HTH Travel Insurance Review

HTH Travel Insurance Review

HTH Travel Insurance offers a variety of policies and the option to choose your limits and deductibles. From single-trip insurance plans to policies covering international travel and long-term visits, HTH has a plan for almost anyone. This also extends to those traveling in groups of five or more with 10% off standard rates. About the only problem we saw was that anyone opting for a single-trip plan without U.S. primary health insurance will have to opt for a weaker alternative. Other policies offered such as multi-trip and international don’t even have an alternative, requiring you to have a health plan.

That being said, the flexibility of the policies on offer and your ability to choose the limits and deductibles still make for compelling policies worth considering. Especially if you are traveling in a group.

The Claim

From the homepage: “We offer a wide selection of travel health insurance plans that include coverage for hospital care, surgery, office visits, prescription drugs and medical evacuation.”

Is it true?

Yes — as long as you have U.S. primary health insurance.

As stated on the homepage, the company “offers a variety of travel medical insurance across the U.S. under leading brands.” This means that HTH Travel Insurance is a secondary provider and almost all of the plans and policies offered required you to have primary health insurance.

So, while it is true that these plans can include coverage for hospital care, surgery, office visits, prescription drugs and medical evacuation, you might not get to experience these without primary health insurance. There is a version of the single-trip policy designed for those without a policy but it offers less coverage and some notable coverages are absent.

Product Overview

Best for

Those with primary health insurance traveling in a group

Not for

Those without health insurance

Features

Choose your limits and deductibles

When you purchase a Single Trip travel insurance policy from HTH Travel Insurance, you can select how much emergency medical coverage you want — up to $1 million. You also get a say in how much you want your deductible to be. Few travel insurance providers give you these options and determine the coverage limits and deductibles for you. That makes HTH’s flexibility a rare find in the industry and something you definitely want to keep in mind as you select the right travel insurance policy for you.

Multi-trip insurance plan

HTH Travel Insurance’s multi-trip plan covers emergency medical expenses for an unlimited amount of trips within a 12-month period. If you’re a frequent traveler, particularly if you spend a lot of time out of the country, this plan is invaluable. It covers pre-existing conditions as well as hospital care, prescription medications, and medical evacuations. Annual travel insurance plans are difficult to come by so, if you travel often, HTH Travel Insurance’s multi-trip plan is something you should check out.

Special plans for international travel

HTH Travel Insurance offers two different travel insurance plans specifically designed for people traveling outside the U.S. Their Premier Expat plan covers emergency medical and dental care both inside and outside the country and you can keep this coverage for up to nine months after your trip. There’s also the Essential plan which just covers any emergency treatment you receive while you’re out of the country. In addition, there are also two plans just for students studying abroad. The short-term plan offers up to $1 million in coverage and the long-term plan has no medical maximum at all, so you can be sure that you’re covered for the entire duration of your trip no matter what happens.

Group rates for five or more

The TravelGap Group plans cover trips as long as six months and offer rates 10% lower than standard single-trip rates. The group plans do not cover trip cancellation or interruption for lost or stolen luggage. However, they do provide solid emergency medical and dental coverage for all members of the group. Most travel insurance companies do not offer group rates unless there are 10 or more people traveling, so HTH Travel Insurance’s plan is pretty unique in the industry. If you’re traveling as part of a student organization or a missionary group, this is something you should look into.

Possible Drawbacks

Some policies require a health plan

Because HTH Travel Insurance is a secondary provider, several of their policies only insure individuals who already have some sort of primary health insurance. This means that your primary insurance provider must handle your claims first. Any costs not covered by your primary health insurer are then be covered by HTH Travel Insurance. There are several other travel insurance companies out there that offer primary coverage for emergency medical treatment, and these are going to be better options for you if you don’t meet the criteria for HTH’s travel insurance policies.

The Competition

HTH Travel Insurance vs. John Hancock Travel Insurance

John Hancock has fewer options than HTH Travel Insurance and no where near the flexibility when it comes to coverage and deductibles. However, we appreciated the fact that what fewer plans John Hancock had were all solid. John Hancock also had a slightly higher financial strength rating but HTH’s A- is still considered excellent and reliable should you ever need a claims payout.

HTH Travel Insurance vs. Allianz TraveL Insurance

Allianz and HTH Travel Insurance offer a wide variety of plans and coverages to choose from. However, when put side-to-side, Allianz squeaked out ahead by not only having a couple more plans but also offering free coverage for children under 18. Allianz also has a higher financial strength rating of A+ but, again, an A- is nothing to sneeze at. One thing that was missing from Allianz that we found in both HTH and John Hancock was the option for any annual plans. If you’re a student or doing mission work, you’re going to need a long-term plan and Allianz might not be your best bet.

HTH Travel Insurance FAQ

Do I need a primary health plan to be eligible for HTH travel insurance policies?

In most cases, yes. With the exception of the alternative Single Trip plan, you will need a primary health plan to be eligible for an HTH travel insurance policy. HTH is a secondary provider which means that it falls to your primary health plan provider to handle your claims before HTH can kick it to pick up the rest.

Are acts of terrorism covered under HTH travel insurance plans?

Yes, all of the HTH Travel Insurance plans we reviewed and most of the ones listed on the homepage cover for acts of terrorism. This includes injuries and illnesses as a direct result of terrorist attacks.

The Bottom Line

HTH Travel Insurance offers a lot of flexibility when it comes to choosing your coverage and deductibles. We would have liked to see a little more when it came to options for those without primary health plans and it would have been nice if children under 18 were covered. However, HTH offers more than enough to make up for this including a 10% discount for groups of five and more and a variety of international travel plans to suit all sorts of long-term travelers.

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