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While nearly all travel insurance polices now cover Covid-related issues, they don’t all provide top-notch coverage. The best Covid-19 travel insurance plans typically have generous benefits of at least $100,000 in medical expense coverage, $250,000 in medical evacuation coverage and offer “cancel for any reason” upgrades so you have an escape hatch if you’re worried about an outbreak.
We analyzed 23 insurance policies based on policy features and rates to find the best Covid-19 insurance plans.
Our editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate insurance companies, so all companies are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the methodology for the ratings below.
If the reduced medical policy limits are sufficient, Travel Insured’s Worldwide Trip Protector plan offers impressive evacuation benefits at a competitive average value compared to other top-notch plans.
Read more: Insured International Travel Insurance Review for Travel
The Atlas Journey Premier plan offers a physically powerful policy across the board for a low average cost. Provides a policy for missed connections and medical evacuation benefits. Available upgrades come with an additional policy for pets traveling with you, adventure sports, destination weddings, hunting, and fishing. gadgets and much more.
The Atlas Journey Preferred plan also earned five stars. It has lower medical spending limits ($100,000) than the Premier plan, but it also costs less — its average value is the second-lowest among the top-rated policies evaluated.
Read more: WorldTrips Travel Insurance Review
Those looking for a comprehensive package of exceptional benefits, adding top-notch medical and evacuation coverage, deserve Seven Corners’ Trip Protection Choice Plan.
Seven Corners’ Trip Protection Basic policy was also awarded 4.5 stars. It has lower medical expenses ($100,000) and evacuation limits ($250,000) than the Choice plan, but has the lowest average price among all Covid travel insurance plans assessed.
More: Seven Corners Travel Insurance Review
Tin Leg’s Gold plan provides ample levels of medical and evacuation coverage to give you solid protection if you contract Covid or experience other medical issues during your trip.
More: Tin Leg Travel Insurance Review
Optional upgrades for pets, weddings, security, luggage, healthcare, adventure sports, and inconveniences allow you to customize this AIG insurance policy to suit your needs. In addition, the Travel Guard Deluxe policy includes benefits if, under certain conditions, you want to start your vacation earlier than planned, a feature not found in all policies.
More: AIG Travel Insurance Review
John Hancock’s Silver policy offers a decent policy at a below-average price. The medical evacuation policy is generous and includes a lost connection policy.
More: John Hancock Insurance Agency Travel Insurance Review
Nationwide’s Cruise Luxury plan offers a wide variety of services at a decent price, adding a great policy for missed connections and emergency and non-medical evacuations.
More: Domestic Travel Insurance Review
USI’s Ruby Plan offers high-level benefits. This includes a policy for medical and evacuation expenses.
More: USI Affinity Travel Insurance Review
All of the most productive Covid-19 insurance policies offer a “cancel for any reason” insurance upgrade that offers a refund of 75% of your insured trip charge. The most productive policies also come with at least $100,000 in health insurance and $250,000 in medical evacuation benefits.
Many insurance policies offer smart medical coverage, but not all of them cover Covid-related issues. If this is important to you, be sure to check that the policy you purchase has health insurance that specifically covers you in case you contract Covid. To find the best Covid-19 insurance policies, we evaluated only plans with at least $50,000 per user for medical coverage.
Sudden bans and unforeseen quarantine needs can also derail your trip, but popular insurances often don’t cover those issues. Purchasing “cancellation for any reason” (CFAR) insurance will provide you with a refund, regardless of the reason for your cancellation.
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.
In addition, some overseas destinations impose medical policy requirements for inbound travelers. Confirm what medical policy needs you’ll need for your destination, if any, before purchasing an insurance policy.
Most insurance policies offer holiday cancellation insurance and holiday interruption insurance if you test positive for Covid and want to cancel or if a doctor asks you to quarantine. This means that if your holiday is canceled or cut short because you test positive for Covid, you can be reimbursed for prepaid, non-refundable expenses.
Most health insurances cover you if you contract the virus while traveling and need medical attention. You can be reimbursed up to your policy limits for doctor and hospital bills, lab tests, and medications, among other types of treatments.
Generally, insurance companies treat Covid-19 like any other illness, but this is not the case for everyone. Epidemics and pandemics would possibly be considered “foreseeable events” once reported through federal or foreign health agencies, meaning that, in some cases, insurance benefits may not apply. That’s why it’s imperative to review your policy for potential exclusions.
There are insurance policies that can cover unforeseen expenses if you have to quarantine in another country. But for the benefits to apply to the maximum of those plans, you’ll need to test positive for Covid-19 and your insurance will need to 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.
The following travel insurance benefits can offer coverage for the costs of quarantining, assuming the plan covers Covid-19 expenses.
Travel Delay Insurance
Travel retention insurance may cover the cost of your quarantined accommodation and food 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 that provide these advantages provide a variety of umbrella policies between $100 and $2,000 per person, with a daily limit ranging from $50 to $300.
Trip Interruption Travel Insurance
Trip interruption insurance will reimburse you for lost amounts from your holiday if you are forced to quarantine due to a positive Covid test. It can cover one hundred percent to 200% of your prepaid non-refundable expenses, 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.
“Cancellation for Any Reason” (CFAR) Insurance
Consider a plan that allows you to upgrade with “cancel for any reason” insurance. This upgrade usually adds 50% to your insurance charge, but will allow you to cancel your holiday for any reason and get a refund (regularly). 75%) for lost expenses.
