Travel Guard is one of our top picks for travel insurance because of its range of customizable policies and above-average coverage limits for things like lost luggage and emergency medical assistance.
We especially like that all Travel Guard policies come with a waiver for pre-existing medical conditions and the option to add a child 17 or younger with every adult policy.
While previously part of the AIG insurance network, the brand was sold to Zurich Insurance Group in December 2024.
AIG Travel Guard® Travel Insurance
Policy highlights
AIG Travel Guard offers Essential,Preferred and Deluxe plans, as well as an annual plan and Pack N' Go plan for same-day travel. Add-ons include coverage for rental vehicles, pets, adventure sports and wedding cancellations
Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Add-on to Preferred and Deluxe plans reimbursing 50% of trip costs if purchased within 15 days of initial deposit.
Pre-existing condition waiver
Available with any plan purchased within 15 days of initial trip deposit
Read our AIG Travel Guard review
Pros
- Adult policies include coverage for one child under 17
- Travel delay benefit of $1,000 is available after five-hour delay.
- Medical care and evacuation limits can be doubled
Cons
- Cancel For Any Reason policies only reimburse up to 50%
- Standard medical coverage limit lower than some competitors
- Not all products are available for purchase online
Travel Guard pros and cons
- One child under 17 is covered for free with each adult policy
- Pack N' Go Plan offers immediate coverage for last-minute trips
- Waiver for pre-existing medical conditions available on all tiers
- Cancel For Any Reason insurance only reimburses 50% of trip costs
- Baggage delay benefit requires a 24-hour delay
- Some products are not available online
Travel Guard plans
Travel Guard has three standard single-trip policies and an immediate policy for last-minute travel.
Essential
This budget plan offers basic protections for trip cancellations, interruptions and delays, as well as coverage for delayed or lost baggage, up to $15,000 in emergency medical coverage (with a sub-limit of $500 for dental care) and an accidental death and dismemberment benefit. Like all standard Travel Guard plans, it offers free coverage for a child 17 or under with each adult policy and a waiver for pre-existing medical conditions.
Preferred
The company's most popular policy has higher limits than the Essential plan and adds up to $1,000 coverage for missed connections and a $750 travel inconvenience benefit. It also offers a host of optional add-ons like Cancel For Any Reason insurance and coverage for pets, extreme sports and rental vehicles.
Other benefits that come with Preferred and Deluxe plans include:
- Trip exchange: Reimburses costs to reschedule your trip instead of cancelling because of a covered reason. (Pays up to 50% of insured costs up to $75,000)
- Trip Saver: Pays up to $2,500 if weather causes a cancellation or a delay to your point of departure
Deluxe
Travel Guard's most comprehensive policy is suitable for more adventurous travelers, with up to $100,000 for emergency medical care (compared to $50,000 with the preferred plan) and up to $1 million for a medical evacuation. The Deluxe plan also includes Flight Guard, an accidental and death or dismemberment policy resulting from air travel worth up to $100,000.
Pack N' Go
Ideal for spontaneous trips, this plan has higher limits than the Essential plan for trip interruption, lost or delayed baggage and medical coverage, but it doesn't include trip cancellation protection, the waiver for pre-existing medical conditions or free coverage for children. The Pack N' Go plan cannot be purchased online.
Annual plans
Travel Guard also offers annual plans with larger caps that apply to multiple trips within the same year. An annual plan with Travel Guard is typically cheaper than two single-trip policies
Travel Guard standard coverage limits
Travel Guard's single-trip plans offer increasing coverage levels, with the Pack N' Go plan focusing on post-departure benefits.
| Essential | Preferred | Deluxe | Pack N’ Go | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trip cancellation | 100% of insured trip costs, up to $150,000 | 100% of insured trip costs, , up to $150,000 | 100% of insured trip costs, , up to $150,000 | Not available |
| Trip interruption | 100% of insured trip costs, up to $150,000 | 100% of insured trip costs, up to $225,000 | 150% of insured trip costs, up to $225,000 | 100% up to $1,000 |
| Trip delay (after five hours) | $100 a day, up to $500 | $200 per day, up to $800 | $200 per day, up to $1,000 | $200 per day, up to $1,000 |
| Baggage delay (after 24 hours) | Up to $200 | Up to $300 | Up to $500 | Up to $200 |
| Baggage loss | Up to $750 | Up to $1,000 | Up to $2,500 | Up to $1,000 |
| Missed connection | Available as upgrade | Up to $1,000 | Up to $1,000 | Up to $500 |
| Emergency medical | Up to $15,000 | Up to $50,000 | Up to $100,000 | Up to $25,000 |
| Emergency evacuation | Up to $150,000 | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1 million | Up to $500,000 |
Optional add-ons
Add-ons vary by plan, but can include:
- Cancel for Any Reason insurance: Can reimburse you up to 50% of your trip's insured cost.
- Rental car insurance: Pays for damages to a rental car for up to $35,000 of physical damage with a $250 deductible.
- Coverage for adventure sports: Covers things like scuba diving, hang gliding, mountain climbing and bungee jumping.
- Pet coverage: Pays for boarding if you don't come home in time, or medical expense coverage for illnesses or injuries while traveling with you.
- Security bundle: Pays for evacuations or trip cancellation/interruption due to civil unrest.
- Wedding bundle: Traveling wedding guests can get trip cancellation coverage if the wedding is canceled.
How much does Travel Guard cost?
We requested coverage for a two-week UK vacation in April for two 35-year-old adults from New York with two children, ages 8 and 10, and a cost of about $3,000 per person.
The sample rates we were quoted for our family of four were:
- Travel Guard Essential: $331.06 (2.7% of the total trip cost)
- Travel Guard Premium: $399.86 (3.3%)
- Travel Guard Deluxe: $478.02 (3.1%)
How Travel Guard compares to other travel insurance
We compared Travel Guard to two leaders in the travel insurance space.
