Travelex ranks 11th among 13 travel insurance companies with an 88 score. It provides strong customer service (99 out of 100) but costs more than top competitors. Founded in 1996 and underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company (A+ AM Best rating), Travelex operates as part of Cover-More Group across 15 countries.
Travelex Travel Insurance Review
Travelex earned an 88 overall score with the second-highest customer service rating (99 out of 100) among 13 travel insurers. It offers three plans at higher costs than competitors.
Find out if you should buy travel insurance from Travelex.
Updated: May 1, 2026
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Key Takeaways
Travelex ranks 11th for affordability but second for customer service with 24/7 assistance through phone and mobile app.
Only the Ultimate plan covers pre-existing conditions (when purchased within 21 days of initial deposit) and offers optional cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) coverage.
No annual multi-trip plans available, so frequent travelers must purchase separate policies for each trip.
Travelex Pros and Cons
- Excellent customer service: Earned a 99 out of 100 service score with 24/7 assistance and responsive claims support
- Backed by Zurich: Underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company with an AM Best A+ rating
- Primary medical coverage: All plans pay first without requiring coordination with health insurance
- Higher premiums: A cost score of 81 ranks 11th among 13 companies
- No annual plans: Frequent travelers must buy separate single-trip policies
- Limited pre-existing condition coverage: Only Ultimate plan covers pre-existing conditions
Travelex Travel Insurance Plans and Features
Travelex's three single-trip plans scale up in coverage. Essential caps trip cancellation at $10,000, Advantage removes that dollar limit entirely, and Ultimate doubles medical coverage and adds pre-existing condition waivers.
Trip Cancellation | 100% ($10,000 max) | 100% | 100% |
Trip Interruption | 100% ($10,000 max) | 100% | 150% |
Emergency Medical | $100,000 (primary) | $100,000 (primary) | $200,000 (primary) |
Emergency Evacuation | $250,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
Trip Delay | $600 ($200/day) | $600 ($200/day) | $2,000 ($150/day) |
Baggage Loss | $750 ($500/item) | $750 ($500/item) | $1,500 (up to $4,250) |
Pre-Existing Conditions | Not covered | Not covered | Covered within 21 days |
CFAR | Not available | Not available | Optional (75%) |
The Essential plan works best for budget travelers on trips under $10,000, Advantage suits expensive trips without major medical concerns, and Ultimate covers international trips where pre-existing conditions or higher medical limits matter.
Travelex Travel Insurance Rates
Travelex's affordability score of 81 puts its premiums 15% to 20% above top-rated competitors. Rates go up with traveler age, trip length and destination medical risk.
$2,500 (Age 30) | $62 | $80 | $92 |
$5,000 (Age 30) | $202 | $237 | $245 |
$10,000 (Age 30) | $481 | $552 | $550 |
A $2,500 trip costs $62 (Essential), $80 (Advantage) or $92 (Ultimate) for a 30-year-old across major destinations. Rates for travelers age 65 and older increase by 50% to 75% depending on destination and trip length. Ultimate costs $2 less than Advantage at the $10,000 level while providing double the medical coverage.
Comparing Travelex vs. Other Companies
Travelex ranks 11th overall but ranks second for customer service, scoring 99 out of 100.
World Nomads | 93 | 98 | 86 | 89 |
Generali | 92 | 94 | 88 | 89 |
Allianz | 91 | 86 | 89 | 100 |
Travel Guard | 91 | 88 | 86 | 98 |
Travelex | 88 | 81 | 85 | 99 |
World Nomads scores 17 points higher for affordability (98 vs. 81) and includes adventure coverage across all plans, but Travelex's customer service infrastructure and claims support are more accessible. For cost-focused travelers, Generali outperforms Travelex on both affordability (94 vs. 81) and coverage (88 vs. 85). Allianz edges out Travelex by one point on service (100 vs. 99). Travel Guard beats Travelex on affordability (88 vs. 81), though Travelex holds a slight edge in service (99 vs. 98).
Travelex User Reviews
Customers praise Travelex's responsiveness but flag documentation requirements and slow processing timelines as recurring complaints.
What Customers Love About Travelex
- Responsive 24/7 assistance: Fast emergency response with guidance on medical referrals and travel document replacement
- Straightforward claims portal: Upload documents and track claims online without calling in
- Flexible upgrade options: Add-ons include rental car protection and adventure sports coverage
Common Complaints About Travelex
- Strict documentation requirements: Medical claims require specific physician certifications, and some denials stem from incomplete paperwork rather than ineligible claims
- Higher premiums: Pricing exceeds comparable plans from competitors, raising value questions for budget-conscious travelers
- Pre-existing condition restrictions: Essential and Advantage exclude medical histories, which frustrates buyers who disclosed conditions at purchase
- Processing delays: Complex medical reimbursements can run several weeks beyond the standard 10 to 15 business days
What's Covered by Travelex?
- Essential: 100% cancellation up to $10,000 for illness, injury, death, weather and natural disasters. Excludes financial default and work cancellations.
