AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance Review 2025

Name: AXA Assistance USA
Item: AXA Assistance USA
Rating: 3.9
Author: Michelle Megna

Our Expert Take

We were impressed by the Platinum plan’s robust protection, including high medical and evacuation coverage limits. There’s also $100,000 for non-medical evacuation—among the highest compared to top competitors.

We also like AXA’s generous 21-day window to buy a “cancel for any reason” upgrade after your first trip deposit—some competitors allow only 14 days.

This policy also has perks like trip cancellation coverage if you have to cancel for work reasons or because of an employment layoff. You can add coverage for lost ski days and lost golf days. If you’re renting a car you can add a collision damage waiver to the Platinum plan.

But the Platinum policy’s travel delay coverage is a little skimpy at $1,250 per person, and it’s only for delays lasting at least 12 hours. You can find much better travel delay coverage elsewhere. Baggage delay coverage is generous at $600 a person, but here too you have to have at least a 12-hour delay to make a claim.

Our survey of AXA Assistance USA travel insurance customers found that 88% were satisfied with customer service, which matches the average for the companies in our analysis. Overall, 92% of AXA customers who made claims were satisfied with the claims process—the highest percentage among companies we evaluated. The average is 86%. Most AXA Assistance (91%) customers are likely to recommend the company, which is the highest percentage among companies evaluated. The average is 87%.

Pros

Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person after a 3-hour delay.
Excellent baggage loss coverage of $3,000 per person.
“Cancel for any reason” upgrade available.

Cons

The average cost for the Platinum plan is only so-so compared to top competitors, but you do get robust coverage.
Baggage coverage and travel delay kicks in only after a 12-hour delay.
No “hospital of choice” option for medical evacuation.

Table of Contents

AXA Assistance USA’s Travel Insurance Plans

Tourists, vacationers, cruisers and other travelers can buy one of three comprehensive plans from AXA Assistance USA that cover all sorts of travel-related problems such as trip cancellations, missed flights, lost luggage, injuries and illness. Travelers in need of assistance worldwide can tap into AXA’s extensive international network of assistance services.

AXA Assistance USA’s Platinum plan (above) is its highest-rated plan according to Forbes Advisor’s ratings of the best travel insurance.

AXA Assistance USA’s Silver plan: The Silver plan includes $25,000 for medical emergency coverage and $100,000 for emergency medical evacuation. You’ll also get $200 for baggage delay and $750 for baggage and personal effects coverage.

AXA Assistance USA’s Gold plan: This plan includes $100,000 for medical emergency coverage and up to $500,000 for emergency medical evacuation. It also includes $50,000 for non-medical emergency coverage. You’ll get $300 for baggage delay and $1,500 for baggage and personal effects coverage.

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Leaving Home

Returning Home

Main Destination

Optional Add-Ons

If you need extra coverage for a rental car, you may be able to add a collision damage waiver (CDW), depending on your AXA Assistance USA plan. Gold policyholders can add a $35,000 CDW and Platinum policyholders can add a $50,000 CDW.

Travelers with Platinum plans who want even more flexibility can add “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage within 14 days of your initial trip deposit. CFAR coverage will reimburse 75% of your prepaid trip costs if you want to cancel—no matter the reason—even if it’s to stay home and watch HBO.

Cost of AXA Assistance Travel Insurance Plans

Because policy limits and benefits vary among AXA Assistance USA’s travel insurance plans, so does pricing. Rates generally vary by your age and trip cost. Here are cost examples for AXA’s Platinum plan.

Travelers and trip	Cost per trip for AXA’s Platinum policy
Two travelers age 30, $3,000 trip cost, traveling to Mexico for 8 days	$184
Two travelers age 40, $6,000 trip cost, traveling to Italy for 17 days	$264
Family with two parents age 40 and two children, $15,000 trip cost, traveling to Spain for 17 days	$624
Two travelers age 65, $6,000 trip cost, traveling to the Italy for 17 days	$550
Two travelers age 70, $3,000 trip cost, traveling to the Mexico for 8 days	$422
Two travelers age 75, $15,000 trip cost, traveling to Aruba for 20 days	$2,090
Two travelers age 80, $20,000 trip cost, traveling to Spain for 25 days	$3,150

Costs are for policies without “cancel for any reason” coverage.

Does AXA Assistance USA Have 24/7 Travel Assistance?

AXA Assistance USA’s plans include access to their 24/7 travel assistance hotline. The assistance team has multilingual specialists who can help you with problems like reporting lost baggage and coordinating emergency medical treatment.

