travel insurance for a child only

Key Benefits of Family Travel Insurance

Types of coverage in family policies, special considerations for family insurance, choosing the right family travel insurance, purchasing family travel insurance, utilizing family travel insurance, family travel insurance faqs, family travel insurance: comprehensive protection for your loved ones.

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• Your travel insurance may already cover your entire family, including children.
• Travel insurance can cover a single trip or multiple trips within a set time, usually a year.
• Travel insurance for families should have larger coverage limits than single-traveler plans.

Before they were four months old, my daughters went on their first long-haul international flights, stopping in Dubai before reaching Australia to visit family. Since then, I've learned a lot about traveling with kids. 

It essentially boils down to expecting the unexpected. Whether it's a child needing a sudden ER visit just before departure (shoutout to my oldest) or your luggage with all the baby essentials going missing (which happened to my second), you've got to be prepared to roll with the punches, which is where travel insurance comes in.

You might not think much about travel insurance and kids, but if you're a jet-setting family, you probably should. The question of what travel insurance covers is broad. It may cover medical emergencies abroad, lost luggage, and interrupted trips. 

Some policies will even cover cancellations for illness, which parents know always seem to strike at the worst possible times. Here's what you should know about travel insurance before starting your next family vacation.

Comprehensive coverage 

Family travel insurance covers all traveling family members under a specific policy. Comprehensive coverage in family travel insurance includes emergency medical expenses, cancellations and interruptions, delays, and lost luggage for your entire group. 

Cost-effectiveness

While adding your kid to your travel insurance policy is the simplest way to get coverage, it's not always the best travel insurance for your family's needs. More extensive trips and larger families often have to purchase family travel insurance. Insuring multiple people on one policy allows you to score lower rates than buying insurance for each person.

Medical and emergency assistance

Your U.S. healthcare plan may not cover you in other countries. So, you could be responsible for a hefty bill if you get into an accident and require medical care abroad. Fortunately, a comprehensive travel insurance plan includes travel medical insurance , which covers emergency medical expenses such as treatments, hospital stays, and medication. Insurers also offer emergency evacuation and return to the U.S. for medical care at your home institution.

Trip cancellation and interruption

Travel insurance provides coverage for families facing unexpected changes in travel plans. It covers prepaid, nonrefundable expenses incurred when you have to cancel your trip or when your trip is interrupted due to covered unforeseen events, like a pandemic or natural disaster. 

Coverage for children and elderly family members

Your travel insurance may already cover your entire family, including children. Many policies allow you to add children 17 or under as long as they travel with at least one legal guardian. Some policies enable grandparents to add kids, too. Often, adding kids is free, but if you're traveling with more than one kiddo, you may need to pay for additional travel insurance coverage.

Policies may have exclusions for those with pre-existing conditions, which is an important consideration for those traveling with elderly families. The good news is that many insurers offer a pre-existing condition waiver if certain conditions are met. 

Family-specific inclusions and exclusions

A comprehensive family travel insurance plan covers all family members for an additional fee. Your plan includes medical and emergency assistance and evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, and stolen or damaged baggage loss. 

However, your policy excludes coverage for the following reasons: 

• Foreseeable events (covered in a cancel for any reason policy (CFAR))
• Travel restrictions from government authorities (covered in a CFAR policy)
• Pre-existing conditions (covered with a pre-existing condition waiver)
• High-risk activities (covered with an adventure and sports add-on)

Assessing your family's needs

Assessing your family's needs can help you find the right family travel insurance. Some factors to consider before purchasing a policy are travel frequency and duration, the risk level of your destination, budget, which family members are traveling, and any planned activities.

Comparing family policies

Kids traveling without parents need different travel insurance.

Sooner or later, your child might want to go on a trip with their cousins, friends, or neighbors. Children traveling without a parent need travel insurance for unaccompanied minors or single-child travel insurance. Child-specific travel insurance provides the same coverage as other policies, targeting the youngest solo travelers.

High-flying families can buy a multi-trip travel insurance policy

If your little ones have frequent flier miles, you might be the type of family to benefit from a multi-trip policy, also known as annual travel insurance. This type of policy covers your entire family for the whole year, which means you'll have one less to-do item on your list before booking flights on a whim.

Annual plans may have more limitations. Annual plans limit the length of covered trips, usually 30 days or under. Many limit the riders you can add such as pre-existing condition and CFAR coverage.

Of course, you should expect to also pay more upfront for the same coverage. Depending on how often you travel, though, an annual plan could save you compared to buying a new one for every trip. Just make sure you check your policy documents for any restrictions.

Big kids qualify for travel insurance too

As more experienced parents like to tell me, the years fly by. At some point, your kids aren't, well, children anymore. But many are still dependent on mom and dad. Luckily, some travel insurance policies allow you to add older offspring, often till the age of 21.

If you've started a tradition of buying travel insurance, your bigger kids might purchase separate policies for spring break weekends and other friend trips. For many parents, looping young adult dependents into the family plan is one more way to reduce unnecessary hassles.

Parents traveling without kids should consider a cancel for any reason policy

Sometimes kids can impact your travel plans, even when traveling without them. Parents traveling sans children can enjoy the extra peace of mind from CFAR travel insurance. As the name suggests, this coverage lets you cancel because of a sick kid, a must-see school event, or anything else. Of course, each policy has a time limit.

You have to cancel your plans before the trip happens. Some companies may have different cutoffs. So make sure to check your policy documents. However, as long as you meet that deadline, you won't have to worry about unseen coverage exclusions.

I just added this for a girls' trip to Italy without my daughters this spring. While I would hate to miss the pizza and gelato for any reason, knowing I could change plans if there were an emergency with my children was well worth the cost of adding cancel for any reason coverage.

You can find our guide on the best CFAR travel insurance here.

Where and when to buy

Some credit cards offer travel insurance coverage. So, before purchasing a policy, check your benefits for credit card travel protection . Then, figure out if you need to purchase extra travel insurance coverage. 

You can buy travel insurance directly from an insurance provider or through an online comparison website to see multiple quotes at once. Travel agencies also offer insurance with your travel booking. 

It's best to buy a policy before your departure date. Limitations on when you must purchase your policy vary by insurer and policy type. However, many insurers require you to purchase within 14 days after making your first trip deposit  

Documentation and application process

According to Travelex insurance , these are the pieces of information you'll need to purchase travel insurance. 

• Trip dates 
• Travelers' names and ages
• Destination 
• Initial trip deposit date 
• Cost of trip by traveler (prepaid and nonrefundable expenses)

Depending on your coverage, your insurance company may ask for more information, such as pre-existing medical conditions and planned activities. 

Managing the Policy During Travel

Including your family members on a single policy makes managing your travel insurance easier. Be sure each family member knows the policy's information, including the policy number, coverages and exclusions, emergency hotline number, and how to file a claim. It would help to carry a digital or physical copy of the policy. 

Handling claims and emergencies

If you encounter a medical emergency, trip disruption, or lost and stolen property, contact your travel insurance company's emergency assistance hotline. They can provide information on where to proceed or how to get your trip back on track.

Then, you'll want to file a claim for any unexpected expenses you've incurred. Travel insurance works on a reimbursement model. You have to pay for those expenses out-of-pocket before your insurer reimburses you. So, it's important to retain documentation, like receipts, medical records, police records, etc., to file your claim. 

In addition to supporting documents, you'll need to provide your policy information and details of the incident. Many insurers allow you to file a claim online but you can also do so over the phone with an agent.

Conclusion and Recommendations for Family Travel Insurance

Traveling with families is expensive and stressful, even for those who love it. However, travel insurance is a small expense that can reassure you that you're ready for whatever happens. Make sure to choose the best travel insurance policy for your family's needs and enjoy the peace of mind it provides on your next adventure.

Yes. Most family travel insurance policies cover domestic and international trips, providing comprehensive protection regardless of the destination.

Many providers offer the option to customize family travel insurance policies to include coverage for adventure sports, though this may incur additional costs.

Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions varies between policies. To get a pre-existing condition waiver , most policies require that you purchase your policy within a time frame from when you made your first trip payment.

Family travel insurance is generally cost-effective for large families. It typically covers multiple family members under one policy, often at a lower cost than individual policies. Most insurers will be able to cover up to 10 family members.

Many family travel insurance policies include children at no additional cost or offer reduced rates for children. However, child-included pricing is, by no means, the industry standard.

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Children's Travel Insurance

What is children's travel insurance, why your child needs under-18s travel insurance.

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office recently identified that young travellers are more likely to head abroad without travel insurance than other age groups, and that this is more common for those travelling to Europe.  

