Berkshire Hathaway Travel Insurance Review: Is it Worth the Cost?

If you’re considering buying travel insurance, ask yourself the following questions:

• If your luggage didn’t arrive in Iceland, would you have the budget for a new set of winter clothes?

• If an unexpected event cut short your trip to Italy, could you afford a last-minute ticket home?

• If you got stuck in Cancun because of a hurricane, would the extra cost of an extended stay put you out financially?

Adding expenses to an already pricey vacation is likely one of the last things you want to do. However, if something goes wrong, travel insurance coverage can help cover some of the additional costs.

Let’s look at the travel insurance plans that Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection offers globetrotters, how to buy a policy and some factors to consider when choosing the right one for you.

Run by Chair and CEO Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway is a multinational holding company that owns a plethora of businesses — from well-known ones like Geico and Duracell to a variety of insurance, manufacturing and retail companies. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection is where you’d go to buy travel insurance.

It sure is. Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection was founded in 2014 and provides travel insurance coverage for trip delay and interruption, baggage delay and loss, medical expenses and emergency evacuation and repatriation services.

All plans also include 24/7 emergency travel assistance. Additionally, the company says it pays out claims five times faster than the industry average — in some cases, you may receive reimbursement the same day you make your claim.

» Learn more: What to know before buying travel insurance

There are several plans travelers can choose from, depending on their needs and preferred coverage limits. Here’s a brief overview of each plan:

• ExactCare Extra: This plan covers trip cancellation, interruption and delay. It also provides compensation for missed connections or a tarmac delay. As for medical coverage, you’re covered for up to $500,000 for emergency medical evacuation. This plan also includes a medical expense reimbursement of up to $50,000.

• ExactCare: This policy gets you $500,000 toward medical evacuation costs but only $25,000 toward emergency medical costs.

• ExactCare Value: This budget option covers up to $15,000 in emergency medical costs and $150,000 in medical evacuation expenses.

• LuxuryCare: This plan covers up to $100,000 in emergency medical coverage and up to $1,000,000 for emergency medical evacuation. You also have sporting equipment delay coverage.

• WaveCare: This plan provides up to $750,000 for medical evacuation and $75,000 for medical costs. You also get $10,000 toward accidental death coverage, which can increase to $50,000 if you buy the policy within 15 days of your initial trip deposit. This plan also pays up to $500 if you’re confined to a cruise ship without power, food or water as part of the policy's cruise disablement coverage.

• AdrenalineCare: This plan is the only option that includes extreme and adventure sports coverage in the bundle. It covers up to $750,000 for medical evacuation, $50,000 for medical costs and up to $10,000 for accidental death.

• AirCare: This plan covers only things that go wrong with your flight, including flight cancellation, flight departure delay, flight diversion, tarmac delay, missed connection, lost baggage, baggage delay and late-night delay. It does not provide medical or evacuation coverage.

All of the plans above, except the AirCare plan, include a pre-existing conditions waiver if you buy a policy within 15 days of the initial trip deposit date.

» Learn more: The best travel insurance companies

Let’s compare the coverage limits and prices of Berkshire Hathaway’s plans for a 10-day trip to Italy that costs $2,000 for a 36-year-old traveler from Utah.

To get a quote, visit the Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection website and enter your travel parameters, including:

• Destination country.

• Travel method (plane, automobile or cruise).

• Trip dates.

• Date of the first payment you made for the trip.

• ZIP code of your primary residence.

• Date of birth.

• Total trip cost.

• Number of travelers.

• Email address.

You must fill out all fields to proceed. Click on “Check our prices” to view the cost for each plan.

You’ll be able to edit any or all parts of your quote, including your destination, residence, travel mode, dates, number of travelers and trip costs.

After you receive a quote, look over all the policy details and decide which one is right for you. The LuxuryCare plan has the highest limits for medical expenses and medical evacuation, but it’s also the most expensive. On the other plans, the medical coverage is rather limited.

To ensure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck, we recommend comparing quotes from several insurance providers. Squaremouth, a travel insurance marketplace and NerdWallet partner, gives you quotes from multiple providers to help you decide when shopping for travel insurance.

Many travel credit cards include various trip protections, so look over those benefits to ensure you’re not paying for something you already have.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for travel insurance benefits

You never know what might happen before or during a trip, so buying travel insurance is usually a good idea. A trip protection policy can help you recoup unexpected costs and save you a headache later.

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection is a trustworthy insurance provider, and the speed with which it processes claims is impressive. However, its medical coverage limits aren’t the highest. If you’re looking for emergency medical coverage, we recommend considering other travel insurance providers.