Travelers need to be prepared for the unexpected, whether it’s sudden illness, inclement weather or flight troubles. The best way to do so is ensuring that you have sufficient travel insurance coverage for your trip.
NerdWallet collected and analyzed multiple data points from a wide range of travel insurers, looking at important factors like breadth and depth of coverage, cost, plan customizability, and customer reviews.
Trawick
Trawick International offers comprehensive coverage at an affordable price with a variety of plan options.
Pros
Cancel For Any Reason available as an add on for select plans.Several plans offer up to $25,000 or more in primary medical coverage.Many different plan options.
Cons
Reports of long resolution processes.Lower customer service ratings compared to top-rated peers.
Best for Emergency Medical Coverage
Seven Corners
Consider one of its Travel Medical plans if you already have suitable travel insurance coverage via a credit card.
Pros
Annual, medical-only and backpacker plans are available.Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available for the cheapest plan.Basic plan features an Interruption for Any Reason add-on.
Cons
Offers only one annual policy option.
Best for Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Travel Guard
A multitude of add ons are available so you can better customize your coverage.
Pros
Offers last-minute coverage.Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver available at nearly all plan levels.Plan available for business travelers.
Cons
Cancel For Any Reason coverage only reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost and is limited to higher-level plans.Trip interruption coverage doesn’t apply to trips paid for with points and miles.
AEGIS (GoReady)
AEGIS plans are highly customizable, each offering various ancillary coverages.
Pros
Offers specialty plans for pandemic-related coverages, those staying at vacation rentals and cruise coverage.Can customize protection for work-related trip interruption.
Cons
Maximum trip length is 60 days.Some ancillary coverages available on only the basic plan but not more premium ones.
Best for adventurous travelers
Arch RoamRight
Its annual multi-trip plan is a good value for those who travel often.
Pros
Highly recommended on Squaremouth and TrustPilot.Pre-existing conditions exclusion waiver available on both plans.Offers an emergency medical coverage plan for last-minute travelers.
Cons
Only two main policy options.No Cancel For Any Reason option.
Best if you have travel credit card coverage
WorldTrips Travel Insurance
WorldTrips offers comprehensive plans with benefits like award redeposit fee coverage.
Pros
Available to U.S. and non-U.S. residents, including international students.All travel protection plans include a pre-existing conditions waiver.Cancel For Any Reason add-ons are available on most plans.
Cons
Rental car coverage isn’t automatically included with any plan.Baggage delay coverage takes 12 hours to kick in.
Best for long-term travelers
IMG
With a wide range of plans, choosing the right IMG plan might be overwhelming for some travelers.
Pros
Coverage available for adventure travelers.Identifies medical providers with direct billing to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
Cons
Claim approval can be lengthy.
Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands
Tin Leg
Few customizations are available, but plans are generally affordable.
Pros
In addition to Cancel For Any Reason, some plans offer cancel for work reasons coverage.Adventure sports-specific coverage is available.
Cons
Plans have overlap that can be hard to distinguish.Claim approval can be lengthy.Only one plan includes rental car damage coverage available as an add-on.
Best for booking travel with points and miles
John Hancock
John Hancock offers generous travel medical coverage and a frequent travel loyalty benefit for award reservations.
Pros
Covers $200 in fees for redepositing points and miles on eligible canceled award reservations.Cancel For Any Reason add-on available for all plans.
Cons
Reports of lengthy claims processes.
Best for skiers and golfers
AXA
While offering multiple plans, AXA might not allow as many customizations compared to some competitors.
Pros
Lowest-cost plan includes medical coverage.Pre-existing conditions waiver add-on available for higher-cost plans.Platinum plan includes coverage for lost ski days and golf rounds.
Cons
No add ons available for Silver plan.Cancel For Any Reason upgrade available for only highest-cost plan.
Best for group travel insurance
HTH Travel Insurance
HTH offers a discount on insurance plans for groups traveling together, a potential advantage for cost-conscious groups.
Pros
Covers travelers up to 95 years old.Includes direct pay option so members can avoid having to pay upfront for services.
Cons
Baggage delay must exceed 24 hours before coverage kicks in on the basic plan.No waivers for pre-existing conditions on the lower-level plan.
What does travel insurance cover?
Most travel insurance plans cover many trip protections that can help you be prepared for unexpected travel disruptions and expenses.
These coverages are generally aimed at protecting the money you put into your trip, expenses you incur because of travel trouble and costs incurred if you have a medical emergency overseas.
