Tin Leg Travel Insurance Coverage Review – Is It Worth It?

You may not recognize the name, but this relatively new travel insurance company is becoming a respected player in the travel insurance marketplace.

Created in 2014 by travel insurance comparison website Squaremouth, Tin Leg has the daunting task of competing with significantly more established travel insurance companies.

And, while it’s certainly unusual for a travel insurance comparison website to start a travel insurance company, one of Tin Leg’s advantages might be that a travel comparison website would understand the needs of travelers and be able to create a competitive product with favorable pricing.

With this foundation in mind, let’s set off to compare and discuss this “young” travel insurance company, Tin Leg. We’ll take a look at why you might want to consider the company, the type of policies it offers, how to get a quote, what to do if you have a claim, and more.

If you’re looking for travel insurance, you’ll want to compare the best travel insurance companies and policies. Let’s look at just 1 of the possible options.

Why Purchase Travel Insurance

The compelling reasons for purchasing travel insurance are many, but it is particularly important to secure coverage if your trip includes a lot of non-refundable travel expenses. Additionally, if your trip is lengthy, has a complex itinerary, or you will not have medical coverage during your travels, you should also consider a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

Situations where travel insurance could save the day:

• You have a gallbladder attack while on a cruise and need immediate surgery (an actual Tin Leg claim that was covered).
• You injure your ankle while hiking and need to have x-rays to determine if it is broken.
• You or your travel companion become ill and must cancel your trip.
• You are on a safari and due to an injury, you need to be evacuated by helicopter to the nearest hospital.

There are endless situations where travel insurance could save you from significant unplanned expenses or reimburse you for any lost prepaid trip expenses.

Bottom Line: If your trip is expensive, complex, includes a lot of non-refundable prepaid expenses, or you will not have medical coverage during your travels, you should consider purchasing a travel insurance policy. 

Why Purchase Travel Insurance From Tin Leg

While Tin Leg is a newer company, this shouldn’t affect your decision to purchase its travel insurance. Policies issued by Tin Leg are underwritten (meaning coverage is provided by) several highly-rated, established insurance companies, including Berkshire Hathaway.

Forbes also speaks highly of Tin Leg as it gave the company a “superior” 5-star rating for its Gold plan that offers COVID-19 cancellation coverage and comes with high medical limits.

With over 103,000 of its Gold policies sold since its inception in 2014, it has outsold most established travel insurance companies.

Does Tin Leg get complaints? Every insurance company gets complaints. It’s human nature to want to pay as little as possible for a policy and yet expect as much coverage as possible when we have a claim. While complaints of expectations not being met can be important, complaints about the actual handling of the claim are equally, if not more, so.

Out of over 2,800 reviews, only 0.1% were negative (the average is 0.2%) and 2,191 of those reviews gave the company a 4- or 5-star rating.

Bottom Line: Tin Leg is backed by established highly-rated insurance companies, its Gold policy received a 5-star rating from Forbes, the company sells a large number of policies compared to more established companies, and it averages fewer negative complaints compared to other insurance companies.

Travel Insurance and COVID-19

Travel insurance does not cover canceling a trip due to any fear of getting COVID-19 or for related border shutdowns that may cause you to cancel your trip. In order to have any coverage for these trip cancellations, you would need to purchase Cancel for Any Reason insurance (CFAR) as an add-on to your policy.

CFAR insurance can be expensive and usually covers just 50% to 75% of the cost of your trip.

Many insurers include getting ill from COVID-19 as a covered reason for cancellation, but there are companies and specific policies that do not. Some companies even exclude medical coverage for COVID-19. Be sure to check any policy prior to purchasing.

Fortunately, Tin Leg offers policies that have the option for CFAR insurance. The company also includes coverage (at various levels) for COVID-19 illness, included for trip cancellation, delay, medical coverage, and more.

Bottom Line: Travel insurance does not cover voluntary trip cancellations. In order to have coverage, you must add Cancel for Any Reason insurance to your travel insurance policy. Tin Leg offers this coverage option on select policies it offers.

Types of Policies Offered

Tin Leg offers several types of travel insurance policies, each with different levels of coverage. You’ll find 9 policy options, including these plans: Economy, Standard, Luxury, Adventure, Silver, Gold, Basic, USA Only, and Platinum.

Here is a sampling of the types of coverages you can expect on 3 of Tin Leg’s most popular plans.

This is just a sampling of the core coverages on 3 plans offered by Tin Leg for a specific journey. Coverage will vary depending on which of the 9 policies you select, the coverages you prefer, where you reside, and the details of your trip.

There are also additional terms and conditions for each coverage; this is just an overview for comparison purposes only.

Bottom Line: Tin Leg offers 9 travel insurance plans, all with coverage options that can be tailored to a plan that fits your specific trip requirements and your personal priorities. 

How To Get a Quote

Obtaining a quote for Tin Leg travel insurance is simple. Visit the Tin Leg website and provide the number of travelers, ages, dates/cost of your trip, where you live, and your destination.

You’ll receive an instant quote for the applicable policies Tin Leg offers, as well as a collection of similar policies offered by competitors. You’ll also be able to select any add-on coverage you prefer.

Once you’ve selected a policy you want to buy, you can make a purchase immediately and the policy will be issued with coverage effective on the date you selected.

The Value of Travel Insurance Comparison Websites

If you’re looking for travel insurance, the benefit of utilizing a travel insurance comparison website is undeniable. Comparing policies and companies can result in finding the best coverage for your situation at a price you’re willing to pay. You can also accomplish this with little effort.

