charge around 2.5% to 2.9% per rent payment.

You can use the card to pay rent without worrying about surcharges. Once you get approved for the card, all you have to do is set up an account through the Bilt app or website and use your assigned routing and account number to pay rent through your usual payment portal. You can also use your card even if your landlord only accepts checks, and Bilt will send a check on your behalf.

Additionally, Bilt doubles the card’s rewards rates on the first of every month, which means you can earn 6x points on dining, 4x points on travel and 2x points on other purchases (up to 10,000 points per month). However, this bonus doesn’t apply to rent rewards.

On the downside, the Bilt Mastercard® doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, and points redeemed for statement credits are only worth 0.55 cents each.

• Can transfer your miles to 16 travel partners
• Earns 5x miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Doesn't earn bonus points on airfare
• No domestic travel partners

Why we chose it: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a great option if you’re looking for a no-annual fee travel credit card with a simple rewards structure.

You can use your miles to book travel through the Capital One Travel portal or as a statement credit to cover travel purchases made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies and more.

You can also transfer your points to one of Capital One’s 16 travel partners, which include international airlines such as Avianca and British Airways. This option is notable since travel credit cards with no annual fee don’t typically offer the option to transfer your reward to airline and hotel partners.

However, the card’s list of bonus categories is limited compared to some other no-annual-fee credit cards, and Capital One doesn’t offer bonus points on airfare booked through Capital One Travel.

• Includes trip cancellation/interruption and car rental insurance
• Features a high flat cash back rate combined and popular bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Why we chose it: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the best credit card for traveling domestically. It offers a 1.5% flat cash back rate on most purchases plus it has several appealing bonus categories, including travel and dining.

This card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, that is, on any transactions made in currency other than US dollars. However, if you mostly travel within the U.S., this card is an excellent option.

For one, you’ll earn an additional 1.5% on each of the card’s bonus categories during the first year of card membership (or up to the first $20,000 spent).

Also, although using this card abroad is not recommended, you can still use it to book international trips while you’re home, and you’ll earn 5% cash back if you book it through Chase Travel℠.

You can redeem your rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and even transfer them to other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. It’s also worth noting that this card is one of the few no-annual-fee credit cards with rental car coverage and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

• No annual or foreign transaction fees
• Discover matches the total miles you earned at the end of the first year
• Earns 1.5x miles on all purchases
• See your FICO score on the Discover mobile app, online and on statements
• Few benefits compared to other travel cards
• Doesn't include extended warranty or purchase protection

Why we chose it: The Discover it® Miles is a no-frills card ideal for travelers who don’t want to keep track of bonus categories, earning caps or redemption values.

The card earns a flat 1.5x miles on all eligible purchases without any annual caps. You can redeem your miles for statement credits and account deposits at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can also use your rewards through Amazon and PayPal checkout with the same value.

Also, the card’s welcome bonus is easily one of the best in the market: Discover matches every mile you’ve earned at the end of your first membership year — without any spending requirements.

However, while the Discover it® Miles is a great starter travel card, its lack of bonus categories could hinder your reward-earning potential in the long run. Additionally, Discover cards aren’t as widely accepted internationally as Visa Signature and World Mastercard, for example.

All information about the Discover it® Miles has been collected independently by Money.com.

• Earn 3x points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, select streaming services and cell phone plans
• Includes cell phone protection plan
• No airline or hotel transfer partners
• Doesn't include travel insurance
• Netflix and HBO are not eligible for streaming bonus

Why we chose it: The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is the best travel reward card for everyday spending, offering high rewards on several popular spending categories, including travel, dining, gas, streaming services and cell phone plans.

Its travel bonus category is particularly noteworthy because you can earn points regardless of where you make your reservations, whether it’s directly with an airline or through a third-party travel site like Booking.com. (Most travel credit cards limit travel rewards to bookings made exclusively through the card issuer’s travel portal.)