No matter where your child is visiting, travel insurance adds a layer of protection in case the unexpected happens – whether that be medical emergencies, cancellations, lost possessions, stolen passports or much more. 

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What type of children’s travel insurance do you need .

There are a few options on how to cover your child depending upon if they are travelling alone or with adults.

If your child is travelling with relatives, then our family travel insurance policies may represent a good choice to cover all of your loved ones on one more easily manageable policy.

If your child is travelling with a group of friends or with non-family members then our group travel insurance allows you to cover the entire group under one policy. Or else you can elect to take out an individual travel insurance policy just for your child.

For children under 18 travelling alone our single trip travel insurance and backpacker travel insurance policies may represent the best fit. Single trip policies cover travel for up to 90-day holidays within any 180 day period and there is no lower age limit so no matter when they plan to travel they’ll be protected.

Our backpacker travel insurance is more suitable for gap year students or those planning a lengthy trip away. There is no lower age limit with these policies and they provide up to 365 days of continuous cover

We also offer annual multi-trip travel insurance , however, you should be aware that under-18s may only travel independently if travelling with at least one adult aged 18 or over and with the full knowledge and consent of an insured parent or guardian. This could be a good option for families travelling twice or more per year as it usually works out cheaper and the knowledge of knowing your covered for every trip you take in a 12 month period.

Importantly, remember that an adult over 18 will need to purchase the policy on behalf of the child.

What does our under-18s travel insurance cover?

Swipe to view more

Extra cover to consider alongside children’s travel insurance

Popular insurance types that may interest you.

Winter Sports and Ski Travel Insurance

Sports and Leisure Travel Insurance

Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)

What is not covered

There are some circumstances or events where your children's travel insurance policy may not be able to provide cover, these include: 

• Undeclared medical conditions: Any existing conditions that you have which your child has which haven’t declared and accepted will not be covered.
• Extreme sport and activities not listed in the policy wording: There are some more adventurous activities which we may be unable to cover. A full list of activities included on our policies is available in the policy documents. Additional cover can be purchased for  winter sports and skiing insurance .
• Being under the influence or negligent behaviour: If your child needs to make a claim resulting from negligent behaviour, for example leaving their bags unattended, or from being under the influence or alcohol or non-prescription drugs then we may not be able to accept the claim.
• Any t ravel against FCDO advice

For more information on what isn't covered, please see the policy documents .

Frequently Asked Questions

Usually this is something that it organised by your child’s school, so it is worth checking with them as to what protection they have in place. In some cases, school policies may only cover third party liability.

If this is the case you may wish to purchase a separate policy for them to ensure that medical conditions, cancellations, loss or theft of belongings are covered, this is particularly important if you child has an existing medical condition. 

Our under 18s travel insurance policies can cover you for destinations across the world, just enter the destinations you’ll be visiting when getting a children’s travel insurance quote. If you are looking for annual multi trip cover then you’ll be asked to choose the region of travel from:

• Wordwide excluding the USA and Canada
• Worldwide including the USA and Canada

You should be aware that if you travel to a destination that the FCDO advises against travel to then you will not be covered. 

How to ensure you have the right cover

Does your bank or credit card company provide cover.

Many bank accounts and credit cards come with some level of travel insurance cover. While some may be comprehensive, they may not cover you for everything you have planned whilst you’re away, particularly if you have adventurous plans or unusual excursions booked. 

Make sure you look into the travel insurance policy that you have before every trip, to make sure it’s suitable for you and your plans.

Purchasing a holiday using a credit card means you are often protected by Consumer Protection cover. In most cases, it allows you to get your money returned to you if your provider defaults and you cannot travel.

Are you covered by ABTA or ATOL?

If you have booked a holiday through a tour operator or travel agent, it may be worth checking if you are covered by ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) or ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s License). This type of cover means that your package holiday is protected if, for example, the travel company providing your holiday arrangements or the travel agent themselves fail financially or close down.

Your travel agents will be able to tell you if your holiday is ABTA or ATOL protected. Alternatively, use the links provided to check your cover at home.

What is an EHIC or GHIC and what can it offer you?

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• Kids’ travel insurance

It's a proud feeling when children turn eighteen and start holidaying on their own. Although, perhaps it's tinged with a feeling of relief. But you can't help but worry a little too.

What happens if they lose their passports? Will they be robbed or have an accident? How can you help them if they run into trouble when you're so far away? That’s where travel insurance comes in.

Young, carefree - and not concerned about travel insurance

If you want to rest assured your kids have cover when they are away, take out some travel insurance on their behalf. Because they may not have arranged it themselves.

Some countries are riskier for tourists than others - it’s wise to check before plans are made and flights booked. If you need to confirm that we are able to provide cover for where your children are travelling, please check the latest advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FDCO).

For each individual country the FCDO will list if travel is permitted or not. We recommend checking the latest foreign travel advice regularly as from time to time it can change, sometimes at short notice. 

Remember, the cover won't be valid if they travel to a destination when the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have advised against all travel there. 

If the FCDO have advised to only undertake essential travel to a destination and your trip is not essential and you choose to travel, we will only cover a claim if the cause is not linked to the reason for the FCDO advice. This limitation applies even if you have purchased an optional Trip Disruption or Covid-19 upgrade. You may be able to travel with full cover if we authorise in writing that your trip is essential before you depart. Should you like to request this, please email [email protected]

Having travel insurance means that if they get involved in an accident or unexpectedly fall ill while they are away, they may be able to recover some or all of the costs.

In common with most travel insurance policies, injury or mishaps that occur as a result of careless or negligent acts like balconing and tombstoning or being under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs will not be covered. Check the details in your policy document closely.

Make sure you've got travel insurance to cover you and your family

We could save them - and you - from paying out a small fortune.

That's especially reassuring to know if they are exploring North America, where emergency medical treatment can be prohibitively expensive. Travel insurance for the USA and cover for Canada are therefore essential. If they end up somewhere remote needing medical assistance, make sure your travel insurance can get them to the nearest suitable hospital if a doctor determines they need medical treatment, and back home as soon as possible if necessary.

Make sure they know about Ghic 

If your children are travelling to Europe help them to get a valid UK Global Health Insurance Card (Ghic). It's free, so make sure no one tries to charge. And it means they might receive state-provided medical healthcare for less. However, our travel insurance cover could pay more of the cost for you.

The availability of cover options is dependent upon the level of cover you select. Conditions and exclusions apply. For full details of what's included with your cover,  check the policy documents tab .

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The 5 Best Family Travel Insurance Plans

Travelex Insurance Services »

Allianz Travel Insurance »

Seven Corners »

World Nomads Travel Insurance »

AIG Travel Guard »

Why Trust Us

U.S. News evaluates ratings, data and scores of more than 50 travel insurance companies from comparison websites like TravelInsurance.com, Squaremouth and InsureMyTrip, plus renowned credit rating agency AM Best, in addition to reviews and recommendations from top travel industry sources and consumers to determine the Best Family Travel Insurance Plans.

Table of Contents

• Travelex Insurance Services
• Allianz Travel Insurance
• Seven Corners

The best travel insurance plans can provide you with considerable peace of mind, but the real value comes into play when you wind up using your coverage. Hassles like flight delays, lost luggage and unexpected injuries can be stressful and traumatic, yet travel insurance can reimburse you for the financial costs associated with these mishaps.

If you are planning to travel with your entire family in tow, you already know that the stakes are higher and the potential for losses even greater. For example, you'll want to make sure children traveling with you have travel medical insurance as well as coverage for trip cancellations and interruptions.

You'll need to compare the best family travel insurance plans of 2023 if you want to find the right one for you and ensure each of your dependents is covered by your policy. U.S. News has compiled this guide to the best of the best when it comes to companies offering family travel insurance, since these top picks make it easy and affordable to add children to your plan.

