Best Travel Insurance 2026

~6%Avg. comprehensive plan cost as share of trip cost (Squaremouth)

$456Avg. comprehensive policy price, last 12 months (Squaremouth)

50%–75%Typical CFAR refund of non-refundable costs

$9,032Avg. summer 2026 trip cost per person (Squaremouth)

Key takeaway: A comprehensive travel insurance plan typically costs 4% to 10% of your prepaid, non-refundable trip cost, about 6% on average, according to Squaremouth. It reimburses those costs if you cancel for a covered reason and pays for emergency medical care and evacuation. Standard policies cover only listed reasons. To cancel for any reason, you need a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) upgrade, which costs about 40% to 50% more, must be bought soon after your first deposit and usually refunds 50% to 75%. Check your credit card's built-in coverage first.

How we put this guide together: We used pricing data from Squaremouth and NerdWallet, plan documents and summaries from insurers (Allianz, Travel Guard, Generali), coverage guidance from the State Department and Medicare.gov, and published credit card benefit summaries. All figures were checked in October 2026. Benefits vary by plan, state and trip, so read the Certificate of Insurance before you buy. See our advertiser disclosure.

What travel insurance covers

A comprehensive plan bundles several coverages. Trip cancellation and medical coverage do different jobs, and the State Department points out that trip cancellation insurance usually does not pay medical costs abroad.

Coverage	What it does	Typical limit (Allianz OneTrip Prime / Travel Guard Preferred)
Trip cancellation	Refunds prepaid, non-refundable costs if you cancel before departure for a covered reason, such as illness	Up to $100,000 / trip cost
Trip interruption	Pays unused trip costs and extra travel home if a covered reason cuts your trip short	Up to $150,000 / trip cost + 50%
Emergency medical	Doctor and hospital bills for sudden illness or injury during the trip	$50,000 / $50,000
Medical evacuation	Transport to an adequate hospital or home	Up to $500,000 / $500,000
Travel delay	Meals and lodging during long delays	$800 ($200/day) / $800 ($200/day after 5+ hours)
Baggage loss and delay	Lost or damaged bags; essentials while bags are delayed	$1,000 and $300 / $1,000 and $300

Source: Allianz OneTrip Prime plan page; InsureMyTrip listing of Travel Guard Preferred benefits. Limits are per person and may vary by state.

Why medical and evacuation coverage matter abroad

The State Department is blunt: "The U.S. government does not pay medical costs for U.S. citizens traveling abroad." Medicare and Medicaid don't pay for care outside the US either, apart from narrow exceptions such as a cruise ship in or within six hours of a US port. Some Medigap policies may cover emergency care abroad. The State Department strongly recommends medical evacuation coverage for higher-risk destinations or places with limited medical care.

Check whether a plan's medical coverage is primary or secondary. Secondary coverage pays only after your own health plan, which is common, according to Insurify. Trawick's Pathway Essential is one example of a plan that offers primary medical coverage, up to $25,000. If you are on Medicare, see our guide to Medicare plans before you travel.

How much travel insurance costs

Plan type	Average price (last 12 months)	Per day
Comprehensive (cancellation + medical)	$456	About $35
All plans	$314	About $21
Medical-only	$87	About $5

Source: Squaremouth, How much does travel insurance cost in 2026 (updated Oct. 2026).

Price rises with trip cost and age. Squaremouth's examples put a $3,000 trip at about $120–$300 to insure and a $10,000 trip at about $400–$1,000. Average premiums ran from $187 for Millennials to $457 for Baby Boomers and $709 for the Silent Generation. Trips are getting pricier too: Squaremouth's average summer 2026 trip cost a record $9,032 per person, up 17.4% from a year earlier. At about 6%, insuring that trip would cost roughly $540.

For a cheaper trip, prices drop sharply. NerdWallet's April 2026 quotes for a 7-day, $2,000 trip to Mexico for a 45-year-old averaged about $85 for the most basic plan with cancellation coverage.

Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR): how it really works

Standard cancellation covers only the reasons listed in the policy. Fear of travel and a simple change of mind are not covered. CFAR fills that gap, but with strict rules:

Buy early. Squaremouth says CFAR typically must be bought within 10–21 days of your first trip deposit. Generali's window is 24 hours; Travel Guard Preferred's is 15 days.
Insure everything. You must insure 100% of your prepaid, non-refundable costs, or you may not qualify for CFAR.
Cancel in time. Generali requires cancellation at least 48 hours before departure.
Expect a partial refund. Travel Guard Preferred's CFAR pays 50%; Generali's pays up to 75%. Allianz's "Cancel Anytime" upgrade on OneTrip Prime reimburses 80%.
Pay more. CFAR typically raises the premium by about 40% to 50%. The average CFAR policy sold through Squaremouth in 2026 cost $700.
Check limits. Generali caps CFAR at $10,000 of trip cost per person and doesn't offer it to New York residents.

Example: On a $5,000 trip, a plan at about 6% costs roughly $300. Adding CFAR brings it to about $420–$450. If you then cancel for a reason the base policy doesn't cover, a 50% CFAR benefit returns $2,500 and a 75% benefit returns $3,750. Whether that's worth it depends on how likely you are to cancel and how much of the trip is non-refundable. Interest is high: about a quarter of Squaremouth's summer 2026 customer calls concerned CFAR, most often because of geopolitical and safety worries.

