The 5 Best Travel Insurance Companies
The five best travel insurance companies include April International, VUMI Travel VIP, IMG GlobeHopper, Geoblue, and MSH International. All five of these companies offer medical benefits for international travelers or expats and a variety of non-medical benefits.
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Are you looking for international health insurance? Keep reading to compare five of the best travel insurance companies offering medical benefits abroad. Whether you’re heading on vacation or planning to live and work in another country, there’s a travel insurance policy for you!
We’ll discuss the 5 best travel insurance companies and compare their medical benefits, including coverage areas, deductibles, and the length of time that coverage is available. We’ll also include links and information to make selecting a policy convenient!
Best Travel Insurance Companies with International Health Insurance
Since medical emergencies can quickly become the most expensive travel mishap, we focused on five companies that offer medical benefits outside the United States. Our top five were April International, VUMI Travel VIP, IMG Globehopper, Geoblue, and MSH International.
We’ll compare these five outstanding options by policy features to give you an idea about which one would fit your needs.
Time Span For Coverage
For travelers only making one trip, you can select a plan that covers a single trip. For travelers making multiple trips, an annual plan may be best. For digital nomads or expats living and working abroad, you’ll want a longer-term policy.
Each plan offers a maximum time span for coverage, so we’ll explain the different options here.
- April International offers short-term coverage for 1-12 months and long-term coverage for expats.
- VUMI Travel VIP offers coverage for a single round trip or annual plans for multiple trips that offer coverage for 30, 60, or 90 consecutive days.
- IMG GlobeHopper offers international health insurance plans for up to two years.
- Geoblue offers travel insurance plans with medical benefits for a single round trip or multiple trips within a 70-day span. Geoblue also offers a long-term plan for expatriates.
- MSH International offers plans for 1-12+ months.
Areas Of Coverage
One way to save money on your international insurance plan is the ability to customize coverage. Being able to exclude coverage in the United States can reduce your travel insurance premiums. On the other hand, you still need coverage in all of your destinations.
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April International
April International insures travelers and expats in 180 different companies.
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VUMI Travel VIP
Vumi Travel VIP insures travelers from across the globe including the Americas, Europe, Middle East/Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
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IMG GlobeHopper
Europe (Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Croatia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madeira, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, the Vatican City, and Yugoslavia)
Worldwide, excluding the United States and Canada
Worldwide
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Geoblue
GeoBlue offers coverage across the globe and has the largest direct billing network of any travel insurance provider.
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MSH International
Worldwide, excluding the United States and Canada
Worldwide
Deductibles/Excess
A deductible, also called an excess, is the amount you have to pay out of pocket for medical care. Some travel insurance plans offer plans without any deductibles, and other plans allow you to customize your deductible amount.
For individuals and families with low risk, choosing a higher deductible can save you money on your premiums. For others with higher risk, like those with serious medical conditions, lowering or eliminating the deductible could save money.
- April International plans have no deductibles.
- VUMI Travel VIP only charges one deductible per person per plan, or up to two deductibles per family per plan.
- IMG GlobeHopper plans have customizable deductibles.
- Geoblue plans have customizable deductibles.
- MSH International plans have no deductibles.
Non-Medical Benefits
Sometimes bundling travel insurance policies is a great way to save money. However, some travelers may have non-medical benefits through a travel credit card or other means. In that case, they may save money by focusing on plans with medical benefits.
- April International
April International offers the following non-medical benefits: legal assistance, assistance for loss or theft of personal effects, return of mortal remains, emergency accommodation, personal liability, and returning home in the case of death or hospitalization of a family member.
- VUMI Travel VIP
VUMI Travel VIP offers the following non-medical perks: coverage for the delay, theft, loss, or damage to baggage, missing a flight, travel delay, and theft of passport or cash.
Other benefits include personal liability insurance for property damage or bodily injury. VUMI Travel VIP also has a daily hospital benefit, an accidental death and dismemberment policy, and legal assistance.
