direct asia travel insurance reviews

Direct Asia Travel Insurance Review: Covid Coverage, Claims, Promo Code (2022)

When it comes to offering the cheapest travel insurance in Singapore, the fight to the bottom continues… and Direct Asia travel insurance is one of the more popular budget travel insurance providers that immediately comes to mind.

The premise of Direct Asia is that they sell you insurance benefits directly so you’re not paying anything extra.

If I’ve learnt one thing from going budget, it’s that you must read the product labels or descriptions to find out what you’re really paying for.

So, is Direct Asia travel insurance worth considering for your next holiday? Or should you still buy from the usual few AIG travel insurance , FWD travel insurance , AXA , and NTUC ? Let’s check them out.

• Direct Asia Travel Insurance Summary
• Direct Asia Travel Insurance Covid Coverage
• Extreme Sports and Outdoor Adventure
• Direct Asia Travel Insurance Terms and Conditions
• Direct Asia Travel Insurance Claim Review
• Direct Asia vs FWD Travel Insurance
• Direct Asia Travel Insurance Promotion
• Direct Asia Travel Insurance Review

1. Direct Asia Travel Insurance: Summary

Before we even get into the travel insurance plans, we know what you’re thinking: Is Direct Asia safe? Yes.

We’ve asked the same question in our heads before. Let’s answer your question: Direct Asia is owned by a Bermuda-based insurance provider called Hiscox.

Where is Bermuda? It’s an island owned by the United Kingdom in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, somewhere under New York City.

Is Hiscox insurance legit as well? Yes, Hiscox is very legit. It’s listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:HSX) and is part of the FTSE 250 Index. And, the company has been around since 1901.

Anyway, coming back to travel insurance.

Direct Asia’s travel insurance plan comes in annual multi-trip and single-trip plans, the latter which has 3 tiers for you to choose from:

• DA150 (cheapest)
• DA1000 (most expensive, not covering in this review)

The price of your Direct Asia travel insurance is largely determined by the country you’re travelling to. Like most of the travel insurance plans you’ll find in Singapore, Direct Asia’s travel insurance premiums are divided into 3 categories:

• ASEAN : Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam
• Asia : Australia, China (excluding Tibet and Mongolia), Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, South Korea, Macau, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Taiwan
• Worldwide: All countries (except Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Nepal, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Yemen)

Here, a summary table of the key coverage and benefits you’ll get from Direct Asia travel insurance:

Is Direct Asia’s travel insurance good? Compared to AIA travel insurance ($37 to $123/week), Great Eastern travel insurance ($26 to $118/week), MSIG travel insurance ($61 to $201/week), Direct Asia’s travel insurance is pretty cheap at $35 to $94/week.

Cheap is one thing. But is it value for money or not?

Direct Asia’s lowest tier DA150 travel insurance offers overall adequate coverage all round, but it’s far from impressive. For example, the $150,000 limit on overseas medical expenses is a little low compared to FWD ’s and NTUC travel insurance ‘s basic plans which offer $200,000 and $250,000 respectively.

Total Premium

DirectAsia DA200

[ Win a Rolex, Dream Vacation & More!   | MoneySmart Exclusive]    • Enjoy 40% off your policy premium and 2,400 My Millennium Points (worth S$16) with every policy purchased. • Additionally, receive up to S$20  via PayNow with eligible premiums spent.  T&Cs apply.   BONUS:  For a limited time only, stand a chance to score over S$10,000 worth of prizes in our Grand Draw . • Rolex Oyster Perpetual - 124200 34mm Silver (worth S$9,000) • All Expenses Paid Trip • 2D1N Staycation at any Millennium Hotels and Resorts and 15,000 My Millennium Points (worth up to S$550)    Increase your chances of winning when you refer friends  today. T&Cs apply.

Key Features

Kids go free – up to four kids travel for free with a Family policy only (2 adults)

Matching kids limits – children enjoy the same coverage limits as adults

Optional coverage for Sports Equipment & Extreme Sports are only available for Annual Policies

Optional coverage for Single Trip Travel Insurance: Maid and COVID-19.

Emergency Dental – Accidental Dental treatment can be costly, so it is covered under the main medical expenses coverage which is higher than a separate dental benefit

If you’re thinking of upgrading to a better DA200 and DA500 plan because I mentioned earlier that Direct Asia travel insurance’s prices are quite cheap… don’t be fooled!

When you look at the coverage, the most expensive DA500 is closer to a typical 2nd tier travel insurance plan that other competitors are offering. Which means DA200 is actually kind of in-between basic and middle tier. It looks like a good deal, but it’s not really that value for money.

2. Direct Asia Travel Insurance Covid-19 Coverage

Don’t go around assuming that all travel insurance plans in Singapore have Covid-19 coverage included. Yes, bigger insurance companies such as AIA travel insurance , AIG travel insurance , and Sompo have got Covid-19 coverage included in all of their plans.

However, several other insurers such as FWD and  Direct Asia’s travel insurance plans  do not include Covid-19 coverage by default.

Instead, you’ll need to add on Covid-19 rider  from their ala carte menu. Here are the Covid-19 benefits you’ll get from the add-on:

Unfortunately, Direct Asia travel insurance’s Covid-19 coverage is not the most adequate for your travels.

You can claim up to $3,000 for any trip cancellation or disruption in the event you test Covid positive pre-trip or during your trip. If you test Covid-19 positive prior to departure and want to postpone your trip, you won’t be covered.

You get a sufficient $150,000 for Covid-19 medical expenses overseas, and another $100,000 for emergency medical evacuation or repatriation of your body – which may not be sufficient if you’re terribly ill in a far away country, such as the United States.

Take for example, if you are going to Seoul and buy the most basic Direct Asia DA150 plan at $43.75 for 7 days. You throw in another $27.40 for the Covid-19 add-on. That makes your total premium $71.15 for a basic tier travel insurance plan.

$43.75 + $27.40 = $71.15 for 7 days in Seoul

For the $70 price range,  there’s  Sompo’s Essential travel insurance plan  ($72/week) which offers more benefits such as Covid-19 hospitalisation and quarantine daily cash allowance, or  MSIG Standard travel insurance plan ($74/week) with higher trip shortening, cancellation, and postponement coverage.

Sompo Travel Insurance Essential

Common travel insurance benefits such as personal accident, medical expenses overseas, travel delay, loss of personal belongings.

Protection against hefty overseas medical expenses, trip cancellation costs and other essential coverage if you are diagnosed with COVID-19

MSIG TravelEasy Standard

[ Win a Rolex, Dream Vacation & More!   | MoneySmart Exclusive]     3 DAYS FLASH SALE:   Enjoy 55% off your Single Trip policy premium when you apply promo code TRAVEL55 . Valid till 28 Apr 2024 .    • Enjoy 20% off your Annual Plan policy premiums (no promo code required). Valid till 6 May 2024 . • Get  2,400 My Millennium Points (worth S$16) with every policy purchased. • Additionally, receive up to S$45 via PayNow OR 1 x Apple AirTag (worth S$45.40) with eligible premiums spent.  T&Cs apply.     BONUS:  For a limited time only, stand a chance to score over S$10,000 worth of prizes in our Grand Draw . • Rolex Oyster Perpetual - 124200 34mm Silver (worth S$9,000) • All Expenses Paid Trip • 2D1N Staycation at any Millennium Hotels and Resorts and 15,000 My Millennium Points (worth up to S$550)    Increase your chances of winning when you refer friends  today. T&Cs apply.

