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Is RIMI travel insurance the best in 2024?

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When embarking on a journey, ensuring your safety and well-being is paramount. RIMI Travel Insurance Canada, offered by RIMI Insurance Solutions Inc., presents an array of travel insurance plans tailored to various needs, including visitors to Canada travel insurance.

But how good is RIMI's travel insurance? What are its coverages' pros and cons? Is it affordable and is it better than its competitors?

In partnership with Secure Travel, an insurance distribution platform operated by RIMI Insurance Solutions Inc., RIMI's plans encompass comprehensive coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellations, interruptions, and a range of other travel-related risks. Let’s review it in detail.

Find out all about Rimi's offers on this page!

Key takeaways on RIMI's travel insurance

• RIMI travel insurance offers a wide spectrum of protection: medical expenses, trip disruptions, and much more.
• RIMI offers great coverage for affordable prices.
• Purchasing RIMI travel insurance is hassle-free and can be conveniently done online.
• Some RIMI travel plans may have exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions.

Our 2024 review on RIMI travel insurance in Canada

RIMI Insurance Solutions Inc. is a Canadian insurance company that offers a variety of travel insurance plans, including visitors to Canada travel insurance . You get insurance under Secure Travel — an insurance distribution platform operated by RIMI Insurance Solutions Inc. RIMI’s plans provide comprehensive coverage for medical expenses, trip cancellation and interruption, and other travel-related risks.

Here are some of the pros and cons of RIMI travel insurance for visitors to Canada:

Pros of RIMI travel insurance:

• Comprehensive coverage for medical expenses
• Coverage for trip cancellation and interruption and other travel-related risks
• Affordable plans
• Easy to purchase online
• Available in multiple languages
• Waiting period of 8 days for medical expenses, if you purchase your policy more than 30 days following your arrival in Canada
• Some plans have exclusions for pre-existing medical conditions
• Not all plans cover all travel activities, such as winter sports or scuba diving

Overall, RIMI is a good option to consider if you are looking for comprehensive travel insurance for your trip to Canada. You may also want to compare RIMI's plans to other travel insurance providers like RBC travel insurance and Manulife travel insurance to find the best policy for your needs.

For the best coverage/prive value, compare RIMI's offer to that of its competitors:

Compare the best travel insurance plans on the market!

What is the coverage of RIMI travel insurance in Canada?

What is covered by rimi travel insurance.

RIMI travel insurance covers a wide range of expenses, including:

• Medical expenses: This includes hospitalization, surgery, ambulance services, and medical evacuation. Coverage for medical expenses is subject to a waiting period of 8 days if you purchase your policy more than 30 days following your arrival in Canada.
• Trip cancellation and interruption: This covers the cost of your non-refundable travel expenses if your trip is cancelled or interrupted due to a covered event, such as illness, injury, or a natural disaster.
• Lost luggage: This covers the cost of replacing lost or stolen luggage, up to a certain limit.
• Trip delay: This covers the cost of meals, accommodation, and transportation if your trip is delayed due to a covered event.
• Medical assistance: This includes 24/7 assistance from a team of travel experts who can help you with anything from medical emergencies to lost passports.
• Pre-existing medical conditions: Some RIMI travel insurance plans cover pre-existing medical conditions, subject to certain conditions.

Good to know

The specific coverage that you are eligible for will depend on the type of RIMI travel insurance plan that you purchase. The coverage limits for each benefit vary by plan, and there may be deductibles or copays that you will be responsible for paying.

What is not covered by RIMI travel insurance

RIMI travel insurance has a number of exclusions, which means that certain events or expenses are not covered by the policy. Some of the most common exclusions include:

• Pre-existing medical conditions: If you have a pre-existing medical condition, it may not be covered by RIMI travel insurance, unless you have purchased a plan that specifically includes coverage for pre-existing conditions.
• War or terrorism: If your trip is cancelled or interrupted due to war or terrorism, it is not covered by RIMI travel insurance.
• Intentional acts: If you are injured or your luggage is lost or stolen due to an intentional act, it is not covered by RIMI travel insurance.
• Activities that are considered to be high-risk: RIMI travel insurance may not cover activities that are considered to be high-risk, such as winter sports or scuba diving.
• Claims that are fraudulent or exaggerated: RIMI travel insurance may not cover claims that are fraudulent or exaggerated.

What is RIMI's travel insurance offer for visitors to Canada?

Operated by RIMI, Secure Travel offers an insurance policy called Visitors to Canada Insurance . Secure Travel has organized Visitors to Canada insurance on your behalf, sourced from globally renowned insurance firms. This insurance offers extensive coverage, competitive premium rates, and exceptional claims services that are accessible 24/7, year-round.

The acquisition of Visitors to Canada insurance serves the purpose of safeguarding your financial well-being in case of a medical emergency. Various plans with distinct benefit limits are at your disposal.

These benefits encompass costs incurred due to a medical emergency associated with:

Does RIMI travel insurance covers pre-existing medical conditions?

Yes! RIMI's plans provide coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, provided that the conditions have remained stable for the preceding:

• 90 days for individuals under 69 years of age; and
• 180 days for individuals between 70 and 84 years of age leading up to the policy's effective date.

How much does RIMI travel insurance cost?

The cost of RIMI travel insurance Canada quote depends on a number of factors, including:

• The length of your trip
• The destination of your trip
• The level of coverage you choose
• Whether or not you have any pre-existing medical conditions

For example, a 30-year-old person travelling to Canada for a week with the standard level of coverage can expect to pay around CAD$100, while a 60-year-old person travelling to Canada for two weeks with the enhanced level of coverage can expect to pay around CAD$300.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about the cost of RIMI travel insurance:

• The cost of RIMI travel insurance Canada quote can vary depending on the time of year you travel.
• The cost of RIMI travel insurance Canada quote can also vary depending on the current exchange rate.
• It is important to purchase travel insurance as soon as you book your trip. This will ensure that you get the best possible price.

Compare RIMI's rates to the prices of other travel insurances on the market using our free comparison tool below:

Prepare for your trip Compare. Choose. Save.

How to contact RIMI travel insurance?

If you need to get in touch with RIMI Travel Insurance, here are the various ways you can reach them:

• Address: 4711 Yonge Street - 10th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M2N 5M4, Canada
• Email : For inquiries or information, feel free to reach out to us via email at [email protected] .
• Call centre: RIMI’s phone number is here to assist you: 1-833-366-0878.
• Instagram: Stay connected with RIMI on Instagram and follow our updates at securetravel_rimi.
• RIMI's website: login to your account or use RIMI's private communication channels.

What is RIMI Canuck Voyage travel medical insurance?

It is an Emergency Travel Medical Plan from RIMI that offers Canadians essential coverage for unexpected illnesses or injuries that occur while travelling outside of Canada or their province of residence. This plan provides a coverage limit of $7 million. Here’s what it covers:

• Emergency hospitalization
• Doctors’ and medical services
• Diagnostic services
• Medical appliances
• Private duty nurse
• Prescription drugs
• Paramedical services
• Emergency dental
• Emergency transportation
• Transportation to bedside
• Meals and accommodation
• Hospital allowance
• Return and escort of children
• Return of travel companion
• Vehicle return
• Excess baggage return
• Repatriation of remains

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By Lisa Jackson

Best travel insurance in Canada

Day Of Victory Studio / Shutterstock

You’ve packed your bags, mapped your itinerary, and set your “out of office” message – it’s vacation time! But what about travel insurance?

According to a 2019 study by the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada, 13% of Canadians aren’t sure if they have travel insurance before they go on vacation. Of those who have bought insurance, 17% don’t know what their policy covers.

As a professional travel writer, I find this rather alarming. Canadian health insurance is not valid outside Canada, and your provincial or territorial health plan may not cover all the costs even if you’re travelling domestically. If you suffer an accident or get sick abroad, unexpected medical bills can bankrupt you. It’s why the Canadian government  advises all travellers to buy travel insurance , and I never leave the country without it. Whether you’re taking a two-week trip or a gap year abroad, every one needs the best travel insurance in Canada, regardless of age, health status, destination, or length of vacation.

Best for thrill seekers: World Nomads

Designed for adrenaline lovers with wanderlust, World Nomads insures a long list of adventure sports, activities and volunteer/work experiences, as well as sporting equipment delay/loss/theft. You also get access to a 24/7 hotline that provides information that adventure travellers may need: weather reports and travel advisories, assistance locating the nearest trail, and finding a gear shop.

The standard policy covers emergency medical expenses up to $5 million, emergency dental, trip cancellation/interruption/delay, baggage delays/theft/damage, and more. The downside: you must be under 66 years of age to qualify.

Best for families: CAA Travel Insurance

A long-trusted Canadian institution, CAA travel Insurance offers flexible travel plans to suit every type of traveller and vacation, but their policies are particularly great for families. Their stand-alone emergency medical policy of up to $5 million in health coverage is extremely comprehensive, even including medical repatriation, emergency dental, and reimbursements for pet care and kenneling.

The Vacation Package Plan provides full cancellation/interruption insurance – ideal for prepaid, all-inclusive vacation packages – as well as family transportation and escort of children during emergencies. Anyone can buy CAA travel insurance, but members get a 10% discount.

CAA’s emergency medical plans also now include coverage for COVID-19-related illnesses for vaccinated customers. Coverage is up to $2.5 million if partially vaccinated and up to $5 million if fully vaccinated.

Best for seniors and retirees: Blue Cross

Blue Cross has been around for more than 70 years, and 1 in 4 Canadians utilize its travel insurance. Blue Cross’s emergency medical covers up to $5 million. It has special “snowbird” travel insurance packages designed for Canadians who head to warmer climates each year, making Blue Cross ideal for retirees.

Part of the package is the recently launched Serenity Service. This free perk provides a range of benefits if your flight is delayed, including access to an airport lounge or even a hotel room (depending on the length of the delay). Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered.

Best for budget travellers: Travel CUTS Bon Voyage Insurance

Starting at only $1.36 a day, Travel CUTS Bon Voyage Insurance offers very affordable travel insurance packages, and it’s personally been my “go-to” travel policy for years. Yes, it’s geared toward students (e.g., you can swap your travel dates at no charge due to an exam schedule conflict), but anyone between 15 and 50 years of age can purchase a policy.

The standard package includes hospital and medical up to $1 million, dental care, air ambulance evacuation, flight accident, accidental death or dismemberment, and trip interruption/cancellation insurance. Adventure and extreme sports are also covered.

Best for Canadians with pre-existing medical conditions: Manulife CoverMe

Manulife CoverMe offers highly comprehensive Canadian travel insurance packages for those travelling as a family, a visitor to Canada, or a student. You also get access to the TravelAid mobile app, which provides directions to the nearest medical facility and local emergency telephone numbers.

However, the stand-out feature is arguably TravelEase – a special policy designed to cover fully disclosed medical conditions. For travellers with pre-existing conditions, it insures a bunch of expenses for health services and transportation. It provides up to $10 million in emergency medical benefits – a unicorn in the travel insurance world.

Best for emergency medical assistance: Medipac Travel Insurance

Medipac is one of the only travel insurance companies out there that is staffed by their own team of trained medical professionals, via their Medipac Assistance hotline. Medipac’s medical professionals are your first point of contact in an emergency medical situation. This service is also helpful for dealing with foreign medical systems and helping to prevent unnecessary expenses when dealing with a large deductible.

Medipac offers several competitive features for their travel insurance plans, including no age limits, a claim-free discount, and a 90-day stability period for most pre-existing conditions. If your pre-existing medical condition isn’t covered by a standard Medipac insurance plan, Medipac also offers personalized, underwritten insurance policies to help you meet your needs.

Medipac is offering a 5% Vaccine Discount to clients who have received a minimum of one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as the new MedipacMAX option. This COVID insurance option provides maximum coverage of up to $5 million USD for COVID-19, in addition to its other benefits.

Best for frequent travellers: Allianz Travel Insurance

Touted as a world leader in the Canadian travel insurance and assistance industry, Allianz Travel Insurance is a major provider of travel insurance, corporate assistance, and concierge services. It seeks to help its customers find solutions to various travel-related problems. Allianz Travel has partnered with many reputable companies, including travel agencies, airlines, resorts, websites, event ticket brokers, corporations, universities and credit card companies.

Allianz Travel Insurance is a great choice for anyone looking for travel insurance. Its single-trip plans are perfect for those leaving home and visiting another destination (or destinations) before going back home. Its parent company, Allianz Global Assistance, has five plans to choose from, all offering different levels of protection and coverage.

Allianz Travel Insurance’s annual/multi-trip plans are perfect for both personal and professional travelers who take multiple trips in a year. It offers four distinct options to choose from.

Will my provincial insurance be valid overseas?

No! If you get sick or injured overseas, the Canadian government will not cough up a dime to cover your medical costs. Here are the sobering facts:

• Canadian public health insurance is not valid outside of Canada.
• Foreign hospitals can be extremely expensive and may demand payment before treating you.
• The Canadian government will not pay a Canadian’s medical bills for an illness or accident suffered abroad. You’re on the hook for footing the bill!

Will my provincial insurance work in another province/territory?

Flash your valid provincial health card in another part of Canada, and you’ll likely be covered for some of the same services insured by your home provincial plan. This is because the provinces and territories (except Quebec) signed an agreement whereby the host province foots the bill for any medically necessary health care services and gets reimbursed by the home province later.

