do you get free travel insurance with nationwide flex account

Nationwide to Ax Free European Travel Insurance for FlexAccount Holders

Customers of Nationwide’s current accounts who retained a legacy entitlement to free European travel insurance will lose it from 31 December 2021.

The UK’s largest building society stopped offering the perk to new customers of its FlexAccounts in December 2016. However, existing customers who signed up before that day were able to keep their free European travel cover provided they paid at least £750 per month into the account and filled in an annual insurance declaration disclosing their current medical conditions.

However, from 31 December 2021, they too will lose the coverage. Nationwide said that just a quarter of its FlexAccount customers were benefiting from the product and that it’s axing the perk to align terms across all of its FlexAccounts.

A spokesperson for the building society said: "We have kept our free European travel insurance in place for longstanding FlexAccount members for five years after removing it for new members in 2016. However, with a relatively small proportion of members now meeting the eligibility criteria, we have taken the decision to simplify our proposition and align terms for all FlexAccount members."

While most comers will lose their cover at the end of the year, those who have paid for annual upgrades, such as to keep the insurance after their 70th birthday or to cover a medical condition, will still be covered until that upgrade expires.

Nationwide is offering a 30% discount on DirectLine travel insurance for its FlexAccount customer impacted by the change. However, this may not be the cheapest option for travellers, who are advised to shop around and compare policies and premiums .

Customers could also consider a premium current account that comes with travel insurance. Nationwide’s own FlexPlus account offers worldwide family travel insurance, among other perks, for a monthly fee of £13. Along with Co-operative Bank's Everyday Extra account it's been named the best packaged bank account on the market by Which? .

Other packaged current accounts offering worldwide travel insurance, among other benefits, include:

• Revolut Metal (£12.99/month)
• Monzo Premium (£15/month)
• Halifax Ultimate Rewards (£17 per month)
• Lloyds Bank Platinum (£21/month)
• Bank of Scotland Platinum (£21/month) 
• Barclays Bank Account Travel & Tech Pack w/ Blue Rewards (£31/month)

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Lauren Smith is an experienced journalist and copywriter, mainly covering technology and consumer rights in both the UK and the US.

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Nationwide Travel Insurance Review: Is it Worth The Cost?

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Table of Contents

What does Nationwide travel insurance cover?

What does nationwide travel insurance cost, what isn’t covered by nationwide travel insurance, can you buy a nationwide plan online, is nationwide travel insurance worth it.

Are you considering purchasing travel insurance for your next vacation? It could be a good idea, especially in an era of overbooked flights, travel delays and lost luggage. Insurance company Nationwide can sell you travel insurance, which will cover you in the event that things stray from the plan. 

Let’s take a look at Nationwide travel insurance, the policies available and the benefits that they provide. 

Nationwide offers two different travel insurance plans for its customers: an Essential option and a Prime version. As the name implies, Prime provides more coverage and is more expensive. 

With the essential plan, you'll have benefits like trip cancellation or interruption, coverage for medical emergencies and a fixed fee for delayed/lost luggage. The prime plan includes missed connection reimbursement, and generally, a higher reimbursement amount per benefit.

» Learn more: Common myths about travel insurance and what it covers

To do a proper Nationwide travel insurance review, we input a search for a 28-year-old from Michigan traveling to France for three weeks on a $7,000 trip. 

A quick Nationwide travel insurance review shows that you’ll see quite a few more benefits associated with the Prime plan, though neither option is especially cheap. Coverage areas that are missing from the Essential plan include missed connection reimbursement, itinerary change reimbursement and 24-hour AD&D insurance, though this last one can be added on. 

The Essential plan also sees significant drops in the monetary reimbursement you can expect when things go awry. Despite being only 38% cheaper than the Prime plan, coverage is significantly stripped down. You can especially see this with baggage delay ($100 versus $600), lost baggage ($600 versus $2,000) and trip delay ($600 versus $2,000). Trip cancellation is basically the only coverage area that remains the same — 100% no matter which plan you choose.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

Additional options and add-ons

No review of Nationwide travel insurance would be complete without mentioning add-ons. Your available options will differ based on the plan you choose.

As you can see, the available options and their costs can range quite a bit. If you’re looking for maximum coverage, it’s easy to more than double the cost of your original quote. 

The most expensive add-on is only available to Prime policyholders. Cancel For Any Reason insurance allows the ultimate in flexibility as it’ll refund you up to 75% in trip costs in the event you want to cancel your trip. 

Those opting for an Essential plan can also choose to purchase 24-hour AD&D coverage, which comes included with the Prime policy. Doing so includes flight-only coverage for Essential plans, though strangely that’s considered an add-on for Prime. 

Finally, rental car insurance is available regardless of which plan you pick, though you can receive more coverage with the higher-tier Prime policy. 

Many different travel credit cards provide complimentary trip insurance when you use your card to pay. Check these before purchasing travel insurance. 

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

As nice as it would be to purchase fully comprehensive travel insurance, the truth is that nearly all policies have exclusions of some kind. This may mean that your policy won’t cover instances of COVID-19 or the decision to jump out of a plane. 

Here are some general exclusions you can expect:

Accidental injury or sickness when traveling against the advice of a physician.

Participation in canyoning or canyoneering, extreme sports or bodily contact sports.

War or any act of war whether declared or not.

Exclusions vary based on the policy and where you live, so you’ll want to read your guide to benefits carefully to see what coverages apply to your policy. 

» Learn more: Is there travel insurance that covers COVID quarantine?

If this Nationwide essential travel insurance review has spurred you to make a decision, it’s simple to find a quote for yourself. You’ll need to navigate to Nationwide’s travel insurance page , where you’ll find a form asking for your personal information. 