COVID-19 coverage of up to $150,000 medical cover and up to $1,500 travel inconvenience benefit for your trip protection.

Packaged tour coverage for insolvency of licensed travel agencies registered with the Singapore Tourism Board (includes NATAS registered travel agencies).

Get covered across all TravelEasy Plan types with a high limit of S$1,000,000 for emergency medical evacuation & repatriation

MSIG provides cover for insolvency of licensed travel agencies registered with the Singapore Tourism Board (includes NATAS registered travel agencies)

3. Extreme Sports and Outdoor Adventure

Direct Asia travel insurance plans do not cover outdoor activities and extreme sports. The normal travel insurance plan, however, covers regular sports and activities such as:

• Hot air balloon
• Snorkelling
• Hiking (no ropes or specialist equipment, max 1,500m)

Instead, you’ll have to add on the Extreme Sports and Activities package from the ala carte menu to cover any other outdoor adventure and sports you plan to participate in.

Direct Asia is one of the rare travel insurance companies that covers competitive contact sports and races – great if you’re travelling abroad for a marathon, triathlon, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition, or rugby meet. However, this plan does not cover you if you are a professional athlete.

The big caveat you must take note of here is: Extreme Sports package is only available for annual multi-trip plans , but the Covid-19 package is not available for Direct Asia’s annual multi-trip plans. So, you can’t get Covid-19 coverage and Extreme Sports coverage at the same time.

Here are the prices for the Direct Asia Extreme Sports and Activities package:

• Asia : $81.40/week
• Worldwide : $105.16/week

Here’s a summary of common holiday adventure activities that Direct Asia’s Extreme Sports rider covers:

4. Direct Asia Travel Insurance Terms and Conditions

Are there any other terms and conditions in Direct Asia’s travel insurance policy wording that you should know about? Yes, in particular these:

• Air Miles and Hotel Reward Points : Your flight or hotel bookings won’t be covered if you booked them with air miles, hotel membership points, or credit card reward points.
• Medical Expenses (Singapore) : If you fell ill overseas but want to seek treatment back home, you must consult a doctor within 48 hours of your arrival back in Singapore. You should also get approval from Direct Asia before you go to your private clinic or hospital of choice.
• Emergency medical evacuation : You need to get any medical evacuation plans to be authorised by Direct Asia before going ahead for it to be claimable.
• Pre-Existing Conditions are not covered by Direct Asia’s travel insurance plans. If you need coverage for your pre-existing medical conditions, try MSIG travel insurance or NTUC travel insurance plans instead.
• Death and permanent total disablement claims only cover accidents and not illnesses and diseases.
• Theft or Loss of Personal Belongings (part 1) : You must have original purchase receipts and documents from your police reports, hotel reports, and airline reports to support your claim. You need to also be able to prove that item was stolen, or lost in the custody of your airline or transport company etc.
• Theft/ Loss of Personal Belongings (part 2) : While Direct Asia covers theft or loss of personal possessions, the terms and conditions state that they don’t cover belongings that were “misplacement by you” or the “mysterious disappearance” of your belongings.
• Pet Hotel benefit only covers cats and dogs.

5. Direct Asia Travel Insurance Claim Review

The one great thing about Direct Asia is the responsive and prompt customer service hotline . The customer service team answer calls quickly, give you good advice, and are patient to listen to your travel plans and help you along – a very important support system for travellers who are stuck in emergency situations abroad.

Claim reviews on Google Reviews have been mixed – with some users praising they had a smooth claims process, but others ran into long-drawn claims processes that were eventually denied.

Direct Asia Overseas emergency hotline: Call +65 6603 3699 (international)

Direct Asia Claims hotline (Singapore) : Call  +65 6532 1818

Claims deadline: Claims must be made within 30 days of your return to Singapore

Claims settlement time : According to Direct Asia, 80% of their claims are settled within 24 hours. That’s a very tall order and big promise to make. Anyway, you can expect claims to generally pan out over 1 month to 6 months, and you should diligently call the claims hotline to check on the claims status.

6. Direct Asia vs FWD Travel Insurance

Budget to budget travel insurance provider, is Direct Asia or FWD’s travel insurance better? We compare:

Benefits wise, it’s clear that FWD’s travel insurance offers way more in coverage. On top of that, FWD has numerous great online reviews about their prompt and fast claims processes. However, FWD does require you to get your claim documents straight for the fast claims process to happen.

FWD Premium

[ Win a Rolex, Dream Vacation & More!   | MoneySmart Exclusive]   • Enjoy 25% off your policy premium and 2,400 My Millennium Points (worth S$16) with every policy purchased.  T&Cs apply.    BONUS:  For a limited time only, stand a chance to score over S$10,000 worth of prizes in our Grand Draw . • Rolex Oyster Perpetual - 124200 34mm Silver (worth S$9,000) • All Expenses Paid Trip • 2D1N Staycation at any Millennium Hotels and Resorts and 15,000 My Millennium Points (worth up to S$550)    Increase your chances of winning when you refer friends  today. T&Cs apply.

Enjoy cashless medical outpatient treatment in Singapore, access to emergency assistance and your travel policy documents through the FWD SG app!

Add on coverage for COVID-19 available for both Single & Annual Trips for travel period of 90 days or less.

Optional add on coverage available when your trip is cancelled for any reason for Single Trips. (To be purchased within 7 days of your initial trip deposit for your trip).

7. Direct Asia Travel Insurance Promotion

Direct Asia has an ongoing promotion where you get 40% off all single trip plans , no questions asked and with no end date in sight.

That makes these plans very affordable indeed. A week’s coverage in Asia will cost $26.25 for DA150, which is on the reasonable side of things (usually it ranges from $20 to $25).

Upgrade to DA200 and you’ll pay $29.40, which is still relatively cheap. (Interestingly, both DA200 and DA500 are cheaper than many of its competitors’ 2nd and 3rd tier plans. However, the coverage may not be on par.)

8. Direct Asia Travel Insurance Review

For regular Singaporeans going on holiday, Direct Asia is certainly a cheap budget travel insurance with adequate coverage for the important things such as emergency medical evacuation and overseas medical expenses.

However, you may not get to enjoy miscellaneous coverage such as baggage loss, travel delay etc. – which suits a generally safe, fuss-free, and seasoned traveller .

If you’re prone to testing positive for Covid-19, Direct Asia’s travel insurance is not for you since the Covid-19 add-on rider is pretty pricey for the little coverage it provides.

