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Written byTheresa Stevens
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AFCPE Accredited Financial Counselor
6 years experience in the personal financial industry
Theresa is a writer and former financial advisor with experience helping clients solve money challenges. She uses her expertise to clarify complex personal finance concepts.
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Edited byChris Schafer
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15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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Updated October 10, 2023
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Table of contents
Group travel is an exciting way to explore the world while making deeper connections with your fellow travelers. But like any form of travel, it comes with certain risks.
Enter group travel insurance — a type of insurance policy that helps protect you and your travel companions from unexpected events, including medical emergencies and flight delays or cancellations.
Here’s what you need to know about group travel insurance, how it works, and when it might make sense for you to add it to your trip plans.
What is group travel insurance, and why is it important?
Group travel insurance is a type of insurance policy that covers a group of people taking a trip together. This could include families, friends, school groups, or sports teams. While what’s considered a group varies by insurer, it generally refers to 10 or more people traveling together.
Group travel policies and individual travel policies are similar in that they both provide coverage for common travel-related risks, including trip cancellation, lost luggage, and medical costs. Group travel insurance extends this coverage to a larger number of people.
Important Information
When deciding whether to insure a group of travelers, travel insurance companies typically look at the number and ages of the people traveling, the total trip cost, and the destination. Some insurers may also impose age restrictions for group travel insurance. That’s why it’s important to carefully review the terms and conditions of your group travel policy to understand its specific coverage, limits, and exclusions.
How group travel insurance works
If you’re thinking about purchasing group travel insurance, it’s helpful to understand how it works and what you can expect to pay for coverage. Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision.
Coverage options
The type and amount of group travel coverage you need depends on the needs of your specific group. Coverage options may include but aren’t limited to trip cancellation, travel delay, emergency medical care, trip interruption, and medical evacuation. Generally, travelers must be going to the same destination and have similar travel dates to qualify for group coverage.
Cost of group travel insurance
In general, you can find plans for as low as $600 and up to $1,600 or more depending on the coverage offerings.[1]
The cost of group travel insurance depends on your trip details, including your destination, group size, ages of travelers, and trip duration. International travel may cost more than travel within the U.S.
Group travel insurance policies usually have different tiers. For example, Allianz offers basic, prime, and premier group travel insurance plans. As the name suggests, the basic plan offers the least coverage and benefits but has the cheapest rate.
Cost Example
Here are the potential costs of an Allianz travel insurance policy for a group of six people aged 30 to 50 traveling to Spain for one week.
Basic group travel plan: $844 ($140.67 per traveler)
Prime group travel plan: $1,147 ($191.17 per traveler)
Premier group travel plan: $1,524 ($254 per traveler)
Benefits of group travel insurance
Group travel insurance policies offer various benefits to travelers, including:
Financial protection
Group travel insurance offers financial protection from a range of potential risks. For example, if you have to cut your trip short due to a covered injury or illness, group travel insurance may reimburse nonrefundable expenses, such as prepaid hotel stays.[2]
Emergency medical care coverage
Doctor’s visits and emergency evacuation are usually covered under group travel insurance. Additionally, some insurers started providing epidemic coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trip interruption and cancellation coverage
Trip cancellation coverage offers reimbursement if someone in the group has to back out due to sickness, a death in the family, or other situations covered by the policy.
Similarly, if you or another person in the group has to leave a trip early due to a covered reason, trip interruption travel coverage reimburses you for certain nonrefundable expenses, such as the unused portion of your hotel stay.
Baggage loss coverage
Baggage loss coverage will reimburse you for your missing luggage and personal items, usually up to a specific dollar limit — such as $200 or $500, but the exact limit varies by insurer.[3]
Peace of mind during travel
You’ve put time, effort, and money into planning the perfect adventure. Group travel insurance can provide peace of mind, knowing you’ve done everything you can to ensure your trip’s success.
Who should consider group travel insurance?
