WorldTrips Travel Insurance Review — Is It Worth It?

Planning trips is fun. Reading about travel insurance for them isn’t. But a little effort to plan for problems during your upcoming vacation can make a big difference.

WorldTrips provides multiple types of travel insurance, ranging from minimalist policies with just medical insurance to full-scale policies that cover anything that might go wrong during your next family vacation. The insurer also offers add-ons that most competitors lack, such as policies for students studying abroad, special provisions for hunting and fishing trips, veterinary emergencies, school activities that force you to delay your vacation, and even coverage for destination weddings when the bride or groom calls it off.

However, you may be surprised that rental car protections are only available as an add-on to WorldTrips plans, and you’ll need the most expensive plan if you want to add coverage for pre-existing medical conditions.

Here’s a look at the various travel insurance plans from WorldTrips and whether the costs are worth it.

Who Can Get WorldTrips Travel Insurance?

Before understanding who can get a plan, it’s essential to understand the different types of travel insurance plans available from WorldTrips.

Atlas Travel plans are available for citizens and residents of numerous countries when traveling internationally. Conversely, Atlas Journey plans are available only to U.S. citizens and residents, covering domestic and international travel. Atlas Journey plans are geared primarily toward trip delay and cancellation benefits, while Atlas Travel plans are focused primarily on medical coverage. However, they share some crossover benefits.

WorldTrips also has travel insurance policies that aren’t focused on typical tourists. StudentSecure plans provide injury and illness coverage for those studying abroad. Atlas MultiTrip plans provide coverage for 364 days, covering trips up to 30 or 45 days each (depending on the plan you choose), and Atlas Group plans can provide up to a 10% discount if you’re traveling in a group of 5 or more people.

Additionally, WorldTrips Atlas Travel plans can provide medical coverage for those doing overseas volunteer or missionary work.

What Does WorldTrips Travel Insurance Include?

WorldTrips offers multiple types of travel insurance policies. Atlas Travel plans are available only for international trips (open to residents of many countries) and primarily focus on medical coverage. With these plans, you’ll choose your preferred deductible and maximum coverage limit, then provide your age and destination.

U.S.-based travelers have access to Atlas Journey plans. These cover domestic and international trips and are what you likely think of when considering travel insurance. We’ll analyze these in depth in the article and then cover the medical-focused Atlas Travel plans near the end.

WorldTrips Atlas Journey Travel Insurance Coverage Types and Benefits

To know what you’re looking for in a travel insurance policy, you should first understand what the types of coverage are:

• Trip Cancellation Insurance: Covers prepaid, non-refundable expenses when you cancel a trip for covered reasons like sickness, injury, or death of a family member.
• Trip Interruption: Reimburses prepaid, non-refundable expenses if you miss part of a trip or have to end a trip early due to covered reasons like weather, jury duty, or injury.
• Travel Delay: Applies to additional expenses incurred for delays of 5+ hours, covering accommodation, meals, and local transport costs.
• Travel Inconvenience: Applies when one of the following occurs: your return home is delayed and causes you to miss 2 or more days of work, your flight must land 50+ miles from the original destination, there’s a documented security breach causing delays at your departure terminal, you’re a victim of a verified physical assault, your credit/debit card is canceled for reasons beyond your control, or your travel documents are stolen and can’t be replaced locally.
• Emergency Accident and Sickness Medical Expense: Covers losses due to medical and dental emergencies. This is secondary coverage except on the Premier plan.
• Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains: Covers medically necessary transportation and care en route when you’re ill or injured and don’t have access to appropriate care in the immediate area. You also can be covered for repatriation to your home or other U.S. city with appropriate care, requiring prior approval.
• Baggage Damage or Loss: Provides reimbursement for loss, damage, or theft of personal effects in excess of other insurance, such as homeowners’ or airline baggage policies.
• Baggage Delay: Provides reimbursement for covered expenses after 12+ hours of baggage delay at your destination. Covered expenses include necessary clothing, laundry, toiletries, and costs for retrieving your baggage. Coverage ends when your luggage is retrieved or you return home — whichever is first.
• Missed Connection: Can reimburse expenses related to missed cruises, tours, flights, or trip departures due to 3+ hours of delays. Covered delays include weather, carrier problems, strikes, quarantines, and more. Expenses cover costs to catch up with your trip or money lost from missing the trip.
• Airline Cancellation or Reissue Fees: Reimburses costs for changing or canceling tickets after interruptions or canceled flights. This coverage applies to costs after any refunds or vouchers you receive.
• Travel Assistance Services: Provides 24/7 assistance services like security advice, coordination of medical benefits, interpreters, legal referrals, and referrals for needs during emergencies. Note that you may have costs for services you use from these referrals.

