The Best Medical Travel Insurance 2020 | Reviews.com (2024)

The Best Medical Travel Insurance 2020 | Reviews.com (1)

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Amanda Push

Last updated on Apr 01, 2021

Reviews Report

  • Reviews.com ranks IMG as the best medical travel insurance company, earning a 4.75 out of 5.
  • Seven Corners is the best medical travel insurance for long trips and has the highest medical coverage at $5 million limits.
  • The best medical travel insurance companies have pre-existing condition waiver options.

If you’re on the hunt for the best travel insurance, you’ll want to keep medical insurance at the top of your priorities. Medical travel insurance jumps in when your U.S. health insurance coverage falls short while traveling out of the country. Whether you get sick, injured, or need to be evacuated, some or all of your expenses may be covered with the right medical insurance policy.

Medical travel insurance doesn’t automatically cover logistical issues of your trip, like lost luggage or a delayed flight — although many policies do include these features as extra perks.

We reviewed the four best medical travel insurance companies that suit a range of travelers, from adventure-seeking explorers to large families with a troop of pioneers.

The 4 Best Medical Travel Insurance Companies

  • John Hanco*ck: Best for Solo Travelers
  • IMG: Best for Thrill Seekers
  • Allianz Global Assistance: Best for Frequent Travelers
  • Seven Corners:Best for Long Trips

Compare the Best Medical Travel Insurance Companies


Reviews.com ScoreRecommended PlanMedical CoverageMax Trip LengthAM Best RatingPre-Existing Condition Waiver Option
John Hanco*ck4.2Silver$50K–$250K90 daysA+
IMG4.75Patriot Platinum$100K–$500K36 monthsA
Allianz Global Assistance3.4OneTrip Prime$25K–$50KN/AA+
Seven Corners4.5Liaison Travel Plus (Covid-19 Coverage)$50K–$5M364 daysNot Rated

Information accurate as of March 2021.

John Hanco*ck

Best for Solo Travelers

Why we chose it

John Hanco*ck’s travel insurance offers three plans to choose from, and includes average medical travel insurance coverage at $250,000 for emergency services and up to $1 million for evacuation, but additional travelers will be extra.

  • 4.2 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • A AM Best Rate AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim.
  • $50K–$250K Medical Coverage Medical coverage is what the company will pay out to you if you were injured or ill on your trip and needed medical care abroad.
  • 90 days Trip Length This is the maximum number of days the travel insurance company will cover your trip.

Why we chose it

John Hanco*ck’s travel insurance offers three plans to choose from, and includes average medical travel insurance coverage at $250,000 for emergency services and up to $1 million for evacuation, but additional travelers will be extra.

Pros

  • High medical coverage limits
  • High financial ratings
  • $1M in medical evacuation

Cons

  • Kids not included
  • No adventure sports coverage

Read More

Add-ons & Coverage

  • Trip cancellation: 100% of cost
  • Cancel for any reason: 75% of cost
  • Lost baggage: $750–$2,500
  • Medical evacuation: $250K–$1M
  • 24/7 emergency travel assistance

Plans

  • Bronze
  • Silver
  • Gold

IMG

Best for Thrillseekers

Why we chose it

IMG’s medical travel insurance plans are tailored for adventure sports participants. It offers optional $10,000 for search and rescue, and another $50,000 for non-emergency evacuation.

  • 4.75 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • A AM Best Rate AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim.
  • $500K Medical Coverage Medical coverage is what the company will pay out to you if you were injured or ill on your trip and needed medical care abroad.
  • 180 days Trip Length This is the maximum number of days the travel insurance company will cover your trip.

Why we chose it

IMG’s medical travel insurance plans are tailored for adventure sports participants. It offers optional $10,000 for search and rescue, and another $50,000 for non-emergency evacuation.

Pros

  • High medical coverage
  • Tailored to adventure sports
  • Search and rescue coverage

Cons

  • Few optional coverage options
  • Higher cost than competitors

Read More

Add-ons & Coverage

  • Trip cancellation: 100% of cost
  • Cancel for any reason: 75% of cost
  • Lost baggage: $150–$2,500
  • Medical evacuation: Up to $1M
  • Sports equipment rental: $2,000

Plans

  • Patriot Travel Medical Insurance
  • Patriot Platinum Travel Medical Insurance
  • Patriot Multi-Trip Travel Medical Insurance

Allianz Global Assistance

Best for Frequent Travelers

Why we chose it

Customers who travel yearly will benefit from Allianz’s AllTrips packages, which combines both medical travel insurance and some cancellation coverage as well.