However, that doesn’t mean you’re completely out of the woods. Depending on your destination, a slew of other services may not be covered, such as an ambulance, hospital transfer, prescription drugs, transportation back to your home province, and procedures not currently approved by your home plan.

Plus, since Quebec wasn’t a signatory to the interprovincial billing agreement, you’ll likely be charged for any medical bills incurred there. For this reason, it’s recommended that you buy extra travel insurance (or verify your  credit card’s travel insurance coverage ) to cover any uninsured health care services that may crop up during your trip.

What does the best travel insurance in Canada cover?

Every travel insurance policy is different and what’s covered depends on how much you’re willing to pay for coverage. Typical medical services that you can expect to be covered include:

• Emergency hospital and medical costs
• Ambulance and air ambulance costs
• Outpatient services
• Physician and laboratory costs
• Prescription drugs
• Direct payment to the hospitals and doctors caring for you
• Assistance with bringing a family member to your bedside
• Air ambulance or commercial repatriation home
• Return of your vehicle if you are ill and have to come home

Additional benefits may include:

• Trip cancellation for non-refundable monetary losses
• Trip interruption
• Baggage loss, rental car damage, out-of-pocket expenses
• Accidental death and dismemberment

How much coverage do I need?

Securing a policy with a minimum of $1M maximum payable is a safe bet. But don’t just look at the numbers when choosing a policy – read the fine print. Every insurer has a list of situations in which coverage is not provided, otherwise known as “exclusions.” Check whether your provider includes coverage or has provisions for the following:

• Pre-existing medical conditions: According to the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers, a pre-existing condition is “something that happened (or started to happen) before you were insured.” Some policies may cover claims relating to pre-existing conditions that are “stable and controlled,” but read the definitions carefully. If you don’t declare a condition, the entire policy could be invalidated!
• Medical evacuation: Ensure the policy covers medical evacuation to the nearest hospital and/or to Canada and the costs of a medical escort to accompany you to your final destination.
• Repatriation in case of death: On the grim side, ensure that your plan covers the preparation and return of your remains to Canada.
• Adventurous Activities: If you plan on engaging in “high-risk” activities on your trip, you may need to shell out extra dough for a more comprehensive plan. Many policies don’t cover “risky” activities, such as skiing or snowboarding “out of bounds,” skydiving, scuba diving, white-water rafting, mountaineering, or participation in any rodeo activity. To cover your bases, ask questions and get specifics before purchasing a policy.

You may have to pay more to have these things included, but a few extra bucks may be worth it for peace of mind.

Should I buy “a la carte” travel insurance or get a travel credit card with free insurance?

A credit card with travel insurance is always a good thing to carry in your wallet. The  best travel credit cards in Canada  usually cover everything from emergency medical costs to trip cancellation/interruption to flight delay to rental car insurance, which could save you a wad of cash.

The  Scotiabank Gold American Express ® Card  has saved my butt a few times, and I’ve filed several travel-related claims through my card. I cancelled my trip to Portugal a few years ago due to a death in the family, and I got a full refund on my hotel deposit and flights for myself, my husband, and my baby. It totally justified the $120 annual fee.

That being said, don’t rely on your credit card to take care of all your travel insurance needs. It usually includes a basic policy, meaning it offers low (or no!) travel medical insurance as part of the package. Like any travel insurance company policy, you’ve really got to read the fine print and understand the conditions of your policy to avoid sticky situations.

For instance, the Scotiabank Gold American Express ® Card requires a cardholder to have charged at least 75% of trip expenses to make a trip cancellation/interruption insurance claim. So if you book an all-inclusive vacation for $5,000 and then cancel due to illness, at least $3,750 must have been charged onto your AMEX to qualify for a claim. If you didn’t do that, you’re out of luck.

Can I still purchase insurance if i’ve already started my vacation?

The short answer: most insurance providers won’t cover you after your departure date. However, a handful of insurers (such as World Nomads) will allow you to purchase a policy while already overseas. Just know that it can come with sky-high costs and/or conditions: World Nomads has a 48-hour waiting period before coverage kicks in. The bottom line? It’s always best to buy travel insurance before leaving the country.

Can I get travel insurance for part of a trip?

Some plans offer insurance coverage options that will allow you to customize your coverage, but you’ll have to research to find one that works for your unique circumstances. Alternatively, you could take out an insurance policy for each destination and/or segment of your trip.

For instance, you could get a World Nomads policy for the two weeks you’re scuba diving in Australia, followed by a basic Travel CUTS Bon Voyage insurance to cover a month-long trip to Europe. However, when you buy Canadian travel insurance, you must select a trip start and end date – meaning you must know the exact dates for travelling to those places.

Should I carry a printout of my policy with me at all times?

I recommend carrying the travel insurance card in your wallet and locking it up in the hotel safe with other important travel documents like my passport. But don’t rely totally on paper: Wallets get lost or stolen, luggage can be delayed or M.I.A., and papers are easy to misplace when you’re on the road. My advice is to send a copy of the policy to your email and save it on your iCloud or another storage system that can be accessed anywhere, anytime.

Recommended reads

• What’s the Added Value of a Credit Card with Travel Insurance?
• The Best Travel Rewards Programs in Canada
• Aeroplan vs. AIR MILES vs. Avion

About our author

Lisa Jackson is a freelance personal finance and travel journalist, editor, and blogger who contributes to various online and print media outlets in Canada and abroad, including The Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, Islands Magazine, Fodors, BRIDES, Huffington Post Canada, CAA Magazine, The Food Network, West Jet Magazine, NUVO Magazine, and many others. When she's not writing from her home office, she's busy globe-trotting to new destinations in search of her next story.

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11 Best Travel Insurance Companies in April 2024

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If the past few years have shown us anything, it’s that travelers need to be prepared for the unexpected — from a pandemic to flight troubles to the crowded airport terminals so many of us have encountered.

Whether you’re looking for an international travel insurance plan, emergency medical care or a policy that includes extreme sports, these are the best travel insurance providers to get you covered.

How we found the best travel insurance

We looked at quotes from various companies for a 10-day trip to Mexico in September 2024. The traveler was a 55-year-old woman from Florida who spent $3,000 total on the trip, including airfare.

On average, the price of each company’s most basic coverage plan was $126.53. The costs displayed below do not include optional add-ons, such as Cancel For Any Reason coverage or pre-existing medical condition coverage.

Read our full analysis about the average cost of travel insurance so you can budget better for your next trip.

However, depending on the plan, you may be able to customize at an added cost.

As we continue to evaluate more travel insurance companies and receive fresh market data, this collection of best travel insurance companies is likely to change. See our full methodology for more details.

Best insurance companies

Types of travel insurance

What does travel insurance cover, what’s not covered, how much does it cost, do i need travel insurance, how to choose the best travel insurance policy, what are the top travel destinations in 2024, more resources for travel insurance shoppers, top credit cards with travel insurance, methodology, best travel insurance overall: berkshire hathaway travel protection.

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

• ExactCare Value (basic) plan is among the least expensive we surveyed.
• Speciality plans available for road trips, luxury travel, adventure activities, flights and cruises.
• Company may reimburse claimants faster than average, including possible same-day compensation.
• Multiple "Trip Delay" coverage types might make claims confusing.
• Cheapest plan only includes fixed amounts for its coverage.

Under the direction of chair and CEO Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has been around since 2014. Its plans provide numerous opportunities for travelers to customize coverage to their needs.

At $135 for our sample trip, the ExactCare Value (basic) plan from Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers protection roughly $10 above the average price.

Want something cheaper? Air travelers looking for inexpensive, less comprehensive protections might opt for a basic AirCare plan that includes fixed amounts for its coverage .

Read our full review of Berkshire Hathaway .

What else makes Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection great:

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers available at no extra cost.

Plans available for travelers going on a cruise, participating in extreme sports or taking a luxury trip.

ExactCare Value (basic) plan was among the least expensive we surveyed.

Best for emergency medical coverage: Allianz Global Assistance

Annual or single-trip policies are available.

• Multiple types of insurance available.
• All plans include access to a 24/7 assistance hotline.
• More expensive than average.
• CFAR upgrades are not available.
• Rental car protection is only available by adding the One Trip Rental Car protector to your plan or by purchasing a standalone rental car plan.

Allianz Global Assistance is a reputable travel insurance company offering plans for over 25 years. Customers can choose from a variety of single and annual policies to fit their needs. On top of comprehensive coverage, some travelers might opt for the more affordable OneTrip Cancellation Plus, which is geared toward domestic travelers looking for trip protections but don’t need post-departure benefits like emergency medical or baggage lost.

For our test trip, Allianz Global Assistance’s basic coverage cost $149, about $22 above average.

What else makes Allianz Global Assistance great:

Annual and single-trip plans.

Plans are available for international and domestic trips.

Stand-alone and add-on rental car damage product available.

Read our full review of Allianz Global Assistance .

Best for travelers with pre-existing medical conditions: Travel Guard by AIG

Travel Guard by AIG

• Offers last-minute coverage.
• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Exclusion Waiver available at all plan levels.
• Plan available for business travelers.
• Cancel For Any reason coverage only available for higher-level plans, and only reimburses up to 50% of the trip cost.
• Trip interruption coverage doesn't apply to trips paid for with points and miles.

Travel Guard by AIG offers a variety of plans and coverages to fit travelers’ needs. On top of more standard trip protections like trip cancellation, interruption, baggage and medical coverage, the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available on certain Travel Guard plans, which allows you to cancel a trip for any reason and get 50% of your nonrefundable deposit back as long as the trip is canceled at least two days before the scheduled departure date.

At $107 for our sample trip, the Essential plan was below average, saving roughly $20.

What else makes Travel Guard by AIG great:

Three comprehensive plans and a Pack N' Go plan for last-minute travelers who don't need cancellation benefits.

Flight protection, car rental, and medical evacuation coverage, as well as annual plans available.

Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver available on all plan levels, as long as it's purchased within 15 days.

Read our full review of Travel Guard by AIG .

Best for those who pack expensive equipment: Travel Insured International

Travel Insured International

• Higher-level plan include optional add-ons for event tickets and for electronic equipment
• Rental car protection add-on for just $8 per day, even on lower-level plan.
• Many of the customizations are only available on the higher-tier plan.
• Coverage cost comes in above average in our latest analysis.

Travel Insured International offers several customization options. For instance, those going to see a show may want to add on event ticket registration fee protection. Traveling with expensive gear?Consider adding on coverage for electronic equipment for up to $2,000 in coverage.

Be sure to check which policies are available in your state. You will need to input your destination, residence, trip dates and the number of travelers to get a quote and see coverages.

What else makes Travel Insured International great:

Comprehensive plans include medical expense reimbursement accidents, sickness, evacuation and pre-existing conditions, depending on the plan.

Flight plans include coverage for missed and canceled flights and lost or stolen baggage.

Read our full review of Travel Insured International .

Best for adventurous travelers: World Nomads

World Nomads

• Travelers can extend coverage mid-trip.
• The standard plan covers up to $300,000 in emergency evacuation costs.
• Plans automatically cover 200+ adventurous activities.
• No Cancel For Any Reason upgrades are available.
• No pre-existing medical condition waivers are available.

Many travel insurance plans contain exclusions for adventure sports activities. If you plan to ski, bungee jump, windsurf or parasail, this might be a plan to consider.

Note that the Standard plan ($72 for our sample trip), while the most affordable, provides less coverage than other plans. But it can be a good choice for travelers who are satisfied with trip cancellation and interruption coverage of $2,500 or less, do not need rental car damage protection, find the limits to be sufficient and do not need coverage for certain more adventurous activities.

What else makes World Nomads great:

Comprehensive international travel insurance plans.

Coverage available for adventure activities, such as trekking, mountain biking and scuba diving.

Read our full review of World Nomads .

Best for medical coverage: Travelex Insurance Services

Travelex Insurance Services

• Top-tier plan doesn’t break the bank and provides more customization opportunities.
• Offers a plan specifically for domestic travel.
• Sells a post-departure medical coverage plan.
• Fewer customization opportunities on the Basic plan.
• Though perhaps a plus for domestic travelers, keep in mind the Travel America plan only covers domestic trips.

For starters, basic coverage from Travelex Insurance Services came in at $125, almost exactly average for our sample trip.

Travelex’s plans focus heavily on providing protections that are personalized to your travel style and trip type.

While the company does offer comprehensive plans that include medical benefits, you can also choose between cheaper plans that don’t provide cancellation coverage but do offer protections during your travels.

Read our full review of Travelex Insurance Services .

What else makes Travelex Insurance Services great:

Three comprehensive plans available, two of which cover international trips.

Offers a post-departure plan geared exclusively toward disruptions after you leave home.

Two flight insurance plans available.

Best if you have travel credit card coverage: Seven Corners

Seven Corners

• Annual, medical-only and backpacker plans are available.
• Cancel For Any Reason upgrade is available for the cheapest plan.
• Cheapest plan also features a much less costly Interruption for Any Reason add-on.
• Offers only one annual policy option.

Each Seven Corners plan offers several optional add-ons. Among the more unique is a Trip 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.

The basic coverage plan for our trip to Mexico costs $124 — right around the average.

What else makes Seven Corners great:

Comprehensive plans for U.S. residents and foreigners, including travelers visiting the U.S.

Cheap add-ons for rental car damage, sporting equipment rental or trip interruption for any reason.

Read our full review of Seven Corners .