However, if you have a niche interest like martial arts, go-karting or off-piste skiing, consider buying Direct Asia travel insurance and topping up for the Extreme Sports add-on. It is extremely hard to find another insurer that will cover these.

Looking to buy travel insurance? Compare  the best travel insurance here .

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• DirectAsia Travel Insurance: How Good Is it?

• Free travel for up to four children under the Family Plan with two paying adults
• Child benefits limits are the same as adult limits
• Covers haze-related trip cancellations
• DA500 and DA1000 plans provide great value for money
• Offers COVID-19 coverage as an optional benefit on Single trip policy
• Customise based on activities overseas including extreme sports and sports equipment
• Emergency dental and High Car Rental Excess Cover
• Annual plans not available for DA150 plan

DirectAsia's travel insurance plans benefits and competitively priced plans can entice both the budget and value-seeking traveller. The notable perks they offer are not often seen in travel insurance, making it a good choice for families or adventurous travellers. However, depending on which kind of plan you're looking at, DirectAsia may give you a varying amount of bang for your buck, forcing you to pay more to get a better value plan. Below, we break down each of DirectAsia's travel insurance plans so that you can make the right call when planning your next trip out of Singapore.

Table of Contents

• DirectAsia DA150 & DA200 Plans
• DirectAsia DA500 Plan
• DirectAsia DA1000 Plan
• Extreme Sports and Activity Coverage
• Maid Optional Benefit
• COVID-19 Optional Benefit

Claims Information

Directasia travel insurance details, direct asia travel insurance: what you need to know.

DirectAsia offers four travel insurance plans for Singaporeans looking to travel: DA150 (single plan only), DA200, DA500 and DA1000 (annual plan only). The DA500 and DA1000 Plans are the clear standouts due to their price and coverage.

While the DA150 plan sacrifices value for cheap premiums, the other plans boast a pretty high value for dollar spent. This is especially true for its family plans, which have some of the highest value ratios on the market and keep coverage limits for children the same as for adults.

Furthermore, adventurous travellers will find this to be an affordable alternative to plans that don't provide adventurous activity or sports equipment coverage. Overall, DirectAsia's focus on trip inconvenience coverage and competitive pricing are the hallmark of this insurer's travel insurance policies.

Notable Exclusions

DirectAsia has the standard exclusions that most other insurers have, minus the extreme sports (with a few exceptions) for those buying their additional coverage. Below, you will find an abridged list of some of the main exclusions, but you should always read the policy documents to make sure you know what you are—and aren't—covered for.

DirectAsia DA150 and DA200 Travel Insurance Plan

DirectAsia's cheapest and mid-priced plans will fail to make a resounding impression with anyone who's not shopping solely on price. Apart from their great coverage emergency medical repatriation and they generally provide below-average coverage in many other important areas like personal accident/death, medical expenses, trip cancellations, and baggage loss/damage. However, they tend to be on the pricier end given the amount of protection these two plans offer compared to their competitors.

The DA150 Plan, which is DirectAsia's budget travel insurance plan, lacks an annual/multi-trip policy, making the DA200 plan a better alternative for individuals who travel out of Singapore more than 3 to 5 times a year. However, the DA150 plan is currently one of the cheapest plans on the market, which can make it a great option for budget travellers who don't find themselves travelling often.

The DA200 Plan is more competitively priced than its sibling, the DA150 Plan, as it tends to be the cheapest single and annual trip option for mid-tier plans. However, it is consistently given a run for its money in terms of value for single trip policies by FWD Business Plan , which tends to offer generally better overall coverage for similar prices. Even though it is the cheapest among annual policies, it is outclassed by the similarly-priced Allianz Global Assistance Silver plan , a very high-value plan that gives you among the most bang for your buck in the entire business tier of travel insurance policies. Despite this, travellers who are renting cars or will be participating in sports should stick to DirectAsia as it offers much better benefits in those arenas.

DirectAsia DA500 Travel Insurance Plan

The DirectAsia DA500 plan is a particularly good choice for travellers seeking annual/multi-trip policies that are affordable while packing a punch. It is one of the cheapest premium plans for this kind of policy, regardless of destination, and has one of the highest-value premium plans on the market for annual trips. It offers S$15,000 of trip cancellation and curtailment, a combined S$525,000 for international and domestic medical expenses and a few extra benefits including pet hotel cover, rental car excess and sports equipment coverage. However, though the benefits are plenty, its high value comes from its low price rather than high limits on benefits. This means travellers who are seeking to maximise better coverage may fare better with other insurers.

One alternative you may want to consider when making your decision is the FWD First Plan, which is a good value option that is similarly priced to the DirectAsia DA500 Plan and puts a greater emphasis on coverage for medical expenses and baggage loss/damage as well as unlimited coverage in case of emergencies. For a slightly higher price, you may also consider the AXA Comprehensive Plan or the Allianz Global Assistance Gold Plan for even better trip inconvenience coverage at a great value.

DirectAsia DA1000 Travel Insurance Plan

Direct Asia's DA1000 Plan is its annual-only option that can benefit frequent travellers looking for a high-value trip inconvenience focused policy. Its premiums cost 30-40% below its peer average, yet it has 35% more trip inconvenience coverage than other premium plans on the market. Additionally, it can appeal to solo and family adventure enthusiasts with its S$5,000 and S$12,500 sports equipment coverage (highest on the market) and S$1,500 car rental excess coverage. You will also find above average overseas medical coverage of S$1,000,000.

One potential setback for DirectAsia's DA1000 plan is that though its medical coverage is not paltry by any means, it is not necessarily outstanding compared to other players in the market. Those who are willing to pay for high medical and personal accident benefits may fare better with insurers such as Singlife with Aviva . Furthermore, its travel inconvenience benefits are a bit lacking when it comes to trip cancellation and curtailment, as those benefits are bundled under one limit.

Sports Coverage

DirectAsia offers extreme sports coverage only for its annual plans and will raise your premiums by around S$65 to S$100, depending on destination and plan selected. However, most of the accepted activities must be done with a professional guide, including trekking, scuba diving, rafting/kayaking, parachuting/skydiving, rock climbing, hang gliding and hot air ballooning. There are a variety of sports that are included even if you don't purchase the annual policy add-on including golfing, hiking, cycling, fishing, water polo and swimming. You can also purchase S$5,000 of sports equipment coverage for an additional S$50.14.

Maid Coverage (Optional benefit on Family Plan only)

This benefit is extended to cover one adult maid whilst the maid is travelling with an insured adult for the duration of the insured trip. Coverage includes Medical Expenses, Evacuation and Repatriation, Emergency Phone Charges, Trip Cancellation and Curtailment, Reluctance to Travel Following an Act of Terrorism and Travel Delay.

COVID-19 Coverage (Optional benefit on Single Trips only)

All travellers must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

This benefit will cover you for the following for any irrecoverable cost that you have paid, or pay you for reasonable additional expenses for economy class transport or standard hotel room as a result of the disruption:

• Medical Expenses
• Emergency Medical Evacuation, Repatriation of Mortal Remains or Local Burial
• Trip Cancellation and Curtailment

More information about COVID-19 coverage can be found here .

