IMG Travel Insurance: Is it Worth The Cost?

Are you planning to travel soon? We don’t blame you — spending the last few years dealing with country shutdowns, testing requirements and travel restrictions has considerably impacted everyone.

If you’ve booked a vacation, you may wonder if you should purchase travel insurance. Among a variety of providers from which to choose, IMG insurance offers several different insurance plans. These include both short- and long-term policies, some of which include coverage for issues arising from COVID-19 illness.

Let’s look at IMG travel insurance, its different plans, and how to choose one that’s right for you.

» Learn more: Common myths about travel insurance and what it covers

The type of travel insurance you’ll want to purchase will depend on what kind of travel you’re doing. Are you looking specifically for medical coverage? How about trip insurance in case your plans go awry? You can be reimbursed in various circumstances if you have the proper insurance.

Single-trip plans

Single-trip plans are intended for those going on a trip for a predetermined period and returning home. This is compared to those who intend to take multiple trips within a year or those who will be abroad for a long time.

To get an idea of the options, we input a search for a 40-year-old female from Arizona traveling for two weeks to the U.K. on a $5,000 vacation.

IMG returned a total of 12 different plans. The cheapest plan, at $37.31, was limited strictly to health insurance. This includes coverage of up to $1,000,000 for unexpected illnesses and accidents.

The most expensive option, meanwhile, included medical insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and trip delay insurance. The total cost for this plan came out to $343.96.

Annual plans

Annual plans are built for those types of folks who travel often. This can be on many short trips or for longer-term absences from home.

For an idea of the annual plan coverage IMG offers, we put in a search for a 32-year-old man from Oregon, traveling for a year with a budget of $30,000.

In this case, IMG returned a total of 19 different plans. The cheapest plan cost $160.90 for the year and included worldwide health insurance and a deductible of $250.

It’s worth noting that you can alter the deductible amount — upping the deductible to $10,000 dropped the annual cost of the insurance down to just $65.60.

The most expensive option, meanwhile, cost $816.69 and included 24/7 telehealth access for non-emergency medical questions. Maximum coverage limits for the policy range from $2,000,000 to $8,000,000.

» Learn more: How much is travel insurance?

The type of plan you’ll need will vary based on your travel habits. Here are some things you’ll want to think about when choosing your plan:

Look at coverage details

Some policies provide emergency medical evacuation coverage, while others skip this benefit entirely. This benefit may be more important to you if you travel to a remote location or engage in physical activity such as trekking.

More comprehensive plans may include other benefits such as assistance with acquiring a new passport, reimbursing reward mile redeposit fees or coverage for pre-existing conditions. If these are something you’re interested in, be sure to check that your policy includes these options.

Think long-term

If you’re planning on traveling multiple times within the year, compare the cost of purchasing several different single-trip policies to buying a year-long plan, which may save you money.

Use existing coverage

If you hold a credit card with trip insurance, you may want to skip purchasing insurance entirely. Depending on your card, you may already have emergency medical insurance, trip interruption insurance, rental car insurance, trip delay insurance and more.

» Learn more: How to find the best travel insurance

If you’re looking to purchase IMG travel insurance, you’ll first want to navigate its website: imglobal.com.

From there, you’ll be able to enter the details of your trip, including how many travelers you have, where you’re going and how long you’ll be gone. You’ll then be presented with various insurance plans to fit your needs.

We mentioned above that different plans have different levels of coverage. Still, in general, there are some things that you shouldn’t expect to be covered, including high-risk activities, intentional acts of harm and other designated events.

» Learn more: Does travel insurance cover medical expenses?

You’ll want to be aware that not all insurance plans cover instances of coronavirus. This is also true for IMG travel insurance; different plans have different levels of coverage and not all of these include COVID-19 protection.

If coronavirus is something you’d be covered for, you’ll want to double-check your plan before purchasing. Those that include coverage for COVID-19 will specify so like this:

» Learn more: Is there travel insurance that covers COVID quarantine?

Travel insurance can be a good option for those wanting coverage while away from home. The cost of your policy will vary based on the coverage you want — the better the plan, the more you can expect to pay.

Choosing whether or not to purchase travel insurance from IMG is a personal decision. However, if you’re heading out of town and want to be sure you’re covered, do your research and select a plan that suits your needs.