In addition to single-trip coverage, Nationwide also provides multi-trip plans and plans focused on cruises.

» Learn more: How much is travel insurance?

Nationwide has been in operation since 1925 and is a well-established insurance provider. They offer a range of insurance policies including car, motorcycle, homeowners, pet, farm, life and travel insurance. Nationwide's travel insurance policies can be purchased for cruises , single trips or multi-trips.

Nationwide travel insurance plans have various benefits including trip cancellation, interruption or delay, financial default, missed connection, itinerary change, Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR), medical emergencies, 24-hour accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), pre-existing conditions exclusion and waiver, and baggage delay. Each policy is different, so you'll want to ensure you read the fine print to know your coverage.

Nationwide's essential plan does not cover Cancel For Any Reason. However, for an additional cost, you can add CFAR to Nationwide's Prime plan. With that coverage, you will be eligible for reimbursement of up to 75% of nonrefundable trip costs. Note that this must be added on within 21 days of your first trip payment.

If you need to submit a claim, you'll first call the CBP Claims Department at 888-490-7606. A representative will provide a claim form and a list of documents to submit. Claims can then be submitted via U.S. mail, fax or through email. Assuming your claim is reimbursable, you'll receive payment via direct deposit or a check.

Nationwide has been in operation since 1925 and is a well-established insurance provider. They offer a range of insurance policies including car, motorcycle, homeowners, pet, farm, life and travel insurance. Nationwide's travel insurance policies can be purchased for

, single trips or multi-trips.

Are you looking for strong coverage over a wide range of incidents? Nationwide could be a good travel insurance option for you, but only if you’re willing to shell out for its more expensive policy. 

That being said, if you hold a travel credit card, odds are that you already have some form of complimentary travel insurance. You’ll want to check this first to see if those benefits are enough for your trip — if not, a Nationwide insurance policy could offer the coverage that you need. 

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 Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Nationwide Travel Insurance: The Complete Guide

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About Nationwide Travel Insurance

Already one of the biggest names in insurance, Nationwide Travel Insurance is one part of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. As a whole, the Columbus, Ohio-based insurance giant started in 1925 , when the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation incorporated the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. The insurer officially changed its name to Nationwide in 1955, after expanding service to 32 states and the District of Columbia. Today, Nationwide offers more than just insurance – their divisions include a bank, a financial services company, a farmland insurance company and even a pet insurance brand.

Compared to other companies, Nationwide is a relatively new travel insurance provider. The company began offering their travel insurance products on InsureMyTrip.com in 2015, and expanded to Squaremouth.com in 2018. Currently, the insurance company focuses on three types of products: cruise travel insurance , single trip travel insurance, and annual travel insurance .

How is Nationwide Travel Insurance rated?

As one of America’s oldest insurance companies, Nationwide has a solid reputation for their financial stability and commitment to policy holders. All travel insurance policies are underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, which has an A+ Superior rating from A.M. Best in the financial size category of $2 billion or greater. The company also holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau , with a composite customer review score of one star (out of five).

In the travel insurance marketplaces, InsureMyTrip.com gives Nationwide an average score of 4.5 stars (out of five) for their cruise travel insurance and single trip travel insurance products. At Squaremouth.com , Nationwide has earned a rating of 4.04 out of five stars, and has sold over 5,783 policies since January 2018.

What travel insurance products are available from Nationwide?

Nationwide Travel Insurance primarily focuses on three travel insurance products: cruise trip insurance , single trip insurance , and annual trip insurance . The company also offers two student education plans, which are available through InsureMyTrip.com : Academic Explorer All Inclusive Domestic and Academic Explorer All Inclusive International.

Please note: all schedules of benefits are subject to change. For the most up-to-date coverage information, contact Nationwide Travel Insurance.

Nationwide Cruise Travel Insurance

Universal Cruise Plan: Nationwide is among the few travel insurance companies to provide an independent cruise-only travel insurance plan. At the lowest end, the Universal Cruise Plan covers many of the basic situations that can go wrong while embarked at sea.

• Like traditional travel insurance plans, the Universal Cruise Plan covers a maximum trip cancellation benefit of 100 percent of non-refundable trip costs and a trip interruption maximum benefit of 125 percent of non-refundable trip costs. Covered reasons for trip cancellation or trip interruption include weather, extension of a school operating session, work-related issues, or an act of terrorism in the itinerary city. 
• This plan differs from a traditional travel insurance plan by offering an Interruption for Any Reason benefit, which reimburses transportation change costs up to $250. Missed connections that cause a delay of over three hours or trip delays of over six hours are also covered, with a maximum benefit of $500 for each type of incident.
• Should you get ill or injured on the ship, this plan offers up to $75,000 of both emergency accident and sickness medical expense coverage. It is important to note that this is secondary coverage, not primary coverage. This means that all other insurance, including policies from a credit card  must be depleted  before the Nationwide insurance plan will cover claims. The plan also offers up to $750 of emergency dental expense coverage and up to $250,000 of emergency medical evacuation coverage.
• If your bags are delayed or lost , Nationwide’s Universal Cruise Plan can help. If your bags are delayed by more than eight hours, the baggage delay benefit will cover up to $250 in qualifying expenses. If your luggage is outright lost or stolen, the insurance plan offers a maximum of $1,500 in payouts, including a maximum of $600 for special items and a $300 per article limit.
• Finally, unplanned itinerary changes are also covered under this plan. If a port of call is changed prior to departure, this plan offers a maximum of $500 in coverage. If a covered issue impacts your cruise experience, like a fire or mechanical issue, you could qualify for up to $100 in coverage. These two specific benefits are not available to residents of Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington state.
• As a third-party travel insurance plan covering a cruise, Nationwide’s Universal Cruise Plan is a frugal purchase with lots of benefits. For a 34-year-old male traveling on a $1,500 four-day cruise from North Carolina sailing to the Bahamas, we were quoted a price of $51.45, but your insurance quote and benefits may vary based on age, location, trip price, trip length, cruise line and destination.
• See the sample certificate of coverage

Choice Cruise Plan: While the Choice Cruise Plan introduces new benefits, including the pre-existing condition waiver, non-medical evacuation and accidental death and dismemberment coverage, the primary advantage over the basic Universal Cruise Plan is the higher maximum benefits.

