Blue Cross Travel Insurance Review: Costs, Coverage, and More
Blue Cross offers affordable and expansive international coverage through GeoBlue, an independent licensee.
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Written byLindsay VanSomeren
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8 years in insurance and personal finance writing
Former data scientist for U.S. Geological Survey
Lindsay is a freelance personal finance writer currently pursuing her Series 65 license. She enjoys helping readers learn money management skills that improve their lives.
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Edited byKatie Powers
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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Table of contents
Blue Cross, one of the largest health insurance companies in the U.S., also sells travel insurance. Rather than offering coverage directly, Blue Cross licenses its brand name to another insurer, GeoBlue.[1]
GeoBlue policies offer expansive travel medical coverage for emergencies, including prescription medications and ambulance services. You can even hire an evacuation company if you need to return to the U.S. quickly.
Here’s what you need to know about Blue Cross’s travel insurance through GeoBlue, including whether the coverage works for you.
Quick Facts
Blue Cross offers two tiers of coverage for single trips and annual multi-trip coverage.
The cost of GeoBlue coverage ranges from $15 to $78 for a one-week trip for most travelers and from $138 to $557 for an annual plan.
Travel health plans are secondary to your U.S. healthcare insurance, which typically doesn’t include coverage for international medical care.
Our take on Blue Cross travel insurance
It’s worth considering travel medical insurance the next time you travel abroad. You never know when you’ll experience health issues, especially when you’re around lots of people in a new environment, eating different foods, and engaging in non-typical activities.
Blue Cross travel insurance, sold by independent licensee GeoBlue, is one of the best options for travel medical insurance. It provides more protection than the travel coverage benefits that some credit card issuers offer. Travel medical coverage through GeoBlue is relatively affordable, too.
But before buying a policy, make sure you’ve read through the policy details and know how coverage works. Some GeoBlue customer reviews on websites like the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot cite challenges filing claims, especially for people who didn’t fully understand the policy’s terms and conditions.
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Pros and cons of Blue Cross travel insurance
Any insurance company has pros and cons to consider. Here’s what you should keep in mind about GeoBlue before you buy a policy.
Pros
Wide range of plan types
Affordable coverage options
Covers healthcare in most countries
Cons
Poor claims-handling experience
Low customer ratings and reviews
Very basic coverage for non-medical travel mishaps
Blue Cross coverage for single trips
If you’re looking for a travel medical insurance plan for a single trip, Blue Cross offers two options through GeoBlue. Compare the two coverage tiers below.[2]
Coverage Details  | Voyager Essential | Voyager Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency and non-emergency medical care | Yes | Yes |
| International medical coverage limits | $50,000–$1 million | $50,000–$1 million |
| Emergency medical transportation coverage | $500,000 maximum | $500,000 maximum |
| Accidental death and dismemberment | $25,000 maximum | $50,000 maximum |
| Repatriation of mortal remains coverage | $25,000 maximum | $25,000 maximum |
| Outpatient prescription drug reimbursement | 50% | 50% |
| Pre-existing conditions | 180-day exclusion | Yes |
| Baggage and personal effects coverage | $500 per trip period ($100 per bag) | $500 per trip period ($100 per bag) |
| Post-departure trip interruption transportation | $1,000 per trip period | $1,000 per trip period |
| Post-departure trip interruption quarantine | $25 per day, up to 10 days for lodging and incidentals | $50 per day, up to 10 days for lodging and incidentals |
| Primary health plan requirement | No | Yes |
| Deductible | $0, $100, $250, or $500 per insured person, per policy period | $0, $100, $250, or $500 per insured person, per policy period |
It’s important to consider coverage costs and any potential risks when deciding on travel insurance coverage. If you want to spend less on coverage, choose this plan. It’s a good option if you don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions. The Essential plan is cheaper than the Choice plan, but it won’t cover pre-existing conditions unless your trip extends beyond six months.
