Table of Contents
You’ve booked the flights, mapped out the itinerary, and probably Downloaded a packing checklist. But there’s one thing lots of travellers overlook until the last minute: travel insurance. And when you start looking into it, Allianz is likely one of the first names you’ll see. It’s one of the biggest insurance companies in the world, so it makes sense that their travel arm would be popular. But is the coverage actually good? Let’s look at the details.
What Does Allianz Travel Insurance Cover?
Allianz offers several different plans, but the core coverage stays fairly consistent across the board. Depending on which package you choose, you’ll get some combination of the following.
Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption
If you have to cancel your trip before you leave for a covered reason, trip cancellation reimburses you for pre-paid, non-refundable costs. That can include flights, hotels, tours, and even cruise fares. Trip interruption kicks in after you’ve left, helping you get home early or covering extra costs if something goes wrong mid-trip.
For example, if you’re stuck on a cruise and a family member at home falls seriously ill, Allianz can cover the cost of flying back from the next port. Most plans also include a cancel for any reason upgrade option, but that usually has to be added within 14–21 days of your initial trip deposit, and it only reimburses 75% of your trip cost rather than 100%.
Emergency Medical and Evacuation
Your regular health insurance often won’t cover you overseas. Allianz steps in with emergency medical coverage, which pays for hospital stays, doctor visits, and prescription drugs if you get sick or injured while travelling. The limits vary by plan, from $10,000 on the basic OneTrip Basic plan up to $75,000 on the OneTrip Premier plan. That might sound like a lot, but if you need a serious surgery in the US, it could disappear fast.
Emergency evacuation is a different thing altogether. This covers transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility or back home if you’re in a real bind. It’s not just an ambulance ride—this can include medevac helicopters or even international flights with a nurse on board. The OneTrip Prime plan offers up to $500,000, and the Premier plan goes up to $1 million. If you’re planning a trek in the Himalayas or a remote safari, that kind of coverage matters.
Baggage Loss and Delay
Losing your suitcase is annoying. Losing it permanently is worse. Allianz reimburses you for personal items that are lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip. There are limits per item and overall, so don’t expect to claim your $5,000 camera on the basic plan. Baggage delay covers the off-putting experience of arriving at your destination with no clothes—if your bags are delayed more than 12 hours, you can get reimbursed for essentials like a toothbrush, a change of clothes, and maybe a nice dinner.
Allianz Travel Insurance Plans: Which One Is Right for You?
Allianz offers four main single-trip plans, and one annual plan for frequent travellers.
- OneTrip Basic – The budget option. Covers trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical ($10k) and up to $500 for baggage loss. Good for short, inexpensive trips where you’re not worried about high medical costs.
- OneTrip Prime – The sweet spot for many travellers. Includes $50k medical, $500k evacuation, $750 baggage loss, and adds travel delay coverage that pays out if your flight is stuck for 6+ hours.
- OneTrip Premier – The top-tier single trip plan. $75k medical, $1M evacuation, up to $1,000 in baggage, and higher limits for every benefit. It also adds missed connection coverage and interruption for any reason as a standard feature, not an add-on.
- AllTrips Premier – An annual plan covering unlimited trips under 45 days each. If you take more than three or four trips a year, this almost always pays for itself compared to buying separate coverage each time.
If you’re comparing plans from multiple providers, it’s worth reading through our guide to the best international travel insurance to see how other companies stack up.
What Allianz Travel Insurance Doesn’t Cover
No insurance policy covers everything, and Allianz is no exception. It’s important to read the policy details, but here are a few common exclusions:
- Pre-existing medical conditions – Unless you buy your policy within 14 days of making your first trip deposit and are medically able to travel, your pre-existing conditions may not be covered. Some plans let you add a waiver for this, but it costs extra.
- Extreme sports and activities – Skiing, scuba diving, rock climbing, and other adventure sports are often excluded unless you purchase a specific add-on. Allianz does sell a sports package for adventure travellers, but it’s not automatic.
