Everything You Need to Know About Travel Insurance

If you are worried about unforeseen events before or during a trip, investigate Travel Insurance. TI Policies may cover a wide range of risks relatively inexpensively.

When Buying Travel Insurance

• Read exclusions carefully (e.g., pre-existing medical conditions, high-risk activities).
• Compare policies on aggregate sites like Squaremouth or InsureMyTrip.
• Medical-only plans are usually cheaper if you only need health coverage.
• CFAR coverage must be purchased within 14–21 days of the initial trip deposit (depending on provider).
• Check whether your credit card already offers some travel protection.

Types of Travel Insurance Coverage

Trip Cancellation & Interruption:

Reimburses pre-paid, non-refundable expenses if you cancel before departure or return early due to covered reasons (e.g., illness, injury, death in the family, weather events, etc.).

Emergency Medical Coverage:

Covers medical treatment if you get sick or injured while traveling. This is critical if you’re traveling abroad, where your domestic health plan may not apply.

Emergency Medical Evacuation:

Covers cost of transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility or repatriation

Baggage Loss/Delay:

Reimburses for lost, stolen, or delayed baggage and personal items.

Travel Delay:

Provides reimbursement for meals, accommodations, or transportation if your trip is delayed for a covered reason.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D):

Pays a lump sum if you die or are seriously injured in an accident while traveling.

24/7 Travel Assistance Services:

Includes concierge services, travel advisories, help with rebooking flights, and translation support.

Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR):

Optional upgrade allowing trip cancellation for any reason, reimbursing up to 50–75% of non-refundable costs.

USA Largest Travel Insurance Providers

Below is an overview of the largest travel insurance underwriters in the United States, including the brands they support, the estimated annual premium volume, and notes about their coverage and pricing.

About the author

Tom Cleary leads the Resort division of The Loomis Company, and is a consultant of Cayuga Hospitality Consultants. Tom specializes in risk management consulting and insurance for hospitality companies (hotels, resorts, clubs, timeshares, restaurants and related industries). His education and training have provided Tom tremendous expertise in evaluating and improving commercial insurance programs (property, liability, umbrella, workers compensation, employee benefits, etc.).  Tom also serves as a board member and longtime member of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association plus serves in an advisory capacity to the Resort Hotel Association and President of the Cornell Hotel Society Gold Coast Chapter.. Based out of St. Petersburg, Florida, Tom services the hospitality businesses across the United States and the Caribbean.