How Do I Find The Best Travel Insurance?

If you’re thinking about purchasing travel insurance, it’s important to weigh your options carefully. Compare policies, read reviews and know what to look for to find the best plan for you.

Look for policies that include scheduled airline and end-supplier failure coverage to help recover costs if your tour company, cruise ship or hotel goes bankrupt. Ensure pre-existing conditions are covered by adding an optional CFAR upgrade.

Types of Coverage

Most people think of trip cancellation insurance when they consider travel protection, but there are many other types of coverage as well. The best policy for you will depend on your priorities and needs.

For example, medical expense coverage is important because most US health plans do not cover travelers abroad. This type of coverage helps pay for costs such as hospitalization, imaging and prescription medications.

Other coverage, such as medical evacuation or repatriation, pays for transporting you to a suitable treatment facility. This is especially useful if you get seriously injured or sick in an area with poor medical care.

Finally, accident plans offer life insurance style coverage that pays benefits if you have a serious accident that results in dismemberment or death while traveling. These are often included in comprehensive policies or available as an add-on. Most policies have a free look period, allowing you to review the policy before you buy. Many online insurance comparison sites, such as Squaremouth, allow you to submit your trip search information once and receive multiple quotes based on your preferences.

Medical Coverage

The best travel insurance plans protect against medical problems that could cancel or interrupt your trip. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, check the look-back period on the plan (typically 60, 90 or 180 days) and make sure your current health is covered. If you’re unsure whether or not your condition is covered, consider purchasing a medical-only policy like GeoBlue.

The top travel insurance plans also offer a variety of other benefits like evacuation and lost or stolen items coverage. If you’re traveling with family, look for a plan like Seven Corners that covers multiple people on the same trip. If you’re a business traveler, consider buying a policy that includes coverage for work-related events or meetings. And if you’re planning a more adventurous vacation, you can find coverage for your adventure activities with a plan like World Nomads.

Trip Cancellation Coverage

The best travel insurance policies typically cover the cost of pre-paid, nonrefundable trip expenses if you need to cancel. Policy terms vary, but coverage can include a wide range of reasons for cancellation. These can include the death of a travel companion, severe weather, jury duty or job termination.

Some travel insurance providers offer supplemental add-on coverage that you can purchase with your policy. These can include flight insurance (also known as “crash coverage”) and rental car collision protection.

You can find the best travel insurance by comparing policies and prices from multiple providers. A comparison site like Squaremouth could help you narrow down your options and find a policy that fits your needs and budget. You can also find quotes by visiting the website of each provider directly.

Disability Coverage

Living with a disability shouldn’t stop you from traveling. But before you plan your next getaway, you should research the types of travel insurance that offer coverage for people with disabilities. Depending on your specific disability and condition, you may need to look for a policy that offers coverage for specialised equipment like mobility scooters and wheelchairs in case they are lost or stolen on your trip.

Typically, the best option for disabled travelers is to get a travel policy with a pre-existing medical condition waiver, which covers any expenses related to the condition. The lookback period varies amongst policies, but generally speaking, it only applies to medical conditions you’ve been diagnosed with or treated for in the past 60 or 180 days. Disclosing your pre-existing medical conditions can be costly, but it’s important to do so if you want to ensure you are covered. This is especially true if you’re planning a long-term or expensive trip.