AIG Travel Insurance, as a part of the American International Group, Inc., AIG Travel has offered travel insurance to many people for years. The company, which goes by the name Travel Guard, sells travel insurance and other services connected to travel, such as medical and security services, to both leisure and business travelers worldwide.
You may have bought trip insurance before. If so, you might have yet to learn that it came from AIG Travel, which also makes custom policies for smaller insurance agents, airlines, and even travel groups. Is AIG Travel the best company for your trip?
About AIG Travel
AIG Travel is part of American International Group, Inc., a worldwide insurance firm that offers health insurance, property and casualty insurance, retirement insurance, and other financial services. Travel Guard is the name AIG Travel uses to sell its different types of travel insurance.
The company’s main office is now in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. It has eight wholly-owned global service centers in key regions, such as Houston, Texas; The cities are Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Mexico City in Mexico, Sofia in Bulgaria, Okinawa in Japan, Shoreham in England, and Guangzhou in China. These centers serve travelers in 80 countries and jurisdictions.
How do you rate AIG Travel?
National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., another AIG company, backs AIG Travel. The policy writer has an A rating from A.M. Best as of June 2018, which puts them in the “Excellent” credit category and gives them a stable future.
Three of the biggest online marketplaces for travel insurance give AIG Travel good marks for customer service. TravelInsurance.com has over 400 reviews of AIG Travel, and 98 percent of those reviews give it five stars. People who have used InsureMyTrip.com give it 4.56 stars out of 5. Squaremouth.com no longer offers AIG Travel policies, but users who have used the company in the past gave it 4.46 out of 5 stars, with only 1% of reviews being negative.
What kind of travel insurance does AIG Travel offer?
AIG travel insurance customers can choose from four AIG Travel plans based on their wants and travel plans: Basic, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Anyone can buy the Basic plan on TravelInsurance.com or another site, but not directly from AIG Travel. All travel insurance plans cover medical emergencies, help with travel around the world, LiveTravel® Emergency Assistance, and help with personal safety. However, these benefits only apply when passengers are at least 100 miles from home.
Note that all benefit plans can change at any time. Contact AIG Travel for the most up-to-date information on benefits.
- Travel Guard Basic: This is the most basic level of coverage that AIG Travel Guard offers. It gives you the most minor help if you need to stop, interrupt, or delay your trip. This plan covers 100% of trip cancellation or interruption costs up to $100,000. However, it only covers a minimal amount for return airfare because of excursion interference ($500 greatest), trip delay (up to $500 most extreme each day), things misfortune ($500 before a $50 deductible), and stuff delay ($100 most extreme). You can add rental car damage insurance to the basic plan for an extra cost. Still, you can’t add an exclusion waiver for a pre-existing medical condition or accidental death and dismemberment. Here is a list of the perks.
- Travel Guard Silver: The least amount of coverage that AIG Travel Guard offers is Travel Guard Silver. Travel Guard Silver is more generous regarding accident and sickness medical costs ($15,000; $50 deductible) and delayed or lost baggage ($750; $50 deductible). It is called “savvy coverage that helps give you peace of mind on a budget.” With this plan, you can choose to get extra coverage for flights, trip cancellation or interruption due to financial default, and pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers. Most of the time, tourists who choose Travel Guard Silver over Travel Guard Basic will pay about 2.5% more. Here is a list of the perks.
- Travel Guard Gold is AIG Travel Guard’s most popular plan. It strikes a good balance between the prices and benefits of insurance. The Gold plan gives you more money if your trip is cut short (up to $150,000), if it gets delayed (up to $750 per day, or 150% of the total trip cost), or if it gets stopped (up to 150% of the total trip cost).This plan also comes with extra benefits, such as coverage for lost or stolen bags or travel documents (up to $1,000), delayed bags ($300), and missed connections (up to $250).
Travelers may also be covered for waivers of pre-existing conditions, trip cancellation or interruption due to insufficient funds, and main coverage for accident, sickness, and other conditions or medical bills if they buy within 15 days of the first trip payment. It’s possible to add on Cancel for Any Reason insurance (up to 50% of the trip cost), accident coverage for rental cars, upgrades for medical costs, and emergency evacuation coverage. Expect to pay 20% more for Travel Guard Gold than Travel Guard Silver before you add any extra coverage. Here is a list of the perks.
- Travel Guard Platinum: Platinum AIG Travel Guard has the most benefits. If a guest’s trip is cut short, they can get $1,000 to pay for their return flights. Travel delays can earn $200 per day (up to $1,000 per year) and missed connections $500. You have 15 days from the time you pay for your trip to buy Travel Guard Silver. They may also receive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver, trip cancellation or interruption due to financial default, primary accident sickness medical expense coverage, and primary baggage and personal effects coverage. Insurance add-ons include Cancel for Any Reason (up to 50% of trip cost), auto rental accident coverage, and medical coverage upgrades. Travel Guard Platinum is most expensive but comprehensive. Before adding coverage, pay 50–60% more than Travel Guard Gold. Benefits are listed.
What Does AIG Not Cover For Travel?
There are plans from AIG trips that cover a lot of common trip problems, but they only sometimes cover everything. Things that aren’t covered are these:
Getting hurt by yourself: If you are in trouble while traveling, you can get help anywhere in the world. Remember that your trip insurance might not cover care for your mental health.
Pregnancy or giving birth: AIG Travel plans often do not cover Pregnancy or giving birth.
Risky things to do: Are you planning to go mountain climbing, racing cars, or compete in a professional sports event? These are all things that AIG Travel plans do not cover.
Things taken from your bags by the government or customs could get lost. Before you go back home, make sure you know what you may (or may not) be able to bring with you. There is a different way to report a loss if you think customs or Transportation Security Administration workers stole your things.
Baggage loss for glasses, sunglasses, or hearing aids: AIG Travel does not cover the loss or repair of prescription eyewear.
The following is a short list of things AIG Travel trip insurance plans might need to cover. The links above will take you to the benefit tables for each plan. They have a complete list.
How do I claim with AIG Travel?
People who bought an AIG Travel plan in the US can begin their claims process online. Once a traveler has created an online account, they can make claims for the most common things like trip cancellations and lost bags, and trip delays. Policyholders can also find out what paperwork they need to bring and get information online. Anybody who wants to talk to AIG Travel about their plans or claims can call +1-866-478-8222.
The online claims tool is only for tourists from the United States who bought their travel insurance in the United States. For all other travelers, the claims process should begin by calling AIG Travel at the number they gave.
Who Should Use AIG Travel?
AIG Travel’s Basic and Silver plans may cover those without credit card or other trip insurance. Check that your credit card covers you before choosing either AIG Travel package.
AIG Travel Gold and Platinum may cover your big cruise or ocean excursion better than a credit card. For important holidays that need to go smoothly, gold and platinum may be best. If purchased within 15 days of the first travel payment, these plans cover pre-existing conditions and offer greater benefits.