It’s also important to note that each section has rules and restrictions about which costs are covered, when coverage applies, and other terms you must follow.

Optional Add-ons to Atlas Journey Plans

You’ll see options for additional coverage depending on the base plan you select:

• Cancel for Any Reason Coverage (CFAR): This add-on policy covers up to 75% of your losses if you cancel for reasons not covered in other sections of your policy, so long as you purchase within 21 days of your first deposit and cancel 48+ hours before the trip. This add-on isn’t available for Economy plans.
• Interruption for Any Reason: Provides reimbursement for 50% of non-refundable trip costs after a trip is interrupted for non-covered reasons. WorldTrips says, “No questions asked” on this coverage. This add-on is available for Premier plans only.
• Pre-existing Conditions: Requires purchasing a policy within 21 days of the initial deposit and covers pre-existing conditions that have a change in treatment or that make you unable to travel.
• Adventure Sports: Provides coverage for leisure, non-professional sports like bungee jumping, scuba diving, and mountain climbing up to 7,000 meters, as well as safari activities. This add-on is available for all plan levels.
• Rental Car Damage and Theft: Requires a $250 deductible; afterward, provides rental car coverage for collision, theft, and damage beyond your control. You must be authorized to drive at the destination and listed on the rental policy. This add-on is available for all plan levels.
• Pet Care: Provides reimbursement for a trip canceled due to the death or critical illness of your dog or cat within 7 days of trip departure. Provides up to $250 in coverage for boarding fees if your return home is delayed for a covered reason and up to $500 for emergency veterinary care for a pet traveling with you. This add-on is available with all plan types.
• Rental Accommodations Protection: Covers trip interruptions if you can’t access your vacation rental property for 12+ hours or if your property is unsuitable or not as described on arrival. It’s available on all plan levels.
• School Activities: Provides cancellation coverage for trips you must cancel due to school activities like exams or sporting events beyond standard season dates. This coverage also applies to study abroad, volunteer, or philanthropic programs. This add-on is available for all plan levels.
• Hunting and Fishing: Covers canceled and interrupted trips related to changes in government regulations or delays of 24+ hours in receiving your necessary equipment. This coverage also applies to theft, damage, and destruction of your essential equipment and trips where your guide or traveling companion becomes medically unfit to participate. This add-on is available for all plan levels.
• Destination Wedding: Provides reimbursement for lost funds when you plan to attend a wedding and then it’s canceled. Coverage also applies to canceled flights, flights forced to land 50+ miles from the intended airport, and flight delays of 12+ hours. This add-on isn’t available for Economy plans.
• Security/Terrorism: This covers cancellations due to terrorist events at your destination or trip interruption for riots/civil unrest lasting 12+ hours. It also can provide ransom payments or security assistance for kidnapping. However, it doesn’t cover countries like Mali, Afghanistan, Syria, or others excluded from the policy. It’s available on all plan levels.
• Primary Medical Coverage: This paid upgrade to Preferred plans makes the emergency medical and dental benefits primary coverage rather than secondary.
• Primary Baggage Coverage: This makes baggage coverage primary rather than secondary. This is available on all plan levels.