The card also includes rental car insurance and a cell phone protection plan when you use it to pay your monthly bill.

All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card has been collected independently by Money.com.

Best Low-Annual-Fee Travel Credit Cards

• Earn 2x miles per dollar on most purchases
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R)
• Includes travel accident and car rental insurance
• Fewer bonus categories than other cards with a similar annual fee ($95)
• Doesn't offer travel rewards for flights
• Car rental insurance is secondary

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an excellent card for everyday spending, offering a higher base reward than most travel credit cards.

The Capital One Venture Rewards is ideal for those who want to get the most out of their spending without worrying about tracking bonus categories and spending caps.

You can redeem your miles on the Capital One travel portal and as statement credits to cover travel purchases at a value of one cent per mile. Additionally, you may transfer your miles to more than 15 airline and hotel partners. However, keep in mind that Capital One doesn’t have domestic travel partners, which can be a drawback if you mainly travel within the U.S.

• Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel purchases through Chase TravelSM
• Receive a point bonus each account anniversary
• Includes primary rental car insurance
• Earn 3x per $1 on dining, including eligible delivery and takeout meals, select streaming services and grocery purchases
• $95 annual fee
• Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck(R) application fee credit

Why we chose this card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best travel credit card for frequent travelers who want to earn valuable rewards while paying a low annual fee.

The card features six reward categories that offer outstanding rewards on flights, hotels, restaurants and more. You can redeem your points for statement credits, account deposits, gift cards and more. But you can get the most bang for your buck by redeeming them for travel purchases through the Chase Travel℠ portal, which increases your point’s usual one-cent value by 25%.

You can redeem your points for statement credits, account deposits, gift cards and more. But you can get the most bang for your buck by redeeming them for travel purchases through Chase Travel℠, which increases your point’s usual one-cent value by 25%.

You can also transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 travel partners at a 1:1 ratio (one Chase point equals one hotel point or airline mile). These include popular airlines and hotels like JetBlue, Southwest, United, Marriott and Hyatt.

Best Premium Travel Credit Cards

• Earns 4x points on restaurants worldwide, takeout and food delivery within the U.S.
• Up to $120 in annual dining credits, issued as a $10 statement credit per month for select restaurants (enrollment required)
• Up to $120 as Uber Cash annually ($10 per month) for food delivery orders and rides in the U.S. after you add the American Express(R) Gold Card to your Uber account
• Earn 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x)
• High annual fee ($250)
• Includes few travel perks and insurance policies compared to similarly priced cards

Terms apply. Please click here for applicable rates and fees.

Why we chose it: The American Express® Gold Card is ideal for foodies, offering a high reward rate at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, takeout and food delivery. (Terms apply.)

The American Express® Gold Card also offers statement credits worth up to $240 combined — almost enough to offset the card’s $250 annual fee. These include:

• Up to $120 every year in dining credits ($10 per month) for select restaurants and food delivery services. The list includes Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and Shake Shack (Enrollment required)
• Automatically get $10 monthly in Uber Cash to use on Uber Eats or Uber rides in the U.S. (after you add the American Express® Gold Card to your account)
• $100 credit for dining, spa services and other activities when you book a two-night minimum stay at a hotel from The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel
• Terms apply

However, note that the American Express® Gold Card offers fewer travel perks than some other premium cards — for instance, it doesn’t offer trip cancellation and interruption insurance or TSA PreCheck® or CLEAR® Plus fee credits.

• Up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year to cover travel purchases
• Transfer your points to 14 travel partners (including United, Southwest, JetBlue and Marriott)
• Points worth 50% more when redeemed for travel expenses through Chase TravelSM
• Comprehensive travel insurance coverage, including emergency dental insurance
• High annual fee ($550)
• Doesn't include a cell phone protection plan

Why we chose it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is the best credit card for travelers looking for a high reward rate on travel and additional benefits like comprehensive travel insurance and airport lounge access worldwide.

