Compare Covid-19 Travel Insurance Plans
Compare & Buy Travel Insurance
Best Covid Travel Insurance Policies
Summary: Best Covid-19 Travel Insurance Ratings
The best Covid-19 travel insurance policies all offer a “cancel for any reason” travel insurance upgrade that provides 75% reimbursement of your insured trip cost. The best policies also provide at least $100,000 in travel medical expense insurance and $250,000 in medical evacuation benefits.
Compare & Buy Travel Insurance
Tips for the Pandemic Traveler
Many travel insurance policies offer good medical coverage, but not all cover Covid-related problems. If that’s important to you, make sure to verify that the policy you’re buying has travel medical insurance that specifically covers you in case you contract Covid. To find the best Covid-19 travel insurance policies, we evaluated only plans with at least $50,000 per person for medical coverage.
Sudden travel bans and unexpected quarantine requirements can also derail your trip, but standard travel insurance won’t generally cover these problems. Buying “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance will give you some reimbursement no matter what your reason for canceling.
Add “cancel for any reason” coverage shortly after your first trip deposit if you want it. You may have only a couple weeks before the option expires for your plan.
Also, some destinations abroad have medical coverage requirements for incoming travelers. Confirm the medical coverage requirements you’ll need for your destination, if any, before you buy a travel insurance policy.
How to Buy a Pandemic Travel Insurance Plan
Does Travel Insurance Cover Covid-19?
Most travel insurance policies provide trip cancellation insurance and trip interruption insurance if you test positive for Covid and need to cancel or are required by a doctor to quarantine. That means if your trip is canceled or interrupted because you test positive for Covid, you can be reimbursed for pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs.
Most medical travel insurance covers you if you contract the virus during your trip and need medical attention. You can be reimbursed up to the limits in your policy for doctor and hospital bills, lab work and medicine, among other types of treatment.
Generally, travel insurance companies are treating Covid-19 like any other illness, but not all do. Epidemics and pandemics can be considered “foreseeable events” once declared by federal or international health agencies, which means in some cases travel insurance benefits may not apply. That’s why it’s imperative to review your policy for any possible exclusions.
Does Travel Insurance Cover Quarantine?
There are travel insurance policies that can cover unexpected expenses if you have to quarantine in another country. But in order for any benefits to apply for most of these plans, you must test positive for Covid-19 and your travel insurance plan must cover Covid-related expenses.
If you get sick abroad from the virus, a plan’s travel medical benefits can also kick in if it’s travel insurance that covers Covid-19.
Travel insurance policies that provide benefits if a traveler contracts Covid-19 can also extend their coverage past the original return date, typically up to seven days.
Quarantine-Related Travel Insurance Coverage
The following travel insurance benefits can offer coverage for the costs of quarantining, assuming the plan covers Covid-19 expenses.
Travel Delay Insurance
Travel delay insurance can cover the cost of your accommodations and meals during a quarantine if you have contracted the virus. If you are forced to stay beyond your return date due to a positive test, this coverage can be extended for up to seven days.
Policies with this benefit usually provide a range of total coverage between $100 and $2,000 per person, with a daily limit that ranges from $50 to $300.
Trip Interruption Travel Insurance
Trip interruption travel insurance will reimburse you for missed portions of your trip if you’re forced into quarantine due to a positive Covid test. It can cover 100% to 200% of your prepaid and non-refundable trip costs, depending on the policy.
For example, Trawick International’s Safe Travels Voyager Plan covers expenses if you’re forced to quarantine domestically or abroad due to a positive Covid test. “These plans may also provide reimbursement for medical expenses and emergency medical evacuation expenses incurred if you are injured or sick while traveling on your trip,” says Bailey Foster, a spokesperson for Trawick International.
‘Cancel for Any Reason’ (CFAR) Travel Insurance
Consider a plan that lets you upgrade with “cancel for any reason” travel insurance. This upgrade usually adds 50% to your travel insurance cost, but it will allow you to cancel your trip for any reason and get some reimbursement (usually 75%) of lost trip costs.
Your reason could be Covid-related, such as finding out that there’s a spike of Covid at your destination. Or your reason could be unrelated—for example, you could make a CFAR claim because you don’t like the rainy outlook at your beach resort.