It’s also possible to upgrade your maximum coverage limits on certain benefits. These include baggage loss and upgrading benefits from secondary to primary coverage.

Hot Tip:

Few companies offer kidnapping ransom, destination wedding, or school activity coverage. If these are concerns for your upcoming trip, WorldTrips can make sense over competitors that lack these protections.

Take note that rental car protection isn’t included in any plans — not even the Premier plan. It’s available for an additional cost, but this reinforces the importance of using a good credit card that provides built-in rental car protections.

Pre-existing Conditions

When purchasing an Atlas Journey plan, this coverage is included if you purchase your plan within 21 days of your initial trip payment.

COVID-19 Coverage

Atlas and StudentSecure plans purchased on or after February 2, 2023, include coverage for medical expenses related to COVID-19.

Comparison of WorldTrips Atlas Journey Travel Insurance Plans

There are several coverages that are the same across all 3 plans:

• Coverage for Pre-existing Medical Conditions — Included if conditions are met and policy is purchased within 21 days of initial deposit
• 24/7 Travel Assistance Services — Included
• Adventure Sports Medical Coverage — Available add-on service; average cost $44
• Pet Care — Available add-on service; average cost $10
• Rental Car Damage and Theft — Available add-on service; average cost $50
• Rental Accommodation Protection — Available add-on service; average cost $21
• School Activities Protection — Available add-on service; average cost $16
• Hunting and Fishing Protection — Available add-on service; average cost of $20

WorldTrips Travel Insurance Economy Plan

This is the most inexpensive plan but still covers the essentials. You can be reimbursed for canceled, interrupted, and delayed trips and get reimbursed for sicknesses, injuries, and even delayed bags. Numerous add-ons can improve this plan, though the cost will increase.

WorldTrips Travel Insurance Preferred Plan

This intermediate plan offers more coverage and higher cover limits than the Economy plan but costs more. This plan has additional add-on options, and it’s the lowest plan with an option for CFAR coverage.

WorldTrips Travel Insurance Premier Plan

The most expensive plan also offers the most robust coverage — in terms of types and values. It’s the only plan with an option to add coverage for pre-existing conditions, though many options remain add-ons and aren’t included in this plan (such as rental car coverage).

Hot Tip:

None of the Atlas Journey plans include rental car protections. Those are available as an add-on, however.

Atlas On-The-Go Insurance

WorldTrips provides another travel insurance plan called On-The-Go. It’s only available to U.S. residents and covers non-refundable trip costs, lost or damaged personal items (including luggage), and medical expenses (including COVID-19).

You can be covered for trip interruption, travel delays, missed connections, and emergency medical expenses. However, you won’t be covered for trip cancellation and cannot add coverage for pre-existing conditions or CFAR.

How Much Does WorldTrips Travel Insurance Cost?

Let’s price some sample plans to see how they cost. This will give you a better idea of whether these plans fit your budget.

Atlas Journey Plans

These plans are available to U.S. residents and citizens and cover domestic and international trips.

Atlas Travel Plans

These plans are available to residents of numerous countries and only cover international trips.

Notice there is a high additional cost for elderly travelers. Also, your maximum coverage amount is lower for people aged 60 and above.

Since Atlas Travel plans primarily focus on medical coverage, you don’t need to provide your trip cost when getting a quote. These plans can make sense if you’re OK with minimal trip protections while ensuring you’re covered for possible injuries during a trip. You can choose from several options for a maximum coverage amount and deductible payment for your claims.

Hot Tip:

These plans are focused on medical coverage during international trips. If you aren’t worried about expenses for delays or cancellations, you could potentially save money by purchasing an Atlas Travel plan. These especially make sense for last-minute trips where your odds of cancellations are low.