To submit a claim with DirectAsia, you have to call them at their claims number and have ready your flight itinerary and any other supporting documents you'll need. You will be assigned a claims representative who will help you process everything. Alternatively, you can also submit online claims, email or mail them your claim form and documents.

Getting the right coverage for your activities can mean saving a lot of money in the event of an unfortunate accident. Below, we outline DirectAsia's coverage and premiums, as well as how they compare to the industry average. If you would like to compare DirectAsia in more detail to other plans in the market, we've written a guide to some of our top travel insurance picks in Singapore.

• Best Travel Insurance in Singapore
• Average Costs and Benefits of Travel Insurance
• How to Pick the Best Travel Insurance

Anastassia is a Senior Research Analyst at ValueChampion Singapore, evaluating insurance products for consumers based on quantitative and qualitative financial analysis. She holds degrees in Economics and International Business Management and her prior working experience includes work in the capital markets sector. Her analyses surrounding insurance, healthcare, international affairs and personal finance has been featured on AsiaOne, Business Insider, DW, Vice, Her World, Asia Insurance Review, the Australian Institute of International Affairs and more.

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I Tore My ACL While Travelling and Travel Insurance Saved Me S$1,900 — DirectAsia Travel Insurance Review

Travelling has taught me many things, but the greatest lesson I’ve learnt is to never scrimp on travel insurance.

During a work assignment to Australia some time back, I fell off a moving segway (don’t ask how) and ruptured my ACL. The road to recovery is slow and painful, but almost going bankrupt from the high medical bills that came after truly shocked me.

Thankfully for me, the trip was covered by travel insurance, and life got back to normal pretty fast. That said, here are 8 reasons why we should all get travel insurance.

8 Reasons to Be Covered by  Travel Insurance

1) you save on medical expenses overseas.

A friend of mine got into a car accident in the USA, and due to the severity and location of the crash site, had to be airlifted to the hospital. The chopper ride alone was US$10,000 and his total hospitalisation fees chalked up to ~US$20,000.

The last thing you want happening on a trip is falling sick or getting injured, but these are often unpredictable. If there’s anything that can alleviate the discomfort, it would be to seek medical attention right away. However, many travellers end up self-medicating instead. It can be scary seeing an unknown medical practitioner but what’s even scarier is the uncertainty of medical fees.

Medical fees, especially for serious injuries, can easily bankrupt you. That is why getting covered with travel insurance is crucial.

2) You also save on medical expenses back at home

Here’s where the story of my Segway misadventure * continues. Upon my return to Singapore, I got my knee in question checked thoroughly. I went for an MRI scan followed by an X-ray scan. Yup, the scans confirmed that I busted my ACL, and suffered some hairline fractures around the shin bone due to the impact. Both scans cost me a whopping S$1,800 — a sizeable chunk of my monthly pay!

Thankfully, I could claim my medical fees— both from Australia and in Singapore — from the insurance company. In all, I managed to claim ~S$1,900 of medical expenses.

DirectAsia ‘s travel insurance also covers any follow-up or additional medical treatments back home up to 30 days from return for injuries sustained from leisure activities overseas. No more wailing in pain about how the medical fees will  cripple your finances.

*Important note: If you are engaging in extreme sports overseas, do purchase an add-on optional benefit for Extreme Sports and Activities for extra coverage.  Refer to DirectAsia’s policy document  for types of extreme sports that are covered in their Extreme Sports and Activities optional benefit. 

3) You get to recover the value of lost possessions.

One of our videographers lost her luggage on an inter-city train in Portugal. In it were camera equipment, memory cards and hard disks, among other important personal items. She promptly made a police report in Lisbon and then went shopping for fresh clean clothes, new SD cards and hard disks.

Losing baggage overseas or during transit happens more often than you might think. There’s potential mishandling of baggage by airline staff, other passengers mistakenly taking yours, or even theft. Imagine being overseas without your personal belongings with you — no toiletries, no clothes, etc. It’s stressful, and definitely a mood-killer for what’s supposed to be an enjoyable vacation.

While it doesn’t get less stressful losing luggage even if the trip’s covered by insurance, at least you know some of the losses can be recovered thanks to insurance payouts.

4) Pickpocket and petty crime losses are covered too

Petty theft crime stories from Europe have become pretty common amongst friends who have visited. Especially when visiting European cities that see a large number of foreign tourists such as Barcelona, Rome, Athens, and Paris. These pickpockets are really good at their craft, taking away your wallets in broad daylight, often without you even realising.

In Athens, Greece, while rushing to catch our train, one of us was pick-pocketed while lugging our luggage up a staircase. Before we knew it, her backpack was unzipped and her wallet was gone. It happened so quickly we could see the two culprits dashing across the road from where we stood.

We could have given chase but would risk two things. Our safety in case the culprits were armed and most definitely our scheduled train. After making a police report in Greece and filing a claim through DirectAsia’s website, she was able to claim the value of her wallet and the amount of cash that was in the wallet.

5) You can claim lost opportunity costs due to flight delays 

Flight delays happen all the time and can really mess up an itinerary. An extended flight delay also means additional accommodation charges at the departure city, foregoing paid guided tours at destinations, and other opportunity costs. Some airlines make it up to passengers with welfare packs such as light refreshments, but not all airlines have service recovery procedures. This is when you’ll be glad to have your trip covered with insurance.

I once had my flight delayed for  23 hours while returning from Switzerland, and was able to claim S$300 * from DirectAsia — this covered the additional expenses incurred on an extra day of accommodation, transport and food.

*Flight delays must reach a minimum of 6 hours to be eligible for claims to be made.

6) Reluctance to travel due to terrorist acts is covered too

Acts of terrorism , though rare, happens. No one expected a terrorist attack on the busy streets of Melbourne, Australia , but it happened as recently as Nov 2018. As someone who frequents Australia, news of the attack shocked me. It’s normal to want to cancel or postpone a trip after news of terrorist attacks in the country of your intended trip. I was never more relieved that my travels are covered with DirectAsia’s comprehensive policy.

Presently, DirectAsia’s travel insurance covers cancellations, curtailments or amendments of an intended trip affected by terrorism that occurred within 30 days to the trip. For travellers who are going to countries with a higher risk of terror attacks, you should really consider this! A trip could easily cost over S$3,000, and that’s how much you do not have to watch go to waste if you choose to cancel it due to acts of terrorism.

Another good practice would be to do a quick check on MFA  on the intended country of visit at least a month before the departure date, on the latest updates in countries experiencing unrests.

7) You don’t have to suffer alone overseas

If you got into an accident overseas and are being hospitalised for over five consecutive days, you can claim the expenses required for a family member to fly over and take care of you. The policy covers both the cost of airfare and accommodation of one person to travel to you while you’re under medical attention. While we did not actually experience anything similar, we’d imagine how crucial and comforting it’ll be to have a loved one with us in times of need.

