Whether you are traveling with family, friends, or a larger group of people, group travel insurance can be a convenient and cost-effective way to travel with a party of 5 or above. You can put your whole group in one policy, and still get comprehensive coverage for a better price compared to if you purchased them individually.
Our licensed insurance specialists assessed the best group travel insurance plans based on the overall trip coverage, cost advantage, and certain benefits for a group travel adventure.
Best Group Travel Insurance Plans
What Does Group Travel Insurance Cover?
Group travel insurance can protect everyone's overall trip investment in your group. Everyone in your group will have the exact same coverage, which can make it more manageable and simplified. You can even personalize your coverage, so if your group consists of older travelers, you can opt for higher medical coverage that can apply to your entire group.
For a group trip, find travel insurance coverage that has the following benefits:
- Trip Cancellation: If you need to cancel your trip before your scheduled departure date for a reason covered under your insurance policy, travel insurance can cover your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses that you were not able to use.
- Trip Interruption: Trip interruption benefits go into effect if a covered, unforeseen event causes you to not complete your trip. Once the trip has already started, trip interruption coverage can recover your unused prepaid, nonrefundable expenses.
- Trip Delay and Missed Connections: Trip delay coverage can provide reimbursement for prepaid, nonrefundable expenses you could not use if your trip is delayed by several hours for a covered reason. This coverage can also pay for additional costs like meals, extra transportation, and lodging if an overnight stay is necessary and the airline does not provide vouchers for these expenses.
- Cancel For Any Reason (optional add-on): Cancel For Any Reason insurance is an optional add-on benefit to many trip insurance policies that allows you to cancel for any reason, no questions asked. Typically, this add-on must be purchased within 14-21 days of making your initial trip deposit and allows you to cancel up to 48 hours before your scheduled departure.
- Rental Car Coverage: Most travel insurance plans may include or have an optional add-on for rental car protection, making sure you get reimbursement if your rental car is damaged or stolen while in Italy. It can also provide coverage if you have valuable possessions stolen from your rental car, given that they weren't left in plain sight.
- Baggage/Valuables Delay and Loss: Many travel insurance policies include coverage to replace essential items if your baggage is delayed, lost, or damaged. This benefit gives you the ability to purchase necessary clothing, medications, and personal items, usually up to a certain limit determined by your insurance policy.
- Emergency Medical/Non-Medical Evacuation: If someone in your group experiences a serious and unexpected injury while traveling in a remote location or somewhere with limited medical facilities, travel insurance can help cover your transportation and medical evacuation to the nearest hospital. Emergency evacuation may also be available if there is a natural disaster, political unrest, or other dangerous situations at your destination.
- Emergency Medical Expenses: From a minor to major injury or sickness, travel insurance may provide coverage for the cost of your medical expenses during your group trip. Especially if you are traveling internationally, this can save you potentially thousands of dollars in medical expenses.
- 24/7 Assistance Services: In addition to coordinating emergency medical care, the 24/7 assistance services provided by your insurance can help with everyday challenges like locating ATMs, getting embassy contact information, or providing translation services when language barriers arise.
| Benefits | Trip Protection Choice | iTravelInsured SE | Travel Safe Classic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trip Cancellation | Up to 100% | Up to 100% | Up to 100% |
| Trip Interruption | Up to 150% | Up to 150% | Up to 150% |
| Trip Delay | Up to $2,000, $250 per day, after 6 hours | Up to $2,000, $125 per day | Up to $750, $150 per day |
| Missed Connection | Up to $1,500 Tour or Cruise Connection | Up to $500 | Up to $2,500 |
| Cancel For Any Reason | Optional Add-on Benefit | Optional Add-on Benefit | Optional Add-on benefit |
| Rental Car Coverage | Optional Add-on Available | Up to $40,000 | Optional Add-on Available |
| Baggage and Valuable Loss | Up to $2,500, $250 per item | Up to $1,500, $250 per item | Up to $2,500 |
| Baggage Delay | Up to $500 | Up to $250 | Up to $250 |
| Non-Medical Evacuation | Up to $20,000 | Not covered | Up to $25,000 |
| Medical Emergency Evacuation | Up to $1,000,000 | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1,000,000 |
| Medical Emergency Coverage | Up to $500,000 | Up to $250,000 | Up to $100,000 |
| 24/7 Assistance Services | Covered | Covered | Covered |
What are the Common Scenarios Group Travelers May Face?
