Travel is expensive. After you’ve paid for the flights, the hotels, the tours, the rental car, and a few wardrobe updates, you’re done. You’re not paying a penny more.

But what about insurance?

You might wonder: Is it really worth buying travel insurance? Maybe your credit card trip protection benefits are all you need. Maybe everything will go perfectly smoothly on your trip.

Sometimes things work out that way. Often, they don’t. And these travelers will tell you that when plans go awry, Allianz Travel Insurance is priceless.

The top 3 reasons travel insurance is worth it, in travelers’ own words

1. Peace of mind
   “The stress of missing my flight, added hours of travel & worry about figuring my way home from a farther away airport was a lot. The relief of having my added expenses paid for was definitely worth it and helped the situation immensely.” – Nicole B.
2. Emergency assistance worldwide
   “My friend was hurt very badly on our Austria ski trip and had to be flown to a regional hospital for an extended stay. Allianz is covering the air transport and hospital, and the extra lodging for the wife and special transport home for both of them. But just as importantly, they have been incredibly helpful in organizing the process and the necessary steps. True gold standard service.” – Bruce H.
3. Saves time and money
   “So easy to file a claim and the return of money was speedy. I never had to speak to automated service calls which was a blessing of time saved in my busy schedule. Worth it!” – Justine L.

Is travel insurance worth it for a cruise?

Yes. The number-one reason to buy cruise insurance is to protect the money you spent on your trip, so you don’t lose it all to an unexpected cancellation. Cruise lines have strict cancellation policies. In general, you won’t get any refund if you cancel less than 14 days (or even 30 days) before sailing—even if you have a compelling reason for canceling, such as illness.

Luckily, travel insurance can reimburse you for the full amount of your trip if you must cancel for a covered reason. Allianz Travel Insurance protects not only your cruise fares but also your airfare, onboard dining or drinks plans, excursions, etc.

“We were so disappointed as we had to sadly cancel our trip very unexpectedly because of my cancer diagnosis… & need for immediate surgery! Thanks you so much for your quick response & refund for our cruise!” – William R.

“I have submitted claims when my niece passed away and there were four of us that cancelled 1 month before the cruise. We were all refunded for all money we spent for the cruise. On a different cruise I got sick and went to the doctor on board and it was $750 and I got refunded quickly. I also submitted the tours that we had purchased for $850 and we couldn’t go because I was sick. Allianz refunded me for the tours as well.”  – Marla

Marla’s experience reveals another important reason to get travel insurance for your cruise: If you get sick on board, medical care is not free. If you need a medical evacuation to a hospital, or if you’re hospitalized in another country, those expenses may total several thousand dollars. Your U.S. health insurance probably won’t cover them, but your travel insurance plan with emergency medical benefits can.

Read more: Should I Get Travel Insurance for a Cruise?

Is travel insurance worth it for an overseas trip?

Yes. Many travelers wrongly assume their American health insurance card will be accepted by health providers overseas. Instead, hospitals and doctors typically require payment up front for emergency care. Travel insurance with emergency medical and dental benefits can reimburse or even pay in advance for your care following a covered medical or dental emergency that occurs during your trip.

“I had never purchased travel insurance before. I can be unnecessarily cheap sometimes. LOL. Boy am I glad I purchased this insurance. I have traveled a lot internationally, but for some reason something told me to go ahead and get it. I got sick on the long flight over, and had to be hospitalized in the emergency room in China. … The visit cost me $2000 that I didn't plan for. My claim was approved within 48 hours, and I received a direct deposit 3 days later. Which came right on time to pay for remainder of my vacation. I am so so grateful to Allianz. From now on I will ensure I have travel insurance. Spending $150 saved me $2000.” – Amanda M.

If you need a medical evacuation overseas, that can be a far larger expense. Fortunately, emergency transportation benefits can cover the cost of medically necessary transportation—which is especially important if you’re traveling to remote or wild places.