Prior medical issues may bother you when you’re on vacation. If you have any medical conditions that could affect your trip, it’s worth paying a little bit extra to ensure coverage for those issues. The Choice plan covers pre-existing conditions, unlike the Essential plan.
Blue Cross coverage for annual trips
If you take multiple international trips each year, you may want one travel medical insurance plan that covers you annually. Blue Cross offers two health coverage plans that can cover multiple trips per year, as long as each trip is less than 70 days in length.[3]
Coverage Details | Trekker Essential | Trekker Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency and non-emergency medical care | Yes | Yes |
| International medical coverage limits | $500,000 ($200,000 for people aged 70–95) | $1,000,000 ($200,000 for people aged 70–95) |
| Emergency medical transportation coverage | $250,000 maximum | $500,000 maximum |
| Accidental death and dismemberment | $0 maximum | $25,000 maximum |
| Repatriation of mortal remains coverage | $15,000 maximum | $25,000 maximum |
| Outpatient prescription drug reimbursement | 100% up to $2,500 outside the U.S. | 100% up to $5,000 outside the U.S. |
| Pre-existing conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Dental care for relief of pain | 100% of up to $100 per trip period | 100% of up to $300 per trip period |
| Lost baggage and personal effects coverage | N/A | $500 per trip period ($100 per bag) |
| Primary health plan requirement | Yes | Yes |
| Deductible | $200 | $100 |
The Essential plan, while still quite affordable, is much cheaper than GeoBlue’s higher-level Choice plan. The Essential plan has less coverage for emergency benefits, though, so it’s best for younger people with a lower likelihood of needing to use the coverage.
If you have greater travel needs because you’re older or take more risks during vacation, then the Choice plan is likely your better option. It offers higher coverage limits all around and adds travel insurance coverage for accidental death and dismemberment and lost baggage. You should consider this coverage if you travel for adventure sports and thrill-seeking activities.
What Blue Cross doesn’t cover
Knowing what your travel health insurance plan excludes is just as important as knowing what it covers. Make sure you read through each plan’s specifics before you pay for coverage.
Here are some medical exclusions that GeoBlue plans from Blue Cross don’t typically cover:
Elective treatments that you can wait to do at home
Preventive services, such as annual exams and contraception
Dental work, unless your plan covers accidents and pain relief
Any injury you sustain while breaking the law or participating in civil disturbances
Important Information
It’s important to note that GeoBlue plans also don’t include much non-medical travel coverage. If you’re looking for standard trip interruption or cancellation coverage, you may want to consider other insurers.
Cost of Blue Cross travel insurance
The cost of your plan from GeoBlue will depend on factors like your age, home location, travel dates, and the specific country or destinations where you’ll be traveling.[4]
To show you how much Blue Cross’ GeoBlue travel insurance might cost in various situations, we pulled quotes from the insurer’s website. The quotes below represent costs for plans offering $1 million in medical coverage, with a $0 deductible for the Voyager plans. Remember that Trekker plans stay active for one year and apply to all trips in that time. Each quote is for a one-week trip:
Ages | Voyager Essential Cost | Voyager Choice Cost | Trekker Essential Cost | Trekker Choice Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26-year-old solo traveler | $15 | $17 | $138 | $193 |
| 35-year-old couple | $36 | $43 | $227 | $326 |
| Family of four, with a 35-year-old couple and two 12-year-olds | $66 | $78 | $393 | $557 |
Who is Blue Cross travel insurance best for?
Blue Cross travel insurance can be a good option for you if you want access to quality healthcare in the event of an emergency while traveling abroad.
Coverage is quite affordable for what you get, and just about anyone can benefit, particularly if you have any health concerns that could derail your trip.
The caveat is that these policies really cover only emergency healthcare. Plans from GeoBlue do include limited coverage for things like lost luggage or interrupted trips. But if you need to cancel your trip because you get sick before you leave, you won’t have coverage for the payments you’ve already made.
These policies are best when paired with other travel coverages to create a unified package.