If you want CFAR coverage, make sure to buy a travel insurance plan and add CFAR soon after you make your first trip deposit. There’s usually a purchase deadline for CFAR, such as two weeks.
‘Interruption for Any Reason’ Travel Insurance
If you’re concerned about being forced into a quarantine while on your trip due to a positive Covid test, standard trip interruption insurance can reimburse you for parts of your trip that you miss—if your plan has coverage for Covid. For instance, you can file a claim under trip interruption benefits if you paid in advance for non-refundable hotel stays, tours or entertainment and can’t participate because you have the virus and have to quarantine.
But what if you don’t have Covid and are required to comply with a mandatory quarantine? That’s where “interruption for any reason” travel insurance would help. “Interruption for any reason” coverage is offered as an upgrade from some travel insurance companies. If you have this upgrade, you can be reimbursed for portions of your trip that you miss if you have to quarantine but don’t have Covid. It can also pay for transportation expenses to get you caught up to your planned itinerary.
“Interruption for any reason” isn’t a common benefit, but the following companies offer it on some plans: iTravelInsured, Nationwide, Seven Corners, Travel Insured International and WorldTrips.
Other Travel Insurance Benefits to Consider
The best Covid travel insurance policies will also include coverage for:
- Travel delays, such as extra expenses when you’re stuck in an airport due to weather problems
- Missed connections travel insurance
- Baggage insurance, which covers lost, damaged or stolen luggage and personal items
How Much Does Covid Travel Insurance Cost?
The average cost of Covid travel insurance is $733 per trip, based on Forbes Advisor’s analysis of 23 pandemic travel insurance plans that include “cancel for any reason” travel insurance.
The average cost per trip for the Best Covid travel insurance policies ranges from $502 to $748.
| Company | Best Covid Travel Insurance Policy | Average Cost Per Trip For Plan With CFAR |
|---|---|---|
| Trip Protection Basic | $502 | |
| Atlas Journey Explore | $513 | |
| WorldTrips | Atlas Journey Elevate | $627 |
| Worldwide Trip Protector | $639 | |
| Silver | $645 | |
| Travel Guard Deluxe | $651 | |
| Gold | $678 | |
| Ruby | $689 | |
| Cruise Luxury | $729 | |
| Seven Corners | Trip Protection Choice | $748 |
How to Get Quarantine Reimbursement from Travel Insurance
If you need to make a travel insurance claim related to a Covid quarantine, be prepared to have these documents:
- Collect documentation if the policy requires a positive Covid test or direct exposure to the virus. In either case, you must be able to provide proof of your test or exposure, such as a note from a doctor, in addition to all receipts verifying their expenses.
- Provide documentation that your test or exposure required a quarantine.
- Save your receipts for medical bills and lodging expenses so that you can submit them with your insurance claim.
Methodology
To find the best travel insurance for Covid, Forbes Advisor researched travel insurance purchase data. Each travel insurance policy evaluated had to have coverage for Covid and offer CFAR, and was scored based on these factors:
Cost of travel insurance plan with “cancel for any reason” upgrade (50% of score): We analyzed travel insurance costs for a variety of traveler ages and trip costs in order to develop an average price for each policy.
Medical expense coverage (10% of score): Travel insurance policies earned points based on their levels of medical coverage. Those with medical expense coverage of $250,000 or more were scored the highest.
Medical evacuation coverage (10% of score): Travel insurance policies earned points based on their levels of medical evacuation coverage. Those with medical evacuation coverage of $500,000 or more were scored the highest.
“Cancel for any reason” travel insurance reimbursement (10% of score): Policies providing 75% reimbursement for “cancel for any reason” claims were awarded points.
“Interruption for any reason” travel insurance upgrade (10% of score): Points were awarded to policies that offer an “interruption for any reason” upgrade.
Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver (5% of score): Points were given to policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if purchased within a required timeline.
Trip interruption reimbursement (5%): Travel insurance plans with 150% or more trip interruption reimbursement were awarded the most points.
Best Pandemic Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is travel insurance worth it?
Travel insurance is worth it if you can’t afford to lose the amount of money you’ve spent on your trip for non-refundable payments. Travel insurance is also smart for anyone traveling to another country. Your U.S. health insurance plan may have little or no coverage outside the U.S. and travel medical insurance can cover your medical costs if you’re hurt or get sick during your trip.
