Best “Cancel For Any Reason” Travel Insurance Companies
- AIG – Travel Guard Preferred
- Seven Corners – Trip Protection Basic
- WorldTrips – Atlas Journey Preferred
- Aegis General Insurance Agency (formerly GoReady) – GoReady Pandemic Plus
- John Hanco*ck – Silver
- Tin Leg – Gold
- Travel Insured – Worldwide Trip Protector
- Travelex – Travel Select
- USI Affinity – Ruby
- WorldTrips – Atlas Journey Premier
- AIG – Travel Guard Deluxe
- Nationwide – Cruise Luxury
- Seven Corners – Trip Protection Choice
AIG
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Travel Guard Preferred
$525
75%
Why We Picked It
The Travel Guard Preferred plan has the third-lowest average price among CFAR policies we reviewed.
Optional pet, wedding, security, baggage, medical, adventures sports and travel inconvenience upgrades allow you to customize a policy to match your needs, which may offset the downside of low limits in the base policy. Additionally, the Travel Guard Preferred plan includes benefits if (under certain conditions) you must start your trip earlier than planned, a feature not found in all policies.
More: AIG Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Offers upgrades to meet the needs and budgets of many kinds of travelers.
- Reimburses up to $2,500 for meals, accommodations and transportation if you must begin your trip earlier than scheduled due to inclement weather or common carrier changes.
- Provides up to $750 for “travel inconveniences,” such as flight delay to your return destination, runway delays and cruise diversions, and $1,000 in missed connection benefits.
- Very low travel medical insurance limits of $50,000 compared to most other policies we evaluated.
Seven Corners
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Trip Protection Basic
$502
75%
Why We Picked It
The Trip Protection Basic plan provides top-notch CFAR reimbursem*nt at the lowest price among the travel insurance companies we evaluated. This policy also offers an “interruption for any reason” upgrade.
More: Seven Corners Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Includes a good level of medical evacuation coverage of $250,000.
- Includes cruise and tour missed connection benefits of $500 per person after 3-hour delay.
- “Interruption for any reason” upgrade available.
- Low medical expense limits of $100,000, but you might find that’s sufficient.
- Baggage loss and delay coverage is on the low side at $500 per person.
- Does not cover pre-existing medical conditions.
WorldTrips
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Atlas Journey Preferred
$513
75%
Why We Picked It
The Atlas Journey Preferred plan was the second-cheapest CFAR policy among those we analyzed and has solid coverage across the board.
This plan is especially worth considering if you’re interested in upgrades or are a pet owner. Available upgrades include extra coverage for pets traveling with you, adventure sports, destination weddings, hunting and fishing equipment and more.
More: WorldTrips Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Includes travel inconvenience benefits of $750 per person.
- Superior medical evacuation benefits of $1 million per person.
- Very good missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person after 3 hours.
- Medical expense coverage limits of $100,000 aren’t as high as some other policies but might be enough for you.
- Baggage delay benefits have a 12-hour waiting period.
Aegis (formerly GoReady)
GoReady Pandemic Plus
$615
75%
Why We Picked It
A competitive average cost helped push the GoReady Pandemic Plus policy to a high rating. If you want an affordable CFAR plan and aren’t concerned about very low coverage amounts for some core benefits, the GoReady Pandemic Plus plan is worth checking out.
Pros & Cons
- Decent medical evacuation benefits of $500,000.
- Very good trip interruption benefits of 150% of insured trip cost.
- Travel medical insurance coverage of just $50,000 per person is low compared to many competitors.
- Missed connection benefits of $250 is skimpy compared to many other top-rated policies we evaluated.
John Hanco*ck Insurance Agency
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Silver
$645
75%
Why We Picked It
John Hanco*ck’s Silver plan provides decent coverage at a competitive price. Medical evacuation coverage is generous. Travel delay benefits apply after only a 3-hour wait.
More: John Hanco*ck Insurance Agency Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Excellent evacuation coverage limits of $500,000 per person.
- Fairly good missed connection benefits of $750 per person after a 3-hour waiting delay.
- Includes $100,000 per person in 24-hour accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.
- A medical coverage limit of $100,000 isn’t as high as some other policies, but might be adequate for you.
Tin Leg
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Gold
$678
75%
Why We Picked It
Tin Leg’s Gold plan has generous levels of medical benefits for a very good price, making it a front-runner if you want a CFAR plan with high medical and evacuation coverage.
More: Tin Leg Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Excellent medical and evacuation coverage limits of $500,000 per person.
- Short travel delay waiting period of 6 hours.
- Generous trip interruption reimbursem*nt of 150% of insured trip cost.
- Baggage delay coverage doesn’t kick in until 24 hours of delay.
- Baggage loss reimbursem*nt and missed connection benefits are on the low end at $500 per person.