Best for long-term travelers: IMG

• Coverage available for adventure travelers.
• Special medical insurance for ship captains and crew members, international students and missionaries.
• Claim approval can be lengthy.

While some travel insurance companies offer just a handful of plans, with IMG, you’ll really have your pick. Though this requires a bit more research, it allows you to search for coverage that fits your travel needs.

However, travelers will want to be aware that IMG’s iTravelInsured Travel Lite is expensive. Coming in at $149.85, it’s the costliest plan on our list.

Read our full review of IMG .

What else makes IMG great:

More affordable than average.

Many plans to choose from to fit your needs.

Best for travelers with unpredictable work demands: Tin Leg

• In addition Cancel For Any Reason, some plans offer cancel for work reason coverage.
• Adventure sports-specific coverage is available.
• Plans have overlap that can be hard to distinguish.
• Only one plan includes Rental Car Damage coverage available as an add-on.

Tin Leg’s Basic plan came in at $134 for our sample trip, adding about $8 onto the average basic policy cost. 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.

The only real way to figure out your ideal plan is to compare them all, look at the plan details and decide which features and coverage suit you and your travel style best.

Read our full Tin Leg review .

Best for booking travel with points and miles: TravelSafe

• Covers up to $300 redepositing points and miles on eligible canceled award flights.
• Optional add-on protection for business equipment or sports rentals.
• Multi-trip or year-long plans aren’t available.

Selecting your travel insurance plan with TravelSafe is a fairly straightforward process. The company’s website also makes it easy to visualize how optional add-on elements influence the total cost, displaying the final price as soon as you click the coverage.

However, at $136, the Basic plan was among the more expensive for our trip to Mexico.

What else makes TravelSafe great:

Rental car damage coverage add-on is available on both plans.

Cancel For Any Reason coverage available on the TravelSafe Classic plan.

Read our full TravelSafe review .

Best for group travel insurance: HTH Insurance

HTH Travel Insurance

• Covers travelers up to 95 years old.
• Includes direct pay option so members can avoid having to pay up front for services.
• A 24-hour delay is required for baggage delay coverage on the TripProtector Economy plan.
• No waivers for pre-existing conditions on the lower-level plan.

HTH offers single-trip and multitrip medical insurance coverage as well as trip protection plans.

At around $125, the Trip Protector Economy policy is at the average mark for plans we reviewed.

You can choose to insure group trips for educators, crew, religious missionaries and corporate travelers.

What else makes HTH Insurance great:

Medical-only coverage and trip protection coverage.

Lots of options for group travelers.

Read our full review of HTH Insurance .

As you shop for travel insurance, you’ll find many of the same coverage categories across numerous plans.

Trip cancellation

This covers the prepaid costs you make for your trip in cases when you need to cancel for a covered reason. This coverage helps you recoup upfront costs paid for flights and nonrefundable hotel reservations.

Trip interruption

Trip interruption benefits generally involve disruptions after you depart. It helps reimburse costs incurred for flight delays, cancellations and plenty of other covered disruptions you might encounter during your travels.

This coverage can cover the costs for you to return home or reimburse unexpected expenses like an extra hotel stay, meals and ground transportation.

Trip delay coverage helps cover unexpected costs when your trip is delayed. This is another coverage that helps offset the costs of flight trouble or other travel disruptions.

Note that many policies have a total amount a traveler can claim, with caps on per diem benefits, too.

Cancel For Any Reason

Cancel For Any Reason coverage allows you to recoup some of the upfront costs you paid for a trip even if you’re canceling for a reason not otherwise covered by your standard travel insurance policy.

Typically, adding this protection to your plan costs extra.

Baggage delay

This coverage helps cover the costs of essential items you might need when your luggage is delayed. Think toiletries, clothing and other immediate items you might need if your luggage didn’t make it on your flight.

Many travel insurance plans with baggage delay protection will specify how long (six, 12, 24 hours, etc.) your luggage must be delayed before you can make a claim.

Lost baggage

Used for travelers whose luggage is lost or stolen, this helps recoup the lost value of the items in your bag.

You’ll want to make sure you closely follow the correct procedures for your plan. Many plans include a maximum total amount you can claim under this coverage and a per-item cap.

Travel medical insurance

This covers out-of-pocket medical costs when travelers run into an emergency.

Because many travelers’ health insurance plans don’t cover medical care overseas, travel medical insurance can help offset out-of-pocket health care costs.

In addition to emergency medical coverage, many plans have medical evacuation or repatriation coverage for costs incurred when you must be taken to a hospital or return to your home country because of a medical situation.

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.

On top of core coverages like trip cancellation and interruption and travel medical coverage, some plans offer add-on options like waivers for pre-existing conditions, rental car collision damage waivers or adventure sports riders. These usually cost extra or must be added within a specified timeframe.

Typical travel insurance policies offer coverage for many unforeseen events, but as you research to select a plan, consider your needs. Though every plan differs, there are some commonly excluded coverages.

For instance, you typically can’t get coverage for a named storm if you bought the coverage after the storm was named. In other words, if you have a trip to the Caribbean booked for Sept. 25 and on Sept. 20 a hurricane develops and is named, you generally won’t be able to buy a travel insurance plan Sept. 21 in hopes of getting your money back.

Many plans also don’t cover activities performed under the influence of drugs or alcohol or any extreme sports. If the latter applies to you, you might want to consider a plan with specific coverages for adventure-seekers.

For numerous plans, a few other situations don’t qualify as an acceptable reason to cancel and make a claim, such as 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.

You can also run into trouble if you give up on a trip too soon: a minor (or even multihour) flight delay likely isn’t sufficient to cancel your entire trip and get reimbursed through your plan. Be sure to review what requirements your specific plan has when it comes to canceling a trip, claiming trip interruption, etc.

Travel insurance costs vary widely. The final price of your plan will fluctuate based on your age, length of trip and destination.

It will also depend on how much coverage you need, whether you add on specialized policies (like Cancel For Any Reason or pre-existing conditions coverage), whether you plan to participate in extreme sports and other factors.

In our examples above, for instance, the 35-year-old traveler taking a $2,000 trip to Italy would have spent an average $76 for a basic plan to get coverage for things like trip cancellation and interruption, baggage protection, etc. That’s a little less than 4% of the total trip cost — lower than average.

If there were multiple members in a traveling party or if they were going on, say, a rock-climbing or bungee-jumping excursion, the costs would go up.

On average, travel insurance comes to about 5% to 10% of the trip cost. However, considering many of the plans reimburse up to 100% of the trip cost (or more) for disruptions like trip cancellation or interruption, it can be a worthwhile expense if something goes wrong.

It depends. Consider the following factors that might affect your decision: You’re young and healthy, all your bookings are refundable or cancelable without a penalty, your flights are nonstop, you’re not checking bags and a credit card you carry offers some travel protections . In that case, travel insurance might not be necessary.

On the other hand, if you prepaid a large chunk of money for a nonrefundable African safari, you’re going on a Caribbean cruise in the middle of a hurricane season or you’re going somewhere where the cost of health care is high, it’s not a bad idea to buy a travel insurance plan. Here’s how to find the best travel insurance coverage for you.

If you’re thinking of booking a trip and not planning to buy travel insurance, you may want to consider at least booking refundable airfare and not prepaying for hotel, rental car and activity reservations. That way, if something goes wrong, you can cancel without losing any money.

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? Having the ability to cancel for any reason you see fit without losing money? Getting sick or injured right before departure and needing to postpone the trip? 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.

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.

Car rentals. If you’re renting a car, a collision damage waiver is often worth looking into.

The following destinations are the top insured destinations in 2024, according to Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner).

The Bahamas.

Costa Rica.

Antarctica.

In 2022, travelers spent about 25.53% more on trips than they did before the pandemic.

As of December, NerdWallet analysis determined travel prices are 10% higher than pre-pandemic. Each statistic makes a strong case for protecting your travel investment as you plan your next trip.

Bookmark these resources to help you make smart money moves as you shop for travel insurance.

What is travel insurance?

CFAR explained.

Is travel insurance worth getting?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance.

Here is the list of travel cards offered by Chase that include various forms of travel insurance.

Having one of these in your wallet is a good start to protecting your travel investments and preventing expensive accidents; however, savvy travelers check card terms closely and sometimes supplement with a third-party policy, like from one of the companies above, to better protect themselves.

on Chase's website

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 12 hours.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Trip interruption: Up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. Maximum benefit of $40,000 per 12-month period.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for five days.

• Lost luggage: Up to $3,000 per passenger.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per ticket for delays more than 6 hours.

• Trip delay: Up to $500 per trip for delays more than 12 hours.

• Car rentals: Theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.

• Trip cancellation: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

• Trip interruption: Up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip.

• Baggage delay: Up to $100 per day for three days.

We used the following factors to choose insurance providers to highlight:

Breadth of coverage: We looked at how many plans each company offered plus the range of their standard plans. 

Depth of coverage: We considered two data points to get a sense of how much each company pays out for common travel issues — the maximum caps for trip cancellation and trip interruption claims.

Cost: By looking at the costs for basic coverage across multiple companies, we determined an average cost for shoppers to benchmark plan prices against.

Customizability: While standard plans can cover a lot of ground, sometimes you need something a little more personal.

Customer satisfaction. Using data from Squaremouth when available, and Google Reviews as a backup, we can give kudos to companies with better track records from their clients.

No, it doesn’t necessarily get more expensive the longer you wait to purchase. However, as you put off buying insurance, you may lose access to potential plans and coverage options.

In general, buying travel insurance within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

But, generally, many plans do allow you to buy coverage quite close to your departure date.

To get the most out of your travel insurance plan, buy it soon after making your initial prepayment or deposit to ensure you have access to the biggest menu of plans possible.

Select a plan that’s comprehensive enough to cover the travel scenarios you’re most concerned about or likely to encounter but not too expensive or laden with protections you’d never likely need.

Whatever your coverage, thoroughly review the plan so you understand what’s covered and what’s not, plus how to adhere to the plan’s rules for making a claim.

Travelers frequently use phrases like “trip insurance” and “travel insurance,” as well as “trip protection,” interchangeably, but they do mean different things, according to Stan Sandberg, founder of insurance comparison site TravelInsurance.com.

Trip insurance, or trip protection, generally refers to predeparture (or preevent) coverage if you need to cancel. You may see these plans sold by airlines, online travel agencies or even ticketed event sellers.

“You could refer to it as the portion that protects the investment in the trip,” Sandberg says.

A travel insurance plan typically includes that — plus more comprehensive benefits to protect you during your trip, from medical coverage to trip delay and lost baggage protections, and many more elements, depending on the plan.

Though travel insurance is typically not required for international trips, your personal circumstances will play a key role in whether it’s a good investment.

For instance, young, healthy travelers with few prepaid trip expenses embarking on a relatively risk-free trip may not see a need to buy a plan.

Older travelers with complicated itineraries who are visiting destinations where they could potentially fall ill or get injured — or who could encounter bad weather or some other disrupting factor along the way — may want to buy coverage.

Consider a few key questions:

How well would your health insurance plan cover you if you needed to visit a hospital overseas?

How much did you prepay for a hotel or rental car?

How much money would you be out if weather or some other flight issue derailed your itinerary?

Could you afford an unexpected night in a city where you have a connecting flight?

Do you already have a credit card that provides some travel protections?

Your answers to these questions can help you decide whether you need travel insurance for your international trip.

In general, buying travel insurance

within a few days to two weeks of prepaying or making an initial deposit

for your trip is your best bet. Assuming you’re not booking last-minute, this will provide you with access to the widest possible range of coverage options. It also helps prevent any medical conditions or storms that pop up between booking and buying a plan from ending up as excluded situations, which won’t be covered by your plan.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

On a similar note...

Phone: (+1) 800 697 7717

Email: [email protected]

Secure Travel

If you are planning on traveling to Canada, it is important to be insured for the potential risks that come with such a venture. Whether you're visiting for business or pleasure,  Secure Travel Insurance can cover you in case of an accident, illness, or any other unforeseen circumstances. Make sure to compare rates and find the policy that best suits your needs before signing up, as not all policies are created equal.

Visitor to Insurance Canada

Even if you're traveling outside Canada, secure Travel arranges your Visitors to Canada Insurance coverage. It has complete coverage, competitive rates, and excellent service 24 hours a year.

Summary Of Benefits Visitor to Canada Insurance

Following are the benefits including In secure travel Visitor to Canada Insurance:

Emergency Medical

Hospital Accommodation

Medical Services

Diagnostic Services

Prescription Drugs

Private Duty Nurse

Paramedical Services

Emergency Dental

Medical Appliances

Follow-up Visits

Emergency Transportation

Repatriation of Remains

Accidental Death & Dismemberment

Flight Accident

Hospital Allowance

Transportation to Bedside

Meals & Accommodation

Return & Escort of Children

Excess Baggage Return

RIMI Canuck Voyage Travel Medical Insurance

Secure Travel's Canuck Voyage Travel Medical Insurance plans ensure travelers against unpredictable sickness and injuries, with reimbursement being provided on an emergency basis. Here are some features that cover in it:

Emergency Hospitalization

Doctors and Medical Services

Return of Travel Companion

Vehicle Return

  International Students Insurance Canada

Canada is home to many fine and accredited schools, which each year host hundreds of thousands of international students. The overwhelming majority of these students are not covered by provincial health care insurance plans, which can be expensive when coming up with medical emergencies.