• For those concerned about a pre-existing condition , this plan offers a waiver if it is purchased prior to the final trip payment and all eligibility requirements are met. The additional accidental death and dismemberment benefit offers up to $25,000 of coverage in the event of an emergency causing the loss of life or limb. If a non-medical evacuation from the ship is required, this plan offers a maximum of $25,000 of coverage.
• Like the Universal Cruise Plan, the Choice Cruise Plan offers a maximum of 100 percent trip cancellation coverage of non-refundable trip costs. The plan also offers a 150 percent maximum of non-refundable trip costs for trip interruption, an increase of 25 percent. The plan may pay up to $500 towards transportation change cost reimbursement under the interruption for any reason benefit, if eligibility requirements are met.
• If you miss a connection which causes a delay of more than three hours, the plan offers up to $1,500 in coverage for lost events or costs incurred. If your trip is delayed by over six hours, the trip delay benefits can reimburse up to $750 of incidental costs.
• Emergency accident and sickness medical expense benefits are increased to a maximum of $100,000 of secondary coverage, meaning other insurance plans must be exhausted before this plan will pay for coverage. Emergency medical evacuation coverage is increased to a maximum of $500,000, and emergency dental expense is a maximum of $750.
• For those concerned about their luggage getting lost or stolen, this plan offers increased maximums from the Universal Cruise Plan. If baggage is delayed by eight hours or more, this plan offers a maximum baggage delay reimbursement of $500 towards incidental costs. Baggage that is lost or stolen is covered to a maximum of $2,500, with a special item maximum of $600 and a limit of $300 per article. The plan also offers itinerary change coverage: a maximum of $750 for ports of call change prior to departure, $200 maximum for fire, mechanical, or other covered issue affecting your cruise experience after departure and $500 maximum for an itinerary change after departure that causes you to miss a pre-paid shore excursion . Again, changes to the ports of call and cruise experience impact coverage are not available to residents of Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Washington state.
• The Choice Cruise Plan is also the first to offer the Cancel for Any Reason benefit , which allows travelers to recover up to 70 percent of non-refundable trip costs if you decide not to take your cruise after all. The Cancel For Any Reason option is an additional purchase, priced based on your quoted rate.
• Compared to the Universal Cruise Plan, the Choice Cruise plan is equally as economic as the lower plan but with more benefits. When we quoted the same trip above for the Choice Cruise Plan, we saw only an 8 percent price increase for more maximum allowances. At the price point, it could make more sense to purchase the Choice Cruise Plan to ensure you get a higher level of coverage for almost the same price.

Luxury Cruise Plan: If you are planning an expensive, once-in-a-lifetime cruise, then you may definitely want to consider the Luxury Cruise Plan.

• Offering the highest level of coverage, the Luxury Cruise Plan increases all of the maximum coverage levels, helping you retain the most peace of mind on your trip.
• Like the Choice Cruise Plan, the Luxury Cruise Plan offers a maximum 100 percent trip cancellation benefit for non-refundable trip costs, as well as a maximum 150 percent trip interruption benefit for non-refundable trip costs. The interruption for any reason benefit is increased to $1,000 to cover transportation costs if eligibility requirements are met.
• If your trip is delayed by three hours or more from a missed connection, this insurance plan can cover up to $2,500 of costs. If your trip is otherwise delayed, the Luxury Cruise Plan can reimburse up to $1,000 in costs if you are delayed for more than six hours.
• Emergency accident and emergency sickness medical expenses are still secondary coverage, but provide a large safety net for cruise travelers. Should you fall ill or have an accident, this plan offers a maximum coverage limit of $150,000. If emergency medical evacuation is required, this plan can cover up to $1 million in costs. The emergency dental expense is also increased to a maximum of $750, but accidental death and dismemberment coverage still maxes out at $25,000.
• As with the Choice Cruise Plan, this travel insurance plan offers a $25,000 non-medical evacuation benefit, along with coverage for lost and stolen luggage or delayed baggage. The plan also includes a pre-existing condition waiver if your plan is purchased prior to final trip payment and all eligibility requirements are met.
• Using the same itinerary for the Universal Cruise Plan, this high-end plan is priced significantly higher than both lower plans. Compared to the Universal Cruise Plan, prepare to pay nearly 50 percent more for the best benefits offered on a cruise ship by Nationwide.

Nationwide Single-Trip Insurance

Essential Plan : Travelers who are not going to be on a cruise ship but still want a high level of protection may want to consider purchasing a Nationwide Single-Trip insurance plan instead. The Single-Trip Essential plan balances benefits with additional buy-ups in order to build the best protection for your trip.

