Reviews Report
- Reviews.com rates IMG as the best travel insurance company, earning a 4.75 out of 5.
- The best travel insurance companies have broad areas and limits of coverage and excellent service for the insured.
- Medical coverage and trip cancellation/interruption are must-haves when choosing the best travel insurance company.
Travel insurance is an often overlooked way to protect the investment in your vacation or trip abroad. It covers incidents such as canceling trips, medical evacuation, lost or delayed baggage, and more. However, picking the best travel insurance policy isn’t always easy — especially when COVID-19 has slowed travel and canceled trips outright.
In making our selections for the best travel insurance companies of 2021 we analyzed each company’s travel insurance offerings using a number of criteria like medical coverage limits, available add-on coverage options, and the number of plans to choose from.
The 6 Best Travel Insurance Companies of 2021
- IMG: Best Overall Travel Insurance
- John Hancock: Best Insurance for Travel Cost Reimbursement
- Allianz Global: Best Travel Insurance for Tailored Plans
- AXA: Best for Premier Travel Insurance Plans
- World Nomads Travel Insurance: Best Travel Insurance for Adventure Sports
- APRIL International: Best Travel Insurance for Group Travel
Compare the Best Travel Insurance Companies
| Reviews.com Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options. | AM Best AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim. | Medical Coverage | Trip Length | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pin IMG Travel | 4.75 | Not Rated | $100K–$250K | 180 days | |
| Pin John Hancock | 4.2 | A+ | $50K–$250K | 90 days | |
| Pin Allianz Global | 3.4 | A+ | $25K–$50K | 180 days | |
| Pin AXA | 4 | A+ | $25K–$250K | 60 days | |
| Pin World Nomads | 2.75 | Not Rated | $100K | 60 days | |
| Pin APRIL International | 4.25 | Not Rated | $50K–$250K | 60–90 days |
Information accurate as of April 2021
Best Overall Travel Insurance
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Plans specifically for seniors available
- Additional add-on coverage available
- High medical coverage
Cons
- Number of plans is limited
- Lengthy wait to initiate claim for lost luggage
Coverage
- Trip cancellation: $50K
- Trip interruption: 150% cost of trip
- Medical coverage: $500K
- Medical evacuation: $1M
- Sports/recreation: $500K
- Travel delay: $500 (Max $125/day)
Plans
- iTravelInsured Travel Lite
- iTravelInsured SE
- iTravelInsured LX
- Senior plan
Best for Solo Travelers
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Multiple plans
- 24/7 emergency travel assistance
- Up to $1K missed connection coverage
Cons
- Lower medical emergency coverage than competitors
- Few add-on coverage
- No free child traveler coverage
Coverage
- Trip cancellation: Up to 100% of trip cost
- Trip interruption: Up to 150% of trip cost
- Emergency medical: Up to $250K
- Medical evacuation: Up to $1M
- Baggage delay: $500
- Lost baggage: $2,500
Plans
- Bronze: Basic plan with lower coverage limits than other two
- Silver: Intermediate plan with more value than Bronze
- Gold: Premier plan with best coverage
More John Hancock Insurance Reviews
Best for Tailored Plans
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Multiple plans to choose from
- Children 17 and under, free
- Annual plan for multiple trips
Cons
- Relatively low medical limits
- Often difficult to compare multiple plan offerings
- Some plans are relatively expensive
Coverage
- Trip cancellation: Up to $100,000
- Trip interruption: Up to $150,000
- Medical coverage: $50,000
- Emergency medical: $25,000
- Lost baggage: $1,000
- Change fee: $500
Plans
- Annual Plans
- One Trip Cancellation Plus
- One Trip Basic, Prime, Premier
- One Trip Emergency Medical
More Allianz Global Insurance Reviews
Best for Premier Travel Insurance Plans
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Very comprehensive top tier coverage
- Broad adventure travel coverage
- No deductible
Cons
- Limited coverage for lower tier plans
- Extensive exclusions for lost/damaged personal property
Coverage
- Trip cancellation: Up to 100% of trip cost
- Trip interruption: Up to 150% of trip cost
- Trip delay: Up to $300/day; $1,250 max
- Medical coverage: Up to $250K
- Medical evacuation: Up to $1M
