When planning an international trip, you hope that nothing will go wrong. However, weather and airline staff issues can often cause flight delays or cancellations; you may unexpectedly get sick before your trip or you could get injured while on an adventure vacation. In all of these cases (and more scenarios that you may not be able to predict), you’ll wish you had travel insurance to protect the money you spent and give you a chance at getting reimbursed.
Some of the key factors to review when considering international travel insurance policies include how much coverage is available for: trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delays, missed connections, lost or delayed bags, medical emergencies, and medical evacuation and repatriation. Because international trips are typically more expensive, it’s also wise to consider a plan where you can add on cancel for any reason coverage as well. That way, if something comes up you’ll be able to cancel with the peace of mind of knowing you’ll get some money back.
Our rankings, ratings and product reviews are unbiased. We do not rank or rate products or services based on our financial relationships with the companies that produce them. Our in-house research team collects extensive information used in our evaluation process, although we may not cover all options available in the marketplace. See our full methodology.
Please note: All data was accurate at the time of publication and the ratings are based on data collected in October 2025. User ratings can fluctuate as more reviews are posted to independent websites. Also note, every plan may not be available for residents of every state.
Key Takeaways
- Travelex is the Best International Travel Insurance company, with the highest Overall Rating, positive customer reviews, and robust trip cancellation and medical coverage.
- The top international travel insurance companies all offer: a cancel for any reason add-on; $1 million or more in evacuation coverage; and at least $50,000 each in trip cancellation, interruption and medical coverage.
The Ultimate plan covers one child 17 or younger per insured adult traveler and provides trip inconvenience coverage where you can get reimbursed if the ski resort, amusement park or beach you were planning to visit in your destination is closed. This plan also includes:
- Up to $1 million in emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage
- $250,000 in emergency medical and dental coverage
- 100% of the insured trip cost for trip cancellation (maximum $50,000); 150% for trip interruption (maximum $75,000)
- Cancel for any reason upgrade available; recoup up to 75% of prepaid trip costs
The company offers two single-trip plan options: Trip Protection Basic and Choice (called Economy and Elite in select states). The comprehensive Trip Protection Choice plan offers:
- Up to $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage
- Emergency medical coverage worth up to $500,000 (depending on state of residence)
- 100% trip cancellation coverage (can be up to $100,000 depending on where you live); interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost
- Cancel for any reason add-on; up to 75% of nonrefundable insured trip cost
The OneTrip Premier plan from Allianz offers the highest limits for trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage among the top international options on this list, plus the highest percentage reimbursement potential on prepaid trip costs with its cancel for any reason benefit (up to 80%; other companies typically offer 50% to 75%). Several highlights of the OneTrip Premier plan are listed below:
- Up to $1 million for emergency medical transportation
- Emergency medical coverage of up to $75,000
- Up to $200,000 in trip cancellation coverage; $300,000 in trip interruption coverage
- Industry-leading cancel for any reason benefit; up to 80% of insured nonrefundable trip cost
Berkshire Hathaway’s LuxuryCare plan provides high coverage limits across key categories like emergency evacuation. This policy’s benefits include the following:
- Up to $1 million for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains
- Medical coverage worth up to $150,000
- Trip cancellation coverage worth up to 100% of the trip cost; interruption coverage worth up to 150% of the trip cost
- Cancel for any reason rider available; up to 50% of nonrefundable trip payments
To help you better understand the costs associated with travel insurance, we requested quotes for a two-week September 2026 trip to Italy for a solo traveler, a couple and a family of four. These rates should help you get a rough estimate for about how much you can expect to spend on international travel insurance.
The following describes our approach to researching and analyzing travel insurance companies to guide prospective consumers. U.S. News & World Report rates the best international travel insurance providers to help travelers determine what policy will help them protect their investment in their vacation abroad.
To determine the Best International Travel Insurance Companies, we first scoured the web for all providers that offer travel insurance plans. In total, we assessed 45 companies. To be considered for the Best International Travel Insurance Companies rating, a company must be available to U.S. residents; must allow anyone to purchase travel insurance; and must specifically offer trip cancellation and interruption protection.
We collected data across multiple sources – Professional Ratings & Reviews, Consumer Ratings & Reviews and Credit Ratings – which are all weighted equally and averaged to determine each travel insurance company’s Overall Rating.
- Professional Ratings & Reviews: Our travel insurance ratings take into account the top credible expert sources that have vetted and recommended specific travel insurance companies and plans. These expert sources are reviewed annually before data collection begins to ensure they are offering up-to-date information and accolades. Our team reviewed the methodologies of these expert outlets to look for data-driven rankings that were editorially independent. There are 10 expert sources that are factored into the 2026 ratings, including NerdWallet, Business Insider and MarketWatch, among others. Professional sources often recommend different options. U.S. News believes it benefits consumers to pool and analyze independent reviews as a group, to factor in multiple data sources and provide the most robust look at the top travel insurance companies. To be considered a Best International Travel Insurance Company, the provider must appear on a minimum of three expert lists. Our team tallies the number of accolades a travel insurance company receives from these 10 expert sources, and converts them into points. Points earned for the number of accolades are outlined below:
- 7 or more accolades: 5 points
- 5 to 6 accolades: 4 points
- 3 to 4 accolades: 3 points
- 1 to 2 accolades: 2 points
- Consumer Ratings & Reviews: U.S. News also researched published consumer ratings on travel insurance companies. Our research team collected and analyzed review data from SquareMouth and Trustpilot, which are independent third-party reviews sites that collect verified reviews from travel insurance users. Travel insurance companies must have at least 20 reviews on one of these sites to be considered. Providers must have a consumer rating score (the averaged rating of the two review sites) of 4.0 or higher to make the Best International Travel Insurance Companies list.
- Credit Rating: A.M. Best provides financial strength ratings of insurance companies that indicate providers most likely to weather major global travel disruptions. Only travel insurance companies with an A rating or better are considered for our best travel insurance companies ratings. Points earned for the A.M. Best ratings are detailed below:
- A++: 5 points
- A+: 4.5 points
- A: 4 points
- A-: 3.5 points
- High Coverage Limits and Cancel for Any Reason protection: When traveling internationally, you want to have the most coverage possible for things like accidents or illnesses; trip cancellation or interruption; and the option to cancel should your plans change. The top international travel insurance providers offer high coverage limits for the everyday traveler in each of these categories. To qualify for this rating, a travel insurance company must offer a plan that provides a minimum of:
- $1 million in emergency evacuation or transportation coverage
- $50,000 or more in emergency medical coverage
- $50,000 or more in coverage for trip cancellation
- $50,000 or more in trip interruption
- A cancel for any reason upgrade available
The Overall Rating is the average of the professional rating, consumer rating and credit rating scores. Travel insurance companies with an Overall Rating of 4.0 or greater and the minimum coverage limits listed above made the 2026 Best International Travel Insurance Companies rating.
These ratings are updated once per year. However, pricing and plans displayed on the page are updated occasionally throughout the year. This is to ensure we are presenting the most accurate quotes and rates possible for consumers to consider.
Erin Evans is the managing editor of U.S. News Travel. She has been on staff since 2013 and has become an expert in travel insurance since the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the industry. She aims to make it easy for everyday travelers to understand the ins and outs of travel insurance and why it’s beneficial, especially in today’s world. She has 15 years of writing and editing experience.
Ann Henson is the assistant managing editor at U.S. News Travel. She has been a U.S. News staff member since 2012 and is a fact-checking, AP style and grammar expert who has edited and reviewed hundreds of pieces of content, including travel insurance, destination things to do lists, hotel profiles and tours articles. She has more than a decade of editing experience.
