compare travel insurance south africa

Top Travel Insurances for South Africa You Should Know in 2024

Byron Mühlberg

Monito's Managing Editor, Byron has spent several years writing extensively about financial- and migration-related topics.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

At the very bottom of Africa, South Africa is a famous tourist destination that's known for its diverse landscapes, Table Mountain, the Kruger National Park with its Big Five, and rich cultural heritage such as traditional music and dance. Although travelling to South Africa can be an accessible holiday destination for many people, out-the-pocket healthcare costs in the country tend to be expensive, so it's a very good idea to arrive there with travel insurance under your belt.

Luckily, online global insurances (known as 'insurtechs') specialize in cost-savvy travel insurance to South Africa and other countries worldwide. Our list below explores the four services we believe provide the best deals for young travellers, adventurers, everyday holidaymakers looking for comprehensive but affordable coverage, and longer-term expats.

South Africa Insurance Profile

Here are a few of the many factors influencing the scope and cost of travel insurances for South Africa:

Best Travel Insurances for South Africa

• 01. Should I get travel insurance for South Africa? scroll down
• 02. Best medical coverage: VisitorsCoverage scroll down
• 03. Best trip insurance: Insured Nomads scroll down
• 04. Best mix for youth and digitial nomads: SafetyWing scroll down
• 05. FAQ about travel insurance to South Africa scroll down

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• ✈ Looking for flights? Compare on Skyscanner !
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Do I Need Travel Insurance for South Africa?

No, there's currently no legal requirement to take out travel insurance for travel to or through South Africa.

However, regardless of whether or not it's legally required, it's always a good idea to take our health insurance before you travel — whether to SA or anywhere else. For what's usually an affordable cost , taking out travel insurance will mitigate most or all of the risk of financial damage if you run into any unexpected troubles during your trip abroad. Take a look at the top five reasons to get travel insurance to learn more.

With that said, here are the top three travel insurances for South Africa:

VisitorsCoverage: Best Medical Coverage

Among the internet's best-known insurance platforms,  VisitorsCoverage  is a pioneering Silicon Valley insurtech company that offers comprehensive medical coverage for travellers going abroad to South Africa. It lets you choose between various plans tailored to meet the specific needs of your trip to South Africa, including coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, and travel disruptions. With its easy online purchase process and 24/7 live chat support, VisitorsCoverage is a reliable and convenient option if you want good value and peace of mind while travelling abroad.

• Coverage 9.0
• Quality of Service 9.0
• Pricing 7.6
• Credibility 9.5

VisitorsCoverage offers a large variety of policies and depending on your needs and preferences, you'll need to compare and explore their full catalogue of plans for yourself. However, we've chosen a few highlights for their travel insurance for South Africa:

• Policy names: Varies
• Medical coverage: Very good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, mental health-related conditions, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Excellent - but only available for US residents.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat and phone support
• Pricing range: USD 25 to USD 150 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Lloyd's, Petersen, and others
• Best for: Value for money and overall medical coverage

Insured Nomads: Best Trip Coverage

Insured Nomads is another very good travel insurance option, especially if you're adventurous or frequently on the go and are looking for solid trip insurance with some coverage for medical incidents too. With Insured Nomads, you can choose the level of protection that best suits your needs and enjoy a wide range of benefits, including 24/7 assistance, coverage for risky activities and adventure sports, and the ability to add or remove coverage as needed. In addition, Insured Nomads has a reputation for providing fast and efficient claims service, making it an excellent choice if you want peace of mind while exploring the world.

• Coverage 7.8
• Quality of Service 8.5
• Pricing 7.4
• Credibility 8.8

Insured Nomads offers three travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences. We go through them below:

• Policy names: World Explorer, World Explorer Multi, World Explorer Guardian
• Medical coverage: Good. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, pre-existing conditions, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Good. Includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, lost or stolen luggage (with limits), adventure and sports activities, and many others.
• Customer support: FAQ, live chat, phone support
• Pricing range: USD 80 to USD 420 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: David Shield Insurance Company Ltd.
• Best for: Adventure seekers wanting comprehensive trip insurance

SafetyWing: Best Combination For Youth

SafetyWing is a good insurance option for younger travellers or digital nomads because it offers flexible but comprehensive coverage at a famously affordable price. With SafetyWing, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing you're covered for unexpected medical expenses, trip cancellations, lost or stolen luggage, and more. In addition, SafetyWing's user-friendly website lets you manage your policy, file a claim, and access 24/7 assistance from anywhere in the world, and, unlike VisitorsCoverage, you can even purchase a policy retroactively (e.g. during a holiday)!

• Coverage 7.0
• Quality of Service 8.0
• Pricing 6.3
• Credibility 7.3

SafetyWing offers two travel insurance policies depending on your needs and preferences, which we've highlighted below:

• Policy names: Nomad Insurance, Remote Health
• Medical coverage: Decent. Includes coverage for doctor and hospital visits, repatriation, and many others.
• Trip coverage: Decent. Includes attractive coverage for lost or stolen belongings, adventure and sports activities, transport cancellation, and many others.
• Pricing range: USD 45 to USD 160 /traveller /month
• Insurance underwriter: Tokyo Marine HCC
• Best for: Digital nomads, youth, long-term travellers

How Do They Compare?

Interested to see how VisitorsCoverage, SafetyWing, and Insured Nomads compare as travel insurances to South Africa? Take a look at the side-by-side chart below:

Data correct as of 4/1/2024

FAQ About Travel Insurance to SA

Travel insurance typically covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, lost or stolen luggage, travel delay, and emergency evacuation. Some travel insurance packages also cover medical-related incidents too. However, remember that the exact coverage depends on the insurance policy.

No, you'll not be required to take out travel insurance for South Africa. However, we strongly encourage you to do so anyway, because the cost of healthcare in South Africa can be high, and taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself if you need medical attention during your stay.

Yes, medical travel insurance is almost always worth it, and we recommend taking out travel insurance whenever visiting a foreign country. Taking out travel insurance will mitigate some or all of the risk of covering those costs yourself in case you need medical attention during your stay. In general, we recommend VisitorsCoverage to travellers worldwide because it offers excellent value for money and well-rounded travel and medical benefits in its large catalogue of plans.

Health insurance doesn't cover normal holiday expenses, such as coverage for missed flights and hotels, but in case you run into medical trouble while abroad, it may cover some or all of your doctor or hospital expenses while overseas. However, not all health insurance providers and plans offer coverage to customers while abroad, and that's why it's generally best to take out travel insurance whenever you travel.

Although there's overlap, health and travel insurance are not exactly the same. Health insurance covers some or all of the cost of medical expenses (e.g. emergency treatment, doctor's visits, etc.) while travel insurance covers non-medical costs that are commonly associated with travelling (e.g. coverage for missed flights, stolen or lost personal belongings, etc.).

The cost of travel insurance depends on several factors, such as the length of the trip, the destination, the age of the traveller, and the level of coverage desired. On average, travel insurance can cost anywhere between 3% and 10% of the total cost of the trip.

A single-trip travel insurance policy covers a specific trip, while an annual one covers multiple trips taken within a one-year period. An annual policy may be more cost-effective for frequent travellers.

Yes, you can sometimes purchase travel insurance after starting your trip, but it is best to buy it before the trip begins to ensure maximum coverage. If you do need to buy insurance after you've started your trip, we recommend VisitorsCoverage , which offers a wide catalogue of online trip and medical insurance policies, most of which can be booked with immediate effect. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

Yes, you can most certainly purchase travel insurance for a trip that has already been booked, although we recommend purchasing insurance as soon as possible aftwerwards to ensure all coverage is in place before your journey begins. Check out our guide to buying travel insurance late to learn more.

See Our Other Travel Insurance Guides

Looking for Travel Insurance to Another Country?

See our recommendations for travel insurance to other countries worldwide:

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7 Best South Africa Travel Insurance Plans for US Citizens in 2023

Updated on June 16, 2023 by Matthew H. Nash – Licensed Insurance Agent

• SwiftScore Our SwiftScore is a unique and proprietary insurance ranking system objectively comparing key metrics which are most important to South Africa travelers. Learn more at the end of this page.

STARTING PRICE FOR 2-WEEK TRIP TO THE SOUTH AFRICA

CAN YOU CANCEL YOUR TRIP FOR ANY REASON? 

BEST POLICY FOR

Fast Claims

• Super fast claims via their 100% digital platform with a helpful mobile app
• Faye makes it easy to add-on coverage for vacation rentals, adventure/extreme sports, pet emergencies, and “cancel for any reason” at competitive prices
• Underwritten by Crum & Forster, Faye is known for its exceptional customer support, with 4.8/5 stars on Trustpilot

BEST  WEBSITE FOR

Comparing Policies

• Compare dozens of the best South Africa travel insurance policies from all the major providers in one place
• Easily filter for the features you want and get support from their award-winning customer service team
• Founded in 2013, TravelInsurance.com has helped hundreds of thousands of travelers find affordable insurance coverage

• SwiftScore Our SwiftScore is a unique and proprietary insurance ranking system objectively comparing key metrics which are most important to travelers. Learn more at the end of this page.

Travelers Aged 55+

• Pre-existing medical conditions are covered for a reasonable fee and they offer “cancel for any reason” as an add-on
• $2,000 COVID quarantine coverage available w/ Safe Travels Voyager plan
• Founded in 1998 and underwritten by Nationwide and GBG Insurance

BEST WEBSITE FOR

Filtering Plans

• This comparison website has the most comprehensive filters especially for Covid-19 which helps you search for the specific benefits you need
• They have “Zero Complaint Guarantee” which promises a fair claims process
• Established in 2003, Squaremouth has consistently been recognized for it’s exceptional customer service

BEST POLICY FROM

An Established Brand

• Well rounded, inexpensive travel insurance plans from an established and top rated global insurance company
• AXA has plans that cover pre-existing conditions and their “Platinum” plan covers “cancel for any reason” with an optional add-on. They also offer helpful 24/7 Worldwide Travel Assistance Services
• Founded in 1959 and underwritten by Nationwide

Family Travel

• Their “Trip Interruption for any Reason” feature allows you to get a 75% reimbursement for any additional expenses if you decide to go home early from your trip
• They have a variety of insurance products to suit any travel needs
• Founded in 1993 and underwritten by Nationwide Insurance

Long-term Travel

• Ideal for digital nomads and long-term travel, available to anyone anywhere
• Scored lower because short-term travel coverage isn’t as robust as competitors
• Founded in 2018 and is underwritten by Lloyds of London

CAN YOU CANCEL YOUR TRIP FOR ANY REASON?

South Africa travel insurance FAQs

How do i find the best travel insurance provider.

The great news is that you can choose from 22 well-reputed travel insurance providers on website makes it easy to determine which provider offers a policy that meets all of your insurance needs. I like WithFaye.com as they are selective about the companies they feature on their platform. They also have helpful filters to sort and sift through policies and direct customer support from the providers.

Is it too late to purchase trip insurance once my South Africa trip has begun?

It’s always wise to purchase your trip insurance in advance, but you can still buy an insurance policy while on vacation. Be aware that any plan you purchase will only apply for the remainder of your trip and does not apply retroactively. Therefore, it will not cover events or emergencies prior to the date of purchase.

Is South Africa safe to visit?

While millions of tourists visit South Africa every year, it is known for having high crime levels, particularly in townships and large cities. Therefore, traveling vigilantly and learning about South Africa in advance of your trip will help you explore and move about the country much more safely. I recommend visiting the Department of State’s South Africa Travel Advisory page for more in-depth safety and travel information.

How long will it take my South Africa travel insurance provider to process my claim?

This differs from one provider to another and from one claim to the next. If you file the claim correctly and submit the requested documentation, you can expect reimbursements to take as long as 6 to 8 weeks. That said, travel insurance companies process many of their claims much faster.

What are the most common reasons travel insurance claims get rejected? Is there any recourse?

The most typical reasons for companies to reject claims include the policy’s benefits did not extend to the claim filed, the person filing the claim did not follow procedure, or the insured individual did not accurately disclose their total trip costs or any pre-existing medical conditions. Should they reject your claim initially, your insurer will notify you of potential recourse.

How do you define and calculate “total trip costs” when applying for South Africa travel insurance?