As you shop for travel insurance, you’ll notice that many of the plans include the same coverage categories. Here’s what they are and what they include:
Type of travel insurance
What it covers
This covers prepaid costs for your trip when you cancel for a covered reason. It allows you to recoup upfront costs paid for flights and nonrefundable hotel reservations.
This covers costs incurred during covered disruptions after departure, such as flight delays and cancellations. It can cover costs for you to return home or reimburse unexpected expenses like an extra hotel stay, meals and ground transportation.
This covers unexpected costs when your trip is delayed and is another coverage that helps offset the costs of flight trouble or other travel disruptions. Many policies have a total amount a traveler can claim, with caps on per diem benefits.
This allows you to recoup some of the upfront costs you paid for a trip, even when cancelling for a reason not otherwise covered by your policy. This is typically an add-on that costs extra.
This covers the costs of essential items (toiletries, clothing, etc.) you might need when your luggage is delayed. Many plans will specify how long the delay must be before you can make a claim.
This allows travelers to recoup the lost value of the items in your bag when your luggage is lost or stolen. Make sure you closely follow your plan’s procedures, and take note that many plans include a maximum total amount you can claim under this coverage and a per-item cap.
This covers out-of-pocket medical costs when travelers run into an emergency, as most health insurance plans don’t cover medical care overseas. Many plans also include medical evacuation or repatriation coverage for costs incurred when you must be taken to a hospital or return to your home country due to a medical situation.
Plan benefits can vary a lot, so you’ll want to consider your needs when picking the best policy for you. For example, most plans exclude extreme sports activities, so if you’re a thrill-seeker, you will likely need a plan with specific coverage for adventure activities.
You’ll also want to consider which reasons are excluded for making a claim. For many plans, that includes fear of travel, medical tourism or pregnancies (unless you booked a trip and bought insurance before you became pregnant or there are complications with the pregnancy). This is where a Cancel For Any Reason add-on to your coverage can be helpful.
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How to choose the best travel insurance policy
Selecting the best travel insurance policy comes down to your needs, concerns, preferences and budget.
As you book, take a few minutes to consider what most concerns you. Is it getting stranded because of flight trouble, or needing the ability to cancel for any reason without losing money? Maybe you’re worried about getting sick or injured right before departure and needing to postpone the trip, or even injuring yourself or falling ill while overseas.
Ultimately, you want a plan that protects you, your money and the large investment in your trip — but doesn’t cost too much, either. Here are some common reasons why people buy travel insurance and the policy types they should consider:
Medical coverage. If your priority is having adequate medical coverage abroad, you might want to look for plans with high limits for medical emergencies and medical evacuation.
Complex travel itinerary. If your itinerary has lots of flight connections, prepaid hotels and deposits for activities you can’t get back, prioritizing a plan with the best coverage for trip cancellations or interruptions may land at the top of your list.
Travel uncertainty. If you’re on the fence about a trip and have nonrefundable reservations, you may want to select a plan with a Cancel For Any Reason coverage option, which can help you recoup about 50% to 75% of the costs. This helps provide peace of mind, placing the decision on whether to travel entirely in your hands.
NerdWallet’s picks for best travel insurance companies
Not all policies are available in every state. You will need to input your destination, residence, trip dates and the number of travelers to get a quote and see the coverages available to you.
Why we picked it: For many travelers, cost is top of mind when determining who to purchase travel insurance from. For price-conscious travelers who want comprehensive protection, Trawick International fits that bill. Its basic Safe Travels Protect plan offers trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage up to 100% of your trip cost, with a maximum benefit of $14,000. It also comes with up to $25,000 of primary medical coverage.
Basic plan cost: $43 for Safe Travels Protect, about $16 below average.
Why we picked it: Each Seven Corners plan offers several optional add-ons. Among the more unique is Interruption for Any Reason, which allows you to interrupt a trip 48 hours after the scheduled departure date (for any reason) and receive a refund of up to 75% of your unused nonrefundable deposits. Seven Corners shines especially with its emergency medical coverage, with generous limits for assistance, evacuation and repatriation even on its basic plan.
Basic plan cost: $58 for Trip Protection Basic, about $1 below average.
Best for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions: Travel Guard.
Why we picked it: Travel Guard offers a variety of plans and coverages to fit travelers’ needs, whether they’re going on a cruise or into adventure sports. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, an exclusion waiver is included on Essential, Preferred and Deluxe plans when the plan is purchased within 15 days of the initial trip payment. Last-minute travelers who don’t need cancellation benefits should consider the Pack N’ Go plan, while business travelers might be interested in an annual plan.