If you fall under one of the categories below, group travel insurance may be worth looking into before your trip.
Business groups: Companies organizing conferences, retreats, or other business trips for employees may want to consider group travel insurance.
Student groups: Group travel insurance can protect students and teachers during field trips, study abroad programs, or other types of travel.
Family groups: If you have a large family, group travel insurance can provide coverage for all family members, for a single trip, under one policy.
Sports groups: Sports teams traveling for competitions and tournaments may opt for group travel insurance to protect athletes and staff.
Wedding parties: Couples planning destination weddings may arrange group travel insurance for their wedding party and guests.
How to file a group travel insurance claim
Filing a claim on your group travel insurance policy includes the following steps.
1. Collect required documentation
The specific documentation will vary depending on the insurer’s requirements and claim type but may include:
Completed claim form
Copies of your medical bills
Hospital discharge paperwork
Copy of your passport
Copy of your airline ticket and boarding pass
Letter from your airline confirming your lost luggage
Receipts for missing items purchased due to lost or delayed luggage, such as toiletries or clothing
2. File the travel insurance claim
Filing a travel insurance claim follows a similar process to any other insurance claim. You should notify your insurer, ask any questions you have about your coverage, and gather supporting information and documents.
Some insurers have an online portal that allows you to file claims and upload required documentation all in one place.
3. Settle the claim
The time it takes to process and settle a group travel insurance claim depends on the type of claim and the documentation required.
After filing a claim, keep an eye on your email, as your insurer may contact you for clarification or additional proof. Responding to such communications quickly ensures your claim won’t have any delays.
How to choose the best group travel insurance
Here are some tips to help you choose the best group travel insurance plan for you:
Understand the needs of your group
Start by understanding the needs of your group and making sure the coverage works for everyone. For example, if someone in your group has pre-existing medical conditions, you want to make sure it’s covered under the policy.
Compare different insurers
Rates and coverage vary by insurer, so comparing group policies from multiple insurers is one of the best ways to find a plan that works for you and your fellow travelers.
Assess the coverage options
Carefully review the coverage options offered by the policy to determine if it’s adequate for your group’s specific needs. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the insurance company to clarify any of the coverage details.
Group travel insurance FAQs
If you’re planning for an upcoming group trip, this additional information may help as you research your travel insurance options.
Can you buy travel insurance for a group?
Yes. You can generally buy travel insurance for a group of people. However, some insurers may have restrictions based on group size, how many days of travel are planned, and the trip destination. Enter your trip details into an insurance-comparison website to view plans your group may qualify for.
Is it better to buy travel insurance as a group or individually?
It depends. Whether you should purchase an individual or group travel insurance plan varies depending on your specific situation. The main benefits of group travel insurance are convenience and potential cost savings. If you’re on the fence, compare options for individual plans and group travel insurance coverage, considering price, coverage, limits, and exclusions.
How many people are required to qualify for group travel insurance?
This varies by the insurance company, but generally, groups of 10 or more people are eligible for a group travel insurance policy.
What happens if a member of the group falls ill or has an accident?
If someone in your group becomes ill or injured, the first thing to do is seek medical attention if needed. Once you’ve addressed immediate medical needs, you should notify your insurance company and ask how to file a claim. You should be able to submit a claim against your group travel insurance policy through the company’s website, mobile app, or over the phone.
Related articles
Sources
- MarketWatch. "Top 6 Travel Insurance Companies for Group Travel Insurance."
- Forbes. "When Do You Need Group Travel Insurance?."
- Insuremytrip.com. "Baggage Loss & Delay Coverage."
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Theresa Stevens
Theresa Stevens is a personal finance writer based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her work has been featured in Forbes Advisor, Bankrate, and more. As a former financial advisor, she has first-hand experience helping people solve their money challenges. When she's not writing, you'll find her trying out new karaoke spots or planning her next trip abroad.
15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
Featured in
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