Is my travel insurance premium refunded if I cancel my trip?
As long as you cancel your trip during the look-back period specified in your travel insurance policy (such as 10 to 14 days), you can generally get a refund. This window of time gives you the chance to further think about whether the policy is right for you.
Will my health plan cover me if I get Covid while traveling abroad?
Coverage for medical problems outside the U.S. will vary by plan. Check with your U.S. health insurance provider to see what your health plan offers for global coverage. Some plans may have limited or no coverage, or a very high out-of-network deductible.
Once you know what your health plan covers you can select the right level of travel medical insurance.
Seniors should be aware that Medicare generally doesn’t have coverage outside the U.S.
Will travel insurance cover quarantine outside the U.S.?
Travel insurance plans that have Covid-related coverage will generally cover quarantine costs during your trip.
For example, if you contract Covid during your trip and have to stay an extra five days past your departure date, these plans can reimburse you for extra costs such as the hotel bill and meals. Coverage for a quarantine is only triggered if you actually get Covid.
Be aware that if a quarantine does not extend your travel time or result in extra costs, there may be no applicable coverage. For example, if you have to quarantine during the trip but leave to go home on your original return date, you have no monetary loss to claim. “Loss of enjoyment” because of a quarantine is a legitimate gripe but is not covered by travel insurance plans.
How much money can I get back with “cancel for any reason” coverage?
“Cancel for any reason” coverage will generally reimburse 50% or 75% of your pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs. This coverage allows you to get some reimbursement no matter what your reason is for canceling.
If your reason for cancellation is listed in your policy under standard trip cancellation benefits, you can get back 100%. These reasons can include sickness or injury of you or a travel companion, a hurricane, jury duty, job loss and more. Check the policy for the list of acceptable reasons. You may decide that you don’t need to spend the extra money for “cancel for any reason” coverage.
What coverage do I have if I cancel my trip from contracting Covid-19?
Trip cancellation travel insurance benefits generally apply if you cancel a trip because you test positive for Covid-19. You can be eligible to file a claim and be compensated for pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs.
What coverage do I have if I cancel my trip because I'm concerned about contracting Covid-19?
“Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) travel insurance allows you to cancel a trip if you’re worried that you may contract Covid. Note that you must typically buy CFAR within 14 to 21 days of booking your trip, and are generally compensated 75% of your trip costs. You also must cancel at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure to be eligible to file a claim.
Does travel insurance cover missed flights due to Covid-19 Testing?
No, standard trip cancellation benefits won’t cover a cancellation because you couldn’t get a Covid test within the required timeframe before traveling. The same goes if you have an unacceptable test result, for instance from a home Covid test. Travel insurance also won’t cover you if you were unable to get results in time for your flight and can’t go.
How does a governor's declaration of a state of emergency affect my travel insurance policy?
Your travel insurance policy’s terms are usually not affected by a governor’s declaration of a state of emergency. And government-issued travel warnings at your destination are generally not covered by trip cancellation travel insurance. If your travel insurance policy doesn’t cover travel warnings, having CFAR coverage would permit you to make a cancellation claim because of concerns about travel advisories or warnings.
Is there cruise insurance with Covid coverage?
Yes, you can buy Covid travel insurance for a cruise. You’ll want to be sure the policy covers Covid-related cancellations and medical expenses, and you may want to consider buying a CFAR upgrade.
Does Allianz travel insurance cover Covid?
Yes, each Allianz travel insurance plan (except for its OneTrip Rental Car Protector) includes an endorsement for epidemic—or Covid—coverage. The endorsement adds epidemic-related problems to your trip cancellation, trip interruption, travel delay, emergency medical expense and evacuation coverages if you cancel because you, a family member or travel companion contract an epidemic illness such as Covid.
Is Travel Guard Covid insurance available?
Yes, you can buy Travel Guard insurance policies from AIG Travel that cover Covid-related cancellations and medical issues. The Travel Guard Deluxe plan includes coverage for Covid-related trip cancellation and medical expenses and is AIG’s highest-rated policy according to Forbes Advisor’s ratings of the best travel insurance companies.