8) Filing claims are not as difficult as you think

Do not let cumbersome purchasing and claiming processes of travel insurance hinder you from travelling with a peace of mind. DirectAsia ‘s one-stop website has everything you need from quotation to purchasing to even filing of claims, shall you require them.

My experiences with DirectAsia have been pleasant, and I really have to commend their level of customer service and speed of claims. Our flight delay claims were easily filed online via DirectAsia ‘s comprehensive webpage. DirectAsia’s 24/7 claims support guarantee also means you’ll get your claims attended to, expedited, and resolved faster. In fact, more than 80% of claims are settled within 24hrs. Within a week, we received our claim cheques.

Gone were the days when you have to physically meet up with an insurance agent to learn more about travel insurance policies, and then have them pressure you into purchasing more policies with them. Insurance should be something that safeguards and protects you, not something that shuns you from it.

Travel Insurance FAQ

Single trip or annual coverage.

If you fly more than thrice a year, our advice is to get annual insurance coverage just to save on the hassle of repurchasing every time you travel. Depending on your travel zone and coverage tier, an annual travel insurance premium can range between S$149 to S$288.

Which insurance tier should I get?

Our advice is to go with the tier that comfortably covers your possessions’ value (i.e. if you’re travelling with high-value belongings like professional camera equipment.)

If you’re going for a short 3D2N trip to Bangkok and are travelling light, there’s no need to spend more money on higher coverage when your possessions won’t be worth relatively much (i.e. you can’t claim more than what you’ve lost).  Always consider how much loss you will incur in the worst case scenario, and choose the tier that covers an equivalent amount.

If you are going to engage in extreme sports such as skiing, bungee-jumping or skydiving with a licensed operator, you’ll need to get additional coverage for extreme sports and activities. DirectAsia  also has added optional coverage for sports equipment such as skis, snowboards and scuba equipment.

Where and how do I purchase travel insurance?

Purchasing insurance has gotten a lot easier now that everything can be done online. At DirectAsia , get a quotation online in less than a minute for the coverage plan that fits your travel itinerary and needs the most, before actually purchasing it.

How long should I be insured for?

Your travel insurance coverage should always start from the day you depart to the day you arrive back at home. For example, if your flight itinerary shows departure time from Hawaii at 11AM on Monday (1 Jan) but your arrival back in Singapore is 1AM on Wednesday (3 Jan), you’ll have to get your insurance coverage that ends on Wednesday (3 Jan). You’ll want the insurance to cover until the point your luggage comes out.  This is a travel pro-tip that more should know of!

When should I buy travel insurance?

It’s recommended to get your travel insurance after booking your trip to cover unexpected events that may affect your trip.

What supporting documents do I require when filing a claim?

When filing a travel claim, here’s what you need to have and do:

– Have actual copies of flight itineraries – Letter or statement from airlines proving flight delay (if applicable) – Make a police report and get a copy of the report (for lost or stolen items) – Medical reports and receipts (for overseas medical claims) – Receipts from accommodations showing that trip has been extended due to a flight delay

More Travel Insurance Tips!

In some countries, there is no option to purchase zero-excess insurance. What that means is, you will be liable up to a certain amount should there be costs incurred from vehicle damage. DirectAsia’s rental car excess allows you to claim up to S$1,500 so that helps to cover any excess that the car insurance will not cover. (Do note that this is only applicable if a comprehensive motor insurance has been purchased)

In case of any injuries sustained overseas, get it checked immediately at a clinic or hospital. There’s no reason why you should wait till you get back to Singapore to seek medical help when it’s covered by travel insurance. If you’re feeling unwell immediately after a trip however, your bills are also covered within 48 hours of returning. Do note that DirectAsia’s travel insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions.

Get Coverage that Best Suits Your Needs

Whether you’re an occasional or frequent traveller, travel insurance is a necessity that should never be scrimped on. While understanding and choosing the right travel insurance policy may still seem complicated, with a provider such as DirectAsia that provides their services online, travel insurance is made simpler!

For full details on policy tiers and insurance coverages, do refer to DirectAsia’s policy document . 

Note: Edited for clarity after a reader pointed out a couple of contentious phrasings.

This post was brought to you by DirectAsia .

Follow us on Instagram , Facebook , and YouTube for more travel inspiration!

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by The Travel Intern (@thetravelintern) on Mar 8, 2019 at 2:36am PST

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“The chopper ride alone was US$10,000 and his total hospitalisation fees chalked up to ~US$20,000. But my friend was able to walk out of the hospital without paying a single cent as his travel insurance took care of that.”

Are you guys implying that DirectAsia pays upfront? If it isn’t DirectAsia, which insurance company pays upfront, would totally love to purchase from that company

Hey Ben, thanks for pointing out. We have made a mistake and have edited the post so that it isn’t misleading. To clarify, you are right that the policyholder would have to pay first.

The policyholder would also need to contact DirectAsia for authorisation. More details can found above!

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11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in April 2024

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

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

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

How we found the best travel insurance

We looked at quotes from various companies for a 10-day trip to Mexico in September 2024. The traveler was a 55-year-old woman from Florida who spent $3,000 total on the trip, including airfare.

On average, the price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $126.53. The costs displayed below do not include optional add-ons, such as Cancel For Any Reason coverage or pre-existing medical condition coverage.

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

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

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

Best insurance companies

Types of travel insurance

What does travel insurance cover, what’s not covered, how much does it cost, do i need travel insurance, how to choose the best travel insurance policy, what are the top travel destinations in 2024, more resources for travel insurance shoppers, top credit cards with travel insurance, methodology, best travel insurance overall: berkshire hathaway travel protection.

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

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

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

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

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

Read our full review of Berkshire Hathaway .

What else makes Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection great:

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

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

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

Best for emergency medical coverage: Allianz Global Assistance

Annual or single-trip policies are available.

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

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

For our test trip, Allianz Global Assistance’s basic coverage cost $149, about $22 above average.

What else makes Allianz Global Assistance great:

Annual and single-trip plans.

Plans are available for international and domestic trips.

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

Read our full review of Allianz Global Assistance .

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

Travel Guard by AIG

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

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

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

What else makes Travel Guard by AIG great:

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

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

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

Read our full review of Travel Guard by AIG .

Best for those who pack expensive equipment: Travel Insured International

Travel Insured International

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

Travel Insured International offers several customization options. For instance, those going to see a show may want to add on event ticket registration fee protection. Traveling with expensive gear?Consider adding on coverage for electronic equipment for up to $2,000 in coverage.

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

What else makes Travel Insured International great:

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

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

Read our full review of Travel Insured International .

Best for adventurous travelers: World Nomads

World Nomads

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

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

Note that the Standard plan ($72 for our sample trip), while the most affordable, provides less coverage than other plans. But it can be a good choice for travelers who are satisfied with trip cancellation and interruption coverage of $2,500 or less, do not need rental car damage protection, find the limits to be sufficient and do not need coverage for certain more adventurous activities.