• World Nomads Travel Insurance
• AIG Travel Guard

Travel Select plan offers complimentary coverage for children 17 and younger

Primary coverage with no deductibles

Travel Select only includes up to $50,000 in protection for emergency medical expenses (optional upgrade available)

Meager policy limits ($200) for delayed baggage and sporting equipment

• Trip cancellation protection worth up to 100% of prepaid travel expenses (up to $50,000)
• Trip interruption coverage worth up to 150% (up to $75,000)
• Up to $2,000 ($250 per day) in coverage for trip delays
• $750 for missed connections
• $50,000 for emergency medical and dental expenses
• $500,000 in coverage for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
• $1,000 in insurance for baggage and personal effects

SEE FULL REVIEW »

Single-trip travel insurance plans include free coverage for children ages 17 and younger

Allianz offers annual travel insurance plans for families

Not all plans cover kids for free

Get coverage for up to 10 people in a single policy

Generous policy limits for emergency medical expenses and evacuation

Kids aren't covered for free

Emergency dental coverage is capped at $750

• Trip cancellation coverage worth up to 100% of prepaid trip costs
• Trip interruption coverage up to 150%
• Trip delay coverage up to $2,000 ($250 per day)
• Up to $1,500 in protection for missed tours or cruise connections ($250 per day)
• Up to $500,000 in coverage for emergency medical expenses
• Up to $1 million in protection for emergency evacuation

Includes coverage for up to seven children on a single policy

Provides coverage for more than 200 adventure activities and sports

No free travel coverage for kids with paid adults

No option to customize coverage with CFAR protection

• Up to $100,000 in emergency medical insurance
• $500,000 in coverage for emergency medical evacuation
• $3,000 in insurance for lost baggage and belongings
• $10,000 in insurance for trip cancellation

Free coverage for one child 17 or younger with each paying adult relative on the plan

Choose from three tiers of travel protection based on your needs

Travel medical expense coverage is low ($15,000) with Essential plan

Essential plan also has low limits for baggage delays ($200) and lost or stolen luggage ($750)

• Up to 100% in coverage for trip cancellation
• 150% in coverage for trip interruption
• $1,000 in baggage insurance
• $300 in protection for baggage delays
• $50,000 in insurance for emergency medical expenses
• $500,000 in protection for medical evacuation

Family Travel Insurance: Coverages You'll Need

As you compare the best travel insurance plans for families, you might be wondering which types of coverage are most important. Ultimately, that depends on the cost of your trip, where you're traveling and the travel issues you worry about the most.

Frequent traveler Linda L. Adkins of Spokane, Washington, says she purchases travel insurance for every trip since her U.S.-based health insurance policy doesn't apply when her family travels overseas. She worries not only about emergency medical expenses that could come into play, but also about the high costs of medical evacuation if a family member needs to be transported a long distance or even back to the U.S.

Adkins has also endured scenarios where her luggage was temporarily lost by an airline while traveling internationally, and she says her delayed baggage benefit was useful when it came to purchasing clothing and toiletries. "I spent almost $100 per day for three days in a row while we waited for our bags," she says.

Adkins saved her receipts and received reimbursement through her travel insurance provider's baggage delay benefit.

U.S. News recommends having the following types of coverage (at a minimum) in place for every trip with kids:

• $50,000-plus in primary insurance per traveler for emergency medical expenses
• Coverage for COVID-19
• $100,000-plus in coverage for emergency medical evacuation
• Adequate protection for trip delays and lost or delayed baggage

Frequently Asked Questions

Credit card travel insurance can provide coverage for families, although the types and amounts of protection you receive can be limited. As an example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card comes with trip cancellation coverage for up to $10,000 per person and up to $20,000 per covered trip, as well as lost luggage reimbursement worth up to $3,000 per passenger if the cardholder or an immediate family member has their luggage lost by a common carrier.

Fine print with the card also states that trip delay coverage can apply if common carrier travel gets delayed by more than six hours or requires an overnight stay, and that both the cardholder and their family members can be reimbursed up to $500 per ticket for incidental travel expenses including meals and lodging.

For credit card travel insurance to apply, the cardholder needs to pay for common carrier travel for all of their family members with the credit card in question. In other words, simply carrying a travel credit card with travel insurance benefits won't be enough.

Travel insurance plans are built to cover every person listed on the application for coverage. This means you can apply for travel insurance as an individual or as a family who wants all members covered under a single plan.

That said, some travel insurance plans are superior for families since they offer free coverage for dependents. Others offer comprehensive travel insurance policies that provide broad coverage for groups up to 10 people.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Holly Johnson is an award-winning content creator who has been writing about travel insurance and travel for more than a decade. She has researched travel insurance options for her own vacations and family trips to more than 50 countries around the world, and she has experience navigating the claims and reimbursement process. In fact, she has successfully filed several travel insurance claims for trip delays and trip cancellations over the years. Johnson also works alongside her husband, Greg – who has been licensed to sell travel insurance in 50 states – in their family media business.

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Best Family Travel Insurance

Sam Kemmis is a travel rewards expert at NerdWallet specializing in airline and hotel loyalty programs. In a previous professional life, he wrote comedy until a nomadic lifestyle and a lifelong obsession with saving money turned his attention to travel rewards. He is no longer funny. His work has been featured by The Associated Press, The Points Guy and Fast Company. He has spoken about travel rewards at CardCon, the Altitude conference and AwardWallet's "Award Travel 101" podcast. He is based in Ojai, California, and teaches mindfulness meditation because that's what you do in Ojai.

After spending seven years in the U.S. Air Force as an Arabic linguist, Carissa is now a freelance writer using points and miles to fund a four-year (and counting!) adventure. She previously worked as a reporter for The Points Guy. Her writing has since been featured in numerous publications, including Forbes, Business Insider, and The Balance. When she's not flying, you'll usually find her in a Priority Pass lounge somewhere, sipping tea and cursing slow Wi-Fi.

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

Travel insurance company factors we considered

An overview of the best travel insurance for families, top options for travel insurance for a family, additional resources for family travel insurance shoppers.

Even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry. This possibility doubles (or even triples) when traveling with a family, which can mean that purchasing family travel insurance may make sense for you.

This type of insurance will cover you and your loved ones if you miss your flight, your partner gets food poisoning, your children’s bags are lost and more. Here are the best family travel insurance plans and the factors we considered, and tips on choosing the best plan for you.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

We used the following criteria when choosing which travel insurance companies are best:

Cost . Cost can play a huge factor in choosing a travel insurance plan, especially when you’re traveling with multiple people. We compared costs for basic policies to choose the most affordable options. 

Types of coverage . There is a wide variety of coverage options for insurance , including medical coverage and trip protection benefits. We chose those with the widest range of inclusions. 

Coverage amounts . Many policies offer a variable level of coverage; more expensive policies can include higher policy limits, though this isn’t always the case. 

Customizability . Different travelers have different types of needs, which means that we focused on policies that offer customizability as part of their benefits. 

» Learn more: What does travel insurance cover?

To determine the best travel insurance for a family, we compared the price and benefits across multiple insurance companies for a sample trip taken by a family of three from New Hampshire — a 39-year-old father, 33-year-old mother and 3-year-old child. They are traveling to Germany during the winter and estimate a total trip cost of $12,000.

Overall, the average cost of a plan came out to $257.78, though one plan priced out far below the rest.

Here's a closer look at our top five recommendations for travel insurance for families.

Allianz Travel

What makes Allianz travel insurance great for families:

Family travel medical insurance that includes coverage for pre-existing conditions. 

Customizability includes rental car insurance and Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) insurance. 

Provides up to $1,000 per person for lost baggage. 

Here’s a snippet from our Allianz Travel insurance review:

“OneTrip Prime provides all the benefits of the Basic plan but with higher limits, a few extra coverage areas and complimentary coverage for children 17 and under when traveling with a parent or grandparent.”

The complimentary coverage is useful, especially for families with multiple kids.

» Learn more: Trip cancellation insurance explained

World Nomads

What makes World Nomads great for families:

Lower-than-average cost. 

Includes adventure sports and activities.

Provides $25,000 non-medical emergency transportation. 

World Nomads is a great fit for particularly adventurous families, as its plans include coverage for over 200 activities. So if you're taking the kids skiing this winter or are planning to backpack the Colorado Trail next summer, this might be a good choice.

» Learn more: Does travel insurance cover award flights?

What makes AXA great for families:

Covers 100% of trip cost for interruption or cancellation for covered reasons. 

Provides $100 per person, per day for trip delay.

Includes $100 in coverage for airline reissue or cancellation fees. 

Having kids invites a lot of unpredictability for trip planning. Will your oldest bring home a virus from day care? Will your baby suddenly enter a difficult sleep regression that renders you exhausted? Having 100% coverage for trip cancellation can bring families peace of mind when putting big trip deposits down.

What makes IMG great for families:

Hundreds of dollars cheaper than the other options. 

$0 deductible for medical insurance. 

Up to $5,000 for trip interruption. 

Here’s a snippet from our IMG review:

“Some policies provide emergency medical evacuation coverage, while others skip this benefit entirely. This benefit may be more important to you if you travel to a remote location or engage in physical activity such as trekking.

More comprehensive plans may include other benefits such as assistance with acquiring a new passport, reimbursing reward mile redeposit fees or coverage for pre-existing conditions. If these are something you’re interested in, be sure to check that your policy includes these options.”

What makes Tin Leg great:

Lower-than-average cost.

150% reimbursed for trip interruption. 

Customizability, including coverage for pre-existing conditions. 

