Best Travel Medical Insurance Plans for 2025
Last Updated: July 1, 2025
Key Takeaways
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After analyzing over 100 policies, we found that the best travel medical insurance plans are offered by Seven Corners, Tin Leg, & IMG
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These plans can cover you for unexpected medical expenses, such as ambulance rides, hospital visits, prescription medications, treatment, & emergency evacuations while you’re away.
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Most U.S. health insurance is not accepted abroad, so travel medical insurance is highly recommended.
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Medical travel insurance costs an average of $4 per day, making it well worth the investment.
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We recommend using our travel insurance quote tool to compare plans & prices from multiple providers at once, or speak with an agent at 1-800-240-0369.
Our Most Popular Travel Medical Insurance Plans
After evaluating all 19 providers and 106 plans available in the Squaremouth marketplace, we have selected Seven Corners as the top company for travel medical insurance in 2025. Below are our best travel medical insurance plan recommendations to cater to more specific coverage types:
- Best Overall Travel Medical Insurance, Seven Corners – Trip Protection Choice
- Most Affordable Coverage, Tin Leg – Gold
- Best Plan for International Trips, IMG – Patriot International Platinum
- Best Plan for Visitors to the US, IMG – Patriot America Platinum
To ensure transparency and independence in selecting our travel insurance award winners, we base our decisions solely on Squaremouth marketplace sales data from the previous month, without any influence from insurance companies, business relationships, affiliates, or other external parties. Each award is given to the top-selling plans that meet the specific criteria outlined below.
- Best Overall Travel Medical Insurance: Over 500 sales, trip cost insured equal to $0, emergency medical coverage of at least $50,000, and medical evacuation coverage of at least $100,000, sorted by the highest to lowest number of policies sold.
- Most Affordable Coverage: Over 500 sales, trip cost insured equal to $0, emergency medical coverage of at least $50,000, and medical evacuation coverage of at least $100,000, sorted by average premium from lowest to highest.
- Best Plan for International Trips: Over 500 sales, trip cost insured equal to $0, destination not in the US, emergency medical coverage of at least $50,000, and medical evacuation coverage of at least $100,000, sorted by the highest to lowest number of policies sold.
- Best Plan for Visitors to the US: Over 100 sales, trip cost insured equal to $0, the traveler is a citizen of a country outside of the US and their destination is the US, emergency medical coverage of at least $10,000, and medical evacuation coverage of at least $50,000, sorted by the highest to lowest number of policies sold.
The Best Travel Medical Insurance Plans in Detail
Best Overall Travel Medical Insurance
Medical / Med Evac Coverage
$500,000 / $1,000,000Cancellation / Interruption Limits
100% / 150% of trip cost
Accounts for roughly 12% of all travel medical policy sales, making it one of the most popular plans on Squaremouth for customers seeking medical coverage
Provides up to $500,000 in Emergency Medical coverage and up to $1,000,000 in Medical Evacuation protection, the strongest combination of medical coverage offered of any comprehensive policy on Squaremouth
Gives the option to protect your travel expenses through the policy’s Trip Cancellation coverage, a benefit not always offered by travel medical policies
Seven Corners earns our pick for the best travel medical coverage with their immensely popular Travel Protection Choice plan. Whether you’re heading overseas or staying stateside, this policy offers some of the most generous Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage found on the Squaremouth platform, with $500,000 and $1,000,000 in coverage per benefit, respectively. Seven Corners rounds out this coverage by including strong reimbursement limits for other in-demand benefits like Travel Delay, Baggage Loss, and Missed Connection, plus the option to protect 100% of your trip costs.
Competitive protection coupled with the provider’s 30+ year track record of delivering peace of mind to the global travel community makes this plan a safe bet for any upcoming trip.
Most Affordable Travel Medical Insurance
Medical / Med Evac Coverage
$500,000 / $500,000Cancellation / Interruption Limits
100% / 150% of trip cost
Customers spend just $50 on average for coverage, less than half of the average premium among all travel medical policies listed on Squaremouth
Provides up to $500,000 in Primary Emergency Medical coverage, among the highest coverage limit of any travel insurance plan and 5 times more than our recommended minimum
Covers 250+ adventure activities, including popular sports like skiing, surfing, hiking, and scuba diving, making this plan great for adventurous travelers
With generous reimbursement limits and unique benefits, Tin Leg Gold is remarkably great value. With an average travel medical premium of just $50, Gold customers get international health coverage that rivals plans more than twice its price. The plan also comes standard with basic coverage for delays and luggage-related expenses, and the option to protect your trip costs, keeping you financially protected from a wide-range of unexpected disruptions.
Tin Leg is consistently among the top-selling providers on Squaremouth, and their Gold plan is the perfect option for budget-conscious travelers that want the best bang for their buck.
Best Plan for International Trips
Medical & Med Evac Coverage
$2,000,000Pre-existing Medical Flare-ups
$1,000,000
Features the most Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage on Squaremouth, offering up to $2,000,000 per traveler for each benefit
Travelers under the age of 70 can receive up to $1,000,000 in coverage for pre-existing medical condition flare-ups that occur during a covered trip
Includes up to $25,000 in Non-Medical Evacuation coverage which can cover emergency transportation cost to get you to safety in the event of a natural disaster, civil unrest, or terrorist incident
If you’re in search of a policy that offers the highest amount of international medical protection, look no further than IMG’s Patriot International Platinum plan. We chose to highlight this policy in large part because it offers up to $2,000,000 in Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation coverage, which should provide more than enough to allow you to travel the world with peace of mind. The plan’s impressive medical benefits don’t stop there either, as its Pre-Existing Condition coverage rivals any plan found on the Squaremouth platform.
