Nationwide Travel Insurance Review
Buying travel insurance coverage can protect you from unexpected expenses incurred during a trip. These include needing to cancel or interrupt your travel plans, lost luggage, emergency medical expenses and travel delays.
Nationwide travel insurance is among our top picks for the best travel insurance companies. It offers multi-trip plans, dedicated cruise travel coverage, pre-existing condition waivers and round-the-clock travel assistance.
Read our Nationwide Travel Insurance review to learn about the pros and cons of doing business with this well-known travel insurer and decide if it’s the best option for you.
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- Buy online and get instant coverage by email
- 24/7 emergency assistance worldwide
- Over 100,000 verified customers with 5-star reviews and $3.5 billion in protected trip costs
- Includes coverage from theft, trip cancellations, baggage loss and delay, medical expenses for hospital treatments
- Policies from trusted providers including: Travel Insured International, AEGIS, Global Trip Protection, Arch RoamRight and others
100% Digital Travel Insurance
- 'Cancel for any reason' available
- Includes emergency medical expenses
- Quick claims & reimbursements in App with 24/7 support
- Includes trip cancellation, baggage delay/loss, and flight delays
Largest selection of policies with Covid-19 coverage
- Largest selection of 100+ policies
- Award-winning customer service with an A+ BBB rating
- Reviewed by 47,691 customers with an average rating of 5 stars
- Coverage for trip cancellation/interruption, travel delay, medical emergency & evacuation and pre-existing conditions
Over 190 years of experience
- “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) availability
- Includes trip cancellation, baggage delay/loss, and flight delays
- Emergency medical expenses coverage are included in the coverage
- Up to $250,000 in medical coverage and $1 million in evacuation
Pre-Existing Conditions coverage available
- 28 covered reasons for trip cancellation/trip interruption
- Customizable standard & comprehensive coverages
- Up to $1MM for emergency medical evacuation
- Pre-existing conditions and cancel for any reason coverage available
Best for cruise travel insurance
Nationwide is the best company we’ve found for cruise insurance. It offers dedicated cruise travel insurance plans covering unforeseen scenarios you may encounter during a cruise vacation, including itinerary changes and mechanical breakdowns.
Nationwide travel insurance pros and cons
- Pre-existing conditions waiver available with most plans
- 24-hour travel assistance available
- Offers cruise-specific plans
- Cancel for any reason coverage is only available with premium plans
- Offers few add-ons compared to other insurers
Travel insurance covers medical emergencies and other potentially expensive issues while you’re abroad. While it isn’t required for most destinations, like the best travel credit cards, it can provide peace of mind for a fraction of your total trip cost.
Here’s what you can expect from your Nationwide Travel Insurance plan.
Pros explained
Pre-existing conditions waiver available with most plans
Pre-existing conditions are a common travel insurance exclusion. If you developed symptoms of, were treated for or were diagnosed with a condition before purchasing coverage and then suffered a relapse during your trip, travel insurance will cover treatment for it only if you qualify for a pre-existing condition waiver upon purchasing the plan.
According to travel insurance broker Squaremouth, Nationwide offers pre-existing condition waivers on several of its plans. Travelers who purchase the Essential or Primer plans within 20 days of the initial trip deposit may qualify for the waiver, as are those who purchase the Choice Cruise or Luxury Cruise plans within 14 days of the initial deposit.
Note, however, that you must meet certain conditions for the waiver to be valid (including being medically approved to travel). And this benefit is not available on the Universal Cruise Plan.
24-hour travel assistance available
Nationwide's travel insurance plans offer comprehensive 24-hour emergency services, including emergency medical evacuation and repatriation, transportation post-stabilization and repatriation of mortal remains.
The company also provides travel support services, including medical monitoring, interpretation services and assistance with making emergency travel arrangements or replacing lost or stolen items such as medication or medical devices.
Offers cruise-specific plans
Compared to other travel insurance companies, Nationwide provides more expansive and customizable cruise insurance coverage. The company offers three plans tailored specifically for cruises: Choice, Universal and Luxury. Each covers cruise-specific travel-related setbacks such as medical evacuations, itinerary changes and missed connections.