We like Tin Leg for its affordability. You can pocket the saved cash for more ice cream stops on your trip.

Interested in learning more about travel insurance, including annual family travel insurance and methods to make travel insurance less expensive? Start here.

How to find the right travel insurance for you

How annual or multi-trip travel insurance works

Do you need travel insurance in 2023?

10 credit cards that provide travel insurance

If you’re traveling with family and would like to make sure they’re insured, you can choose to include them in your insurance plan. Most companies will allow you to select the number of travelers in your group when generating a quote.

The definition for immediate family is going to vary based on your insurance provider. Generally speaking, you can expect that your spouse, children, parents, grandparents, in-laws, aunts and uncles all count as immediate family.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee:   Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards:  Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card  

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-10x Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1x-2x Earn 2X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

50,000 Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

sign up and keep track of your travel insurance events

Why You Should Buy Travel Insurance for Your Kids

Some of the best travel is family travel, and as a new generation of family travelers prepares to explore the world, it’s important to understand how travel insurance works for the youngest family members – and whether you can even buy travel insurance for kids and babies.

Can I buy travel insurance for my child?

The short answer is that yes, you can buy travel insurance for babies and children. You can even purchase travel insurance for your child without an adult on the policy, if that is needed.

There are a few things you need to know about insuring young travelers, and why it’s such a good idea:

Things happen to young travelers, too

Also read:  7 Questions to Ask to Find the Best Family Travel Insurance

Think about everything that can happen to you on vacation – your trip gets interrupted, you lose your luggage, you have a medical emergency . Well, all those can happen to someone who’s traveling with you, even if they’re just a few months old.

Maybe a better way to look at it is to flip the script: What if you bought travel insurance for yourself and not for your child and your family had to cancel their trip ? You could be reimbursed for your flight, but you couldn’t be reimbursed for your child’s flight. Does that seem right, or even logical? So, we suggest you insure everyone that’s taking the trip.

One of the main reasons you should buy travel insurance is to help get reimbursed for prepaid travel expenses. If any of those involve your children, you should buy travel insurance for them, too … and even if that’s not the case, you should buy travel insurance for them, just for the emergency medical component.

Also read:  Why Travel is so Important for Families, Especially Kids

You can cover you and your children under one policy

A single Generali insurance policy can cover up to 10 traveling companions from the same state, so you can easily add your children under your policy.

It’s easy to get coverage for your kids, too. You’ll be asked for information on your children when you get a travel insurance quote . .

Travel insurance for children is really valuable

As you probably know, travel insurance is partially priced based on the calculated risk of a covered event happening. Medical emergencies are some of the most expensive types of these events.

Children tend to have fewer medical emergencies than adult travelers, so their travel insurance premiums are generally lower than their parents’, whether it’s a standalone premium or blended into a family rate.

However you choose to look at it or pay for it, travel insurance for kids seems like a slam dunk.

Before you go:  Traveling With Kids? Don't Forget the Documents

Pre-existing conditions are a big thing

One of the most interesting parts of a travel insurance plan – and something every traveler should examine closely before buying – is how it handles pre-existing medical conditions.

Generali’s Premium travel insurance plan includes coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, with some requirements . The reason why this is so important is because kids can have pre-existing medical conditions, too, everything from epilepsy to allergies, and very often those conditions define how and where they can travel.

With most health insurance companies classifying international medical services as out-of-network at best, having travel medical insurance that can cover kids’ pre-existing medical conditions is huge.

Also read:  5 Things Most People Get Wrong About Pre-Existing Conditions

Also read:  All About Travel Insurance and Theme Parks

Don’t skimp on medical coverage

Sticking with this theme a little longer, when choosing a travel insurance plan to cover you and your children, choose the plan with the highest level of emergency medical coverage you can afford (as well as coverage for pre-existing medical conditions).

Generali’s Premium plan has up to $250,000 per person in Medical & Dental Coverage. That’s a lot more peace of mind when you’re traveling with young ones.

Similarly, and because kids can fall down mountains just as easily as adults, choose the highest amount of Emergency Assistance and Transportation coverage that is available. With the Premium plan, that’s $1 million per person.

Travel insurance is great for kids as well as adults – and it can be even more valuable for the youngest travelers. Check out all of Generali’s plans and see for yourself.

Travel Resources

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• Family Life |

Best family travel insurance options for your peace of mind

Holiday Extras Travel Insurance

Staysure Travel Insurance

AXA Travel Insurance

Admiral Travel Insurance

RAC Travel Insurance

Post Office Travel Insurance

Sainsbury's Bank Travel Insurance

We're sure you're itching to get away on a family holiday sometime soon, and whether you're travelling with your newborn baby, tyrannous tot, or kids who are excited to explore the big wide world, you're going to want to get them covered with travel insurance.

Not only will it give you all some peace of mind, but it will also protect your child should anything unfortunate occur such as falling ill or getting injured, or if you happen to misplace their passport.

But do babies even need travel insurance? What are the options for kids, and what should you consider in your travel insurance policy?

We've done the research and found out everything you need to know to make sure your little one is covered, safe, and sound.

Do babies need travel insurance?

According to MoneySuperMarket , everyone in your family should have travel insurance, including toddlers and newborn babies.

It's also worth making sure that any larger baby accessories, such as travel cots and buggies, are insured too if they're being kept in the hold, and are securely packed to avoid damage. This is particularly important if you plan on taking a travel stroller with you as you might be asked to check this in on particularly busy flights.

If you're planning to travel by air, you should check with your GP or paediatrician first and foremost for their recommendation as to whether your baby can fly. You should also check the airline's policy for travelling with infants - while many budget airlines will let children fly from as young as a few weeks old, some might have different requirements.

What if I don't take out travel insurance?

Without the right cover while you're away, you risk paying a lot of money for any healthcare treatment or drugs needed to treat any health issue that might occur. Depending on where you travel and what health issue you're suffering from, this can cost anywhere from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of pounds, so it's definitely worth taking out insurance.

Your insurance should also cover any costs of any lost or damaged luggage as well as costs relating to delays and cancellations.

Do children need an EHIC or CHIC card?

Before you travel, you should make sure to get your child a free health insurance card that gives them the right to state-provided healthcare during your stay in the country you're visiting.

However, your card is not a substitute for travel insurance so you should make sure to arrange this as well.

If you and your baby or child are travelling to a country that is part of the European Economic Area, and if you have rights under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, you'll need to arrange for a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to give them access to free or discounted medical treatment in the EU.

For most people post-Brexit, the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) replaces the EHIC card if you're a UK citizen.

To apply for this free healthcare cover abroad, visit the NHS website where you can enter your own details and arrange cover for yourself or any additional family members.

What are the options for kids' travel insurance?

There are a number of travel insurance options available for children, dependent on who they are travelling with:

Standard travel insurance policy:  This will apply if your child is travelling alone and is standard for all travellers regardless of age. However, the majority of travel insurance policies won't allow a baby to have their own - they'll most likely need a policy with an adult.

Family travel insurance policy:  This will apply if your child is travelling with you as a family. Family travel insurance covers one or two adults and anywhere between one to eight children, all of whom have to be under 18 and live in your home. If you only have one child, you could look into getting a couple's travel insurance policy and buying separate standard travel insurance for your child. This might work out cheaper than the family cover so is worth investigating.

Group travel insurance policy:  This will apply if your child is travelling with non-family members. If you are not the organiser of the trip, check if group travel insurance has been arranged. If not, you might want to buy standard travel insurance for your child to be sure.

Single trip: This is best if your little one is only going to be travelling once or twice in the year.

Annual cover: If you like to travel with your family a lot, then it's best to go with an annual cover option because it'll save you from taking out a separate policy each time you go away. Just make sure your annual policy covers everywhere you might be visiting and not just Europe or the US.

What should I consider when buying children's travel insurance?

When buying your child's travel insurance you should make sure it covers any pre-existing medical conditions they have so they can get access to the medication they need or if their medication is lost.

Whether you're taking a single-trip or multi-trips could affect the cost of your insurance, with multi-trip coverage being a better option if you plan to travel from country to country, or to various countries from the UK in a short span of time.

You should consider what extra cover you or your child may need, depending on what your holiday entails and what you plan to bring. Additional cover options could include expensive items, sports insurance, and loss of luggage. With this, you should also keep an eye out for any exclusions so you have all the basics to keep your little one covered.

What should the insurance cover?

As a basis, your travel insurance should cover the following:

• Medical expenses – This should cover any illnesses your child gets while on holiday or accidents that happen to them.

• Repatriation – If your child does get poorly or have an accident, it might be best that they're treated back in the UK and you'll want to know that the costs of getting your family home is covered.

