Average Cost of Travel Insurance for 2024 (2024)

Key Takeaways

  • The average cost of travel insurance is about 3% to 5% of a trip’s total value, according to quotes gathered by our research team across different travel insurance providers for various traveler profiles.
  • Factors such as total trip costs, coverage levels, travel destinations, traveler ages and trip payments can affect the price of a travel insurance policy.
  • Travel insurance can be worth the cost and provide peace of mind if you must cancel your trip, experience a travel interruption, lose your baggage, experience a medical emergency or more.

Why Trust MarketWatch Guides

Our editorial team follows a comprehensive methodology for rating and reviewing travel insurance companies. Advertisers have no effect on our rankings.

20

Companies Reviewed

500

Quotes Collected

36

Rating Factors

How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

According to our research, the average cost of travel insurance is $204, but you could pay anywhere between $14 and $765 for travel insurance. While this may seem like a wide price range, it’s important to understand that travel insurance is not a “one price fits all” purchase.

Travel insurance provides a range of protection before and during your trip. If you must cancel your vacation for reasons stated in your policy, travel insurance can reimburse you for nonrefundable expenses. It can also help cover medical care and evacuation costs in an emergency. One way to predict your travel insurance cost is to look at your trip cost — most insurance policies cost between 3% and 5% of your total trip cost.

Use the calculator below to get an estimate of your travel insurance policy cost:

Average Cost of Travel Insurance for 2024 (5)

Travel Insurance Cost Calculator

Total Trip Cost

Number of Travelers

Your Estimate Estimates are based on your trip cost. This is an estimate, NOT an official quote.

Travel Insurance Cost by Total Trip Price

The main factor that affects travel insurance costs is the total price of your trip. The more your trip costs, the more a travel insurance company will need to reimburse you if you file a valid claim. For example, if you’re taking a $10,000 trip to Japan versus a $3,000 trip, you’ll likely pay more for a policy offering the same amount of coverage.

To better understand the cost of travel insurance by trip price, we gathered quotes from multiple providers for a 30-year-old traveler taking a two-week trip to the United Kingdom. The chart below outlines the average policy cost across those quotes for different trip values.

Total Trip CostAverage Policy CostPercentage of Trip Cost
$1,000$515.1%
$2,000$794.0%
$3,000$1133.8%
$4,000$1393.5%
$5,000$1733.5%
$6,000$2343.9%
$7,000$2784.0%
$8,000$3284.1%
$9,000$3574.0%
$10,000$3974.0%
$15,000$6374.2%

Cost of Travel Insurance by Provider

Our team collected quotes for all plans offered by 24 travel insurance companies for eight traveler profiles. Some companies are cheaper than others, such as Battleface, due to low coverage limits or limited coverage options. Other companies, like Allianz or Faye, are more expensive because of higher medical limits, more coverages and more add-on options.

The premiums below reflect the average of all quotes collected for that provider.

CompanyAverage Cost
Battleface$95
Berkshire Hathaway$137
World Nomads Travel Insurance$153
AEGIS Travel Insurance$155
Trawick International Travel Insurance$180
WorldTrips Travel Insurance$184
Detour$185
Tin Leg Travel Insurance$196
Cat 70 Travel Insurance$198
Travel Insured International$199
Generali Global Assistance$201
Travelex Insurance$202
Nationwide Travel Insurance$206
Seven Corners$206
HTH Worldwide$212
Arch Roamright$214
John Hancock travel insurance$217
AXA Assistance USA$218
IMG Travel Insurance$224
USI Affinity Travel Insurance$230
AIG Travel Guard$237
Faye Travel Insurance$256
Allianz Global Assistance$275
Travel Safe Insurance$316

Average Travel Insurance Cost by Age

Age is another factor that affects travel insurance costs. Generally, younger travelers may be less likely to file a claim than older travelers since they are often healthier and may not have pre-existing conditions. Due to the higher chance of travel insurance providers receiving a claim from older travelers, plan costs generally increase with age.

We gathered quotes from 20 different providers for a $4,000, two-week trip to the United Kingdom to learn more about how travel insurance costs increase by age. From this data, we found virtually no increase in policy costs for travelers aged 20 to 30 years. However, travelers aged 30 and up saw policy costs increase with age. Based on our research, an 80-year-old will pay 303% more than a 20-year-old for the same policy.