Travel insurance providers determine Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefits using your “total trip cost.” As a result, you must calculate this amount accurately or risk forfeiting any benefits your policy affords you. To do so, total up the full cost of your trip’s prepaid, non-refundable expenses, including airfare, cruise fare, ground transportation, hotels, retreat costs, or tickets for lessons, activities, entertainment, and tours. Factor in all expenses that you prepaid and would not be refunded 100% should you need to cancel your trip in addition to any cancellation penalties, even if no prepayment was required. When entering your “total trip cost” on your travel insurance policy application, round up to the next dollar. Rounding down or stating that your total trip cost is less than it is so that you can get a lower-priced policy will invalidate your benefits.

If my camera is not stolen, but I forget it on a train or plane, will trip insurance cover it?

More often than not, travel insurance plans offer little coverage when it comes to electronics, typically $500 or less per item. So always read the full details of any policy you’re considering purchasing to determine whether your camera would fall under coverage.

How do baggage loss benefits work?

If your luggage or any individual belongings are destroyed, lost, stolen, or damaged during your South Africa vacation, your insurer will most likely reimburse you up to the Maximum Benefit Amount as stated in your policy. This includes any personal effects you check with a travel supplier, common carrier, or hotel. Your provider will deduct the responsible party’s amount from your total payout and reimburse you the difference. There are many facets of baggage loss benefits to understand. The first is that the Maximum Benefit Limit listed in your policy applies on a per-person basis. A Maximum Benefit is the highest dollar amount your trip insurance provider will reimburse should your or your insured travel companion’s luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged.

Typical problems tourists may experience while traveling in Iceland and how to avoid them:

Travelers are susceptible to typical illnesses they may contract at home, including the flu, pneumonia or a cold. Chronic lower respiratory infections are also a possibility. Unlike most countries on the African continent, South Africa is a yellow fever-free zone. Malaria and dengue fever are also non-existent in most of the country. Still, you will have to be careful in northeastern KwaZulu Natal and some parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. You’ll need to take extra precautions in those areas from May through September. Get to a hospital immediately if you experience any symptoms, such as high fever, nausea, chills, and body aches. Another rather unpleasant illness contracted via mosquito bites is Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis). When an infected mosquito bites a human, it deposits larvae. These larvae then move to the lymph nodes and grow into worms. This results in itchiness and swelling of specific areas on the body, most frequently the legs, groin and genitalia. Extreme pain and disability are potential side effects. Seek treatment from an infectious diseases specialist. Lastly, do your best to avoid heatstroke/sunstroke. Stay hydrated and do not drink alcohol in hot, humid, sunny weather. If you develop a fever but cannot sweat and experience severe mood swings, seek medical care immediately, as it can be fatal. South Africa’s major cities tend to have a good standard of healthcare, but if you want to be assured of excellent care, opt for a private hospital. Steer clear of public hospitals or those out in remote areas. Don’t forget to have a South Africa travel insurance plan in place before you leave home on vacation, though. If you’re ever in doubt about where to seek medical help, consult your hotel concierge, the US Embassy, or the nearest Consulate . Your travel insurance provider can also assist you in this and even arrange for transport to the appropriate hospital if there is a medical emergency. It’s worth noting that you will be expected to pay for any care and treatments you receive before leaving the hospital. Some hospitals may even require a deposit before care is administered.

American tourists in South Africa have a few things to be mindful of to avoid accidents. The first is driving-related since they must adjust to driving on the opposite side of the road. The second is dealing with strong currents or undertows. Third, always visit beaches monitored by trained lifeguards and ask them for advice before getting in the water. Finally, the last type of accident tends to occur when visitors are involved in extreme sports or adventure activities, such as scrapes, broken bones and twisted ankles.

Unfortunately, muggings and armed robberies are relatively common in South Africa, especially in the larger cities and townships. Violent crime, including carjackings, is high throughout the country, so be extra cautious. If you are eager to explore on foot, do so with an organized tour. Also, be aware of people trying to scam you out of money at ATMs. For more information, please see our Safety section towards the end of this article.

Emergency resources for South Africa

Phone numbers.

112 from any phone should connect you with emergency services, regardless of whether you have an international roaming plan or a local SIM card. For specific issues, you can also dial 100 for the police, 1090 for women’s emergencies, 101 for medical emergencies and 108 for fire and rescue services.

US embassy or consulate details

You can find the United States Embassy in South Africa in Pretoria and consulates in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg. Please visit their website if you need more information on citizen services or opening hours, location, and contact information. For those looking to be extra cautious, enrolling in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Program allows you to register your South Africa trip with the Embassy. The benefits include receiving travel advisories about your trip and facilitating smooth communication between you and your family should an emergency arise.

Other local knowledge that is helpful for travelers

Accommodations.

With rampant theft and violent crime throughout the country, particularly in cities, it’s best to stay at resorts or hotels instead of booking a vacation rental. Hotels and resorts offer a much higher level of security than most rentals, and their staff can provide a wealth of advice and information about where to go, how to get there safely, etc. One major thing to remember when booking a hotel or resort is that the country experiences rolling blackouts daily, usually for a few hours each day. You will want to stay in places with generators, but instead of asking them directly whether they have one, ask, “How do you handle load-shedding?”

Adventure Activities & Extreme Sports

With such a dynamic and rich natural environment, South Africa is the world’s adventure and extreme sports capital. Almost any outdoor activity you can think of is possible. Whether learning to surf at Muizenberg Beach in Cape Town, skiing in the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, swimming with seahorses in Knysna, or hiking the Otter Trail in Tsitsikamma, kayaking in Northern KwaZulu Natal or skydiving in Durban, a trip to South Africa will always be exciting. Since there is so much to do and see in South Africa, booking your activities in advance is always a good idea.

Communication

If staying in touch with friends and family or having access to the internet around the clock is essential during your time in South Africa, you can choose from several options or a combination. The first and simplest is to use WiFi only and communicate with loved ones via email and online calling or messaging apps. Free WiFi is most commonly available in hotels and shopping malls and less frequently in restaurants and shops. Even less so in rural areas. That said, depending on free WiFi is the best choice for those who don’t mind “switching off” during their vacation. The second is to purchase a local SIM card and prepaid phone package from a major mobile carrier such as MTN , Vodacom , or C Cell upon arriving in South Africa. While prepaid SIM cards are readily available throughout the country, not all shops understand how to activate the cards for tourists, as the government requires a local address. Therefore, purchase yours at the airport before heading to your accommodation to keep things as easy as possible. Vendors at airports know how to handle this effortlessly. You must show your passport as part of the SIM activation process. Unlike US prepaid phones, incoming calls to your South African number will not use up your call time. And don’t forget to buy a prepaid data package to get online whenever you want. The last but most costly option is to purchase an international roaming plan from your mobile phone service provider in the US. Unfortunately, not all companies will have a roaming plan available for South Africa, so check with your carrier. If so, request that the package be added to your phone plan for your specific trip dates. A potential upshot of this is that friends and family back home will have a much easier time keeping in touch with you and vice versa. While in South Africa, remember to switch off your background data in your phone’s settings, or you risk inadvertently running up a massive phone bill.

South Africa’s currency is the Rand (ZAR or R), and each rand is divided into 100 cents. Bank notes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 rands. As for coins, they come in 1, 2 and 5 rands and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents. South Africa is part of a “Common Monetary Area,” which means Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini also accept ZAR. ATMs abound throughout the country, especially in or near grocery stores, shopping malls, and in front of banks. Be sure to use ATMs associated with prominent South African banks to get the lowest transaction fees, usually R25 or R50. Independent cash machines can charge up to 10 times more. Withdrawing cash using your American debit card will help you snag the best exchange rates, even when factoring in fees. Just remember to notify your bank in the US of your travel dates and destination so that they don’t block your card. You will also need to know your PIN for all debit and credit cards you intend to use in South Africa, so learn yours before you leave home. With an ever-growing tourist industry, credit cards have become widely accepted throughout the country, particularly in more urban and densely-populated areas. Mastercard/Maestro and Visa are the most common card issuers. In addition, Americans will find that a limited number of businesses accept Discover or American Express. Nevertheless, having some cash on hand is always a good idea.

Food & Drink

National cuisine in South Africa is loosely defined, and one dish rarely stands out as typical of the country. Preferred cuisines vary throughout, depending upon where in SA you are, but one thing is for sure: this is a country of meat lovers. Nearly every meal involves meat and veggies, and if not meat, exquisite fish or seafood takes its place. An everyday staple throughout South Africa is mielie pap, or pap, (pronounced “pup”), a maize porridge, much like polenta. It is a popular breakfast dish sweetened with brown sugar. Pap can be eaten throughout the day with meat or vegetable-based sauces. Often treated like a national sport, everyone in South Africa barbecues. It is known locally as braai, short for braaivleis, meaning “meat grill” in Afrikaans. Braai is a vital cornerstone of South African culture through which friends, family and neighbors come together to barbecue, socialize and enjoy life. South Africans eat well between slabs of steak, boerewors (“farmer’s sausage”), and potatoes and squash wrapped in foil with onions and tossed on the fire. They also drink well, as braai are known for being events of serious beer consumption. Another popular style of cooking is potjiekos (“pot food”) or boerekos (“farmer’s food”), a meal cooked in a cast iron cauldron. The former is done outside over an open fire. In contrast, the latter is done indoors. After eating one of these meals, expect a spike in cholesterol, as they’re usually rich in butter and sugar. However, the most exotic food in South Africa hails from Cape Town, known as Cape Malay cuisine. Cape cuisine is deeply tied to the Muslim immigrant communities from Madagascar, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia. Tamarind, vinegar, cloves, nutmeg and chili powder, are typical ingredients. So whether you’re eating braised lamb, semi-sweet or fish curries or salt and pepper steak hand pies, Cape Malay food is a must-try. You can find great restaurant options in the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town. Other popular must-try foods include bobotie, Gatsby, fish and chips, koeksisters, roosterkoek, melktert, bunny chow, biltong and droëwors.

Getting Around

Before you get out and explore, consider using Google Maps as a GPS for getting around. Download it using your hotel’s WiFi to conserve your mobile data. Then, when you need step-by-step directions, you won’t need an internet connection or mobile data. When researching their trip to South Africa, tourists notice that there are 3 capital cities, each with different functions: Cape Town is legislative; Bloemfontein is judicial; and Pretoria serves as the executive capital. Since it is such a large country, considerable planning is necessary to ensure you get around South Africa as efficiently and smoothly as possible. Traveling between major cities by plane is best if you need to save time. Air carriers such as AirLink , Kulula and FlySafair will be your best bet for domestic flights. Be sure to plan your transport from your destination’s airport to the city center as they are often quite a distance. While flying sometimes seems the most efficient choice, you pass up on a sightseeing opportunity by doing so. Renting a car or campervan or traveling by bus, train, tour bus or mini-buses will give you a much better feel for South Africa as a country and present you with countless photo-ops. The modes of transport also provide a wide range of comfort, from very basic to luxurious. If you prefer luxury, high-end travel via train between cities, make your reservations well in advance with Blue Train. Known as the “moving five-star hotel on wheels,” the Blue Train has old-world air and elegance, making several-day train rides feel like a pleasure rather than a chore. For more affordable but still comfortable train travel, you can purchase your tickets for Johannesburg and Queenstown or Johannesburg and Musina through the Shosholoza Meyl website . They also offer a Premier Classe option, which provides more comfort than the standard train cars. However, to be safe, book short train trips during the day and reserve a private cabin whenever you travel by night. Despite being a sizable country, South Africa’s towns and cities are well-linked by bus. Traveling by bus is an affordable option for people needing more flexibility in their adventures. Buses are clean, comfortable, and safe, and long-haul buses come with onboard bathrooms and air conditioning, but do not expect WiFi. You can easily book tickets via the websites of the two major bus companies Translux and Intercape . Tour bus companies also offer another way to explore South Africa and offer ticket prices that cater to various budgets. Check out Oasis Overland and Bazbus for more information on pricing and their different tour routes, including hop-on and hop-off passes from the latter. If you wish to get out into nature and visit the national parks, renting (“hiring”) a car or motorhome, known as a campervan in South Africa, will be your best bet. The parks tend to have well-maintained, paved roads, so you don’t necessarily need a vehicle with all-wheel drive, but if you wish to explore the wild areas where the Big Five roam, all-wheel drive is a must. Drive South Africa and Tread Lite offer affordable 4×4 rentals and camping gear for reasonable rates. They can also be great resources for planning your wilderness adventures. For standard car rentals, Avis, Budget, Thrifty or Tempest Keep in mind that they drive on the left side of the road in South Africa. Local mini-buses, known as “taxis” in South Africa, are probably the cheapest option, but they are over-crowded, recklessly driven, and uncomfortably. While they link every corner of South Africa, they do not offer fixed, reliable schedules, lack obvious stops to catch them, and rarely have space for luggage. To remain safe in the larger cities, stick to taking taxis arranged by your hotel or resort or e-hailing a ride from Uber or Bolt. See the Safety section below for more information.