• Cancellations – It's always a good idea to make sure you're covered for any cancellation or delays that might occur.

• Theft, loss, and damage – This will cover you in case your luggage or belongings get damaged, lost, or stolen.

If your child is likely to be partaking in activities or sports that have specific risks, you should check that these are covered too. It's a good idea to get this if you'll be doing any skiing, water sports, climbing, or hiking.

What won't be covered by under-18's travel insurance?

You'll probably find the following is excluded from most child travel insurance policies:

• As with most travel insurance policies, you'll need to declare any pre-existing medical conditions your child has when filling out your insurance documents. This is very important, as you might not be covered if you don't declare them.

• If you choose to cancel your trip before the holiday, it's unlikely you'll be covered for any costs you lose because of this.

• While it's unlikely you'll be taking your family anywhere where the Government advises you don't travel, if you do decide to go somewhere that's on the list of places you shouldn't be travelling, it's unlikely an insurance policy will cover you.

Where can you find travel insurance for babies and children?

As well as searching comparison websites such as Compare The Market , GoCompare , and MoneySuperMarket to find the best deals available, we've listed providers many of whom provide enhanced Covid-19 cover too.

1. Holiday Extras Travel Insurance

www.holidayextras.com

Voted best insurance provider by the Globe Travel Awards 2020

Holiday Extras offers:

• Single and annual multi-trip travel insurance cover • Group and family travel insurance • Medical travel insurance with Covid-19 cover included on new policies • Worldwide, Europe, or UK-based travel insurance • Enhanced Covid-19 protection • Optional extras include gadget cover, winter sports, extreme sports, and additional activities • Available with three levels of cover: Bronze, Silver, and Gold • Up to £15 million medical cover and £5,000 cancellation cover

Find out more about their cover options and get a travel insurance quote.

2. Staysure Travel Insurance

www.staysure.co.uk

Winner of Best Travel Insurance Provider 2020 in the British Travel Awards

Staysure offers:

• Single and annual multi-trip travel insurance cover • Group and family travel insurance • Medical travel insurance with Covid-19 cover on all new policies • Worldwide, Europe, or UK-based travel insurance • Superior-rated Covid-19 travel insurance • Long-stay travel insurance • Winter sport cover • Optional extras include connecting flight cover, gadget cover, single item cover, travel disruption cover, terrorism cancellation cover, and European FCDO travel advice extension • Available with two levels of cover: Basic and Comprehensive • Unlimited medical cover, and up to £5,000 cancellation cover

3. AXA Travel Insurance

www.axa.co.uk

AXA offers:

• Single and multi-trip travel insurance cover • Family travel insurance • Pre-existing medical condition cover • Sports and activities cover • Winter sport cover • Each available with three levels of cover: Bronze, Silver, and Gold • Up to £15 million medical cover, and up to £5,000 cancellation cover • Policies with Covid-19 cover

4. Admiral Travel Insurance

www.admiral.com

Admiral offers:

• Single and annual multi-trip travel insurance cover • Group and family travel insurance - Children need to be added to adult policies and under-18s can't buy their own cover separately • Student travel insurance • Pre-existing medical condition insurance • Covid-19 cover now included on policies as standard • Worldwide, Europe, or UK-based travel insurance • Optional extras include a range of activities, gadget cover, and winter sports • Available with three levels of cover: Admiral, Admiral Gold, and Admiral Platinum • Up to £20million medical cover and £5,000 cancellation cover

5. RAC Travel Insurance

www.rac.co.uk

RAC offers:

• Single and annual multi-trip travel insurance cover • Family travel insurance • Pre-existing medical conditions insurance • Worldwide, Europe, or UK-based travel insurance • Covid-19 cancellation cover as standard • Optional extras include gadget cover, winter sports, and cruise cover • Available with three levels of cover: Orange, Silver, and Black • Unlimited medical cover and £7,500 cancellation cover

6. Post Office Travel Insurance

www.postoffice.co.uk

Winner of the Best Travel Insurance Provider award at the Your Money Awards 2021

The Post Office offers:

• Single and annual multi-trip travel insurance cover • Travel insurance and support for kids • Family travel insurance • Backpacker cover • Pre-existing medical conditions insurance • Overseas and UK-based travel insurance • Covid-19 cover included • Optional extras include gadget cover, winter sports, cruise cover, natural catastrophe and terrorism cover, enhanced trip disruption cover, and golf cover • Available with three levels of cover: Economy, Standard, and Premier • Up to £10million medical cover and £5,000 cancellation cover

7. Sainsbury's Bank Travel Insurance

www.sainsburysbank.co.uk

Sainsbury's Bank offers:

• Single and annual multi-trip travel insurance cover • Family travel insurance • Pre-existing medical conditions insurance • Extended trip insurance cover • Backpacker travel insurance • Flexible worldwide and and UK-based travel insurance • New policies sold from Oct 2020 have Covid-19 cover as standard • Optional extras include winter sports and cruise cover • Available with three levels of cover: Silver, Gold, and Platinum • Up to £10million medical cover and £5,000 cancellation cover

Travel tips for travelling with a baby or child

Babies and young children are susceptible to heatstroke, so you should try to avoid hotter countries in the summer months, and make sure you provide plenty of sun protection for their skin.

Make sure to check the safety advice for countries before you visit, to avoid the risk of taking your little one to a potentially unsafe environment. The latest information can be found on the  Government’s foreign travel advice .

If your child needs liquid medicine or a specific dietary drink, and you need to carry more than 100ml of this in hand luggage, get a doctor’s letter or a prescription to verify this. You’ll also need a doctor’s note for children’s medicine only available on prescription, and for EpiPens.

If you're travelling with your baby, pack a survival bag and you’ll be just fine, whatever happens. Make sure it includes: a collapsible potty; change mat and nappies; hand sanitiser; wet wipes; nappy sacks, to seal away anything smelly; a full set of spare  baby clothes ; and an avocado or banana, with a fork or masher if your baby is  weaning on purées .

See if you can reduce what you need to take with you by renting baby equipment, from pushchairs to toys, at your destination. In the UK,  thebabyloft.co.uk  hires baby equipment, while  kidelio.com  covers France. Whatever your destination, Google ‘baby equipment rental’ to find out more.

Work out whether you’ll need to use tap water or bottled water to make up feeds or to drink. In France, Italy, Germany, and most of Spain, tap water is safe to drink – you’ll still need to boil it before preparing a bottle though. Bottled water can contain high amounts of sodium and sulphate, so look for those with no more than 200mg of sodium (it might show on the label as Na) and no more than 250mg of sulphate (SO4) per litre. Again, you’ll still need to boil it, as it’s not sterile.

Stephanie Spencer is the Hub Editor at Mother&Baby and auntie to four aged 8 to 6 months old. With a particular interest in health, she loves discovering products that make parent’s lives easier.

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The Best Family Travel Insurance Plans of 2024

Find the best travel insurance policies to protect you and your loved ones on your adventures.

in under 2 minutes

with our comparison partner, Squaremouth

Alex Carver is a writer and researcher based in Charlotte, N.C. A contributor to major news websites such as Automoblog and USA Today, she’s written content in sectors such as insurance, warranties, shipping, real estate and more.

Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.

If you are traveling as a family, you can protect your international vacation with travel insurance. Travel insurance helps you recover nonrefundable expenses such as airfare, hotel reservations and excursions if you’re forced to cancel your trip or leave early due to an emergency. Travel insurance can also help your family cover the cost of lost baggage and emergency medical expenses.

According to our research on costs and coverage,  Travelex, Berkshire Hathaway and Nationwide are the top three family travel insurance options.

Compare the Best Travel Insurance for Families

Ready to start comparing travel insurance providers for families? The following are our top choices for travel insurance coverage for families.

How We Ranked Family Travel Insurance Companies

To determine the best travel insurance providers for families, we looked at the following characteristics of each insurance provider.

• Complementary children’s coverage: Select travel insurance providers offer complementary coverage for children with the purchase of an adult policy. We rated these providers highly in our review as many families will include children in travel plans.
• Cost: Next, we compared the cost of coverage for family-oriented policy choices offered by each provider. Companies with more affordable policies for a variety of traveler ages scored higher than those with more expensive plans.
• Coverage options: Travel insurance providers with more policy and add-on choices offer customers higher levels of customization. We ranked these providers above those with more limited plan offerings.
• Types of coverage: Insurance providers with multiple types of coverage included in each plan scored higher than those with more limited benefits. For example, we considered baggage benefits , travel delay compensation, medical evacuation coverage and more.
• Reimbursement limits: We prioritized recommending companies with higher maximum reimbursement limits for major policy components like trip interruption coverage and lost bags.