- Advantage: Removes $10,000 cap on cancellation and interruption. Adds employment layoff protection.
- Ultimate: 100% cancellation with 150% interruption coverage. Optional CFAR reimburses 75% within 21 days. Includes financial default protection after 14-day wait.
- Essential and Advantage: $100,000 primary medical, $250,000 evacuation. Coverage includes emergency dental ($750 to $1,000), zero deductibles and COVID-19 treatment.
- Ultimate: $200,000 medical, $500,000 evacuation, includes all Essential/Advantage benefits.
- All plans: Medical quarantine extends coverage up to 7 days. Primary coverage means Travelex pays first without health insurance coordination.
- Essential and Advantage: $600 trip delay ($200 per day after six hours) and $750 baggage loss ($500 per item limit; jewelry and electronics limited to $250 per item). Baggage delay coverage pays $200 after 12 to 24 hours.
- Ultimate: $2,000 trip delay ($150 per day after six hours) and $1,500 baggage loss (up to $4,250 with upgrades). Baggage delay coverage pays $500 ($100 per day).
Trip Cancellation and Interruption
Medical Coverage and Evacuation
Travel Delays and Baggage
Add-on Coverages
- Cancel for any reason (Ultimate only): 75% reimbursement when purchased within 21 days of deposit
- Rental car damage: Reduces collision deductibles across all plans
- Enhanced baggage: Raises Ultimate limits to $4,250 for professional equipment and electronics
- Adventure sports (Ultimate only, not in Illinois): Search and rescue up to $10,000 and security evacuation up to $100,000
- Pet care (Ultimate only, not in New York or Virginia): Covers kennel fees and veterinary expenses if a trip is interrupted
What Travelex Doesn't Cover
- Pre-existing medical conditions: Essential and Advantage exclude coverage entirely. Ultimate covers pre-existing conditions only when purchased within 21 days of the initial deposit, with all trip costs insured.
- High-risk activities: Professional sports, racing and extreme altitude adventures require the optional adventure sports upgrade (Ultimate only).
- Government travel restrictions: Travel advisories, border closures and pandemic-related bans are excluded unless CFAR is purchased.
- Pregnancy care: Routine pregnancy care, childbirth and complications are excluded except for unexpected medical emergencies.
- Work-related cancellations: Essential and Advantage exclude job-related cancellations. Ultimate includes work coverage when purchased within 15 days of the initial deposit.
Travelex Claims Documentation Requirements
Travelex processes most claims within 10 to 15 business days once complete documentation is received. Submit trip cancellation claims within 72 hours and provide full documentation within 20 days.
Medical Emergency | Itemized provider bills, hospital discharge summaries, prescription receipts and proof of payment. For evacuation: physician certificates confirming medical necessity, evacuation service receipts and transportation records. |
Trip Cancellation and Interruption | Documentation proving the cancellation reason (medical certificates, death certificates, employment termination letters), booking confirmations, payment receipts, nonrefundable cost proof and supplier refund statements. For medical cancellations: completed medical certificate forms, physician notes confirming inability to travel and supporting medical records. |
Baggage | Police reports for theft or loss, ownership proof (receipts or photos), damage repair estimates and airline baggage reports. |
Travel Delay | Delay cause documentation (weather reports, airline confirmations), expense receipts for meals, accommodations and transportation, and proof the original travel was disrupted. |
*File claims online at travelexinsurance.com, call 800-501-4781 or email.
FAQ: Travelex Travel Insurance
Can I add coverage after purchasing my policy?
You can upgrade to a higher plan tier or add optional coverages like CFAR, adventure sports or enhanced baggage before your trip starts. Contact Travelex directly for upgrade eligibility and specific timing requirements.
Does Travelex cover trip cancellations due to work emergencies?
Only the Ultimate plan covers work-related cancellations when purchased within 15 days of the initial trip deposit. Essential and Advantage exclude job-related cancellations.
How long can Travelex automatically extend my coverage?
Coverage extends up to seven days automatically if you're delayed due to covered reasons like medical quarantine or travel delay. This extension applies to medical, baggage and assistance services without additional premium.
Do travel companions need separate policies?
Yes, each traveler needs individual coverage. Travelex doesn't offer family or group plans. Calculate each person's trip costs separately and purchase individual policies.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for almost a decade, first with LendingTree and now with MoneyGeek, conducting original research on hundreds of insurance companies and millions of insurance rates for insurance shoppers.
He writes about economics and insurance on MoneyGeek, breaking down complex topics so people can have confidence in their purchase. Like all MoneyGeek analysts, Mark collects and analyzes independent cost and consumer experience data on insurance companies to provide objective recommendations in our content that are independent of any of MoneyGeek's insurance company partnerships.
His insights — on products ranging from car, home and renters insurance to health and life insurance — have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR among others.
Mark holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He started his career working in financial risk management at State Street before transitioning to analysis of the personal insurance market. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!