South Africa has 11 official languages, though the most commonly spoken are Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, and English. The latter is the lingua franca in urban areas, the media, and official government matters. That said, you may notice that South Africans speak English with a variety of accents–some thicker than others–and toss in random words from Afrikaans and other African languages. Outside of major cities, the language spoken will depend on where in the country you’re visiting. Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that developed due to the 17th-century Dutch colonizers. It is treated much like a dialect because people speak it but read and write in Dutch. Nowadays, there are two main branches of the Bantu languages in South Africa: Sotho-Tswana and Nguni. Every South African speaks at least one language from one of these two branches. Don’t be surprised if you hear South Africans say “sorry” a lot. It’s their version of “excuse me.” Here are some valuable words and phrases in Afrikaans to help you get around South Africa more smoothly:

• hello – hallo (ha-low)
• hello/how are you? – kunjani
• goodbye – totseins (tot-seens)
• please – asseblief (ah-she-bleef)
• thank you – dankie (dan-kee)
• you’re welcome – plesier (pleh-sier)
• excuse me – verksoon me (fer-skoen may)
• yes – ja (yawh)
• no – nee (nee-ah)
• Where is the toilet? – Waar is die toilet? (Var-iss-dee-toy-let?)
• the menu – die spyskaart (dee spays-kart)
• the check/bill – die rekening (dee reh-keh-ning)
• Do you speak English? – Praat jy Engels? (Praht yay en-nells?)
• How much does it cost? – Hoeveel kos dit? (Who-feel kos dit?)

Local Customs & Etiquette

When visiting this dynamic, diverse country, there are some things to remember to ensure you never appear rude or disrespectful. Examples include receiving anything given to you with two hands in a cupped position, never spitting in public, accepting refreshments offered to you if you visit a local’s home (particularly an Indian household) and never complimenting a particular item in someone’s home as they will feel obliged to give it to you. Depending on the people and area of your country, many South Africans can treat time rather loosely, so don’t be surprised if things don’t operate according to schedule. It doesn’t mean that things won’t happen—they will, but in their own time. If someone says, “now-now,” it means to do something immediately or very soon. Whereas “just now” means to do something in the near future but not now. Also, don’t be surprised if you see people shopping for necessities at red lights, street corners, and traffic lights. You’ll see everything from phone chargers and clothes hangers to home décor and sunglasses. It is such a big part of the culture that locals can tell which corner to find the item you’re looking for. If you’re in a car, it’s best to give the vendor a simple wave and a shake of the head ‘no’ so that you don’t have to open your window and risk a criminal approaching the car simultaneously. When it comes to eating, customs and etiquette vary in different South African cultures. Therefore, observing those around you is vital for learning what is appropriate. Public displays of affection, including holding hands, are not accepted in Muslim-majority communities and townships. These are standards they have for themselves, too, not just foreigners. Respecting this custom will spare you a lot of problems.

Most visitors to South Africa are there to go on safari. However, one common mistake many make is thinking they’ll need more time than they actually do. The sweet spot seems to be 4 days, giving you enough time to see a diverse range of wildlife and experience life at a remote safari lodge. In addition to the duration of your safari, you need to consider several other factors:

• Always book your safari with a reputable tour operator with a long, positive track record of safety and customer experience.
• You will need warm, casual clothes.
• Before booking your safari, ask the tour operator which lodge you will stay at. Research the lodge to be sure it meets your needs and expectations.
• Find out what your stay at the safari lodge includes.

Do they consider meals to be part of the package? Are other perks and amenities included, such as alcoholic drinks, spa treatments, guided bush walks, bird watching, and transportation to and from the lodge?

While it is safe to visit South Africa, the country has a high crime rate, so extra precaution and street smarts are needed. This means not carrying fancy camera gear around your neck or wearing expensive jewelry and watches. Leave your cell phone in your bag if you’re not using it, and keep your bag close to your body and in your line of sight at all times. Never leave valuables on restaurant tables and outside a shop or restaurant, do not open your wallet in public. Keep a few small bills in your pocket for tipping; otherwise, consider paying for everything else by card. Be aware that South African cities and townships are generally unsafe to walk around. Even if you’re only headed to a restaurant 5 minutes away, ask your hotel to arrange a taxi pick-up. That said, if you’re in Cape Town and stick to the city center, it can be safe to explore during the day. Tourists are highly advised to take taxis everywhere, and if you want to explore townships or cities other than Cape Town, joining an organized tour is highly encouraged. Whenever in doubt, ask the staff at your hotel for safety advice. There’s a lot to think about while driving in South Africa. Not only do you need to stay focused on driving on the opposite side of the road in the US, you also need to pay attention to your surroundings. Keep your doors locked and windows closed at all times. Carjackings or gunpoint robberies are known to occur, especially in cities at night. Therefore, driving at night is never a good idea. Recently, Kumbi Gate at Kruger National Park has become a common place to target people due to the slow-moving traffic. Avoid this area at all costs. Lastly, whenever parking your car, approach the nearest parking guard (wearing a reflective vest) and ask him to look after your vehicle. Mention that you will tip (ZAR 2-4) him upon your return. Keep all valuables with you or locked in your trunk. “Car jamming” frequently happens in South Africa. This is when thieves block the signal from your car remote, so always pull on the door handles to ensure it is locked. The most common scam related to ATMs involves someone offering to help tourists. Steer clear of any such people and find a new ATM. The safest places to withdraw cash using your American debit card will be the ATMs within bank branches since the staff regularly monitor the machines and area, and the chances of skimmers being installed are minimal. Members of the LGBTQ+ community will be pleased to know that South Africa is the most socially and culturally open-minded country on the African continent and the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. Just be aware that public displays of affection, regardless of whether you’re a same-sex or heterosexual couple, should be avoided in Muslim communities and townships.

As in the US, tipping is common in South Africa, especially in tourist-centric businesses, bars, cafés, and restaurants. Tipping the staff in hotels, serviced apartment buildings, salons, and spas is typical, as these all tend to be low-paying jobs. Rewarding good service with a 15% tip is adequate and 20% is an excellent way of acknowledging exceptional service. One aspect of tipping that Americans aren’t used to is being served by gas station attendants who fill your tank and wash your windows. A standard tip for them is ZAR 10-20.

Be aware that South Africa’s long had an energy crisis due to the failing power grid of the government-owned electric company, Eskom. Rolling blackouts are the norm every day, usually lasting for a few hours. South Africans refer to this as “load-shedding.” What time these blackouts occur will depend on where you are in the country. Check with your hotel’s front desk attendants or concierge for more information. We recommend making your reservations with establishments that have generators. See Accommodations section above. Another aspect of life in South Africa that may catch you off-guard is the extreme water shortage. Be mindful of your water consumption. People are using strategies to conserve water, such as not taking baths and long showers or leaving taps running while brushing their teeth and flushing toilets only after a bowel movement. These issues may only be minor inconveniences during your trip to South Africa. For example, you may have to plan a time to do your laundry instead of doing it on the fly. Either way, it’s always better to be forewarned!

What to pack for South Africa

Apart from Travel Insurance, we recommend you bring the following items for maximum health, safety, and enjoyment of your trip to South Africa.

A final note about travel insurance for the South Africa

I have spent dozens of hours researching travel insurance, including getting quotes and comparing coverage from all the most popular brands. Regardless of where you’re going I am confident that you will also find that WithFaye.com offers the best way to compare policies with the ideal combo of coverage and price.

I wish you and yours an incredible journey.

SwiftScore Ranking Methodology

• Average price for a 2-week vacation based on a 35-year-old California resident traveling to the South Africa with a $3,500 trip cost
• Coronavirus coverage
• Cancel for any reason (CFAR)
• AM Best rating of the underwriter
• Key policy details including cancellation, interruption, emergency medical evacuation, and baggage & personal effects
• Ease of sign up
• Policy language clarity
• User reviews

Travel insurance in South Africa: Complete Guide 2022

• Last updated February 19, 2022
• Published December 7, 2020
• By Shephard Dube

With the advent of COVID-19, one thing has become abundantly clear, that insurance is no longer optional but a strategic necessity, particularly when travelling. It follows that the demand for travel insurance in South Africa is skyrocketing. We have received a number of questions around travel insurance, people have been asking us, “Rateweb, should I buy travel insurance? Should I insure my next trip? Is it right for me? Do you guys buy travel insurance? Who sells the best travel insurance?”

Those are some of the questions we will address in this article

What is Travel Insurance?

Travel Insurance is a range of insurance offerings covering unforeseen losses while travelling, either international or domestic. Travel insurance generally covers including but not limited to medical emergencies, trip cancellation, trip interruption, delays, medical evacuation, and lost, damaged, or stolen luggage.

6 things to know before you buy travel insurance in South Africa

Travel insurance isn’t for everyone.

The first thing you need to know is that travel insurance doesn’t make sense for everyone. To determine whether it makes sense for you, you have to decide how willing you are to take financial risks related to travel.

Travel insurance exists to minimize financial risk when travelling. So you have to look at the trip you are taking, how much money did it cost? If for unforeseen reasons you can’t go or something happens, how much money will you lose? Do you lose a few hundred rands in airfare or is it an R150,000 once in a lifetime trip?

Those are things you have to look at to decide whether you want to buy travel insurance or not. You also have to ask yourself, how much is peace of mind worth to you? If you’re someone who worries a lot, peace of mind might actually be worth quite a bit.

Types of travel insurance

• Trip cancellation coverage If you have a policy that has trip cancellation coverage, then your insurance will refund you the price of your trip provided that the reason you’re cancelling is one of the covered reasons.
• Trip interruption coverage Trip interruption coverage insurance comes into play if you have to interrupt and stop your trip halfway through because something happened and you have to go home. In that case, the insurance would refund you the rest of the price of your vacation that you didn’t get to enjoy.
• Trip delay coverage Trip delay coverage kicks in if there is a delay during the trip. A good example is a flight delay while you are at a transit airport. Say you are flying from Port Elizabeth to Thailand, and you get stuck at OR Tambo or Cape Town International Airport or even London Heathrow for 6 to 12 to 18 hours, you might have to stay in a hotel overnight, that’s what trip delay coverage is for.
• Medical coverage Medical coverage as part of a travel insurance policy will reimburse medical expenses incurred at your travel location. You might also want to look at an emergency evacuation or transport coverage so that if you have to go to a hospital if you are in a third world country, you get medical transport or emergency evacuation due to a medical situation. The insurance company will pay for transporting you to a better country that has better health facilities.
• Death or dismemberment coverage Death or dismemberment coverage insurance is a depressing one, but if the covered person dies, or is dismembered, loses limbs, then their next of kin or in the case that they were dismembered will receive the money associated with that part of the policy.
• Baggage coverage insurance Baggage coverage insurance provides for reimbursement of expenses due to loss, damaged, delayed, or stolen baggage.
• Rental car coverage Rental car coverage covers your rental car on a trip.
• Change coverage Change coverage insurance will cover you if you have to make changes to your airlines reservations, cruise ships, whatever the change comes from
• Political evacuation coverage If there’s something like an uprising or a coup in your host country, Political evacuation coverage insurance will provide for your transport out of that country during that situation.
• Annual travel coverage If you travel a lot, then you actually might want to look at getting an annual policy, which would cover you on all the trips you take in a year. This is best for travel junks and business people who manage numerous offices around the world.

Travel insurance is not a one-size-fits-all thing. And every travel insurance plan covers different areas and different conditions. These are the most common types you might be interested in and looking for in a travel insurance policy.

If you see a policy labelled as a comprehensive policy, that’s typically one that covers almost all of the things that we have talked about. If you are looking at a policy that says it’s reimbursement only, then the way that policy works is you pay first and then you get reimbursed.

Price of Travel Insurance

Travel insurance generally costs 5% to 12% of the total costs of the trip. The biggest determining factor in the cost of insurance is the age of the people being insured. If you are above the age of 50 years, then the cost generally considerably goes up.