What else makes World Nomads great:

Comprehensive international travel insurance plans.

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

Read our full review of World Nomads .

Best for medical coverage: Travelex Insurance Services

Travelex Insurance Services

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

For starters, basic coverage from Travelex Insurance Services came in at $125, almost exactly average for our sample trip.

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

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

Read our full review of Travelex Insurance Services .

What else makes Travelex Insurance Services great:

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

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

Two flight insurance plans available.

Best if you have travel credit card coverage: Seven Corners

Seven Corners

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

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

The basic coverage plan for our trip to Mexico costs $124 — right around the average.

What else makes Seven Corners great:

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

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

Read our full review of Seven Corners .

Best for long-term travelers: IMG

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

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

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

Read our full review of IMG .

What else makes IMG great:

More affordable than average.

Many plans to choose from to fit your needs.

Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands: Tin Leg

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

Tin Leg’s Basic plan came in at $134 for our sample trip, adding about $8 onto the average basic policy cost. Note that you’ll pay a lot more if you shop for the most comprehensive coverage, and there are eight plans to choose from for trips abroad.

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

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

Read our full Tin Leg review .

Best for booking travel with points and miles: TravelSafe

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

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

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

What else makes TravelSafe great:

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

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

Read our full TravelSafe review .

Best for group travel insurance: HTH Insurance

HTH Travel Insurance

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

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

At around $125, the Trip Protector Economy policy is at the average mark for plans we reviewed.

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

What else makes HTH Insurance great:

Medical-only coverage and trip protection coverage.

Lots of options for group travelers.

Read our full review of HTH Insurance .

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

Trip cancellation

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

Trip interruption

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

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

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

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

Cancel For Any Reason

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

Typically, adding this protection to your plan costs extra.

Baggage delay

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

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

Lost baggage

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

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

Travel medical insurance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Bahamas.

Costa Rica.

Antarctica.

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

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

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

What is travel insurance?

CFAR explained.

Is travel insurance worth getting?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance.

Here is the list of travel cards offered by Chase that include various forms of travel insurance.

Having one of these in your wallet is a good start to protecting your travel investments and preventing expensive accidents; however, savvy travelers check card terms closely and sometimes supplement with a third-party policy, like from one of the companies above, to better protect themselves.

on Chase's website

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Car rentals: Theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

• Trip interruption: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consider a few key questions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

In general, buying travel insurance

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

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

How to maximize your rewards

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

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

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

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

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

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

• Cars & Cars

DirectAsia insurance - claim experience?

• Thread starter ExEngineer
• Start date Dec 14, 2021

More options

• Dec 14, 2021

Renewing my insurance and seeking some advice. Directasia’s quote can save me about 20% ($200/year) versus renewing with my current insurer (NTUC)…no surprise as they are known to be very affordable and user-friendly to sign up. But I am reading some mixed reviews of claim customer service. Any Directasia customers here can share their claim experience ? I actually had a very good experience with NTUC last year handing an accident claim (not my fault). On the other hand a few years ago had a really terrible experience with claiming from another major company which I won’t name here (PM if really interested). I do put a high value on smooth and fair handling of claims, so *if* Directasia is not that great in this area I don’t really mind to stick with NTUC even with the pricier premium. Thanks in advance!  

fake_oranges

• Dec 15, 2021

just because a company gets bad reviews dont mean they are bad people tend to post bad reviews more than good reviews all these insurance companies provide the same thing, why pay more for others and let them earn off you? choose the cheapest one, dont let them earn so much wont so suay kenna bad things one most important is it have to be cheap  

High Supremacy Member

If it's not your fault (clear cut), then claim may not even involve your own insurance company. Any company should have the same experience. Go to workshop, report. Workshop can know roughly, if 100% sure win, they just handle your repair and give you your car back liao. Direct Asia CS is very good. Will give you tips, I cancel my instalment after I sold my car, also very easy and direct. Don't need to submit letter when you sold your car etc. Pro-rated refund minus $90 admin fee only. Other company refund policy is not as good. Of course, remember to declare even rims/tyres change, your estimated mileage. In the worst case scenario you need to claim, I believe once all these are declared properly, should not have issue.  

Supremacy Member

fake_oranges said: just because a company gets bad reviews dont mean they are bad people tend to post bad reviews more than good reviews all these insurance companies provide the same thing, why pay more for others and let them earn off you? choose the cheapest one, dont let them earn so much wont so suay kenna bad things one most important is it have to be cheap Click to expand...

ExEngineer said: Renewing my insurance and seeking some advice. Directasia’s quote can save me about 20% ($200/year) versus renewing with my current insurer (NTUC)…no surprise as they are known to be very affordable and user-friendly to sign up. But I am reading some mixed reviews of claim customer service. Any Directasia customers here can share their claim experience ? I actually had a very good experience with NTUC last year handing an accident claim (not my fault). On the other hand a few years ago had a really terrible experience with claiming from another major company which I won’t name here (PM if really interested). I do put a high value on smooth and fair handling of claims, so *if* Directasia is not that great in this area I don’t really mind to stick with NTUC even with the pricier premium. Thanks in advance! Click to expand...

Senior Member

In my opinion, who does not want to have cheap premium and decent insurance coverage? The problem arises when you need to make a claim or an incident report, then some minor issues one may face; at least it happened to me couple years back as I had wasted so much time on phone and negotiating with them to send a mobile team to do a incident report at my agent workshop. Otherwise, I have to go their workshop in Teban garden. DS is cheap if you declare everything and pray nothing happen. They have this automatic renewal upon one year when you did not unclick the box. Thanks.  

EJB said: More bad reviews also means that they have lousier services compared with others given that good reviews nobody writes, only bad. Click to expand...

fake_oranges said: then is skewed you could have 100 bad reviews but 20,000 happy customers who dont write a review even so, wont be so suay tio lousy service most important is cheap Click to expand...

EJB said: Correct... the other competitor might have 40,000 happy customers but only 10 bad reviews. Which one is worse? You cannot say that bad reviews cannot be trusted because nobody write good reviews. Bad reviews are all that it matters. Click to expand...

fake_oranges said: how you know any company ratio? even if the bad reviews are true, there cant be 100% bad experiences or not the company close down liao. so wont be so suay you pay more for "good reviews" for essentially the same product is giving away good money and letting people earn more money only. why let them earn from nothing? Click to expand...

EJB said: Exactly, you can't, so based on bad reviews is good enough to guage on the credibility and service factor of the insurance companies, not just because they offer the "same" and is "cheap". One more thing to note is, you need to piss people off VERY badly to get a bad review. You sure the coverage is the same, down to each TnC? It's always a trade off when you choose something cheaper over more renowned established service providers. Click to expand...

fake_oranges said: you can view the TnC. i am sure all is rather competitive at least in that area Click to expand...

