Squaremouth.com offers fast and easy travel insurance comparisons
I was just over at Squaremouth.com playing with their travel insurance comparison engine, and I am very impressed with what they have done.

NOTE: What stands out at first about this company is their name and logo, which are both unusual for the travel insurance business. Typically, travel insurance company names are either acronyms (CSA, SRI, IMG) or aptly-named cliches (TravelGuard, Travelex, TravelSafe).

The comparison sites are usually easy to remember statements like insuremytrip.com, buyamericaninsurance.com, or quotetravelinsurance.com.

So, when a site like Squaremouth.com offers travel insurance comparison quotes, they stand out a little. (Note: Quotetravelinsurance.com listed above is in fact another name of the Squaremouth comparison engine.

3 Reasons to check out Squaremouth.com

1. The quote page explains how to answer each question
For example: many quote engines ask about the “Trip Type”, with answers of Air Only, Cruise (with or without air), and Other. Squaremouth.com explains why they ask this, how to answer if your trip type is unusual, and even that regardless of your selection, all types of trip are fully covered on all policies. (See screenshot, click to enlarge)

You can also get more information by clicking “Click here for more info”, which will open a small help window. After reading, just close the small window.

2. The list of quotes and policies is vertical, not horizontal.
This makes it easier to see the policy names, some basic features, and the prices. You can then click to buy or click to view more. (See screenshot)

I would recommend you also select a few policies and do a side-by-side comparison. This lets you see the benefits of each policy side-by-side, which bring us to number 3.

3. Side-by-side comparisons are very easy to use.
From the initial list of available policies, you can select some policies that appeal to you. Squaremouth.com provides small icons that indicate different attributes, such as Changable Policy Options, Pre-existing Condition Coverage, and if it qualifies as a Squaremouth Preferred Plan.

Select some different policies by clicking on the small check box to the left of each policy name, and hit “Click here to compare” (See screenshot)

Now you will get more details about the policies and see how they compare to each other. The coverage and benefits are listed down the left column, and reading across you can see how each policy compares to each other.

Squaremouth.com also lists the SQM Benefit Score, which is their own rating on a scale of 0/100 up to 100/100.

On my 12″ iBook, I can see 4-5 policies without scrolling left and right, which makes comparing very easy. (See screenshot)

Again, almost every word and term on the comparison page is a clickable link that will open a small, helpful window explaining the term.

I would encourage anyone looking for travel insurance to check out Squaremouth.com, they provide a great starting point.

Read our Travel Insurance 101: The Complete Guide to Travel Insurance

How to buy travel insurance

1. Use a travel insurance comparison site- The best way to buy travel insurance is to use a travel insurance comparison site. Compare quotes and plas side-by-side, and buy instantly online.
2. Check reviews and buy direct- If you want a quote from a specific travel insurance company, visit our reviews pages. You will see links to purchase insurance directly from the company.