Travel insurance providers compared

These are options with published plan details, not a ranking we created. Prices are NerdWallet's April 2026 quotes for the basic plan on its sample $2,000 trip.

Provider and plan	Sample price	Notable facts
Allianz OneTrip Prime	–	Cancellation up to $100,000; $50,000 medical; $500,000 transport; kids 17 and under free with a parent or grandparent (not in Pennsylvania); pre-existing coverage if bought within 14 days of first payment
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection ExactCare Value	$52	Lowest sample price in NerdWallet's comparison; AirCare flight delay benefit pays a flat $150
Arch RoamRight Pro	$103	Pre-existing condition coverage on all plans; no CFAR option
Seven Corners Trip Protection Basic	$75	CFAR available even on the cheapest plan; Interruption for Any Reason add-on refunds up to 75%
Travel Guard Essential / Preferred	$81 (Essential)	Pre-existing waiver if bought within 15 days of first payment; CFAR at 50% on higher plans
Travelex Essential	$63	CFAR available only on the higher-tier Ultimate plan
Trawick Pathway Essential	$56	Cancellation and interruption up to 100% of trip cost; up to $25,000 primary medical

Source: NerdWallet best travel insurance (updated June 3, 2026); Allianz OneTrip Prime plan page; InsureMyTrip Travel Guard Preferred listing.

What your credit card may already cover

Premium travel cards include some protections when you pay for the trip with the card. The Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, offers:

Trip cancellation and interruption: up to $10,000 per traveler, $20,000 per trip and $40,000 per 12 months, for trips under 60 days
Trip delay: up to $500 per ticket after a delay of 6+ hours or an overnight stay
Emergency evacuation: up to $100,000 for trips of 5 to 60 days, 100+ miles from home, if preapproved
Emergency medical and dental: only up to $2,500, with a $50 deductible
Lost luggage: up to $3,000 per person; baggage delay up to $100 a day for 5 days

That can be enough for cancellation on a moderate trip, but $2,500 of medical coverage is thin for a hospital stay abroad. One option is to pair card coverage with a medical-only plan, which averaged $87 at Squaremouth. Benefits differ widely by card, so read your card's guide to benefits. Our best travel credit cards guide compares cards.

Common exclusions

Squaremouth lists these as typical exclusions. The policy's Certificate of Insurance has the exact list.

Pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or a recent injury, unless you qualify for a waiver. At Allianz and Travel Guard, that means buying within 14 or 15 days of your first payment.
Foreseeable events. Once a storm is named or an event is public, problems caused by it are generally not covered by a policy bought afterward. Buy soon after you book.
Fear of travel and change of mind (CFAR only).
High-risk activities such as skiing, rock climbing, scuba diving and mountain biking, unless you buy an adventure plan or add-on.
Alcohol or drug-related incidents, illegal acts, war and civil unrest (terrorism is typically covered).
Routine care, elective procedures abroad, and normal pregnancy and childbirth (complications are usually covered).

For how these rules apply to extreme weather, see our Verge Report on travel insurance, heat waves and wildfire smoke.

How to choose a plan

Add up your prepaid, non-refundable costs. That is the amount to insure.
Check what your credit card and health plan already cover abroad.
Buy soon after your first deposit if you want pre-existing condition or CFAR coverage. Windows run from 24 hours (Generali's CFAR) to about 14–21 days, depending on the plan.
For international trips, look for at least $50,000 of medical and $500,000 of evacuation coverage, as in the Allianz and Travel Guard plans above. The State Department strongly recommends evacuation coverage for higher-risk or remote destinations.
Compare the covered reasons list, not just the price.

Frequently asked questions

How much does travel insurance cost?

Comprehensive plans typically cost 4% to 10% of your prepaid, non-refundable trip cost, about 6% on average, according to Squaremouth. Its average comprehensive policy cost $456 over the past 12 months, and medical-only plans averaged $87.

Does travel insurance cover canceling for any reason?

Not standard plans. They cover listed reasons such as illness. A Cancel For Any Reason upgrade typically adds 40% to 50% to the price, must be bought soon after your first deposit, requires insuring 100% of prepaid costs and usually refunds 50% to 75%.

Does Medicare cover me when I travel abroad?

Usually not. Medicare.gov says Medicare usually doesn't cover care outside the US except in rare cases, though some Medigap policies may cover emergency care abroad. The State Department says the US government does not pay medical costs for citizens abroad.

Is credit card travel insurance enough?

It can cover cancellation on moderate trips. The Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, offers up to $10,000 per traveler for cancellation, but only up to $2,500 of emergency medical coverage. You must pay for the trip with the card, and benefits vary by card.

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

Only with a waiver or plan feature. Allianz OneTrip Prime covers them if you buy within 14 days of your first trip payment and meet other conditions; Travel Guard's waiver requires purchase within 15 days.

When should I buy travel insurance?

Soon after your first trip deposit. Early purchase keeps you eligible for CFAR and pre-existing condition waivers, and once a storm is named or an event becomes public, problems it causes are generally excluded.

Sources

Rates, fees and terms change often. Figures were checked in October 2026; confirm current details with the provider before you apply.

Best Travel Insurance: Costs, Coverage and Providers Compared