Last Updated: 11/26/21 | November 26th, 2021
Planning a trip can be a lot of fun: researching remarkable bucket-list activities, daydreaming about picture-perfect beaches and epic hikes, booking the cheap flights that will take you to the world’s a lot of remarkable destinations. planning gives you ownership of your trip and lets you imagine all the terrific adventures you’ll have.
What is substantially less fun (yet equally important) is searching for the ideal travel insurance plan for your trip.
Reading through the fine print, searching out reviews you can trust, picking the best plan — it can be a little tedious.
It can also be a little overwhelming.
There are hundreds of companies out there, all using seemingly similar plans. but they all have different prices too. Which one is the best? Which review is right?
To help you figure it all out, I wanted to share my thoughts on the best travel insurance companies on the market. I’ve been backpacking considering that 2004 and researching companies for a living considering that 2007. I’ve spent a lot of time reading the fine print. (Have you ever read NY’s insurance compliance laws? Well, don’t.)
To save you time, I’ve compiled a list of the best travel insurance companies. Whether you’re heading south to escape from work or traveling abroad on a round-the-world trip, this list will help you find a company that works for you and your budget.
Table of Contents
Best overall insurance: safety Wing
Second best overall: world Nomads
Best company for medical evacuation: Medjet
Best company for older travelers: Insure My Trip
Best company for expats: IMGlobal
Honorable Mention: Your travel credit scores card
OUR top PICK: safety Wing
Safety Wing is one of the new players in the travel insurance world. It’s a Norwegian startup based out of California that is specifically focused on remote workers and digital nomads. To me, they are the best overall company out there. They offer really economical and robust policies.
Here’s a quick introduction of safety Wing:
Offers economical monthly plans with a deductible
Plans can be purchased at home before you go or abroad after you’ve departed
Claims can be filed online
After being abroad for 90 days, you keep your medical coverage for 30 days in your home country
Up to 2 children under 10 per family (1 per adult) can be included on your plan complimentary of charge
Up to $5,000 USD for trip interruption (with no deductible)
Best for digital nomads and frugal travelers
Its plans are cheap too. It’s great that they offer a flat monthly rate (based on coverage and age), but there is a $250 USD medical deductible you’ll have to pay.
Plus, electronics such as phones, laptops, and cameras are not covered, and in this day and age, that’s just crazy. (If the items are checked luggage and are lost/stolen, you can get reimbursed up to $500 USD per item, but who ever checks their expensive items?)
Pros
Super affordable
Offers some COVID-19 coverage
Backed by a single insurance company
Covers up to age 69
Cons
Deductible
No trip cancellation coverage (and only minor trip delay coverage)
Payout by check and wire transfer only (no direct deposit)
Limited coverage for your gear and adventure activities
Safety Wing is a good option for any individual traveling on a tight budget who just needs basic coverage. If you want some medical coverage, don’t care about your electronics or robust trip cancellation or interruption, and just want an inexpensive plan, safety Wing is the best.
Monthly plans start at $40 USD per month, plus a $250 USD deductible. If you just want basic “I just want to be covered for the big stuff” coverage, this company is it.
Note: If you will be traveling in the USA, monthly plans cost $73 USD per month.
World Nomads
I’ve been using world Nomads uses detailed plansand is great for adventurous travelers who plan to do things like hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and even some extreme sports like rock climbing or bungy jumping. With 200 different activities covered, world Nomads is the best choice for active travelers.
Here’s a quick introduction of world Nomads:
Emergency medical and dental coverage
Coverage for trip cancelations, delays, and interruptions
Coverage up to age 69 (depending on where you’re from)
Baggage protection
Emergency evacuation (for medical emergencies and non-medical emergencies such as natural disasters)
Medical transportation
24/7 customer assistance
Coverage for some COVID-19 medical costs
Pros
Tiers for basic and premium coverage
Can submit a claim after your trip ends
Offers some COVID coverage
Everything can be done by means of the website
Trusted by brands like Lonely Planet, Eurail, and Intrepid Travel
Cons
Claims paid by check
No car rental coverage on the standard Plan
They also offer the most trip cancellation, interruption, and delay coverage out there — a lot more so than othercompanies we looked at.
Prices vary based on your age and country of residency, as well as where you’re going and for how long. As a general rule, a one-month policy costs around $120 USD for the standard Plan. However, that drops to $105 USD for multi-month trips.
While world Nomads is pretty pricey compared to other companies provided here, they cover a lot a lot more things than those companies. With them, really get what you pay for — and that is very detailed coverage. NOTE: If you’re a us traveler, use safety Wing. They have better us service.
Medjet
Medjet is the premier membership program for medical transportation. Its substantial plans focus on crisis action and emergency transportation, and it has remarkable staff on hand to help you through it all.
While lots of insurance companies will just evacuate you to the nearest healthcare facility in an emergency, Medjet goes above and beyond to make sure that you’re repatriated (i.e. sent back to the country you live in) and not stuck in a foreign medical facility away from your friends and family.
There are both short-term and annual plans, too, so no matter what your travel plans are, you’ll be able to find the economical coverage that you need.