Secure Travel offers students insurance plans with a policy limit of $2 million USD for a low premium rate. These policies are designed for international students traveling and studying abroad.

Super Visa Insurance

In Canada, you can apply for your parents to visit Canada and stay here longer with a super visa insurance plan.

Secure Travel has a range of insurance plans to protect travelers, with special options available for those traveling with companions with pre-existing medical conditions.

Just a step to best quotes

Our insurance services are only licensed in these provinces:

• Ontario (ON)
• Alberta (AB)
• British Columbia (BC)
• Saskatchewan (SK)
• Newfoundland (NL)

Please do not proceed with a purchase for any other location.

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• Work With Us

Canada Travel Insurance Review

Travel insurance can kill a travel budget for anyone. We feel the pinch especially hard, since we’re buying travel insurance for a family of four.

When I searched high and low for Canadian travel insurance comparisons and reviews for our upcoming trip, I found absolutely nothing to help me compare prices and insurance for our personal travel insurance needs (other than Kanetix (now called RATESDOTCA ). So I had to do hours of legwork to get the best prices and policies for our family, and I’ve shared them in this review.

2022 update! Maybe it’s because COVID-19 sent travel insurance prices into flux, but any prices we check in 2022 seem to vary significantly from 2021 or 2020 prices. We guess this price fluctuation may continue, but it’s hard to tell.

For six months of travel, for a family of four, we got quotes ranging from $418.51 to a whopping $2,461.92 for worldwide travel medical insurance, including the USA.

Because everyone’s needs are different, we can’t tell you what travel insurance is right for you, or that one travel insurance company or travel insurance policy is better than another.

On top of that, prices and policies can change almost overnight, so do your own research.

This travel insurance review just lists the results we got when searching for travel insurance for our own family’s needs, at one point in time. All prices are in Canadian dollars, although some companies cover people all around the world.

In our search, we found that insurance almost always meant medical travel insurance, which included a set amount of coverage (usually one to five million dollars per person for travel accidents and illness).

Tip! Read the terms and conditions of policy wording and description of coverage to decide if the policy you choose is right for you. Insurance policy wordings can be subject to change at any time, without prior notice.

Many travel insurance packages that we looked at included coverage for baggage, trip cancellation, trip interruption and even emergency dental. We chose to only buy what we personally needed, and I think we saved a lot of money.

TuGo Travel Insurance

TuGo (formerly called Travel Underwriters) is one of Canada’s biggest travel insurance companies, and they surprised us with one of the best rates for our family.

To find more about TuGo travel insurance, click here.

2021 update: Tugo now offers COVID-19 travel insurance coverage included as a benefit under their emergency medical coverage, but ONLY if you’re fully or partially vaccinated, or if you’re not eligible for a vaccine, due to age.

If you haven’t been vaccinated, for any reason other than your age, then the COVID-19 insurance ISN’T included as a benefit under their emergency medical insurance for you. If you fall into this category, you can buy COVID-19 Insurance, Unvaccinated as an add-on to your TuGo Emergency Medical Insurance Worldwide or Excluding USA plans.

There’s a fairly extensive list of eligibility requirements, and there’s an additional cost. To get the COVID-19 insurance, you need to also have a worldwide or worldwide excluding USA TuGo emergency medical policy in place for the full duration of the COVID-19 Insurance coverage.

• $1,317.20 for six months, for a family of four. The plan includes travel to the USA.
• $5 million emergency medical insurance.
• $300 USD deductible (dropping the deductible to 0 brought the cost up to $612.72 total).
• We added on trip cancellation and interruption to our quote for an additional $284.00. Coverage is up to sum insured for trip cancellation or up to $25,000 for trip interruption.
• If you’re vaccinated, or partially vaccinated, then COVID-19 insurance is included.
• If you’re unvaccinated, for any reason other than your age, there is an extra fee of $170.20 for COVID-19 insurance.
• You can get add-on optional sports coverage. Coverage is based on risk level; from contact sports to adventure sports to extreme sports.

Safety Wing

Safety Wing is a (relative) new comer to the travel insurance space.

SafetyWing insurance specializes in expat travel health insurance (called Remote Health Insurance), and global travel medical insurance (called Nomad Insurance), which we think is a great option for longer term travelers.

There’s one huge catch for Safety Wing insurance, though, and it’s a big one for Canadians.

SafetyWing won’t sell Canadians travel insurance while you’re physically located in Canada. You can cross the border in any way and buy insurance immediately when you have left Canada.

However, it’s the perfect choice if you’ve already left Canada and forgot to buy travel insurance, or you want to buy better coverage.

SafetyWing Insurance is available to anyone from any home country in the world (unless your home country is Iran, Syria, North Korea or Cuba, or if you have Cuba as your citizenship).

The base price for insurance is $42 for four weeks of coverage, not including coverage in the USA. That’s for one person, aged 18-39 years, with a $250 deductible, and a $250 000 max limit.

• A quote for one person for six months was $379.08 for six months, NOT including coverage in the USA.
• For all four of us, the cost was $847.08 for six months, NOT including coverage in the USA.
• A quote for one person for six months, which included coverage in the USA , was $705.12.
• A quote for all four of us for six months, which included coverage in the USA , was $1,560.00.
• $250,000 travel insurance
• $250 deductible
• Emergency dental up to $1,000. Not subject to deductible.
• Notable exclusions include high risk sports activity, pre-existing disease or injury, and cancer treatment
• Trip interruption of up to $5,000
• Emergency medical evacuation of up to $100,000 lifetime maximum
• Travel delay and lost checked luggage coverage.

Visit SafetyWing now to learn more.

Nomad Insurance covers COVID-19 for new policies. Coverage works the same as any other illness as long as it was not contracted before your coverage start date, and does not fall under any other policy exclusion or limitation.

Testing for COVID-19 is only be covered if deemed medically necessary by a physician. The antibody test is not covered, as it is not medically necessary.

Nomad Insurance covers quarantine outside your home country of $50/day for up to 10 days (once within a 364-day period). The quarantine coverage requires that you’re covered by Nomad Insurance for a minimum of 28 days and you are outside your home country.

Your quarantine must be mandated by a physician or governmental authority, because you have either:

• tested positive for COVID-19
• or you are symptomatic and waiting for your test results.

Kanetix (now called RATESDOTCA)

RATESDOTCA (formerly Kanetix) is on online insurance quote consolidator. I’m a big fan, as I like that it lets me compare a number of travel insurance companies side by side, and they usually seem like a fairly good deal to me.  They do all sorts of insurance, including home, auto, and tenant’s insurance.

To find out more about travel insurance on RATESDOTCA click here now.  

The best deals on RATESDOTCA  were:

• TuGo for $937.80 six months for a family of four for $2 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, with a $300 deductible. A zero deductible raised that to $1,062.80.
• Ingle International for $1,061.42 for six months for our family of four for $10 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, with a $250 deductible.
• World Escapade $1,069.20 for six months for a family of four for $5 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, with a $250 deductible.
• Allianz for $1,155.60 for six months for a family of four for with $10 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, and a $250 deductible.
• GMS for $1,580.40 for six months for our family of four with $5 million in emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance, and a $250 deductible.

Click here now to find out more about RATESDOTCA travel insurance.  

TD Meloche Monnex

We signed up with  TD Meloche Monnex: Wide Horizons Solution  on our last six month trip though Costa Rica, Mexico, Florida and Texas. Although we didn’t have to make a claim, their customer service was extremely professional and patient when answering all of my questions about the quote.

• $947.80 for six months, for a family of four. Since we have home insurance with Meloche, we get a good discount on the premium.
• This is a great deal, as it includes a 60 day multi-trip plan that will let us take unlimited trips (of up to 60 days) anywhere in the world for $181.00/year per year. The additional four months of top up coverage cost us $766.80 (for a total of $947.80).
• If we didn’t have home, tenants’ insurance, or auto insurance with Meloche , the cost for our initial 60 day multi-trip plan would be higher.
• You’ll need to call Meloche to buy your policy. Meloche’s number is 1-866-566-1464.
• $5 million emergency medical insurance, per person.
• $100 deductible (most deductibles with other companies are 0). It was worth the higher deductible, given that the premium is so low. You can also choose a $250, $500 or $1,000 deductible.
• Free international assistance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Full refund available anytime during our trip, less a $20 fee.
• Extensions are available while on our trip, but if there’s a claim on file, the extension must be verified by risk manager.  You must also have valid provincial health coverage.
• World-wide, including USA, but excludes countries with Government of Alberta or Canada travel warnings.
• Trip cancellation up to $2,500 per person,  maximum $5,000 per family for each annual period of coverage.
• Trip interruption up to $5,000 per person, per covered trip.
• No baggage or personal effects insurance.
• If we purchase additional tickets/flights after leaving on trip, these are not eligible for trip cancellation/baggage insurance.
• Many adventure activities are covered.  There were some exceptions, including ultralight flights and paid sports activities, I believe, but they didn’t apply to us.
• Like all the other policies we looked at, we were required to have valid provincial health insurance for the entire duration of our trip.

Merit Travelcuts Worldwide Travel Insurance

We used travelcuts Globetrotter insurance for our last trips to Asia and the Philippines. We ended up claiming a few days in a hospital in Thailand, and travelcuts was great to us.

If we’d been a single traveller on this trip, then travelcuts would probably have been our first choice for insurance. With a whopping 547 days for a maximum policy length, travelcuts is a well worth looking at if you’re planning a longer trip.

Anyone over 50 years old cannot get this policy.

travelcuts has several plans, but we were interested only in the Emergency Medical Plan D. This plan does not include trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance.

• $1,641.60 for six months, for a family of four. Like pretty much all of the other companies, our quote has increased quite a bit from when I first got a quote in 2012, when the quote was $916.00.
• 1 million emergency medical insurance per person.
• You must have valid government health insurance plan for the entire duration of your trip.
• travelcuts insurance only covers travellers under age 50, and over 15 days old.
• You may be able to get an extension on your trip, but you must call travelcuts to apply for the extension, and have a provincial health plan is in effect for the full length of your travel period.
• You may get a full refund if you cancel within 10 days of buying your policy, or if you can prove your trip was cancelled before you leave on your trip. See your specific policy for details.
• Costs and benefits may be different for residents of Quebec.
• travelcuts worldwide insurance was formerly known as Travel CUTS Bon Voyage insurance.
• Always check your individual policy – coverage and limits can change without notice.

itravel2000

itravel2000 is one of my favorite sites to search for cheap all-inclusive last minute getaways and hotel rooms, so I thought I’d check out their travel insurance.  Wow. Pretty darn expensive, and the last quote I got was back before 2018.

• A gulp-inducing $3,075.00 for six months for an all inclusive plan for family of four, including trip cancellation and interruption.
• $1,573.20 for a global under age 60 plan, with $5 million in emergency medical benefits only, with no trip cancellation or interruption.

BMO travel insurance  is one of Canada’s biggest names in travel insurance, so I thought I’d try them out.

• $1,532.18 for six months insurance for a family of four.
• $5,000,000 medical liability.
• A refund is available 10 days after purchase, but not after leaving on a trip, and you need to meet other conditions.
• Coverage can be extended after leaving, but there cannot be an open claim. You can extend for a total of 183 days (212 days if you reside in BritishColumbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia or Ontario).
• Trip cancellation $0 per person.
• Trip interruption $2,000 per person.

ScotiaGold Passport® VISA

The Scotiabank Passport™ Visa Infinite Card has travel insurance perks.

There’s Travel Emergency Medical Insurance for eligible persons under age 65 (up to 25 consecutive days) and for eligible persons age 65 and older (up to 10 consecutive days).

What we think is cool about this card is that it’s one of the few Canadian credit cards that don’t charge a foreign transaction fee . It also has a travel rewards program, with Scotia Rewards points – right now there’s a signup bonus of 30,000 Scotia Rewards points (plus an additional 10,000 available if you spend at least $40,000 in everyday eligible purchases annually). That’s a total of 40,000 bonus points!

• Annual fee: $139.00
• Up to $1 million in emergency medical travel insurance
• Up to $2,500 trip cancellation/interruption
• Flight delay, delayed and lost baggage, travel accident, and rental car collision loss/damage insurance.
• Interest rate: 19.99% purchases, 22.99% cash advances
• six free airport lounge visits

What if you’re taking a short trip?

For trips of 60 days or less, you may already have coverage through a credit card with medical travel insurance perks. These often offer trip cancellation and interruption, along with baggage insurance. For Canada travel insurance, the cards we looked at were Scotiabank and BMO.

Note: If you decide to use only your credit cards built in travel insurance, make sure that you’re covered for the duration of your trip (you can often extend coverage for an additional fee) and that you qualify since some cards that include travel insurance have specific riders that might not cover you if you fall outside of their policies parameters.

Baggage coverage and personal effects coverage

Baggage coverage insures your bags while in transit (in airplanes, though this may extend to buses and taxis).

Personal effects coverage covers your belongings anywhere, on any portion of your trip. This sounds nice in theory, but I found that most policies had some serious exclusions.  They would only cover losses with a police report (makes sense, but a police report can be pretty damn hard to get in a lot of countries).  On top of that, most policies would not insure belongings that were unattended. That means that if your wallet is stolen from your beach chair while you’re body surfing, you’re out of luck. No coverage.