- Travel to countries on government warning lists – If the US State Department issues a Level 3 or Level 4 advisory against travel to your destination after your coverage starts, Allianz might still cover you, but if the warning was already in effect when you bought the policy, you’re likely out of luck.
Also remember that trip cancellation only covers unexpected events. If you have a business meeting go south, that’s not covered. If you simply change your mind, that’s not covered either—unless you paid for the upgrade.
How to File a Claim with Allianz
Filing a claim with Allianz is fairly straightforward, but you need to act quickly. Here’s the process:
1. Notify Them Within 20 Days
Most policies require you to report a claim within 20 days of the incident or as soon as reasonably possible. For trip cancellation, that’s before your trip starts. For trip interruption, it’s after you return but within the deadline.
2. Gather Your Documentation
You’ll need receipts, medical records, police reports, or any paperwork that supports your claim. For example, if your flight gets cancelled due to a hurricane, you’ll need the airline’s written notice. If your camera gets stolen, a police report is usually required.
3. Submit Online or via the App
Allianz lets you file claims online at their website or through the Allianz Travel Insurance app. You can also upload documents directly, which speeds things up. Most claims are processed within 10–15 business days, but if something’s missing, it can drag on longer.
One tip: if your claim is for more than $500, you’ll likely need a notarized claim form. That takes an extra trip to the bank, so factor that in.
Who Should Use Allianz Travel Insurance?
Allianz isn’t perfect for everybody, but it’s a strong option for certain types of travellers.
Frequent Flyers and Business Travellers
If you’re on a plane every month for work, the AllTrips Premier annual plan is a no-brainer. You get the same coverage for every trip under 45 days, and you don’t have to remember to buy a new policy each time. It also covers travel delays and missed connections, which business travellers know can throw off an entire meeting schedule.
Families Taking an Expensive Vacation
If you’re dropping five figures on a Disney World trip or an international family reunion, trip cancellation coverage is your safety net. Kids are covered at no extra charge on most Allianz plans when they’re under 17, which makes it one of the more family-friendly options.
Adventure Travellers (with Caveats)
If you’re planning to go heli-skiing in Alaska, you need to read the fine print carefully—and the Alaska winter tour story on this site is a good reminder of how quickly winter conditions can change. Allianz’s standard plans won’t cover you for that kind of activity, but they do sell a dedicated Sports and Adventure Sports add-on that extends coverage. It’s worth the extra $50–100 for a week-long trip.
Allianz vs. Other Travel Insurance Providers
So how does Allianz compare to the competition? Allianz’s main selling points are its size and stability. The company has been around for over a century and handles millions of claims every year. That means their claims process is mature and tested, and you’re unlikely to run into a situation where they can’t pay out.
However, their premiums are not always the cheapest on the market. You might find similar coverage from companies like World Nomads or IMG for slightly less. Also, Allianz’s customer service reviews are mixed. Some travellers complain about long wait times on the phone or having to fight for approval on certain claims. But that’s true of almost every insurance provider.
If you’re still undecided, our comparison of the top international travel insurance picks breaks down the exact pros and cons of each provider, so you can see where Allianz fits.
Practical Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Policy
- Buy early – The moment you make your first non-refundable payment, start looking at insurance. Many benefits, like the pre-existing condition waiver and cancel-for-any-reason upgrade, are only available within a set number of days from that first deposit.
- Use the app – The Allianz app lets you pull up your policy ID, contact support, and even start a claim while you’re still waiting for your connection at the airport. It beats digging through emails.
- Keep your documents accessible – Take a photo of your policy details, save insurance hotlines in your phone, and keep your receipt wallet handy. When things go wrong, you don’t want to be wandering around looking for a PDF.
Travel insurance is the kind of thing you hope you never have to use, but when you need it, you need it fast. Allianz offers reliable, straightforward coverage that works well for a wide range of travellers. Whether you’re taking a single trip this year or flying every month, one of their plans probably fits. Just make sure you understand what you’re buying before you click purchase—because the coverage you don’t read about could be the coverage you need the most.