Top 6 Travel Insurance Plans for Families

Below is our list of the best travel insurance companies for all-inclusive resort vacations:

• Travelex : Our pick for families
• Berkshire Hathaway:   Our pick for luxury travelers.
• Nationwide Travel Insurance:  Our pick for cruise travel.
• Generali Global Assistance:  Our pick for emergency assistance.
• Allianz Global Assistance:   Our pick for concierge services.
• AXA Assistance USA:  Our pick for leisure travelers.

Why Trust MarketWatch Guides

Our editorial team follows a comprehensive methodology for rating and reviewing travel insurance companies. Advertisers have no effect on our rankings.

Companies Reviewed

Quotes Collected

Rating Factors

Why We Picked Travelex for Families

Travelex is our top-rated choice for family travel insurance thanks to its all-inclusive Travel Select policies. Travel Select plans include coverage for one child under the age of 17 with the purchase of an adult travel insurance policy. You could save up to 50% on coverage by purchasing a plan with Travelex if you have an equal number of children and adults traveling together.

If your family will be traveling as a group of adults, consider Travelex’s Travel Basic policy option, which is available from $60 for low-cost trips. This policy includes a host of general coverages competitive with other travel insurance providers, ranging from up to $15,000 in emergency medical coverage, $150,000 in emergency evacuation coverage and $500 in trip delay benefits. This can be a viable budget option for families looking for affordable individual protections.

Pros and Cons

Add-on options.

If you want to expand the coverage of your travel insurance plan, Travelex has the following upgrades:

• Additional medical coverage
• CFAR (cancel for any reason)
• Car rental collision
• Adventure sports cover
• Flight accidental death and dismemberment

Based on quotes we obtained, a family of four going on a week-long, $8,000 vacation to Mexico should expect to pay $200  for a Travelex plan.

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

Why We Picked Berkshire Hathaway

If your family is traveling together, you could have a higher-value vacation that you need to insure. While most insurance providers place caps on the total trip cost they will reimburse, Berkshire Hathaway offers luxury coverage with higher-than-average limits. With the Berkshire Hathaway LuxuryCare plan, you can protect each traveler with up to $100,000 in individual cancellation protection — ideal for high-value international travel.

Berkshire Hathaway’s policies are a bit more expensive than competitors, which means premiums for families will be higher as well. However, its plans are also more inclusive, with up to $1 million in medical evacuation coverage and up to $2,000 for trip delay expenses. Berkshire Hathaway also offers unique plans for adventure travelers and cruise-goers, with specific coverages outfitted to your planned excursions.

Berkshire Hathaway’s LuxuryCare plan covers most travel expenses, such as in a medical emergency. Add-ons are available, but this level of coverage is comprehensive for international travel for families.

Based on quotes we obtained, a family of four going on a week-long, $8,000 vacation to Mexico should expect to pay  $168 for a Berkshire plan.

Generali Global Assistance

Why We Picked Generali Global Assistance

If you plan to visit an international destination with young children and you want to add another layer of safety, consider a travel insurance policy from Generali.

Generali Global Assistance is our top choice for international travel assistance, as all of its plans include 24/7 multilingual travel assistance that can help you while abroad. This can be a major benefit if you’re traveling to an area where you do not speak the primary language spoken, especially with young children. We also suggest considering Generali’s plans if you are looking for extra assistance planning your family’s trip, as all plans come with complimentary concierge pre-trip assistance.

• Rental car damage on standard insurance plan, up to $25,000 per person per plan
• Trip cancellation for any reason on premium travel insurance plan

Based on quotes we obtained, a family of four going on a week-long, $8,000 vacation to Mexico should expect to pay $359 for a Generali plan.

Allianz Global Assistance

Why We Picked Allianz Global Assistance

Allianz is another top selection for families looking for free children’s coverage with adult travel insurance. The company’s OneTrip Prime policy option includes free coverage for children under the age of 17. However, you must purchase adult coverage and plan to travel with the child. Like Travelex’s family coverage, this could potentially save up to 50% on insurance costs for family vacations.

The OneTrip Prime policy is one of Allianz’s most comprehensive and inclusive options, with up to $100,000 in trip interruption coverage, $50,000 in emergency medical protections and $1,000 for lost baggage. This policy also includes a few unique inclusions, including up to $500 in last-minute travel itinerary changes.

The following add-on options come with Allianz Global Assistance:

• Winter sports and ski insurance
• Cancel anytime upgrade

Based on quotes we obtained, a family of four going on a week-long, $8,000 vacation to Mexico should expect to pay  $250 for a Allianz plan.

To learn more: Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance review

AXA Assistance USA

Why We Picked AXA Assistance

If you are planning to travel with your family to a remote area or partake in outdoor activities, consider AXA’s travel insurance policies. In the event of a medical evacuation or illness, AXA will arrange complimentary return transportation for a travel companion or unattended minor. In the event of a sudden medical emergency that leaves a minor unattended, AXA will arrange an escort to accompany the child and ensure their safe return home. This can be a major benefit and offer peace of mind if you’re a parent traveling alone with a minor child.

• CFAR coverage available on the platinum plan
• Collision damage waiver available on gold and platinum plans

Based on quotes we obtained, a family of four going on a week-long, $8,000 vacation to Mexico should expect to pay $276 for a AXA plan.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Travel insurance policies often offer a range of coverage options for families traveling together, coverage can range from the basic needs to medical coverage abroad, and canceling for any reason. When traveling with a family, and incurring higher prices than individual travelers, travel insurance is worth the price . These include the following:

Trip Cancellation or Interruption Coverage

Trip cancellation coverage refers to circumstances that may force you to cancel a vacation before departure. Trip interruption coverage applies when you may have to cut your vacation short because of unforeseen circumstances. Most insurance policies cover you in both cases, however there are limitations in the included trip cancellation coverage for what’s included. Many insurance companies offer CFAR(cancel for any reason) coverage for insurance buyers that want peace of mind no matter the reason for canceling.

According to the participants in our study over the age of 54, 60% purchased CFAR coverage, and 19% purchased Interruption for any reason (IFAR) coverage.

Medical Coverage

Medical coverage reimburses you for medical costs should you have to pay for a medical emergency or need medical attention. Reimbursable events can include basic health care treatment, ambulance fees or repatriation costs in the event of a death. The maximum limit of coverage varies among insurance policies.

Baggage Loss, Delay and Damage Coverage

Most insurance policies give coverage if your luggage is delayed, lost or stolen on your family vacation (as long as the event isn’t your fault or is out of your control). The maximum coverage you can receive depends on the travel insurance policy.

If possessions within your baggage are particularly expensive or if together they add up to a high dollar amount, you may want your family insurance policy to have a larger coverage limit for baggage. You can also take out single-item coverage for something specific if it’s that valuable.

Does Standard Travel Insurance Cover Family Members?

Standard travel insurance policies cover you and your family members. The difference between standard travel insurance and family insurance is that family insurance typically covers families of two adults with at least one and up to eight children under 18.

With family travel insurance, you are offered peace of mind that your insurance policy has been crafted with families in mind to cover your needs.

Common Add-Ons

Common add-ons for travelers and families can include:

• Winter sports coverage: For those hoping to ski or snowboard and partake in winter sports activities
• Cruise coverage: For groups who will be venturing on cruises during their vacation
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage: A financial backstop if you  must cancel your vacation outside of the policy guidelines

How Much Does Travel Insurance for Families Cost?

The cost of travel insurance for families will depend on the number of family members, the location of the trip, the trip duration, and the total cost. The table below compares costs for basic coverage for a family of four going on a week-long $8,000 vacation to Mexico:

Is Family Travel Insurance Worth It?

Family travel insurance is necessary if you invest a lot of money for a grand family vacation. Knowing that you have comprehensive cover for every member of your party makes it more convenient for travels when you want protection from a range of eventualities.

With a range of family travel insurance policies available, families have ample choices to find a policy that matches their trip, coverage needs and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you travel separately on family travel insurance.

Some family policies let you travel separately, but you should check with your insurance provider and your policy terms to see if you’re covered.

Is it better to buy travel insurance as a group or individual?

Buying family and group travel insurance is much more convenient and easier to insure everyone on a trip. Group coverage is also likely to be less expensive than purchasing individual policies for every group member. Children sometimes get included for free in family policies.

Does credit card travel insurance cover a family?

You may have insurance to cover your whole family from the credit card you use to book your trip. This is something that varies by bank. You’ll need to talk to your credit card issuer to ask about travel coverage.

