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Tin Leg Travel Insurance Review: Is it Worth the Cost?
Tin Leg offers nine insurance policies of varying cost and coverage, so consider all your options.
Elina Geller is a contributing NerdWallet travel writer specializing in airline and hotel loyalty programs and travel insurance. In 2019, Elina founded TheMissMiles, a travel rewards coaching business. Her work has been featured by Forbes and AwardWallet. She is a certified public accountant with degrees from the London School of Economics and Fordham University.
Erica Harrington is a contributing editor at NerdWallet. She has more than 20 years of copy-editing experience. Previously, she served as the copy chief at Forbes Advisor and NerdWallet. In addition to personal finance content, she has edited stories about business, city and state politics, arts and entertainment, and national and international affairs. Erica also has taught English as a second language at corporations in Santiago, Chile. She has produced white papers for the United Nations. She is based in Atlanta.
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In addition to Cancel For Any Reason, some plans offer cancel for work reasons coverage.
Adventure sports-specific coverage is available.
Cons
Plans have overlap that can be hard to distinguish.
Claim approval can be lengthy.
Only one plan includes rental car damage coverage available as an add-on.
Tin Leg stands out from many travel insurance providers by offering a wider variety of plans than most competitors. With nine policies ranging from budget-friendly options to specialized plans for cruises and adventure travel, travelers can choose coverage based on their budget and the protections that matter most to them.
In NerdWallet’s sample quotes, Tin Leg’s plans ranged from $61 to $141 for a one-week trip to Mexico. While some competitors offered lower-priced policies, Tin Leg’s broad selection of plans makes it easier to find coverage tailored to different travel styles, whether you’re looking for primary medical coverage, cruise-specific benefits or protection for adventure activities.
Here’s what you need to know about Tin Leg travel insurance.
Why trust NerdWallet?
Our Nerdy editorial team aims to be a starting point in your travel insurance research. We default toward transparency and follow a comprehensive methodology for rating and reviewing travel insurance companies. Advertisers and advertising relationships do not influence our ratings. Learn more about our strict editorial guidelines.
Tin Leg travel insurance offerings
Tin Leg offers multiple travel insurance plans for different types of travelers and trips.
Economy: Lowest-priced plan with basic comprehensive coverage and secondary medical coverage.
Standard: Adds higher medical limits and eligibility for preexisting condition coverage.
Basic: Mid-level plan with higher medical coverage limits than Economy and Standard.
Platinum: Higher benefit limits plus additional cancellation benefits, including cancellation for work reasons.
Silver: First plan with optional Cancel For Any Reason coverage.
Gold: Introduces primary medical coverage and includes the highest limit for emergency medical expenses.
Cruise: Designed for cruises, with cruise-specific benefits like missed ports and itinerary changes.
Luxury: Premium coverage with optional add-ons like rental car damage coverage and Cancel for Any Reason insurance (CFAR).
Adventure: Designed for travelers participating in adventure sports, with high medical and evacuation coverage.
Tin Leg travel insurance policies are fairly inclusive as far as what they cover, but some of the nine policies are more comprehensive than others. All Tin Leg policies cover:
Trip cancellation: Pays back eligible prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses if you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason before departure.
Trip interruption: Reimburses covered unused travel expenses and eligible transportation costs if your trip is unexpectedly cut short.
Trip delay: Covers certain unexpected expenses, such as hotel stays, meals and local transportation, when a covered delay disrupts your travel plans.
Baggage and personal belongings: Provides coverage if your luggage or other personal items are lost, stolen or damaged while traveling.
Baggage delay: Helps pay for essential items, such as clothing or toiletries, if your checked baggage doesn’t arrive on time.
Emergency medical expenses: Covers eligible medical treatment if you become ill or are injured during a covered trip.
Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation: Pays for transportation to an appropriate medical facility if emergency evacuation is medically necessary and includes repatriation benefits when applicable.
Some Tin Leg policies also offer:
Coverage for employment layoffs (eligibility requirements vary by plan).
Coverage for certain acts of terrorism.
Financial default coverage.
Trip cancellation for work-related reasons.
Coverage for pre-existing medical conditions if eligibility requirements are met.
Missed connection coverage.
Optional Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage on select plans.
Optional rental car damage coverage on some plans.
Tin Leg detailed policy overview
With nine travel insurance plans, it might be a bit challenging to figure out which one works for you. Here’s how they compare.
Type of coverage
Coverage limits
Trip cancellation
Economy: 100% (up to $2,000). Standard: 100% (up to $2,000). Basic: 100% (up to $2,000). Platinum: 100% (up to $2,000). Silver: 100% (up to $2,000). Gold: 100% (up to $2,000). Cruise: 100% (up to $2,000). Luxury: 100% (up to $2,000). Adventure: 100% (up to $2,000).