See the table below for a closer look at percent increases for policy costs based on age.

Traveler AgePolicy CostPercentage of Policy CostPercent Increase From 20-Years-Old
20$1393%0%
30$1414%1%
40$1684%21%
50$1835%32%
60$2506%80%
70$3499%151%
80$56114%303%
Average$2566%

Travel Insurance Cost by Number of Travelers

The number of travelers under a travel insurance policy can also affect the total cost.

MARKETWATCH GUIDES TIP

While travel insurance prices increase slightly depending on the number of people, one policy for the entire group is likely cheaper than purchasing a solo policy for every traveler.

We gathered quotes for a $5,000, two-week trip to the United Kingdom for different groups of travelers and found that adding just one traveler to a plan can increase costs by 8.3%, on average. While this is the average increase across quotes from 20 different providers, your costs may differ, as we found plan cost ranges widely varied.

Our research team attributes this extensive cost range to the provider, chosen plan, and whether or not coverage includes children for free. Many providers, such as Travelex, offer plans for travelers 17 years and younger for no additional cost.

See the table below for a closer look at travel insurance costs by number of travelers.

Number of TravelersAverage Policy CostPolicy Cost RangeDifference Compared to Solo Traveler
Solo traveler$176$88–$274$0
Two adults$191$88–$282$15
Two adults and one child$211$105–$326$34
Two adults and two children$224$116–$368$48

Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) Travel Insurance Cost

Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage is usually sold as a travel insurance add-on. A typical travel insurance plan includes standard trip cancellation coverage, which takes effect as long as the reason for cancellation is listed within your policy terms. With CFAR coverage, however, you can cancel your trip for a reason not typically covered by your provider. For example, while your policy may cover an unexpected cancelation due to severe weather, CFAR coverage would allow you to cancel because you no longer want to take the trip.

CFAR coverage typically reimburses 50% to 75% of your prepaid trip costs. However, note that many companies reserve CFAR coverage for comprehensive plans. Because CFAR coverage increases the risk taken on by the insurance provider, it can significantly raise the price you pay for coverage. Costs vary by insurance provider, so gathering quotes across different providers that offer this add-on can help you find coverage that fits your needs.

To better show you what CFAR coverage could cost when added to a policy, we gathered quotes for a 30-year-old traveler taking a two-week, $5,000 trip to the United Kingdom.

Insurance ProviderPolicyPolicy CostPolicy Cost with CFAR CoveragePercent Increase
TravelexTravel Select$230$470104%
Seven CornersTrip Protection Choice$209$29742%
TrawickSafe Travels Voyager$228$460102%
FayeTravel Protection Plan$216$29938%
NationwidePrime$229$470105%
Tin LegGold$191$28750%
Berkshire HathawayLuxuryCare$200$399100%
AIG Travel GuardPreferred$272$38040%
Generali Global AssistancePremium$180$27050%
World TripsAtlas Journey Premier$204$28841%

What Impacts the Cost of Travel Insurnace?

Each travel insurance provider prices its policies using a specific formula and underwriting process. While travel insurance is not a “once price fits all” type of coverage, the primary factors influencing policy pricing were fairly consistent across the companies we’ve reviewed. Take a closer look at some of these factors in the sections below.

Trip Cost

Most insurance providers offer 100% reimbursement for trip cancellation and 150% for trip interruptions. A general rule of thumb when purchasing a policy is the more expensive your trip is, the more expensive your premium will likely be. This is because your travel insurance provider would potentially need to pay more if you file a claim for a covered cancellation or interruption.

Coverage

If you choose a travel insurance policy with multiple protections and higher coverage limits, you can typically expect to pay more for coverage. Extra coverages outside of standard offerings — such as car rental collision coverage or CFAR coverage — can increase your policy premium.

Destinations

Some destinations, notably those in more remote areas, may have less robust medical infrastructures. This increases the likelihood of needing a medical evacuation in the event of an emergency. Because of this, you can likely expect to pay more for travel insurance to a remote destination.

Traveler Age

Older men and women may have medical conditions that impact travel plans, increasing the price of insurance. As previously stated, our research team found that an 80-year-old will pay 303% more than a 20-year-old for the exact same policy. If you’re an older traveler, you can anticipate more for a travel insurance policy.