Methodology: Our System for Rating Travel Insurance Companies for Families

• A 30-year-old couple taking a $5,000 vacation to Mexico.
• A family of four taking an $8,000 vacation to Mexico.
• A 65-year-old couple taking a $7,000 vacation to the United Kingdom.
• A 30-year-old couple taking a $7,000 trip to the United Kingdom.
• A 19-year-old taking a $2,000 trip to France.
• A 27-year-old couple taking a $1,200 trip to Greece.
• A 51-year-old couple taking a $2,000 trip to Spain.
• Plan availability (10%): We look for insurers with a variety of travel insurance plans and the ability to customize a policy with coverage upgrades.
• Coverage details (29%): We review the baseline coverage each company offers in its cheapest comprehensive plan. A provider with robust coverage earns full points, including baggage delay and loss, COVID-19 coverage, emergency evacuation and medical coverage, trip delay and cancellation coverage, and more. Companies also receive points for offering a variety of policy add-ons like accidental death and dismemberment, extreme sports, valuable items, cancel for any reason coverage and more.
• Coverage times and amounts (34%): We compare each company’s waiting periods and maximum reimbursement amounts for baggage, travel and weather delays. Companies that offer customers reimbursement after fewer than 12 hours of delays earn full points in this category. We also reward travel insurance providers that cover more than 100% of trip costs in the event of cancellations or interruptions.
• Company service and reviews (17%): We look for indicators that a company is well-prepared to respond to customer needs. Companies with an established global resource network, 24/7 emergency hotline, mobile app, multiple ways to file a claim and concierge services score higher in this category. We assess reputation by evaluating consumer reviews, third-party financial strength and customer experience ratings, specifically from AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

For more information, read our full travel insurance methodology.

A.M. Best Disclaimer

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If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at  editors@marketwatchguides. com .

More Resources:

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• RoamRight Home

Traveling with Babies: Do You Need Travel Insurance for Your Babies?

If life provided you with manuals, the one for traveling with a baby would be pretty thick. Luckily, although traveling with a baby can present its own unique set of challenges, travel insurance may be able to provide some reassurance.

Yes, Babies Should Be Covered By Travel Insurance, Too

Medical coverage.

As with anyone else, babies are susceptible to a variety of situations that could happen while traveling, including falling ill. If your health insurance does not provide coverage when traveling and you neglect to purchase a travel insurance plan, you could end up paying expensive medical bills out of pocket. Arch RoamRight’s travel insurance plans include emergency medical benefits can provide coverage for an injury or sickness diagnosed by a physician as requiring immediate care. In the unfortunate case that this happens to you or your baby while on your trip, having travel insurance could ensure that you’re not stuck with outstanding medical fees, allowing your baby to get the care they need while on your trip.

Beyond providing coverage in the event of a medical emergency, all Arch RoamRight insureds have access to a 24/7 emergency assistance line which puts trained emergency travel assistance providers at your fingertips. They also can help you find quality, local medical care and provide translation services if needed. If you’re in a foreign country and have a sick infant, it is important to be able to understand and trust the local doctors.

Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption

Should an occasion arise that prevents you from traveling to or remaining in your destination, travel insurance may be able to provide a trip cancellation or trip interruption benefit. For example, if you or your baby gets sick right before or during the trip, you may be eligible for coverage.

One Child Covered Included With One Insured Adult

Arch RoamRight puts family first by including coverage for one child (under age 18) for each related adult policy purchased for our Elite , Preferred , Essential , Pro and Pro Plus plans. By doing this, your child receives the same protections that you do under your purchased policy, at no additional cost. This includes benefits such the ones mentioned above, as well as several others. For details on the additional coverages, refer to the plan’s Description of Coverage.

I’m Pregnant and Planning on Traveling with My Child Once I Give Birth

If you’re pregnant and planning to purchase travel insurance for your trip, you can always purchase your policy now, and call us back when the baby is born to provide us with the name and date of birth. No additional charge for that child’s coverage will be issued if you still meet the 1:1 related adult to child (under age 18) ratio. However, if that child does not meet the 1:1 ratio, additional coverage can still be purchased for them.

If you are planning to travel while pregnant, read our blog post on how travel insurance works with pregnancies to learn more about the coverage available to those who are pregnant and how pregnancy can affect travel.

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.

• travel insurance
• traveling with children
• Travel With Kids
• Trip Planning

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• New Requirements for U.S. Citizens Traveling to Europe Starting in 2021 Starting in 2021, Americans visiting many popular European countries will need to go through the ETIAS process.

About the Author

Adele dirende.

Adele DiRende is a Marketing Intern currently pursuing a degree in Mass Communications at Towson University. Although the wallet of a college student is not kind to those with a passion for travel, Adele has experience in international travel to places like Italy and the UK, as well as domestic travel around the U.S. In addition to travel, Adele enjoys photography, music, and creative writing. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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Money blog: What will happen to tax and interest rates under Labour – and how will benefits change? | Join our live Q&A

Business presenter Ian King answered your questions on what a Labour government means for your personal finances, here in the Money blog.

Monday 8 July 2024 18:35, UK

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Ask a question or make a comment

Thanks for all your questions  - and for following Ian King's responses on the likely changes we can expect under the new Labour government.

If you could not join us in time, do not worry - you can scroll through the answers below at your leisure.

Dad of Swifties:

Why don't the government remove VAT on concert tickets like in other countries and announce stronger regulation on sites like Ticketmaster? Prices are a joke

Here's what  Ian King , our business presenter, says on this one...

Labour promised not to increase the rate of VAT during the election campaign. 

That is very different from cutting it or making some products and services tax free. 

I'd be surprised if it happened. The government needs to raise money, not give it away. 

That said, I note that US Congress has recently been talking about tougher regulation of businesses like Ticketmaster, so doubtless parliamentarians on this side of the Atlantic will be watching closely.

May I ask who is likely to be eligible for the proposed new housing as outlined today? I have a son of 43 and his wife living with us as they can't afford a mortgage, and aren't eligible for social housing. Not everyone in Britain wants the responsibility of owning a house.

Ian King , Sky News business presenter, says...

Labour is aiming for increasing housing availability across the board with a mix of both public/social housing and also private sector accommodation – while also looking to stimulate the "build to rent" sector. 

It's not a case of eligibility, as such. 

They're seeking to increase supply in the first instance – get that right and demand will be met.

Haven't we heard all this before with housebuilding targets - what's different this time?

Good question – which reminds me that one of the most dangerous phrases in investment and business is "it's different this time". 

What genuinely appears to be different is that Labour seem totally committed to sweeping away the planning rules and regulations that stand in the way of more homes being built. 

If they can pull this off then, all other things being equal, they will have a fighting chance of completing 1.5 million new homes over the life of this parliament.

The other thing I would say is that this is a hugely ambitious target and so Labour, by making it public, have confidence it can be done. 

You can rest assured that Labour will be asked about it a lot towards the next general election. 

The political graveyards are littered with those politicians – Harold Macmillan, Conservative prime minister from 1957-1963, is a good example – who made promises on housebuilding they failed to keep.

The last government promised an end to no-fault evictions... is this legislation still alive?

Another short answer from our business presenter  Ian King ...

The legislation died with the last government but, yes, the expectation is that Labour will abolish no-fault evictions.

What will Labour do with dividend tax? And what about corporation tax?

Rachel Reeves is already committed to keeping corporation tax unchanged for the life of this parliament. 

But no such commitments have been forthcoming on the taxation of dividends. 

And some people fear the worst because Labour has form here - Gordon Brown took away tax relief on the dividends that pension funds received on their investments in 1997 - which contributed to the near extinction of gold-plated "defined benefit" or "final salary" pension schemes in the private sector.

In fairness, Labour can point out that the Conservatives also stripped away protections enjoyed by savers on their dividends. 

You can now only receive dividends of £500 on shares or investment funds held outside an ISA. The allowance stood at 10 times that just seven years ago.

The moral of the story is clear – if you hold shares or investment funds which pay dividends, protect them in an ISA, which ensures the payouts will be tax-free.

If memory serves me correctly weren't the railways an unmitigated disaster last time they were in public ownership? How is renationalising meant to help anyone?

Here's what  Ian King , our business presenter, says to this...

Labour argues that, in state ownership, the rail network can be more coherent with one "fat controller" type figure in charge to oversee timetables and ticketing. 

Bear in mind most of the railways more or less have been renationalised already – the exception being the rolling stock companies, which will remain privately owned. 

You are right to point out the shortcomings of the nationalised model – as I did in this article for Sky News back in 2017 .

The nationalised model is not a silver bullet – as English and Scottish football supporters to have used Germany's nationalised rail service during the Euros will testify.

We heard nothing in the campaign about how growth would be achieved - how much convincing detail did we get from Reeves?

The UK's sclerotic planning rules have been a major drag on growth over the last decade. 