Here’s a quick introduction of Medjet:
Extensive medical transport coverage that will get you home
Allows you to figure out to which medical facility to be moved
Does not require government-issued warnings to initiate evacuation
Medical transfer available in the us as well as abroad
Limited time spent in foreign medical facilities
Both short-term and annual plans
Available for residents of the US, Canada, and Mexico
Pros
Will get you home (not just to the nearest “acceptable” medical facility)
Affordable annual plans
Two tiers of coverage: basic and premium plans
Offers global coverage for COVID-19
Offers coverage up to age 74 (with potential extended coverage to 84)
Cons
Only available to North American travelers (US, Canada, Mexico)
No trip cancellation, trip delay, or baggage coverage
Medjet is the best company for any individual seeking to avoid time spent in foreign medical facilities must an emergency or crisis occur. It’s a great supplement to a lot more basic travel insurance plans, especially if you’re anxious about being transported home.
Annual plans start as low as $295 USD per person.
Insure My Trip
Insure My trip isn’t actually an insurance company that issues its own plans. Rather, it recommends plans and helps you compare prices so you can get the plan that’s best for you. think of it as a Skyscanner but for travel insurance.
With Insure My Trip, you can compare plans from 23 different insurance providers. It’s a great company for senior travelers considering that lots of of the providers on the service offer coverage for those over 65. Moreover, they offer “cancel for any reason” insurance, so, if you cancel your trip for any reason, even ones not provided under regular policies, you’ll get a percentage of your trip back.
Here’s a quick introduction of Insure My Trip:
Guaranteed low prices
Coverage for senior travelers over 65
“Anytime advocates” ask the insurance company to give your claim a second look if you think it was unfairly denied.
Comparisons from 23 different companies to make sure you get the best plan
Accommodation coverage if quarantined at your destination
Reviews of each policy so you can see what other travelers are saying
Coverage for travelers on cruises
Pros
Tons of plans available
Options for senior travelers
Assistance with denied claims
Offers “cancel for any reason” plans
Cons
Since it’s is a third-party service, you’re taking care of a middleman.
Since Insure My trip is an aggregator, prices will vary based on your trip destination, country of residency, and travel plans.
IMGlobal
IMGlobal supplies insurance plans that are a lot more akin to your standard us health insurance. It has detailed coverage for long-term travelers, plans for non-US citizens, and economical plans for visitors to the us as well. Its plans cover single- and multi-destination trips.
I think this company is the best for expats and long-term travelers trying to find a robust insurance plan that covers regular doctor visits, medication, and other routine care. a lot of travel insurance plans are emergency care plans, whereas IMGlobal is there for the everyday visits and the emergencies.
They offer three plans for us residents and three for non-US residents. (If you’re pertaining to the US, your plan also covers COVID coverage.)
Pros
Plans for students service travelers, and immigrants
Available for non-US citizens
Can make claims even after your coverage ends
Can choose your own coverage limits
Available with deductibles or not — it’s your choice
Certain acute pre-exisiting conditions are covered up to age 69
Up to $10,000 USD for trip interruption
Cons
Minimal coverage for lost/damaged baggage
No trip cancellation coverage
No coverage for rental cars on their main travel plans
Plan prices vary a lot considering that you can choose your coverage as well as your deductible (your out-of-pocket expense before the plan covers everything). You can pick coverage from $25,000 USD to $8,000,000 and deductibles from $0 to $25,000. The lower the coverage and higher the deductible, the more affordable price will be.
For a standard policy with $100,000 coverage and no deductible, you’re checking out $45 USD per month. This policy would be comparable to SafetyWing, but less detailed than world Nomads. For something with a lot more coverage, expect to spend at least $75 USD per month.
Honorable Mention: credit scores Card Coverage
While not the most comprehensive, lots of travel credit scores cards include some degree of travel insurance. coverage is often limited and might only apply to trips or items purchased with the card. and there may be limited dates of coverage too.
However, something is better than nothing!
That said, while it can be tempting to choose a complimentary insurance plan from your credit scores card company, their plans are normally not that detailed and have minimal coverage and/or limited compensation. These complimentary plans are best used as supplemental coverage in addition to a plan from one of the companies above.
But it’s always great to have options (especially complimentary ones). Be sure to learn a lot more about the best travel credit scores cards before your next trip (you’ll have to read the fine print).
Note: If you’re traveling with a lot of expensive gear and electronics and want to be sure you’re covered, consider a policy from Clements. While its coverage isn’t as convenient to purchase as the companies above (you need to buy a quote by means of email or phone), it has higher coverage available for gear and electronics if you think you’ll need it.
***
Nobody plans on getting hurt when they travel. and in a best world, we wouldn’t. but we all know that this isn’t a best world.
My bags were stolen when I was traveling in South Africa.
I popped my eardrum while diving in Thailand.
And I was even stabbed while backpacking in Colombia.
Obviously, I didn’t plan for any of these things to happen.
But they did.
And I was lucky I had travel insurance to help me cover the costs. So, before you head out on your next trip, make sure that you’re covered. invest in your own safety and peace of mind. I pledge you, it’s worth the money!
How to travel the world on $50 a Day
My new York Times best-selling paperback guide to world travel will show you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off the beaten path, save money, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Click here to learn a lot more and start reading it today!
Book Your Trip: Logistical ideas and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches web sites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the least expensive rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will secure you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s detailed protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it lots of times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
SafetyWing (best for everyone)
Insure My trip (for those over 70)
Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)
Ready to book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.