Annual travel insurance gives a traveler the same global coverage for a full year from the start date. Essentially, it’s a travel insurance plan that goes with you whenever and wherever you travel – all year long – and you only have to buy it once a year.
Some annual travel insurance plans are renewable, so if it works for you one year, you can renew the plan and keep the same coverage.
Familiar Benefits in Annual Travel Insurance
Annual travel insurance is convenient for frequent travelers, academics, retirees, and entrepreneurs who are not worried about trip cancellations but do want to control unexpected travel costs due to:
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Emergency medical care – when you find yourself dehydrated and fighting food poisoning during a Beijing business trip
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Travel delays – when a tornado cancels all flights and you need a place to sleep
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Lost baggage – when your checked bags never arrive and you need to replace those lost items
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Evacuations – when the political situation on the ground worsens and you want a secure evacuation to a safe place
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Return of dependent children – when your family comes along and you are hospitalized, your children will be flown home
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Bedside visit – when you’re hospitalized in a foreign country, a friend or family member will be brought to your bedside
Annual travel insurance includes the travel insurance provider’s 24/7 emergency travel assistance services for help with medical emergencies, pre-trip planning, and other incidents that occur during your trips.
Limitations of Annual Travel Insurance
Most annual travel insurance plans have a per-trip length limit – usually 70-90 days. The key difference between annual travel insurance and other travel insurance plans is that there is little to no trip cancellation coverage, which also works to keep the cost of annual travel insurance low.
See our review of annual travel insurance, including a list of plans and providers, for more details.