Best Discount Travel Insurance for Young Adults and Students in 2025
Why travel insurance matters for students and young adults
Traveling when a student or young adult presents fantastic opportunities, but you must be ready for the unanticipated. Medical emergencies, trip cancellals, missing bags, and other unexpected incidents can rapidly ruin a trip and cause significant financial strain. Travel insurance gives peace of mind and serves as a safety net shielding you from some possible expenses. For instance, a broken arm in a nation like the United States with famously costly healthcare could result in a sizable hospital bill, easily preventable with the correct insurance policy.
types of travel insurance discounts
Students and young people looking for travel insurance can get several discounts. Certain companies provide student-specific plans with reduced rates. Others give discounts through alliances with student groups or discount websites such as Student Beans, which grants a 10% discount on World Nomads travel insurance. For regular travelers, multi-trip annual plans might be more affordable than single-trip policies, providing discounts for several trips. Group travel insurance can help students save money when traveling together.
best student travel insurance options
Many businesses serve the particular requirements and finances of young people and students:
World Nomads is ideal for adventurous travelers. It offers over 200 activities, including scuba diving and bungee jumping, alongside standard medical and trip protection. It also provides the Footprints program, which allows donations to local communities.
Coverwise: While not student-specific, they offer competitive rates and coverage for specific work abroad programs, like university exchanges.
Admiral: Provides multi-trip and single-trip options and optional coverage for activities like skiing or cruises.
StudentSecure: Explicitly designed for full-time students and scholars studying abroad, meeting J-1 and F-1 visa requirements.
Allianz Global Assistance offers a Youth Travel Insurance Plan for travelers under 29, which provides emergency medical and trip cancellation protection at a lower cost.
tips for finding the best discounts
Compare: Use comparison sites like MoneySuperMarket, Compare the Market, and Go Compare to find the best deals across providers.
Check student discounts: Look for partnerships with student organizations or discount platforms.
Consider multi-trip policies: An annual policy can be more economical than multiple single-trip policies if you plan to travel more than once a year.
Group discounts: Traveling with a group of 10 or more can often unlock discounted rates.
Bundle policies: Some companies offer discounts for bundling travel insurance compared to other types of insurance.
Factors Influencing Student Travel Insurance Costs
Several factors influence the cost of student travel insurance:
Age: Younger travelers generally pay less than older travelers.
Destination: Countries with high healthcare costs typically result in higher premiums.
Trip duration: Longer trips require more coverage, leading to higher costs.
Coverage levels: Higher medical coverage limits and additional benefits like adventure sports or pre-existing condition coverage increase premiums.
Deductible: Choosing a higher deductible can lower the premium, but you'll pay more out-of-pocket in case of a claim.
what to look for in a student travel insurance plan
Medical coverage: Look for at least $2 million, especially when traveling to countries with expensive healthcare.
Personal liability coverage: Ensure adequate coverage (around $1 million) for potential injury or property damage caused to others.
Cancellation coverage: Coverage of around $3,000 should suffice for most student trips.
Lost baggage coverage: Around $1,500 in coverage is a reasonable starting point.
Lost cash coverage: Around $250 is standard for most policies.
Excess: Understand the excess you'll have to pay in case of a claim and consider its impact on the overall policy cost.
EHIC and GHIC cards for European travel
Traveling inside Europe, the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) grants access to state-provided healthcare at a discount or free of charge in EU nations, plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Although these cards are helpful, they do not substitute thorough travel insurance since they do not cover trip concealments, lost luggage, or repatriation. Apply for these free cards on the official website to stay away from fraud sites.