EJB said: TnC same, execution can be different, anyway certain things ok to get cheap, certain things not worth it... it's up to individuals. I won't say 'cheapest' always wins, especially in the world of motor industries. Click to expand...

saddams wife

kebinu said: If it's not your fault (clear cut), then claim may not even involve your own insurance company. Any company should have the same experience. Go to workshop, report . Workshop can know roughly, if 100% sure win, they just handle your repair and give you your car back liao. Direct Asia CS is very good. Will give you tips, I cancel my instalment after I sold my car, also very easy and direct. Don't need to submit letter when you sold your car etc. Pro-rated refund minus $90 admin fee only. Other company refund policy is not as good. Of course, remember to declare even rims/tyres change, your estimated mileage. In the worst case scenario you need to claim, I believe once all these are declared properly, should not have issue. Click to expand...

Thank you all! Very helpful perspectives & useful for me to consider. Regarding reviews, I can see there are different points of view …the reality is there is surely some truth to both sides…. Should we put too much belief in reviews, especially negative ones? Maybe not a good idea. Are reviews valid and useful, especially if comparing across different companies and the # of data points (reviews) is high enough? 100% yes! ps The company that I had an extremely TERRIBLE claim experience with a few years ago (this one was claim on own policy), indeed has VERY poor reviews (<2.5 stars on Google)…to be fair, much much worse than DirectAsia. I simply had no idea about that when I signed up with them. It simply cannot be coincidence. Also to be fair to DA, their reviews not just on cost but also on customer signup process are really excellent….my concern is just that among their reviews, for the ones related to claims it seems that comments are quite mixed, some good, some bad (and nowhere near as bad as the awful company!).  

ExEngineer said: Thank you all! Very helpful perspectives & useful for me to consider. Regarding reviews, I can see there are different points of view …the reality is there is surely some truth to both sides…. Should we put too much belief in reviews, especially negative ones? Maybe not a good idea. Are reviews valid and useful, especially if comparing across different companies and the # of data points (reviews) is high enough? 100% yes! ps The company that I had an extremely TERRIBLE claim experience with a few years ago (this one was claim on own policy), indeed has VERY poor reviews (<2.5 stars on Google)…to be fair, much much worse than DirectAsia. I simply had no idea about that when I signed up with them. It simply cannot be coincidence. Also to be fair to DA, their reviews not just on cost but also on customer signup process are really excellent….my concern is just that among their reviews, for the ones related to claims it seems that comments are quite mixed, some good, some bad (and nowhere near as bad as the awful company!). Click to expand...

• Dec 16, 2021

kebinu said: If you are worried about claim when at fault, stick to the big traditional names will do. For 50/50 case, always go to third party workshop and fight liao. So yes, buy a plan where you can go own workshop. Click to expand...

myviowner said: Individual risk appetite and budget? Same vehicle bgt from two diff motor coy insurance, accident due to own fault, budget type catch here and there, ask here and there to reduce the payout when did not declared while mainstream one payout without much debate. Click to expand...

• Dec 20, 2021

I just signed up with them for the first time, it's abt 40% cheaper than what I m currently on. No harm giving it a try since my usage is low.  

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I would like some advise on what's a good annual travel policy insurance. I had a very bad experience with Direct Asia, I bought their annual travel insurance and when I met with a theft case overseas and wanted to claim for my lost item, they gave the most flimsy excuse and decline my claim. They didn't even bother to call me to ask or run through my claim but was quick to turn it down. DO NOT BUY any insurance products from Direct Asia. I learnt my lesson. Hence if anyone has other recommendations, please let me know.

Unless someone has had experience with every imaginable scenario where a claim can be made, you will only get a very subjective view of the insurers and the TnCs of plans can vary even within the same insurer.

There are exclusions and caps where theft is concerned as the risk is quite high for an insured to claim theft just to make a claim and the way to determine the value of the lost item may require a receipt for which you probably don’t have.

I don’t have a specific recommendation other than to choose a reputable company that cares about its name rather than going by price alone and preferably buy through a trustworthy agent who can offer support if there is a claim (not so easy to find).

Everyone has their own opinion and experience with travel insurance so it is hard to make a suggestion but these are the rules I would follow -

Shop around and compare the different policies

Read the T&C, make sure it covers your needs

Don't go for the cheapest one, I normally say you get what you pay for

Declare ALL medical conditions

Make sure that the policy includes the country you are planning to visit.

Read reviews

Thanks for that. I definitely wont buy any travel insurance from Direct Asia and they were not the cheapest. I will continue to browse this website for other feedback and experiences. All I want is a professional company which assesses the merits of the claim and compensate accordingly when its a genuine situation. Appreciate it.

What was the filmsy excuse given by Direct Asia when declining your claim? I think it is not usual for the Claims Department to call the insured so you need to have the right expectations.

Not sure if this is any help -

https://blog.moneysmart.sg/travel-insurance/best-annual-travel-insurance/

Thanks a lot. Appreciate it! Some of the recommended policies are even cheaper than what I paid for at Direct Asia. I totally regretted paying the annual premiums on the insurance policy with Direct Asia. Lesson learnt.

>>Declare ALL medical conditions<<

This may not be necessary. Some policies automatically include insurance for some specific conditions, and these do not need to be declared. Read the T&C.

>>You must not leave any item unattended even in a locked vehicle<<

This is a standard condition in many travel insurance policies. You would have known about it if you had read the policy before you bought it.

Just out of curiosity I have looked at 4 known travel insurance agencies in the UK and they all state under " What is not covered - any money or valuables you have stolen from an unattended vehicle " so it looks like a common clause. :(

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• Travel Insurance Direct Review

The journalists on the editorial team at Forbes Advisor Australia base their research and opinions on objective, independent information-gathering.

When covering investment and personal finance stories, we aim to inform our readers rather than recommend specific financial product or asset classes. While we may highlight certain positives of a financial product or asset class, there is no guarantee that readers will benefit from the product or investment approach and may, in fact, make a loss if they acquire the product or adopt the approach.

To the extent any recommendations or statements of opinion or fact made in a story may constitute financial advice, they constitute general information and not personal financial advice in any form. As such, any recommendations or statements do not take into account the financial circumstances, investment objectives, tax implications, or any specific requirements of readers.

Readers of our stories should not act on any recommendation without first taking appropriate steps to verify the information in the stories consulting their independent financial adviser in order to ascertain whether the recommendation (if any) is appropriate, having regard to their investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. Providing access to our stories should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any security or product, or to engage in or refrain from engaging in any transaction by Forbes Advisor Australia. In comparing various financial products and services, we are unable to compare every provider in the market so our rankings do not constitute a comprehensive review of a particular sector. While we do go to great lengths to ensure our ranking criteria matches the concerns of consumers, we cannot guarantee that every relevant feature of a financial product will be reviewed. We make every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information. However, Forbes Advisor Australia cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of this website. Forbes Advisor Australia accepts no responsibility to update any person regarding any inaccuracy, omission or change in information in our stories or any other information made available to a person, nor any obligation to furnish the person with any further information.

