Trawick International Travel Insurance Review: Is It Worth the Cost?

When planning a trip, we often anticipate the excitement of seeing a new city, the taste of local gastronomy and the overall sense of adventure. Rarely do we imagine arriving at a destination without luggage, breaking a wrist from a fall down the stairs or getting into a car accident on the road.

But sometimes these things happen, and you want to be prepared for when they do.

Still, you probably don’t want half of your vacation budget to go toward travel insurance. That’s where Trawick International comes into play. With nine different plans from which to choose and a variety of price points, Trawick International offers the flexibility that other insurance companies don’t.

Let’s take a look at what Trawick International covers, its cost and how it shapes up to its competitors.

Founded in 1998, Trawick International began life as a company offering insurance to university students. It then expanded into travel insurance and now offers comprehensive plans that provide protections for a variety of issues. These include trip interruption, trip cancellation, travel medical coverage and more.

Trawick International policies are underwritten by two different companies: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and Starr Indemnity & Liability Company. According to A.M. Best Financial Strength Ratings, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company has an A+ rating, while Starr Indemnity & Liability Company has an A rating. The highest possible rating for A.M. Best is A++.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies

Trawick International’s travel insurance coverage is comprehensive, with nine main plans from which to choose. Although there is a wide range of coverage options, they all have a few broad coverages in common.

All of Trawick International’s policies offer base protections, including:

• Trawick International travel insurance medical coverage: Emergency medical insurance, which will treat acute conditions such as injuries or illnesses. 

• Trip delay: Reimburses you for expenses incurred when your trip is delayed. This includes things like lodging, meals, toiletries and clothes. 

• Trip cancellation and trip interruption: Pays for nonrefundable costs such as tours and hotel bookings when your trip is canceled or interrupted. 

• Baggage delay insurance: Like trip delay insurance, baggage delay insurance can repay you for costs you end up paying when your luggage is delayed. Includes things like clothing, toiletries and medication. 

• Emergency medical evacuation: Reimburses charges in the event you need to be evacuated for a medical emergency. 

As you can see, some of these fall under Trawick International health insurance coverage, while others apply toward expenses incurred should your travel plans go awry. In either case, Trawick International has a coverage option for you.

» Learn more: Trip cancellation insurance explained

Policies range in size and scope, so it pays to read the fine print to know exactly what is covered and what isn’t.

Here's an overview of Trawick International's plan options and what is included.

Add-on options

Trawick International has a few different add-ons available. The ones from which you can choose will depend on the plan you select:

• Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR): Provides reimbursement for expenses if you decide to cancel your trip for any reason.

• Interruption for Any Reason (IFAR): Provides reimbursement for expenses if your trip is interrupted for any reason. 

• Emergency medical upgrade: Increases your policy maximum for emergency medical coverage. 

• Trip delay upgrade: Increases your policy maximum for trip delay reimbursement. 

• 24 Hour accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D): Adds on coverage for AD&D.

• Rental car insurance: Provides coverage when renting cars. 

The type of coverage you’ll get from your Trawick International plan will change based on which plan you purchase. However, there are some instances that are generally not covered. These include:

• Known storms.

• Pre-existing conditions (unless specifically included). 

• Adventure activities (unless specifically included). 

• Intentional acts of harm.

On a 5-star scale, NerdWallet rated Trawick International 5 stars. Jump to see our methodology.

A sample trip for a 36-year old traveler from Indiana to Canada for five days found that the cheapest Trawick International plan cost $100. If you were to spring for the premium plan, which increases your coverage limits, expect to pay $194.

This is in comparison to the cost range of $10-$202 for the sample trip. Note that price isn't the only differentiating factor. Coverage is not identical across plans; each company offers various levels of scope, limits and exclusions.

How much does Trawick International travel insurance cost? To figure out the price of a plan from Trawick International, we created a sample trip.

In this example, a 34-year-old traveler from Connecticut paid a total of $4,500 for a two-week trip to Denmark in November. Here’s how the costs shook out.

As you can see, Trawick International insurance cost varies significantly according to plan. The least expensive option is less than half Safe Travels Voyager, the most expensive policy.

Purchasing a Trawick International policy is simple and can be done online. Once you’ve navigated to Trawick International’s website, you’ll just fill out your travel information to generate a quote.

Enter your age, trip cost and the date you made the first deposit (for example, the date you booked flights).

Trawick International will then come back with all the plans available for your trip. Pick the one that’s right for you, complete your personal information, and then pay for it.

Consider comparison shopping

If you're not 100% sold on purchasing a plan from Trawick, you can use a travel insurance aggregator to compare policies across multiple companies at once.

Choosing the right Trawick International plan for your needs is going to depend on where you’re going, how long you’re staying, the type of activities you’ll be doing and how much you’re willing to pay.

For example, if you’re planning on hiking during your vacation, you may want to spend more for better emergency medical coverage. The same is true if you’re renting a car and want to be covered in case of an accident.

• Look at coverage details. If you won't need trip interruption insurance, don’t buy it.

• Use existing coverage. Many travel credit cards offer travel insurance, though coverage levels will vary. Check your wallet to see if you have an eligible card that provides travel insurance.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

Yes, Trawick International offers 24/7 travel assistance services for needs such as concierge services, emergency cash and family notifications.

To reach them, you can either call 888-301-9289 or email [email protected].

Filing a claim with Trawick International can be done in a few different ways, including mail, fax, email or an online portal.

To file a claim, you’ll need to have specific information on hand. This includes:

• Documentation for your claim.

• Plan name and certificate number.

• Information as to what happened. 

Is Trawick International travel insurance good? With many different plans from which to choose and a variety of add-ons available to customers, it’s easy to see why Trawick International is so popular.

Add this to the ability to file a claim online, plus concierge services available for even the cheapest plans, and it’s safe to say that a Trawick International plan could be worth it when traveling.

Trawick International offers a few travel insurance plans depending on your need. Before you buy a plan, be sure you’ve understood its coverage and costs, especially compared with other policies.