- IMG GlobeHopper
IMG GlobeHopper offers coverage for trip interruption with up to $5,000 in coverage. It also has an accidental death & dismemberment policy, lost luggage, and riders for an Enhanced Accidental Death and Dismemberment plan.
Other riders through IMG GlobeHopper can offer additional coverage like evacuation expenses in a natural disaster.
- Geoblue
Geoblue focuses on the medical benefits for travelers. This includes the largest direct billing network worldwide.
- MSH International
MSH International offers a variety of non-medical benefits. These include personal accident insurance for death or disability, coverage for loss, theft, delay, or damage of baggage, theft of passport, and coverage for travel delay and missed flight connection.
MSH International also covers personal liability for property damage and bodily injury. Their policy includes security and legal assistance. For adventurers, search and rescue in seas, mountains, and deserts is also covered.
More Plan Comparisons
If you would like to have a more in-depth comparison of each option for travel insurance, we have articles with more details about each of our top five travel insurance company picks. You can review plan offerings from each of the companies.
- For more information about April International, see this article.
- For more details about VUMI Travel VIP, click here.
- To find out more about IMG GlobeHopper, read this.
- Read this article about Geoblue for more information.
- Click here for more information about MSH International.
Cost Comparisons
The best way to compare the cost of plans is to get free quotes online. Collect your personal information and travel plans. Using that information, you can obtain a free quote from each company and compare the premiums for your selections.
To get your free quote, select “Buy Online Now.” You’ll be able to review the free quote without purchase. If there is a quote you are happy with, you can complete the application and purchase online without paper forms!
- Get a quote from April International.
- Get a quote from VUMI Travel VIP.
- Get a quote from IMG GlobeHopper.
- Get a quote from Geoblue.
- Get a quote from MSH International.
Do I Need International Health Insurance?
We recommend finding international health insurance plans with high maximum benefits. This will protect you financially from medical emergencies like illness or injury. These plans also offer coverage for medical evacuation if you need to return home due to your medical emergency.
Won’t My Health Insurance Cover Me Abroad?
Most health insurance companies will not cover United States residents abroad. Even if your health insurance does offer coverage outside of the U.S., this coverage is severely limited and insufficient.
Health insurance like Medicare and Medicaid has no international coverage. Coverage through Medicaid and Medicare is limited to the United States and its territories.
Conclusion
Make sure you have international health coverage whether you’re traveling on vacation or planning to live and work abroad as an expat. We recommend plans through April International, VUMI Travel VIP, IMG GlobeHoppper, Geoblue, or MSH International.
If you have more questions, or if you would like to speak with a customer service representative, contact Pacific Prime for assistance with plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will international health insurance cost?
To get an accurate estimate of international health insurance premiums, you’ll need to obtain quotes specific to your situation. Different rates are available for travel insurance, short-term insurance, and long-term insurance. Rates will also depend on coverage selections.
Is COVID-19 infection covered by travel insurance?
Some travel insurance companies offer coverage that automatically includes coverage in the event of COVID-19 infection, but many do not. Be sure to ask the travel insurance company if it is built into existing coverage or if there is a rider available.
What is excluded from travel insurance policies?
Travel insurance policies exclude intentional damage or harm on the part of the insured. Some policies may also exclude acts of terrorism or natural disasters. Make sure you are familiar with the coverage and its limitations.
Does travel insurance cover rental cars?
Some travel insurance companies offer a policy rider to cover a rental car, and some credit card companies also offer rental car coverage as a cardholder benefit. These policies often exclude expensive, recreational, or luxury vehicles.
Does travel insurance cover medical expenses?
Many travel insurance policies offer coverage for medical expenses. Sometimes this coverage is limited or minimal. Selecting a travel insurance company that specializes or focuses on medical benefits will provide the most comprehensive medical benefits.
Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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Comments
1 Comment
Are there travel insurance options that provide coverage for trip cancellations due to work obligations or other non-medical reasons? How can I find a plan that includes these types of protections?
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