Travel Insurance Direct Review: Pros and Cons

Published: Mar 26, 2024, 1:44pm

Travel Insurance Direct is one of our highest ranking comprehensive policies, largely due to its thorough Covid-19 cover which includes both medical expenses and trip cancellations. It also includes some 43 medical conditions automatically, and covers a broad range of sports and adventure activities—some 93, in fact.

Related: Best Comprehensive Travel Insurance Providers for Australians

• Thorough Covid-19 cover for both medical and cancellations
• 93 sports and activities are automatically covered
• Lost luggage coverage up to $12,000, with the ability to increase item limits
• Online discounts are only available for multiple policies or group policies
• Certain pre-existing medical conditions cannot be covered
• Only covered up to 75 years of age

Table of Contents

About travel insurance direct, what does travel insurance direct cover, covid-19 coverage, what about pregnancy, sports and activities, customer service.

Travel Insurance Direct has been offering travel insurance policies to Australian customers since 2005, and sells policies in more than 100 countries.

The company is part of the nib group, with all insurance policies offered by Travel Insurance Direct underwritten by Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd.

In Forbes Advisor Australia’s pick of the best comprehensive travel insurance policies , Travel Insurance Direct ranked the highest with 4.5 stars (as did Allianz and Bupa ). But it is not just Forbes Advisor Australia that has given Travel Insurance Direct a positive review: from more than 2,500 customer submissions, TID has received a star ranking of 4.2 stars on Australia’s independent consumer opinion website, ProductReview.

Related: How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

Featured Partners

Fast Cover Travel Insurance

On Fast Cover’s Secure Website

Medical cover

Unlimited, 24/7 Emergency Assistance

Cancellations

Unlimited, (Trip Disruption $50,000)

Key Features

25-Day Cooling Off Period, Australian Based Call Centre, 4.6 Star Product Review Rating

Cover-More Travel Insurance

Covid Cover?

Maximum age limit?

99 years old

Lost luggage cover?

Yes, up to $15,000

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Medical Cover

Including medical treatment, doctors’ visits, prescribed medication, specialist treatment & medical transport costs

$2,500 with option to increase to unlimited

While Travel Insurance Direct offers a comprehensive policy with significant Covid-19 cover, emergency evacuation and other features, it is only available for those aged up to 75 years old at the time of the policy being issued. This means for elderly travellers, or grandparents wishing to travel with their families, the policy may not be suitable.

However, for families looking to travel without their elderly grandparents or relatives, the policy automatically includes children up to the age of 21 provided they are working fewer than 30 hours per week and are travelling with the policyholders for the entire trip.

In terms of financial coverage, Travel Insurance Direct will cover up to $3,000 in credit card fraud and up to $2.5 million for personal liability.

Additionally, travel delays are covered up to $2,000, while missed connections are only covered for special events (and included in the $2,000 travel delay limit). Cancellations are also covered with the amount chosen by the customer, which in turn, affects the premium.

For those looking to hire a car while abroad, Travel Insurance Direct offers a car hire excess of $6,000 in coverage.

Lost luggage

Travel Insurance Direct covers lost luggage up to $12,000, but sub limits apply. If required, item limits can be increased within individual policies, but, once again, this is likely to increase the premium.

Unlimited overseas medical cover is included with the Travel Insurance Direct comprehensive policy. Within that cover, there are 43 pre-existing conditions that will automatically be accepted pending certain criteria.

These conditions include allergies, epilepsy, iron deficiency, migraines and more. Unfortunately, other conditions are not covered, nor is there a way to include them within your policy as an additional fee.

On its website, Travel Insurance Direct states that “if you have an existing medical condition that’s not listed above as an automatically accepted condition, or you don’t satisfy all criteria for any listed condition, then you can still buy a policy, but you won’t be covered for any claim that arises in relation to the existing medical condition”.

It’s worth noting that the unlimited medical cover also includes illness arising from Covid-19, which is explained in more depth below.

Is Dental Cover Included in Medical?

No, dental cover is not included in Travel Insurance Direct’s medical cover. Dental is still covered, but only to a limit of $1,000, although this is still higher than some insurers, which offer policies that top out at $500 for dental.

Travel Insurance Direct includes Covid-19 related medical expenses within its unlimited medical coverage. From our analysis, we found that Travel Insurance Direct had one of the best Covid-19 cover options on the market—which is important in this day and age.

Along with medical expenses, any additional travel expenses incurred due to Covid-19 are covered up to $2,500. Plus, cancellations due to Covid are covered for both you and your travelling party.

Travel Insurance Direct will cover pregnancy covered up until week 26 provided there are no pre-existing complications. Pre-existing complications are not covered, and cannot be covered under any circumstance.

Childbirth is not covered.

Related: Guide To Pregnancy And Travel Insurance

There are 93 automatically included sports and activities within the Travel Insurance Direct comprehensive policy, making it a great choice for customers looking to embark on an adventure-filled holiday.

The list includes quite a few thrill-seeking holiday activities, such as bungee jumping, go-karting, canoeing, mountain biking, zip lining and more.

Certain activities may come with caveats and conditions. For example, hiking and trekking is included as an activity but will only be covered to certain heights and in certain locations. Another example is motorcycle riding, which is only covered if you are riding a motorbike that is 250cc or less and are wearing a helmet.

For other specific adventure coverage—such as snow sports, cruising, or policies targeted towards backpackers—Travel Insurance Direct offers optional add-ons at an extra cost.

Travel Insurance Direct offers its policyholders 24/7 emergency assistance.

The TID Worldwide 24/7 emergency assistance team can be called on:

• +61 2 8256 1523, or
• +61 2 9234 3123

Phone enquiries are also available from Australia and overseas on Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm AEST. These lines are:

• 1300 843 843 from Australia, or
• +61 2 8256 1537 from overseas

You can also submit online enquiries via the TID website at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who underwrites travel insurance direct.

Travel Insurance Direct is underwritten by Pacific International Insurance Pty Ltd.

What is the best travel insurance for Australians?

The best travel insurance for Australians will depend on a multitude of factors: whether you’re travelling domestically or internationally, where you are going, what activities you have planned, your age, any pre-existing conditions, and more.

This means that the best policy for you may not be the best policy for someone else.

For ease, Forbes Advisor Australia has reviewed the comprehensive options on the market and chosen our top 10 picks. Travel Insurance Direct ranked the highest, scoring 4.5 stars.

We have also ranked our picks for the best domestic policies for Australians for those looking for local options; the best policies for senior travellers ; the best cruise policies, for travellers setting sail; and the best family-friendly policies .

Is there a promo code for Travel Insurance Direct?

No, at the time of writing, there are no active promotional codes for Travel Insurance Direct. However, you can be eligible for a discount if you purchase multiple policies at once, which can be helpful for families.

Sophie Venz is an experienced editor and features reporter, and has previously worked in the small business and start-up reporting space. Previously the Associate Editor of SmartCompany, Sophie has worked closely with finance experts and columnists around Australia and internationally.

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