Their explanation of why may be similar to Covid, for example, finding out that there is a Covid spike at your destination. Or your explanation for why it might be different: for example, you could file a CFAR claim because you don’t like the rainy landscape in your hotel town.
If you need CFAR coverage, be sure to purchase an insurance plan and load CFAR shortly after making your first holiday deposit. There is usually a deadline for CFARs, such as two weeks.
Travel “Interruption for Any Reason”
If you’re worried about being forced to quarantine your holiday due to a positive Covid test, the popular holiday interruption insurance can reimburse you for any parts of your holiday you miss, if your plan offers a Covid policy. For example, you can register a Claim Vacation Interruption Benefit if you have prepaid for non-refundable hotel stays, tours, or entertainment and are unable to participate because you have the virus and want to quarantine.
But what if you don’t have Covid and have to comply with a mandatory quarantine?This is where “interruption for any reason” insurance would come in handy. Canopy “interruption for any reason” is presented as an improvement through some insurance companies. If you qualify for this upgrade, you may be reimbursed for any portions of your vacation that you miss if you want to quarantine but don’t have Covid. It can also cover transportation costs to allow you to follow your planned route.
“Interruption for any reason” is not an unusual benefit; however, the following corporations offer it on some plans: iTravelInsured, Nationwide, Seven Corners, Travel Insured International, and WorldTrips.
The best Covid insurance policies will also include a policy for:
The average Covid insurance charge is $733 per trip, according to Forbes Advisor’s research of 23 pandemic insurance plans that come with “cancel for any reason” insurance.
The average cancellation fee for the best Covid insurance policies ranges from $502 to $748.
If you need to make a travel insurance claim related to a Covid quarantine, be prepared to have these documents:
To find the best insurance for Covid, Forbes Advisor researched insurance acquisition data. Each insurance policy evaluated had to have a Covid policy and offer CFAR, and was rated based on those factors:
“Cancel for any reason” upgrade insurance plan cost (50% of rating): We analyze insurance prices for a variety of ages and costs to expand the average value of each policy.
Medical coverage (10% of the score): Travel insurance policies get troubled based on their medical policy grades. Those with a health policy of $250,000 or more 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.
“Cancellation for any reason” insurance refund (10% of bill): Policies that provide a 75% refund for “cancellation for any reason” claims earned points.
“Interruption for Any Reason” Travel Insurance Upgrade (10% of score): Points are awarded to policies that offer a “Interruption for Any Reason” travel insurance upgrade.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions Exclusion Waiver (5% of Grade): Points were awarded to policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if purchased within the required timeframe.
Trip Interruption Reimbursement (5%): Travel insurance plans with an interruption reimbursement of 150% or more earned maximum points.
Travel insurance is worth it if you can’t lose the amount of money you spent on your vacation due to non-refundable payments. Travel insurance also makes sense for anyone traveling to another country. Your U. S. fitness insurance plan will be a good idea. The U. S. will likely have little coverage outside the U. S. Travel medical insurance may cover your medical expenses if you are injured or in poor physical condition while traveling.
As long as you cancel your holiday within the look back period specified in your insurance policy (e. g. 10 to 14 days), you can get a refund regularly. This time period gives you the opportunity to think more about whether the policy is right for you.
Coverage for medical situations outside the US varies by plan. Check with your fitness insurance provider in the US to see what your fitness plan offers in terms of comprehensive coverage. Some plans may have limited or no coverage, or much more coverage. -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 sometimes does not have a policy outside of the United States.
Travel insurance plans with Covid-related coverage will usually cover the quarantine costs of your trip.
For example, if you hire Covid for your vacation and want to stay five more days after your departure date, those plans will possibly reimburse you for additional costs, such as the hotel bill and meals. The quarantine policy is only triggered if you actually contract Covid.
Please note that if a quarantine does not increase travel time or incur additional costs, there may not be applicable coverage. For example, if you want to quarantine the vacation but leave home on your original return date, you have no financial losses to claim. “Loss of use” due to quarantine is a valid complaint but is not covered by travel insurance plans.
The cancel for any reason policy will usually reimburse 50% or 75% of your non-refundable prepaid expenses. This policy allows you to get a refund regardless of the reason for your cancellation.
If the reason for your cancellation is indexed in your policy under the popular vacation cancellation benefits, you can get a one hundred percent refund. These reasons for explanation could possibly include illness or injury to you or a travel companion, hurricane, jury duty, job loss, and more. Please refer to the policy for a list of appropriate reasons. You may not want to spend extra money on “cancel for any reason” coverage.
Trip cancellation insurance benefits sometimes apply if you cancel a vacation because you test positive for Covid-19. You would possibly be eligible to file a claim and receive compensation for non-reimbursable prepaid expenses.
“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.
No, popular vacation cancellation benefits do not cover a cancellation because you were unable to place a Covid check within the required time before traveling. The same applies if you get an unacceptable screening result, for example, a Covid check at home. Travel insurance may also not cover you if you can’t receive the effects in time for your flight and can’t get there.
The terms of your insurance policy are sometimes unaffected by the governor’s declaration of a state of emergency. And government-issued warnings at your destination are sometimes not covered by vacation cancellation insurance. If your insurance policy does not cover warnings, CFAR protection would allow you to make a cancellation claim due to notices or warnings considerations.
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.
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.
Yes, you can purchase Travel Guard insurance policies from AIG Travel that cover cancellations and Covid-related medical issues. The Travel Guard Deluxe plan includes coverage for vacation cancellation and Covid-related medical expenses and is AIG’s top-rated insurance policy according to Forbes. Ratings of advisors from the most sensible insurance companies.
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