Other unique benefits like Trip Interruption, Non-Medical Evacuation, 24 Hour AD&D, Home Country Coverage, and Identity Theft make Patriot International Platinum a leader in overseas travel medical insurance.
Best Plan for Visitors to the US
Medical & Med Evac Coverage
$2,000,000Trip Interruption Protection
$10,000
Provides coverage to non-U.S. citizens vacationing in the United States
Comes standard with $2,000,000 in coverage for Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation claims, the highest coverage limits for these benefits of any policy listed on Squaremouth
Includes $10,000 of Trip Interruption protection to cover the cost of airfare if you’re forced to return home early for a medical reason
For international travelers seeking short-term medical coverage within the United States, we recommend IMG’s Patriot America Platinum plan. It shares the same coverage attributes as Patriot International Platinum, our pick for ‘Best International Travel Medical Insurance,’ but is designed with non-U.S. citizens in mind. It offers more than enough protection against unexpected medical expenses, emergency evacuations, and pre-existing medical condition flare ups.
IMG also offers access to an extensive medical network within the United States, as well as 24-hour emergency support, which can be helpful for foreigners navigating U.S. healthcare while on vacation.
What Benefits Does the Best Travel Medical Insurance Include?
When planning any type of getaway, there’s always the risk that you may need medical attention while traveling. This is the second most common traveler concern, only trailing Trip Cancellation.
Given that most health insurance providers don’t offer international coverage, a travel medical plan is often needed to help pay for overseas hospital bills, ambulance rides, and other treatment-related expenses.
When looking for a well-rounded travel medical insurance policy, it’s important to consider the following benefits:
With medical coverage, travelers may be reimbursed for costs related to treatment overseas, such as hospital bills, x-rays, ambulance services, and lab costs.
In the event of a true medical emergency, a doctor may order a traveler to be transported to another medical facility or return home to receive treatment. Emergency Medical Evacuation insurance can cover these transportation costs, which can easily rise to tens of thousands of dollars.
Pre-Existing Condition coverage can cover illnesses or other medical conditions that were diagnosed or treated before a trip, as long as they are stable at the time of purchase. While this coverage is not needed for most travelers, it is a helpful benefit to have for those who want coverage for an existing issue.
While Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted in recent times, there is still the possibility that you may contract the coronavirus during your trip. Most travel insurance policies now include Covid-19 coverage at no additional cost.
How Much Does Travel Medical Insurance Cost?
The average international travel medical insurance policy costs $89. However, this cost can vary based on several factors, including your trip length, age, destination, and the level of coverage you choose.
Travelers who want fully comprehensive coverage, including cancellation benefits in addition to medical coverage and other travel benefits, can expect their policies to be considerably more expensive. The average comprehensive policy costs travelers roughly $330.
Plan |
Solo Traveler |
Couple |
Family |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| $41 | $114 | $196 | Get Quotes | |
| $21 | $56 | $196 | Get Quotes | |
| $13.44 | $31.50 | $77.98 | Get Quotes |
How Much Travel Medical Insurance Do I Need?
The amount of travel health insurance you need depends heavily on the type of trip you are taking. It’s important to consider your travel itinerary when comparing plans, and that you take into account the various activities you might be doing while traveling.
For most international travelers, we recommend a travel medical insurance policy with at least $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage and $100,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage. Plans that meet this criteria should offer enough coverage for most medical bills you could potentially face during a trip.
However, for cruisers, travelers with more adventurous itineraries, or individuals visiting remote destinations, higher coverage limits may be necessary. For such trips, we recommend a plan that features at least $100,000 in Emergency Medical and $250,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage.
What is the Difference Between Primary and Secondary Travel Health Insurance?
When comparing travel health insurance policies, you will notice that providers label their Emergency Medical benefit as either “Primary” or “Secondary.” This refers to the order in which a medical claim is paid.
For Primary travel health insurance plans, the travel insurance provider will be the first in line to reimburse a claim. On the other hand, Secondary coverage will pay a claim after a traveler has filed with their primary health insurance provider.
It’s important to note that primary travel medical insurance doesn’t necessarily mean better coverage. While primary claims typically settle faster, travelers who opt for secondary Emergency Medical coverage are usually just as satisfied with the level of service and protection. To learn more, read our detailed explanation of the differences between primary and secondary travel insurance.
What Is Excluded From Travel Health Insurance?
Travel medical policies are designed to provide financial coverage to travelers impacted by an unforeseen medical emergency. However, this does not mean that all injuries and illnesses sustained while traveling will be covered by your insurance provider.
Common exclusions found in travel medical insurance policies include:
- Pre-Existing Conditions: Unless stated otherwise, the majority of travel insurance policies will not cover medical bills relating to illnesses or injuries sustained before the trip’s departure date.
- Pregnancies: While pregnancy complications may be covered under some travel health insurance plans, most policies will exclude coverage for normal pregnancy activity. This includes childbirth and routine checkups.
- Elective Surgeries: Travelers that plan on undergoing an elective surgery at any point during their trip will likely not be covered by their travel medical insurance plan.
- Sport Related Injuries: Most standard travel health insurance policies won’t cover travelers if they get hurt participating in organized sports or hazardous activities. With that said, some providers have policies specifically designed for travelers * with more adventurous or active itineraries.
Is Travel Medical Health Insurance Ever Required?
Yes, in certain situations, travel medical health insurance may be required by your host nation or tour operator in order to travel. Even in situations when it’s not required, purchasing medical insurance before your trip is always strongly recommended.
It’s important to find a travel medical insurance policy that addresses your primary concerns and provides adequate coverage for the duration of your trip.