Even more important, most policies wouldn’t cover loss or theft of computers, cameras, or cell phones, or jewelry. Seriously. The only expensive things that most people travel with aren’t covered.

Here’s a little trick, though. If you have insurance on your home or tenant’s insurance, then your belongings might be covered on your trip. Usually there’s a limit (around 10% of the total coverage on your original policy), and your deductible applies to any claims while travelling.

Trip cancellation and interruption generally only cover the portion of your trip that you buy before you leave. Not especially useful for us, since we’re only buying a one-way ticket to Mexico before we leave, and the rest of our tickets will be bought once out of Canada. Not having a set itinerary means that we’ll buy onward legs (by plane, train, car, taxi, water taxi, ferry, cruise liner, or bus) as we need them. I couldn’t find a single travel insurance policy that would cover purchase of additional legs once we left home. Trust me, I tried. And tried.

A lot of Canada travel insurance reviews don’t mention this, but it’s important: If you’re gone for more than six months, ensure you get a written extension from your provincial health care plan (this applies only to Canadians).

Checklist for travel insurance:

• What is the amount of liability you cover?
• Is trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance covered?
• Is there a refund available for unused amount?
• What is the deductible?
• Do you offer a medical service assist, e.g., can you help me find a doctor or hospital?
• Is the policy good worldwide, including the USA?
• Can I top up my insurance once I’ve left on my trip?
• Can I buy my initial insurance after I’ve left on my trip?

Are you already overseas? Check out this post to learn how to get travel insurance if you’re already abroad !

After hours of research and banging my head against a wall, I found your website and your Travel Insurance Review.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Based on the information you provided (very thorough!!) we have booked our travel insurance with TD Meloche Monnex Wide Horizons. Great company to deal with and very patient in answering any and all my questions.

I can’t tell how much I appreciate the detail and effort you afforded your readers!! The weight off my mind, in knowing, that we have great coverage for the time we will be away, is tremendous.

I only wish I would have found your site earlier!!

Australia here we come!!

Wanda, Thanks so much for the pat on the back. Hope you’re loving Oz. We were there for six months in 2004, and had a great time.

Thanks much! Used your link to Kanetix.ca and decided on Tugo. Much appreciate your efforts in this site! Cheers Lorin

Very helpful! Thank you for the detail in your post especially the “questions to ask” portion. Thanks again!

Thanks, Sydney! Good luck in your search!

I plan to keep in mind the list of questions you have mentioned. I find it helpful!

My husband and I are going on a Caribbean cruise next February 2013 going out of Miami Florida.We are from Ontario Canada. We are interested in all inclusive travel insurance and of course want good medical coverage.In the event of a serious medical problem we need coverage to include an airlift off the ship or by boat.We have gone on other cruises thinking that this was part of the medical coverage only to recently discover that not all plans cover this.Hopefully this would never happen but I have heard that this could happen if the ship couldn’t treat you if you were seriously ill or injured.Do you know which insurance companies cover this?

The Government of Canada has an informative article called Advice for Cruise Travellers . They say that you should “Purchase travel health insurance that includes at least $500,000 in coverage for accidental injury, hospitalization abroad, and medical evacuation at sea (the cost of medically evacuating a patient from a cruise ship by helicopter can easily reach $150,000).”

I looked a bit into specific policies to get you started, but keep in mind that I’m just a fellow traveller, not an insurance agent. Make sure you read your policy and chat with your insurance company for any clarification. You’ll need to call the companies directly to specifically ask if your specific policy covers emergency transport by helicopter while at sea.

I did a comparison quote search on Kanetix.ca , and came up with a couple of all inclusive policies that look like they cover an air ambulance. Click on the View sample policy link at the bottom of the quote to see policy details for yourself. Travel Guard Chartis Gold Deluxe’s policy notes that if you get “if Your attending Physician recommends Your return after Your Emergency Medical Treatment, and if approved in advance by Us, We cover, via the most cost-effective itinerary, one (1) or more of: … the cost of air ambulance transportation, pre-approved and arranged by Us”.

Just to note, the Group Medical Services TravelStar All Inclusive policy quoted at Kanetix does NOT cover a helicopter transport.

If you’re under age 60, World Nomads is a really good option. Their policy says “Once You have received Emergency Medical Care and Our consulting Physician determines You are able to and recommends that You return Home, We will arrange and pay for the following services and expenses to return You to Your province or territory of residence: … the cost of air ambulance transportation to the most appropriate facility in Your province or territory of residence, if the use of an air ambulance is required and Medically Necessary.” There’s a detailed review of World Nomads here .

Another option is RBC insurance. They have a great reputation, but you need to be an existing RBC client, spouse or child of the client. They’re the only company I’m aware of that offers unlimited emergency medical insurance (most companies cap at $1 million or $5 million).

The exact policy you get with RBC depends a lot on your age. I looked at an RBC policy quoted for people under 60, and the policy said they would pay for return to your departure point, “when pre-authorized and arranged by Assured Assistance Inc., when medically essential: the cost of air ambulance transportation if it is medically essential.” You can get an online quote with RBC at this link: http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/travelinsurance/index.html . Just be aware that you may need to buy a trip cancellation insurance add-on with them.

I think you should be able to get emergency air evacuation at sea included with one of these Canadian companies. However, if that fails, there are a couple of international companies (that cover Canadians) that specialize in medical evacuation insurance. They’re MedjetAssist and International SOS .

There’s a checklist that you can use for asking questions when getting a quote at Canadian Travel Insurance Review .

Hope that helps a bit!

Happy travels!

Excellent site. Plenty of helpful info here. I’m sending it to some buddies and additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thanks for your sweat!

Can you suggest an insurance provider for ON resident, aged 63. Planning a 9 month trip through USA & Bahamas.

Hi Ray! Recommending a specific provider is pretty tough – it depends on so many things – preexisting conditions, what kind of coverage you want (basic medical, cancellation, interruption, baggage, or some mix), and how much you want.

I always suggest to start with Kanetix to get a comparison quote, which will at least give you a baseline price you should pay, as their quotes tend to be pretty competitive. Squaremouth also gives quotes (there’s a review of Squaremouth here ), and they have some really cool filters.

Sounds like a great vacation, by the way!

Hi, My bank (royal bank) tells me that our royal bank avion infinite visa has travel/medical insurance for when we travel. They said if I purchased a travel/medical insurance policy from the bank, it is a mirrored one of the one our visa offers us. Assured Assistance is the company that takes care of the insurance. Any info or advice would be appreciated thanks

Thanks so much for checking out our review. The RBC Avion Infinite Visa has a fairly travel insurance package , which includes medical, cancellation, flight delay, trip interruption (but not cancellation!) insurance and travel accident insurance.

There are a few potential differences between the Avion credit card insurance and the bank insurance policy: -The RBC Avion credit card insurance is multi-trip insurance, meaning it insures you for multiple trips, but each trip is only 15 days in length, if you’re 64 or under (and 3 days per trip if you’re over 65). You can purchase additional insurance for an individual trip. – You must charge the full cost of your trip, including flights, accomodation, and hotel to the credit card for the RBC Avion credit card insurance to be valid – RBC Avion insurance provides Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Insurance, which I don’t think is included in RBC’s bank travel insurance policies

We’ve written a review of RBC’s travel insurance plans on our Canadian Travel Insurance Review site (which we started when we saw how much need there was for an independent look at travel insurance in Canada). There’s also a checklist of questions to ask when you get a travel insurance quote .

Hope that helps. Really, I know it’s about as much fun as watching paint dry, but you should sit down with both insurance policies certificates of insurance (and a really strong pot of coffee) and compare them to make sure they meet your needs. You can get a copy of the RBC Insurance and Protection Booklet through the insurance and protection tab on the RBC Visa Infinite Avion web page , and view the RBC bank insurance policies through the RBC Travel insurance site .

Have a wonderful trip!

Awesome information. You should make this a little ebook and sell it. Thanks a bunch.

Thanks Kate! I’m so glad that it helped you.

wow.. what a blog…it tells me about travel insurance and i am also looking for that kind of information…this blog helps me… thnx for the post… i like it..

Little confused about travel insurance and health insurance. I’m an American and need health insurance for 3 months.I will be in Toronto for next 3 months. Can someone help me to find a link or web site to buy only health insurance for 3 months ? Does Credit card provide health insurance only ?

Thanks for visiting. You can buy insurance for only three months from almost any company – that shouldn’t be a problem. The insurance provided by a credit card really depends on the card – all cards are different, so you’ll have to look at the travel insurance terms carefully. As an American, you’ll need to get a American credit card. I’m not overly familiar with American credit cards, but American Express may be a decent place to start, as I know they offer travel insurance on some of their cards.

I see on some credit union websites that included with their Gold and Platinum Mastercard credit cards is free travel medical insurance up to age 75 and up to 31 days travel with no deductible and preconditions! By comparison bank premium credit cards offer similar coverage but only to age 65.

I did talk to the people there who confirmed the above info. However to get more than 31 day coverage they referred me to their insurance partner who could do the top-up coverage. I did talk to them as well but found the top-up coverage more expensive than my existing insurer TD Monnex Meloche.

In any case the base coverage through the Cuets credit card is particularly good for retirees over 65 up to age 75. The Cuets people also told me that I was not obligated to purchase the top-up insurance from their partner so I could shop around for the best price.

Have you any more info on purchasing a credit card through a credit union and getting their travel insurance package?

I am 67 years and thankfully in great health, however while looking for travel insurance, I can only get a quote for anyone 60 and under – all others must call in and speak to an agent. I have answered 3 pages of medical questions – all No, No, No, and it seems that they don’t believe me. I am still asked to call a 1-800 number. I think this is age discrimination. Why do they think that everyone over 60 is on medication or had operations? I do not even take headache medicine!!!

It’s definitely age stereotyping Bernice. Just like car rental companies charge more for under 25 drivers regardless of their history. The simple fact is that most people over a certain age are more likely to have had complications in their past and are more likely to have some on their trip. It sucks they make you jump through more hoops however consider yourself fortunate Bernice that you’re in great shape and your premiums will be a lot less than others who aren’t as lucky.

Insurance is just a math game based on likely odds that at the end of the day the company is making more money than they’re paying out. We buy insurance on the principle that if the odds aren’t in our favor that we don’t lose everything we have paying sometimes exorbitant health costs. It really is just like gambling. If on a much more serious level.

Have fun on your trip!

I’ve been using Kanetix to find better insurance rates for everything and it seems to work fine–fast too, and saves you the trouble of entering all your info. multiple times. Reputable companies come up in the quotes and the site normally gives you about 5 options in the final quotation which you can easily revise and compare for different options.

Once you get older, the insurance provided on a credit card may no longer be available (I believe it cuts off at age 60 or 65 for most credit cards). Also, rates from most of the banks are too expensive, except for car and house insurance which I obtained excellent rates from TD Insurance (don’t know if they also provide travel insurance since I did not ask, but I guess they probably do as they are in the credit card business too).

This is great! I’m looking into the medical insurance required for the youth mobility visa to Spain and its been a headache! Its for a year and requires hospitalisation and repatriation for over 3 million canadian dollars. I wanted to ask you about the written extension from the provincial health care plan. What is this about?

Your detailed info on travel insurance was fantastic. It just saved me over $200 and we got better coverage (comprehensive) via TD Meloche Monnex as we have home and auto coverage with them.

Thanks so much

It would be helpful to make it clear that World Nomads will not cover anyone over age 59. Took 10 minutes of searching their website and a phone call to be told they don’t insure seniors by not offering any policy options at all. Haven’t worked my way through the other options yet

Thanks for letting us know Susan. We’ll add it to the post.

I’m interested to know if you found any that didn’t require you to have Canadian provincial coverage? My trip will be too long.

Hi Wes, what you need to look into is Canadian Expat Insurance. Expat insurance will cover you even though you don’t have Canadian provincial health care coverage. That’s especially important if you plan to be out of the country longer than your province will allow.

Most people don’t realize that nearly every Canadian travel insurance policy offered requires continual provincial health care.

Some provinces allow you to leave for extended amounts of time so it’s worth looking into that first. Check out this article . It has links to every provincial health care site and some good information about Expat Insurance.

Hope that helps!

Incredibly helpful article. You seem to have quite a lot of information about Canada travel insurance and that’s great that i came to learn about it.

Thanks, this was very helpful, especially pointing me to Kanetix. I dive and snorkel, so it’s important I don’t have exclusions because of that. If you are ever in Penticton, let me by you a beer!

Came here to throw my support behind World Nomads. They have been easy to use for me (2 years straight) and I really appreciate being able to extend my travel insurance on the road. As far as I know, WN is the only travel insurance that allows that!

Thanks for the comprehensive comparison of travel insurance providers. For those of us over 65 years of age, finding travel insurance can be very pricey if they will even insure us.

Next question: do you have a similar listing of ex-pat insurance?

Hi Bill. The truth is there isn’t that many Canadian expat insurance providers out there and pretty much none online. The vast majority of travel insurance companies in Canada require you to maintain your provincial medical plan and, as you probably know, most only give you 3 to 6 months to be away without written authorization.

We’re actually in the process of writing a post just for Canadian Expats and we’ll make sure we update this post with the link once it’s up.

Very good article.

I just have one confusion.

What if during my date of return say April 1st and for some reason no planes are flying for whatever reason. My medical insurance is only up to April 1st. On April 2nd, I got sick or have an accident, will I be covered?