Children under the age of 17 might be covered for free or discounted provided that there are some adults on the policy already. The prices of travel insurance can range widely, so it is important to shop around policies.

You may be interested in checking our article on what you need to know before signing up for insurance in South Africa. Don’t just buy the travel insurance company that your airline or cruise company is pushing on you when you book directly with them, do your own research.

When to buy travel insurance

Many people think that you have to buy travel insurance at the same time that you book your tickets or flights or cruise, but that’s actually not the case. Typically, you don’t have to buy many types of travel insurance until just before you go. However, if you are buying something like trip cancellation coverage you are better off buying early, it tends to be cheaper that way and gives you more value.

If you buy it later on, well, you might not be reaping the benefits, cause something might already have happened, and you had to cancel the trip. There are some policies that do require you to purchase within 7, 14, 21 days of booking your trip.

So you should research the policies and try to book it around the same time, but you don’t have to.

Medical Insurance in detail

The fifth thing to know is a bit more detail about medical insurance coverage. This is one of the most important areas of travel insurance and so it is paramount that we dive into it a little deeper than we did earlier. 

First of all, if you already have health insurance, your existing health insurance plan or policy might cover you when you go on travel. Read the details, call your insurance company, figure that out before you buy travel insurance so that you  don’t spend money twice on something you’re already covered for. 

You need to dive into the details a little bit because if your insurance company says they cover you, well, they might actually be billing those coverage things out of network rates, which could actually lead to some really expensive medical bills if something happens to you while you are on travel.

We mentioned earlier, but we will say it again, If you are going to someplace kind of sketchy, you might really want to look into a policy that gives you an emergency airlift service to take you to a civilized hospital.

This type of coverage becomes more important the more adventures and the more remote places you go. For example, if you are hiking Mount Kilimanjaro and something happens to you upon the mountain, well, you are first going to need a helicopter. And then after the helicopter, you will need an airplane to actually take you someplace civilized.

So that can get expensive really quick.

Credit Cards

So a lot of people ask us, “Rateweb, do I need travel insurance if I already have a credit card that comes with some premium benefits?” Well, it depends on the card that you have. Our favourite card for travel is the Capitec Global One Card .

If you are below the age of 75 years and you buy your air tickets through the Capitec Global One Card you automatically qualify for basic travel insurance. You may also opt for the comprehensive travel insurance cover. The basic cover covers emergency medical and related expenses of up to R10 million.

Best credit cards for travel insurance in South Africa

• Capitec Global One Card
• FNB Black Card
• Discovery Bank Black Card
• Nedbank Classic Credit Card
• Standard Bank Platinum Credit Card
• F NB Platinum Credit Card
• ABSA Private Banking Credit Card
• Nedbank Platinum Credit Card
• Standard Bank Titanium Credit Card
• Nedbank Gold Credit Card

Shephard Dube

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Personal financial tools.

Below is a list of tools built to assist South Africans to make the best financial decisions:

• Compound Interest Calculator
• Home Loan Calculator
• Fixed Deposit Interest Calculator
• Return on Investment Calculator
• Budget Planner
• Crypto Currency Prices

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AH-VEST LIMITED Reports Strong Financial Growth: EPS Up 29.4% and HEPS Surges 37.0% in Latest Trading Statement

Old Mutual Empowers Workforce Through Strategic Share Transactions

Justice for Luke Fleurs: South Africa Unites Against Crime

Tragic Bus Crash Sparks Urgent Calls for Road Upgrades

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NSFAS Board Dissolution: Victory for Students’ Rights

Justice Served: Life Sentences for Mayor’s Murderers

South Africa’s primary source of financial tools and information

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Rateweb strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific product’s site. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institution’s Terms and Conditions.

Rateweb is not a financial service provider and should in no way be seen as one. In compiling the articles for our website due caution was exercised in an attempt to gather information from reliable and accurate sources. The articles are of a general nature and do not purport to offer specialised and or personalised financial or investment advice. Neither the author, nor the publisher, will accept any responsibility for losses, omissions, errors, fortunes or misfortunes that may be suffered by any person that acts or refrains from acting as a result of these articles.

For your holidays in South Africa and abroad

Travel insurance for south africa.

South Africa is renowned for its stunning wildlife safaris, vibrant cities, and breathtaking scenery. From the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town to the vast savannas of Kruger National Park, there's something to captivate every traveler's imagination. Now, as you plan your journey to this enchanting destination, it's crucial to consider your travel insurance needs. In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about travel insurance for South Africa, ensuring you have a worry-free and enjoyable trip.  

• What should your Travel insurance cover for a trip to South Africa? 

How Does Travel Insurance for South Africa Work?

• Do I need Travel Insurance for South Africa? 

How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost for South Africa?

Our suggested axa travel protection plan, what types of medical coverage does axa travel protection plans offer, are there any covid-19 restrictions for travelers to south africa, traveling with pre-existing medical conditions , what should your travel insurance cover for a trip to south africa.

At a minimum, your travel insurance should cover trip cancellation, trip interruption and emergency medical expenses. When it comes to international travel, the US Department of State outlines key components that should be included in your travel insurance coverage. AXA Travel Protection plans are designed with these minimum recommended coverages in mind.  

• Medical Coverage   – The top priority is making sure your health is in order. With AXA Travel Protection, you can have access to quality healthcare during your trip overseas in the event of unexpected medical emergencies.    
• Trip Cancellation & Interruptions  – Assistance against unexpected trip disruptions can dampen the mood, AXA Travel Protection offers coverage against unforeseen events.   
• Emergency Evacuations and Repatriation   – In situations where transportation is dire, AXA Travel Protection offers provisions for emergency evacuation and repatriation.   
• Coverage for Personal Belongings  – AXA offers coverage for your belongings with assistance against lost or delayed baggage.   
• Optional Cancel for Any Reason  – For added flexibility, AXA offers optional Cancel for Any Reason coverage, allowing you to cancel your trip for non-traditional reasons.  Exclusive to Platinum Plan holders. 

In just a few seconds, you can get a free quote and purchase the best travel insurance for South Africa.

Imagine indulging in South Africa's savory braais and exotic street food. However, after enjoying a delicious meal, you fall ill with food poisoning. In need of urgent medical attention, your travel insurance may cover unexpected health emergencies, including food-related illnesses. With AXA, you can enjoy South Africa's cuisine with confidence.

Here’s how travelers can benefit from an AXA Travel Protection Plan:  

Medical Benefits: 

• Emergency Medical Expenses: Should you fall ill or have an accident during your trip, your policy may offer coverage for medical expenses, including hospital stays and doctor's fees. 
• Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation: In case of a serious medical emergency, your policy may include provisions for evacuation to the nearest appropriate medical facility or repatriation. 
• Non-Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation : In non-medical crises (e.g., political unrest), your policy may cover evacuation or repatriation, subject to policy terms. 

Baggage Benefits: 

• Luggage Delay: If the airline delays your checked baggage, your policy might offer reimbursement for essential items like clothing and toiletries. 
• Lost or Stolen Luggage: In the unfortunate event of permanent loss or theft of your luggage, your policy may offer reimbursement for its value, assisting you in replacing your belongings. 

Pre-Departure Travel Benefits: 

• Trip Cancellation: You may be eligible for reimbursement if you cancel your trip due to a sudden illness or injury. 
• COVID-19 Travel Insurance: Coverage is available for trip cancellation and medical expenses related to COVID-19, subject to policy terms and conditions. 
• Trip Delay: If your flight faces delays due to unforeseen circumstances, you may have coverage for additional expenses such as meals and accommodations. 

Post-Departure Travel Benefits

• Trip Interruption: In case of an unexpected event, you could be eligible for reimbursement for the unused portion of your trip.
• Missed Connection: If you miss a connecting flight due to delays or cancellations, this coverage may help with expenses like rebooking fees and accommodations.

Additional Optional Travel Benefits 

• Rental Car (Collision Damage Waiver) : Exclusive to Gold & Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit gives travelers extra coverage on their rental car against damage and theft. 
• Cancel for Any Reason: Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders; this optional benefit gives travelers more flexibility to cancel their trip for any reason outside of their standard policy. 
• Loss Skier Days : Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit offers reimbursement to mitigate some costs associated with pre-paid ski tickets that you or your traveling companion cannot use due to specified slope closures. 
• Loss Golf Days: Exclusive to Platinum plan policy holders, this optional benefit offers reimbursement to mitigate the expenses linked to prepaid golf arrangements that you or your travel companion are unable to utilize due to specified golf closures.

Do I Need Travel Insurance for South Africa?

While South Africa doesn't require travel insurance, we highly recommend securing a policy before your trip. A good travel insurance can protect your finances, especially considering the significant expenses involved in visiting the region.

Why? There are several reasons:  

Medical Emergencies: Given the potential risks of accidents or illnesses while exploring South Africa's diverse landscapes, coverage for emergency medical expenses is crucial. Insurance offers travelers’ access to necessary healthcare without worrying about overwhelming costs.

Lost Baggage: Airlines sometimes mishandle baggage, and the last thing you want is to be without your essentials in an unfamiliar place. Travel insurance offers to cover the cost of replacing necessary items, allowing you to continue on.

Trip Cancellation : With South Africa's unpredictable weather and occasional political unrest, trip cancellations may occur. Coverage for trip cancellation may offer reimbursement for prepaid expenses due to unforeseen circumstances.

In general, travel insurance costs about 3 – 10% of your total prepaid and non-refundable trip expenses. The cost of travel insurance depends on two factors for AXA Travel Protection plans:

• Total Trip cost:  The total non-prepaid and non-refundable costs you have already paid for your upcoming trip. This includes prepaid excursions, plane tickets, cruise costs, etc. 
• Age:  Like any other insurance type, the correlation is rooted in increased health risks associated with older individuals. It's important to note that this doesn't make travel insurance unattainable for older individuals. 

With AXA Travel Protection, travelers to South Africa will be offered three tiers of insurance:  Silver,   Gold  and  Platinum . Each provides varying levels of coverage to cater to individual's preferences and travel needs. 

AXA presents travelers with three travel plans – the Silver,   Gold  and  Platinum Plan   , each offering different levels of coverage to suit individual needs. Given that South Africa hospitals often do not accept U.S. health insurance or Medicare, we genuinely recommend travelers to consider purchasing any of these plans, particularly for the crucial coverage they offer for emergency accident and sickness medical expenses.

The Platinum Plan is your go-to choice if you're looking for extra coverage for South Africa’s experience. "Cancel for Any Reason" offers greater flexibility for those unexpected twists in your travel plans and the "Rental Car (Collision Damage Waiver)" offers assistance when you're out exploring South Africa's stunning landscapes in a rental car.  

AXA covers three types of medical expenses:

Emergency medical

Emergency evacuation & repatriation

Non-medical emergency evacuation & repatriation  

Emergency medical: can cover unexpected incidents such as broken bones, burns, sudden illnesses, and allergic reactions.

Emergency evacuation and repatriation: Can cover your immediate transportation home in the event of an accidental injury or illness.

Non-medical emergency evacuation and repatriation: Can cover evacuation assistance for leaving a destination urgently due to non-medical reasons. This could include events like natural disasters or civil unrest.  

No. Travelers visiting South Africa are no longer obligated to present vaccination certificates or recent negative PCR test results upon entry.  

Traveling with preexisting medical conditions can complicate your plans, but with AXA Travel Protection, we're here to support you during your trip. Our Gold and Platinum   Plans offer coverage for preexisting medical conditions. The Platinum plan is our highest-offered choice for travelers who want our highest coverage limits and optional add-ons,

What does this mean for you? If you've got a medical condition that's been hanging around, you can qualify for coverage under our Gold and Platinum plan with a pre-existing medical condition , so long as it’s within 14 days of placing your initial trip deposit and in our 60 day look back period. We're here to make sure you travel with ease, no matter your health situation.  

1.Can you buy travel insurance after booking a flight?

You can buy travel insurance even after your flight is booked.  

2.When should I buy Travel Insurance to South Africa?

It's advisable to purchase travel insurance for your trip as soon as you have made your initial trip deposit (prepaid and non-refundable trip costs.) AXA Travel Protection offers coverage as soon as you purchase your protection plan. We can give coverage against unforeseen events before you leave for your trip. Additionally, our policies offer coverage for preexisting medical conditions and Cancel for Any Reason if you purchase your protection within 14-days of making your initial trip deposit.  

3.Do Americans need travel insurance in South Africa?

