AIG travel insurance review 2024
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 10:30 a.m. UTC June 10, 2024
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Pros
- Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your travel insurance policy.
- Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
Cons
- Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
- $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
- Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.
Why trust our travel insurance experts
Our team of travel insurance experts evaluates hundreds of insurance products and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best product for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
- 567 rates reviewed.
- 5 levels of fact-checking.
AIG travel insurance overview
AIG Travel Guard specializes in travel insurance for leisure and business travelers. It has a network of service centers in Asia, Europe and the Americas to provide 24/7 emergency travel assistance.
AIG travel insurance plans
AIG Travel Guard offers three travel insurance plans, including a last-minute plan for impromptu travelers and an annual plan for those often on the go.
Here are a few key benefits included with AIG travel insurance plans.
- Trip cancellation: If you need to cancel your trip for a reason listed in your policy, trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for any prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses, such as flights, hotels and tours.
- Trip delay: Trip delay insurance covers you for extra costs if your travels hit a snag like a canceled connecting flight. This coverage can reimburse you for extra expenses you weren’t anticipating, like a meal and an overnight hotel stay as you wait for a new flight. It can also reimburse you for prepaid expenses for plans you’ll miss by arriving late.
- Travel interruption: If there’s an emergency back home and you need to cut your trip short, this coverage can pay for a last-minute flight back. It can also reimburse you for lost prepaid, nonrefundable expenses for the plans you’ll miss by leaving early.
- Travel medical insurance: If you become sick or injured on your trip, travel medical insurance can pay for your emergency medical expenses. This can include doctor and hospital bills, labwork, X-rays and medication.
- Emergency medical evacuation: If your injury or illness calls for medevac support, emergency medical evacuation insurance will cover the cost of transporting you to the nearest adequate medical facility.
- Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: If you buy your travel insurance within 15 days of your first trip payment, your plan will not exclude coverage of pre-existing medical conditions.
- Baggage insurance: This coverage will reimburse you for the depreciated value of your bags and belongings if they are lost, stolen or damaged, up to the limits in your policy. If your bags are delayed for a certain length of time, you will have coverage to buy a few necessities while you wait for your bags to arrive.
- Travel assistance services: An emergency global assistance team is available around the clock if you need medical or travel help.
AIG Travel Guard Essential plan
The Essential plan is AIG Travel Guard’s most budget-friendly single-trip travel insurance plan.
If your trip is canceled or interrupted because of the illness, injury or death of you, a traveling companion, a family member or business partner, this plan will reimburse 100% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses, up to $100,000 per person.
It also includes up to $15,000 in travel medical insurance and $150,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage, up to $750 in baggage coverage and $200 in baggage delay and the option to purchase car rental insurance.
AIG Travel Guard Preferred plan
The Preferred Plan is AIG Travel Guard’s most popular single-trip travel insurance plan.
In addition to covering everything the Essential plan covers, this plan increases the baggage coverage to $1,000, the baggage delay to $300, the travel medical expense coverage to $50,000 and the emergency evacuation coverage to $500,000.
This plan also includes up to $2,500 per person in Trip Saver coverage designed to reimburse you for meals, hotels and additional transportation if you need to begin your trip sooner than initially scheduled due to an unforeseen circumstance such as inclement weather or common carrier changes.
Unlike the Essential plan, the Preferred plan allows travelers to purchase “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage. You can also customize the Preferred plan with enhancements for pets, inconveniences, adventure sports, baggage, wedding guest coverage and a security bundle covering security evacuation and trip cancellation or interruption for political unrest.
AIG Travel Guard Deluxe Plan
The AIG Travel Guard Deluxe Plan offers the most coverage and baggage benefits. Like the Preferred Plan, it covers 100% for trip cancellation and 150% for trip interruption. The Deluxe Plan increases coverage with up to $100,000 for medical expenses, $1,000,000 for emergency evacuation, $100,000 in coverage for a flight accident, $2,500 in lost baggage coverage and $500 in baggage delay.
Instead of being an optional add-on as it is in the Preferred Plan, Security evacuation is automatically included in the Deluxe plan. This plan also includes up to $100,000 for accidental death or dismemberment when traveling on a flight.
| TRAVEL INSURANCE BENEFIT | AIG TRAVEL GUARD ESSENTIAL | AIG TRAVEL GUARD PREFERRED | AIG TRAVEL GUARD DELUXE |
|---|---|---|---|
Trip cancellation
| 100% of trip cost | 100% of trip cost | 100% of trip cost |
Trip interruption
| 100% of trip cost | 150% of trip cost | 150% of trip cost |
Emergency medical expense
| $15,000
| $50,000
| $100,000
|
Emergency medical evacuation
| $150,000
| $500,000
| $1,000,000
|
Trip delay
| $100 per day | $200 per day | $200 per day |
Baggage coverage
| $750
| $1,000
| $2,500
|
Baggage delay
| $200 | $300 | $500 |
Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver
| Yes
| Yes
| Yes
|
AIG Travel Guard Pack N’ Go Plan Essential Plan
Designed for last-minute travelers, the AIG Travel Guard Pack N’ Go Plan provides immediate coverage for unplanned trips. The plan does not include trip cancellation coverage but does include trip interruption and delay for up to $1,000. It also includes $1,000 in baggage coverage, $25,000 in travel medical expenses and up to $500,000 in emergency evacuation.
