Reviews Report
- Independent roundups and official plan pages consistently highlight medical-first leaders for U.S. travelers in 2025: WorldTrips (Atlas), Seven Corners (Travel Medical), GeoBlue (Voyager), Trawick International, IMG (Patriot), and Allianz (OneTrip Emergency Medical). These brands pair high medical/evacuation limits with robust assistance and flexible plan design (overview; coverage guidance; how it works; official product pages: WorldTrips Atlas, Seven Corners Travel Medical, GeoBlue Voyager, Allianz OneTrip Emergency Medical).
- For high medical maximums and long-trip flexibility, Seven Corners’ Travel Medical lineup offers options up to multi-million-dollar medical limits with strong evacuation benefits and available adventure-sport add-ons (plan information).
- Pre-existing condition waivers remain widely available but are time-sensitive and conditional: typical requirements include purchasing within 14–21 days of your initial trip payment, insuring 100% of nonrefundable trip cost, and being medically able to travel on the purchase date (Allianz; AIG Travel Guard; Seven Corners RoundTrip; Travel Insured).
If you’re on the hunt for the best travel insurance, prioritize emergency medical and evacuation limits that match today’s costs. Current guidance commonly recommends at least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage and $250,000 (or more) for medical evacuation; evacuations can exceed $100,000 from many locations (experts; plan basics; U.S. Department of State).
Medical travel insurance focuses on in-trip care and evacuation. Comprehensive trip plans often include emergency medical as part of the package, but non-medical disruptions (e.g., border closures or fear of travel) are typically excluded unless you add flexibility like Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR). Many insurers now publish epidemic-specific endorsements that clarify coverage for a confirmed diagnosis, physician-ordered quarantine, or denied boarding due to suspected illness (epidemic endorsement example; NAIC consumer guidance).
Below we profile four recognizable options and when they fit; when comparing, also price-check medical-first leaders like WorldTrips Atlas, GeoBlue Voyager, and Trawick International if you want very high medical limits, direct-billing networks, or primary-style benefits (WorldTrips; GeoBlue; independent roundups).
The 4 Best Medical Travel Insurance Companies
- John Hancock: Best for Solo Travelers
- IMG: Best for Thrill Seekers
- Allianz Global Assistance: Best for Frequent Travelers
- Seven Corners: Best for Long Trips
Compare the Best Medical Travel Insurance Companies
| Reviews.com Score | Recommended Plan | Medical Coverage | Max Trip Length | AM Best Rating | Pre-Existing Condition Waiver Option | |
| John Hancock | 4.2 | Silver | $50K–$250K (plan-dependent) | Varies by plan | Verify current FSR with AM Best | ✔ |
| IMG | 4.75 | Patriot Travel Medical | $50K–$2M (plan-dependent) | Varies by plan (often extendable) | Verify current FSR with AM Best | ✔ |
| Allianz Global Assistance | 3.4 | OneTrip Emergency Medical | Typically ~$50K medical; evac up to ~$500K (state/form dependent) | Varies by state/form | Verify current FSR with AM Best | ✔ |
| Seven Corners | 4.5 | Travel Medical Choice | Options up to multi-million medical limits | Up to 364 days (plan-dependent) | Varies by underwriting carrier; verify with AM Best | ✔ |
Information updated in 2025. Benefits, limits, eligibility and financial strength vary by plan, state, and underwriting carrier. Confirm current details on the insurer’s product page and verify the latest Financial Strength Rating directly with AM Best before purchase.
Best for Solo Travelers
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Packaged medical + trip benefits in simple tiers
- Emergency medical and evacuation included
- Option to add time-sensitive benefits like CFAR on select tiers (availability varies)
Cons
- Medical limits on some tiers may be lower than medical-first plans
- Verify pre-existing condition terms and timing requirements
Add-ons & Coverage
- Trip cancellation/interruption typically included; CFAR (if offered) usually reimburses ~50%–75% and must be bought shortly after first trip payment (NAIC).
- Emergency medical & evacuation included; evacuation from many locations can exceed $100,000—choose adequate limits (U.S. Department of State).
- Epidemic language: many travel insurers now clarify coverage for COVID-19 diagnosis or quarantine via endorsements (example).
- 24/7 emergency assistance and digital claims support are standard among leading brands (app example).
Plans
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
Best for Thrillseekers
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Optional rider for specified adventure sports
- High medical and evacuation limits available
- Multiple deductibles to tailor price and risk
Cons
- Adventure coverage is activity- and conditions-specific—verify lists and sublimits
- Pre-existing condition terms vary by plan; review lookback periods
Add-ons & Coverage
- Emergency medical and evacuation with flexible limits; consider ≥100K medical and ≥250K evacuation as a baseline (experts).
- Adventure Sports Rider available for named higher-risk activities (policy-specific) (IMG rider).
- 24/7 assistance; many insurers now support digital claims and telehealth triage (digital claims example; telehealth trend).