As you plan your group trip, you should ensure that everyone in your group has enough coverage in case of an unexpected event that disrupts your trip plans. While traveling with a group, it is easy to be carefree and not think about the potential stressors. However, just having the knowledge of how your group can be protected with travel insurance can give you confidence that there is a solution to those possible mishaps.
Scenario #1: Delay Before Your Departure
While waiting for your group's flight, a major winter storm causes your flight to be canceled. Your airline automatically rebooks your group to the next available flight, which departs the next day. Oftentimes, airlines will not charge you extra if you were involuntarily rebooked, but travel insurance can reimburse your group for the prepaid, nonrefundable expenses that you were not able to use that day. This can include your group's hotel or accommodation, scheduled transportation, and prepaid tours and event tickets.
Scenario #2: Delayed Baggage at Destination
Your friend group just arrived in Paris, and all of you are waiting at baggage claim to pick up your luggage. After a while, you notice that two friends don't have their baggage yet. You advise your friends to check where their baggage is on the airline's app, and it says that it is in Rome instead. Your friends contact the airline, and the airline informs them that they have located the baggage, but it will take three days for it to arrive. Travel insurance can help provide reimbursement for the essential items that your friends need, such as toiletries and clothing.
Scenario #3: Natural Disaster Causes Trip Cancellation
Just before your family's trip to Disney World in Florida, a hurricane strikes your destination, making it unsafe to travel there. Since you bought your travel insurance plan before the hurricane happened, travel insurance is able to cover your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses, including your family's hotel, Disney World tickets, and flight tickets.
Getting Group Travel Insurance is Easy
The next time you plan a trip with your group, whether it is with family or friends, consider travel insurance and its ability to cover everyone in your party. Comparing travel insurance plans can be easy. With VisitorsCoverage's quote tool, the first thing you need to do is insert your trip details, such as your destination, travel dates, the number of travelers and their ages, and your total prepaid, non-refundable trip cost. With this information, you will be presented with multiple travel insurance plans, which you can simply press the "Compare" box to get a better, structured view of the differences in coverage.
Make sure your group is protected from unexpected scenarios with travel insurance. If you have any questions or want to make sure that your group trip is fully covered, our Customer Sucess Team is more than happy to help support and guide you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How much cheaper is group travel insurance than buying individual policies?
Typically, group travel insurance policies can range between 10 to 15% cheaper than purchasing individual policies for everyone in your group. This is because the insurance is spread across a larger pool of 5 members or more. Regardless, premium costs are still dependent on factors like age, length of trip, where you are traveling, and any additional add-ons to your premium.
How many people qualify as a "group" for travel insurance?
Typically, insurance policies may identify a group as 5 or more members, however, it can vary from plan to plan. For example, Seven Corners Trip Protection Choice can cover individual coverage if you plan to travel alone. However, it can also provide family coverage for up to 10 people if you disclose that there are additional individuals you want to add to your policy.
Do all group members need to travel together to be covered?
For most policies, group members need to travel to the same destination at the same time in order to receive coverage. It is best to ask your insurance provider or our Customer Success Team to see if you can only get coverage if your group members need to travel together.
Does group travel insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Yes, pre-existing medical conditions can be accounted for if your group is qualified for the pre-existing conditions waiver. To qualify for this waiver, you must have purchased the insurance within 14-21 days of your initial trip deposit. You also have to make sure that you insure the full cost of the trip, including your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses, and you have to be medically stable at the time of your purchase. The waiver provided by your policy may cover your trip cancellations, interruptions, or delays related to your pre-existing condition, which would otherwise be excluded.
Does group travel insurance cover delays caused by airlines or weather?
Yes, most travel insurance policies can cover your entire group if your group faces a significant delay caused by the airline or inclement weather. This coverage can provide reimbursement for additional costs like meals, extra transportation, and lodging if an overnight stay is necessary and the airline does not provide vouchers for these expenses.
Is group travel insurance suitable for corporate or business travel?
Yes, there are plenty of insurance plans that can suit multiple business travelers going on a trip. Businesses can protect their employees with group travel insurance, making sure they are covered in case of a health or financial risk during their trip.
Does travel insurance cover tour groups or guided group travel?
Yes, travel insurance can cover tour or guided groups, and is more recommended to get versus the insurance your tour operator may offer. Oftentimes, the insurance your tour operator may provide can lack essential coverage and may only cover situations related to your tour. Meanwhile, third-party travel insurance makes sure that your entire trip is covered, making sure you are protected from any incident.
How do claims work for group travel insurance?
With group travel insurance, each group member can make individual claims, which is helpful if only one or two people need to make a claim. But if everyone is involved, the entire group has the option to file claims.
