The best travel insurance for most U.S. travelers is a comprehensive plan from a well-rated U.S. insurer that pays primary emergency medical costs, covers medical evacuation of $500,000 or more, and reimburses 100% of prepaid trip costs for covered cancellations. Freely, WorldTrips, Allianz, Faye and World Nomads all sell comprehensive plans worth comparing, and InsureMyTrip lets you quote many insurers side by side. To choose, match the medical and evacuation limits to where you are going, buy within 14 to 21 days of your first trip deposit if you want a pre-existing condition waiver or Cancel For Any Reason, and confirm who actually underwrites the policy.
This guide is for U.S. travelers choosing a policy for a single trip, an expensive cruise or tour, a backpacking or adventure trip, or several trips a year. The picks below differ most on four numbers: emergency medical limits, medical evacuation limits, how much of your trip cost cancellation repays, and whether Cancel For Any Reason is offered.
Two details matter more than the brand name. Primary medical coverage pays before your own health plan, while excess coverage pays only after it. And the company selling the plan is often not the insurer that pays your claim, so check the underwriter and its AM Best rating.
Below you will find each pick's limits side by side, what travel insurance costs according to the NAIC, how CFAR and pre-existing condition waivers work, the most common exclusions and the red flags to check before you pay.
Company reviews
Best for adding activity coverage by the day: Freely
- Emergency medical
- $500,000
- Medical evacuation
- $1,000,000
- Trip cancellation
- Optional Pre-Trip Cancellation add-on
Why we picked it. Freely bundles medical, evacuation, interruption and baggage coverage into one Essentials Plan. You then add Trip Extras per trip and Daily Boosts per day for skiing, rental car damage or adventure sports, even after you leave. Its medical and evacuation limits are among the highest on this list, and Zurich American underwrites the policy.
More details, pros and cons
Underwriter: Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC #16535), sold by Cover-More, Inc.
Pros
- $500,000 emergency medical and $1,000,000 evacuation on the base plan
- Activity coverage you add in the app only for the days you need it
- Underwritten by a large U.S. insurer (Zurich American)
- 24/7 emergency assistance and in-app live chat
Cons
- Trip cancellation is an add-on, not part of the base plan
- No published Cancel For Any Reason option
- Sold only to U.S. residents (plus a separate Australian product)
Pay-per-day coverage
Skip it if: You want trip cancellation and CFAR built into one plan rather than pieced together from add-ons.
More about Freely
Freely is an app-based travel insurance brand that lets travelers tailor coverage day by day through pay-per-day Daily Boosts. Its single Essentials Plan bundles emergency medical up to $500,000 and evacuation up to $1,000,000, and U.S. policies are underwritten by Zurich American Insurance. It suits adventure travelers and digital nomads who want to adjust protection on the fly.
Best for comparing plans from many insurers in one quote: InsureMyTrip
- Emergency medical
- Depends on the plan you pick
- Medical evacuation
- Depends on the plan you pick
- Trip cancellation
- Depends on the plan you pick
Why we picked it. InsureMyTrip does not write policies. It is a comparison site that has sold travel insurance for more than 25 years, and it lets you quote plans from multiple insurers at once and filter by the benefits you care about. Its licensed agents help before, during and after a trip, and the company says it will advocate for you if you file a claim.
More details, pros and cons
Support: Licensed agents in all 50 states, 800-551-1337, claim guidance
Pros
- Many insurers' limits and prices side by side
- Licensed agents in all 50 states at no extra cost
- Claim help through the company's advocacy service
- Says it has protected over 4.5 million travelers
Cons
- Your coverage, claims and ratings depend on the insurer you choose, not on InsureMyTrip
- Long result lists are hard to sort if you don't know which limits matter
- Phone support runs Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm ET
Compare 28 providers
Skip it if: You already know the insurer and plan you want and prefer to buy direct.
More about InsureMyTrip
InsureMyTrip is a travel insurance comparison marketplace that lets travelers compare and buy plans from up to 28 vetted providers side by side. Founded in 2000, it backs purchases with agents licensed in all 50 states, free claims assistance, and a Best Price Guarantee. It is best for travelers with fixed trip dates who want to weigh several plans before buying.
Best for primary medical coverage and long trips abroad: WorldTrips
- Emergency medical
- Atlas Journey: $50,000 to $250,000
- Medical evacuation
- $250,000 to $1,000,000
- Trip cancellation
- Up to 100%
Why we picked it. WorldTrips, part of Tokio Marine HCC, sells Atlas Journey trip protection for U.S. residents and Atlas travel medical plans, including annual MultiTrip and digital nomad options. The two upper Atlas Journey tiers pay primary emergency medical, and the company states its underwriter holds an A++ (Superior) rating from AM Best.
