The Best Student Travel Insurance

If you’re a student who’s planning to travel internationally or study abroad, it’s a good idea to go prepared with comprehensive student travel insurance. But where do you find plans tailored to your unique needs?

These companies offer some of the best options for travel insurance for students, whether you’re globe-trotting for a week, a semester or a whole year.

What does travel insurance for students cover?

Student travel insurance can vary from plan to plan. But there are a few things you should look for whether you’re an exchange student, studying abroad or simply planning an international trip between classes.

• Trip cancellation insurance: This coverage reimburses you for any prepaid, nonrefundable costs of your trip should you have to cancel for any unexpected circumstances covered by your selected policy. 

• Travel medical coverage: If you become ill or get injured while traveling, travel medical coverage can help pay for medical expenses and even emergency travel back home.

• Travel delay insurance: In the event of rescheduled or canceled flights that result in painfully long layovers, this coverage will reimburse you for personal items, food and lodging you may have to pay for as you wait for a rescheduled flight.

• Delayed baggage: Just as it sounds, this coverage reimburses you for luggage (including necessities you might have to purchase while you wait for your luggage to arrive) if it’s delayed or lost by a travel provider in transit.

How much does travel insurance for students cost?

As with travel insurance for more general travelers, there are several factors that affect the cost of travel insurance for study abroad students and other young travelers, including:

• Specific coverage selected.

Because there are so many factors involved, and because every travel insurance company is different, it’s often wise to compare a number of plans to decide which is best for you and your travel plans. That said, these are some of the best student travel insurance options.

Travel Guard: Best for budget travelers

There are several options available from Travel Guard for travel insurance for students studying abroad or simply exploring on break: Deluxe, Preferred and Essential.

They all include trip cancellation and interruption, medical coverage, and lost or delayed baggage insurance. Bonus: They even come with dental coverage. Add-ons like car rental coverage and “cancel for any reason coverage” are also available with some plans.

There is also an annual plan available, but coverage automatically expires if any single trip lasts longer than 90 days, so it wouldn’t likely be sufficient for more than a semester abroad.

• Multiple price points for a wide range of coverage options.

• Dental coverage included.

• 24/7 emergency assistance available with all plans.

• If you plan on participating in adventure sports, the Adventure Sports Bundle is only available as an add-on on some Preferred and Deluxe plans.

World Nomads: Best for adventurers

Designed for independent, often more adventurous travelers, World Nomads offers several travel insurance options for students of any age.

While plans may seem more expensive than some other options, it’s important to remember that these plans include medical treatment and evacuation if you are injured while participating in some adventure sports. Plans also cover medical expenses, trip cancellation and interruption, baggage loss and delay, and include 24/7 travel assistance.

• Many adventure sports are covered.

• Some plans include car rental coverage.

• Pre-existing conditions aren’t covered.

Allianz: Best for premier travel benefits at a lower cost

A well-known travel insurance company, Allianz offers a number of travel insurance plans that may appeal to students.

All plans include epidemic coverage, trip cancellation and interruption, medical and dental coverage, baggage loss and delay, and 24-hour assistance. And premium plans tend to offer similar coverage as other insurance companies but at a lower price.

There’s also an annual plan available called AllTrips, but it doesn’t cover individual trips longer than 45 consecutive days.

• Includes epidemic coverage (including for COVID-19).

• Covers 100% of prepaid costs if you cancel your trip for a covered reason.

• The cost to change flights or other transportation is covered on some plans if you have to change or cancel bookings because of a covered reason.

• Rental car coverage not included on any plan.

GeoBlue Navigator for Students: Best study abroad health insurance

Designed for students staying in one place for more than a week or even a whole semester, GeoBlue’s Navigator for Students plan is perfect for students studying abroad who are more concerned with health care coverage than travel-related benefits.

It’s designed more like traditional health insurance with deductibles, monthly payment plans and unlimited annual maximums when it comes to medical care. It covers medical care inside and outside the U.S., making it a good overall health insurance if you plan to travel back and forth. Travel vaccinations, emergency medical transportation and repatriation are even covered.

What’s not covered are more typical travel-related expenses like lost baggage, delayed flights and trip cancellation. But the medical coverage is so comprehensive that if you want travel-specific coverage, you could opt to purchase a more budget-friendly plan for each specific trip.

• Unlimited annual maximum for medical benefits.

• Sliding payment scale to customize your deductible-to-monthly premium payments.

• Preventive care is covered.

• Dental and vision benefits are extra.

• Coverage for most travel-related snafus isn’t included.

More tips for purchasing study abroad travel insurance

The best travel insurance for students studying abroad or traveling between semesters or even on holiday breaks is insurance that’s best suited to you and your travel plans.

Before you hit “Add to cart,” compare several plans, make sure to read the fine print and understand what’s covered (and, just as importantly, what’s not). Select a plan that offers the coverage required to help you feel safe, secure and protected wherever you roam.