In addition to policy comparisons, these sites also offer educational content, company rating information, and customer reviews.

Some of the best travel insurance comparison websites include the following:

• InsureMyTrip — Whether you’re looking for coverage for a single trip, for multiple trips in 1 plan, or for just medical insurance during your travels, this site has it all.
• TravelInsurance.com — While the site does not offer policy comparisons for medical-only plans, the site does a good job comparing comprehensive travel insurance policies.
• Squaremouth — You’ll find single-trip, multi-trip, group, adventure/sports coverage, and medical plans on this comparison site.
• AARDY — AARDY compares dozens of companies, but you will need to provide your email address to obtain a quote.

Bottom Line: A travel insurance comparison website takes the guesswork out of purchasing a travel insurance policy. You’ll be able to compare prices, coverage, and companies, all in just minutes. 

How Tin Leg Compares

While Tin Leg offers plenty of travel insurance options, let’s see how the company’s offerings compare to credit card travel insurance, other travel insurance companies, and to the coverage you might be offered at the point-of-sale when purchasing a flight or travel package.

To Credit Card Travel Insurance

The best credit cards for travel insurance are not meant to replace a comprehensive travel insurance policy. If your trip is simply a domestic round trip flight and a hotel room, however, the coverage you receive with your credit card may be more than adequate.

For a more complex trip that is expensive, has several non-refundable expenses, or if you need medical/evacuation coverage, even the basic plans offered by Tin Leg will serve you better than just the coverage offered on your credit card.

Also, credit card travel insurance can be secondary to any other coverage you have, while Tin Leg offers primary coverage.

Bottom Line: Credit card travel insurance can be adequate for a simple trip but a comprehensive travel insurance plan is needed to provide coverage for a complex, expensive trip, or if you need medical coverage.

To Other Travel Insurance Companies

We looked at a specific trip example of a traveler, 40 years of age, traveling to Mexico for 1 week. The total trip cost was $2,000 and the traveler needed medical coverage.

Tin Leg held its own when compared to similar policies with competitor companies. All the companies offered the same trip interruption/cancellation benefits but Tin Leg has limits on trip delay coverage that are not as strong as the competitors. Where Tin Leg shines is in providing medical coverage ($500,000).

When we add Cancel for Any Reason insurance to the plans, Tin Leg continues to offer competitive pricing. Seven Corners and Tin Leg also both offered $500,000 in medical coverage while Travel Insured International offered $100,000 and Travelex just $50,000.

Bottom Line: Tin Leg can offer competitive pricing with strong medical coverage on its plans when compared to competitors. You may be able to add CFAR insurance to its Gold plan and still receive competitive pricing.

To Point of Sale Coverage

Point of sale travel insurance is normally offered during checkout when you’re purchasing a flight, vacation package, or other travel. You’ll find the price rather compelling and you may be tempted to make the purchase thinking your trip would be covered if you needed to cancel.

These point-of-sale policies do not cover voluntary cancellations and do not replace a comprehensive travel insurance plan. Only specific reasons for cancellation, delay, or other disruption are covered, so be sure to review the specifics prior to making any point-of-sale travel insurance purchase.

You’ll also want to check out competitor policies and rates. Bottom Line: Always compare pricing prior to purchasing travel insurance at the point of sale. 

How To File a Claim

Filing a claim with Tin Leg can be done online or by calling Tin Leg at 844-240-1233 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

If you report your claim via phone, a claim form will be sent to you to complete. You can also complete the claim form online at any time.

The documentation you may be asked to provide may include:

• Completed claim form
• Proof of loss
• Proof of payment for travel arrangements
• Copy of airline tickets or other transportation
• A copy of the travel provider’s cancellation/refund policy
• The amount of any compensation received for the loss from providers and other sources
• Invoices and receipts that document incurred expenses

Prior to submitting any claim, you should first contact your travel provider as the provider may provide partial or full reimbursement. Based on that outcome, you can then submit a claim for any remaining out-of-pocket expenses.

Bottom Line: Report your claim as soon as possible, contact travel providers to determine if a refund or reimbursement is possible, and submit all documentation within the required time period. 

Everything Else You Need To Know

Tin Leg offers high medical limits on many of its plans. The medical coverage is also primary, meaning you do not need to file a claim with other insurance first before coverage is valid.

We were able to find several options for travelers, even over age 100, so if you’re a senior looking for travel insurance, Tin Leg is a viable source for coverage. The levels of coverage available may vary by age, however.

When you purchase a policy from Tin Leg, you will have 14 days to review the plan. If you are not satisfied, you can then cancel and receive a full refund.

You can reach Tin Leg customer service from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Emergency assistance is available 24/7. Tin Leg also provides assistance services including helping you find return transportation should your trip being interrupted for a covered reason, assistance with lost/delayed baggage, medical and dental referrals, and more.

Final Thoughts

Don’t let the relative newness of Tin Leg keep you from considering the company for travel insurance. The company is backed by highly-rated, established companies.

Its policies are also competitively priced and you can select a plan that closely fits your situation without having to pay for coverage you don’t need or coverage you don’t consider a priority.

If you’re looking for a policy with strong medical coverage and the ability to add CFAR insurance, Tin Leg can be a good choice.

The ease of being able to compare Tin Leg on the Squaremouth website is also a plus. You will be able to view all of the Tin Leg policies available, plus compare these to the competitors, all in 1 visit to the site.

If you would like to learn more about the basics of purchasing travel insurance, the best travel insurance companies, and how travel insurance works with COVID-19, our articles can provide a lot of related information.