Travel insurance is not a mandatory requirement for visiting South Africa. However, purchasing a policy before your trip is highly recommended to cover unforeseen events such as medical emergencies, trip cancellations, or lost luggage.  

4.What is needed to visit South Africa from the USA?

When traveling to South Africa, American citizens must have a passport valid for at least 6 months. Besides the valid passport, only need a return ticket for a 90-day stay is needed.  

5.What happens if a tourist gets sick in South Africa?

If you become sick in South Africa, travelers with AXA Travel Protection can contact the AXA Assistance hotline 855-327-1442 . Contact information is typically provided within the insurance documentation. Please ensure to read through your policy details and information.

Disclaimer: It is important to note that Destination articles are for editorial purposes only and are not intended to replace the advice of a qualified professional. Specifics of travel coverage for your destination will depend on the plan selected, the date of purchase, and the state of residency. Customers are advised to carefully review the terms and conditions of their policy. Contact AXA Travel Insurance if you have any questions.  AXA Assistance USA, Inc.© 2023 All Rights Reserved.  

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With our travel insurance we can take great care of you too

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Buy International Travel Insurance Online – South Africa

It is easy to get an instant quote and buy travel insurance online with our step-by-step quotation and purchase facility. It is safe, secure, and fully underwritten by Genric Insurance Company (Ltd) to give you peace of mind. Enjoy traveling knowing you are well covered for any medical emergency.

International Travel Insurance

See our selections of cover for South African residents travelling internationally.

Local Travel Insurance

Cover for residents and non-residents visiting South Africa.

Which cover should I choose?

A guide to purchasing the best and most suitable cover fit for where you are traveling at the best price.

Information about Travelinsure and what you should do in a medical emergency. Who underwrites our policies?

Six Easy Steps to Buying Travel Insurance Online

1. click buy now button.

This will take you to our online Quotation and purchase system.

2. Trip Details

Quickly Fill in information on age, business or leisure travel, destination & dates of travel.

3. Quote & Policy Choice

Select policy choice based on suitable cover presented showing price and schedule of medical & travel protection benefits. See our range of International policies.

4. Tailor Extra Cover (Optional)

Tailor your cover by adding a choice of Extra benefits. You can read more about it here.

5. Personal Details

Complete personal (Confidential) details on our quick and easy form.

6. Completion

Pay with a card using our secure online payment gateway. Your policy will be emailed and you can relax and look forward to a covered trip.

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Travel Insurance

Travel insurance for the whole family

Whilst you are traveling, Allianz Travel provides travel insurance to safeguard you and your family. Our wide range of travel insurance options extends from simple Schengen visa coverage to exclusive annual multi-trip covers. 

Total Coverage!

Allianz travel insurance covers you and your family when traveling. We provide several types of coverage, including accident, illness, injury, sickness, trip interruption, baggage loss or damage, delays, and so much more. 

Allianz Travel offers you the freedom to explore the world with confidence, knowing that Allianz Travel has one of the following travel insurance plans to protect you:

Very quick to help

Popular products, schengen travel.

If you are travelling to the Schengen Zone, then this policy enables you to obtain your Visa, in addition to offering emergency medical cover, whilst you are travelling.

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Single trip insurance.

Perfect for individuals or families travelling worldwide for a single trip. Protect you or your family as well as your holiday with our great value Single Trip Travel Insurance.

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Planning on going away more than once this year, then an Annual Trip Policy offers you great value cover for all of your trips, the best cost effective solution all year long.

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* Schengen Travel - Price based on a 30 year old travelling up to 3 days within a Schengen Destination.

**Travel Standard - Price based on a 30 year old travelling up to 3 days within Worldwide excluding USA & Canada geographical zone.

***Travel Schengen Annual multi-trip  - Price based on a 30 year travelling to the Schengen space

****Travel Standard with Sport Cover - Price based on a 30 year old travelling up to 3 days within Worldwide excluding USA & Canada geographical zone

For more information about our optional products prices please refer to the products page.

The Travel Insurance Experts

When you are insured with AGCS SA, you have access to a global network of travel experts.  Our travel insurance underwriters have a vast amount of experience and local knowledge about the destinations, cultures and risks of many different countries. This means that we can design a comprehensive cover for your specific needs while understanding the unique challenges faced by people traveling to more remote or exotic locations around the world.

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Best travel insurance services in South Africa and specialized packages.

Modern times face several uncertainties. For this reason, many people opt to seek cover plans for unforeseen circumstances. These plans come in handy when faced with sudden calamities such as fires, illnesses, and accidents. The introduction of travel insurance was to relieve travelers of the burden of the onset of these calamities. Find out more on the best travel insurance services in South Africa .

The best insurance companies in South Africa offer travelers specialized packages that provide coverage while on trips. This way, travelers can embark on their journeys with stress-free mindsets. Here is a list of some of the best travel insurance services in South Africa.

Santam travel insurance

Established in 1918, Santam is the leading short-term insurance industry in South Africa. Santam partners with Travel Insurance Consultants (TIC) to offer the best travel cover services in South Africa. They offer a wide variety of solutions to travelers.

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Santam offers covers on the following instances:

• Emergency medical expense coverage
• 24-hour worldwide assistance to emergency cases while on trips
• Hijack, hostages or wrongful arrest
• The cancellation and curtailment of journeys
• Evacuation and deportation
• Personal liabilities
• The loss of documents, cash or luggage while on a trip
• Accidental injuries and death

The travel insurance direct cover by Santam makes Santam the best traveling insurance company in South Africa. With Santam, you are assured of coverage whenever and wherever you go.

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AIG travel insurance South Africa

AIG travel insurance offers covers to both leisure and business travelers. The covers are tailor-made into three packages so that customers can choose what suits them.

• Platinum cover
• Silver cover

Apart from the general benefits gained from other companies, AIG offers the following:

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• AIG provides coverage in over 100 countries worldwide
• The covers offered are quite affordable
• A reliable customer service team to assist whenever possible

OUTsurance travel insurance

The OUTthere insurance in South Africa is a cover plan under OUTsurance that is best suited for people traveling outside South Africa. The cover offered by the company takes care of any accidental damages, fires, or thefts that might occur outside South Africa. With OUTsurance cover, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• Unlike other covers, there is no commitment to monthly subscriptions.
• There is a provision of life cover (accidental and life injury) whenever you need it.
• The cost of the cover is flexible: minimum of R100,000 to R1 million
• Immediate cover on payment

OUTsurance offers instant cover in the three easy steps:

• Download the OUTsurance app to purchase the OUTthere cover.
• Select the amount of cover you need (from R100,000 to R1,000,000).
• Indicate the start date of the cover and how long you need the cover (period of up to 30 days).

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Travel insurance Hollard

The Hollard Travel insurance is an outlet of The Hollard Insurance Company Limited. It offers the following packages:

Recommended

Recommended offers medical covers of up to R50,000,000 alongside other benefits.

Premier offers medical covers of up to R20,000,000 alongside other benefits.

Budget/visa

The budget or visa offers medical covers of R5,000,000 together with other benefits.

Other benefits of Hollard travel insurance:

• Cover for leisure and business trips
• Cover for pre-existing medical conditions as well as medical emergencies
• Coverage for Coronavirus (COVID-19) contracted while on the trip
• Cover for sporting activities

Conditions of the cover

You have to meet the following conditions to qualify for the insurance coverage :

• You have to call for authorization in some instances. For example, if you need medical funding of more than R.10,000, you will have to call for approval unless it is an emergency involving a life-threatening condition.
• No coverage for some high risking activities while on trips
• Hollard cover does not include some countries.

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OLD Mutual insurance

OLD Mutual offers insurance for risks encountered while traveling within South Africa and outside the country.

The OLD Mutual travel insurance plan has the following benefits:

• Medical expenses of up to $250,000
• Cancellation or delay of trips
• Loss of personal items
• Personal liability
• Accident covers of up to $20,000
• Hijack, kidnap or unlawful detention

Travel insurance Absa

The Automatic Basic Travel Insurance in South Africa (Absa) is a plan that covers a range of expenses incurred while traveling. Generally, Absa covers anything from loss of property, cancellation of flights, and sudden sicknesses. However, other specialized benefits are dependent on the coverage options.

Basic travel insurance

These are automatic emergency medical covers of up to 90 days for any international trip.

Optional top-up cover

This optional cover supplements the benefits of the basic cover by offering a wider range of services. The plan offers a cover of trips up to 184 days and an additional cardio buy-back option.

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Stress-free travel

With the Stress-free travel cover, you are guaranteed a cover from the loss of personal property, missing a flight, Visa delay or rejection, and trip delay or cancellation.

Travel insurance Discovery

The Discovery Health Medical Scheme offers international travel benefits for its members. The company offers the following plans:

Executive plan

It is a medical emergency cover of up to R. 10,000,000 for each person per trip.

Classic, essential, coastal and smart plan members

This is a medical emergency cover of up to R. 5,000,000 for each person per trip.

The travel benefits are not available for the KeyCare plan.

Hippo travel insurance

The comparison website Hippo partners with Hepstar to offer insurance services for South Africans traveling abroad. The partnership allows travelers to purchase cover options using online platforms . Travelers can now receive travel benefits from Hepstar Financial Services (Pty) Ltd.

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The following are some of the frequently asked questions about travel insurance:

Q. What are the best travel insurance companies?

A. According to travel insurance reviews, Santam, AIG, and OLD Mutual are among the best services that provide travel covers. They offer a wide range of services to suit customers' needs and demands.

Q. When should you buy travel insurance?

A. If you are a frequent traveler, it is advisable to purchase long term travel insurance plans.

Q. Is it worth it to get travel insurance?

A. Others often ask, ‘why is it important to have travel insurance?’

It is essential to get covers while traveling since we can never tell when calamities could arise. Travel insurance relieves us of the stress that comes with unforeseen situations.

A travel insurance company comes to your rescue when you are faced with an unfortunate circumstance while traveling. Events such as fires, accidents, and damages may arise unexpectedly. The best travel insurance companies in South Africa plans give a platform to fall back on in such situations.

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Hollard Travel Insurance

Plan your next international holiday with peace of mind

Got the wanderlust? The world is calling!

It’s time to start ticking those items off your bucket list again.

International travel has opened up and it couldn’t have come a moment too soon! Our itchy feet want to get moving again, but let’s just make sure you have the right travel insurance to cover you for unexpected eventualities.

Need to get in touch with us?

Call Customer Care  on 0861 455 738 or email  [email protected] or fax  0866 43 44 36

Call  24-hour Medical Assistance and Expense Authorisation   on 011 991 8610

Customer service operating hours

Mon - Fri:  08:00 – 16:30

Get your travel cover quote now and choose from one of our tailor-made international Travel Insurance products:

Maximum period of travel, overseas medical.

R100,000,000

Cannot travel

R50,000,000

SilverVoyage

R10,000,000

Travel Insurance product benefits

Whether you’re going hiking in Peru or snowboarding in France, you plan the itinerary, and we’ll make sure you’re covered for it.

Just put us in your backpack and we’ll cover you for the following:

• Approved Pre-existing medical conditions (if unsure declare them to us).
• Approved sporting activities.
• Winter sports and cruise travel insurance.
• Holiday and business travel insurance.
• Senior travel insurance, up to 81 years.
• Cancelling your trip before departure.
• Your flight or cruise departs later than scheduled.
• Your flight or cruise arrives later than scheduled and you miss your connecting flight or cruise.
• Theft or damage to personal belongings.
• Your bags are delayed.

There are a few additional advantages

Below is a quick summary of our products:.

• Hollard Gold = Top of the range / most comprehensive cover.
• Hollard Orange = Medical benefits only / can be used for Schengen visa applications/travellers that only want to cover medical expenses.
• Hollard Purple = Standard benefits and rates @ a lower premium than Gold.
• Medi+ = Medical top-up cover when you already have free bank or credit card or medical aid cover.
• BizMICE = Our new Business product, with a whole lot more! Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions and Sports Events.
• SilverVoyage = Our improved 71+ years travellers’ product: more cover, more benefits.

With the Hollard Travel colour range comes exciting new benefits:

• Hollard Gold = No excess for medical claims.
• CFAR benefit effective 15 days after the policy issue date.
• Checked-in baggage cover.
• Baggage: Named Reasons cover.
• Rental vehicle excess: New benefit.

Travel with peace of mind.

Get our comprehensive international Travel Insurance in minutes.

I would like a travel insurance quote now.