What’s Not Covered by AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance?

All travel insurance plans have exclusions. It’s a good idea to read your policy closely and familiarize yourself with what your plan does not cover. Here are some examples of exclusions to emergency medical coverage for AXA Assistance USA’s Platinum plan:

Dental treatment (except as a result of accidental injury)
Pregnancy and childbirth (except for complications of pregnancy)
Mental or emotional disorders, unless hospitalized
Injuries due to activities such as contact sports, skydiving, hang gliding, parachuting, horse racing, auto or motorcycle racing, rock climbing and bungee jumping
Piloting or learning to pilot an aircraft
Suicide or attempted suicide
Cosmetic surgery, except for reconstructive surgery due to an accident
Sexually transmitted disease
Participation in a riot or civil disorder

How To File a Claim with AXA Assistance USA

You can download AXA Assistance USA claim forms online and find customer service contact information.

Methodology

We researched and analyzed 69 policies to find the best travel insurance. When companies had more than one highly rated travel insurance policy we used the highest-scoring plan. Ratings are based on the following metrics.

Cost (35% of score): We analyzed the average cost for each travel insurance policy for trips to popular destinations:

Couple, age 30 for a Mexico trip costing $3,000
Couple, age 40, for an Italy trip costing $6,000
Family of four for a Spain trip costing $15,000
Couple, age 65, for an Italy trip costing $6,000
Couple, age 70, for a Mexico trip costing $3,000

Medical expenses (15% of score): Travel insurance policies with travel medical expense benefits of $250,000 and up per person were given the highest points.

Medical evacuation (15% of score): Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 and up per person were given the highest points.

“Cancel for any reason” upgrade (10%): Travel insurance policies received points if “cancel for any reason” upgrades are offered. More points were awarded for “cancel for any reason” upgrades with reimbursement levels of 75%.

Trip interruption travel insurance (5%): Points were given if trip interruption reimbursement is 150% or higher.

Travel delay required waiting time (5%): Policies with travel delay benefits kicking in after six hours or less were given points.

Baggage delay required waiting time (5%): Policies with baggage delay benefits kicking in at 12 hours or less were given points.

Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver (5%): Points were given to policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions (if purchased within a required timeframe after the first trip deposit).

“Interruption for any reason” upgrade (5%): Policies were awarded points if they offered an “interruption for any reason” upgrade.

More: Read how Forbes Advisor rates travel insurance

About Our Travel Insurance Customer Surveys

We commissioned travel insurance customer satisfaction surveys of 2,800 people who bought new policies within the past 12 months to gauge company performance.

We surveyed 1,400 Americans who have purchased a new travel insurance policy within the last 12 months. This online survey was commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by market research company Talker Research, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from October 11 to November 4, 2024. The margin of error is ± 1.5 point with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

We also surveyed 1,400 Americans who filed a travel insurance claim within the past 12 months. This online survey was commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by market research company Talker Research, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from October 11 to November 4, 2024. The margin of error is ± 1.9 point with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance FAQ

Do AXA Assistance USA travel insurance plans cover Covid?

AXA Assistance USA has plans that include coverage for Covid-related medical expenses and trip cancellation.

If you get Covid before your trip and have to cancel, these plans will reimburse you for 100% of your pre-paid and non-refundable trip costs. If you get Covid during your trip, these plans can pay for medical costs.

Do AXA Assistance USA travel insurance plans cover pre-existing medical conditions?

Pre-existing medical condition waivers are available from AXA Assistance USA. It’s a good idea to check your plan’s details to confirm coverage.

This waiver means that pre-existing conditions won’t be excluded from your coverage. For example, AXA Assistance USA’s Platinum plan will cover pre-existing conditions if you buy the plan within 14 days of your first trip deposit. You must also be medically able to travel on the policy’s effective date.

Do AXA Assistance USA travel insurance plans have “cancel for any reason” coverage?

AXA Assistance USA Travel insurance offers “cancel for any reason” travel insurance as an optional benefit to its Platinum plan. You cannot add this coverage with a Silver or Gold plan.

“Cancel for any reason” gives you the flexibility to cancel your trip for a reason not listed in your plan’s base trip cancellation reasons. For example, you could cancel your trip because you are concerned about a Covid outbreak.

If you want to add “cancel for any reason” coverage to the Platinum plan, you must do so within 14 days of your initial trip deposit. AXA Assistance USA’s “cancel for any reason” policy will reimburse you 75% of your nonrefundable trip costs.