Travel Guard vs. Nationwide
Travel Guard and Nationwide Travel Insurance are both top options for protecting your travel plans, although Nationwide only has two single-trip policies, a basic Essential Plan and the higher-ticket Prime Plan, both of which came with higher sample rates for our family of four.
We were quoted $381.40 for Nationwide's Essential Plan, compared to $264.78 with Travel Guard's Essential Plan, and $562.70 for Nationwide's Prime plan compared to $448.94 for Travel Guard's Deluxe option.
Nationwide's Essential plan offers up to $10,000 for trip cancellation and $12,500 for trip interruption, far less than the $150,000 each offered in Travel Guard's basic plan. Its medical coverage is more robust, however, covering $75,000 in emergency medical expenses and $250,000 for emergency medical evacuation — far more than the $15,000 medical and $150,000 evacuation coverage from Travel Guard.
Nationwide Travel Insurance
Policy highlights
Single- and multi-trip plans and cruise insurance, plus add-ons like CFAR and rental car coverage.
Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Add-on to Prime plan that reimburses 75% of nonrefundable trip costs if purchased within 21 days of booking (Not available in New York or Washington state)
Pre-existing condition waiver
Available with single-trip plan purchased within 20 days of initial trip deposit (14 days for cruise insurance)
Nationwide's higher-end Prime Plan maxes out at $30,000 for trip cancellation and $60,000 for trip interruption, compared to $150,000 and $225,000, respectively, for both Travel Guard's Premium and Deluxe Policies.
Nationwide's Cancel for Any Reason policy, however, reimburses up to 75% of nonrefundable trip costs, compared to just 50% with Travel Guard
Nationwide's strong suit is with more cruise coverage than Travel Guard: It offers three cruise-specific policies with a 10-day review period and coverage for missed connections, itinerary changes, mechanical breakdowns and other disruptions. The basic Universal Cruise plan includes $75,000 in medical coverage and $250,000 for emergency evacuations.
Travel Guard vs. Allianz Travel Insurance
Both Travel Guard and Allianz offer three tiers, each with increased coverage limits: While Travel Guard has Essential, Preferred and Deluxe, Allianz offers OneTrip Basic, OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premier plans.
All Travel Guard plans cover one child under 17 for free, while only Allianz's OneTrip Prime and Premier policies offer that benefit. So, the sample rate for our family of four on Allianz's OneTrip Basic plan is $410, but the OneTrip Prime plan came with a sample rate of $302 for all four.
Allianz Travel Insurance
Policy highlights
Single-trip and multi-trip/annual policies and a rental car plan. OneTrip Prime and Premier plans include coverage for one child 17 or younger when accompanying a covered adult.
Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Reimburses 80% of nonrefundable trip costs if you cancel at least 48 hours before departure.
Pre-existing condition waiver
Included if policy is purchased within 14 days of initial deposit
Read our review of Allianz Travel Insurance
The OneTrip Premier plan, which includes $1,600 for missed connections, had a sample rate of $408.
Protection for medical services and evacuation are on par, depending on the plan you select, but Travel Guard has stronger trip cancellation and interruption coverage and Allianz has higher trip and baggage delay benefits.
It also has more extensive multi-trip plans under its AllTrips banner that can benefit business travelers and frequent globetrotters.
Is Travel Guard travel insurance right for me?
Travel Guard can be the right choice if you want both robust coverage and a lot of customization. It's particularly appealing to international travelers who don't want to be stuck paying for medical expenses and for last-minute travelers looking for a simple policy.
Families should also strongly consider Travel Guard, since kids 17 and under are covered free of charge with a paid-up adult.
Travel Guard FAQs
Does Travel Guard cover flight cancellations?
Yes, Travel Guard policies include flight cancellations for covered reasons, like an illness, a death in the family or jury duty. You will have to provide evidence to support your reason for cancelling, however.
Can I get a Travel Guard policy with a pre-existing medical condition?
All of Travel Guard's single-trip policies offer waivers for pre-existing medical conditions as long as you buy your policy within 15 days of making your initial trip payment. Some conditions — including mental illness, substance abuse issues and Alzheimer's disease — are generally not covered by a waiver, though.
Does Travel Guard cover COVID-19?
If you develop COVID-19 before you depart, your trip cancellation benefit should cover you. If you become sick during your vacation, you'll be able to access your trip interruption and emergency medical benefits. In general, however, travel insurance companies won't reimburse a trip cancellation because you're worried about getting sick.
How do I file a claim with AIG Travel Guard?
To file a claim with Travel Guard, you should first cancel your travel plans with your airline, hotel, tour guides and any other providers, being sure to get proof of payment or your original confirmation. You'll need to submit a claim and, depending on your reason for cancelling and the nature of your claim, provide receipts, proof of cancellation, documentation from the airline, a medical certificate or copies of any accident or police reports.
You can file a claim online at claims.travelguard.com or by phone at 866-478-8222, Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT.
Is Travel Guard worth it?
If you're buying a travel insurance policy to ensure your travel and possessions are protected, Travel Guard is a worthwhile option. It received an A+ from the Better Business Bureau and has affordable options for both families and last-minute travelers. If your credit card has travel insurance benefits, however, it's always worth comparing coverage to see if it's worth buying a standalone policy.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Our methodology
CNBC Select judges travel insurance companies on average rates, the number of plans, coverage limits and options, customer service and the availability of add-ons like Cancel for Any Reason insurance or rental car coverage.
For sample rates in this story, we gathered quotes for an April 2025 trip to the United Kingdom for a family of four, including two New York residents aged 35 with two children, ages 8 and 10, spending $3,000 per person ($12,000 total).
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