AAA Travel Insurance Review

AAA memberships are grouped by regions and offerings vary by your location. That means the types of AAA travel insurance policies available to you will depend on where you live but three policies are offered in many states.

Coverage type	TripProtect Deluxe	TripProtect Select	TripProtect Cancel Anytime
Trip cancellation	100% of insured trip cost	100% of insured trip cost	100% of insured trip cost
Trip interruption	150% of insured trip cost	150% of insured trip cost	150% of insured trip cost
Emergency medical expense	$75,000	$50,000	$25,000
Medical evacuation	$1 million	$500,000	$500,000
Travel delay	$1,600 max/$200 per day after three-hour delay	$800 max/$100 per day after four-hour delay	$800 max/$100 per day after four-hour delay
Baggage and personal effects	$2,000	$1,000	$1,000
Baggage delay	$600 after 12-hour delay	$300 after 12-hour delay	$300 after 12-hour delay
“Cancel for any reason”	None	None	None
“Cancel any time”	None	None	80% of insured trip cost
Missed port of call per person	$300	$300	$300
Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver available	Yes	-	-
Vehicle return	$750	$750	$750

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AAA Travel Insurance TripProtect Select and TripProtect Deluxe

The TripProtect Deluxe plan and TripProtect Select plan differ primarily in their coverage limits. The Deluxe plan provides benefits twice as high as the Select plan for baggage, baggage delay, travel delay and medical evacuation. Though it’s not double the amount, the Deluxe plan still has higher limits for travel medical expenses ($75,000) than the Select plan ($50,000).

Both policies also provide modest compensation for:

• Change fees. If you must cancel or change your airline, rail, cruise or tour tickets due to a problem listed in your policy, you will be reimbursed for fees or additional expenses you are charged by a travel carrier or travel supplier.
• Lost documents. You’re compensated $75 for the costs of replacing your travel documents, up to your policy limits, if your travel documents are lost or stolen during your trip.
• Travel vaccination coverage. If you have to cancel your trip for a reason listed in your policy, you can recoup $200 for the cost of vaccinations you received that were required to visit your destination.

Other benefits of both plans include:

• Children under 17 traveling with parents, grandparents or legal guardians are covered at no additional cost at the same limits as adults.
• 24/7 assistance helpline.
• Automatic reimbursement (called SmartBenefits) without providing receipts or filing a claim for incurred expenses due to flight and baggage delays and missed ports of call.

TripProtect Cancel Anytime

With the TripProtect Cancel Anytime policy, you can get reimbursed for up to 80% of your non-refundable trip costs if you cancel your trip for almost any reason the base plan doesn’t cover. Read your policy for “cancel anytime” exclusions, including terrorist events and travel alerts issued by a government or public authority.

Otherwise, AAA’s TripProtect Cancel Anytime plan and TripProtect Select plan have the same coverage types and policy limits.

AAA members qualify for a slate of exclusive benefits. These include:

• Access to special vacation and cruise packages.
• Discounts on car rentals and hotels, as well as dining and entertainment during your vacations.
• Travel consultants who work with you to book your trip and plan excursions.
• Reloadable prepaid credit card that can be used instead of cash when traveling abroad.
• Services you might need before your trip, such as passport photos, visa services and help getting international driving permits.

Rental Car Damage Protector

AAA’s Rental Car Damage Protector is available as a stand-alone policy or as an add-on to any other policy.

This policy provides:

• If your rental car is damaged in a traffic accident, breaks down or is stolen while you’re on your trip, you can be reimbursed $50,000.
• $1,000 in coverage if your baggage is lost or damaged during an accident or stolen from your locked car.
• $1,000 in coverage if your trip is interrupted due to a reason covered in your policy and you spend money on food, lodging and transportation and lose prepaid, non-refundable deposits.

A TripProtect Deluxe policy costs $356 for two travelers, age 40 going to Italy for 17 days with a total trip cost of $6,000. It’s $280 for a TripProtect Select policy.

What you pay will depend primarily on your age, the cost of your trip and which policy you buy. But to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay, typically the average cost of travel insurance is 4% to 6% of your trip costs, based on our analysis of travel insurance rates.

AAA travel insurance generally covers unexpected problems that can disrupt your trip, such as cancellations, delays and interruptions. It also helps pay for medical expenses.

AAA travel insurance products and member benefits can vary by state, so the type of travel insurance policies offered will depend on where you live.

Despite policy variations, AAA’s travel insurance policies usually provide the following types of coverage.

Trip cancellation coverage: If you cancel your trip because of a problem that’s listed in the policy, trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for prepaid, non-refundable expenses—for example, hotel stays, flights and excursions.

Travel medical insurance: If you get sick or injured during your trip, you can recoup your expenses. Travel medical insurance can compensate you for costs including hospital bills, X-rays, lab work and prescription medication, up to the policy’s medical coverage limit.

Emergency medical evacuation: Emergency medical evacuation insurance pays for transportation to the nearest hospital that can treat your condition if you require care beyond what’s locally available. AAA’s travel agents can help you coordinate transportation.

Travel delay insurance: Travel delay insurance pays for additional costs you incur if your trip gets delayed due to a problem listed in the policy. For example, if your flight gets delayed until the next day, you can be compensated for a hotel room and meals, up to the plan’s coverage limit. Travel delay insurance also reimburses you for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses for missed portions of your trip. Note that required waiting periods apply to travel delay benefits.