Trip Payments

The date you paid for your travel can also affect your premium and the type of add-ons available. Buying a policy immediately after booking your trip could save you money and provide a greater protection window for trip cancellation benefits, which usually begin on your plan’s effective date. Alternatively, you can generally expect to pay more for coverage if you paid for your trip weeks or months before shopping for insurance. If you want CFAR coverage, providers may implement timelines for when you must purchase a policy.

How To Save on Travel Insurance

If you’d like to insure your trip but want to keep policy costs low, we recommend shopping around and comparing travel insurance companies and available plans. Many providers allow you to customize your coverage to fit your needs, and one company may offer a similar plan that’s cheaper overall compared to other options.

Customization is another factor to consider when trying to save on travel insurance costs. While you shop, keep in mind what your travel itinerary entails. For example, you might opt out of emergency medical and evacuation coverage if you’re traveling domestically — especially if you have an active health insurance policy through a domestic healthcare provider.

In addition, you can save money by not overinsuring your trip. Consider your health, destination and trip cost when deciding which coverages you need. For instance, if you’re traveling to a remote area without a robust medical system, you may consider purchasing higher medical evacuation coverage than if traveling to an urban area with access to hospitals.

While there are ways to lower travel insurance costs, cheaper coverage is not always better.

“Choosing travel insurance to protect your trip, health and belongings is not usually the time to go bargain basement shopping,” said Angela Borden, a product marketing specialist at Seven Corners. “While any travel insurance is usually better than none, deciding to go with the cheapest plan you can find often comes back to haunt you in an emergency.”

Domestic vs. International Travel Insurance Costs

Typically, international travel can result in spending more on prepaid —and often non-refundable — trip costs. An international vacation can involve more than one flight, and if you choose non-refundable hotels or excursions, you could lose a large amount of money without a travel insurance plan.

However, the more your prepaid expenses, the more your policy will cost you — meaning insurance for an international trip could cost you more than for domestic travel. In addition, many domestic healthcare plans will likely not cover medical care abroad. A plan with emergency medical and evacuation coverage is worth considering while traveling internationally, but it will cost you more than a travel insurance plan without this protection.

According to a Pollfish survey our team conducted in February 2024, 46% of the 1,000 U.S.-based respondents were traveling domestically within the U.S. the last time they bought a travel insurance policy. Many companies sell travel insurance for domestic vacations, which can offer less expensive coverage that’s better suited for this type of trip. For example, the Seven Corners Trip Protection USA plan provides trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, forgoing emergency medical or air travel benefits. This may be ideal if you’re traveling by car and already have a domestic health insurance plan.

What To Consider Before Buying Travel Insurance

To ensure you select the best travel insurance policy for your individual needs, you can consider the following factors.

Coverage Needs

It is important to consider the type of protection you need while traveling. If your trip spans a few days, you may only need basic trip cancellation coverage, whereas a month-long trip may warrant additional medical coverage. Additionally, consider your health, as many domestic health insurance policies do not cover health care outside U.S. borders. Also, think about any add-on coverage you may need. If you foresee needing to cancel your trip for a reason not covered under policy terms, for example, you may want to invest in CFAR coverage.

Credit Card Travel Insurance

It’s worth calling your credit card company before purchasing a travel insurance plan to see if you already have benefits. Many credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, offer travel perks such as rental car coverage, trip cancellation protection, trip delay coverage and more. If you’re comfortable with the amount of coverage provided by your credit card, you can reconsider buying a separate travel insurance policy — saving you money you can put toward other travel expenses.

Claims Processes

We recommend you read up on how a provider handles its claims. Can you, as the policyholder, file a claim multiple ways? How quickly does the provider issue reimbursements? Note that some providers allow you to upload required claim documents online, whereas others require you to submit documents through the mail. We recommend speaking to insurance representatives directly to learn more. You can also browse customer reviews from third-party aggregators, such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot, to better understand how a provider handles claims.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

Not every traveler will need a travel insurance policy. Borden, quoted earlier, provides more insight: “There are times when travel insurance might not be worth it — the most common being if you don’t have many, if any, prepaid trip expenses.” She also points out that this could be the case if you’re staying with family and foregoing hotel expenses. “You don’t need to insure trip expenses if they’re already covered by someone else,” she added.

Is Travel Insurance Worth the Cost?

