Travel insurance comparison — the 9 providers worth knowing
Travel insurance is confusing on purpose. Providers bury coverage gaps in 80-page documents. This comparison cuts through the noise: 9 major travel insurance providers, their core coverage amounts, pricing for a $4,000 trip for a 35-year-old, and what each is best for. The framework: pay 5–7% of non-refundable trip cost, make sure medical coverage is $100k+ and medical evacuation is $250k+, and buy within 14 days of trip deposit for pre-existing condition waiver.
The 9 providers
Allianz Travel Insurance: Largest U.S. provider. Pricing for $4,000 trip 35-yr-old: $140–$220 (varies by plan). OneTrip Basic covers $10k medical, $25k evac — thin. OneTrip Prime covers $25k medical, $500k evac — solid standard. OneTrip Premier covers $50k medical, $1M evac + trip cancellation up to $100k. Great customer service. Strong for trips where evacuation from remote is possible.
Travel Guard (AIG): Major player. Pricing $120–$200. Silver covers $15k medical, $150k evac. Gold covers $50k medical, $500k evac. Platinum covers $100k medical, $1M evac + cancel-for-any-reason option (50–75% cost refund). CFAR is premium — adds 40–50% to base cost but covers non-medical cancellations.
World Nomads: Built for backpackers + adventure travelers. Pricing $80–$160 for $4,000 trip. Standard plan covers $100k medical, $300k evac, adventure sport coverage (skiing, scuba, motorbiking). Explorer plan covers $100k medical, $500k evac. Best-in-class for adventure + backpacking + solo travelers. Weaker cancellation coverage than Allianz.
Seven Corners: Solid mid-market. Pricing $90–$180. RoundTrip Choice covers $500k medical, $1M evac — strong medical limits for the price. Good for international long-haul where medical could be a big deal.
Travelex: Family-focused. Pricing $130–$230. Travel Select covers $50k medical, $250k evac. Travel Basic covers $15k medical, $150k evac. Good for family trips with cancellation coverage.
IMG Global: Underwriter partner for many. Patriot Platinum comprehensive $150–$280 for $4k trip. Covers $1M medical, $1M evac. Strong for international expatriates.
SafetyWing: Digital nomad / long-term. $56/month for single adult under 40. $100k medical, $100k evac. Great for people who travel continuously — monthly subscription model. Not ideal for one-trip coverage.
Atlas International (WorldTrips): International medical focus. $90–$170 for $4k trip. $1M medical, $500k evac. Strong for health-focused travelers to countries with expensive care (U.S. visitors to U.S., travelers to Switzerland/Germany where care is expensive).
Generali Global Assistance: $100–$200 for $4k trip. Standard plan $50k medical, $500k evac. Premium plan $250k medical, $1M evac. Good standard option.
What each coverage actually covers
Trip cancellation: Covers non-refundable trip cost if you cancel for a covered reason (illness, death in family, job loss, weather-related cancellation, etc.). Must cancel for a specific reason — boredom doesn't count. Cancel-For-Any-Reason (CFAR) covers 50–75% for any reason but costs 40–50% more. Trip interruption: Covers unused portion of trip if you must return early. Trip delay: Meals + hotel if delayed 6+ hours ($150–$250/day typical). Lost/delayed baggage: $500–$2,500 per bag; delay pays $200–$500 for purchases in first 24 hours. Medical expenses: Foreign medical care ($15k basic, $100k+ recommended). Medical evacuation: Flight to medical facility or home ($250k+ recommended; $500k–$1M for remote destinations, Africa, Asia). Emergency medical evacuation to specific provider: Medjet Assist ($295/person) is a membership for premium evacuation to your preferred hospital, on top of insurance. Accidental death: $10k–$100k typical. Rental car damage: Primary coverage where credit cards provide secondary (most legacy U.S. cards). Can skip CDW at counter if insurance primary.
Credit card coverage (often overlooked)
Chase Sapphire Reserve: $10k trip cancellation, $20k baggage, $2,500 trip delay, primary rental car coverage, $100k accident. Strong baseline if you book travel on the card. Chase Sapphire Preferred: $10k trip cancellation, $1,500 baggage, $500 trip delay. Solid mid-tier. Amex Platinum: $10k trip cancellation (Amex Centurion brand), $3k baggage. Less comprehensive than Chase. Capital One Venture X: $2k trip cancellation per person, $500 delay. Weaker than Chase. Amex Gold: Limited trip insurance. Bilt Mastercard: Basic trip delay coverage.
When to skip insurance
Short refundable trip (paid on credit card, fully refundable before cancellation deadline). Young healthy traveler, trip under $2k, no flights involved (drive-to trip). Already have comprehensive health insurance covering international (rare — most U.S. health plans don't). Already have elite credit card with strong trip protection + international health (Chase Sapphire Reserve + GeoBlue membership $800/year).
When insurance is mandatory
International adventure travel (Patagonia, Nepal, African safari). Trips over $5,000 non-refundable. Cruise bookings (high risk of non-refundable, medevac expensive). Seniors 65+ (medicare doesn't cover international). Pre-existing conditions (get waiver by buying within 14 days of first deposit). High-risk destinations (State Department Level 3–4 advisory). Honeymoon or once-in-a-lifetime trip (trip cancellation protects the investment).
FAQ on travel insurance
Credit card insurance vs standalone — how to decide? If trip under $10k refundable + no international health risk, credit card enough. Over $10k or international adventure = buy standalone. Pre-existing condition waiver critical? Yes if you have any ongoing medical condition. Buy within 14 days of initial trip deposit to trigger waiver on most policies. CFAR worth the 40% premium? Only if you have legitimate worry about needing to cancel for non-medical reasons (relationship, work uncertainty, high-risk destination). Otherwise skip. Geo-specific insurance like Medjet? Medjet ($295/pp/year) covers medevac to your home hospital from anywhere — important if you'd rather be treated at home than at the nearest foreign hospital. Good add-on for serious travelers. Age 70+ cost increase? 20–40% more. Coverage still available but more expensive. Covid-related cancellations? Some policies include it, some exclude. Check specific exclusions — World Nomads currently includes. Adventure sport coverage? Standard policies exclude skiing, scuba, motorbiking, climbing. World Nomads and Travel Guard adventure add-ons cover. Trip cost including flights? Yes — flight cost counts toward trip cost for insurance. Include it when calculating policy coverage needed. If I cancel, how long to get refund? 14–45 days from claim submission. Document everything. Allianz + Travel Guard have strong claims support.
Related tools
Use travel insurance value calculator to decide if insurance pays off, compare with credit card miles for included coverage, calculate trip cost via trip budget calculator, and use the pre-departure checklist.