More details, pros and cons
Pre-existing waiver: Buy within 21 days of first deposit (14 days on the entry tier)
Underwriter: U.S. Specialty Insurance Company (Tokio Marine HCC); company says A++ (Superior) from AM Best
Pros
- Primary medical coverage on the upper Atlas Journey tiers
- Medical evacuation up to $1,000,000
- CFAR at 50% or 75%, your choice
- Travel medical, annual, student and nomad plans alongside trip protection
Cons
- The entry tier pays medical only as excess coverage, after your own insurance
- Many plan names to sort through (Atlas Journey, Atlas Travel, Atlas Premium and more)
- Atlas Journey trip protection is sold only to U.S. residents
A++ rated underwriter
Skip it if: You need only a cheap, simple plan for a short domestic trip.
More about WorldTrips
WorldTrips offers trip protection, travel medical, cruise, student, and nomad plans underwritten within Tokio Marine HCC, whose insurers hold an A++ (Superior) AM Best rating. Higher tiers include emergency medical evacuation up to $1,000,000, and every plan comes with 24/7 global assistance. It fits travelers who want one financially strong provider for both trip and medical coverage.
Show all 5 picks2 more, ranked 4 to 5
Best for frequent travelers who want an annual plan: Allianz
- Emergency medical
- $50,000
- Medical evacuation
- $500,000
- Trip cancellation
- Up to $100,000
Why we picked it. Allianz Partners sells single trip, annual and rental car plans. OneTrip Prime covers up to $100,000 in trip costs, and the Cancel Anytime upgrade refunds 80%, more than the 50% to 75% most CFAR add-ons pay. If you take several trips a year, its AllTrips annual plans cover all of them under one policy.
More details, pros and cons
Annual plans: AllTrips Premier: $2,000 to $15,000 cancellation per year, $50,000 medical
Underwriter: BCS Insurance Company, rated A (Excellent), or Jefferson Insurance Company, rated A+ (Superior), by AM Best
Pros
- AllTrips annual plans cover every trip in a year
- Cancel Anytime upgrade refunds 80% of nonrefundable costs
- Pre-existing condition coverage if you buy within 14 days of your first trip payment
- Underwriters rated A and A+ by AM Best, according to the company
Cons
- $50,000 emergency medical on OneTrip Prime trails several picks here
- AllTrips Prime annual medical is $20,000 per trip
- Plan names change often, so compare benefit tables rather than plan names
Global assistance network
Skip it if: You are headed somewhere with very expensive medical care and want $250,000 or more in medical coverage on a single trip plan.
More about Allianz
Allianz operates a massive global assistance network across over seventy countries, offering rapid delay payouts and robust emergency medical logistics. It is highly recommended for families and international travelers seeking strong reliability, featuring comprehensive digital tools and free coverage for younger travelers.
Best for in-app claims and a 75% CFAR refund: Faye
- Emergency medical
- Up to $250,000
- Medical evacuation
- Up to $500,000
- Trip cancellation
- Up to 100%
Why we picked it. Faye pairs a comprehensive plan with an app for claims, alerts, telemedicine and reimbursements. International trips get up to $250,000 in primary medical coverage, and the CFAR add-on pays 75%, near the top of the market. Starting prices are $5.76 per day for a 14-day international trip, as listed October 2026.
More details, pros and cons
Underwriter: United States Fire Insurance Company or Great American Insurance Company
Pros
- Primary medical coverage up to $250,000 on international trips
- 75% Cancel For Any Reason refund
- Claims, documents and reimbursements handled in the app
- Published starting prices, which most insurers do not show
Cons
- No annual plans, so you buy one trip at a time
- Not sold in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa or the Northern Mariana Islands
- $500,000 evacuation limit is lower than Freely or WorldTrips' top tier
Fast digital payouts
Skip it if: You take many trips a year and want one annual policy.
More about Faye
Faye is a digital-first, application-based travel insurance platform that fundamentally modernizes the claims process. It provides travelers with real-time flight alerts, twenty-four-hour chat support, and sends approved claim reimbursements directly to a secure digital wallet within two days.
How much travel insurance costs
Most comprehensive travel insurance costs 5% to 10% of your total trip price, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). On a $5,000 trip, that is roughly $250 to $500. Your price depends on:
- Your age. Premiums rise sharply for travelers over 65.
- Trip cost. Cancellation coverage is priced on the nonrefundable amount you insure.
- Destination and length. Longer trips and countries with expensive care cost more.
- Add-ons. Cancel For Any Reason, adventure sports and rental car damage all raise the price.
- Your state. Plans and limits vary by state. Freely, for example, lists $500,000 in emergency medical coverage, but $50,000 for New Hampshire residents.
Few insurers publish prices. Faye lists starting prices of $4.36 per day for a 14-day domestic trip and $5.76 per day for a 14-day international trip, as listed October 2026. Get at least three quotes for the same trip dates, travelers and trip cost before you buy.
A medical-only plan (no cancellation coverage) usually costs much less, because it does not insure your trip cost. It can make sense if your bookings are refundable.
How to choose a travel insurance plan
- Check your existing coverage first. Many U.S. health plans pay little or nothing abroad, so ask your insurer or Medicare plan what it covers. Some premium credit cards include trip cancellation or rental car coverage, so know what you already have.
