Where to Buy Travel Insurance in 2024
Purchasing travel insurance is easier now than ever before. With hundreds of policies and providers at your fingertips, travelers can find, compare and purchase policies in a matter of minutes. But with so many options available, knowing how and where to buy travel insurance can get overwhelming.
Below we’ll discuss some popular places today’s travelers are finding trip insurance, as well as some tips to keep in mind as you browse different options for your next trip.
Where to Buy Travel Insurance in 2024
A strong travel insurance policy is a great way to protect yourself from financial loss when things don’t go according to plan. Based on recent claims data, travel insurance policies reimbursed travelers roughly $2,200 on average.
While it can be tempting to purchase the first policy you see, finding the right policy at the best price may involve a bit of patience. Below we’ve listed some of the best places to get travel insurance coverage.
Direct From Insurance Providers
There are many reputable providers that offer adequate trip protection to travelers. Much like buying an airline ticket or hotel stay, travelers have the ability to visit a provider’s website, call their customer service department, or even use their app to purchase a policy for their upcoming trip.
The best travel insurance companies will make it easy to find the right policy for your trip. However, booking directly through a provider makes it difficult to easily compare plans from competitors and shop around for a better price.
Recommended For: Travelers with a preferred provider and travelers that have had a great experience with an insurance provider in the past.
When Purchasing Flights, Cruises or Hotels
Many airlines, hotels, and other travel suppliers now offer trip protection as an add-on when making a booking. This method offers travelers a convenient and streamlined way to protect their trip costs.
These policies are usually offered through partnerships with third-party providers, and can vary widely when it comes to premiums and benefits. For some, the plans offered by travel suppliers may fit their budgets and travel needs. But travelers may likely be able to find better coverage with lower premiums by shopping around.
Recommended For: Travelers that prioritize convenience over coverage, and want a simple travel insurance solution.
From Travel Insurance Comparison Sites
Comparison sites like Squaremouth allow travelers to instantly compare policies, including both single-trip plans and annual plans, from multiple different travel insurance providers. To get a quote, travelers can simply enter in a few basic details about their upcoming trip such as their destination, their age, and the type of travel insurance coverage they’re looking for.
Many comparison sites encourage past customers to leave travel insurance reviews and share their experiences, helping future travelers find a trusted, reputable policy. Comparison sites also have the ability to filter and sort policies, making it easy to find a policy that fits your needs and your budget.
Recommended For: Travelers that want to find the best policy at the lowest price, and don’t have the time or patience to compare policies on their own.
Through Your Travel Credit Cards
In addition to attractive sign-on bonuses and benefits, many high end travel credit cards offer travel protection to cardholders at the cost of an annual fee. Generally, this protection can reimburse cardholders in the event of canceled trips, missed connections, and lost luggage. More luxury cards may also offer emergency medical coverage to customers, too.
While these plans come included in the card’s benefits package, the coverage limits and benefits may not be adequate for your trip. In addition, credit card travel insurance plans often come with strict limitations that limit what’s covered, making filing a successful claim more difficult.
Recommended For: Travelers with travel credit cards that offer trip protection that meets their trip needs.
Through A Travel Agent
Travel agents work closely with airlines, hotels, tour operators, and other vendors to curate one-of-a-kind travel plans for their clients. Many modern agents recommend travel insurance, and may include the option to add a policy to your trip.
If you’re planning on asking an agent to handle the travel insurance process for you, we recommend specifying what your major travel concerns are. This will help your agent determine how much medical insurance, delay coverage, and other types of trip protection to include in your coverage.
Recommended For: Travelers working with an agent that they trust, and that has connections, partnerships, or experience with travel insurance providers.
Travel Insurance Buying Tips
Purchasing travel insurance is a great first step in financially protecting yourself going into a trip. However, being overseas with the wrong policy could lead to stressful situations down the road in the event you need to file a claim.
Below are a few tips to keep in mind as you go about your search for a travel insurance policy.
Know What Type of Coverage You Need
Before searching for travel insurance, take time to consider your upcoming itinerary and which benefits are important to you. This exercise will help you better evaluate policies and focus on the plans that meet your specific criteria.
For example, those taking a cruise may want to consider searching for cruise-specific policies with high medical evacuation coverage, while those with nervous about not being travel as planned may purchase a policy with generous Trip Cancellation coverage.
Higher Cost Doesn’t Mean Better Coverage
A common misconception when it comes to travel insurance is that a higher premium means better coverage. But that’s not always the case. In fact, we often urge our users to buy the cheapest premium possible that provides the right coverage.
In some situations, providers could offer identical coverage but differ widely on prices. Don’t let this get to your head. As long as a policy meets your trips criteria, and the provider has a positive reviews within the travel community, getting the cheaper coverage is a great way to get trip protection and save money.
Consider Travel Health Insurance
According to a recent Squaremouth survey, roughly 60% of travel insurance customers purchased a policy to cover unexpected medical expenses while traveling. This is especially true for those taking international trips, since most primary healthcare plans don’t provide coverage overseas.
Medical coverage can be purchased as part of a comprehensive travel insurance policy, or as part of a medical-only plan. Both include coverage in the event of an unforeseen medical emergency, and may cover the cost of medical care and emergency evacuations while traveling.
Read The Policy Thoroughly
When comparing insurance policies, there’s going to be a lot of documentation to read through, such as coverage limits, exclusions, and definitions. Taking the time to go through the fine print will help you better understand how coverage can apply in different situations.
After purchasing a policy, you will also get a few further documents sent to you, including your Declaration of Coverage, your Certificate of Insurance, and important contact information. Keep this information handy in the event your need to call your insurance provider’s 24 Hour Assistance Service hotline.
Start Your Search Early
Almost more important than knowing where to buy travel insurance is knowing when to buy travel insurance. Timing is everything when searching for a policy for your upcoming trip, and the earlier you begin your search, the better.
Not only does securing your policy early give you more coverage and peace of mind, but it also opens the doors to time-sensitive travel insurance benefits, too. Buying a policy within 14 days of your first trip deposit, whether it be a plane ticket, hotel reservation, or other trip-related booking, would make you eligible for benefits like CFAR and Pre-Existing Condition coverage, which could be beneficial for your trip.