Reviews Report
- Reviews.com ranks IMG as the best medical travel insurance company, earning a 4.75 out of 5.
- Seven Corners is the best medical travel insurance for long trips and has the highest medical coverage at $5 million limits.
- The best medical travel insurance companies have pre-existing condition waiver options.
If you’re on the hunt for the best travel insurance, you’ll want to keep medical insurance at the top of your priorities. Medical travel insurance jumps in when your U.S. health insurance coverage falls short while traveling out of the country. Whether you get sick, injured, or need to be evacuated, some or all of your expenses may be covered with the right medical insurance policy.
Medical travel insurance doesn’t automatically cover logistical issues of your trip, like lost luggage or a delayed flight — although many policies do include these features as extra perks.
We reviewed the four best medical travel insurance companies that suit a range of travelers, from adventure-seeking explorers to large families with a troop of pioneers.
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 | 90 days | A+ | ✔ |
| IMG | 4.75 | Patriot Platinum | $100K–$500K | 36 months | A | ✔ |
| Allianz Global Assistance | 3.4 | OneTrip Prime | $25K–$50K | N/A | A+ | ✔ |
| Seven Corners | 4.5 | Liaison Travel Plus (Covid-19 Coverage) | $50K–$5M | 364 days | Not Rated | ✔ |
Information accurate as of March 2021.
Best for Solo Travelers
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- High medical coverage limits
- High financial ratings
- $1M in medical evacuation
Cons
- Kids not included
- No adventure sports coverage
Add-ons & Coverage
- Trip cancellation: 100% of cost
- Cancel for any reason: 75% of cost
- Lost baggage: $750–$2,500
- Medical evacuation: $250K–$1M
- 24/7 emergency travel assistance
Plans
- Bronze
- Silver
- Gold
Best for Thrillseekers
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- High medical coverage
- Tailored to adventure sports
- Search and rescue coverage
Cons
- Few optional coverage options
- Higher cost than competitors
Add-ons & Coverage
- Trip cancellation: 100% of cost
- Cancel for any reason: 75% of cost
- Lost baggage: $150–$2,500
- Medical evacuation: Up to $1M
- Sports equipment rental: $2,000
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
- Year-round travel insurance
- Extra emergency evacuation coverage
- Coverage for kids is free
Cons
- No medical upgrades available
- Limited policy add-ons
- Lower medical coverage limit
Add-ons & Coverage
- Trip cancellation: $5K–$100K
- Trip interruption:$5K–$150K
- Lost baggage: $500–$2K
- 24-hour hotline assistance
Plans
- AllTrips Basic, Executive, Premier, and Prime
- OneTrip Prime, Basic, Premier, Emergency Medical, and Cancellation Plus
Best for Long Trips
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Medical travel insurance throughout the year
- Includes COVID-19 exposure coverage
- Hazardous sports coverage
Cons
- Deductible must be paid in full and up front
- Lacks app support and interfacing
Add-ons & Coverage
- COVID-19 treatment: $100,000
- Cancel for any reason: 75% of cost
- Lost baggage: $150–$2,500
- Medical evacuation: Up to $1M
- Sports equipment rental: $2,000
Plans
- Liaison International Travel Medical Insurance
- Liaison Travel Plus (Covid-19 Coverage)
Medical Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know
Take activities into account
Basic medical travel insurance includes things like emergency medical care and evacuation while traveling either at home or internationally. But if you plan on doing higher-risk activities, additional coverage may be warranted. Examples of these types of travel adventures include skydiving, mountain climbing, and scuba diving.
Compare quotes
It’s important to compare medical travel insurance quotes because so many factors are evaluated to determine your offer. Premiums are based on total trip cost, coverage selections, and the number and age of travelers in your party, among other factors. If you want cheap travel insurance, opt for policies with lower limits and higher deductibles.
Coverage
Medical travel insurance companies will provide quotes on the amount of medical services covered under their policies. For example, if a company like Allianz only offers $50,000 in medical coverage, that’s how much it will cover before you have to pick up the rest of the bill for a hospital stay abroad.
If you plan to scale mountains or dive deep into the sea, it’s recommended to opt for medical travel insurance that includes high limits near $750,000 or $1 million, depending on the adventure sport activity.
Medical Travel Insurance FAQ
Methodology
We evaluated medical travel insurance providers based on coverage, number of plans, optional coverage, medical coverage limits, and AM Best ratings to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best travel insurance provider reviews. To compare travel insurance providers with other brands across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:
- Essential Coverage: When comparing travel insurance providers, we considered essential coverage to be 24/7 assistance, trip cancellation/interruption, medical evacuation and more. Providers with more points of essential coverage scored higher.
- Number of Plans: Flexibility and having options is important which is why Reviews.com awarded travel insurance providers with higher scores if they presented more plans.
- Add-on Coverage: Travel insurance providers with more optional coverage add-ons scored higher in this metric — higher flexibility and customization in travel insurance is an indicator of the best travel insurance companies.
- Medical Coverage Limit: We compared the medical coverage limits of the best travel insurance companies and awarded providers with higher scores if they had higher medical coverage limits.
- AM Best: Reviews.com utilized AM Best ratings to assign a score based on each home
About the Authors
Amanda Push is a writer based in Colorado who covers personal finance, technology, safety and security, moving, and more. Her writing has also been featured at TheSimpleDollar.com, Interest.com, MyMove.com, and Safety.com.