• At the base level, this plans offers a maximum $10,000 benefit for trip cancellation, which will cover pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs if you are forced to cancel for a qualified reason. If your trip is interrupted early, this plan offers a reimbursement benefit of up to 125 percent of insured trip costs, with a maximum of $12,500. Should your trip be delayed for a covered reason by at least six hours, this plan offers a $150 per day trip delay benefit, with a maximum benefit of $600. Luggage delay benefits offer up to $100 of coverage for incidental costs if your luggage gets lost for more than 12 hours.
• If your bags are lost or stolen during your trip, the Single-Trip Essential Plan offers up to $600 of travel insurance benefits. Individual articles are limited to $250 maximum, while valuable items are capped at a combined total of $500.
• As a basic plan, Nationwide’s Single-Trip Essential Plan also offers coverage for emergency accidents and illness while abroad. The accident and sickness medical expense benefit offers up to $75,000 of secondary coverage, meaning all other collectible insurance must be paid up to its limits before this plan will pay benefits. Emergency dental coverage is capped to $500 and is included in the medical expense coverage, while emergency medical evacuation or repatriation of remains benefits are limited up to $250,000.
• Nationwide’s plan is unique in that it extends trip cancellation or trip interruption coverage due to an act of terrorism in an itinerary city. Should you decide to cancel your trip due to an act of terrorism, you may be able to receive benefit payments. If you buy your plan within 10 days of your initial trip deposit, you will also be covered for trip cancellation and interruption due to common carrier financial default and receive the pre-existing condition waiver benefit. Additional coverages you can purchase in this plan includes accidental death and dismemberment, accidental death during a flight, and rental car collision or loss coverage.
• When we requested a quote for a 34-year-old traveler going to Germany on a $1,500 trip, Nationwide priced our plan at $45.27, which is a competitive price for travel insurance. Your price will vary based on your age, destination, trip price, travel dates and any additional options you may choose.

Prime Plan : As the premier plan offered by Nationwide for a single trip, the Single-Trip Prime Plan offers the highest coverage levels and the most add-on options.

• Prime is the only single trip travel insurance plan to feature a Cancel for Any Reason benefit, along with add-ons for accidental death and dismemberment, flight-only accidental death and dismemberment and rental car collision/loss coverage.
• The trip cancellation benefit is increased to $30,000 and is limited to prepaid, non-refundable trip costs. If you decide to purchase additional Cancel for Any Reason coverage within 21 days of your initial trip payment, you can recover up to 75 percent of your non-refundable trip costs. Cancel for Any Reason benefits are not available to those in New Hampshire, New York, or Washington state.
• The trip interruption benefit is also increased to up to 200 percent of your non-refundable tour costs, with a maximum of $60,000. If your trip is delayed by at least six hours, you could also qualify for trip delay benefits of up to $250 per day. Trip delay is limited to a maximum benefit of $1,500. This plan also offers a missed connection or itinerary change benefit of up to $500.
• If your bags are delayed or lost, the Prime Plan may cover you. The baggage delay benefit can reimburse up to $600 of incidental expenses if you are delayed by 12 hours or more. If your bags are lost or stolen, the baggage and personal effects benefits offers maximum coverage of $2,000, including a $250 per article limit and $500 maximum for valuable items.
• As with the Essential Plan, the Nationwide Single-Trip Prime Plan offers emergency accidental and sickness medical expense coverage. In an emergency, this plan offers a maximum secondary benefit of $150,000 if all expenses are covered during your trip. Included in the medical expense coverage is a maximum emergency dental benefit of $750. If you need emergency medical evacuation or your remains must be repatriated, the maximum benefit is $1 million.
• By purchasing your plan within 21 days of your initial trip payment, you also qualify for two additional benefits: trip cancellation and trip delay due to financial default and the pre-existing condition waiver benefit. These two benefits can only be accessed through early purchase. If you might add additional costs to your trip later, still purchase your insurance early because you can always add more coverage later.
• Because this travel insurance plan offers a lot more coverage, it also comes with a higher price tag. When we priced out our trip, the cost was almost double that of the Essential Plan. 

What is excluded from Nationwide Travel Insurance?

All travel insurance plans have key exclusions. Before you file a claim, it’s important to know what situations are excluded from Nationwide plans. Exclusions on these plans include:

• War, Invasion, acts of foreign enemies, or civil war: If a war breaks out while in your destination country , don’t count on Nationwide Travel Insurance to pay out benefits. Any acts of war are specifically excluded from your travel insurance plan.
• Participation in underwater activities: Although deep sea diving and spelunking may sound tempting, injuries or death resulting from underwater activities are not covered under this plan. But recreational swimming is covered, so don’t be afraid to get in the water.
• Piloting an aircraft: Regardless of your status or experience as a pilot, operating an aircraft is not covered by Nationwide Travel Insurance plans. This includes actual piloting, learning to pilot, or acting as an aircraft crew member.
• Participation in hazardous activities or bodily contact sports: Much like other travel insurance plans , participating in activities such as rock climbing, hang gliding, rugby, or rodeo are not covered by Nationwide Travel Insurance. Nationwide Travel Insurance does not offer a hazardous activity add-on benefit, so you shouldn’t participate in hazardous activities while covered by these plans.
• Accidental injury or sickness when traveling against a doctor’s advice: If a doctor says you shouldn’t travel, it may be in your best interests to follow their advice. Should you get injured or ill, Nationwide Travel Insurance will not cover your treatment costs as a result.
• Confinement or treatment in a government hospital: Voluntary or not, receiving care in a government hospital is not covered under your travel insurance plan. But in some situations, the United States Government could seek claim payment for treatment.
• Pregnancy and childbirth: As with most travel insurance plans, pregnancy and childbirth is not covered. However, should you experience complications from either, those may be covered by your trip insurance.
• Services not shown as covered: Simply put: if it’s not on your travel insurance certificate of coverage, it isn’t covered.

Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of all exclusions. Before filing a claim, be sure to refer to your certificate of coverage to see all exclusions.

How do I file a claim with Nationwide Travel Insurance?

Nationwide Travel Insurance does not allow you to file a claim online, nor do they allow you to access the required claim forms online. Instead, if you need to file a claim, you must first contact Co-ordinated Benefit Plans, LLC, who processes the claims on behalf of Nationwide. The number you will call will depend on which plan you purchased and can be found on the Nationwide website .