Travel interruption insurance: If unforeseen circumstances cause you to cut your trip short, trip interruption insurance can pay for your transportation home, such as a last-minute flight. It also compensates you for money lost on non-refundable expenses for portions of your trip you miss.

Baggage and personal effects: If your luggage is damaged, lost or stolen, baggage insurance can pay you the depreciated value of your suitcases and the items you packed, up to your policy limits. Baggage insurance also provides coverage for your personal items that get damaged or stolen during your trip.

Baggage delay insurance: If your baggage is delayed for the specified amount of time listed in your policy, baggage delay insurance can pay for the essentials you need before your baggage arrives, such as toiletries and clothing.

Here are examples of exclusions for AAA’s TripProtect Deluxe policy:

• Acts of gross negligence by you or a traveling companion
• Any high-altitude activity
• Conviction of crimes you commit
• Injuries due to alcohol or drug use
• Known or foreseeable events, like weather and political unrest
• Mental health and nervous disorders
• Normal pregnancy (unless you find out you are pregnant after buying your policy and want to cancel)
• Participation in extreme sports or activities, such as skydiving, hang gliding, skiing or snowboarding outside marked trails
• Participation or training for professional sporting competitions

No travel insurance policy covers every mishap, emergency and problem you may encounter. That’s why it’s a good idea to review your policy details to understand what isn’t covered.

The best AAA travel insurance plan depends on your coverage needs and your budget.

You can start the claim process:

• Online. File a claim by emailing [email protected].
• Phone. You can also call the claims department at (888) 497-6992 or (800) 334-7525 to file a claim over the phone.

When filing your claim, be prepared to provide your policy number and a detailed summary of what happened. You also need documentation to prove your claim. This might include:

• Receipts for necessary items if your luggage is delayed
• Confirmation emails for nonrefundable trip costs
• Notices of travel cancellation from your airline
• Photos of damaged personal items
• Doctor’s notes for emergency medical care you received

Expect Allianz to take at least 10 business days to review your claim. You will receive an email with a formal request for additional documentation if more information is needed.

If you want to check on a claim, you can check the status online by entering your claim number, or you can call the claims department.

The cost of AAA’s TripProtect Deluxe plan is in line with some competitors for our example traveler profile, but has lower travel medical limits.

AAA Travel Insurance vs. Seven Corners

If higher medical evacuation benefits matter more to you than travel medical benefits, the Cruise Insurance policy from Seven Corners might be a better option. If you want more generous travel delay benefits with a shorter waiting period, the Deluxe policy might be a better fit.

Benefit	TripProtect Deluxe policy	Seven Corners Cruise Insurance
Trip cancellation	100% of insured trip cost	100% of insured trip cost
Trip delay	Maximum of $1,600/$200 per day, after a 3-hour delay	Maximum of $1,000/$250 per day, after a 6-hour delay
Emergency travel medical/evacuation	$75,000/$1 million	$250,000/$500,000
Trip interruption	150% of insured trip cost	150% of insured trip cost
Baggage and belongings	Maximum of $2,000	Maximum of $2,000
Baggage delay	$600 after 12-hour delay	$500 after 6-hour delay
Cost for two travelers, age 40, for $6,000 trip to Italy for 17 days	$356	$354

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AAA Travel Insurance vs. TravelSafe

AAA’s Deluxe policy and TravelSafe’s Classic policy are equitable in price—the Classic policy is about $25 more. But you get higher travel medical limits with the TravelSafe Classic plan. But the Deluxe plan provides much higher benefits for baggage delays and a shorter waiting period for trip delays.

Benefit	TripProtect Deluxe policy	TravelSafe Classic policy
Trip cancellation	100% of insured trip cost	100% of insured trip cost
Trip delay	Maximum of $1,600/$200 per day, after a 3-hour delay	Maximum of $2,000/$150 per day, after 6-hour delay
Emergency travel medical/evacuation	$75,000/$1 million	$100,000/$1 million
Trip interruption	150% of insured trip cost	150% of insured trip cost
Baggage and belongings	Maximum of $2,000	Maximum of $2,500
Baggage delay	$600 after 12-hour delay	$250 after 12-hour delay
Cost for two travelers, age 40, for $6,000 trip to Italy for 17 days	$356	$382

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AAA Travel Insurance vs. Travelex

The TripProtect Deluxe policy and Ultimate plan from Travelex cost about the same, but you get more generous travel medical coverage with the Ultimate policy.

Benefit	TripProtect Deluxe policy	Travelex Ultimate policy
Trip cancellation	100% of insured trip cost	100% of insured trip cost
Trip delay	Maximum of $1,600/$200 per day, after a 3-hour delay	Maximum of $2,000/$250 per day, after 5-hour delay
Emergency travel medical/evacuation	$75,000/$1 million	$250,000/$1 million
Trip interruption	150% of insured trip cost	150% of insured trip cost
Baggage and belongings	Maximum of $2,000	Maximum of $2,000
Baggage delay	$600 after 12-hour delay	$500 after 12-hour delay
Cost for two travelers, age 40, for $6,000 trip to Italy for 17 days	$356	$360

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