Travel Resources for Adventurers
Travelex vs Allianz: Which Travel Insurance Should You Choose?
Written by Antonio Cala.
Table of Contents
Securing the right travel insurance is essential for peace of mind when planning your next adventure. Travelex and Allianz are two leading providers that offer comprehensive coverage tailored to various travel needs.
This article will compare their travel insurance policies, focusing on key aspects such as coverage options, cost-effectiveness, customer service, and additional benefits.
Whether you’re a globetrotter or an occasional traveler, understanding the differences between Travelex and Allianz can help you make an informed decision, ensuring you’re protected no matter where your journey takes you.
If you would like to know more about insurance options for adventure travel, make sure to check out our Complete Guide to Adventure Travel Insurance.
Travelex vs Allianz
Travelex
Travelex caters to high-end adventure travelers based in the US. They provide a high trip cancellation coverage (up to $50k) and substantial medical coverage, perfect for high-end adventure vacations like Polar expeditions or other adventure cruises.
They have a good reputation and get good reviews online, but their policies are not the cheapest.
Allianz
Allianz on the other hand is a ok choice for travelers, providing decent medical coverage and trip cancellation.
The problem with Allianz is their reputation. They receive a lot of negative reviews online from very angry customers.
Travelex in Detail
Nationalities: All nationalities are covered, as long as they are US residents.
Pre-existing conditions: Yes.
Seniors Over 65: Senior travel insurance package is offered to seniors over 65.
Trip Duration: Travel Select and Travel Basic plans cover trips up to 364 days. Travel America plan covers trips up to 14 days.
Groups: Individual and family plans available.
Destinations covered: Covers worldwide, except Ukraine, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Belarus, and Russian Federation.
Reasons To Buy
The price is competitive.
Pre–existing conditions accepted.
Covers worldwide, except Ukraine, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Belarus, and Russian Federation.
Reasons To Avoid
Only available to US residents.
They receive mixed reviews online.
Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense: Up to $50,000. It comes with a dental coverage sublimit of $500
Emergency Evacuation: Up to $500,000. It comes with an escort coverage limit of $25,000.
Trip Cancellation: 100% of insured trip cost. It comes with a limit of $50,000.
Trip Interruption: 150% of insured trip cost. It comes with a limit of $75,000.
Trip Delay: Up to $2,000. The policy comes with a daily sublimit of $200 and a minimum delay of 5 hours
Baggage & Personal Effects: Up to $1,000. Items sublimits apply.
Additional Medical Coverage. Increase your medical expenses coverage by $50,000 and up your medical evacuation coverage by $500,000.
Adventure Sports. Get protection for participating in professional athletic events, ziplining, skydiving, mountain climbing, and traveling on any air-supported devices.
Cancel for Any Reason. Protect yourself against the unexpected – whatever it maybe – and cancel your trip for any reason up to 48 hours before your scheduled departure date.
The Travelex Select Plan is a great option for American residents going on high-ticket expedition-type trips, like adventure cruises, safaris or polar expeditions.
It covers 100% of your trip in case of cancellation (up to $50,000) and a decent medical coverage of $50,000.
Allianz in Detail
Nationalities: Only US citizens and residents are eligible through www.allianztravelinsurance.com. Some countries have their own Allianz insurance website, like the UK, Spain or Germany.
Pre-existing conditions: Yes.
Seniors Over 65: Not specified.
Trip Duration: Short term and annual plans available.
Reasons To Buy
High trip cancellation/interruption coverage.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions accepted.
Reasons To Avoid
Very bad online reviews
Not all nationalities are covered.
Policy wording not clear on adventure activities coverage
Emergency Medical Coverage: Coverage Amount up to $75,000 This benefit covers losses arising from covered medical and dental emergencies that occur during your trip. For dental expenses, there is a maximum coverage limit of $750 for all eligible dental treatments.
Emergency Medical Transportation Coverage: Coverage Amount up to $1,000,000 This benefit covers medically necessary transportation to the nearest hospital or appropriate facility following a covered.
Trip Cancellation Coverage: Coverage Amount Up to $200,000 This benefit reimburses your prepaid, non-refundable expenses if you need to cancel your trip due to a covered reason. Unique to the OneTrip Premier Plan, a NOAA hurricane warning is included as a covered reason for trip cancellation. For detailed information, please refer to your plan documents.