When you call, a customer service agent will help determine if your situation may be covered under your plan and will forward claim forms you will need to return. When completing your claim, be sure to submit supporting documentation, including receipts, doctor’s reports, or time-stamped lost luggage claims with your common carrier. A claims adjuster will then determine if your situation qualifies for payment under the policy.

Some situations, like doctor or facility referrals, may be handled through Nationwide’s 24/7 travel assistance partner, On Call international. Contact phone numbers, both toll-free and collect, are available on Nationwide’s website. 

Who are Nationwide Travel Insurance products best for?

Hands down, Nationwide offers the best travel insurance products for those embarking on a cruise. Because of their specialized attention to the needs of cruise travelers, their three cruise insurance plans provide an increased level of care that many others can’t provide. If you are planning a cruise and are concerned about the worst that could happen, you should definitely consider Nationwide’s cruise insurance plans ahead of plans offered by the cruise lines.

The single trip plans are comparable to many other plans, but the costs do not necessarily equate to the level of coverage you are receiving. In addition, the medical coverage offered by the plans are secondary, which could be okay if you don’t have any other medical insurance available. Before you decide to purchase a single-trip plan, be sure to weigh all your options: filing an emergency medical claim may require you to exhaust any options available through credit cards or other sources first. 

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Nationwide reduces Flex travel insurance cover for Covid cancellations

Changes by building society will apply to trips booked from 1 January 2021

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Nationwide building society has announced a significant downgrade to the travel insurance it provides to Flex account customers that means trips booked from 1 January 2021 will not be covered if the account holder is forced to make one of a number of Covid-related cancellations.

The popular insurance , which is supplied for worldwide travel as part of the £13-a-month FlexPlus current account and European trips on standard Flex accounts, currently offers cancellation cover if lockdown or other rules change after a holiday has been booked.

However, for trips booked from 1 January, it will no longer pay out if the Foreign Office changes its advice post-booking and warns against all but essential travel.

Equally, if the insured or a travelling companion are forced to abandon the trip because they have been told to self-isolate – even though they do not actually have coronavirus – they will again be unable to reclaim their losses. It is the same story if your pre-booked accommodation goes into local lockdown.

The building society says it will still pay cancellation claims if the policyholder, a travelling companion or a close relative are diagnosed with the coronavirus after they booked the trip. It will also pay emergency medical expenses abroad if they are diagnosed with Covid-19 while abroad.

Cutting a trip short because of a change in Foreign Office advice, as long as you were not aware of this advice when you travelled, will also be covered.

Until this week’s announcement, Nationwide’s FlexPlus policy was one of the few offering cancellation cover to those caught up in a change of advice by the Foreign Office.

A few specialist insurers still offer this cover at a price.

Currently, UK travellers can only travel to a handful of destinations without having to quarantine, while the government is still advising against holidaying in many popular destinations.

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The three best bank accounts with travel insurance bolted on: We pick our favourites and whether they're worth paying for

• Some bank accounts include annual worldwide travel insurance
• They often also include car breakdown cover and mobile phone insurance 
• Although there is a monthly cost, having such an account may make sense

By Ed Magnus For Thisismoney.co.uk

Updated: 03:28 EDT, 9 August 2022

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Many Britons will feel a bank account isn't something they're prepared to pay for - after all, most current accounts are 'free'.

However, some packaged bank accounts offer a host of benefits that added together could justify their monthly cost.

The typical perks include free annual worldwide travel insurance, car breakdown cover and mobile phone insurance, often with family members included. 

There is also the convenience factor of having three insurance policies taken care of saving both time and effort in having to organise it separately. 

Some bank accounts charge a monthly fee, but throw in perks such as annual worldwide travel insurance.

Michelle Stevens, banking expert at comparison site Finder, says: 'If you and your family are frequent travellers, then a current account with packaged travel insurance could be well worth the monthly fee, especially given the rising cost of travel insurance premiums in the last two years. 

'But before signing up to any premium current account, it’s important you check that the terms of the travel insurance policy - as well as the other account features and perks - suit your needs.' 

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• Best savings rates: Compare branch and online savings accounts

She adds: 'Another benefit of getting free travel insurance with a current account is that a lot of people usually forgo it - up to 8.6million in 2019 - which is not an advisable move. 

'If you get seriously injured abroad then the bill can reach hundreds of thousands of pounds, so having travel insurance included with a current account may result in a lot of people getting covered who may not have done so otherwise.'

We pick our three favourite current account deals for travel insurance, taking into account the monthly cost and the additional perks on offer.

1.  Nationwide Flex Plus  

This account offers worldwide travel insurance as well as mobile phone and European breakdown cover.

It does come with a £13 monthly charge, which, compared to other packaged bank accounts looks relatively cheap.

Its worldwide family travel insurance, includes winter sports, golf, weddings and business cover.

Nationwide offers worldwide travel, mobile phone and European breakdown cover and charges £13 a month for maintaining the account.

Cover for travel essentials includes luggage, documents and cash as well as protecting against travel-specific problems like delays, cancellations and medical expenses.

Then cancellation cover is up to £5,000, the medical expenses cover up to £10 million, whilst cover for travel disruption will be eligible when caused by natural disasters, or airline or travel end supplier failure.

The policy doesn't cover medical conditions unless they have been declared to Nationwide and accepted. In some instances, you can pay for a medical upgrade to your insurance policy.

Two other clauses to be aware of is that the longest trip length allowed is 31 consecutive days. 

For any person to be insured who is aged 70 or over, they must buy an age upgrade to cover them.

Although the monthly cost will add up to £156 a year, it's possible to offset much of this during the the first year, thanks to Nationwide's current account switching incentive.

