Travel Insurance Agency: How We Help You Compare Plans

Why use a travel insurance agency

An independent agency can show you plans from several insurers, explain differences in limits and exclusions, and help you avoid paying for coverage you already have. The insurer, not the agency, decides claims, but an agent can help you understand what to submit and follow up if something goes wrong.

Travel insurance is regulated by state insurance departments, and anyone selling it to you should be licensed in your state. You can confirm an agent’s license through your state insurance department or the National Insurance Producer Registry.

Plans we can help you compare

Summary only. The plan documents control coverage, limits, and exclusions.

How it works

1. Tell us who is traveling, where, when, and what coverage you already have.
2. We explain which plan types fit and show options from insurers available to us.
3. We walk through limits, deductibles, pre-existing terms, and exclusions.
4. You buy the plan you choose; we send the documents and assistance details.
5. If something happens, call the plan’s assistance line, then contact us for help with claims.

The gaps we help you fill

The U.S. Department of State says the U.S. government does not pay medical costs for citizens traveling abroad, and that Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for medical care outside the United States. It recommends asking your U.S. health insurer what it covers overseas, buying travel health insurance if it does not, and buying medical evacuation insurance for trips to higher-risk areas or places with limited medical care.

The department also notes that trip cancellation insurance usually does not pay for medical costs abroad, and that some travel medical policies pay hospitals directly instead of reimbursing you later.

Original Medicare generally does not pay for care outside the United States. Medicare.gov lists three narrow exceptions for foreign hospital care: an emergency that happens in the U.S. when a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat you; an emergency while driving the most direct route between Alaska and another state through Canada; and living in the U.S. when a foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital that can treat your condition.

Medicare Part D drug plans do not cover prescriptions you buy outside the U.S. On a cruise ship, Part B may pay for medically necessary care only if the ship is in a U.S. port or no more than six hours from one when you get care.

Some Medigap plans add a foreign travel emergency benefit. Plans C, D, F, G, M, and N pay 80% of billed charges for medically necessary emergency care that begins in the first 60 days of a trip, after a $250 yearly deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit. Plans C and F are available only to people eligible for Medicare before 2020. Some Medicare Advantage plans cover emergencies abroad, but not all do, so check your plan's evidence of coverage for the words “foreign” or “worldwide.”

Travel coverage types

Source: NAIC consumer guidance (June 2026). Each policy sets its own limits and exclusions.

An example plan we can quote

BCBS Global Solutions, formerly GeoBlue, is one insurer whose travel medical plans travelers often ask about. Its single-trip plans for U.S. residents look like this:

Source: BCBS Global Solutions plan page, October 2026. Plans must be bought in your home country before you leave. The plan documents control.

What coverage costs

Squaremouth’s 2026 data puts comprehensive travel insurance, which includes trip cancellation, at 4% to 10% of prepaid, non-refundable trip costs, or about 6% on average. Over the past 12 months its average comprehensive policy cost $456 for a 13-day trip, while medical-only plans averaged $87 for a 16-day trip, about $5 a day.

Price depends mainly on the travelers’ ages, trip length, medical and evacuation limits, the insured trip cost, single-trip versus annual coverage, and your state of residence.

Help after you buy

• Questions about what your plan covers before or during the trip.
• Extending coverage if your trip runs longer, where the plan allows it.
• Understanding claim forms and the documents insurers ask for.
• Reviewing coverage before your next trip, especially if your health or travel pattern changes.

Checking a plan and insurer

• Who issues the plan. Find the insurer’s legal name on the quote, not just the brand or website.
• License. Confirm the insurer and agent are licensed in your state through your state insurance department or the NAIC’s company and producer searches.
• Pre-approval rules. Ask whether you must call the assistance line before treatment or evacuation, since some plans reduce or deny benefits if you don’t.
• Direct billing. Ask whether the plan can pay hospitals directly or whether you pay first and file a claim.
• Exclusions. Read the exclusions for pre-existing conditions, hazardous activities, alcohol, and travel to countries under government warnings.

What an independent agency does

An independent insurance agency is licensed to sell policies from several insurance companies. Instead of quoting one company's products, an independent agent can compare options from the insurers the agency represents, explain the differences in coverage, and help you re-shop at renewal. The insurance company, not the agent, makes underwriting and claim decisions.

Blake Insurance Group is an independent agency. We work with clients by phone, email, and online in states where we are licensed, and we will tell you which insurers we can quote for your situation.

How we work

Blake Insurance Group serves clients by phone, email, and online in states where we are licensed. The insurers and plans we can offer depend on our appointments and your location; a company named on this page may not be available through us.

How to verify an insurer or agency

Before buying through any website or app, confirm who is selling you the policy and who will issue it:

1. Find the licensed agency or insurer named in the site's footer, terms, or license page.
2. Look up the agency or producer on your state insurance department's license search, or through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).
3. Look up the insurer on your state insurance department's company search to confirm it is authorized in your state.
4. Save the insurer's name and policy number once issued, since that is who handles claims.

A legitimate service will make this information easy to find. Be cautious if you cannot identify the licensed entity.

Sources

We checked the facts on this page against the sources below in October 2026. Plans, prices, and rules change, so confirm current terms before you buy.

• U.S. Department of State: Insurance coverage overseas
• NAIC: Should I get travel insurance?
• Medicare.gov: Travel outside the U.S.
• AARP: Does Medicare cover me outside the U.S.?
• BCBS Global Solutions: Single Trip plans
• Squaremouth: How much does travel insurance cost in 2026?

What to have ready for a travel insurance quote

These details help an agent quote accurately.

1. Traveler details. Names and dates of birth for everyone traveling.
2. Trip dates and destinations. Including countries you will pass through.
3. Current health coverage. Your U.S. plan name and limits, since some plans require one.
4. Trip cost. Only if you also want cancellation coverage.
5. Activities. Diving, skiing, climbing, or other sports you plan to do.

Travel insurance agency FAQs

Related guides

• Travel medical insurance
• International health insurance
• Medical evacuation and repatriation
• Pre-existing conditions and travel insurance
• Cost of travel insurance

Partner quote options

Your next step

Request a quote, and a licensed agent will compare options available to us for your trip or situation.