Your points are worth 50% more when you redeem them for travel through the Chase Travel℠ portal. This means each point is worth 1.5 cents per point instead of one cent, like most travel cards. Also, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® provides several high-end benefits such as:

• $300 annual travel credit to cover travel-related purchases like airfare, hotels, car rentals, rideshares, buses, trains, tolls and/or parking
• Access for you and two guests to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide (after a one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select)
• Statement credit of up to $100 every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck® or Nexus

The Sapphire Reserve does have a $550 annual fee. But if you take advantage of the $300 annual credit and other perks, the benefits can definitely outweigh its cost.

• 10,000 bonus miles every year
• Statement credit of up to $300 for bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Up to a $100 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck(R)
• Skip the line and get car upgrades when renting a car with Hertz
• High annual fee ($395)
• Fewer bonus categories than other premium cards
• No domestic airline transfer partners

Why we chose it: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the best credit card for travel miles if you want to earn a high reward rate and not worry about bonus categories.

The Capital One Venture X also includes noteworthy perks such as:

• 10,000 bonus miles every year (starting on your first anniversary)
• $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
• Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
• Access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges worldwide with Priority Pass™ and Plaza Premium Group
• Authorized users at no extra cost (many cards have an annual fee of $75 or more for each additional user)

All in all, the Venture X is a solid option that can easily compete with other premium travel cards, especially considering its more affordable annual fee.

• Access to the widest network of airport lounges of any card
• Complimentary elite status in the Marriott and Hilton hotel loyalty programs
• Hundreds of dollars in annual statement credits for travel, dining and more
• High annual fee ($695)
• Doesn't include baggage delay, travel accident and primary rental car insurance
• Limited bonus categories

Terms apply. Click here for rates and fees.

Why we chose this card: The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a list of premium benefits that no other travel card offers, including the widest network of airport lounges and room upgrades at Hilton and Marriott hotels. (Terms apply.)

The Platinum Card® from American Express features an impressive list of high-end travel benefits, including:

• Complimentary access to over 1,400 airport lounges, including Priority Pass, Delta SkyClub and Amex’s own Centurion lounges (enrollment required)
• Gold status in the Marriott and Hilton loyalty programs, which makes you eligible for room upgrades, free breakfast and late checkouts (enrollment required)
• $200 back each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings made through American Express Travel and paid with your Platinum Card® (Hotel Collection bookings require a minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $200 per year when incidental fees, such as checked bags, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® (with one selected qualifying airline)
• Complimentary premium status in Avis Preferred®, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®, and/or National Car Rental® Emerald Club (must enroll through your Amex online account using your card)

The Platinum Card® from American Express does have a hefty $695 annual fee. However, for people who travel often and will take advantage of its annual credits and travel perks, it might almost pay for itself.

Best Business Travel Credit Cards

• 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com
• Around $1,000 in yearly statement credits for select business purchases
• Access to a wide network of airport lounges (terms apply)
• Around $600 in perks in Fine Hotels + Resorts(R) locations booked through American Express Travel (for stays of two nights)
• Secondary rental car coverage**

Why we chose it: The Business Platinum Card® from American Express features an extensive list of benefits that make it an ideal travel and business credit card.

With this card, you can access over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, comprehensive travel insurance and extra amenities at hundreds of hotels, like daily breakfast and free internet access. Additionally, you get a $200 credit to cover baggage fees, in-flight refreshments and more and up to $100 for Global Entry or $85 for TSA PreCheck® every four or 4.5 years respectively. (Terms apply.) (Enrollment required.)

The card also offers several yearly statement credits for business-related purchases that include up to $400 per year ($200 between January and June and $200 between July and December) for U.S. purchases with Dell.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express does have one of the steepest annual fees ($695) among travel credit cards, but its extensive list of benefits makes it a no-brainer for business owners who travel frequently.