Trip interruption
Economy: 100% (up to $2,000). Standard: 150% (up to $3,000). Basic: 150% (up to $3,000). Platinum: 150% (up to $3,000). Silver: 150% (up to $3,000). Gold: 150% (up to $3,000). Cruise: 150% (up to $3,000). Luxury: 150% (up to $3,000). Adventure: 150% (up to $3,000).
While all plans include core travel insurance benefits, there are several key differences. The higher-tier plans generally offer more generous emergency medical and medical evacuation coverage limits. The Gold, Cruise, Luxury and Adventure plans also include primary emergency medical coverage, while the lower-tier plans provide secondary medical coverage.
Primary medical coverage allows you to file a claim with the travel insurer first, while secondary medical coverage typically pays only after any other applicable health insurance has been used. The plans also vary in the maximum trip length they cover, so that’s another factor to consider when choosing a policy.
Add-ons
Depending on the plan you choose, Tin Leg offers several optional upgrades that can expand your coverage.
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR): This upgrade provides partial reimbursement for nonrefundable, prepaid trip plans if you choose to cancel a trip for a reason not otherwise covered by the policy. Depending on which plan you choose, the reimbursement amount ranges from 50% to 75% of prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs.
Interruption For Any Reason (IFAR): Only available on the Cruise plan, this optional upgrade provides partial reimbursement if you decide to end your trip early for a reason not otherwise covered.
Rental car damage: Offered as an optional add-on for the Cruise and Luxury plans, this benefit helps cover damage to a rental vehicle during your trip.
Tin Leg policies are fairly comprehensive, but there are a few things they do not include, such as:
Expenses incurred as a result of being under the influence of drugs or intoxicants, unless prescribed by a physician.
Traveling for the purpose of securing medical treatment.
Preexisting medical conditions, unless you qualify for the plan’s preexisting condition waiver.
War, civil unrest and criminal or illegal acts.
High-risk or adventure sports, unless covered by your policy.
How much is Tin Leg travel insurance?
Cost is an important consideration when choosing travel insurance, but it’s equally important to make sure the policy includes the benefits you need. To compare Tin Leg’s pricing, we obtained quotes for a 45-year-old traveler from Illinois taking a $2,000 one-week trip to Mexico.
The company’s nine plans ranged in price from $61 for the Economy plan to $141 for the Adventure plan, with an average premium of $102. Depending on the coverage you’re looking for, your least expensive option may be different.
For travelers seeking coverage for preexisting medical conditions, the lowest-priced option is the Standard plan at $72. Those who want primary emergency medical coverage will need to choose the Gold, Cruise, Luxury or Adventure plan. The least expensive choice is the Gold plan at $113.
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) is available as an optional add-on on five Tin Leg plans. The Silver plan is the lowest-priced option that offers this upgrade.
NerdWallet evaluated Tin Leg alongside several other travel insurance companies by comparing quotes for the same sample trip to Mexico.
For the sample itinerary, entry-level plans from the insurers reviewed ranged from $17 to $148. Tin Leg’s Economy plan was priced at $61. Although some competitors offered lower premiums, price shouldn’t be the only consideration.
Evaluating coverage limits and included benefits can help you determine whether a lower-cost policy provides the protection you’re looking for.
These star ratings are based on a separate analysis of each travel insurance provider’s offerings. For more detailed scoring, see our recommendations for the best travel insurance companies, read each individual provider's NerdWallet review or view our methodology at the end of this article. Pricing is subject to change based on your specific trip details. You can verify the latest price by clicking through to Squaremouth (a NerdWallet partner).
Which Tin Leg plan is best for me?
The best Tin Leg travel insurance plan depends on how long your trip is, the activities you’ll be doing and the type of coverage that’s most important to you.
If you’re looking for comprehensive coverage at the lowest price, the Economy plan may be a good choice.
Travelers planning activities such as skydiving, mountain climbing, parachuting, bungee jumping, rock climbing or certain types of scuba diving may want to consider the Adventure plan, which is designed to cover many activities that are often excluded under standard travel insurance policies.
If you’re taking a cruise, the Cruise plan includes benefits tailored to cruise travel, including coverage for missed ports and itinerary changes.
Travelers who want primary emergency medical coverage should consider the Gold, Cruise, Luxury or Adventure plans. With primary medical coverage, you can generally submit eligible medical claims to Tin Leg before filing a claim with your health insurance.