Cruise-specific coverage includes:
- Cancellations due to weather or social unrest in an itinerary country
- Missed connections while you’re off the cruise ship
- Reimbursement for canceled prepaid excursions due to itinerary changes
Cons explained
Cancel for any reason coverage is only available with premium plans
Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage allows policyholders to cancel their trip for reasons other than those listed as covered in their policy details. Standard canceling policies don't include coverage for situations where travelers simply change their minds about their trip or have personal reasons for canceling. With CFAR coverage, however, they can cancel their trip for any reason whatsoever.
With Nationwide, CFAR Coverage is only available with the Prime and Luxury Cruise plans. If you opt for a lower plan tier, your customization options will be limited to rental car coverage.
Offers few add-ons compared to other insurers
Nationwide offers few options for policy customization beyond CFAR and rental car coverage. By contrast, other insurers provide coverage for pets, adventure sports and accidental death and dismemberment.
Nationwide travel insurance plans
Choosing the right travel insurance plan for your trip is crucial. Like the best travel rewards credit cards, the right plan can help you save money on your trip. However, the wrong plan could be an unnecessary expense.
Nationwide offers several travel insurance plans and some level of customization through standard add-ons. You can learn more about the details of each plan and get a quote on Nationwide’s website.
Below is a brief overview of the different travel insurance plans Nationwide offers.
Single-trip plans
You can buy single-trip insurance for a flat price and get coverage for the extent of your trip, whether a few days or a month. Nationwide offers two single-trip plans:
Essential Plan
Prime Plan
Trip cancelation
$2,000
$2,000
Trip interruption
$2,500
$4,000
Baggage loss/personal effects
$600 ($250 per article limit and $500 combined max. for specified items)
$2,000 ($250 per article limit and $500 combined max. for specified items)
Baggage delay
12+ hours ($100 max.)
12+ hours ($600 max.)
Trip delay
6+ hours, $150 per day ($600 max.)
6+ hours, $250 per day ($2,000 max.)
Emergency medical coverage
$75,000 (secondary)
$150,000
Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
$250,000
$1,000,000
CFAR coverage is only available with Prime. This option costs extra and will cover 75% of non-refundable trip costs, provided you purchase it within 21 days of your initial trip payment and meet other specific requirements.
Multi-trip (annual) plan
Annual plans, also known as multi-trip travel insurance, are designed to cover multiple trips per year and are paid on an annual or monthly basis.
Nationwide's Annual Travel Pro Plan has several trip cancellation benefit options from $1,250 to $10,000. Trip interruption coverage will depend on whatever tip cancellation option you select. Baggage and personal effects coverage is $500 per person/trip with a $200 per article limit and a $400 maximum for valuable goods.
As for medical coverage, the annual plan provides the following:
- $10,000 per person/trip (secondary) for emergency medical expenses
- $750 per person/trip for emergency dental expenses (included in medical coverage)
- $50,000 per person/trip for emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
This plan does not include CFAR coverage or a waiver of pre-existing conditions
Cruise plans
Nationwide’s cruise insurance differentiates the company from others in the industry. Cruise insurance covers every destination country, plus robust medical evacuation coverage. Nationwide offers three cruise insurance plans.
Universal Cruise Plan
Choice Cruise Plan
Luxury Cruise Plan
Return home early (purchased within 14 days of initial payment)
$250
$500
$1,000
Shipboard service disruption
$100
$200
$250
Itinerary change
$250
$500
$1,000
Missed connection (secondary)
$500 (3-6 hours)
$1,500 (3-6 hours)
$2,500 (3+ hours)
Non-medical evacuation
N/A
$25,000
$25,000
Trip cancellation
$5,000
$5,000
$5,000
Trip interruption
$6,250
$7,500
$7,500
Baggage loss/personal effects (secondary)
$1,500 ($300 per article and $600 combined for specific items)
$2,500 ($300 per article and $600 combined for specific items)
$2,500 ($500 per article and $1,000 combined for specific items)
Baggage delay (secondary)
8+ hours, $200 max.