Non-Nationwide members can currently get £100 for switching, whilst members who switch to the Flex Plus account could get £125.  

Saves the extra admin: Nationwide's annual travel insurance policy is worldwide, and covers a whole family for multiple trips, not just the individual account holder.

On top of travel insurance, account holders get vehicle breakdown cover both in the UK and the rest of Europe and mobile phone insurance for the whole family.

The car insurance is valid whether someone is a driver or a passenger in a vehicle, and comes with no excess to pay and unlimited callouts.

The mobile insurance covers mobiles belonging to the account holder and those belonging to their partner and dependent children. It covers for loss, theft, damage and faults.

2.  Virgin Money's Club M Account

Virgin's Club M Account comes with a £14.50 monthly charge.

Similar to Nationwide, it offers 31 days' worldwide cover per trip. It will cover the account holder and a partner living with them if there're both under 75, so it's a little more generous on that front.

Virgin's worldwide family multi-trip travel insurance - includes winter sports, golf and weddings. Plus, 24 hour access to a doctor at home or abroad.

There's also cover for up to four dependents under 18 - either in full time education or living with the account holder.

Emergency medical treatment, includes falling ill with coronavirus while away, and cover for the journey home, if it's medically necessary.

It also covers lost, damaged or stolen items, and if the baggage is delayed, any essentials will be paid for in the interim period. It also includes cover for delays or missed departures and winter sports as standard.

Account holders are also covered when cancelling or cutting short a trip if they fall ill with coronavirus as long as they didn't know they had it and weren't being tested for it when they booked their trip. 

The cover includes emergency medical, surgical, hospital, treatment and ambulance costs, as well as any additional accommodation and travel expenses if someone cannot return to the United Kingdom.

There is a maximum allowance of 31 days of worldwide cover per trip.

It covers the account holder and their partner living with them if they're both under 75. There's also cover for up to four dependents under 18. 

A claim will be void if it relates to any medical treatment received because of a medical condition or an illness related to a medical condition which a person knew about at the time of opening the account. 

What else? 

On top of the travel insurance it also offers UK breakdown cover with no call out charges, whether as the driver or the passenger and offers help at the roadside and at home.

It also offers worldwide mobile phone and gadget insurance covering against loss theft, damage, and breakdown

Just make sure you've declared any pre-existing medical conditions and don't leave your valuables unattended to be fully covered.

Its Worldwide family multi-trip travel insurance - including winter sports, golf and weddings. Plus, 24 hour access to a doctor at home or abroad.

Virgin current account holders also benefit from various other perks.

It offers access to an easy-access linked savings account paying 1.71 per cent on balances up to £25,000. C ustomers can also benefit from 2.02 per cent on balances up to £1,000 in their bank account.

New customers switching to the Virgin Money Club M Account can also receive a bonus of 20,000 Virgin Points to spend with Virgin Red, thanks to Virgin Money's latest current account switching offer.

Virgin Red is a rewards club that turns everyday spending into points. Once you are a member, you can earn and spend Virgin Points across almost 200 different rewards.

The 20,000 Virgin Points boost means travellers could get a return flight to Barbados, the Bahamas or St Lucia, while bakery enthusiasts could turn their points into 100 sausage or vegan sausage rolls, 61 coffees or teas or 100 doughnuts or muffins.

3.  Halifax Ultimate Reward Current Account  

Halifax Ultimate Reward current account costs £17 per month, the equivalent of £204 per year. However, there are ways to dramatically reduce this via its cashback and switching offers.

The account includes a family travel insurance policy for the account holder, their spouse or partner and children aged 18 or under, or up to 24 if they're in full time education. 

It includes cover for personal belongings, certain sports and activities such as winter sports golf trips.

At £17 a month Halifax is the most expensive of our three top picks. However, its £150 cash incentive and £5 monthly cashback could help account holders to significantly reduce the cost.

Its cover includes, up to £10million for hospital fees, repatriation, medical confinement, funeral and dental costs incurred if taken ill or injured on your trip. 

Up to £5,000 in total for loss of pre-paid travel and accommodation expenses in the case of cancellation or curtailment. 

It covers personal baggage up to £2,500 if it is lost, damaged or stolen. This includes up to £500 for valuables, and up to £500 for a single item or pair or set of items.

It also covers personal money up to £750 for loss, or theft. This includes up to £300 cover for cash. This is limited to £50 for under 16s.

Watch out: 

Existing medical conditions are not covered, unless these are agreed with the insurer first, and an additional premium may be payable.

The longest trip length is 31 consecutive days. For winter sports, a maximum of 31 days cover in a calendar year.

Halifax's travel insurance covers personal Baggage up to £2,500 if it is lost, damaged or stolen.

It's also worth noting that a £75 excess per adult per incident may apply and to be covered trips must start and end in the UK.

All cover ends when the account holder turns 71. As long as the account holder is less than 71, their spouse or partner will also be covered until they reach 71. 

Eligible children can also be covered so long as they are travelling with the spouse, partner or civil partner of the policyholder. 

What else: 

It also offers car breakdown cover with the AA. This covers any vehicle the account holder is travelling in, at the roadside or at home. But only in the UK. 

For mobile insurance, it covers breakdown, accidental damage, loss and theft up to £2,000. 

However, it only Covers one phone per account holder or two in the case of a joint account. An excess of £100 is payable on all successful claims.

The £17 fee makes it a little more expensive than a few others but there are ways to reduce the cost.

Halifax is currently offering a £150 switching incentive for those who switch from another current account.

On top of the £150 bribe there are other perks to take advantage of. There is a choice of £5 a month paid into the account, two film rentals or three magazine rentals, or a free cinema ticket each month.

