With travel interest returning and more consumers starting to plan vacations, purchasing insurance to protect from unforeseen events, trip delays or interruptions and financial insolvency of tour operators or hotels is a high priority for those booking trips, whether planning in the next few months or the next year.
"As vaccine rollouts slowly allow for safe travel, purchasing travel insurance has become a must to protect both expensive, international trips and shorter, domestic excursions," said Erin Shields, managing editor, travel at U.S. News. "The travel insurance company ratings from U.S. News offer travelers insights into choosing the right travel insurance company for their budget, itinerary and concerns."
The guide includes overviews of each top-rated insurance provider, plus pros and cons, and information on plan offerings and policy add-ons. The best travel insurance companies offer a variety of options for consumers to choose from and receive high praise from not only industry experts but also everyday travelers. The travel insurance plans from top providers include coverage for things like lost, stolen, damaged and delayed luggage; missed connections; medical and dental issues; emergency evacuation and repatriation; and trip interruption and cancellation, among other benefits.
Many companies have expanded their offerings to include medical coverage and treatment of the insured if they contract COVID-19, and trip cancellation coverage in some cases due to illness or quarantine restrictions. Others offer plans with an optional cancel for any reason benefit, which guarantees coverage for an event not specified in a comprehensive travel plan and allows travelers to recoup a percentage of costs if by the time their trip approaches they're still not comfortable traveling.
In addition to profiling the best travel insurance companies, U.S. News also analyzed various options to provide a list of companies that offer the cheapest travel insurance plans. With continuing uncertainty in the industry underscoring the importance of insurance, even budget travelers will want to consider their insurance options to protect their vacation investment.These affordable policies offer cost-effective trip cancellation and interruption coverage, among other perks.
Best Travel Insurance Companies
- Allianz Travel Insurance
- Travelex Insurance Services
- World Nomads Travel Insurance
- AIG Travel Guard
- Seven Corners, Inc.
- Generali Global Assistance
- IMG Travel Insurance
- AXA Assistance USA
- Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection
- HTH Travel Insurance
To find the leading travel insurance companies, U.S. News evaluated ratings and scores from insurance websites, in addition to reviews and recommendations from travel industry sources and consumers. When analyzing companies for the cheapest plans, U.S. News compared quotes for trips to different destinations at a variety of price points to find those that offered the lowest price. Learn more about the methodologies here.
These ratings are part of the U.S. News Travel vertical, which also evaluates the Best Vacations, Best Cruise Lines, Best Hotels and Best Travel Rewards Programs.