It really depends on your plan. Some policies will automatically be extended if there are issues and others end on their allotted day regardless of the reason.

I would definitely recommend contacting your insurance provider if your trip gets extended for whatever reason and do it before your policy is over. When it comes to insurance, it’s better to err on the side of caution than to risk not being covered.

So helpful, thank you for this detailed analysis and keeping it up to date!

Hi there! Thanks for this. First time buying travel insurance and there’s a lot to learn. I’m travelling to India so I’m primarily worried about my belongings (camera, laptop, phone, dive gear) and hospital bills if I get sick. Seems WorldNomads is my best option. Quick question.. Could you elaborate on what you mean when you say: A lot of Canada travel insurance reviews don’t mention this, but it’s important: If you’re gone for more than six months, ensure you get a written extension from your provincial health care plan (this applies only to Canadians).

What is a ‘written extension’? What is the issue if one hasn’t gotten it?

Thanks in advance for any information!

These points are very helpful. Thanks for sharing!

Hi there Charles and Micki,

Any suggestions on which company would offer an extension after the 1 year is up? I like the World Nomads so that it would cover my gear – but they only do 1 year at a time and I would have to return to Canada to get another year. Thank you for your time.

Hi Kevin, that’s the million dollar question these days since the vast majority of Canadian travel insurance policies require 2 things. The first is that you maintain your provincial healthcare and the second is that the trip commences in Canada.

In that sense, World Nomads is great. Though they still require you to maintain your Canadian healthcare, you can actually purchase their travel insurance after you’ve left Canada. I’m not 100% positive but I do believe they only allow 1 year trips so I’m guessing that’s the quandary you’re in.

If you haven’t left Canada yet, you should look into Travelcuts . They’re about the only company I can think of that offers travel insurance for Canadians for trips longer than a year. We actually used them for our first year long RTW way back in the day and they were good to deal with.

If you’re already travelling, my only suggestion is to return to Canada for a quick visit and then get another year of coverage with World Nomads or another insurance company. If that’s not possible, you’re last option (besides going without, which I don’t suggest doing) is you need to look into Expat insurance.

The nice thing about Canadian Expatriate travel insurance is you don’t need to maintain your provincial healthcare while you’re gone so if you live in one of the provinces where you have to pay monthly premiums, you can at least save on that. The funny part is that it can actually be cheaper than normal travel insurance and you don’t even need to buy it from a Canadian company.

That said, there are only a few that we know of in Canada at this moment. You can check out this post regarding Expat insurance and the companies that cover it. Unfortunately, you can’t buy any of them online easily so you might need to contact them to see what they can do for you.

Good luck and safe travels.

Very wealthy information. And those key points in which you had mentioned is very useful and also some valid points too. Really nice thank you so much

Excellent Article. I ended up using TUGO as a direct result of this article and saved $160 over using my regular RBC travel insurance, so thank you very much. TUGO worked best for us as we only needed the travel medical. All else such as travel accident, travel cancellation is covered because I purchased my tickets with my RBC credit card. If I needed everything, I think I would have gone with Nomads

Great article. It is always good to know what are the options available. However, TIC travel insurance (mentioned in the article) has been overtaken by Allianz Global Assistance what is one of the insurance giants worldwide. The website remained the same though. I was able to find cheap premiums for Medical Policies for a month or even for annual plans for frequent fliers like me that is always onboard a plane going somewhere because of my job.

Hello, We went onto kanetix.ca website and received a quote for Ingle International. Has anyone used this company and experienced a positive or negative situation? I went to the http://www.travelinsurancereview.ca website and this company was not listed. They gave us a great rate $442 for 5 months and family of 4 for travel medical top-up insurance for 90 days and I am sceptical. We are also traveling to Egypt where there is a travel advisory for non-essential travel and this has been the only company that has told us we would be covered if we traveled there in the travel advisory zones. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

This is amazingly helpful! I’m a bit surprised TravelCuts (Also known as Merit Travel, they are backed by Allianz) was buried down the list a bit as their coverage and premiums are incredibly reasonable. You can get budget plan B which is basically just medical with some trip cancellation and it is MUCH cheaper (I’m talking nearly half price) of most of the other leading insurance places. I had never heard of them and was just going to go with World Nomads again which is fine, but WN seems to builds in a ton of other stuff in their policies which I can never use or wouldn’t bother. Personal effects and trip cancellation just has too many loopholes it seems. TravelCuts doesn’t even have a deductible either! I phoned to confirm. This is now my go-to. Thanks for this great info I wouldn’t have found them without this site!

Here is a real doozy for you! World Nomads no longer offers Canadians coverage past 365 days. I have been aboard 360 days and need to buy new insurance. I have looked at most of the sites here, however most of them do not 1) include on option to list multiple destinations (I will be in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Cambodia and Laos) and 2) do not offer an option for residents of the Northwest Territories! I am completely stumped. Losing World Nomads was devestating, especially as they used to allow to extend past 365 days. Any ideas of companies that will cover multiple countries AND NT residents?!?! And as a backpacker i am trying to stay on the budget savvy side so the big banks are not really an options.

Thanks for all the info on this, there is a lot out there for UK and USA residents, not as much for Canadians!

Brittany, if you’re out of Canada for that amount of time chances are that your provincial healthcare is no longer valid however that depends on which province you live in and if you’re a student outside of Canada. I believe that only Alberta (and perhaps NWT) allows you to be outside Canada for a year just backpacking around and maintain your healthcare.

That would be the first thing I would look at and, then following that line, I would look into Expat Insurance. There are only a few Canadian companies that offer it however, since it doesn’t require them to deal with your provincial healthcare if they need to make a claim, you can look into expatriate insurance providers from any country.

You’ll definitely be paying a little more for Canadian Expat Insurance however you can rest easier knowing that you’ll actually be covered. Some provinces cancel your provincial healthcare after only a month abroad if you don’t contact them and pretty much every Canadian travel insurance provider requires you maintain your provincial healthcare while you’re gone.

You can check out this post which talks a bit about it and has the relevant links to every provinces regulations. Good luck!

Thanks so much Barefoot Nomad! I checked my usual places for insurance, and my insurance/medical company, and banks and all crazy high. I did a quick search for reviews/advice and found your blog. So glad I did. I really only needed trip cancellation as my work insurance covers me for medical, but this World Nomads basic plan was includes medical and nice limits on trip cancellation. It was at least $50 less then the others I looked at ($120 for a 20 day trip) and far more comprehensive.

I’ll keep an eye on your blog, looks like I can learn a lot from you 🙂

Thank you for writing this useful tips. it might be help me in future.

I’m 62 years old and heading to a remote area of Ethiopia for a mission. It is not currently under any travel advisement from the Canadian gov’t, but I guess you know how things can go. What’s my best option for what might be considered a moderately dangerous trip at age 62?

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• Travel Insurance
• Travelance Travel Insurance Review

The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive payment from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This comes from two main sources.

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Travelance Travel Insurance Review 2024

Updated: Feb 28, 2024, 7:50am

At first glance, Travelance offers pretty basic travel insurance. The $10 million emergency medical is great, but there are no options for upgrades, customization or discounts for about the same price as beefier plans offered by other providers. However, the Youth Premier Plans with a $1 million benefit maximum are a great option for travellers under 30 who don’t need the big payout limit of an all-inclusive plan but want the same comprehensive emergency medical and trip insurance coverage for a much cheaper premium.

• Generous medical and dental limits
• Cheaper youth plan for travellers under age 30
• Comprehensive all-inclusive plan
• Easy claims process
• Lower trip limits than other plans
• No CFAR coverage
• No add-ons, upgrades or discounts
• No refunds after 10-day review period

Table of Contents

About travelance travel insurance, what travel insurance does travelance offer, travelance travel insurance plans, summary: plan comparison, travelance travel insurance cost, comparing travelance travel insurance with other insurers, optional add-ons for travelance travel insurance, does travelance travel insurance offer any discounts, does travelance travel insurance offer annual multi-trip plans, travelance travel insurance 24/7 travel assistance, does travelance travel insurance have cancel for any reason (cfar), does travelance travel insurance have interruption for any reason (ifar), travelance travel insurance and pre-existing medical conditions, travelance travel insurance exclusions, travelance travel insurance eligibility, how to file a claim with travelance travel insurance.

Travelance travel insurance is marketed by Travelance Inc., a Hamilton, Ont.-based distributor of travel and accident insurance for Canadian residents, visitors to Canada and students. You can purchase a Travelance policy directly on the website or via one of its 4,000 licensed partner brokers.

Travelance travel insurance is underwritten by Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada that started as a small Hamiton, Ont.-based association in 1887.

Here are the key types of travel insurance coverage offered in Travelance Travel Insurance plans:

• Emergency medical insurance: If you get ill or are injured on your trip, travel medical insurance can pay for emergency medical expenses, up to the coverage limits in your plan. These expenses can include doctor and hospital bills, medication and lab work, as well as medical evacuations, repatriation and arranging for a bedside companion if you are hospitalized.
• Trip cancellation insurance: If you cancel a trip for a reason listed in your travel policy, such as you or your travelling companion becoming ill, weather conditions cause a massive delay or you lose your job, trip cancellation insurance can reimburse you for prepaid, non-refundable costs.
• Travel interruption or delay insurance: Trip interruption insurance can pay for a last-minute flight home in an emergency and reimburse money that you lose by cutting a trip short due to a covered reason, including non-refundable activities and hotel stays. If your flight is delayed , your insurance can cover the cost of incidentals, such as meals or accommodations, after a specified period of time, such as six, 10 or 12 hours.
• Baggage insurance: Baggage travel insurance can compensate you up to your policy limits if your luggage is lost or stolen. It will reimburse the depreciated value of your suitcases and what you packed. If your bags are delayed, it can reimburse you for the cost of the necessities you’ll have to buy to tide you over. It also extends to your personal belongings, if they are lost, damaged or stolen.
• Travel accident insurance: This coverage offers compensation in the event of accidental death or catastrophic injury from an accident during your trip. Flight Accident Insurance covers injury while you’re on a commercial plane, during a connection or in an airport. Travel Accident Insurance covers death or dismemberment, including the loss of limbs or eyesight, while on your trip.

Travelance Travel Insurance offers three core plans for travelling outside of Canada, plus two Youth Premier Plans (Non-USA and USA) for travellers under age 30.

All Inclusive: This plan includes $10 million coverage for unforeseen medical emergencies, and trip cancellation & trip interruption, travel accident and baggage insurance coverage.

Eligible emergency medical expenses include:

• Services of a physician, surgeon or in-hospital duty nurse
• Hospital accommodation up to a semi-private room, including a cruise ship cabin or hotel room if recommended for recovery from an illness or injury
• Ambulance transportation to and from hospital
• Emergency evacuation from a remote location
• Diagnostic and laboratory procedures
• Medical equipment purchased or rented for therapeutic purposes
• Prescription medication to treat an emergency injury or illness, up to a 30-day supply
• One follow-up visit after the medical emergency, up to $500
• Lost, stolen or damaged prescription drug replacement, up to $50
• Emergency dental due to an injury to the head or mouth, up to $4,000
• Emergency dental due to pain, up to $400
• Paramedical services performed by a chiropractor, chiropodist, physiotherapist, osteopath or podiatrist, up to $300 per practitioner

Medical benefits also include meals, hotel accommodations and associated expenses if you or your travelling companion is hospitalized and/or if a medical delay prevents you from returning home, repatriation expenses and return of your remains if you die.

Emergency Medical: If you’re only worried about medical emergencies while travelling, this benefit offers all of the medical coverage listed above.

Trip Cancellation & Interruption: This coverage option reimburses you for insured non-refundable travel expenses (such as hotels or prepaid excursions) if you have to cancel, interrupt or delay your trip due to a covered reason.

Youth Premier USA and Non-USA Package Plan: This plan offers most of the same coverage as the All Inclusive Plan but with lower benefit limits. It is only available for travellers under age 30.

We’ve highlighted the key benefits of Travelance Travel Insurance and the maximum benefit payable for the three single trip plans and the Youth Premier Plan to help you identify which coverage is the best fit for you.

The price of a Travelance Travel Insurance plan depends on factors such as the cost of your trip, your age, your answers to a medical questionnaire, if required, and the amount of coverage you choose.

Here are some examples of the cost for Travelance Travel Insurance single trip plans for healthy travellers based in Ontario:

Travelance also offers a Youth Premier plan for travellers under age 30. Using the example of the couple, age 27, travelling to Mexico, here’s how the cost of the All Inclusive Plan (with $10 million emergency medical coverage) and the Youth Plans (with $1 million emergency medical coverage) compare.

Travel Guard Travel Insurance Review

Emergency medical: $10 million/Unlimited Cancel For Any Reason: Yes, 75% Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,000

Related: Travel Guard Travel Insurance Review

• Allianz Global Assistance Travel Insurance

Emergency medical: $10 million Cancel For Any Reason: No Baggage insurance (maximum): $1,000

Related: Allianz Global Assistance Travel Insurance

TuGo Travel Insurance

Emergency medical: $10 million Cancel For Any Reason: Yes, 50% Baggage insurance (maximum): $500

Related: TuGo Travel Insurance Review

Travelance does not offer any additional add-ons, endorsements or riders for its insurance plans.

Yes. You can buy multi-trip annual insurance if you travel more than once a year for multiple individual trips. Travelance offers 15 or 30-day annual plans for emergency medical and all-inclusive coverage. You can choose from three levels of trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage: $1,500, $2,500 and $5,000.