- Baggage delay: Up to $750 max
- Lost baggage: Up to $3K
Plans
- Silver Plan: Basic plan
- Gold Plan: Better value
- Platinum Plan: Premier coverage
- Adventure Product
Best for Adventure Sports Coverage
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- Adventure sports coverage
- Language apps for iPhones
- COVID-19 coverage
Cons
- No pre-existing med coverage
- Restricted civil unrest coverage
- Less extensive med coverage
Coverage
- Emergency dental: $750
- Trip cancellation: $2,500 / $10K
- Trip interruption: $2,500 / $10K
- Medical evacuation: $300K / $500K
- Lost, damaged, stolen gear: $1K/$3K
Plans
- Standard Plan
- Explorer (Enhanced) Plan
Best Travel Insurance for Groups
Why we chose it
Why we chose it
Pros
- High coverage for trip delay
- Group travel policies available
- Cancel for any reason available
Cons
- Low trip cost coverage
- Sports equipment coverage not automatic
Add-ons and Coverage
- Trip cancellation: 100% of cost
- Cancel for any reason: 75% of cost (only for Pandemic Plus plan)
- Trip interruption: 150%–175% of cost
- Medical evacuation: $500K (only for Pandemic Plus plan)
- Lost baggage: Up to $2,500
Plan
- APRIL Pandemic Plus
- APRIL Trip Cancellation
- APRIL Choice with Pre-Ex Waiver
- APRIL VIP
- APRIL Cruise
Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know
Travel insurance is an optional protection that most travelers should consider. Travel insurance helps people recover losses if travel plans are disrupted. This can include full recovery of prepaid expenses if the trip is canceled entirely as well as coverage for expenses incurred on a trip if facing problems such as a medical emergency or lost items.
A number of credit card companies provide some automatic travel insurance but coverage is limited and often doesn’t cover crisis situations such as the need to evacuate for a civil disturbance or natural disaster. The best travel insurance policies will provide full coverage, can be tailored to specific needs, and reimburse customers for losses and costs that will arise if plans go astray.
Purchasing travel insurance works much like buying other common coverage, such as home or auto insurance. The first step is to understand and list all of anticipated travel costs and potential risks, then contact several companies to obtain quotes to compare.
What Travel Insurance Covers
How to Choose the Best Travel Insurance Company
Prior to buying travel insurance, it is important to determine the travel coverage you may already have from other sources such as your credit cards, existing health insurance, or homeowners insurance. Also, have your total prepaid and anticipated trip costs calculated and handy.
Here are some tips on selecting the best travel insurance company policy for your needs:
- Review any home insurance, umbrella insurance, health insurance, and credit card coverage that may already apply to traveling. For example, some home insurance policies cover lost items no matter where you are and health insurance could apply to situations outside of the United States.
- Understand the factors that will guide you in selecting the best policy for you — length of trip, destination, your age and health condition and anticipated involvement in high risk sports or other activities.
- Compare the detailed features and prices of several plans — try to find the cheapest travel insurance company plan that will also cover everything you need.
- Understand all of the deductible options that are available.
- Read the fine print and don’t be afraid to ask questions of the insurance company when plans are confusing or you would like a modification to the plan offered.
Finally, once you have purchased a policy and before departing on your trip, make sure you understand the process for filing a claim and seeking emergency assistance should the need arise. You do not want to face a crisis on the other side of the world and not be able to put your hands on the number to call for help.
Travel Insurance FAQ
Methodology
We evaluated 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 insurance company’s financial stability.
About the Authors
Rick Hoel is an international business attorney and legal and insurance writer for Reviews.com. Over the last several years, he has covered topics dealing with personal and commercial insurance and technology and the law.