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, one in five flights experienced a delay in 2023. Travel insurance can help provide coverage if you experience a delay — one of the many scenarios where a policy can be worth the cost. If you need to cancel your trip, experience a trip interruption, lose your baggage or experience a medical emergency abroad, travel insurance can help you recoup some prepaid, nonrefundable expenses.

If you’re looking for peace of mind as you plan your trip, we recommend gathering quotes from multiple travel insurance providers to find coverage that suits your needs and your budget.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Cost of Travel Insurance

Yes, many travel insurance policies consider COVID-19 a covered reason for trip cancellation or delay. Note that providers cover trip interruptions and cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the condition that you were healthy when you purchased the policy.

Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage allows you to cancel your trip even for reasons not listed in your insurance provider’s policy. If you are worried about illness or general travel or wish to have the flexibility of canceling, CFAR coverage may be worthwhile. Note that this add-on reimburses up to 75% of your trip costs, not the entire amount.

You can expect to pay $35 to $200 per trip, depending on the total trip cost and your age, among other factors. Based on quotes we pulled from five popular providers, the average cost of travel insurance for a $1,000 trip to Cancun, Mexico, for a 35-year-old male is $45.

Yes, trip cancellation coverage may cover 100% of your costs if you cancel your trip for a covered reason, such as illness, a family emergency or military deployment. If you purchased CFAR coverage, you can cancel for any reason but will only recoup around 50% to 75% of trip expenses.

In our review, we found that Travelex’s Basic policies were some of the most affordable on the market. Other affordable travel insurance providers include Nationwide and Faye, which specialize in streamlined online applications and issuance. We recommend getting a quote from each of our recommended providers before buying coverage to ensure you’re getting the best rates.

Additional Travel Insurance Resources

  • Best Travel Insurance Companies
  • What Is Travel Insurance?
  • Best Travel Medical Insurance Companies
  • Single-Trip Travel Insurance
  • The Best Senior Travel Insurance Companies
  • Travel Protection vs. Travel Insurance
  • Best Group Travel Insurance Companies
  • Last Minute Travel Insurance
  • Should You Buy Travel Insurance for Domestic Vacations?
  • Travel Insurance for Pre-Existing Conditions

Methodology: How We Collected Cost Data

Our team reviewed travel insurance companies in-depth to provide the most accurate and up-to-date pricing information available. While your policy price will vary based on your trip details, traveler ages, number of travelers, destination and more, we took the following steps when collecting data to get a full scope of industry pricing.

  • Overall cost averages: We pulled individual quotes for 24 travel insurance companies and 75 travel insurance policies for eight trip profiles in April 2024. The trips we collected quotes for are the following:
    • 30-year-old couple taking a $5,000 vacation to Mexico
    • 65-year-old couple taking a $7,000 vacation to London
    • 30-year-old couple taking a $7,000 trip to London
    • Family of 4 taking an $8,000 vacation to Mexico
    • 19-year-old taking a $2,000 trip to Paris, France
    • 27-year-old taking a $1,800 trip to Athens, Greece
    • 23-year-old taking a $4,000 trip to Europe (Italy, Spain, Ireland, Greece, longest time spent in Italy)
    • 51-year-old taking a $2,000 vacation to Madrid, Spain
  • Cost data by provider:To figure out how the average cost for each provider, we collected sample quotes for all the insurance policies they offer. Then, we took the average of these estimates for each type of trip across all their policies to find out the provider’s average cost.
  • Cost data by age:We evaluated cost data for seven ages in increments of ten years starting at 20 years old. We collected 20 sample quotes for each age and averaged them to get the typical cost for that age group. Sample quotes were collected for a variety of policies, from medical-only to comprehensive travel insurance plans.
  • Cost data by number of travelers:We looked at sample quotes for four groups of travelers going on a trip to the UK for two weeks. We collected 25 sample quotes for each group and averaged them. The group details are as follows:
    • One 30-year-old traveler
    • A 30-year-old couple
    • Two 30-year-old adults and one 5-year-old child
    • Two 30-year-old adults, one 5-year-old child and one 7-year-old child
  • Cost by trip price: To get accurate pricing by trip price, we collected 20 quotes each for 11 differently priced trips. We started at a $1,000 trip and increased the trip price by $1,000 increments until $10,000, then collected quotes for a $15,000 trip. We averaged the 20 quotes for each trip.

We manually collected all cost information from each company’s respective website.Learn more about our review standards.