Here’s how the cost compares for the two single trip plans and the different options for annual plans:

Worldwide emergency travel assistance is available 24/7 by calling the number listed in your policy.

You must contact the assistance provider before being admitted to the hospital or within 24 hours of a life or organ-threatening emergency or you will be responsible for 30% of any eligible expenses you later try to claim.

When you have a travel medical emergency, the following services may be available:

• Medical assistance
• Coordination of medical evacuation and repatriation
• Emergency return home assistance
• Travel arrangement assistance
• Lost or delayed baggage or document assistance
• Legal or translation assistance

Travelance notes that you should have your policy number or policy confirmation with you at all times. When contacting the assistance provider, be prepared to provide your name, policy number, your location and the nature of the emergency.

In general, a pre-existing condition is defined as any sickness, injury or medical condition that existed before the start of your coverage, whether or not diagnosed by a physician, that you showed signs or symptoms of or received medical attention for.

Travelance Travel Insurance has the following stability requirements for pre-existing medical conditions:

For trip cancellation benefits (single-trip plans)

For trip interruption and/or emergency medical benefits

A medical condition is considered stable when all of the following are true:

• There has not been any new treatment prescribed or recommended or changes to existing treatment, including a stoppage in treatment.
• There has not been any change to any existing prescribed drug, including an increase, decrease or stoppage to a prescribed dosage, or any recommendation or starting of a new prescription drug (with exceptions for Coumadin, Warfarin or insulin).
• The medical condition has not become worse.
• There has not been any new, more frequent or more severe symptoms.
• There have not been any tests, investigation or treatment recommended, but not yet complete, nor any outstanding test results.
• There is no planned or pending treatment.

In addition to pre-existing condition exclusions, there are a number of scenarios not covered by travel insurance and it’s critical to know what not to do before you make a claim. The following are general exclusions to coverages provided by Travelance travel insurance:

• Any sickness or injury resulting from a heart condition involving the taking of nitroglycerine more than once per week for the relief of angina within the time periods listed in the pre-existing stability period
• Any sickness or injury resulting from a lung condition treated with home oxygen or the treatment of oral steroids, such as prednisone or prednisolone, within the time periods listed in the pre-existing stability period
• Any event that might cause your covered trip to be cancelled or abandoned that you had knowledge of when you purchased your insurance
• Consequential loss of any kind, including loss of enjoyment of your covered trip for any cause
• Your mental and emotional disorders, including stress, anxiety and depression, unless admitted to hospital (major psychiatric illnesses such as psychosis, schizophrenia and major affective disorder not included)
• Any elective medical treatment
• Your use of drugs, alcohol or any medication that could directly or indirectly cause a claim
• Any sickness or injury resulting from long-term excessive consumption of alcohol or drugs
• Your attempted suicide or any self-inflicted injury unless admitted to hospital
• Your participation in adventurous activities
• Driving a motorcycle, moped or scooter, unless you hold an applicable valid Canadian driver’s licence
• Your riding, driving or participating in motorized races of speed or endurance
• Piloting an aircraft or air travel on any air-supported device, other than as a fee-paying passenger on a flight
• Fraud, concealment or deliberate misstatement
• Your participation in a crime or malicious act
• Your participation in a riot or insurrection
• Acts of terrorism, war, invasion, civil hostilities, civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection or military uprising
• Acts of terrorism by nuclear, biological, chemical or biochemical agents
• Participation in the armed forces
• Events related to “avoid all travel” and “avoid non-essential travel” travel advisories in effect before your coverage became effective
• Orbital and suborbital flights
• Any illness or injury that is directly or indirectly related to any medical condition for which you declined or delayed treatment, diagnostic testing or prescription medication in the previous two years
• Contamination resulting from radioactive material or nuclear fuel or waste
• Any trip as a driver, operator, co-driver, crewmember or passenger on any commercial vehicle used to carry goods for sale, resale or income

There are additional exclusions listed for the emergency medical, trip cancellation and interruption, travel accident and baggage coverages.

To be eligible for Travelance travel insurance, you must meet the following conditions:

• You must not be travelling against your physician’s advice.
• You must not have been diagnosed with a terminal illness before your effective date.
• For travellers over 69 years old on the effective date, you must not be living in a retirement home, nursing home, assisted living home, convalescent home, hospice or rehabilitation centre that provides daily assistance with your mobility or medications.
• You must be a resident of Canada.
• You must be covered under valid provincial or territorial health insurance.
• You must be under age 90 on your effective date.
• Your policy must be purchased before your departure date.

You can file a claim by visiting the travelance.ca/claims/forms website and either submitting electronically via the online eClaims system or by downloading the required form(s) and mailing to the address provided. You can also initiate a claim by calling the underwriter’s Client Services Department.

Depending on your claim, you will be required to submit supporting documentation. The website provides a comprehensive list of required documents for each type of claim.

For a trip cancellation/trip interruption claim, you may be asked to provide:

• A statement by the attending physician
• Your consent to release your medical records
• A copy of the trip invoices showing a breakdown of total costs, including airfare, cruise/land costs, taxes, etc.
• Proof of payment for trip, such as credit card statements
• Travel supplier’s terms and conditions
• Airline tickets or e-ticket confirmations
• Confirmation of any refunds or credits
• Death certificate, if applicable

For a trip delay claim, you may be asked to provide:

• Documents to support the reason for your delay, such as an incident report from the airline or travel supplier, or police report confirming the date and length of the delay
• Travel itinerary
• Receipts for expenses, showing the amount paid, what the payments were for and the dates of payment

For a medical expense claim, you may be asked to provide:

• Medical documentation to support your illness or injury, such as a medical report confirming the diagnosis and treatment dates
• Medical bills, receipts and itemized accounts for medical expenses
• Proof of payment for medical bills, such as a credit card statement
• A copy of the travel invoice showing the dates that the initial and final payment was made
• An explanation of any benefits from any other insurance

Travelance Travel Insurance FAQs

Does travelance travel insurance pay for medical costs upfront.

According to the policy wording, “Where a claim is payable, we [Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada] will arrange, to the extent possible, to have any medical expenses billed directly to the company.”

Does Travelance Travel Insurance offer coverage extensions?

Yes. Your coverage is automatically extended for up to 72 hours if your return home is delayed due to a transportation issue. If you or your travelling companion are hospitalized, your coverage is extended for the period of hospitalization, plus up to five days after discharge. If you or your travelling companion are too sick to travel on your return date but do not require hospitalization, your coverage is automatically extended for up to three days after your planned return date.

If you want to stay longer on your trip, you can extend your coverage if:

• You have not incurred a claim under the policy.
• You have not experienced any injury or illness, including symptoms of undiagnosed medical conditions, and have not had medical treatment during your trip.
• Your trip was covered at the time you requested an extension.
• You pay the additional premium.
• The total period of coverage is not greater than the number of days covered by your provincial health plan.

Does Travelance Travel Insurance require a medical questionnaire?

Yes. Travellers age 69 and under with covered trips over $25,000, and travellers ages 70 to 89 with covered trips over $15,000 are required to complete a Travelance Insurance Eligibility Questionnaire.

Does Travelance Travel Insurance have any age restrictions?

Yes. Travelance will not issue coverage for travellers 90 and older.

When does my coverage with Travelance Travel Insurance begin?

In general, if you purchase cancellation coverage, it begins the day you buy your policy and ends the day you make a claim or leave on your trip. Your medical and interruption coverage, if purchased, begins when you leave home. Your delay coverage begins once an insured risk prevents you from returning home as scheduled.

Does Travelance Travel Insurance offer a free look period?

Yes. Travelance offers a 10-Day Right to Examine period where you can cancel your policy within 10 days of purchase if you have not yet left on your insured trip and there is no claim in progress.

Can I get a refund with Travelance Travel Insurance?

Other than the 10-Day Right to Examine, premium refunds are not available.

Fiona Campbell is a Staff Writer for Forbes Advisor Canada. She started her career on Bay Street, but followed her love for research, writing and a good story into journalism. She is the former editor of Bankrate Canada, and has over 20 years of experience writing for various publications, including the Globe and Mail, Financial Post Business, Advisor’s Edge, Mydoh.ca and more.

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9 Best Travel Insurance Companies of April 2024

According to our analysis of more than 50 travel insurance companies and hundreds of different travel insurance plans, the best travel insurance company is Travelex Insurance Services. In our best travel insurance ratings, we take into account traveler reviews, credit ratings and industry awards. The best travel insurance companies offer robust coverage and excellent customer service, and many offer customizable add-ons.

Travelex Insurance Services »

Allianz Travel Insurance »

HTH Travel Insurance »

Tin Leg »

AIG Travel Guard »

Nationwide Insurance »

Seven Corners »

Generali Global Assistance »

Berkshire hathaway travel protection ».

Why Trust Us

U.S. News evaluates ratings, data and scores of more than 50 travel insurance companies from comparison websites like TravelInsurance.com, Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip, plus renowned credit rating agency AM Best, in addition to reviews and recommendations from top travel industry sources and consumers to determine the Best Travel Insurance Companies.

Table of Contents

• Travelex Insurance Services
• Allianz Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can help you protect the financial investment you made in your vacation when unexpected issues arise. Find the best travel insurance for the type of trip(s) you're taking and the coverages that matter most to you – from interruptions and misplaced belongings to illness and injury.

• Travelex Insurance Services: Best Overall
• Allianz Travel Insurance: Best for Trip Interruptions
• HTH Travel Insurance: Best for Groups
• Tin Leg: Best Cost
• AIG Travel Guard: Best for Families
• Nationwide Insurance: Best for Last-Minute Travel Insurance
• Seven Corners: Best for 24/7 Support When Traveling
• Generali Global Assistance: Best for Medical Emergencies
• Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection: Best for Specialized Coverage

Customizable upgrades are available, including car rental coverage, additional medical insurance and adventure sports coverage

Medical and trip cancellation maximum are not as high as some other companies

• 100% of the insured trip cost for trip cancellation; 150% for trip interruption
• Up to $1,000 in coverage for lost, damaged or stolen bags and personal items; $200 for luggage delays
• $750 in missed connection coverage
• $50,000 in emergency medical and dental coverage
• Up to $500,000 in emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage

SEE FULL REVIEW »

Annual and multitrip policies are available

Distinguishing between the company's 10 travel insurance plans can be challenging

• Up to $200,000 in trip cancellation coverage; $300,000 in trip interruption coverage
• $2,000 for lost, damaged or stolen luggage and personal effects; $600 for bag delays
• Up to $1,600 for travel delays
• Emergency medical coverage of up to $75,000
• Epidemic coverage

Generous coverage at the mid- and high-tier levels, and great group discounts

Preexisting conditions coverage is only available at mid- and high-tier plans

• 100% trip cancellation coverage (up to $50,000); 200% trip interruption coverage
• Up to $2,000 in coverage for baggage and personal effects; $400 in baggage delay coverage
• Up to $2,000 in coverage for trip delays; $1,000 for missed connections
• $500,000 in coverage per person for sickness and accidents

Variety of plans to choose from, including two budget-friendly policies and several more premium options

More limited coverage for baggage issues than other companies

• 100% trip cancellation protection; 150% trip interruption
• $500 per person for lost, stolen or damaged baggage and personal items
• Up to $2,000 per person in travel delay coverage ($150 per day); $100 per person for missed connections
• $100,000 per person in emergency medical coverage, including issues related to COVID-19

Travel insurance policy coverage is tailored to your specific trip

Information about policy coverage inclusions is not readily available without first obtaining a quote

• Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of your trip's cost; trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost
• Up to $2,500 in coverage for lost, stolen or damaged baggage; $500 related to luggage delays
• Up to $1,000 in missed connection and trip delay coverage
• $100,000 in emergency medical coverage

Variety of plans to choose from and coverage available up to a day before you leave on your trip

Limited trip cancellation coverage even at the highest tier

• Trip cancellation coverage up to $30,000; trip interruption coverage worth up to 200% of the trip cost (maximum of $60,000)
• $2,000 for lost, damaged or stolen baggage; $600 for baggage delays
• Up to $2,000 for trip delays; missed connection and itinerary change coverage of $500 each
• $150,000 for emergency medical and dental issues

Customer service available 24/7 via text, Whatsapp, email and phone

Cancel for any reason coverage costs extra

• 100% trip cancellation coverage (up to between $30,000 and $100,000 depending on your state of residence); interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost 
• Lost, stolen or damaged baggage coverage up to $2,500; up to $600 for luggage delays
• Trip delay and missed connection coverage worth up to $1,500
• Emergency medical coverage worth up to between $250,000 and $500,000 (depending on where you live)

Generous emergency medical and emergency evacuation coverage

Coverage for those with preexisting conditions is only available on the Premium plan

• 100% reimbursement for trip cancellation; 175% reimbursement for trip interruption
• $2,000 in coverage for loss of baggage per person
• $1,000 per person in travel delay and missed connection coverage
• $250,000 in medical and dental coverage per person

In addition to single-trip plans, company offers specific road trip, adventure travel, flight and cruise insurance coverage

Coverage for missed connections or accidental death and dismemberment is not part of the most basic plan

• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to 100% of the trip cost; interruption coverage worth up to 150% of the trip cost
• $500 in coverage for lost, stolen or damaged bags and personal items; bag delay coverage worth $200
• Trip delay coverage worth up to $1,000; missed connection coverage worth up to $100
• Medical coverage worth up to $50,000

To help you better understand the costs associated with travel insurance, we requested quotes for a weeklong June 2024 trip to Spain for a solo traveler, a couple and a family. These rates should help you get a rough estimate for about how much you can expect to spend on travel insurance. For additional details on specific coverage from each travel insurance plan and to input your trip information for a quote, see our comparison table below.