Provider | Best For | Eligibility Requirements | Coverage Highlights | Plan Options | Notable Benefits/Discounts | Drawbacks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allianz Global Assistance | Premier travel benefits at a lower cost; Comprehensive coverage | Varies by plan | Medical emergencies, trip cancellation/interruption, baggage loss/delay, 24/7 assistance, epidemic coverage | OneTrip Emergency Medical, OneTrip Prime, OneTrip Premier, AllTrips | Kids-included pricing on Ultimate Plan; OneTrip Prime and Premier plans cover one child under 17 for free | Higher rates than average; limited adventure travel options; no CFAR; no discounts (except kids-included) |
AXA Assistance USA | Affordability | Varies by plan | Medical expenses, baggage loss, trip interruption, trip cancellation | Silver, Gold, Platinum | CFAR available; Pre-existing condition waiver; Add-ons for sports equipment, lost ski days, etc. | Basic plan lacks add-ons; 12-hour delay required for trip/baggage delay; Rated B- by BBB |
Travel Guard (AIG) | Budget travelers; Trip interruptions | Varies by plan | Medical expenses, trip cancellation/interruption, baggage, last-minute coverage, dental | Essential, Preferred, Deluxe, Annual, Pack N' Go | One child under 17 covered on adult policies; $1000 travel delay benefit after 5 hours; Medical/evacuation limits can be doubled | CFAR only reimburses up to 50%; Lower standard medical coverage than some; Not all products available online |
World Nomads | Adventurers | Must be under 30 for the Youth Plan | Medical expenses/evacuation, trip cancellation/interruption, baggage, 200+ adventure activities | Standard, Explorer, Youth Plan | 10% discount for students (UK & EU only through Student Beans); Coverage for volunteer activities | No CFAR; no pre-existing condition waivers |
USI Affinity | Medical expenses | No age limit | Medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, limited trip cancellation/interruption | Various single, multi-trip, student, etc. | Medical-only insurance available; CFAR available (except NY) | CFAR only covers up to 70%; 12-hour delay for trip delay coverage |
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection | Students on a budget | Varies by plan | Medical expenses, trip cancellation/interruption, baggage | ExactCare Value, AirCare, CruiseCare, etc. | Speedy claims; rental car collision coverage; pre-existing condition waiver | CFAR only reimburses 50%; No add-ons |
GeoBlue Navigator for Students | Study abroad health insurance | Must have primary health plan | Comprehensive medical coverage, emergency medical evacuation/repatriation, preventive care | Navigator for Students | Unlimited medical maximum; Prescription drug coverage; COVID-19 testing/treatment coverage | Limited traditional travel insurance coverage (trip interruption, baggage delay, etc.) |
InsureandGo | Students - Gap year, Backpackers | Must be in Australia at the time of purchase | Medical expenses, baggage, sports and activities, student loan coverage | Silver, Gold, Backpacker | Covers 90 sports and activities; Up to 18 months coverage for backpackers; Student loan coverage up to $15,000 | Excludes humanitarian work; No partial refunds for early return |
Auras | Students needing Visa & Embassy approval. | Ages 1-100 | Medical expenses, COVID-19, evacuation, repatriation, baggage, documents, liability | Single plan for all travelers. Calm, Active and Extreme Sports add-ons | Low cost ($1.50/day); Worldwide coverage; 100% money-back guarantee (14 days) | Limited plan information available |
Coverwise | Students working abroad (counselors, university exchanges) | U.S. Residents | Trip cancellation/curtailment, emergency medical treatment (up to £20M), medical assistance helpline, lost/stolen baggage, personal accident/liability, legal expenses, money/cash cover, trip abandonment/departure delay, various sports activities, cruise coverage | Standard, Standard Plus, Bronze, Silver, Silver Plus, Gold, Platinum, Single-trip, Annual multi-trip, Winter Sports | Good rates | Claims handled by AXA; Limited online reviews |
Admiral | Students seeking comprehensive coverage | 18 up to 85 years old (depending on the policy) | Medical emergencies, trip cancellation/interruption/delay, baggage loss/delay, personal accident, personal liability, COVID-19 coverage (some circumstances) | Admiral, Admiral Gold, Admiral Platinum, Single-trip, Annual multi-trip, Winter sports, Golf, Cruise, Gadget | 5 Defaqto star rating, decent price | Limited adventure sports coverage; Doesn't cover pre-existing conditions without declaring and additional premium |
C&F Travel Insured | Families | U.S. Residents | Medical emergencies, trip cancellation/interruption, baggage loss/delay, 24/7 assistance, COVID-19 coverage (some circumstances) | Worldwide Trip Protector, Worldwide Trip Protector Edge, Annual Multi-trip Protector | CFAR for annual plans; good customer service; quick reimbursements; children heavily discounted or free | Relatively low medical coverage ($100k); Mixed online customer reviews |
Nationwide | Value | All 50 states (policies vary by state) | Trip cancellation/interruption, baggage delay, medical | Essentials, Single-Trip, Annual, Cruise | Strong trip cancellation; CFAR available | CFAR not on every single plan; lower medical coverage than some; Few add-ons compared to competitors |
Trawick International | Reputation; Pre-existing conditions; International trips; Remote trips | Varies by plan | Medical, evacuation, trip cancellation/interruption/delay, baggage | Safe Travels Voyager, Safe Travels Outbound Cost Saver, Safe Travels First Class, Annual plans | Good customer service; Affordable plans with pre-existing condition coverage | Time-sensitive purchase windows for some benefits |
HTH Worldwide | Overall medical coverage | U.S. citizens/permanent residents or legal residents; up to age 74 (or 64 with US primary health insurance) | Medical emergencies, evacuation, trip cancellation/interruption/delay, baggage | Economy, Preferred | Reasonable premiums; CFAR available with some plans; High medical/evacuation coverage | Limited add-ons; Limited reviews, complaints about claims; Some plans require primary health insurance |