  • 3.4 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • A AM Best Rate AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim.
  • $10K–$50K Medical Coverage Medical coverage is what the company will pay out to you if you were injured or ill on your trip and needed medical care abroad.
  • 180 days Trip Length This is the maximum number of days the travel insurance company will cover your trip.

Why we chose it

Customers who travel yearly will benefit from Allianz’s AllTrips packages, which combines both medical travel insurance and some cancellation coverage as well.

Pros

  • Year-round travel insurance
  • Extra emergency evacuation coverage
  • Coverage for kids is free

Cons

  • No medical upgrades available
  • Limited policy add-ons
  • Lower medical coverage limit

Read More

Add-ons & Coverage

  • Trip cancellation: $5K–$100K
  • Trip interruption:$5K–$150K
  • Lost baggage: $500–$2K
  • 24-hour hotline assistance

Plans

  • AllTrips Basic, Executive, Premier, and Prime
  • OneTrip Prime, Basic, Premier, Emergency Medical, and Cancellation Plus

Seven Corners

Best for Long Trips

Why we chose it

Seven corners protects travelers for up to $5 million against medical emergencies for almost an entire year, making it a top medical travel insurance option for extreme travelers with long trips planned.

  • 4.5 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • A AM Best Rate AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim.
  • $50K–$5M Medical Coverage Medical coverage is what the company will pay out to you if you were injured or ill on your trip and needed medical care abroad.
  • 364 days Trip Length This is the maximum number of days the travel insurance company will cover your trip.

Why we chose it

Seven corners protects travelers for up to $5 million against medical emergencies for almost an entire year, making it a top medical travel insurance option for extreme travelers with long trips planned.

Pros

  • Medical travel insurance throughout the year
  • Includes COVID-19 exposure coverage
  • Hazardous sports coverage

Cons

  • Deductible must be paid in full and up front
  • Lacks app support and interfacing

Read More

Add-ons & Coverage

  • COVID-19 treatment: $100,000
  • Cancel for any reason: 75% of cost
  • Lost baggage: $150–$2,500
  • Medical evacuation: Up to $1M
  • Sports equipment rental: $2,000

Plans

  • Liaison International Travel Medical Insurance
  • Liaison Travel Plus (Covid-19 Coverage)

Medical Travel Insurance: What You Need to Know

Take activities into account

Basic medical travel insurance includes things like emergency medical care and evacuation while traveling either at home or internationally. But if you plan on doing higher-risk activities, additional coverage may be warranted. Examples of these types of travel adventures include skydiving, mountain climbing, and scuba diving.

Compare quotes

It’s important to compare medical travel insurance quotes because so many factors are evaluated to determine your offer. Premiums are based on total trip cost, coverage selections, and the number and age of travelers in your party, among other factors. If you want cheap travel insurance, opt for policies with lower limits and higher deductibles.

Coverage

Medical travel insurance companies will provide quotes on the amount of medical services covered under their policies. For example, if a company like Allianz only offers $50,000 in medical coverage, that’s how much it will cover before you have to pick up the rest of the bill for a hospital stay abroad.

If you plan to scale mountains or dive deep into the sea, it’s recommended to opt for medical travel insurance that includes high limits near $750,000 or $1 million, depending on the adventure sport activity.

Medical Travel Insurance FAQ

What is medical travel insurance?
Does travel insurance cover medical?
How much medical travel insurance do I need?
Why would I need medical travel insurance?
How does medical travel insurance work?

Methodology

We evaluated medical travel insurance providers based on coverage, number of plans, optional coverage, medical coverage limits, and AM Best ratings to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best travel insurance provider reviews. To compare travel insurance providers with other brands across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:

  • Essential Coverage: When comparing travel insurance providers, we considered essential coverage to be 24/7 assistance, trip cancellation/interruption, medical evacuation and more. Providers with more points of essential coverage scored higher.
  • Number of Plans: Flexibility and having options is important which is why Reviews.com awarded travel insurance providers with higher scores if they presented more plans.
  • Add-on Coverage: Travel insurance providers with more optional coverage add-ons scored higher in this metric — higher flexibility and customization in travel insurance is an indicator of the best travel insurance companies.
  • Medical Coverage Limit: We compared the medical coverage limits of the best travel insurance companies and awarded providers with higher scores if they had higher medical coverage limits.
  • AM Best: Reviews.com utilized AM Best ratings to assign a score based on each home

About the Authors

The Best Medical Travel Insurance 2020 | Reviews.com (3)

Amanda Push Contributing Writer

Amanda Push is a writer based in Colorado who covers personal finance, technology, safety and security, moving, and more. Her writing has also been featured at TheSimpleDollar.com, Interest.com, MyMove.com, and Safety.com.

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