Best Airline Travel Credit Cards

• Free first checked bag for you and a companion
• Up to $100 as a statement credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck(R) or NEXUS every 4 year
• 25% back as a statement credit on food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights
• Complimentary priority boarding for you and companions traveling on the same reservation
• $95 annual fee (after the first year)
• No intro APR period
• Rewards are only valuable when used with United

Why we chose it: The card_name has a low annual fee and gives you valuable benefits that make up for it, such as priority boarding for everyone on the reservation and a free checked bag for you and one companion.

Other perks the card includes are:

• Two one-time passes for United Club℠ airport lounges each account anniversary year
• 25% back as a statement credit on in-flight purchases like food, beverages and Wi-Fi
• Up to $100 every four years to cover the cost of TSA PreCheck®, Global Entry or NEXUS
• Comprehensive travel insurance (auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and trip delay reimbursement)

The United℠ Explorer Card earns miles on United purchases, including tickets, inflight food, beverages, Wi-Fi and more. You also earn rewards at restaurants and select hotel stays.

You can use your miles to book flights on United Airlines or its partners, including Avianca, Lufthansa and Air Canada. You can also redeem them for seat upgrades, inflight Wi-Fi passes and more — although United miles are usually more valuable when used for airfare.

Compare The Best Travel Credit Cards

Travel credit cards guide.

The best credit cards for travel do more than offer high reward rates on flights and hotel stays. They also provide rewards for everyday spending and perks such as travel insurance , airport lounge access and annual statement credits.

Bear in mind, however, that premium travel credit cards often also feature high annual fees. And their rewards are often worth the most when redeemed through a card issuer’s travel portal.

Here’s a rundown of how these cards work:

What is a travel credit card?

Travel credit cards (or travel rewards credit cards) typically provide generous rewards for travel purchases and let cardmembers redeem points (or miles) for travel bookings. They may also let you redeem points for statement credits, cash back, gift cards and more.

Besides travel, these cards usually also offer other bonus reward categories, such dining, gas and drugstores. Many also include additional benefits, like airport lounge access, hotel discounts, travel accident insurance, no foreign transaction fees and more.

Bonus categories, redemption options and benefits vary widely across card issuers. However, you can generally expect cards with higher annual fees to offer more perks. For example, premium cards with annual fees over $400 often feature hundreds of dollars in statement credits (money credited to your card’s outstanding balance) to cover travel or food purchases.

How do travel credit cards work?

Like other reward cards, travel credit cards give you a certain number of points (or miles) per dollar on eligible purchases. However, what makes these cards different from others is their high reward rate for travel-related purchases.

Travel credit cards often offer around 5x points or more for airfare, hotel rooms, rental cars and more. Some cards may also count parking, bus fares, taxis, tolls and ferries as travel purchases.

Besides travel, you’ll typically get bonus points on specific spending categories, like 3x per dollar on dining, groceries, drugstores or streaming services. All other eligible purchases get at least one point (1x) per dollar.

You can then redeem your points for flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises and more. Card issuers also usually let you redeem your points for non-travel options like statement credits, cash back or gift cards.

How much are credit card points worth?

In most cases, credit card points are worth one cent each. However, some issuers increase their value if you redeem them for travel. For example, points earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card have a 1.25-cent value when you book flights through the Chase Travel portal.

But point values may also decrease depending on how you choose to redeem them. For example, some cards let cardholders use points when shopping through Amazon or Paypal. While this might sound convenient, this option may bring down the value of points to around 0.8 cents.

How to use credit card points for travel

In most cases, credit card points are worth one cent each. However, some issuers increase their value if you redeem them for travel. For example, points earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card have a 1.25-cent value when you book flights through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

Once you’re ready to redeem your points, head to your travel card’s reward program portal. The process may differ across credit card issuers, but you’ll usually be able to access it through your online account on the website or app.

Most reward programs will let you book flights and hotel rooms. Some will also allow you to redeem your points for car rentals, cruises, tourist attractions and more.