Call us or submit your claim online through our Hollard Travel claims website.

Please remember to:

• Keep your original bills and receipts until your claim has been finalised.
• Once the claim has been submitted, you will receive an email as proof of submission with your claim number.
• Please save all documents in PDF format for you to upload successfully.

  If you have any questions contact us by email at  [email protected]  or call us on  +27 11 351 4531 .

Submit a new claim here.

Update an existing claim here.

Covid-19 Travel Insurance information

Covid-19 travel insurance.

Hollard is proud to lead the way as the first insurance provider in South Africa to launch COVID-19 travel insurance and Cancel for Any Reason benefits. Our international travel insurance products meet the demands of the current travel landscape.  Our products meet the European Union and other embassies’ requirements when you apply for a visa and require evidence of medical and COVID-specific cover.  Give yourself the freedom to travel with peace of mind.

Travel cover in a COVID world

Contracting COVID is a reality we could all face, so, we have designed an overseas medical cover that considers this:  

• Inpatient treatment cover.
• Fully vaccinated?  Great, we have no restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers.  Remember to declare your vaccine status to us.
• Not fully vaccinated?  Restrictions apply to the Overseas Medical Benefit for high-risk travellers. For example, if your BMI is 35 or above or you have a combination of certain pre-existing medical conditions.
• We will book your medical quarantine at an approved facility when you test positive on your trip.
• We will cover the cost of the test when you test positive.
• Event cancellation resulting in a cancelled trip.
• Cancel for any reason (when you cancel 48hrs or more before departure date).

See what else it is you need to know

Buy your travel insurance policy when you pay for your trip.

Protect your financial investment. Make sure you are covered for absolutely any reason! Yes, you can even be covered if you have to cancel because your wedding has been cancelled and therefore the honeymoon is off.

Report theft to the police or airline immediately

You must report the theft of personal belongings to the police within 24 hours, be it from your room or on your person. We will need a copy of the police report when you submit your claim.

Similarly, if your baggage is damaged or items have been removed, obtain a report from the airline before you leave the baggage collection area and claim from the airline first.

Alcohol-related claims are not covered

Yes, we know that most people enjoy a drink while on holiday but you aren't covered for any claim where alcohol is a factor.

Get written confirmation

So your baggage is delayed for 2 days. You buy clothing and toiletries (keep the receipts) and now you want to claim for the extra costs. Please ask the airline for a letter to confirm how long your baggage was delayed for. This is proof that your baggage was delayed and we can finalise your claim immediately.

Similarly, if your flight was delayed, we must know the reason for the delay. If the flight was delayed due to a technical problem you are covered. We do not cover delays due to operational reasons as this is deemed to be “in the control of the airline”, such as crew shortages.

You have to cancel your trip. Contact your airline and accommodation provider IMMEDIATELY and ask for a letter confirming their cancellation policy. We want to pay your claim as soon as possible, however, without this letter we do not know how much we should pay you.

You receive medical treatment whilst on your trip, OR you need to cancel your trip due to a medical reason. We are not a medical aid and do not have access to your medical records. Make sure you obtain a written diagnosis from your doctor. If your claim is related to illness we will also need your medical history. We are not trying to delay the process, however, we need to determine whether your claim is related to a pre-existing medical condition.

You need a motorcycle/driver’s license

We know it looks like fun. If you have absolutely no training and no experience at handling a two-wheeled machine at home, what makes you think you'll magically acquire those skills in a foreign country?

While thousands of visitors each year rent a motorcycle or scooter and ride around Southeast Asia unlicensed, if you don't have a valid license and have a crash it's pretty straightforward: you're riding illegally and you're not covered.

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Travel insurance is security that protects against dangers and financial losses that could happen while travelling. The risks range from small inconveniences, like missing a flight link or having your luggage arrive late, to more serious problems, like getting hurt or getting sick.

Depending on the policy you choose, travel insurance can pay for a wide range of harms and losses, including:

Getting hurt or sick

Travel insurance can help protect you from medical costs that your regular health insurance will not cover while you are travelling. Most health insurance plans do not cover you fully in foreign countries, and some plans, like Medicare, do not cover you at all. Travel insurance works on top of your regular health insurance. If you get sick or hurt before or during your trip, it can help cover some of the costs.

Travel insurance can help pay for costs that come up because your stuff was lost or stolen. This is especially helpful if your bags get lost by a flight, since it can be hard to get them to pay for lost luggage. But in order to get the highest amounts, people must show receipts that show how much their lost bags and their items were worth. And some companies say you have to make the claim within 21 days.

Last-minute cancellations

Travel insurance can help pay for costs that come up if you have to cancel your trip. Most resorts and ship lines will not give you your money back in full if you have to cancel. If you cancel your trip more than two weeks before it starts, most places will charge you a cancellation fee. Many cruise lines will only give you a 25% refund or credit towards another ship. Most companies will not give you any money back if you cancel a trip less than two weeks before it starts. Unexpected things happen, so you want to be ready for anything.

Insurance that goes beyond your credit card

Some credit cards only cover a certain number of cancellations and interruptions per year and have other limits if they cover cancellations and interruptions at all. But few credit cards cover the most expensive travel risks, like hospital bills or emergency evacuations, which can be paid for by travel insurance.

READ more about Health Insurance for Travel in South Africa

What your trip insurance may not pay for

Even though there are many reasons to buy travel insurance, it is important to know that some things may not be covered. If you already have a health problem, look for a plan that lets you get out of paying for it. If you are going to a place where there is political unrest, check to see what your insurance covers if you need to stop your trip because of the problems. Some situations where a tour company goes out of business because of money problems are covered by travel insurance. Find out how that works before you book your trip.

What kind of trip insurance should you buy?

Before you look into travel insurance, you should think about why you might have to stop your trip. Will a weather-related delay drastically change your vacation? Is it possible that your school year will get longer or that you will have to go on a job trip instead? Are there wars happening in the country you are going to?  All of these are good reasons to cancel a trip or ask for insurance. But these things are not covered by all trip insurance.

Insurance you can cancel for any reason:

When you buy this insurance, if you get a hangnail and want to quit, you can. Most of the time, the insurance company does not need a reason. They only need you to cancel within the time limit, which is usually between 48 and 72 hours before you leave.

You will give up ease for a smaller amount of reimbursement. With cancel for any reason protection, you can get around 70% of your non-refundable, pre-paid trip costs back without giving a reason. You can sometimes buy this on its own or as an add-on to a more complete insurance.

Comprehensive trip insurance:

When most people think of trip insurance, this is the protection that comes to mind. The all-inclusive insurance typically covers delays, cancellations because of illness or death, lost luggage, and some medical costs for emergencies. Just read the small print to find out what it covers.

Making changes to your trip insurance

Within a certain amount of time after buying the insurance, if you find it does not meet your needs, you can get a full refund (maybe minus a small administrative fee). This gives you time to read the material carefully and make sure it gives you what you need. Most of the time, it takes 10 to 15 days. If you need to make a claim, it is best to know what the insurance covers and how claims work ahead of time, if possible.

When you book a trip that costs a lot, look into insurance at the same time. Some plans require you to buy travel insurance within a certain amount of time after making your first trip payment, like within 10 to 30 days.

Why You Need Travel Insurance

When planning a trip to a faraway place, it can be easy to forget about the risks. But if you do not have insurance, a small problem like getting sick or missing your flight could cost you everything.

If you do not have insurance, it could cost you a lot. So, you should get travel insurance before you book that trip.

Here are some very good reasons to buy trip insurance.

• Cancel for any reason rules let you cancel your trip for any reason, even if you have been planning it for a long time. You will get all of your money back if you have to cancel.
• Many plans also cover trip interruption, which means that you can get some of the money you spent on your trip back if you have to cut it short for a reason that is covered.
• A loss of baggage covering can help you get new things if yours are lost or stolen while you are travelling. This protection is often part of a full-coverage travel insurance policy.
• If you get sick or hurt while travelling, travel medical insurance will help you pay for your medical care. You do not want to miss out on this. Most of the time, your home insurance contract may not cover you when you vacation. If you get hurt while travelling, travel medical insurance can help pay for the cost of getting you back home or getting you treated in the country you are visiting. You can get policies that are designed to cover only rare events, or you can get policies that are made for digital nomads that help with everyday care.
• If your flight is delayed, cancelled, or you miss it, travel delay insurance can help you pay for the costs. Usually, a trip delay policy will pay for meals, lodging, transportation, and other costs that come up because of the wait. If you miss your flight or your link and do not have travel delay insurance, you may lose the money you paid to book your trips.
• We live in a new time when having cover for pandemics is not only smart, but necessary. Health advice changes, which could cause a trip to be cut short. Many countries now require you to have COVID-19 coverage to pay for any costs that might come up if you have to stay longer than planned. It is best to learn ahead of time what you need to travel, and then have a second plan in case something goes wrong.

Travelling can be fun, but you need to be ready for things that could go wrong. A travel insurance package can help you avoid unexpected costs and make your trip more enjoyable.

The best travel insurance will cover everything, from lost luggage to medical problems. Before you buy a policy, make sure to shop around and read the fine print.

1. Hollard Travel Medical Insurance

Hollard is large, privately owned local insurer that provides travel medical insurance with the bonus that children are insured for free. The offer group discounts and cover the following:

• Any of 31 pre-existing medical conditions.
• Over 100 sports and activities
• Cruise travel
• Medical emergencies
• Trip cancellations
• Late flights
• Missed connections
• Theft or damage to belongings
• Legal liability
• Poor weather
• Delayed luggage
• Accidental death
• Permanent disability
• Repatriation of mortal remains
• Unexpected terrorist attacks

2. ABSA Travel Insurance

ABSA also offers automatic, basic coverage for people who buy plane tickets with their ABSA credit cards. To get full protection, you can order a “top-up” cover that will also cover the following:

• Trips up to 184 days long
• Hazardous activities
• Pre-existing medical conditions
• Personal accidents
• Baggage loss or theft
• Legal expenses
• Wrongful detention
• Loss of money
• Loss of passport
• Clients between the ages of 70 and 74 years can opt for a special package that is even more comprehensive.

3. AIG Travel Insurance

Although AIG is a US-based insurance company, it has been operating in South Africa for about fifty years. They offer several different travel packages of which the most basic ones cover the following:

• Trip cancellation
• Trip interruption
• Baggage loss or delay
• Pre-existing conditions
• Medical evacuations
• Car rentals
• 24-hour assistance

The more expensive Deluxe packages include options like pet insurance, security evacuation and dental emergencies.

4. Standard Bank Travel Insurance

If you have a Standard Bank credit, VISA or cheque card, you will get automatic but limited travel insurance for up to 90 days if you pay your trip with the card. Or, you can buy extra travel medical insurance to enjoy full coverage.

Here’s what Standard Bank travel medical insurance will pay out for:

• Trips lasting up to 180 days
• Medical emergencies, including those caused by acts of terrorism
• Death or permanent total disability
• Visit by a family member during an emergency
• Return of stranded child or travel companion
• Baggage delay
• Travel delay
• Legal fees to third parties

Standard Bank is known that it provides excellent help for a medical emergency or if a client becomes stranded in a foreign country.

5. Allianz Travel Insurance

Allianz offers travel medical insurance plus risk consultancy to a clients across many countries. They have a range of unique travel medical insurance policies, including one that is tailored for travellers who want to travel in Europe’s Schengen region and one for travellers who will be enjoying winter sports at their destination.

Here’s what Allianz Travel Insurance’s popular Single Trip Travel Insurance will cover:

• Trip cancellations, delay or curtailment
• Emergency medical expenses
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Dental expenses
• Hospital cash
• Emergency family travel
• Loss of personal money
• Baggage delay and loss
• Personal accident or disability
• Permanent total disablement
• Missed departure
• Personal liability

The company is known to provide highly comprehensive coverage and specialised insurance packages that are exclusively tailored for unique situations.

READ more about 5 Best Medical Insurance for International Travel in South Africa revealed

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does travel insurance to south africa cost.

Comprehensive Travel Medical Insurance South Africa can start from about R40 per day.

What is the meaning of travel insurance?

Travel insurance is designed to cover financial losses that could happen while traveling. The risks range from minor problems such as missed airline connections and delayed luggage to more serious issues including injuries or major illnesses.

Why do you need travel insurance?

Travel insurance protects your money if something goes wrong while you are moving or on vacation. It covers a wide range of things, from losing your bags to paying for medical care if you get sick or hurt.