If Labour has found a way of obviating those rules then it should generate growth. But bear in mind this is going to cause huge rows as Whitehall orders local planning managers what to do and rides roughshod over them when they don't co-operate. 

Not everyone will like it and especially those who find their views interrupted by, for example, new homes. The same applies to tearing up the rules banning more onshore wind farms. 

All other things being equal, it should also be positive for growth, but those who have views of open countryside blighted by new wind turbines may disagree.

Croydon Ajay:

Can anything be done to scrap the disparities in stamp duty which means young buyers in London have to pay when the same people in the North East don't pay a penny?

Stamp duty is a rotten tax and, if you want to promote growth, scrapping it would certainly be a good way of doing so. But given that Stamp Duty Land Tax brought in £11.6bn in the last financial year, the government is likely to want to keep it in place. 

The differing tax takes to which you refer reflect the fact that house prices are cheaper in the North East than in London. 

SDLT is very much a London tax – the capital accounted for 36% of all SDLT paid in 2021-22, the latest year for which figures are available. 

Homebuyers in the London borough of Westminster alone paid more SDLT than the whole of the North West of England. I doubt those disparities to which you refer will change unless house prices in London collapse and house prices rocket elsewhere. 

You are right to point out the pernicious effects of this. 

In some London boroughs, primary schools are starting to close, because parents find they cannot live in the capital and raise a family. They're moving out – reducing demand for London school places in some areas.

Disgruntled:

Ian can you give us an idea of how much scrapping the two-child benefit cap would cost and why is this not achievable with a windfall tax on oil and gas companies raking it in? Starmer is a Tory with a red rosette

The Resolution Foundation has estimated that the two-child benefit cap will save the government £2.5bn during the current financial year – which would rise to £3.6bn if applied to all families claiming universal credit.

Labour is committed to raising the levy on North Sea oil and gas producers from the current 75% to 78% - and has earmarked the money raised will go towards funding its wider plans for energy and, in particular, decarbonisation. 

It would be ill-advised to raise taxes further. The decisions it has made have already had an impact on investment in the North Sea, as I report here . 

And don't forget, the cap is not just about saving money. It's also about avoiding awkward newspaper headlines and stories about big families being paid a small fortune in benefits of the kind that embarrassed the last Labour government and angered so many of its traditional working-class supporters in particular.

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Do I need travel insurance for my summer vacation? It's complicated.

• Travel insurance can be complicated, but it's worth it if you have travel expenses that insurance would cover.
• You might not need travel insurance if you're taking a driving vacation and staying in a place where lodging is free.
• If you're leaving the country, you'll likely need travel insurance.

Get more news like this delivered to your inbox by signing up for our Travel newsletter here .

If you're planning to travel somewhere this summer, you're probably thinking of buying travel insurance.

Kingsley Hopkins is. He's headed to Portugal and Iceland with his girlfriend, and he wants to make sure he's covered for things like medical emergencies or trip disruptions, "or if a volcano erupts," he said.

Check out   Elliott Confidential , the newsletter the travel industry doesn't want you to read. Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don't tell anyone!

But getting the right travel insurance can be complicated. There's no one-size-fits-all policy, and Hopkins, an assistant editor at a book publishing company in New York, has been spending a lot of time thinking about how to protect his summer vacation.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Chances are, so have you.

Why finding the right travel insurance is so hard

Most surveys suggest this will be a record summer for travel. How much of a record? Demand is so high that some airlines are afraid they will run out of planes. Now that's busy.

At the same time, danger and uncertainty are lurking everywhere – wars in Europe and the Middle East, the usual slate of natural disasters like hurricanes and maybe a volcano or two. It's no wonder people are giving some serious thought to insurance. 

Older travelers are particularly worried. And they should be, said PK Rao, CEO of INF Visitor Care . Claims by travelers over age 50 spike during the summer months.

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Try this pro trick for an affordable and stress-free summer vacation

"According to our claim data, medical emergencies tend to uptick during the summer, especially for those going on trips that involve outdoor activities," he said.

But there are so many choices out there, including credit card coverage, medical evacuation membership programs and stand-alone travel insurance. What should you get?

You need peace of mind 

But don't just reflexively start shopping for a travel insurance policy this summer. Instead, look for peace of mind – knowing that if something goes wrong, you'll be taken care of.

"Knowing you're protected from unforeseen travel mishaps – like delays, lost baggage and even medical emergencies – can make the trip that much more enjoyable,” said Daniel Durazo, a spokesman for Allianz Partners USA .

As it turns out, there are several ways to get the peace of mind you need. And there are times when you can safely skip travel insurance.

This is when you don't need insurance

Here's when you can skip travel insurance, according to experts:

◾ If you already have coverage. "You may already have travel coverage through your benefits at work, your credit card, or through group benefits with an organization," said Jiten Puri, CEO of PolicyAdvisor.com. If you do, there's no need to buy more coverage. You're all set.

◾ If you're not traveling far. If you're taking a driving vacation and staying in a place where lodging is free, like a relative's sofa, then there's not much to insure. "If you already have health insurance, it may cover you for a domestic trip, so you don't need to think about health insurance coverage," said Joe Cronin, CEO of International Citizens Insurance .

◾ If your trip isn't insurable. Traditional travel insurance covers conventional trips with prepaid, nonrefundable components like airline tickets and hotel stays. You might find that you either already have coverage through your medical insurance, or the trip is essentially uninsurable.

So think twice before saying "yes" to optional travel insurance that your online travel agency may offer you when you're booking a trip. You might not need it.

Here's when you need travel insurance

But most travelers should consider some kind of travel insurance coverage this summer. Here's when you need the extra coverage:

◾ If you have travel expenses that insurance would cover. "If you have many prepaid, nonrefundable expenses, it's best to take out travel insurance," said Lauren Gumport, a spokeswoman for Faye Travel Insurance ."This includes things like flights, hotel rooms, tickets and activities." The more conventional your vacation, the likelier travel insurance is to cover almost every aspect of your summer vacation.

◾ If you're leaving the country. "Your regular medical insurance might not extend coverage beyond your home borders," said John Rose, chief risk and security officer at ALTOUR . Also, many countries require travel insurance for entrance. They include Bermuda, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and some European countries.

◾ If you can't afford to lose your trip. "When considering travel insurance for your summer trip, evaluate whether you can afford to lose your vacation investment due to unforeseen circumstances like illness, weather disruptions, or emergencies," explained Robert Gallagher, president of the US Travel Insurance Association (USTIA). "Can you afford the financial risk if you miss your cruise departure because of covered flight delays? What if you have to cut your trip short because of illness?"  

One of the most common mistakes travelers make is assuming their credit card will cover them. For example, I found that my credit card only covered my rental car as secondary insurance, which made it completely useless when I rented a car in Tampa recently. I had to buy a standalone policy from Allianz to cover the vehicle.

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How one traveler insured his summer vacation

So, how did Hopkins handle his travel insurance needs? Well, as I mentioned – it's complicated.

Hopkins said he always buys some travel insurance before he takes a trip, "but how much, and what I cover, varies," he explained.

He decided that his path to peace of mind in this case was to spend a few extra dollars: He made fully refundable flight and hotel reservations, just in case something went wrong. That would eliminate a lengthy claim with his travel insurance company or credit card.

But he still needed at least $50,000 in medical coverage with emergency evacuation because of his active schedule.

"We’re going to be doing a lot of hiking in Iceland," he said. "And you just never know." 

At the beginning of the year, he decided to buy an annual Medjet Horizon plan, a membership that would get him from a hospital in Portugal or Iceland to a hospital at home, in case something happened. 

For insurance, Hopkins checked TravelInsurance.com to find an affordable travel insurance policy. He found coverage through Trawick International that pays up to $50,000 in medical expenses and up to $200,000 for an evacuation.

"I’ve heard good things about them," he said. "Hopefully, we won’t need any of it."

How do I insure my trips?

I'm on the road about 360 days a year, so I'm always thinking about peace of mind. I currently use a Wells Fargo credit card with lots of travel benefits, and I have long-term policies through Faye and Cigna, which have worked fairly well. I also am a long-time Medjet Horizon member. If I rent a car, I turn to Allianz for my primary coverage.

I know – that's a lot of peace of mind. 

But I've also run into trouble and had to use many of those benefits. Medjet got me back home during the pandemic. Cigna covered me after a serious ski accident in Switzerland. My old Allianz policy took care of my medical expenses when I had to see a doctor in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a few years ago.

Like I always say, when it comes to having enough insurance, better safe than sorry.

Christopher Elliott  is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded  Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes  Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the  Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can  reach him here  or email him at  [email protected] .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .