Thinking about purchasing travel insurance has become synonymous with trip planning in today’s environment. It’s difficult to think of traveling without considering the fact that plans might change, your trip could experience disruptions, or that you might need medical attention during your journey.
There are several ways to acquire various levels of travel insurance coverage. You could rely on the coverage that comes complimentary on your credit cards, purchase single-trip coverage from a travel insurance company or via your travel provider at booking, or perhaps purchase an annual plan that covers every trip you’ll make in the policy year.
We write frequently about travel insurance coverage and some of the most popular companies providing this protection.
Today we’re going to discuss travel insurance specifically offered by Travel Insured International. We’ll talk more about the company, how to purchase coverage, and how the company’s plans compare to other sources of travel insurance.
Why Purchase Travel Insurance
A comprehensive travel insurance policy, whether purchased to cover a single trip or to provide coverage for all your trips within a specific time period, is designed to protect your investment and cover major expenses you may incur due to (covered) cancellations and disruptions.
Examples of expenses that canbe covered under a comprehensive travel insurance policy include:
- You broke your leg while hiking and needed to be evacuated to the nearest hospital
- Your travel companion became seriously ill and you had to cancel your trip
- There was a fire, your home became inhabitable, and you had to cancel your trip
- You become ill during your trip and must return home early
Fortunately, travel insurance is widely available and affordable. If you have a large amount of non-refundable travel expenses for any trip, or your medical insurance will not cover you during your travels, purchasing a travel insurance policy makes sense.
To learn more about the basics of purchasing travel insurance and some of the best companies from which to purchase travel insurance, visit our comprehensive articles on these topics.
Bottom Line: If you have a significant investment of non-refundable travel expenses in any 1 trip, or you need medical coverage during your travels, you should consider purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
Travel Insurance and COVID-19
While it might seem that travel insurance should cover any reason for canceling a trip, it does not. Travel insurance is designed to cover unforeseen events that may cause you to cancel your trip or cause disruptions during your trip.
If you need coverage for canceling your trip due to fear of getting ill, or any other reason you deem necessary, you’ll need to purchase Cancel for Any Reason insurance (CFAR). CFAR coverage allows you to cancel your trip for any reason, not just those listed in your policy.
Many companies will include coverage if a traveler gets ill with the virus and needs medical treatment during their trip. Trip cancellation and trip interruption coverages can also include coverage for COVID-19 illness. Some companies exclude coverage for pandemics.
Travel Insured International includes coverage for COVID-19 illness for medical, trip cancellation, and trip interruption.
Bottom Line: Travel insurance does not cover canceling your trip due to fear of getting ill. You must purchase CFAR insurance as an add-on coverage within a specific timeframe of securing a new travel insurance policy in order to have coverage.
Why Purchase Travel Insurance From Travel Insured International
When selecting a travel insurance company, you’ll want to do business with a company that’s established and financially sound. Travel Insured International has been doing business for over 27 years and is owned by Crum and Forster, a company that has been around since 1822 and has an A (Excellent) rating by prominent insurance rating company A.M. Best.
Additionally, the company offers affordable plans with unique coverages, such as reimbursem*nt for the redeposit fees associated with points and miles when a trip is canceled, change fee coverage, and a missed tour or cruise connection coverage.
Travel Insured International also offers Cancel for Any Reason insurance as an add-on to its most comprehensive policy — a coverage not offered by all travel insurance companies.
The Better Business Bureau accredited Travel Insured International in 2006. And, while you’ll find complaints against the company, many are from policyholders expecting coverage for canceling trips due to the fear of getting COVID-19 or due to borders being shut down. These are not covered by any travel insurance unless CFAR insurance is purchased.
Bottom Line: You can have peace of mind knowing that Travel Insured International is a financially sound company. The company offers unique coverage plans and Cancel for Any Reason insurance as an add-on to its most comprehensive plan.
Types of Policies Offered
Travel Insured International offers 5 insurance plans, including a basic trip plan, a medical plan, a multi-trip annual plan, and these 2 popular single-trip plans:
Single-Trip Plans
Here’s a breakdown of core coverages for the 2 most popular single-trip plans:
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| Benefits | Worldwide Trip Protector(Most Comprehensive) | Worldwide Trip Protector Edge |
| Cancel for COVID-19 Sickness | Included | |
| Medical Coverage for COVID-19 | Included | |
| Cancel for Any Reason Insurance | Available as an add-on — covers 75% of trip cost (must purchase within 21 days of trip deposit) | N/A |
| Cancel for Work Reason Insurance | N/A | Available as an add on |
| Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption | Up to 100% of trip cost | Up to 150% of trip cost |
| $250 Traveler Rewards: covers redeposit fees of points/miles | ||
| Change Fee Coverage | Up to $250 | |
| Missed Tour or Cruise Connection | Up to $500 | Up to $300 |
| Itinerary Change | Up to $500 | N/A |
| Accidental Death or Dismemberment | $10,000 | N/A |
| Emergency Medical | $100,000 per person primary coverage | $10,000 per person primary coverage, higher coverage limits available as an add-on |
| Cancel for Medical or Work Reasons | Included for trip cancellation/ trip interruption | |
| Medical Evacuation | $1,000,000 per person | $100,000 per person |
| Political, Security, Natural Disaster Evacuation | $150,000 per person | N/A |
| Trip Delay | Up to $1,500 (3 hours or more) | Up to $300 (12 hours or more) |
| Baggage Protection and Delay | Up to $1,000 lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, delayed 3 hours or more up to $500 | Up to $1,000 lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, delayed 12 hours or more up to $200 |
Travel Insured International also offers a multi-trip plan that covers all trips (45 days in length or less) within the 1-year policy period. Prices for the 1-year plan start at $94. This basic plan comes with trip interruption, trip delay, baggage protection/delay, and $100,000 in medical coverage. There are options to purchase additional coverages such as trip cancellation and CFAR insurance.
The company also offers a medical-centric plan for those who want medical coverage during their travels.
Bottom Line: Travel Insured International offers 5 travel insurance policy options including 2 comprehensive travel insurance policies, 1 basic travel insurance plan, 1 medical insurance plan, and an annual multi-trip plan.
How To Obtain a Quote
It’s easy to secure a quote and compare policy options on the Travel Insured International website. Just input your trip destination, country and state of residence, dates of travel, when you made your first trip deposit, and the total cost of your trip. Although you’re asked for your name and email address, this is not required information.
You’ll be able to compare coverage, review details of each plan, and select any optional add-ons you may want. You can then proceed to purchase your policy.
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The Value of Travel Insurance Comparison Sites
Whenever you have the opportunity to compare plans and prices with very little effort, you should do so. Therein lies the value of travel insurance comparison sites.
Travel insurance comparison sites feature policies offered by highly-rated companies and allow you to quickly receive a quote from several of these providers by providing basic information.
Here are some of the most popular sites you can use to compare travel insurance policies:
- TravelInsurance.com: Search for comprehensive travel insurance plans. The site does not include medical-only travel insurance plans.
- InsureMyTrip: Compare travel medical plans for single trips or multiple trips, as well as comprehensive travel insurance policy plans.
- SquareMouth: Search for annual travel insurance plans that cover several trips within the 1-year policy period, single-trip plans, group insurance, and sports/adventure plans.
- AARDY: With dozens of companies to compare, AARDY is worth visiting for a comparison. An email is required to obtain a quote.
Keep in mind that the least expensive policy may not be the best for your situation. You’ll want to compare coverage to find the best fit.
Bottom Line: Travel insurance comparison websites help you compare the policies and prices of several different travel insurance companies, making it easier to find the best policy for your situation at the best price.
How Travel Insured International Compares
To Travel Insurance Provided by Your Credit Cards
While there are several travel rewards cards that come with complimentary travel insurance, this coverage is not meant to take the place of a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
In many cases, the coverage that comes with your credit card is secondary, meaning you must first file a claim with other existing insurance or with your travel provider. Also, coverage is limited, as with most insurance, to only specific reasons for cancellation, interruption, and delay coverage.
Additionally, you won’t find any significant medical coverage offered on credit cards.
To Other Travel Insurance Companies
Using an example of a 1-week trip to Mexico costing $2,000 with a traveler 40 years of age, we compared policy coverage and prices on SquareMouth. Coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay was identical. Baggage insurance was less than Seven Corners (left column) and the same as Berkshire Hathaway (middle column). Missed connection coverage is less than Seven Corners and the same as Berkshire Hathaway (up to $500).
Medical coverage was highest with Seven Corners but equal to Berkshire Hathaway (see above insert). Still, with $100,000 in medical coverage, at $112, Travel Insured International holds its own on pricing and coverage when compared to other companies.
Of course, we used 1 specific scenario; your results will vary depending on the criteria.
To Point of Sale Policies
The coverage you purchase at the point of sale with your travel provider is limited and cannot be compared to a comprehensive travel insurance policy like the ones we’ve been reviewing.
While it may seem like a good deal to spend $14, for example, to purchase travel insurance when booking a flight, the coverage is extremely limited and only certain situations are covered. Be sure to read the fine print prior to considering the coverage.
Bottom Line: Travel Insured International offers affordable plans that offer a wide range of coverage. In a narrow comparison of other sources of coverage, the company stands out as a viable option for insuring your next trip.
How To File a Claim With Travel Insured International
You can call Travel Insured International at 800-243-3174 if you have a claim to report, but the company encourages using its online claim-filing system. The website offers a comprehensive checklist to follow for every type of claim and a list of the specific documentation you’ll need to submit.
Here’s a sample of the type of documentation you will be expected to provide:
- Claim Form: The claim form specific to the type of claim must be completed and signed.
- Proof of Loss: The documentation required will depend on the type of claim. For medical claims, for example, you’ll need an attending physician’s statement. For trip cancellation, you’ll need to submit documentation that the trip was indeed canceled.
- Proof of Payment:You’ll need to provide receipts for cash payments, a copy of the front/back of any checks written, or copies of credit card statements showing payments made.
- Airline Tickets: Provide a copy of the e-ticket showing dates of travel, name, and ticket numbers.
- Travel Provider Cancellation Policy: If you’re submitting a claim for trip cancellation/trip interruption, you’ll need to provide a copy of the cancellation policy of the trip provider.
- Refunds Received:If the travel provider refunded a portion of your expense, you must provide documentation of the amount. If the travel provider did not issue a refund, you’ll need to provide a copy of a letter showing the expense was not reimbursable.
- Invoices and Receipts: You’ll need to include any itemized invoices or receipts that document expenses related to the claim.
Travel Insured International encourages policyholders to contact their travel provider prior to filing a claim with their travel insurance policy. In some cases, the provider may provide a full or partial refund depending on the circ*mstances. You can then file a claim for any covered expenses that were not reimbursed.
Hot Tip: Whenever you purchase travel insurance, it’s a good idea to review the claims process prior to embarking on your trip. This can save you time and effort by knowing the types of documentation you’ll need to facilitate your claim. Securing some of this supporting information after the fact could be difficult.
Everything Else You Need To Know
Once you’ve purchased a policy from Travel Insured International, you’ll have 10 to 14 days from the purchase date to review the policy. If you’re not satisfied, you can receive a full refund.
As with most insurance, it seems one never has enough coverage at the time of a claim. This phenomenon generates complaints against providers and Travel Insured International is no exception. You’ll find policyholders who have had great experiences and those who did not.
Reviewing your coverage prior to making a purchase is critical and will have an impact on your experience.
For example, the company sells 4 different single-trip plans, 1 of which includes the option to add on Cancel for Any Reason insurance. If you want to save money and purchase a plan that does not include this coverage, you should have no expectation that your trip expenses will be reimbursed if you decide to cancel your trip due to the fear of getting ill or for any other reason not specifically listed in the policy.
Final Thoughts
Travel Insured International offers a wide variety of coverage options on each of its policies. This makes it easy to pick and choose the coverages you need while keeping the policy affordable.
While it’s a simple process to obtain a quote and subsequently purchase a policy directly on the company’s website, it makes sense to check out other policies/prices on a travel insurance comparison website.
The company is a decent choice for securing a single-trip policy but if you travel extensively, you may want to consider an annual plan that will cover several trips.
Also, for a single trip that doesn’t involve a large amount of non-refundable expenses, you may want to rely on the coverage you have with your credit card. To learn more about this coverage, our article on the best credit cards for travel insurance can offer some insight.