Travel Insured International
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Worldwide Trip Protector
$639
75%
Why We Picked It
Travel Insured’s Worldwide Trip Protector policy offers robust benefits, including superior non-medical evacuation coverage and short waiting periods for coverage for delays.
Pros & Cons
- “Interruption for any reason” upgrade available.
- Top-notch non-medical evacuation benefits of $150,000 per person and $1 million for medical evacuation.
- Good travel delay and baggage delay benefits kick in after just a 3-hour delay.
- Medical coverage of $100,000 per person is on the low side compared to top competitors but might be enough for your needs.
Travelex Insurance Services
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's benefits and coverage levels. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Top-scoring plan
Travel Select
Average cost for plan with CFAR
$600
CFAR reimbursem*nt
75%
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Travel Select
$600
75%
Why We Picked It
Children under age 17 accompanied by an adult covered by the policy are covered at no extra charge under Travelex’s Travel Select plan, making it ideal for families. The Travel Select plan is a solid choice at a competitive price, although medical expense coverage limits are lower than those of top competitors.
More: Travelex Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Decent missed connection benefits of $750.
- Very good travel delay coverage of $2,000 per person after a 5-hour delay.
- Medical expense coverage is primary, compared to some competitors’ secondary coverage.
- Medical coverage of $50,000 per person is on the low side.
- Baggage delay coverage requires a 12-hour delay and has a low $200 per person limit.
USI Affinity
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Ruby
$689
75%
Why We Picked It
USI’s Ruby plan provides a variety of top-level benefits. This includes excellent coverage for medical and evacuation expenses.
More: USI Affinity Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Excellent coverage limits of $250,000 for medical expenses and $500,000 for medical evacuation.
- Good travel delay coverage of $1,000 per person after a 6-hour delay.
- Good missed connection coverage for cruise and tours of $750 per person after 3-hour delay.
- Baggage delay coverage is on the low side at $300 per person and requires a 12-hour delay for benefits to start.
WorldTrips
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Atlas Journey Premier
$627
75%
Why We Picked It
The Atlas Journey Premier plan offers an “interruption for any reason” upgrade. Other available upgrades include extra coverage for pets traveling with you, adventure sports, destination weddings, hunting and fishing equipment and more.
More: WorldTrips Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Superior medical evacuation benefits of $1 million and good medical expense coverage of $150,000 per person.
- Very good travel delay benefits of $2,000 per person after only 5 hours.
- Excellent missed connection coverage of $2,000 per person after 3 hours.
- Baggage delay benefits have a 12-hour waiting period.
AIG
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Travel Guard Deluxe
$651
75%
Why We Picked It
You can customize the Travel Guard Deluxe policy to your needs and budget with optional pet, wedding, security, baggage, medical, adventures sports and travel inconvenience upgrades. The Travel Guard Deluxe plan also includes benefits if under certain conditions you must start your trip earlier than planned, a feature not found in all policies.
More: AIG Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Superior medical evacuation benefits of $1 million and security evacuation benefits of $100,000.
- Reimburses up to $2,500 for meals, accommodations and transportation if you must begin your trip earlier than scheduled due to inclement weather or common carrier changes.
- Provides up to $750 for “travel inconveniences,” such as flight delay to your return destination, runway delays and cruise diversions.
- Low travel medical insurance of $100,000 compared to some other policies we evaluated.
Nationwide
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Cruise Luxury
$729
75%
Why We Picked It
Nationwide’s Cruise Luxury plan provides an array of generous benefits, including excellent medical evacuation coverage limits.
More: Nationwide Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- “Interruption for any reason” upgrade available.
- Excellent medical evacuation coverage of $1 million and includes $25,000 in non-medical evacuation benefits.
- Superior baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person and superior baggage delay benefits of $1,000 per person.
- Excellent missed connection coverage of $2,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay.
- Though you get generous benefits, the Cruise Luxury plan’s average cost is a bit more expensive than some other top-rated CFAR policies.
Seven Corners
Via Forbes Advisor's Website
Trip Protection Choice
$748
75%
Why We Picked It
The Trip Protection Choice plan from Seven Corners provides solid benefits across the board, including excellent travel medical and evacuation coverage.
More: Seven Corners Travel Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Includes $20,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
- Top-notch travel medical coverage of $500,000 per person and medical evacuation coverage of $1 million.
- Excellent travel delay benefits of $2,000 after a 6-hour delay and missed connection coverage of $1,500.
- Great baggage insurance coverage of $2,500 per person.
- The Trip Protection Choice plan had the highest average price among top-scoring CFAR policies we evaluated.