“Absolutely a wonderful experience with Allianz while trekking in Nepal with my son. My son fell very ill and we had to get him to a hospital. The Allianz team was always so responsive and caring all along the way from rescuing him from trail via helicopter to checking in with us during his short stay at hospital. Honestly I was very impressed.” – Britton B.

“I had a scary accident while hiking in Switzerland and broke my leg while being quite a long distance from any help. I required a helicopter to take me to the nearest hospital as well as emergency surgery to repair the broken bones. Allianz stayed true to their word and repaid my family for all emergency transportation + medical costs as well as the $$$ to change my flight in order to get home as soon as I was able to be discharged from the hospital. Absolutely recommend if you are doing any traveling, especially over seas!!” – Kelsey C.

Is travel insurance worth it for a domestic flight?

“I always buy trip insurance when we go overseas. For some reason I opted in to buy an Allianz policy for a coast to coast domestic flight recently. Thank goodness I did because our connecting flight was very late due to the weather. This forced us to spend the night and catch a flight in the morning. Having the flight insurance saved us a lot of money and the claim service was quick and easy online. A few days later, they made an automatic deposit to my checking account. Easy!” – Joe F.

A lot of travelers are like Joe: They buy insurance for international trips and usually skip it for U.S. trips. But as his experience shows, it’s smart to have travel insurance for domestic flights, too. There’s about a 1 in 5 chance that a U.S. flight will be delayed or canceled.¹ The travel delay benefit can reimburse you for prepaid trip expenses lost because of a delay, as well as additional expenses for meals, accommodation, communication, and transportation during a covered delay. (Read your plan documents to learn which covered reasons are included, the minimum length of a covered delay, and the maximum limit for reimbursement.)

Travel insurance is also worth buying in case your baggage gets delayed.

“We had a very stressful day of travel with delayed flights, reroutes, and delayed luggage that left us without formal clothing for the wedding we were attending. Our travel insurance was the only thing that made the situation less frustrating. I'm very thankful that I was able to file a claim through Allianz. They reviewed it all and were able to refund us for some lost funds that resulted from that bad day. Honestly, I've purchased travel insurance in the past and never had to utilize it and wasn't always sure it was worth it, but know that I've had this experience I would definitely invest in them again.” – Sarah B.

With the OneTrip Prime or OneTrip Premier plan, you can get an automatic payment of $100 per insured person, per day, for a covered flight delay or baggage delay. No receipts needed—you just get paid! Here's how SmartBenefits® work.

Travel insurance with trip cancellation benefits can also help if you must cancel your domestic trip for a covered reason.

“The morning I was to fly 1000 miles to my grandbaby's 2nd birthday celebration, I tripped and sprained both ankles and got a concussion. The plane was taking off while I was in the ER, being checked for brain bleeds. I had insured my flight with Allianz. I forwarded copies of ER diagnosis, receipts of my airfare, whatever was required and within a few days, I was refunded my costs for this domestic trip. I appreciate the fast response. You need to submit the documentation and when you do, the refund is on its way. Allianz is great to work with.” -- Sandra J.

Read more: 5 Ways Travel Insurance Can Help You Breathe Easier on Domestic Trips

What Allianz Travel Insurance reviews say

All the stories above come from Trustpilot, the leading source of unbiased, trustworthy reviews. Here’s Trustpilot’s summary of all 170,000+ Allianz Travel Insurance reviews they’ve received, unedited:

“Reviewers had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently highlight the positive service and quick response times they encountered. Many found the claim submission process to be straightforward and easy, leading to prompt approvals and reimbursements. People appreciate the helpful and professional customer service they received, with many noting clear communication throughout their interactions. The efficiency in handling claims and the speed of refunds were also frequently mentioned as positive aspects of their experience.”

Find out why Allianz Partners is one of the top-rated travel insurance providers for US travelers. Get a quote for your next trip.

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