Travel Insurance Types: Which One Is Right for You?

There are several types of travel insurance you'll want to evaluate before choosing the policy that's right for you. A few of the most popular types of travel insurance include:

COVID travel insurance Select insurance plans offer some or a combination of the following COVID-19-related protections: coverage for rapid or PCR testing; accommodations if you're required to quarantine during your trip if you test positive for coronavirus; health care; and trip cancellations due to you or a family member testing positive for COVID-19. Read more about the best COVID-19 travel insurance options .

Cancel for any reason insurance Cancel for any reason travel insurance works exactly how it sounds. This type of travel insurance lets you cancel your trip for any reason you want – even if your reason is that you simply decide you no longer want to go. Cancel for any reason travel insurance is typically an add-on you can purchase to go along with other types of travel insurance. For that reason, you will pay more to have this kind of coverage added to your policy.

Also note that this type of coverage typically only reimburses 50% to 80% of your nonrefundable prepaid travel expenses. You'll want to make sure you know exactly how much reimbursement you could qualify for before you invest in this type of policy. Compare the best cancel for any reason travel insurance options here .

International travel insurance Travel insurance is especially useful when traveling internationally, as it can provide medical coverage for emergencies (in some cases for COVID-19) when you're far from home. Depending which international travel insurance plan you choose, this type of travel insurance can also cover lost or delayed luggage, rental cars, travel interruptions or cancellations, and more.

Cheap travel insurance If you want travel insurance but don't want to spend a lot of money, there are plenty of cheap travel insurance options that will offer at least some protections (and peace of mind). These are typically called a company's basic or standard plan; many travel insurance companies even allow you to customize your coverage, spending as little or as much as you want. Explore your options for the cheapest travel insurance here .

Trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance Trip cancellation coverage can help you get reimbursement for prepaid travel expenses, such as your airfare and cruise fare, if your trip is ultimately canceled for a covered reason. Trip interruption insurance, on the other hand, kicks in to reimburse you if your trip is derailed after it starts. For instance, if you arrived at your destination and became gravely ill, it would cover the cost if you had to cut your trip short.

Trip delay insurance can help you qualify for reimbursement of any unexpected expenses you incur (think: lodging, transportation and food) in the event your trip is delayed for reasons beyond your control, such as your flight being canceled and rebooked for the next day. You will want to save your receipts to substantiate your claim if you have this coverage.

Lost, damaged, delayed or stolen bags or personal belongings Coverage for lost or stolen bags can come in handy if your checked luggage is lost by your airline or your luggage is delayed so long that you have to buy clothing and toiletries for your trip. This type of coverage can kick in to cover the cost to replace lost or stolen items you brought on your trip. It can also provide coverage for the baggage itself. It's even possible that your travel insurance policy will pay for your flight home if damages are caused to your residence and your belongings while you're away, forcing you to return home immediately.

Travel medical insurance If you find yourself sick or injured while you are on vacation, emergency medical coverage can pay for your medical expenses. With that in mind, however, you will need to find out whether the travel medical insurance you buy is primary or secondary. Where a primary policy can be used right away to cover medical bills incurred while you travel, secondary coverage only provides reimbursement after you have exhausted other medical policies you have.

You will also need to know how the travel medical coverage you purchase deals with any preexisting conditions you have, including whether you will have any coverage for preexisting conditions at all. Read more about the best travel medical insurance plans .

Evacuation insurance Imagine you break your leg while on the side of a mountain in some far-flung land without quality health care. Not only would you need travel medical insurance coverage in that case, but you would also need coverage for the exorbitant expense involved in getting you off the side of a mountain and flying you home where you can receive appropriate medical care.

Evacuation coverage can come in handy if you need it, but you will want to make sure any coverage you buy comes with incredibly high limits. According to Squaremouth, an emergency evacuation can easily cost $25,000 in North America and up to $50,000 in Europe, so the site typically suggests customers buy policies with $50,000 to $100,000 in emergency evacuation coverage.

Cruise insurance Travel delays; missed connections, tours or excursions; and cruise ship disablement (when a ship encounters a mechanical issue and is unable to continue on in the journey) are just a few examples why cruise insurance can be a useful protection if you've booked a cruise vacation. Learn more about the top cruise insurance plans here .

Credit card travel insurance It is not uncommon to find credit cards that include trip cancellation and interruption coverage , trip delay insurance, lost or delayed baggage coverage, travel accident insurance, and more. Cards that offer this coverage include popular options like the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card , the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card and The Platinum Card from American Express . 

Note that owning a credit card with travel insurance protection is not enough for your coverage to count: To take advantage of credit card travel insurance, you must pay for prepaid travel expenses like your airfare, hotel stay or cruise with that specific credit card. Also, note that credit cards with travel insurance have their own list of exclusions to watch out for. Many also require cardholders to pay an annual fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best time to buy travel insurance is normally within a few weeks of booking your trip since you may qualify for lower pricing if you book early. Keep in mind, some travel insurance providers allow you to purchase plans until the day before you depart.

Many times, you are given the option to purchase travel insurance when you book your airfare, accommodations or vacation package. Travel insurance and travel protection are frequently offered as add-ons for your trip, meaning you can pay for your vacation and some level of travel insurance at the same time.

However, many people choose to wait to buy travel insurance until after their entire vacation is booked and paid for. This helps travelers tally up all the underlying costs associated with a trip, and then choose their travel insurance provider and the level of coverage they want.

Figuring out where to buy travel insurance may be confusing but you can easily research and purchase travel insurance online these days. Some consumers prefer to shop around with a specific provider, such as Allianz or Travelex, but you can also shop and compare policies with a travel insurance platform. Popular options include:

• TravelInsurance.com: TravelInsurance.com offers travel insurance options from more than a dozen vetted insurance providers. Users can read reviews on the various travel insurance providers to find out more about previous travelers' experiences with them. Squaremouth: With Squaremouth, you can enter your trip details and compare more than 90 travel insurance plans from 20-plus providers.
• InsureMyTrip: InsureMyTrip works similarly, letting you shop around and compare plans from more than 20 travel insurance providers in one place. InsureMyTrip also offers several guarantees, including a Best Price Guarantee, a Best Plan Guarantee and a Money-Back Guarantee that promises a full refund if you decide you no longer need the plan you purchased.

Protect your trip: Search, compare and buy the best travel insurance plans for the lowest price. Get a quote .

When you need to file a travel insurance claim, you should plan on explaining to your provider what happened to your trip and why you think your policy applies. If you planned to go on a Caribbean cruise, but your husband fell gravely ill the night before you were set to depart, you would need to explain that situation to your travel insurance company. Information you should share with your provider includes the details of why you're making a claim, who was involved and the exact circumstances of your loss.

Documentation is important, and your travel insurance provider will ask for proof of what happened. Required documentation for travel insurance typically includes any proof of a delay, receipts, copies of medical bills and more.

Most travel insurance companies let you file a claim using an online form, but some also allow you to file a claim by phone or via fax. Some travel insurance providers, such as Allianz and Travel Insured International, offer their own mobile apps you can use to buy policies and upload information or documents that substantiate your claim. In any case, you will need to provide the company with proof of your claim and the circumstances that caused it.

If your claim is initially denied, you may also need to answer some questions or submit some additional information that can highlight why you do, in fact, qualify.

Whatever you do, be honest and forthcoming with all the information in your claim. Also, be willing to provide more information or answer any questions when asked.

Travel insurance claims typically take four to six weeks to process once you file with your insurance company. However, with various flight delays and cancellations due to things like extreme weather and pilot shortages, more travelers have begun purchasing travel insurance, encountering trip issues and having to submit claims. The higher volume of claims submitted has resulted in slower turnaround times at some insurance companies.

The longer you take to file your travel insurance claim after a loss, the longer you will be waiting for reimbursement. Also note that, with many travel insurance providers, there is a time limit on how long you can submit claims after a trip. For example, with Allianz Travel Insurance and Travelex Insurance Services, you have 90 days from the date of your loss to file a claim.

You may be able to expedite the claim if you provide all the required information upfront, whereas the process could drag on longer than it needs to if you delay filing a claim or the company has to follow up with you to get more information.

Travel insurance is never required, and only you can decide whether or not it's right for you. Check out Is Travel Insurance Worth It? to see some common situations where it does (and doesn't) make sense.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is an award-winning content creator who has been writing about travel insurance and travel for more than a decade. She has researched travel insurance options for her own vacations and family trips to more than 50 countries around the world, and has experience navigating the claims and reimbursement process. In fact, she has successfully filed several travel insurance claims for trip delays and trip cancellations over the years. Johnson also works alongside her husband, Greg, who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states, in their family media business.

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AIG Travel Guard insurance review: What you need to know

Whether you need an annual plan or a policy for a last-minute trip, travel guard can deliver..

Travel Guard is one of CNBC Select 's picks for best travel insurance , thanks to its wide range of customizable policies. But are any of them right for you? Below, we review the provider and its offers and how they compare to the competition to help you choose the right travel insurance for your next trip.

Travel Guard review

Other insurance offered, how it compares, bottom line, travel guard® travel insurance.

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Policy highlights

Travel Guard offers a variety of plans to suit travel ranging from road trips to long cruises. For air travelers, Travel Guard can help assist with tracking baggage or covering lost or delayed baggage.

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• A variety of plans are available to help cover different types of trips
• Not all products are available for purchase online

Travel Guard® is a global travel insurance provider specializing in plans for leisure and business travelers. Its online travel insurance packages include five options, from basic and last-minute trip coverage to more comprehensive plans. This allows travelers to pick a plan that best matches their situation.

For example, budget-minded travelers might go for the Essential Plan which offers basic protections, such as trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance, coverage for lost, damaged and delayed baggage, and medical, evacuation and death coverage.

On the other hand, the Deluxe Plan — the most comprehensive option — adds such extras as missed connection coverage, security evacuation, travel inconvenience benefits and more. It also boosts high limits for essential coverages.

Last-minute travelers can opt for the Pack N' Go Plan which only includes certain post-departure coverages. Or, if you travel often, the Annual Plan can cover your trips throughout the year.

Finally, Travel Guard offers "offline" travel insurance packages, meaning you'll have to call if you're looking for a specialty plan.

Coverage types

Depending on the plan, here are the types of protection Travel Guard can include in your package:

• Trip cancellations
• Trip interruption
• Baggage coverage
• Baggage delay
• Travel medical expenses
• Travel inconvenience benefits (reimbursement for such situations as runway delays, cruise diversion and other unforeseen situations)
• Medical evacuation
• Trip Saver (reimbursement for meals, hotels and transportation if you need to begin your trip sooner due to weather or airline changes)
• Trip exchange (reimbursement in case you have to cancel your trip and book a new one due to covered unforeseen circumstances)
• Security evacuation (due to a riot or civil disorder)
• Flight guard (coverage for accidental death or dismemberment that occurs when traveling by plane)
• Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver

You can also customize your plan with add-ons, such as car rental insurance and "cancel for any reason" coverage .

Travel Guard landed on our list of the best travel insurance companies thanks to its variety of coverage. With plenty of options to choose from, both online and offline, it's easy to build a policy that meets your needs.

Travel Guard also features 24-hour concierge services that you can use to book a new flight in case of an emergency or delay.

The provider's website also offers informational resources — here, you can check travel news, read safety tips and find general travel advice. Additionally, the website lets you modify your plan, file a claim and check its status, or apply for a voucher or refund.

As of writing, Travel Guard doesn't offer any discounts. That's common for travel insurance — you're more likely to find deals when shopping for other types of insurance, such as home and auto insurance .

Travel Guard is a portfolio of travel insurance and travel-related services offered by AIG Travel, a member of American International Group (AIG). AIG also offers life insurance and a variety of business insurance products.

Travel Guard makes it easy to get a travel insurance policy customized to your needs. But before you purchase coverage, it's always a good idea to shop around.

For example, if you're going on a cruise, you might want to look at Nationwide Travel Insurance . The provider advertises cruise-specific insurance with three plan options available. This type of coverage is designed with issues unique to cruises in mind — from ship-based breakdowns to missed pre-pard excursions.

If you're planning a more active trip filled with rock climbing or sky diving, Berkshire Hathaway offers the AdrenalineCare® plan which features coverage for unforeseen costs that result from participating in extreme sports on your trip, as well as reimbursement for sporting equipment delay. Pre-existing conditions are covered under this plan (if you meet qualifying conditions).

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has multiple plans to cover vacations from luxury travel to adventure travel. The brand's LuxuryCare offers the highest limits of travel insurance coverage offered by the company. Quotes and policies are available online.

As you can see, offerings vary by provider. It can be helpful to compare multiple companies and the plans they offer to find what works best for you. It's even better if you gather several quotes to ensure you're getting a good price for your policy.

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Travel Guard offers plenty of ways to customize your policy, making it a solid choice for travel insurance. You can also access additional options by giving Travel Guard a call. However, make sure to check out other travel insurance companies too — comparison shopping is essential when picking any type of financial product.

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