- Set your medical and evacuation limits by destination. For international trips, look for at least $100,000 in emergency medical and $250,000 to $500,000 or more in evacuation. Remote areas and cruises justify higher evacuation limits.
- Prefer primary medical coverage. Primary coverage pays first. Excess coverage only pays after your own health insurance, which can mean more paperwork and upfront bills.
- Insure your full nonrefundable trip cost. Cancellation pays up to the trip cost you insure, and CFAR and pre-existing waivers usually require you to insure all of it.
- Buy early. Waivers and CFAR usually require purchase within 14 to 21 days of your first deposit.
- Confirm the underwriter. The brand on the website is often not the insurer. Look for the underwriter’s name in the policy and check its AM Best rating and state license.
Which pick fits which traveler
| Traveler |
Look at |
Why |
| Expensive cruise or tour |
Allianz, WorldTrips, Faye |
100% trip cost cancellation and CFAR options |
| Frequent traveler |
Allianz |
Annual AllTrips plans |
| Adventure sports |
World Nomads, Freely |
Activity coverage built in or added by the day |
| Remote destinations |
Freely, WorldTrips |
Evacuation up to $1,000,000 |
| Not sure what you need |
InsureMyTrip |
Compare many insurers with an agent’s help |
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) and pre-existing condition waivers
Standard trip cancellation only pays for reasons listed in the policy, such as illness, injury, a death in the family or severe weather. Cancel For Any Reason is an optional upgrade that refunds part of your nonrefundable costs no matter why you cancel. The NAIC notes CFAR costs more and usually pays back only a percentage of your costs.
- Refund level: World Nomads pays up to 50% on Explorer or 75% on Epic, WorldTrips offers 50% or 75%, Faye pays 75% and Allianz’s Cancel Anytime upgrade pays 80%.
- Purchase window: Usually within 14 to 21 days of your first trip deposit.
- Cancel deadline: Usually at least 48 hours before departure, which is Faye’s rule.
- Full trip cost: You generally must insure all prepaid, nonrefundable costs.
A pre-existing condition waiver lets the policy cover a medical condition you had before buying. Allianz and Faye require purchase within 14 days of your first payment, and WorldTrips’ upper Atlas Journey tiers allow 21 days. You usually must also be medically able to travel on the day you buy. If you have an ongoing health condition, talk with your doctor about whether travel is advisable, and read the policy’s look-back period carefully.
What travel insurance usually does not cover
According to the NAIC, common exclusions include:
- Pre-existing health conditions, unless you qualify for a waiver
- Pandemics and epidemics (some plans now cover your own COVID-19 illness like any other sickness)
- Civil or political unrest at your destination
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- High-risk activities like bungee jumping or backcountry skiing, unless you add sports coverage
- Known events: once a storm is named, a new policy will likely not cover claims tied to it
- Fear of travel or simply changing your mind, unless you bought CFAR
Read the policy’s exclusions section before you pay, and keep receipts, medical records and carrier notices in case you need to file a claim.
Red flags and how to check an insurer
- Offshore underwriters. Some online plans are issued by insurers licensed outside the U.S. If something goes wrong, your state insurance department may not be able to help. Check the insurer named in the policy wording and whether it holds a license in your state.
- No financial strength rating. Allianz and WorldTrips publish AM Best ratings for their underwriters. If a company publishes none, ask for it.
- Brand versus insurer confusion. Freely is sold by Cover-More and underwritten by Zurich American. InsureMyTrip is a marketplace. Know who pays your claim.
- Vague limits. If evacuation or cancellation limits are not shown before you pay, ask for the certificate of coverage.
- Checkout add-ons. Airline and booking site add-ons are often thin on medical coverage. Compare them with a standalone plan.
To confirm a company can sell insurance where you live, look it up on your state insurance department’s website. The NAIC links to every state regulator.
Alternatives to buying a full policy
- Refundable bookings. If your flights and hotels are refundable or changeable, you may only need medical coverage.
- Credit card benefits. Some cards include trip cancellation, delay and rental car coverage when you pay with the card. They rarely include large medical or evacuation limits.
- Your health plan. Call your insurer to ask what it pays outside the U.S. and whether it requires preapproval.
- Medical-only or annual medical plans. Travel medical plans like WorldTrips’ Atlas Travel or Allianz’s annual plans can cost less than comprehensive coverage for frequent trips.
Terms to know
- Trip cancellation
- Reimburses prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if you cancel before departure for a reason the policy covers.
- Trip interruption
- Pays for unused trip costs and extra travel costs if a covered reason cuts your trip short.
- Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)
- An optional upgrade that refunds a set percentage of nonrefundable costs if you cancel for any reason.
- Primary coverage
- Medical coverage that pays first, before any other health insurance you have.
- Medical evacuation
- Pays for emergency transport to the nearest adequate hospital and, if needed, back home.
- Pre-existing condition waiver
- A benefit that covers medical conditions you had before buying, if you meet the purchase timing and health rules.
- Underwriter
- The insurance company that issues the policy and pays claims, which may differ from the brand selling it.
- AM Best rating
- An independent grade of an insurer's financial strength and ability to pay claims.