In order to benefit from this account holders must choose to either Spend £500 on their debit card each month or Keep at least £5,000 in the account at all times.

They must also pay in £1,500 or more into your account each month and stay in credit - keeping your balance at £0 or above.

THIS IS MONEY'S FIVE OF THE BEST CURRENT ACCOUNTS

Chase Bank will pay £1% cashback on spending for the first 12 months . Customers also get access to an easy-access linked savings account paying 3.8% on balances up to £250,000. The account is completely free to set up and is entirely app based. Also no charges when using the card abroad.

Nationwide's FlexDirect Account offers 5% in-credit interest to new joiners when they switch on balances up to £1,500. This rate only lasts for one year. The account is fee free.

Halifax Reward Account pays £150 when you switch. Also earn up to an extra £75 cashback when you spend £750 each month for 3 months. There is a £3 monthly account fee, but that’s stopped by paying in at least £1,500 each month.

First Direct will give newcomers £175 when they switch their account . It also offers a £250 interest-free overdraft. Customers must pay in at least £1,000 within three months of opening the account.

NatWest's Select Account account pays £200 when you switch. The account has no monthly charges, but to be elligible for the £200, you'll need to deposit £1,250 into the account and log into mobile banking app within 60 days.

Share or comment on this article: Best bank accounts with travel insurance included

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Travel Insurance

Cheapest travel insurance of April 2024

Mandy Sleight

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 9:52 a.m. UTC April 11, 2024

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Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy .

WorldTrips is the best cheap travel insurance company of 2024 based on our in-depth analysis of the cheapest travel insurance plans. Its Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier plans offer affordable travel insurance with high limits for emergency medical and evacuation benefits bundled with good coverage for trip delays, travel inconvenience and missed connections.

Cheapest travel insurance of 2024

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our team of travel insurance experts analyzes hundreds of insurance products and thousands of data points to help you find the best travel insurance for your next trip. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
• 567 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Best cheap travel insurance

Top-scoring plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, medical evacuation limit per person, why it’s the best.

WorldTrips tops our rating of the cheapest travel insurance with two plans:

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheaper travel insurance plan of the two, with $100,000 per person in emergency medical benefits as secondary coverage and an optional upgrade to primary coverage. It’s also our pick for the best travel insurance for cruises .
• Atlas Journey Premier costs a little more but gives you $150,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage . This is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority.

Pros and cons

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans.
• Atlas Journey Premier offers $150,000 in primary medical coverage.
• Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
• Each plan offers travel inconvenience coverage of $750 per person.
• 12 optional upgrades, including destination wedding and rental car damage and theft.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Cheap travel insurance for cruises

Travel insured.

Top-scoring plan

Travel Insured offers cheap travel insurance for cruises and its Worldwide Trip Protector plan gets 4 stars in our rating of the best cruise travel insurance .

• Worldwide Trip Protector offers $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and a rare $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits, which means you won’t have to file medical claims with your health insurance first.
• Cheap trip insurance for cruises.
• Offers a rare $150,000 for non-medical evacuation.
• $500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
• Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
• Missed connection benefit of $500 per person only available for cruises and tours.

Best cheap travel insurance for families

Travelex has the best cheap travel insurance for families because kids age 17 are covered by your policy for free when they’re traveling with you.

• Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
• $2,000 travel delay coverage per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
• Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
• Only $50,000 per person emergency medical coverage.
• Baggage delay coverage is only $200 and requires a 12-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for seniors

Evacuation limit per person

Nationwide has the best cheap travel insurance for seniors — its Prime plan gets 4 stars in our best senior travel insurance rating. However, Nationwide’s Cruise Choice plan ranks higher in our best cheap travel insurance rating.

• Cruise Choice has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion. It also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay, for cruises or tours. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.
• Coverage for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
• Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
• Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
• Travel medical coverage is secondary.
• Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
• No “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrade available.
• Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person is only for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for add-on options

AIG offers the best cheap travel insurance for add-on options because the Travel Guard Preferred plan allows you to customize your policy with a host of optional upgrades.

• Travel Guard Preferred upgrades include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings. There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million.
• Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your affordable travel insurance policy.
• Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
• Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
• $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
• Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Best cheap travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe has the best cheap travel insurance for missed connections because coverage is not limited to cruises and tours, as it is with many policies.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
• Most expensive of the best cheap travel insurance plans.
• No “interruption for any reason” coverage available.
• Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

Cheapest travel insurance comparison

How much does the cheapest travel insurance cost?

The cheapest travel insurance in our rating is $334. This is for a WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred travel insurance plan, based on the average of seven quotes for travelers of various ages to international destinations with a range of trip values.  

Factors that determine travel insurance cost

There are several factors that determine the cost of travel insurance, including:

• Age and number of travelers being insured.
• Trip length.
• Total trip cost.
• The travel insurance plan you choose.
• The travel insurance company.
• Any add-ons, features or upgraded benefits you include in the travel insurance plan.

Expert tip: “In general, travelers can expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 10% of their total prepaid, non-refundable trip costs,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.

Is buying the cheapest travel insurance a good idea?

Choosing cheaper travel insurance without paying attention to what a plan covers and excludes could leave you underinsured for your trip. Comparing travel insurance plans side-by-side can help ensure you get enough coverage to protect yourself financially in an emergency for the best price. 

For example, compare these two Travelex travel insurance plans:

• Travel Basic is cheaper but it only provides up to $15,000 for emergency medical expense coverage. You’ll also have to pay extra for coverage for children.
• Travel Select will cost you a bit more but it covers up to $50,000 in medical expenses and includes coverage for kids aged 17 and younger traveling with you. It also offers upgrades such additional medical coverage, “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage and an adventure sports rider that may be a good fit for your trip.

