Generali Travel Insurance Review

Travel insurance is designed to reimburse you for any costs incurred if your trip is interrupted or canceled, and many plans also include coverage for emergency medical expenses while away from home. Learn about different policies and how much you can expect to pay for coverage in this Generali travel insurance review.

We at the MarketWatch Guides Team have ranked the best travel insurance companies to help you find the right fit for your trip. The Generali Group is one of the most popular travel insurance providers in the U.S. and our pick for emergency assistance. Read on to find out why.

Formally known as Generali Global Assistance, Generali is our pick of travel insurance for emergency assistance services, including both emergency medical and evacuation coverage. Generali also offers higher-than-average coverage limits for trip interruption, cancellation and delays, which are some of the most common types of travel insurance claims.

Generali travel insurance lost points based on our review methodology for having fewer options for add-on coverage and a slightly lower baggage delay reimbursement than some competitors. There is also no app to file claims or manage your policy, but the company provides 24-hour assistance toll-free within the U.S. or call collect from around the world.

Overall, Generali earned 4.2 out of 5 stars based on our review standards.

Generali offers basic travel insurance with its Standard Plan, which is among our choices for the cheapest travel insurance policies, and the coverage compares favorably to other providers. Here are the insurance coverage limits offered by basic Generali travel insurance:

Generali also includes identity theft resolution, which is not offered by every provider. If you’re looking for a higher level of coverage, Generali offers two additional policies: the Preferred Plan and the Premium Plan.

In most cases, trip cancellation and interruption coverage are for unforeseen events that affect your plans, such as travel accidents, death and dismemberment, terrorism and natural disasters. However, Generali's Premium Plan allows you to add Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) coverage, which extends cancellation coverage beyond your standard policy.

Add-ons, also known as insurance riders, are optional benefits you can add to a travel insurance policy to increase your coverage. Generali Global Assistance has fewer travel plan add-ons than some other companies. You can add the following two coverages to your policy:

The chart below outlines the three travel insurance policies offered by Generali so you can compare plan details and coverage limits.

How much travel insurance costs depends on many factors, including your destination, age, trip length and travel insurance provider. But to give you a better idea, we gathered sample quotes from Generali's website.

Below is an estimate for a Generali travel insurance policy for a trip to Cancun, Mexico for two travelers from New York who are 38 and 35 years old. The total trip is worth $5,000 and will last for 12 days.

Below is an estimate for a domestic trip for the same two adults mentioned above, but we added optional coverage for rental car damage. The trip costs $5,000 and also lasts 12 days. As you can see, costs increase by adding optional coverage. We did not include the Premium Plan since rental car damage is automatically included in the coverage.

Keep in mind that your pricing may vary depending on your trip and personal details.

Generali travel insurance holds 3.5 out of 5 stars from almost 250 customer reviews on Trustpilot. Many satisfied customers report that the process of getting an insurance policy is simple and the coverage is comprehensive. Unsatisfied customers mentioned how the claims process is complicated and can take months to resolve. However, in a number of cases, customers who initially left negative reviews about a lack of communication following claims noted swift resolution after leaving a review.

Below are some examples of positive and negative company reviews on Trustpilot.

"Very competitive plans at decent prices. Hard to say for sure how good it is until I make a claim, but the purchase experience was smooth. One problem with travel insurance is it is not always easy to determine what will be covered. Recently, I have come to believe that the most important feature of any travel insurance is coverage for an enormous loss, such as medical evacuation from a remote location (like a cruise ship). Even the basic Generali plan offers very good coverage in that area." — Joe B. via Trustpilot

"I’ve used Generali in the past. If I had a claim it was fulfilled in a timely manner. Once my trip was canceled and though there was some confusion about my policy, [Generali] stuck with it and I was refunded my entire amount. [Generali is] good to work with." — Dennis S. via Trustpilot

"I travel up to three times a year and always use Generali. I usually do not submit a claim but have for a skiing accident. I submitted the claim over a month ago and upon checking in with a live agent over chat, was told that in those 33 days, nobody has picked up the claim and there is nothing she can do about escalating it … But immediate action was taken after I left this review. The check is in the mail." — Anteres N. via Trustpilot

"In December we visited a sick relative who subsequently passed away. At the same time, both me and my partner got sick and could not travel. Almost two months later, we have not received the claim money from the trip. It seems our claim has not yet been assigned a rep. I realize there have been some airline meltdowns and [Generali is] busy but the communication is terrible. We are so frustrated … the whole time we’ve dealt with it has been horrible and extremely stressful — what you don't need when traveling!" — Carol S. vis Trustpilot

Generali offers three travel insurance policy options, ranging from the most basic Standard Plan to a more comprehensive Preferred Plan and an enhanced Premium Plan. Each policy offers good coverage amounts, particularly when it comes to travel interruption, cancellation and delays. All of Generali's travel insurance policies also offer a high level of emergency assistance, including 24/7 access to the company's support line while traveling.

The Standard Plan is well suited to those vacationing within the U.S., while the Preferred and Premium plans offer more comprehensive coverage for expensive international trips. Based on quotes we gathered, coverage ranges from $168 to $312 depending on your trip details, policy, coverage and selected add-ons. Whichever option you choose, Generali travel insurance can offer peace of mind on your travels.

You can file a claim with Generali Global Assistance travel insurance online using its eClaims portal. Alternatively, you can call the Claims Department at 1-800-541-3522. You will need to provide disclosures about the circumstances of your claim, along with supporting documentation to prove your losses, such as a credit card statement.

Once submitted, Generali will assign your claim to a representative to manage from start to finish. Your refunded amount will depend on your travel insurance plan and related coverage limits. You can monitor the status of your claim on the eClaims portal.

Trip cancellation coverage includes non-refundable expenses you made before traveling, such as airline tickets and lodging. Coverage kicks in if your trip is canceled for a covered reason, leaving you unable to travel. Trip interruption coverage begins after you leave and covers expenses if you need to cut your trip short or return home early.

Both forms of insurance are designed to safeguard against unforeseen events, such as the policyholder or a close family member suffering an injury, serious illness or accidental death. Unforeseen events can also include terrorism and natural disasters.

The price of Generali travel insurance depends on factors such as the cost of your trip, how long you are traveling and who is going. Based on sample quotes we pulled for a $5,000 trip to Cancun, Mexico, it would cost $168 to insure two New York residents in their 30s under the Standard Plan. Prices were higher for the Preferred and Premium plans, ranging from $195 to $228.

We recommend you request a free quote on the Generali website to check rates and compare options before you buy travel insurance. The company also offers a 10-day "free look" period in which you can decide if the policy is right for you. If you are unsatisfied or find a better policy elsewhere, you can cancel for a full refund.

Our team surveyed dozens of travel insurance providers and created a scoring system to judge each company's quality and service. We reached out for sample quotes, both over the phone and on the internet, to simulate an authentic customer experience. Here are the factors that account for our provider reviews:

Joseph Reaney is an experienced writer for travel brands including Lonely Planet, Fodor's, DK Eyewitness and National Geographic. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of the travel specialist content writing agency World Words. When he isn't busy traveling or writing about it, you’ll find him at the local comedy club.

Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York's Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.