Sometimes, you’ll have the option to transfer your points to airline or hotel loyalty programs. Not all reward programs allow this, but if they do, it’s usually at a 1:1 ratio — meaning 1,000 credit card points are worth 1,000 points in the travel partner program.

Note that, if you’re missing some points to cover your trip, you’ll often have the chance to pay the remainder with cash.

Difference between points and miles

Travel credit cards usually earn rewards as points. But some card issuers, like Capital One, call their rewards “miles” instead of “points” — even though they can be redeemed the same way as points.

Cards that earn miles are often (but not always) tied to a specific airline. Additionally, bear in mind that the term “mile” doesn’t refer to miles traveled with the airline. One airline mile is usually the equivalent of one reward point, which you can redeem for free flights, seat upgrades and more.

Pros and cons of travel credit cards

• Some cards offer up to 10x points per dollar on travel purchases.
• Many have additional bonus categories for dining, grocery shopping and more.
• They may include travel benefits like priority boarding, airport lounge access and late hotel checkouts.
• Points or miles can also be redeemed for cash back, statement credits, gift cards and more.
• Highest reward rates are usually limited to purchases made through the card issuer's travel portal.
• They might not offer high rewards on spending outside of the travel category.
• Some of the best ones can have steep annual fees and require good to excellent credit
• Redeeming points or miles for anything other than travel can reduce their value to less than one cent per dollar.

Types of travel credit cards

Here’s a rundown of the differences between the three main types of travel credit cards:

Airline credit cards

Airline credit cards are ideal for people who fly with the same airline regularly. These cards earn miles that you can use with one specific airline, and their rewards (called frequent flyer miles) are redeemable for airfare. Some of the best airline travel credit cards include benefits like free checked bags, priority boarding and discounts on in-flight purchases.

Hotel credit cards

Hotel credit cards are similar to airline cards. Points earned can only be used with one particular hotel chain.

For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card earns points for Hilton’s loyalty program. Points can be redeemed for free nights in the company’s properties, including Hilton Garden Inn and Waldorf Astoria hotels. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, on the other hand, includes room upgrades and late checkouts on select locations.

Other benefits may include discount rates, late checkouts or free in-room Wi-Fi.

Hotel credit cards may also offer complimentary breakfasts, room upgrades, late checkouts and bonus points for purchases made during your stay.

General travel credit card

General travel credit cards are much more flexible and convenient than airline or hotel cards. Since they aren’t affiliated with a single airline or hotel chain, general travel card points can be redeemed for a wide variety of travel-related expenses.

These cards allow cardholders to book flights, hotel stays, rental cars and more from different companies using your card issuer’s online travel portal. Other ways to use card points include statement credits, cash back or gift cards. Some issuers also let you transfer points to airline and hotel partners.

These cards may offer handy perks for frequent travelers, like airport lounge access. They can also cover the cost of a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® membership, which allows you to skip the long lines at airport security or customs.

How to choose a travel credit card

Picking the best travel rewards credit card boils down to how often you travel, which cardmember perks you’d benefit the most from and the categories you spend the most on.

Here are some factors to keep in mind when choosing the best card for you:

Do you travel often? A travel rewards credit card offers high reward rates on most travel-related spending, and you’ll get the most bang for your buck when you use their points on flights, hotels and car rentals. If you don’t take trips often but want to pile up rewards, a cash-back credit card might be a better fit.

Assess your everyday spending. Many travel cards have additional bonus categories other than travel, like dining, supermarkets, streaming services and drugstores. Consider your day-to-day spending habits and pick a card with bonus categories that fit your lifestyle.

Consider the card’s annual fees. There are several no-annual-fee travel cards available, but they usually have few bonus categories and benefits. The best travel credit cards charge annual fees of at least $90 and can go as high as $700. However, these are often best for those that travel enough to take advantage of their benefits.