Plans
- Patriot Travel Medical Insurance
- Patriot Platinum Travel Medical Insurance
- Patriot Multi-Trip Travel Medical Insurance
Best for Frequent Travelers
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Recognized brand with strong 24/7 assistance
- Epidemic coverage endorsement clarifies COVID-19 scenarios
- Digital tools for provider lookup and claims
Cons
- Medical limits are lower than some travel medical competitors
- Exact limits vary by state-specific certificate
- Pre-existing condition coverage depends on plan and timing requirements
Add-ons & Coverage
Plans
- AllTrips (annual) tiers; OneTrip family including Emergency Medical, Prime, Basic, Premier (availability varies)
Best for Long Trips
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Very high medical maximums with evacuation benefits
- Eligible plans treat COVID-19 like any covered illness
- Adventure sports options and long-trip flexibility
Cons
- Pre-existing condition and sports terms vary—review definitions and lookback periods
- Underwriting carrier and rating vary by plan—verify current AM Best status
Add-ons & Coverage
- COVID-19 generally covered as an illness on eligible plans; documentation required (plan details).
- High medical and evacuation limits; target ≥100K medical and ≥250K evacuation at minimum (experts).
- Optional sports and trip add-ons available; confirm activity lists and exclusions (sports coverage guidance).
Plans
- Travel Medical (Basic, Choice) for medical-first coverage
- RoundTrip trip protection family (for time-sensitive waivers) (waiver details)
Medical Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know
Take activities into account
Emergency medical and evacuation are core benefits on medical-first plans and many comprehensive trip policies. If you plan higher-risk activities, confirm whether they’re covered outright or require an optional rider. Insurers publish sport lists and often set altitude/depth conditions; riskier activities can carry sublimits or be excluded unless you add the correct upgrade. Also check if search & rescue is included or excluded (sports lists example; IMG Adventure Sports Rider; comparison guidance).
Compare quotes
Travel medical-only plans are typically priced per day based on destination, age, trip length, and chosen limits/deductible. Start with at least $100,000 in emergency medical and $250,000+ in evacuation; raise limits for cruises, remote destinations, or adventure travel. Post‑pandemic plans emphasize clearer epidemic terms and digital-first claims, so consider usability (apps, telehealth, direct pay) alongside price (coverage targets; plan selection tips; digital claims example).
Coverage
Match limits to your destination and visa needs. Schengen visas require at least €30,000 of medical coverage including medical evacuation and repatriation—this is a legal minimum, not a best‑practice target (EU Visa Code). Several government sources recommend much higher practical limits: Canada advises at least CA$1,000,000 in medical cover; UK MoneyHelper suggests £2 million for Europe and £5 million worldwide; Australia’s Smartraveller recommends “unlimited” overseas medical cover. The U.S. State Department warns evacuations can exceed US$100,000 (Government of Canada; UK MoneyHelper; Australia Smartraveller; U.S. State Department).
If you’ll trek at altitude, dive, or take on technical sports, consider $500,000–$1,000,000 in medical coverage (or higher where available) plus robust evacuation, and verify that your exact activity—and any altitude/depth limit—is covered by the base plan or a rider (expert guidance; sports coverage tips).
Medical Travel Insurance FAQ
Methodology
We prioritized medical-first protection using current sources and official product pages. Our evaluation emphasized: adequacy of emergency medical and evacuation limits; clarity of epidemic coverage; pre-existing condition waiver availability and requirements; adventure-sport options; assistance capabilities (telehealth, direct pay, digital claims); and confirmation of current financial strength with AM Best. Guidance on target limits references expert and government-backed recommendations, and all ratings should be verified directly with AM Best at the time of purchase (coverage targets; medical plan basics; epidemic coverage; AM Best).
- Essential Coverage: We looked for emergency medical and evacuation/repatriation, 24/7 assistance, and clear epidemic language. Plans aligning with recommended medical (≥$100,000) and evacuation (≥$250,000+) targets scored higher (experts; details).
- Number of Plans and Flexibility: Broader plan families and options (e.g., adventure riders, deductible choices, annual vs. single-trip) improved scores, as did digital-first experiences (apps, tele-triage, direct pay) (app example; telehealth).
- Add-on Coverage and Waivers: Time-sensitive benefits like Pre‑Existing Condition Waivers and CFAR were rewarded when availability and criteria were clearly disclosed (typical windows 14–21 days; insure 100% of trip cost; medically able to travel) (NAIC; Allianz waiver).
- Medical Coverage Limit: We benchmarked against government-backed guidance (e.g., Canada CA$1,000,000; UK MoneyHelper multi-million; Australia unlimited) and State Department evacuation cost warnings (>US$100,000), rewarding higher, clearly stated limits (Canada; UK MoneyHelper; Australia; U.S. State Department).
- AM Best: We instruct readers to verify the current Financial Strength Rating and outlook directly at AM Best and to note the date accessed, since ratings change over time (AM Best Rating Services).