Reasons to consider paying more for travel insurance 

Make sure you understand what you’re giving up if you buy the cheapest travel insurance. Here are a few reasons you may consider paying a little extra for better coverage. 

• Emergency medical. The best travel medical insurance offers primary coverage for emergency medical benefits. Travel insurance with primary coverage can cost more than secondary coverage but will save you from having to file a claim with your health insurance company before filing a travel insurance claim.
• Emergency evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote location or planning a boat excursion on your trip, look at travel insurance with a high medical evacuation insurance limit. If you are injured while traveling, transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility could cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands. It may make sense to pay more for travel insurance with robust emergency evacuation coverage. 
• Flexibility. To maximize your trip flexibility, you might consider upgrading your travel insurance to “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage . This will increase the cost of your travel insurance but allow you to cancel your trip for any reason — not just those listed in your policy. The catch is that you’ll need to cancel at least 48 hours before your trip and will only be reimbursed 50% or 75% of your trip expenses, depending on the plan. 
• Upgrades. Many travel insurance plans have optional extras like car rental collision and adventure sports (which may otherwise be excluded from coverage). These will cost you extra but may give you the coverage you need. 

How to find the cheapest travel insurance

The best way to find the cheapest travel insurance is to determine what you’re looking for in a travel insurance policy and compare plans that meet your needs.

 “Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs, wants and concerns. This is why comparison is key,” said Morrow.

Consider the following factors when comparing cheap travel insurance plans.

• How often you’re traveling. A single-trip policy may be the most cost-effective if you’re only going on a single trip this year. But a multi-trip travel insurance plan may be cheaper if you’re going on multiple international trips throughout the year. Annual travel insurance policies cover you for a whole year as long as each trip doesn’t exceed a certain number of days, usually 30 to 90 days. 
• Credit card has travel insurance benefits. The best credit cards offer perks and benefits, and many offer travel insurance-specific benefits. The coverage types and benefit limits can vary, and you must put the entire trip cost on the credit card to use the coverage. If your trip costs more than the coverage limit on your card, you can supplement the rest with a cheaper travel insurance plan.
• The coverage you need. When looking for the best travel insurance option at the most affordable price, only buy extras and upgrades you really need. A basic plan may only provide up to $500 in baggage insurance, but if you only plan to take $300 worth of clothes and accessories, you don’t need to pay more for higher coverage limits.

Is cheap travel insurance worth it?

Cheap travel insurance can be worth it, as long as you understand the plan limitations and exclusions. Taking the time to read your policy, especially the fine print, well before your trip can ensure there won’t be any surprises about what’s covered once your journey begins.

“If a traveler is looking for coverage for travel delays, cancellations, interruptions, medical and baggage — a comprehensive travel insurance policy will provide the most bang for their buck,” said Morrow. But if you’re on a tight budget and are only worried about emergency medical care and evacuation coverage while traveling abroad, stand-alone options are cheaper.

Before buying travel insurance, you should also consider what your health insurance will cover. 

“Most domestic health insurance plans, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills abroad,” said Morrow. Even if you’re staying stateside, you may find value in an affordable travel insurance plan with medical coverage if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). 

A cheap travel insurance plan is better than none at all if you end up in a situation that would have covered some or all of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance . From those top-scoring travel insurance plans, we chose the most affordable for our rating of the cheapest travel insurance.

Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:

• Cost: 40 points. We scored the average cost of each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles.
• Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
• Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
• “Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
• Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
• Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
• Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.

Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

Cheapest travel insurance FAQs

When buying travel insurance, cheapest is not always the best. The most affordable travel insurance plans typically offer fewer coverages with lower policy limits and few or no optional upgrades. Add up your total nonrefundable trip costs and compare travel insurance plans and available features that cover your travel expenses. This strategy can help you find the cheapest travel insurance policy that best protects you from financial loss if an unforeseen circumstance arises.

Get the coverage you need: Best travel insurance of 2024

According to our analysis, WorldTrips , Travel Insured International and Travelex offer the best cheap travel insurance. Policy coverage types and limits can vary by each travel insurance provider, so the best way to get the cheapest travel insurance plan is to compare several policies and companies to find the right fit for your budget.

A good rate for travel insurance depends on your budget and coverage needs. The most comprehensive travel insurance plan is usually not the cheapest. But cheap trip insurance may not have enough coverage or the types of coverage you want. Comparing different levels of coverage and how much they cost can help you find the best cheap insurance for travel. 

The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% to 6% of your total travel expenses for one trip, according to our analysis of rates. However, you may find cheaper travel insurance if you opt for a plan with fewer benefits or lower coverage limits. How much you pay for travel insurance will also depend on the number of travelers covered, their ages, the length of the trip and any upgrades you add to your plan.

Travel insurance covers nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs — up to the policy coverage limits — when your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason outlined in your plan documents. Even the cheapest travel insurance policies usually provide coverage for:

• Medical emergencies.
• Trip delays.
• Trip interruption.
• Trip cancellation.
• Lost, stolen or damaged luggage.

However, if you’re looking to save on travel insurance, you can shop for a policy that only has travel medical insurance and does not include benefits for trip cancellation .

Even when you buy cheap travel insurance, you can often use upgrade options to customize your policy to meet your specific needs. 

Some common travel insurance add-ons you may want to consider include:

• Rental car damage coverage. 
• Medical bundle.
• Security bundle.
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
• Adventure sports bundle.
• Pet bundle.
• Wedding bundle.
• “Cancel for work reasons” coverage.
• “Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage.
• “Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage .

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Mandy is an insurance writer who has been creating online content since 2018. Before becoming a full-time freelance writer, Mandy spent 15 years working as an insurance agent. Her work has been published in Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Insurance Bulletin, U.S. News and more.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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