If you’d like the flexibility to cancel your trip for reasons not otherwise covered by your policy, consider a plan that offers Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage as an optional upgrade. This benefit is available on select Tin Leg plans and must be purchased within the required time frame after making your initial trip deposit.
Before purchasing a travel insurance policy, review the travel protections that come with your credit cards. Depending on the card, you may already have benefits such as trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage delay or rental car insurance. Knowing what coverage you already have can help you identify any gaps and avoid paying for duplicate protections.
If your credit card’s travel benefits meet your needs, you may only need to purchase standalone travel medical coverage, since emergency medical benefits are generally not included with credit card travel insurance.
You can report a claim with Tin Leg online or by phone. The number is 844-240-1233 and is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
After reporting a claim, you will receive instructions about how to complete the claim form and submit supporting materials.
Make sure to save receipts, invoices, medical documentation and anything else that might support your claim.
Is Tin Leg travel insurance worth it?
One of Tin Leg’s key differentiators is the variety of plans it offers. Whether you’re looking for an inexpensive policy, primary medical coverage or specialized protection for a cruise or adventure trip, Tin Leg likely has an option that fits your travel style.
As with any travel insurance purchase, it’s worth comparing your existing protections, such as those provided by your travel credit card, before purchasing a policy so you don’t pay for coverage you already have.
Star rating methodology
Travel insurance rating and review methodologyTravel insurance rating and review methodology
Travel insurance
NerdWallet's ratings for travel insurance companies take into account the following details about each insurer:
Cost and affordability.
Scope of coverage.
Consumer experience.
Customizability.
The best travel insurers excel in all of these categories. They provide the information people need to make a purchase without any surprises along the way. They offer insurance at a fair price and allow customers to customize plans to meet their coverage preferences. They're also able to keep their customers happy throughout the relationship.
Data collection and review process
NerdWallet collects over a dozen data points for each insurer we analyze from their public-facing websites and third-party analyses. These data points are then compared against one another and against NerdWallet's standards for good travel insurance companies to determine a star rating.
Data is collected on a regular basis and reviewed by our editorial team for consistency and accuracy. Final star ratings are presented on a scale of one to five stars, where a one-star score represents "poor" and a five-star score represents "excellent."
The reviews team
The writers and editors behind NerdWallet's travel insurance reviews are insurance specialists who have had their work featured by or appear in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Bloomberg News, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet’s strict guidelines for editorial independence.
In addition to travel insurance, the team covers travel rewards programs, airlines and hotels.
Rating specifics
Our star ratings are weighted based on our editorial and professional opinions. We use the following weightings when rating travel insurers:
Cost and affordability (35%).
Scope of coverage (35%).
Consumer experience (20%).
Customizability (10%).
Cost and affordability ratings are based on the percentage of total trip cost a plan costs a policyholder. Less than 4% is considered excellent, whereas over 9% is considered poor.
Scope of coverage ratings are based on assessments of a company’s standard protections, including:
Travel medical insurance.
Trip cancellation.
Trip interruption.
Trip delay.
Baggage and personal belongings, lost luggage.
Emergency medical assistance.
Emergency medical evacuation.
Emergency medical repatriation.
Accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
Rental car coverage.
Consumer experience ratings are based on provider reviews on Squaremouth and TrustPilot.
Customizability ratings factor in whether coverage limits are fixed prices or a percentage of the trip cost (the percentage is generally better), whether a policy has customizations available, and the number of bonus features, including:
24-hour assistance.
Pre-existing medical conditions coverage.
Extreme sport coverage.
CFAR add on availability.
Travel health insurance.
Interruption for Any Reason.
Travel Inconvenience.
Cancel for Work Reasons.
Electronics coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tin Leg cover flight cancellation?Does Tin Leg cover flight cancellation?
Yes. If your flight is canceled for a covered reason, Tin Leg travel insurance will reimburse you for eligible prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. If you’re looking for more flexibility when canceling your trip, you’ll need to purchase the optional Cancel For Any Reason upgrade.
How long does a Tin Leg refund take?How long does a Tin Leg refund take?
The amount of time it takes to process a refund or claim reimbursement can vary depending on the type of claim and the supporting documentation required. Tin Leg doesn’t publish an estimated claims processing timeline.
Is Tin Leg travel insurance primary or secondary?Is Tin Leg travel insurance primary or secondary?
It depends on the plan. Some Tin Leg policies include primary medical coverage, while others provide secondary medical coverage.
Does Tin Leg cover COVID?Does Tin Leg cover COVID?
Yes. Tin Leg includes coverage for COVID-19 sickness through its trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits. If you contract COVID-19 before or during your trip, you may be reimbursed for eligible prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.