Basic plans cover trip cancellation, baggage protection and emergency medical care up to $25,000. Comprehensive plans increase medical coverage to $250,000, raise evacuation limits to $500,000+ and offer optional upgrades like cancel for any reason (CFAR). Choose based on your destination, prepaid trip costs and needed medical protection.
Comprehensive vs. Basic Travel Insurance
Basic vs. comprehensive travel insurance: coverage differences, costs and choosing the right coverage for your trip.
Updated: January 13, 2026
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Key Takeaways
Basic plans cover trip cancellation and baggage protection with medical benefits up to $25,000. Comprehensive plans provide medical coverage up to $250,000 and evacuation limits of $500,000+.
Comprehensive plans cost much more than basic plans but offer upgrades like CFAR and pre-existing condition waivers.
Choose basic coverage for short domestic trips with low prepaid costs. Choose comprehensive for international travel, cruises, or trips with high prepaid expenses.
Basic vs. Comprehensive Travel Insurance: Key Differences
Basic plans protect prepaid trip costs with medical coverage up to $25,000. Comprehensive plans include everything in basic coverage plus medical benefits up to $250,000, evacuation limits of $500,000+ and upgrades like cancel for any reason (CFAR).
Trip Cancellation | Up to $5,000–10,000 | Up to $25,000–50,000+ |
Emergency Medical | $10,000–25,000 | $50,000–250,000 |
Emergency Evacuation | $25,000–50,000 | $250,000–500,000+ |
Baggage Loss | $500–1,000 | $1,500–3,000 |
Travel Delay | $100–300 per day | $500–1,000 per day |
CFAR Add-On | Not available | Available with early purchase |
Pre-Existing Condition Waiver | Rarely included | Available with timely purchase |
Adventure Sports Coverage | Not included | Available as upgrade |
Comprehensive plans cost more but offer higher limits for emergency medical care and evacuation.
What Basic Travel Insurance Covers
Basic plans protect prepaid trip costs with trip cancellation and interruption coverage for illness, injury or severe weather. You'll also get baggage protection and travel delay reimbursement of $100 to $300 per day.
Emergency Medical | $10,000–25,000 | Adequate for minor domestic issues |
Emergency Evacuation | $25,000–50,000 | Won't cover transport from remote locations |
Trip Cancellation | Up to $5,000–10,000 | For covered reasons only (no CFAR) |
Baggage Loss | $500–1,000 | Limited reimbursement |
Travel Delay | $100–300 per day | Basic coverage |
What's not included:
- CFAR (can only cancel for specific covered reasons)
- Pre-existing condition waivers
- Adventure sports coverage (skiing, scuba diving, high-altitude hiking)
Basic Plan Example: Real Premium Data
For a family of four (ages 35, 37, 8 and 10) taking a five-day domestic trip with $3,000 in prepaid costs:
- Allianz OneTrip Basic: $102 total premium
- AIG Travel Guard Essential: $88 total premium
- BHTP ExactCare Value: $81 total premium
Basic plans cost $81 to $102 for this scenario.
What Comprehensive Travel Insurance Covers
Comprehensive plans include everything in basic coverage plus medical benefits up to $250,000, evacuation limits of $500,000+ and optional upgrades.
Emergency Medical | $50,000–250,000 | Important for international travel |
Emergency Evacuation | $500,000+ | Covers transport from remote locations |
Trip Cancellation | Up to $25,000–50,000+ | Higher limits for expensive trips |
Baggage Loss | $1,500–3,000 | Enhanced reimbursement |
Travel Delay | $500–1,000 per day | Comprehensive coverage |
Available upgrades:
- CFAR: Reimburses 50% to 75% of prepaid costs for any reason (must purchase within 14 to 21 days of first deposit)
- Pre-existing condition waivers: Covers chronic health conditions when purchased within 14 to 21 days of the first deposit
- Adventure sports coverage: Covers high-risk activities
- Rental car and cruise enhancements: Covers rental car damage and cruise-specific cancellations
Comprehensive Plan Example: Real Premium Data
For the same family of four taking a 10-day international trip with $10,000 in prepaid costs:
- Allianz OneTrip Prime: $612 total premium
- AXA Gold: $490 total premium
- BHTP ExactCare: $323 total premium
Comprehensive plans cost $323 to $612 for this scenario and include medical coverage up to $250,000 (compared to $25,000 for basic plans).
How to Choose Between Basic and Comprehensive
Your decision comes down to destination, trip cost and the level of medical protection you need.
- You're taking a short domestic trip
- Your prepaid costs are under $5,000
- You have health insurance that covers you at your destination
- You only need cancellation and baggage protection
- You won't participate in adventure activities
- You're traveling internationally or cruising
- Your prepaid costs exceed $10,000
- You're visiting remote areas or destinations with limited medical facilities
- You want access to CFAR or pre-existing condition waivers
- You'll participate in adventure sports or high-risk activities
- You're traveling with family members who have chronic health conditions
Insurers structure their basic and comprehensive tiers differently. Compare coverage limits for emergency medical, evacuation, trip cancellation and baggage protection. Check available add-ons and whether pre-existing condition waivers require purchase within 14 to 21 days of your first deposit. Get quotes from at least three providers and review full policy details before buying.
Basic vs. Comprehensive Travel Insurance FAQ
Does basic travel insurance include emergency medical coverage?
Basic plans include emergency medical coverage ranging from $10,000 to $25,000. Review your policy for exact limits and exclusions.
Can I add cancel for any reason (CFAR) to a basic plan?
CFAR comes with only comprehensive plans and requires purchasing within 14 to 21 days of your first trip deposit.
Is comprehensive travel insurance worth it?
Comprehensive plans justify the extra cost for international trips, prepaid costs exceeding $10,000 or travel to areas with limited medical facilities where evacuation coverage of $500,000+ matters.
Do comprehensive plans cover adventure sports?
Comprehensive plans let you add adventure sports coverage as an upgrade. Basic plans don't offer this option.
How much more do comprehensive plans cost?
Comprehensive plans cost much more than basic plans, depending on the provider, your age and trip details. The extra premium buys medical coverage up to $250,000 (vs. $25,000 for basic plans) and access to upgrades like CFAR and pre-existing condition waivers.
Our Methodology
Choosing between basic and comprehensive travel insurance gets confusing when insurers use different tier names and structure benefits differently. We designed our research to cut through marketing language and show you actual coverage differences with real premium data.
We gathered quotes from major U.S. travel insurers for family travelers — the demographic most likely to weigh basic versus comprehensive plans carefully. Our sample scenarios included a family of four (ages 35, 37, 8 and 10) taking both a five-day domestic trip with $3,000 in prepaid costs and a 10-day international trip with $10,000 in prepaid costs. These scenarios represent common decision points: domestic trips where basic plans often suffice versus international travel where comprehensive coverage matters more.
Premiums reflect November 2025 rates using publicly available quoting tools. Your actual premiums will vary based on age, destination and trip cost.
Coverage limit ranges represent benefits across multiple insurers' plan tiers. We focused on the coverage categories that differ most between basic and comprehensive plans: emergency medical, evacuation, trip cancellation, baggage loss and travel delay benefits.
These categories determine whether a plan protects you adequately or leaves you exposed to major costs. Review full policy documents before purchasing. Compare quotes from at least three insurers, since companies structure their basic and comprehensive tiers differently. What one insurer calls "basic" might include benefits another reserves for comprehensive plans.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.