Summary: Best “Cancel For Any Reason” Travel Insurance Ratings
Company | Company - Logo | Forbes Advisor Rating | Forbes Advisor Ratings | Top-scoring policy name | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | "Cancel for any reason" reimbursem*nt of lost trip cost | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AIG | 5.0 | Travel Guard Preferred | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
Seven Corners | 5.0 | Trip Protection Basic | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
WorldTrips | 5.0 | Atlas Journey Preferred | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
Aegis | 4.5 | GoReady Pandemic Plus | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
John Hanco*ck Insurance Agency | 4.5 | Silver | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
Tin leg | 4.5 | Gold | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
Travel Insured International | 4.5 | Worldwide Trip Protector | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
Travelex | 4.5 | Travel Select | Get A Quote | Via Travelex's Website | 75% | |||
USI Affinity | 4.5 | Ruby | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
WorldTrips | 4.5 | Atlas Journey Premier | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
AIG | 4.0 | Travel Guard Deluxe | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
Nationwide | 4.0 | Cruise Luxury | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% | |||
Seven Corners | 4.0 | Trip Protection Choice | Get A Quote | Via Forbes Advisor's Website | 75% |
How Does “Cancel for Any Reason” Coverage Work?
“Cancel for any reason” insurance lets you cancel a trip for a reason not listed under your trip cancellation coverage and receive partial reimbursem*nt. For example, if you get sick right before your trip and can’t go, that’s generally covered by standard trip cancellation insurance and you can make a claim for 100% reimbursem*nt of the trip costs you lose.
But if you want the flexibility to cancel for reasons not listed in the base policy, CFAR can help.
You will generally be reimbursed for 75% of your prepaid, forfeited and nonrefundable trip costs. The percentage for CFAR reimbursem*nt will be listed in the policy.
To get CFAR travel insurance you’ll have to purchase a base travel insurance plan and add “cancel for any reason” coverage within a certain time frame after your first trip payment. This is usually 14 days but make sure to check your plan. The deadline for adding CFAR will depend on the travel insurance company, and not all companies offer it.
You generally have to cancel your trip no less than 48 hours before your departure. For example, if you’re leaving tomorrow and you want to cancel the trip today, you probably won’t be able to make a CFAR claim.
Make sure to read the policy’s fine print and know the deadline for canceling the trip if you buy CFAR insurance.
What Does “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) Insurance Cover?
CFAR covers insured prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses, and reimburses you for a percentage of the total cost. If you file a CFAR claim, you can be compensated for the following types of trip expenses if you can’t get a refund for them:
- Airfare
- Boat charters or rentals
- Concert tickets
- Day trip excursions
- Hotel accommodations
- Museum tickets
- Theme park passes
- Private or guided tours
- Spa services
Here’s a look at how much you may get reimbursed by filing a CFAR claim: Let’s say you booked a nonrefundable round trip plane ticket for $1,000 and five nights of lodging at $200 a night, also nonrefundable. You would insure the trip for $2,000.
If you cancel your trip for a reason that’s not listed in your travel insurance policy, you would be out $2,000 without CFAR insurance. But a CFAR policy would reimburse you for a portion of the costs.
- If you have a CFAR policy with 50% reimbursem*nt, you would get $1,000 from a CFAR travel insurance claim.
- If the policy has 75% reimbursem*nt, you would get $1,500 back from a CFAR claim.
Remember that CFAR coverage is only for nonrefundable costs. Any prepaid costs that are reimbursed to you aren’t eligible for CFAR coverage.
Do I Need “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) Travel Insurance?
You may need CFAR travel insurance if you plan an expensive trip with lots of nonrefundable costs. CFAR is also beneficial if you think it’s possible you may have to cancel your trip for a reason not listed in the policy.
For example, using CFAR coverage you could make a trip cancellation claim because:
- You’ve developed a fear of travel.
- It looks too rainy, or too hot.
- You’ve seen bad reviews of your resort.
- You’ve decided to visit family instead.
- Your child care arrangements have fallen through.
- You got into a fight with your travel companions.
- Your pet has fallen ill.
Is “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) Travel Insurance Worth It?
CFAR travel insurance is likely worth it if you want the peace of mind that your travel insurance policy will partially reimburse you if you decide to cancel your trip. This is especially true if your trip includes a lot of nonrefundable deposits.
If your airline, hotel or other travel service companies have generous refund policies, CFAR may not be worthwhile. CFAR also might be unnecessary if you can afford to lose your trip deposits.
You’ll also want to weigh the costs of a CFAR travel insurance upgrade. Buying CFAR usually hikes your travel insurance policy cost by half.
Carol Mueller, a spokesperson for Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection, says ‘cancel for any reason’ coverage is worth the added cost if you want to protect your trip investment for reasons that aren’t covered for cancellation—like simply deciding you don’t want to go.
Mueller recommends that you weigh the cost of CFAR coverage against your own personal tolerance for paying penalties if you decide to cancel. “If you are skittish of losing the non-refundable payments paid for that trip of a lifetime, I recommend you look into travel insurance that offers a ‘cancel for any reason’ upgrade,” she says.