Average Cost of Travel Insurance for 2024 (2024)

FAQs

Average Cost of Travel Insurance for 2024? ›

Policies vary, but the average cost of travel insurance in 2024 is between 6-7% of your total trip expenses, according to NerdWallet analysis.

What is a reasonable price for travel insurance? ›

The average cost of travel insurance is about 3% to 5% of a trip's total value, according to quotes gathered by our research team across different travel insurance providers for various traveler profiles.

How much in advance should I get travel insurance? ›

The golden rule is to buy your insurance as soon as you book your trip. This move will make you a savvy traveller because it means you're immediately protected against any pre-departure mishaps, like cancellations or health issues that prevent you from travelling.

How far in advance do I get travel insurance? ›

Buy travel insurance as soon as you know your travel dates. That way you're covered if your trip is cancelled before you even leave or if you're unable to travel at all.

How many days before should you buy travel insurance? ›

If you're wondering when you should buy travel insurance, the simple answer is as soon as possible. Ideally, you'll buy coverage no later than 15 days prior to your trip.

Does travel insurance get more expensive closer to the trip? ›

Unlike other aspects of your travel experience like airfares or hotel-room rates, the price of travel insurance doesn't increase the closer you get to your travel date. There's no financial penalty if you wait to buy travel insurance (except for those bonus coverages, of course).

Does travel insurance cover 100%? ›

If all conditions are met, most of the policies will reimburse you 50% to 75% of your trip costs, unless otherwise noted.

What does travel insurance not cover? ›

Most travel insurance policies won't pay out if you're negligent while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and have an accident or have property stolen.

Is it better to buy travel insurance early or late? ›

It's smart to buy travel insurance immediately after booking for two reasons. One: You won't forget! Far too many travelers postpone buying travel insurance and then realize, too late, that they forgot to buy it at all. And two: The earlier you buy insurance, the bigger your coverage window.

Is Allianz good travel insurance? ›

Allianz is a popular choice among business travelers due to its AllTrips Executive travel insurance policy with coverage for lost, stolen or damaged business equipment and rental car insurance. Earning 4.1 out of 5 stars, our expert reviewers think Allianz is a great choice for international travel insurance.

Does travel insurance cover cancelled flights? ›

Cancellation cover is a common inclusion with most standard travel insurance policies, but you can take it out separately if it doesn't offer enough cover. Alternatively, if you only want cancellation cover to protect you against cancelled flights rather than baggage protection, you can get it for that.

Can I add travel insurance later? ›

The short answer is: It's not too late! You absolutely can buy travel insurance after booking your trip. However, it's always best to purchase insurance as early in the process as possible.

Does AARP offer international travel insurance? ›

While there are no AARP travel insurance products or discounts available for seniors, members can use the AARP website for trips and tricks on how to plan for international travel and information regarding how to choose the right insurance plan for older travelers.

Does Medicare cover me when I travel outside of the United States? ›

In most situations, Medicare won't pay for health care or supplies you get outside the U.S. The term “outside the U.S.” means anywhere other than the 50 states of the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

How late is too late for travel insurance? ›

Purchasing the night before your trip works. That's because trip insurance goes into effect the day after you purchase it. So if it's midnight on the day of your departure, it's too late to buy comprehensive travel insurance. Anytime before that works!

Should I buy my own travel insurance? ›

If you would lose the money you paid for your flights, accommodations, rental car, or activities if you had to cancel or go home early, travel insurance that specifically includes trip cancellation and trip interruption is probably a good idea.

Why is traveler's insurance so expensive? ›

Candace Baker, Car Insurance Writer

Travelers is so expensive because car insurance is expensive in general, due to rising costs for insurers. But at $639 per year, the average Travelers car insurance policy is actually cheaper than coverage from most competitors.

How much travel insurance do I need for Europe? ›

Without this coverage, you are responsible for any medical expenses. The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% and 10% of the total price of your trip. This can be worth it for the medical benefits alone when traveling in Europe.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Last Updated:

Views: 5497

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Birthday: 1999-05-27

Address: Apt. 171 8116 Bailey Via, Roberthaven, GA 58289

Phone: +2585395768220

Job: Lead Liaison

Hobby: Lockpicking, LARPing, Lego building, Lapidary, Macrame, Book restoration, Bodybuilding

Introduction: My name is Sen. Ignacio Ratke, I am a adventurous, zealous, outstanding, agreeable, precious, excited, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.