How To Compare Travel Insurance Companies

I’ve written previously about how to find the best travel insurance policy for your trip, but how do you know if you’re buying from one of the best travel insurance companies? Here are a few things to look for when you compare travel insurance companies.

Find Reviews To Compare Travel Insurance Companies

One of the most accurate ways to get a sense of a company is to read reviews about them. There are any number of websites out there that offer reviews to compare travel insurance. One of our favorites is Trustpilot, because it’s a third party website that doesn’t include affiliate links.*

We also like Squaremouth, Insure My Trip, and TravelInsurance.com.  These sites compare both plans and policies across multiple travel insurance companies. The ratings provided on these sites are from confirmed customers, so you know you’re getting actual customer feedback.

*What’s an affiliate link? It’s a link that a website may use to earn an affiliate fee on sales. While these are great in many areas of the internet, it creates biased review pages. Just think about it: If you owned a website, you’d probably be tempted to promote the company that paid you the most rather than the company that had the best service.

Check Their Hours of Availability and Methods of Contact

Is your travel insurance company easy to reach? Each company will have different hours of availability and ways to contact them. Every company will have a phone number and generic email address, but others (like RoamRight) may provide assistance through other methods like online chat or even social media. You can even contact RoamRight directly from our mobile app.

The hours of availability may vary as well. Most companies have a 24/7/365 phone number and email for travel and medical emergencies, but general customer service questions may have to wait until business hours.   

Make Sure They Meet Your Technology Expectations

If you are a tech-savvy traveler, does the insurance company meet your expectations? How much can you manage yourself online, or through your phone or tablet? Is there a mobile app that does what you would expect and want it to do?

One thing we’ve noticed is that a lot of companies will advertise “online claims.” What does this mean to you? Chances are, you don’t expect it to mean download a form, print and fill it out, then scan it and email it back in. Yet this is how most travel insurance companies operate. Very few give you the option of processing your entire claim through a secured website. RoamRight is proud to be one of them.

Verify Their Timelines

Each travel insurance company has different timelines. For example, most offer early purchase benefits if travel insurance is purchased within a specified timeframe after making the first deposit on your trip. Commonly, these include a waiver for pre-existing medical conditions and the possibility of upgrading your plan to include Cancel For Any Reason coverage. However, the amount of time designated by each company varies. (Most travel insurance companies have 14-day window, but RoamRight offers 21 days).

Likewise, each company should have a timeframe in which you can cancel your travel insurance policy for a full refund. These vary with each company as well. RoamRight offers a full money-back guarantee if you cancel within 14 days of making your purchase, have not left on your trip, and have not filed a claim.

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There’s a lot that goes into comparing travel insurance companies. You want to find the best travel insurance plan for your trip from a reputable company that you know will be there for you in an emergency or if you need to file a claim. While we encourage you to consider RoamRight, we know you have a choice in travel insurance and wish you many safe travels!

What do you look for in a travel insurance company? Tell us in the comments below.

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.