What is included in travel insurance?

Travel Insurance covers different types of risks while travelling like unforeseen medical expenses, lost luggage, flight cancellations, and other losses that a traveller can incur.

Do you get travel insurance when you pay with credit card?

Yes, you get complimentary travel insurance when you pay your travel tickets with a Visa Platinum, Visa Signature, Visa Infinite, Visa Platinum Business and Visa Signature Business premium card.

When should you buy your travel insurance?

In general, you should buy coverage any time before the date your trip starts but it is always best to buy coverage as soon as you make your reservations.

You might also like to read more about the 5 Best Medical Aids for Foreigners Living in SA

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Travel Insurance

Cheapest travel insurance of April 2024

Mandy Sleight

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 9:52 a.m. UTC April 11, 2024

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WorldTrips is the best cheap travel insurance company of 2024 based on our in-depth analysis of the cheapest travel insurance plans. Its Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier plans offer affordable travel insurance with high limits for emergency medical and evacuation benefits bundled with good coverage for trip delays, travel inconvenience and missed connections.

Cheapest travel insurance of 2024

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our team of travel insurance experts analyzes hundreds of insurance products and thousands of data points to help you find the best travel insurance for your next trip. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
• 567 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Best cheap travel insurance

Top-scoring plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, medical evacuation limit per person, why it’s the best.

WorldTrips tops our rating of the cheapest travel insurance with two plans:

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheaper travel insurance plan of the two, with $100,000 per person in emergency medical benefits as secondary coverage and an optional upgrade to primary coverage. It’s also our pick for the best travel insurance for cruises .
• Atlas Journey Premier costs a little more but gives you $150,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage . This is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority.

Pros and cons

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans.
• Atlas Journey Premier offers $150,000 in primary medical coverage.
• Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
• Each plan offers travel inconvenience coverage of $750 per person.
• 12 optional upgrades, including destination wedding and rental car damage and theft.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Cheap travel insurance for cruises

Travel insured.

Top-scoring plan

Travel Insured offers cheap travel insurance for cruises and its Worldwide Trip Protector plan gets 4 stars in our rating of the best cruise travel insurance .

• Worldwide Trip Protector offers $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and a rare $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits, which means you won’t have to file medical claims with your health insurance first.
• Cheap trip insurance for cruises.
• Offers a rare $150,000 for non-medical evacuation.
• $500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
• Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
• Missed connection benefit of $500 per person only available for cruises and tours.

Best cheap travel insurance for families

Travelex has the best cheap travel insurance for families because kids age 17 are covered by your policy for free when they’re traveling with you.

• Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
• $2,000 travel delay coverage per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
• Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
• Only $50,000 per person emergency medical coverage.
• Baggage delay coverage is only $200 and requires a 12-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for seniors

Evacuation limit per person

Nationwide has the best cheap travel insurance for seniors — its Prime plan gets 4 stars in our best senior travel insurance rating. However, Nationwide’s Cruise Choice plan ranks higher in our best cheap travel insurance rating.

• Cruise Choice has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion. It also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay, for cruises or tours. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.
• Coverage for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
• Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
• Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
• Travel medical coverage is secondary.
• Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
• No “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrade available.
• Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person is only for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for add-on options

AIG offers the best cheap travel insurance for add-on options because the Travel Guard Preferred plan allows you to customize your policy with a host of optional upgrades.

• Travel Guard Preferred upgrades include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings. There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million.
• Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your affordable travel insurance policy.
• Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
• Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
• $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
• Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Best cheap travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe has the best cheap travel insurance for missed connections because coverage is not limited to cruises and tours, as it is with many policies.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
• Most expensive of the best cheap travel insurance plans.
• No “interruption for any reason” coverage available.
• Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

Cheapest travel insurance comparison

How much does the cheapest travel insurance cost?

The cheapest travel insurance in our rating is $334. This is for a WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred travel insurance plan, based on the average of seven quotes for travelers of various ages to international destinations with a range of trip values.  

Factors that determine travel insurance cost

There are several factors that determine the cost of travel insurance, including:

• Age and number of travelers being insured.
• Trip length.
• Total trip cost.
• The travel insurance plan you choose.
• The travel insurance company.
• Any add-ons, features or upgraded benefits you include in the travel insurance plan.

Expert tip: “In general, travelers can expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 10% of their total prepaid, non-refundable trip costs,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.

Is buying the cheapest travel insurance a good idea?

Choosing cheaper travel insurance without paying attention to what a plan covers and excludes could leave you underinsured for your trip. Comparing travel insurance plans side-by-side can help ensure you get enough coverage to protect yourself financially in an emergency for the best price. 

For example, compare these two Travelex travel insurance plans:

• Travel Basic is cheaper but it only provides up to $15,000 for emergency medical expense coverage. You’ll also have to pay extra for coverage for children.
• Travel Select will cost you a bit more but it covers up to $50,000 in medical expenses and includes coverage for kids aged 17 and younger traveling with you. It also offers upgrades such additional medical coverage, “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage and an adventure sports rider that may be a good fit for your trip.

Reasons to consider paying more for travel insurance 

Make sure you understand what you’re giving up if you buy the cheapest travel insurance. Here are a few reasons you may consider paying a little extra for better coverage. 

• Emergency medical. The best travel medical insurance offers primary coverage for emergency medical benefits. Travel insurance with primary coverage can cost more than secondary coverage but will save you from having to file a claim with your health insurance company before filing a travel insurance claim.
• Emergency evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote location or planning a boat excursion on your trip, look at travel insurance with a high medical evacuation insurance limit. If you are injured while traveling, transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility could cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands. It may make sense to pay more for travel insurance with robust emergency evacuation coverage. 
• Flexibility. To maximize your trip flexibility, you might consider upgrading your travel insurance to “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage . This will increase the cost of your travel insurance but allow you to cancel your trip for any reason — not just those listed in your policy. The catch is that you’ll need to cancel at least 48 hours before your trip and will only be reimbursed 50% or 75% of your trip expenses, depending on the plan. 
• Upgrades. Many travel insurance plans have optional extras like car rental collision and adventure sports (which may otherwise be excluded from coverage). These will cost you extra but may give you the coverage you need. 

How to find the cheapest travel insurance

The best way to find the cheapest travel insurance is to determine what you’re looking for in a travel insurance policy and compare plans that meet your needs.

 “Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs, wants and concerns. This is why comparison is key,” said Morrow.

Consider the following factors when comparing cheap travel insurance plans.

• How often you’re traveling. A single-trip policy may be the most cost-effective if you’re only going on a single trip this year. But a multi-trip travel insurance plan may be cheaper if you’re going on multiple international trips throughout the year. Annual travel insurance policies cover you for a whole year as long as each trip doesn’t exceed a certain number of days, usually 30 to 90 days. 
• Credit card has travel insurance benefits. The best credit cards offer perks and benefits, and many offer travel insurance-specific benefits. The coverage types and benefit limits can vary, and you must put the entire trip cost on the credit card to use the coverage. If your trip costs more than the coverage limit on your card, you can supplement the rest with a cheaper travel insurance plan.
• The coverage you need. When looking for the best travel insurance option at the most affordable price, only buy extras and upgrades you really need. A basic plan may only provide up to $500 in baggage insurance, but if you only plan to take $300 worth of clothes and accessories, you don’t need to pay more for higher coverage limits.

Is cheap travel insurance worth it?

Cheap travel insurance can be worth it, as long as you understand the plan limitations and exclusions. Taking the time to read your policy, especially the fine print, well before your trip can ensure there won’t be any surprises about what’s covered once your journey begins.

“If a traveler is looking for coverage for travel delays, cancellations, interruptions, medical and baggage — a comprehensive travel insurance policy will provide the most bang for their buck,” said Morrow. But if you’re on a tight budget and are only worried about emergency medical care and evacuation coverage while traveling abroad, stand-alone options are cheaper.

Before buying travel insurance, you should also consider what your health insurance will cover. 

“Most domestic health insurance plans, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills abroad,” said Morrow. Even if you’re staying stateside, you may find value in an affordable travel insurance plan with medical coverage if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). 

A cheap travel insurance plan is better than none at all if you end up in a situation that would have covered some or all of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance . From those top-scoring travel insurance plans, we chose the most affordable for our rating of the cheapest travel insurance.

Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:

• Cost: 40 points. We scored the average cost of each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles.
• Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
• Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
• “Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
• Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
• Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
• Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.

Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

Cheapest travel insurance FAQs

When buying travel insurance, cheapest is not always the best. The most affordable travel insurance plans typically offer fewer coverages with lower policy limits and few or no optional upgrades. Add up your total nonrefundable trip costs and compare travel insurance plans and available features that cover your travel expenses. This strategy can help you find the cheapest travel insurance policy that best protects you from financial loss if an unforeseen circumstance arises.

Get the coverage you need: Best travel insurance of 2024

According to our analysis, WorldTrips , Travel Insured International and Travelex offer the best cheap travel insurance. Policy coverage types and limits can vary by each travel insurance provider, so the best way to get the cheapest travel insurance plan is to compare several policies and companies to find the right fit for your budget.

A good rate for travel insurance depends on your budget and coverage needs. The most comprehensive travel insurance plan is usually not the cheapest. But cheap trip insurance may not have enough coverage or the types of coverage you want. Comparing different levels of coverage and how much they cost can help you find the best cheap insurance for travel. 

The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% to 6% of your total travel expenses for one trip, according to our analysis of rates. However, you may find cheaper travel insurance if you opt for a plan with fewer benefits or lower coverage limits. How much you pay for travel insurance will also depend on the number of travelers covered, their ages, the length of the trip and any upgrades you add to your plan.

Travel insurance covers nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs — up to the policy coverage limits — when your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason outlined in your plan documents. Even the cheapest travel insurance policies usually provide coverage for:

• Medical emergencies.
• Trip delays.
• Trip interruption.
• Trip cancellation.
• Lost, stolen or damaged luggage.

However, if you’re looking to save on travel insurance, you can shop for a policy that only has travel medical insurance and does not include benefits for trip cancellation .

Even when you buy cheap travel insurance, you can often use upgrade options to customize your policy to meet your specific needs. 

Some common travel insurance add-ons you may want to consider include:

• Rental car damage coverage. 
• Medical bundle.
• Security bundle.
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
• Adventure sports bundle.
• Pet bundle.
• Wedding bundle.
• “Cancel for work reasons” coverage.
• “Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage.
• “Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage .

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Mandy is an insurance writer who has been creating online content since 2018. Before becoming a full-time freelance writer, Mandy spent 15 years working as an insurance agent. Her work has been published in Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Insurance Bulletin, U.S. News and more.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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While traveling can be a fun escape, it's an inherently risky activity with many variables to consider. So many worries can remove you from the joy of travel, which is where travel insurance can help.

Allianz Allianz Travel Insurance Global Assistance is a prominent leader in the travel insurance space that has been around in some form since 1890. Allianz offers a variety of travel insurance plans that can suit your individual needs. Read on to learn more about Allianz.

Allianz Travel Insurance Review

Allianz is one of the leaders in the travel insurance industry, included in our guide on the best international travel insurance . With 10 plans split between single trip, annual, and rental car insurance, Allianz has its bases covered. It also provides specific insurance for particular needs, such as annual policies for business travelers and sports equipment coverage for athletes. 

While Allianz is one of the best international travel insurance providers, it also has great CFAR coverage for its Prime and Premier single trip plans, covering 80% of nonrefundable travel expenses when most policies usually offer 75%. It's also great for families, with coverage for kids 17 and under in its One

Allianz is well reviewed among customers, receiving an average of 4.3 stars out of five across nearly 70,000 reviews on Trustpilot. Its Better Business Bureau page fares a little worse, receiving 3.64 stars out of five across 1,600 reviews. Positive reviews mentioned an easy and quick claims process with a responsive customer service team. However, negative reviews often mentioned difficulty specifically with claims for ticketed events.

Allianz also has a highly rated mobile app called Allyz TravelSmart through which you can contact customer service, view your plan, and file a claim. It received an average rating of 4.4 out of five stars on the Google Play store across over 2,600 reviews and 4.8 out of five stars from over 22,000 reviews on the Apple app store. 

Coverage Options Offered by Allianz

Allianz travel insurance offers different policies, grouped under two types: single trips and annual multi-trip insurance .