Find a Travel Plan That Works for You
Customize your coverage and find affordable trip insurance
How to buy a Blue Cross travel policy
The easiest way to buy a policy from GeoBlue, Blue Cross’ licensed provider, is online. Here’s how enrollment works:
1. Get a quote
You can get a cost estimate through GeoBlue’s website by entering your trip dates, age, and home ZIP code.
2. Make coverage decisions
For Voyager plans, you’ll choose your coverage limits, your deductible, and whether you want your plan to cover pre-existing conditions. For Trekker plans, you’ll select your medical coverage and deductible amount.
3. Buy your coverage
Click “Buy Now” when you’re ready to pay for coverage. You can pay with a credit card.
4. Receive policy details
GeoBlue will send you an email with your policy details.
5. Download the mobile app
You can access your plan details, receive 24/7 support, and locate preferred healthcare providers who can bill GeoBlue directly for your claims.
You can buy a GeoBlue policy up to the day before your departure. If you purchase coverage two weeks or more before your departure, though, you’ll receive a physical ID card that you can bring with you on your trip.
How to file a claim with Blue Cross
One of the main complaints about GeoBlue travel medical protection is that the claims process can be a little tricky, according to some online customer reviews. It’s worth making sure you understand how the process works up front.
GeoBlue contracts with healthcare providers in 190 countries that can submit bills directly to the company on your behalf. You can also request that any other healthcare providers contact the member service number on your enrollment ID card to bill the company directly. Remember that you’ll first have to pay your deductible up front to your provider.
If your care provider can’t or won’t submit bills directly to GeoBlue, you’ll have to pay the treatment cost out of pocket and submit a claims form to the company for reimbursement.
In either case — direct billing or filing for reimbursement later — make sure you keep copies of all documents you receive from any hospitals or doctors you visit. In some cases, GeoBlue may contact you for your primary insurance company’s details, since most policies are secondary coverage and will pay out only if your primary healthcare plan doesn’t apply.
Blue Cross travel insurance FAQs
Buying travel medical insurance is a good idea for traveling abroad. The following information can answer your remaining questions about GeoBlue policies.
Does Blue Cross cover flight cancellations?
Blue Cross travel plans cover only flights that you need to cancel due to sickness and only after you’re already traveling. They’ll reimburse you for the cost of continuing your trip once you’re well again. A plan won’t cover canceled flights before you leave for your trip. It also won’t cover airline cancellations due to factors such as bad weather.
Does Blue Cross health insurance cover international travel?
Domestic Blue Cross health insurance that you buy to cover medical care at home may offer limited healthcare coverage while you’re on an international trip. But you’d need a separate travel health insurance policy, sold through GeoBlue, if you want the best coverage for your trip.
What’s the difference between travel insurance and travel health insurance?
Travel insurance generally helps pay for common mishaps while traveling, like lost luggage, delayed flights to your destination, and emergency translation services. Travel health insurance primarily covers medical expenses, such as hospital bills and air ambulance transport.
Which insurance company is best for travel insurance?
The best insurance company for you depends on your specific healthcare needs and travel options. Blue Cross travel plans from GeoBlue offer solid travel medical coverage for many people, but you may prefer a travel insurer with more robust non-medical travel coverage.
Does your health insurance cover you when you travel internationally?
Rarely. Government programs like Medicare and Medicaid don’t cover international healthcare costs.[5] Some private health plans might provide very limited coverage, but most don’t.
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Sources
- GeoBlue. "Why Choose GeoBlue Travel Insurance?."
- GeoBlue. "Single Trip Group Travel Medical Plans."
- GeoBlue. "Multi Trip Travel Medical Plans."
- U.S. Travel Insurance Association. "FAQ."
- U.S. Department of State. "Travel Insurance."
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Lindsay VanSomeren
Lindsay VanSomeren is a freelance personal finance writer living in Suquamish, WA. Her work has appeared with FICO, Credit Karma, The Balance, and more. She enjoys helping people learn how to manage their money better so they can live the life they want.
Lindsay has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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