How Much Does “Cancel for Any Reason” Insurance Cost?
Travel insurance with “cancel for any reason” coverage costs an average of $723 per trip, based on Forbes Advisor’s analysis of costs for plans with a CFAR upgrade. CFAR usually adds about 50% to the cost of a travel insurance policy.
Here are average costs for travel insurance policies with CFAR.
Company and top-scoring policy name | Average cost of travel insurance per trip with “cancel for any reason” coverage |
---|---|
Seven Corners Trip Protection Basic | $502 |
WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred | $513 |
AIG Travel Guard Preferred | $525 |
Travelex Travel Select | $600 |
Aegis GoReady Pandemic Plus | $615 |
WorldTrips Atlas Journey Premier | $627 |
Travel Insured Worldwide Trip Protector | $639 |
John Hanco*ck Insurance Agency Silver | $645 |
AIG Travel Guard Deluxe | $651 |
Tin Leg Gold | $678 |
USI Affinity Ruby | $689 |
Nationwide Cruise Luxury | $729 |
Seven Corners Trip Protection Choice | $748 |
Source: Forbes Advisor research. Average prices are based on rates for seven different trips with a variety of traveler ages. Note that plans have different levels of benefits, which can account for price differences. |
Summary: “Cancel for Any Reason” (CFAR) Coverage
What does CFAR do? | CFAR gives you the ability to cancel a trip for any reason and receive partial reimbursem*nt. |
How much money do I get back? | With a CFAR claim you get back only a portion of what you lose in prepaid and nonrefundable deposits, usually 75%. |
Can I buy CFAR at any time? | You generally need to buy CFAR coverage within two to three weeks after your first trip deposit by adding it to a base travel insurance policy. If you want to buy CFAR coverage, make sure to know the purchase deadline so you don’t miss it. |
Can I cancel my trip any time and make a CFAR insurance claim? | You generally need to cancel no less than 48 hours before your departure in order to make a CFAR claim. Once you’re within two days of leaving on the trip, CFAR coverage generally ends. |
How much does “cancel for any reason” coverage cost? | Expect CFAR to add an average of 50% to your travel insurance cost. |
Can I Use “Cancel for Any Reason” Coverage to Cancel My Trip Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic?
If you want to cancel your trip due to the coronavirus, you can use CFAR coverage. Keep in mind, you’ll need to cancel your trip by the policy’s deadline for a claim (typically two days before your departure date).
For example, you could make a claim under CFAR if you don’t like your destination country’s Covid testing requirements, or simply because you think it’s a bad time to travel.
What If I Don’t Have “Cancel for Any Reason” Coverage But I Want to Cancel My Trip Due to the Pandemic?
Some policies will cover Covid for trip cancellation and medical expenses. For example, if you’re diagnosed with Covid right before your trip, these plans can cover the money you lose under the regular trip cancellation benefits.
See our ratings of the best Covid-19 travel insurance to see who sells these plans.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor analyzed travel insurance policies that include “cancel for any reason” coverage. We scored 23 policies on the following:
Cost (75% of score): Average prices for CFAR policies are based on rates for seven different trips for a variety of traveler ages and trip costs:
- Couple, age 30 for a Mexico trip costing $3,000.
- Couple, age 40, for an Italy trip costing $6,000.
- Family of four for an Italy trip costing $15,000.
- Family of four for a France trip costing $15,000.
- Family of four for a U.K. trip costing $15,000.
- Couple, age 65, for an Italy trip costing $6,000.
- Couple, age 70, for a Mexico trip costing $3,000.
CFAR reimbursem*nt level of trip cost: (25% of score): Policies providing 75% reimbursem*nt were awarded points.
Considering Travel Insurance?
See How Much It Costs To Protect Your Next Trip
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“Cancel for Any Reason” Travel Insurance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I find the best travel insurance plan?
Identify the coverage types you want for your particular trip and then look for a policy that matches those needs, with ample coverage limits. For example, having a high amount of coverage for medical expenses may be important to you for a trip abroad.
See our ratings of the best travel insurance companies.
Is fear of traveling covered by travel insurance?
Travel insurance policies don’t cover fear of travel. But with CFAR coverage it doesn’t matter what your reason is—you can get partial reimbursem*nt of your nonrefundable trip costs.
What if I don’t have CFAR but I want to cancel my trip?
If your reason for canceling is listed in the policy, you can make a claim for trip cancellation. Common acceptable reasons include a natural disaster or terrorist attack at your destination, suffering an injury before the trip, or needing to attend the birth of a family member’s child.
Does “cancel for any reason” travel insurance really cover any reason for cancellation?
Most CFAR plans cover literally any reason. A small number of providers have recently added an exclusion to CFAR insurance for cases where a travel supplier goes out of business and does not provide the travel arrangements you paid for. Check your policy’s CFAR section for any exclusions.
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