The company's travel insurance policies can include the following coverage types:

• Trip interruption coverage , which can help recoup costs if you leave a trip early.
• Travel delay , which can cover some costs if you need additional accommodations due to a delay in travel.
• Emergency medical transportation , which covers transportation to a hospital for eligible illnesses and injuries.
• Emergency medical expenses in case of a dental or medical emergency.
• Baggage delay , which can cover some costs if you need to purchase required items due to your bags being delayed by a certain period of time. Must have receipts for this.
• Baggage loss or damage , which can help recoup some costs if your bag is lost, stolen, or damaged.
• Epidemic coverage endorsement, which can help recoup costs if you must cancel a nonrefundable trip due to an epidemic. It's important to note that there may be limitations and this isn't an option everywhere.
• Travel accident coverage , which can cover costs related to an injury that results in loss of vision, your hands or feet, as well as loss of life.
• Support via a 24-hour hotline

Single-Trip Plans

The general budget option is OneTrip Basic, which can offer various protections should something happen, if you file a claim for a qualified reason.

One step up is the OneTrip Prime policy, one of the most popular plans Allianz offers. It has higher coverage limits than the Basic plan, along with some additional perks.

A more complete option is OneTrip Premier, which includes more comprehensive protections should you need them. This policy is for more extensive, longer trips and includes extras like SmartBenefits—which up to $100 per day for a covered travel or baggage delay with no receipts necessary, only proof of delay—and sports equipment loss coverage.

The coverage limits available vary by plan. Here's an overview of what each policy covers:

Other OneTrip Premier benefits not mentioned in the table above include:

• Sports Traveler, reimbursement up to $1,000 in the event of a missed sports event for a qualified reason
• Sports Equipment Loss, reimbursement up to $1,000 to cover damaged or lost sports equipment
• Sports Equipment Rental, reimbursement up to $1,000 for the cost to rent sports equipment if your equipment is damaged or lost
• Vehicle return, up to $750 reimbursement to return your vehicle to your home if you can't drive it for a qualified reason
• Adventure and sports exclusions changes, which allows you to waive some losses in the event you participate in high-risk activities like free diving at 30 ft, scuba diving at 100 ft, caving, and more

There are two additional single-trip plans from Allianz that offer more specialized coverage: One Trip Emergency and OneTrip Cancellation Plus.

OneTrip Emergency Medical

OneTrip Emergency Medical is a budget option that exclusively offers post-departure benefits to cover you while you're on your trip. As such, the plan doesn't include pre-departure benefits such as trip cancellation or interruption.

• Travel delay, up to $200 per day per person for a maximum of $1000 for delays of six hours and beyond
• Travel accident coverage, up to $10,000
• Emergency medical transportation, up to $250,000
• Emergency medical expenses, up to $50,000 though dental emergencies have a maximum of $750
• Baggage delay, up to $750 with a delay of 12 hours or more
• Baggage loss or damage, up to $2000
• Epidemic coverage endorsement
• Concierge services included

OneTrip Cancellation Plus

The OneTrip Cancellation Plus policy by Allianz is its economical back-to-basics option that can recoup costs in the event of a travel delay, interruption, or cancellation for a qualified reason. This policy includes:

• Travel interruption coverage, up to $5,000
• Trip cancellation coverage, up to $5,000
• Travel delay, up to $150 with delays of six hours and beyond

Multi-Trip Plans

The aforementioned policies are for single trips, but with Allianz travel insurance it's possible to get an annual/multi-trip policy.

The starter annual plan is the AllTrips Basic policy which includes the most basic coverage, and it excludes both trip interruption and trip cancellation coverage.

The AllTrips Prime policy is geared toward travelers who take a minimum of three trips each year and comes with additional coverage compared to the basic plan.

Another annual plan is the AllTrips Premier policy, which is geared toward frequent travelers and includes higher coverage limits and choices.

AllTrips Executive

Additionally, there's the AllTrips Executive policy, which may be a good fit if you're a frequent business traveler. Under this plan, personal travel is also covered. This policy includes:

• Trip interruption coverage, up to $5,000, $7,500, or $10,000
• Trip cancellation coverage, up to $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000
• Travel delay, with a daily limit of $200 up to $1,600 for delays of six hours and beyond
• Travel accident coverage, up to $50,000
• Baggage delay, up to $1,000 with a delay of 12 hours or more
• Baggage loss or damage, up to $1,000
• Rental car damage and theft coverage, up to $45,000
• Business equipment coverage, up to $1,000 in the event your business equipment gets lost or damaged
• Business equipment rental coverage, up to $1,000 in the event you need to rent business equipment due to loss, damage, or theft
• Change fee coverage, up to $500 to recoup costs of changing a ticket for a qualified reason
• Loyalty program redeposit fee coverage, up to $500 to recover fees lost due to getting loyalty points back after a canceled trip
• Pre-existing condition coverage available when purchased within 15 days of first trip deposit

Additional Coverage Offered by Allianz

Aside from the travel insurance policies from Allianz listed above that help travelers prepare for interruptions and cancellations, there are additional add-ons that can cover more.

OneTrip Rental Car Protector

If you're looking for rental car coverage, Allianz offers the OneTrip Rental Car Protector policy for $11 per day. This policy includes:

• Trip interruption coverage, up to $1,000
• Collision damage waiver, up to $50,000 which helps cover costs in the event your rental car is damaged in an accident or stolen

On top of the rental car coverage plan, with the OneTrip Prime plan, there's an optional upgrade to get Required to Work coverage. If there is a work-related emergency and you need to cancel for a qualified reason, this coverage can help recover expenses.

Cancel For Any Reason

An optional upgrade for OneTrip Prime and OneTrip Premier, Allianz cancel for any reason policy covers 80% of nonrefundable costs when canceling a trip for any reason. Allianz stands out compared to the best CFAR travel insurance as most policies only offer 75% coverage. 

What's Not Included with Allianz Travel Insurance?

Allianz travel insurance covers the basics and more and has some high-risk activity exclusions in the OneTrip Premier plan. Aside from that, Allianz travel insurance excludes the following:

• Acts of violence, such as war, terrorism, and civil unrest
• Risky adventure sports
• Unexpected natural disasters (OneTrip Premier allows cancellation due to hurricane warnings)
• Any travel alerts or government regulations and more

If you're interested in coverage for activities like scuba diving, skiing, and more, consider World Nomads, which covers more than 200 activities.

Allianz Travel Insurance Cost

Allianz single trip travel insurance estimates.

How much travel insurance costs with Allianz will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of policy you purchase. To get a quote with Allianz, you'll need to provide the following:

• Your destination
• Travel dates
• The state you live in
• The total cost of the trip

As of April 2024, a 23-year-old from Illinois taking a week-long, $3,000 budget trip to Italy would have the following Allianz travel insurance quotes:

• $102 for OneTrip Basic
• $151 for OneTrip Prime
• $184 for OneTrip Premier

A 30-year-old traveler from California is heading to Japan for two weeks, costing $4,000. The Allianz travel insurance quotes are:

• $153 for OneTrip Basic
• $195 for OneTrip Prime
• $270 for OneTrip Premier

A couple of 65-years of age looking to escape New York for Mexico for two weeks with a trip cost of $6,000 would have the following Allianz travel insurance quotes:

• $298 for OneTrip Basic (total for two travelers)
• $400 for OneTrip Prime (total for two travelers)
• $540 for OneTrip Premier (total for two travelers)

Allianz travel insurance premiums generally stack up favorably against the average cost of travel insurance  which is $248 per trip, but again, the specifics of your trip will largely determine how much you'll pay to insure it.

Allianz Annual Multi-Trip Estimates

To receive a quote on Allianz annual plans, you don't need nearly as much information. You just need the following:

• Insurance start date
• Your state of residence

A 30-year-old New York resident looking for travel insurance will pay the following prices for annual travel insurance with Allianz:

• Allianz Basic: $125
• Allianz Premier: $249
• Allianz Executive: $459

A 60-year-old couple from Texas will pay the following: 

• Allianz Basic: $63 per traveler, $126 total
• Allianz Premier: $217.50 per traveler, $435 total
• Allianz Executive: $485 per traveler, $970 total

Filing A Claim with Allianz Travel Insurance

If you purchase a travel insurance policy through Allianz and experience a qualifying event, you can file a claim on the company's website or via its TravelSmart app.

To file a claim with Allianz, you'll need to submit information on their website or app about the type of claim and provide supporting documentation, as well as payment information to get reimbursed. You'll need to select the plan and include your email or policy number as well as your departure date.

If you need assistance when filing a claim with Allianz, you can reach the company at 1-866-884-3556. To reach out to Allianz online, you can submit your request via its contact form.

The Allianz mailing address is:

Allianz Global Assistance

P.O. Box 71533

Richmond, VA 23255-1533

Compare Allianz Travel Insurance

See how Allianz stacks up against the competition. 

Allianz Travel Insurance vs. AXA Travel Insurance

Competitor AXA travel insurance covers 75% of your nonrefundable costs if you choose to cancel, for any reason (as the name suggests) if you choose that as an upgrade and buy it two weeks before your first trip deposit. Allianz's CFAR policy covers 80% of nonrefundable costs.

That said, if we look at the travel insurance quotes based on a 30-year-old traveler from California going to Japan in the first two weeks of October paying a total of $4,000 for the trip, AXA travel insurance is more affordable. It's $97 for its Silver plan, which covers 100% trip cancellation and interruption. Compare this to $153 for the OneTrip Basic Plan through Allianz.

Read our AXA travel insurance review here.

Allianz Travel Insurance  vs. HTH Travel Insurance

Allianz is a good travel insurance option if you're looking for a variety of customized choices. Another competitor, HTH Worldwide Travel Insurance , has three trip protection options .

TripProtector Economy is HTH's budget option and may be a good fit if you're looking for higher medical coverage limits. This policy covers up to $75,000 in accident and sick benefits and $500 in dental benefits.

Plus, the policy covers up to $500,000 for an emergency evacuation. The OneTrip Basic policy from Allianz covers the same dental benefits but offers just $10,000 in medical expenses.

Read our HTH travel insurance review here.

Allianz vs. Credit Card Travel Insurance

A travel insurance policy can offer robust protections, but if you're looking for something basic for trip interruption or cancellation and rental car coverage, check your travel rewards credit card. If you experience illness, weather, or cancellations that affect your trip, you may be able to recoup costs.

Credit card travel insurance coverage may be a good fit for short trips where you don't have a ton of upfront prepaid costs. However, if you're going to be away for a while, have many prepaid expenses, and are concerned about medical coverage, traditional travel insurance may be your best bet.

Read our guide on the best credit cards with travel insurance here.

Allianz Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

Is allianz a good travel insurance company.

Allianz is a reputable and well-established travel insurance provider. The company offers various travel insurance policies for individual trips as well as annual plans. Coverage options may include trip interruption, trip cancellation, trip delay, emergency medical, and more. The company has mixed reviews from consumers but has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

How does Allianz cover COVID?

Nearly all travel insurance policies offered by Allianz cover COVID-19, aside from the OneTrip Rental Car Protector Plan. Through the Allianz Epidemic Coverage Endorsement, policyholders receive additional protections if they need to cancel a trip due to COVID. Unfortunately, while it's available in most plans it's not available in all jurisdictions, so be sure to read the fine print.

Which Allianz plan is best?

While the best plan is one best suited to your needs, Allianz's OneTrip Premier is the most robust policy, with high cancellation and interruption coverage. Additionally, kids 17 and under are included in coverage. This policy also includes unique benefits for athletes and adventurers thanks to sports equipment coverage.

Does Allianz require proof of incident?

If you need to file a claim, Allianz may require proof of incident in order to receive benefits. In cases of medical issues, you may need to provide a medical receipt or document. In other cases, you may need to provide other documentation for trip cancellation or trip interruption such as a death certificate, police report, or employment letter.

Does Allianz cover missed flights?

Allianz doesn't cover missed flights exactly but can help cover costs due to trip delays depending on your policy. So if you missed a connecting flight, you may be able to receive funds to recoup costs related to accommodations and transportation.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Allianz Travel Insurance

As part of this Allianz travel insurance review, we looked at the top travel insurance providers in the space. We reviewed the variety of options offered, coverage limits, benefits, add-ons, flexibility, protocols, claims process, and affordability.

Allianz succeeds in offering many different policies aimed at everyday travelers, business travelers, and athletes. To find the best travel insurance option for you, check out several companies, review the benefits, and compare quotes.

Read more about our travel insurance methodology here.

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