Atlas On-The-Go Insurance

As these plans have maximum coverage amounts and don’t cover trip cancellation, they’re cheaper. This can be a good option if your trip is unlikely to be canceled and you want protection for your stuff and your health during a vacation. As long as you’re a U.S. resident, plans are available for both international and domestic travel.

How WorldTrips Travel Insurance Compares To Other Options

WorldTrips Travel Insurance vs. Competitors

Part of shopping for trip insurance is understanding what you get and how much it costs. The other part is understanding how this compares to competitors. What are companies like Generali Global Assistance and Nationwide charging for similar plans? Here’s a comparison of costs.

We priced a 1-week itinerary for 2 travelers (ages 40 and 39) going to Colombia in November 2023. The cost for the trip was estimated at $3,000, and the first trip deposit was made in the last 24 hours. Squaremouth provided these comparison costs.

The WorldTrips plan had the middle cost of the 3.

All 3 plans included COVID-19 coverage; all 3 provided the same trip cancellation benefits and the same medical evacuation benefits. However, WorldTrips and Nationwide had lower maximums for emergency medical benefits than Generali, and WorldTrips also had the lowest maximum benefit for trip interruption.

Bottom Line:

WorldTrips has a competitive cost against similar plans from other providers. You’ll see similar coverage types and maximum payouts in some areas. However, you’ll see lower benefits for emergency medical and trip interruption than more expensive options. Consider these numbers and how important they are.

WorldTrips Travel Insurance vs. Credit Card Insurance

You may be surprised that your credit card could provide some of the same travel insurance. This could help you save money by not needing to buy a separate policy.

However, when the coverage goes into effect varies. Some credit cards require you to pay for the entire trip (including round-trip tickets, not one-way) with that card to trigger the protections. Others go into effect by paying just a portion of the trip with that card. It’s important to understand exactly what your card offers and when it’s available to determine if those protections are sufficient.

Here’s a look at how WorldTrips’ Atlas Journey Premier plan compares to coverage with The Platinum Card^® from American Express, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One., Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, and Chase Sapphire Reserve^®.

Bottom Line:

WorldTrips’ Premier plan has lower trip delay, lower lost luggage, and lower accidental death and dismemberment benefit maximums than you may get with premium credit cards. However, WorldTrips’ top plan has better baggage delay protections and offers the best protections for emergency medical and emergency evacuation.

Tips for Ensuring a Smooth Claim Process

Even before your trip, you should think about “what if something goes wrong” and have a plan. That includes buying your plan within required deadlines (based on initial and final trip payments) and keeping receipts for every expense. Keep receipts for flights, hotels, rental cars, meals during trip delays, and even a toothbrush while waiting for delayed luggage. Keep it all.

You also should read the policy documents before and after buying a plan. These will help you know precisely what is and isn’t covered. For instance, destination wedding coverage can be handy if the wedding gets called off, but the policy’s fine print will tell you you’re not covered if you’re the bride or groom.

Keeping a paper trail and knowing what is (and isn’t) covered will ensure a smoother claim process because you’ll avoid submitting unnecessary claims and will avoid unnecessary delays during the evaluation process. It also helps you know what’s covered before you swipe your card for expenses during a delay.

If you need to submit a claim, WorldTrips has a “How the claims process works” page, and it includes instructions on what to do, what forms you need, and how the claims process varies based on whether your trip was inside or outside the U.S. It also provides information on how medical facilities can direct bill WorldTrips, which can save you the hassle of paying and then waiting for reimbursement.

Final Thoughts

No one likes to think about emergencies when planning an exciting holiday. However, planning for emergencies can reduce stress and costs should something go wrong. WorldTrips offers several types of travel insurance, covering all your bases or potential medical expenses. The sheer variety of options provides more potential coverage types than many competitors.

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For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa^® or Mastercard^® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Amex Platinum card, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for covered persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per covered trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered persons per covered trip. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of the Amex Platinum card, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, up to $500 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Amex Platinum card, the maximum benefit amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance is $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.