Basic plan cost: $66 for Essential, about $7 above average.
Why we picked it: AEGIS (formerly known as GoReady) offers a variety of plans, including one specific for cruisegoers. However, pet owners in particular might benefit from its Choice plan, which includes add-ons that cover pet evacuation and pet veterinarian expenses. Plus, if things go wrong, all policyholders can contact AEGIS for assistance, such as rebooking flights and hotels. Instead of having you pay for it and get reimbursed, AEGIS might be able to pay for it directly.
Basic plan cost: $53 for Choice, about $6 below average
Why we picked it: Arch RoamRight is one of the highest-rated insurers, according to Squaremouth and TrustPilot reviews. It offers a wide range of coverage, as well as a hazardous sports add-on for thrill-seekers, across its two main policy options, the Pro and Pro Plus plans. Some activities covered under the upgrade include bungee jumping, parachuting and skydiving. Those plans also include complimentary coverage for one child under 18 for each insured adult.
Basic plan cost: $80 for Pro, about $21 above average.
Best if you have travel credit card coverage: WorldTrips.
Why we picked it: WorldTrips offers a variety of travel protection plans, with trip cancellation plans that include coverage for redeposit fees when canceling award travel for a covered reason. It also has several options that focus primarily on travel medical coverage, which are worth considering if you already have coverage through your travel credit card.
Basic plan cost: $54 for Atlas Journey Escape, about $5 below average.
Best for long-term travelers: IMG.
Why we picked it: IMG offers travelers a wide range of plan options. Though this requires a bit more research on your end, it allows you to search for coverage that best fits your travel needs. While it’s not the cheapest option, IMG’s iTravelInsured Lite plan is worth considering for long-term budget travelers. It covers trips up to 180 days and offers 100% trip cancellation coverage and 125% trip interruption coverage.
Basic plan cost: $63 for iTravelInsured Choice, about $4 above average.
Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands: Tin Leg.
Why we picked it: Tin Leg offers a large assortment of plans, including its entry-level Economy plan. Note that you’ll pay a lot more if you shop for the most comprehensive coverage, and there are eight plans to choose from for trips abroad. The multitude of plans can help you find coverage that fits your needs, but with so many to choose from, deciding can be daunting. If your work is unpredictable, you may want to consider a more expensive plan that allows you to add on cancel-for-work coverage, which covers 100% of trip costs.
Basic plan cost: $51 for Economy, about $8 below average.
Best for booking travel with points and miles: John Hancock.
Why we picked it: John Hancock travel insurance offers travelers up to $200 to cover redepositing fees when they cancel flight or hotel award bookings due to a covered reason. The insurer offers frequent-travel loyalty coverage across all three of its plans. Its website makes it easy to compare plan features and add extras, including CFAR coverage and rental car collision coverage.
Basic plan cost: $63 for Bronze, about $4 above average.
Why we picked it: AXA Assistance USA offers four tiers of coverage: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum, although travelers looking for trip cancellation coverage should look at Silver and above. However, if you’re looking for extra benefits — such as included coverage for lost ski days and lost golf rounds — you’ll want to consider the Platinum plan.
Basic plan cost: $71 for Silver, about $12 above average.
Why we picked it: HTH offers single-trip and multitrip medical insurance coverage as well as trip protection plans. You can choose to insure group trips for educators, crew, religious missionaries and corporate travelers. A group rate of 10% off standard rates is available for parties of five or more.
Basic plan cost: $60 for Trip Protector Economy, about $1 above average.
How we found the best travel insurance
We collected quotes in October 2025 from dozens of travel insurance companies for a 7-day trip to Mexico in March 2026. The traveler was a 45-year-old man from Illinois who spent $1,500 total on the trip, including airfare.
The average price of the most basic coverage plan was about $59. The costs displayed below are for plans that include trip cancellation coverage but do not include optional add-ons, such as Cancel For Any Reason coverage or pre-existing medical condition coverage.
However, depending on the plan, you may be able to customize it at an added cost.
About the author
Benjamin Din is a lead travel writer at NerdWallet. He previously was a technology reporter at Politico, where he authored a daily newsletter covering tech and telecom policy.
Benjamin loves to travel — both for work and for fun. He’s reported from three continents and visited more than 45 countries. He has written for The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle and The (Johannesburg) Star, as well as covered two Olympics with NBC Sports.
His goal is to visit a new country and a new state each year.