Trip Interruption Coverage: Coverage Amount Up to $300,000 This benefit reimburses you for the unused, non-refundable portion of your trip and covers the increased transportation costs required to return home due to a covered reason.
Baggage Loss/Damage Coverage: Coverage Amount up to $2,000 This benefit covers the loss, damage, or theft of your baggage and personal effects.
The Allianz One Premier plan could be a choice for travelers going on high end organized trips or expeditions.
It offers a very high trip cancellation coverage (up to $200,000), a competitive medical coverage up to $75,000 and emergency evacuation up to $1,000,000.
However, Allianz gets the worst reviews online so if you are interested on their services, please do your research before going ahead.
Comparing Coverage Details
Company |
Plan |
Medical Expenses |
Emmergency Evacuation |
Trip Cancellation |
Trip Delays |
Equipment Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Select |
$50,000 |
$500,000 |
$50,000 |
150% |
$1,000 |
 |
One Premier |
$75,000 |
$1,000,000 |
$200,000 |
$300,000 |
$2,000 |
Pricing
When comparing the two, Travelex might come a bit cheaper than Allianz, but the difference is not much.
Just to give you an example, an insurance policy for a week-long trip to Peru ($2,000 trip cost) will cost around $115 with Allianz (One Premier) and around $108 with Travelex (Select).
What's Covered & Who's Eligible
Company |
Nationalities Covered |
Preexisting Conditions |
Coverage for Seniors Over 65 |
Destinations Covered |
Adventure Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Only US residents |
Yes |
No age limit |
Most countries covered |
Most of them |
|
|
A few |
Yes |
Not clear |
Some not covered |
Some not covered |
User Reviews and Testimonials
Most of the reviews Allianz receives online are very negative, where Travelex receive much better ones.
Travelex Online Reviews
Allianz Online Reviews
Conclusion
If you are still deciding, the short answer is to go with Travelex.
If you are looking for a company with a good reputation, that offers trip protection for high-ticket trips with decent medical coverage (up to $50k) the Travelex-Select is definitely the best option of the two.
If you are not a US resident, and planning to go on a high-end adventure trip that costs over $10,000, Allianz could provide you the coverage you need for the trip, but their online reputation is very bad. There are better options on the market, like Travel Guard that will give you that coverage for your high-end trip.
Other Travel Insurance Reviews
If you would like to read more about other insurance companies for adventure travelers, you can check out our other reviews below:
- Allianz
- Dive Assure
- Divers Network Alert
- Global Rescue
- Faye
- Medjet
- Ripcord
- SafetyWing
- Travel Guard
- Travelex
- World Nomads
If you would like to read more about insurance options for other type of adventure trips, you can check out our other reviews below:
- Skiing & Snowboarding
- Hiking Trips
- Mountaineering & High Altitude Trekking
- Mountain Biking, Bike-touring & Bike-packing
- Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing & Bouldering
- Kayaking, White Water Rafting & Paddle Boarding
- Fishing & Spearfishing
- Diving Liveaboards & Freediving
- Sailing, Kite Surfing & Surfing
- Adventure Cruises
- Adventure Motorcycling
Other Reviews Online
If you want to read what other people have to say about Travelex and Allianz, the following are some articles I thought to be interesting.
Travelex Travel Insurance Review: Is It Worth The Cost? – by nerdwallet.com
Thoughts on Allianz Global Travel insurance? – by Reddit.com
About the Author
Antonio was born and raised in Southern Spain, and quit his job in 2013 to travel the world full-time with his wife Amanda for 10 years straight. Their passion for adventure took them to visit 150+ countries.
They cycled 25,000km + from California to Patagonia, sailed over 10,000NM around the Caribbean & Sea of Cortez, rode their motorbikes 30,000 kms+ across West Africa (Spain to South Africa) and visited Antarctica, among many other adventure expeditions. Today, they’re still traveling, currently around the USA with an RV.
Traveling to so many places, remote destinations and by different means taught them a lot about travel insurance, which policies to hold depending on the area and the type of adventure they were doing. Antonio now publishes regular content to help other travelers choose the best travel insurance for adventure trips.
Together, they also run the travel community Summit, the RV site Hitched Up, the boutique accommodation blog Unique Places and the popular newsletter Adventure Fix, where they share their knowledge about the places they’ve visited and the ones still remaining on their list.
Antonio Cala
Co-Founder of Adventure Fix