General travel card vs co-branded cards. General travel cards have more flexible redemption options, allowing you to redeem your rewards for bookings with multiple travel companies. On the other hand, co-branded cards are often tied to a specific airline or hotel, which can limit your options. However, they do provide valuable perks like free checked bags, in-flight discounts and hotel upgrades.

Compare extra travel perks. Some cards offer extras like annual statement credits for flights and hotels or upgrades when renting cars. Take the time to compare each card’s roster of add-ons and pick one that will best suit your travel plans.

Compare insurance policies. The best credit card travel benefits include insurance policies that cover travel accidents, rental cars, trip cancellations and more. These policies can vary widely based on the issuer and the card’s annual-fee tier.

Beware foreign transaction fees. Most travel credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees. Some cash-back cards may offer outstanding rewards for travel purchases but charge around 3% fees on purchases outside the U.S.

A welcome bonus shouldn’t be the end-all, be-all perk. A 100,000-point welcome bonus can be enticing. However, it shouldn’t be your deciding factor, especially if you’ll end up paying a high annual fee without getting your money’s worth.

How get the most out of your travel credit card

To get the most out of your travel credit card, you need to use it as often and strategically as possible. This way, you can earn points or miles with each purchase, which you can then redeem for free or discounted flights, hotels and more.

Use your travel card to pay most of your purchases and bills and then pay your card off in full each month. This will help you earn points while avoiding interest charges and high credit card debt , which can impact your credit score.

Here are some other tips to maximize your rewards and benefits:

• Consider adding an authorized user to your account. They’ll earn points with every purchase they make, and those will get added to your overall total. However, make sure to pick someone who will use the card responsibly since you’ll be legally liable if they ever fail to pay their monthly bills.
• Redeem your rewards for travel through the card issuer’s website. This redemption option usually offers the highest value compared to gift cards or merchandise, for example.
• If your card offers travel protections (like travel accident or luggage insurance), use it to pay for your passenger fares. This way, you could be reimbursed in the event of an accident or lost luggage, for example.
• Use your airline or hotel card to sign up for the company’s frequent flyer or frequent guest loyalty program. You’ll often earn extra points or miles when you’re a member and use your co-branded card to pay for flights, hotel stays and more.
• If your travel card lets you combine points from multiple cards under one account, take advantage of the feature. For example, if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred®, you can transfer points to it from other cards (if they also earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points). This way, you can accumulate extra points and increase their value to 1.25 cents apiece if you make travel reservations through the Chase Travel℠ portal.

Best Travel Credit Cards FAQs

What is the best travel credit card, what is the best credit card for international travel, how to travel for free with credit cards, what is the best credit card for travel miles, what is a welcome bonus on a credit card, how we chose the best travel credit cards.

We ranked the best credit cards for travel based on their annual fees, benefits, reward rates and redemption flexibility.

Fees: We compared interest rates and foreign, cash advance and balance transfer fees for more than 50 credit cards. We also considered their annual fee, looking for those that offered the most for the money.

Ongoing benefits: Intro APR and bonus offers are attractive, but they can only get you so far. We focused on cards with year-round benefits such as travel insurance or cell phone protection plans.

Reward rates: We preferred cards that allow you to earn extra points from travel expenses, as well as those that provide significant bonus rewards in popular spending categories, like dining, supermarkets or streaming services.

Redemption flexibility: Our picks don’t limit your redemption options to just travel. Some let you use your points for Amazon purchases, for example. We also preferred issuers that allowed cardholders to transfer their points to airline and hotel partners.

Summary of Money’s Best Travel Credit Cards of April 2024

Money.com has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Money.com and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

To see rates and fees for the American Express® Gold Card, visit this link . Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express, visit this link . Terms apply.

To see rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, visit this link . Terms apply.

* Insurance disclosures for American Express Cards on this page:

Trip Delay Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Baggage Insurance Plan: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Global Assist Hotline: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance: Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

** Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

*** Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

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