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 market.

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 such a website would understand travelers’ needs and could 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.

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 many nonrefundable 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 becomes ill and must cancel your trip.
• You are on a safari, get injured, and 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.

A travel comparison website, such as Squaremouth and specifically Tin Leg, can help you navigate the search for a policy that fits your needs.

Bottom Line:

If your trip is expensive, complex, includes several nonrefundable 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, giving the company a 5-star rating for its Gold plan. U.S. News & World Report ranked Tin Leg among the best and most affordable 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. While complaints about unmet expectations can be important, complaints about the actual handling of the claim are equally important, 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. It sells more policies than many other insurers, and it averages fewer negative complaints than other insurers.

Travel Insurance and Pandemics

Travel insurance does not cover canceling a trip for any fear of getting ill or outbreaks related to border shutdowns that may cause you to cancel your trip. In order to have any coverage for these types of trip cancellation, you need to purchase cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) insurance as an add-on to your policy.

CFAR insurance can be expensive and usually covers only 50% to 75% of your trip costs.

Many insurers include getting ill from known outbreaks as a covered reason for cancellation, but some companies and policies do not. Some companies even exclude medical coverage for outbreaks. Be sure to check any policy prior to purchasing.

Fortunately, Tin Leg offers CFAR insurance for some policies. The company also includes coverage (at various levels) for outbreaks such as COVID-19, including trip cancellation, trip delay, medical coverage, and more.

Bottom Line:

Travel insurance does not cover voluntary trip cancellations. In order to have coverage, you must add CFAR insurance to your travel insurance policy. Tin Leg offers this coverage option on some policies.

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, Platinum, and Cruise.

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 depends on which of the 9 policies you select, your preferred coverages, where you reside, and the details of your trip. You can compare all 9 policies here.

It’s worth noting that Tin Leg has a special cruise policy that can also be tailored to your specific needs, including adding CFAR and interruption-for-any-reason add-ons.

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

Bottom Line:

Tin Leg offers 9 travel insurance plans with coverage options tailored to your specific trip requirements and personal priorities. Plans include individual trip policies and cruise insurance.

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, along with a collection of similar policies from 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 purchase it immediately, and the policy will be issued with coverage effective on the date you selected.

Value of Travel Insurance Comparison Websites

If you’re looking for travel insurance, the benefits of using a travel insurance comparison website are undeniable. Comparing policies and companies can help you find 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 offer educational content, company ratings, 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 a single 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 can find single-trip, multitrip, group, adventure and sports coverage, and medical plans on this comparison site.
• AARDY: AARDY compares dozens of companies, but you 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’re 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 what you might be offered at the point of sale when purchasing a flight or travel package.

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 nonrefundable expenses, or requires medical or 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

Other Travel Insurance Companies

We looked at a specific trip example for a 40-year-old traveler 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 and 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 becomes even more competitive.

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.

Point of Sale Coverage

Point-of-sale travel insurance is typically offered at checkout when you’re purchasing a flight, vacation package, or other travel. You’ll probably 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.

Bottom Line:

There are too many variables when comparing travel insurance policies to accurately determine the best policy for each individual or situation in this limited setting. Once you’ve completed a quote comparison, review coverage carefully and select the plan that fits your priorities and your budget.

How To File a Claim

You can initiate a claim with Tin Leg online or by calling 844-240-1233 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern time.

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

Before submitting any claim, contact your travel provider, as they may offer 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 whether refunds or reimbursements are available, 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 found several options for travelers, including those over age 100, so if you’re a senior looking for travel insurance, Tin Leg is a viable option. The levels of coverage available may vary by age, however.

When you purchase a policy from Tin Leg, you 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 help finding return transportation if your trip is interrupted for a covered reason, assistance with lost or delayed baggage, medical and dental referrals, and more.

Final Thoughts

Don’t let Tin Leg’s relative newness 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 paying for coverage you don’t need or 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 ability to compare Tin Leg on the Squaremouth website is also a plus. You can view all available Tin Leg policies and compare them with 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 in the event of known illness outbreaks, our articles can provide a lot of related information.