Group Travel Insurance: What to Know

Group travel is an exciting way to explore the world while making deeper connections with your fellow travelers. But like any form of travel, it comes with certain risks.

Enter group travel insurance — a type of insurance policy that helps protect you and your travel companions from unexpected events, including medical emergencies and flight delays or cancellations.

Here’s what you need to know about group travel insurance, how it works, and when it might make sense for you to add it to your trip plans.

What is group travel insurance?

Group travel insurance is a type of insurance policy that covers a group of people taking a trip together. This could include families, friends, school groups, or sports teams. While what’s considered a group varies by insurer, it generally refers to 10 or more people traveling together.

When deciding whether to insure a group of travelers, travel insurance companies typically look at the number and ages of the people traveling, the total trip cost, and the destination. Some insurers may also impose age restrictions for group travel insurance. That’s why it’s important to review the terms and conditions of your group travel policy carefully to understand its specific coverage, limits, and exclusions.

How group travel insurance works

Group travel insurance protects a group of travelers (usually five or more) who are on an organized trip. These policies cover shorter-term trips, such as a work conference or mission trip.

Group travel policies and individual travel policies are similar in that they both provide coverage for common travel-related risks, including trip cancellation, travel delay, lost luggage, and medical costs. They may also provide travel medical insurance coverage.

Group travel policies often cost less than individual policies since group members are able to split the cost. Generally, travelers must be going to the same destination and have similar travel dates to qualify for group coverage.

How much does group travel insurance cost?

In general, you can find group travel insurance plans for as low as $600 and up to $1,600 or more, depending on the coverage offerings.

Group travel insurance policies usually have different tiers. For example, Allianz offers basic, prime, and premier group travel insurance plans. As the name suggests, the basic plan offers the least coverage and benefits but has the cheapest rate.

Factors that affect the cost of group travel insurance

Several factors influence the cost of a group travel insurance policy, including:

• Destination: Where you’re traveling will affect your policy cost. For example, international travel may cost more than travel within the U.S.

• Number of travelers in your group: If you have a smaller group, you’ll pay more for coverage. People traveling in larger groups will pay lower rates per person.

• Traveler ages: Some insurance companies may apply age-related premiums for senior travelers, which can affect your policy cost.

• Length of trip: The longer your trip, the more your policy will cost because the risk of filing a claim increases.

• Coverage options: The higher the coverage limits you select and the more optional add-ons you choose — such as cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage — the more you’ll pay for a group travel policy.

Benefits of group travel insurance

Group travel insurance policies offer various benefits to travelers, including:

Should you buy group travel insurance?

If you fall under one of the categories below, group travel insurance may be worth looking into before your trip.

• Business groups: Companies organizing conferences, retreats, or other business trips for employees may want to consider group travel insurance.

• Student groups: Group travel insurance can protect students and teachers during field trips, study abroad programs, or other types of travel.

• Family groups: If you have a large family, group travel insurance can provide coverage for all family members, for a single trip, under one policy.

• Sports groups: Sports teams traveling for competitions and tournaments may opt for group travel insurance to protect athletes and staff.

• Wedding parties: Couples planning destination weddings may arrange group travel insurance for their wedding party and guests.

How to buy group travel insurance

Here are some tips to help you choose the best group travel insurance plan for you:

1. Understand the needs of your group. Start by understanding the needs of your group and making sure the coverage works for everyone. For example, if someone in your group has pre-existing medical conditions, you want to make sure the policy covers it.

2. Compare different insurers. Rates and coverage vary by insurer, so comparing group policies from multiple insurers is one of the best ways to find a plan that works for you and your fellow travelers.

3. Assess the coverage options. Review the coverage options carefully to determine if they’re adequate for your group’s specific needs. Reach out to the insurance company if you need clarification on any of the coverage details.

4. Purchase a policy. Once you’ve picked the best coverage options for your group, purchase the policy. Keep your policy details and insurer contact information handy so that you can reference them if you need to file a claim while you’re traveling.