AIG Travel Guard Annual Travel Plan
The Travel Guard Annual Plan is annual travel insurance coverage for multiple trips throughout the year. The plan includes trip interruption, trip delay, missed connection and medical coverage on all trips taken during a 12-month period of time, instead of covering each trip individually. The travel medical expense pays for up to $50,000 in medical expenses while the emergency evacuation covers up to $500,000 in evacuation expenses.
What isn’t covered by AIG travel insurance
Like every travel insurance plan, AIG travel insurance has exclusions. It is always a good idea to check the fine print before purchasing a plan. Some exclusions to AIG Travel Guard plans include:
- Airline tickets purchased using frequent flyer airline miles or points are not covered.
- Medical treatments from injuries sustained from alcohol or substance abuse.
- Loss or damage caused by detention, confiscation or destruction by customs.
- Injury sustained by participating in professional athletic events, motor sport or motor racing.
- Baggage loss or damage of eyeglasses or contact lenses.
- War or an act of war.
- Participating in a riot or civil disorder.
AIG travel insurance rates
The average cost of travel insurance is 5% to 6% of your total trip cost. This can vary based on the age of the traveler, destination, cost of trip, type of plan and any add-on coverage selected. Here are examples of prices for the AIG Travel Guard Deluxe plan.
| SAMPLE TRIP | AVERAGE COST OF AIG TRAVEL GUARD DELUXE |
|---|---|
One traveler age 35
5-day trip to Mexico
$5,000 trip
| $368
|
Two travelers age 25
7-day trip to Turks and Caicos
$14,000 trip
| $960
|
Two Travelers age 73
7-day trip to Sweden
$10,000 trip
| $1,173
|
Two travelers age 57
10-day trip to Greece
$18,000 trip
| $1,366
|
Compare the best travel insurance companies of 2024
| TRAVEL INSURANCE COMPANY | TOP-SCORING PLAN | OUR RATING | MEDICAL BENFITS PER PERSON | EVACUATION LIMITS PER PERSON | LEARN MORE | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 WorldTrips | Atlas Journey Elevate | $250,000 primar coverage | $1,000,000 | Compare Quotes Via TravelInsurance.com’s website | ||||||||
| ||||||||||||
 Travel Insured International | Worldwide Trip Protector | $100,000 primary coverage | $1,000,000 | Compare Quotes Via Compare Coverage’s website | ||||||||
| ||||||||||||
| Classic | $100,000 primary coverage | $1,000,000 | Compare Quotes Via Compare Coverage’s website | |||||||||
| ||||||||||||
| Go Ready Choice | $50,000 secondary coverage | $250,000 | Compare Quotes Via Compare Coverage’s website | |||||||||
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| Travel Select | $50,000 primary coverage | $500,000 | Compare Quotes Via Compare Coverage’s website | |||||||||
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| Travel Guard Preferred | $50,000 Primary coverage | $500,000 | Compare Quotes Via Compare Coverage’s website | |||||||||
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| Cruise Choice | $100,000 secondary coverage | $500,000 | Compare Quotes Via Compare Coverage’s website | |||||||||
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Methodology
Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance of 2024. For companies with more than one travel insurance plan, we shared information about the highest-scoring plan.
Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:
- Cost: 40 points. We scored the average cost of each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles.
- Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
- Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
- Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
- Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
- “Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
- Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
- Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
- Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.
Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.
AIG travel insurance review FAQs
AIG Travel Guard considers COVID-19 a foreseen event so certain coronavirus-related losses may not be covered. If you contract COVID-19 prior to your departure, however, you could be covered for trip cancellation. Likewise, if you contract COVID-19 while traveling and get a confirmed diagnosis from a doctor, you could be covered for medical expenses, trip interruption, trip delay and emergency medical evacuation benefits.
Yes, the AIG Travel Guard Preferred and Deluxe travel insurance plans offer the option to purchase “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage. The extra coverage allows you to cancel your trip for any reason not otherwise covered by the plan and be reimbursed up to 50% of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses. For this upgrade, you need to purchase CFAR coverage within 15 days of your initial trip deposit and cancel your trip at least 48 hours prior to scheduled departure.
Yes, several AIG Travel Gaurd’s travel insurance plans offer a pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver. The waiver allows for the coverage of some medical issues despite pre-existing conditions.
To qualify for AIG’s pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver, you need to buy travel insurance the same day you make your first trip deposit (or shortly thereafter), insure the full value of all prepaid, nonrefundable trip payments and deposits and be medically able to travel at the time you purchase the travel insurance.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