8+ hours, $500 max.
6+ hours, $1,000 max.
Trip delay (secondary)
6+ hours, $100/day and $500 max.
6+ hours, $150/day and $750 max.
6+ hours, $200/day and $1,000 max.
Emergency medical (secondary)
$75,000
$100,000
$150,000
Medical evacuation and repatriation of remains
$250,000
$500,000
$1,000,000
All three cruise plans offer a benefit that allows policyholders to cancel their travel plans due to work reasons. Additionally, the Choice and Luxury plans include a pre-existing condition waiver, provided you purchase insurance within 14 days of the initial trip deposit and meet certain conditions.
CFAR coverage is exclusively available with the Luxury plan. This option covers 75% of non-refundable trip costs. Please note that CFAR entails an additional cost and requires purchasing coverage within 14 days of the initial trip payment, along with meeting other conditions.
Nationwide travel insurance pricing
With Nationwide, travel insurance costs vary depending on the plan you select and factors such as:
- The number of travelers in your group
- Your age and the ages of your travel companions
- The total cost of your trip
- Add-ons and additional coverage you purchase
To get an accurate estimate of what you might pay for travel insurance with Nationwide, request a quick online quote on the company's website or contact its 24/7 customer service helpline.
Nationwide financial stability
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company is an established insurer with an A+ (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best. This rating indicates the company's strong ability to meet its financial obligations, particularly in terms of paying out claims.
Nationwide accessibility
Because Nationwide is such a large company, its insurance plans are widely available. The company also takes steps to be as accessible as possible.
Availability
Nationwide Travel Insurance is available in all 50 states. However, policies can vary from state to state. Coverage for itinerary changes, for example, may include those caused by fires, mechanical issues, illnesses and more, depending on the state where you buy your plan.
Contact information
Nationwide allows policyholders to get a quote and file a claim online. The company also offers a 24/7 worldwide travel assistance line: 1-877-970-9059.
You can call the helpline to ask about your coverage or get help finding a network provider. If you want to pay for your Nationwide travel insurance, you can do it through your account or as a guest online.
Nationwide Travel Insurance doesn’t have a public email address, but you can fill out a form on the contact page of Nationwide’s website to send an email.
User experience
Most Nationwide Travel Insurance reviews report an intuitive user experience. The website is easy to navigate and provides clear directions to compare plans, file a claim or make payments. Customer reviews report quick response times and helpful customer service agents.
Nationwide travel insurance customer satisfaction
While Nationwide gets mixed reviews on third-party review platforms, consumers should remember it’s a large insurance company, and most public customer complaints aren't specific to its travel insurance plans.
Nationwide is rated 1.15/5 stars on BBB.org. Again, that score doesn’t necessarily reflect the experience of Nationwide's travel insurance customers. However, some customers have reported difficulty filing claims for other insurance products.
Nationwide travel insurance FAQs
How can travelers file a travel insurance claim with Nationwide?
Does Nationwide offer a "cancel for any reason" upgrade?
Is Nationwide travel insurance worth it?
How we evaluated Nationwide travel insurance
We evaluated Nationwide Travel Insurance for this review by comparing it to other top insurance providers. Some critical features we considered include:
- Variety of plans offered
- Add-on coverage options
- Accessibility
- Customer reviews and complaints
- Coverage limits
- Inclusion of pre-existing condition waivers
Summary of Money's Nationwide Travel Insurance Review
If you've booked an expensive trip and covered non-refundable trip expenses ahead of time, travel insurance could give you peace of mind knowing you can be reimbursed for cancellations and other unforeseen events.
Nationwide offers comprehensive coverage through single-trip, multi-trip and cruise plans. The company might be the best insurance provider for you if you want multiple options for cruise insurance. With the right coverage, you can be protected against cruise-specific setbacks such as itinerary changes and non-emergency evacuations.