AXA Travel Insurance Review: Solid Trip Insurance for Families
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In this AXA Travel Insurance review, we’ll explore what their plans cover, who is eligible, and whether the plans are worth it for you. Enjoy!
Do you have any travel planned on the horizon?
If you’re like most people, you made your flight, hotel, and entertainment reservations and then celebrated your upcoming trip. But, you’re probably forgetting something…and it could make the difference between making lifetime memories or dealing with a major upheaval.
It’s travel insurance. Having it doesn’t just protect the financial investment you make in your trip; it can cover the cost of emergency medical care while you’re traveling, rental car accidents, lost baggage, and more.
Look, none of us like to imagine getting sick or having an accident during a trip, but the truth is, you never know. I’m firmly in the “better safe than sorry” camp.
The best travel insurance companies offer multiple options at different price points so travelers can choose the coverage that works for them. Today we’re talking about one of those companies: AXA.
In this AXA Travel Insurance review, I’ll explain the products they offer, what they cover, and help you decide if they’re a good fit for you.
Here we go.
AXA at a Glance
- AXA Assistance USA (parent company: AXA Assistance Group) is headquartered in Chicago, IL
- Offers four travel insurance plans
- No deductibles
- Covers trips 2 to 60 days in duration
AXA Travel Insurance Products
AXA Travel Insurance offers four different travel insurance plans which come with different levels of coverage.
- Silver Plan
- Gold Plan
- Platinum Plan
- Adventure Product
As you might expect, the Silver Plan is the basic offering, the Gold Plan steps it up a notch, and the Platinum Plan offers the broadest coverage.
The Adventure Product offers some trip insurance, accident and health benefits, and property protection. What sets it apart, though, is that it covers losses related to sports activities. (Think things like lost diving days, sports equipment rental, and search and rescue efforts.)
AXA Travel Insurance Products: What’s Included?
With four plans to choose from, AXA Travel Insurance has a solution to fit most travelers’ needs. All plans include:
- Trip protection
- Accident and sickness benefits
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation coverage
- Property protection
- Access to 24/7 Worldwide Travel Assistance Services via phone
- Concierge and identity theft services
The table shows the benefits and amounts covered under each plan.
| Silver Plan | Gold Plan | Platinum Plan | Adventure Product | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trip cancellation | 100% of trip cost | 100% of trip cost | 100% of trip cost | 100% of trip cost |
| Trip interruption | 100% of trip cost | 150% of trip cost | 150% of trip cost | 150% of trip cost |
| Trip delay/travel delay | $100/day; $500 max | $200/day; $1,000 max | $300/day; $1,250 max | $200/day; $750 max |
| Accident & sickness medical expenses | $25,000 | $100,000 | $250,000 | $50,000 |
| Emergency medical evacuation & repatriation | $100,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 | $500,000 |
| Non-medical emergency evacuation | N/A | $50,000 | $100,000 | N/A |
| AD&D | $10,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $25,000 |
| Common carrier AD&D (air only) | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $25,000 |
| Baggage delay | $200 | $300 | $600 | $750 |
| Baggage & personal effects | $750 | $1,500 | $3,000 | $2,500 |
| Lost recreation days | N/A | N/A | N/A | $250 |
| Lost diving days | N/A | N/A | N/A | $250 |
| Lost skier days | N/A | N/A | $500 | $250 |
| Lost golf rounds | N/A | N/A | $500 | $250 |
| Sports equipment rental | N/A | N/A | $1.000 | $2,500 |
| Search & rescue | N/A | N/A | N/A | $5,000 |
| Cancel for any reason | N/A | N/A | 75% of non-refundable trip cost | N/A |
| Collision damage waiver | N/A | $35,000 | $50,000 | N/A |
| Primary medical upsell coverage | N/A | Available | Included | N/A |
Note that the Adventure Product is not available to residents of all states or for all ages.
AXA Travel Insurance: How Much Does It Cost?
AXA pricing depends on multiple factors:
- Your state of residence
- The length of your trip
- The cost of your trip
- Your age
I’m going to run a couple of examples to show you what people in different situations would pay for each AXA Travel Insurance plan. However, you should get a quote on AXA’s website to get personalized pricing for your unique travel plans.
Example 1
A family of four from Alabama is planning a two-week trip to France this April. Their ages are 40, 39, 10, and 7. Their trip cost $5,000 and they put down their first deposit on February 1, 2019. Here’s how their quote looks:
- Silver Plan – $174
- Gold Plan – $230
- Platinum Plan – $284
- Adventure Product – $286
Example 2
One of the adults from the example above is taking the same trip as a solo traveler. Here’s what they would pay:
- Silver Plan – $131
- Gold Plan – $161
- Platinum Plan – $198
- Adventure Product – $247
As you can see, it doesn’t cost that much extra to insure three additional family members.
AXA Travel Insurance: What Isn’t Covered?
Pre-existing Medical Conditions That Don’t Qualify for a Waiver
Unless you qualify for the pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver, losses related to pre-existing conditions won’t be covered. That’s pretty standard insurance company stuff.
And what is a pre-existing medical condition? According to AXA, it’s a condition that was present in the 60 days before your coverage begins. That also means you sought treatment or had symptoms for which you should have sought treatment.
So, what’s the deal with the waiver? Essentially, if you purchase the Gold or Platinum Plan within 14 days of making your initial trip deposit, trip protection and evacuation/repatriation benefits cover your pre-existing medical conditions.
Be aware that even if you qualify for the waiver, accident and sickness benefits do not cover pre-existing medical conditions. So, if you require emergency medical treatment for a pre-existing condition during your trip, you’re on your own.
Adventuring
Yes, the Adventure Product covers loss of sporting days, but losses related to participating in certain adventure sports are not covered. For the Silver, Gold, and Platinum Plans, this includes all bodily contact sports, skydiving, mountaineering, bungee jumping, and more. The Adventure Product is more inclusive but doesn’t cover skydiving, parachuting, caving, and other activities.
Keep in mind, if you’re an adventurous traveler, it’s imperative you review coverage details before purchasing any travel insurance policy. (Psst…this policy is our favorite for adventure sports!)
Anything Self-Inflicted
Losses related to suicide, self-harm, and the use of drugs or alcohol are not covered. This is true for pretty much any travel insurance provider.
Hostilities Between Nations or Civil Unrest
Losses related to things like war, hostilities between nations, and civil unrest are not covered. You need to keep this in mind if you’re traveling to a part of the world where these issues are a reasonable possibility.
Certain Personal Effects
Personal effects and baggage delay don’t cover everything you might have in your luggage. Actually, there’s a pretty long list of exclusions. I recommend consulting your plan documents for the full list, but here are some highlights to be aware of:
- Cell phones and computers
- Glasses, sunglasses, or contacts
- Medical items like hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, prescribed medications, artificial teeth, and orthodontic devices
- Credit cards
AXA Travel Insurance: Who Can Be Covered?
AXA will cover anyone up to age 100, provided they are medically able to travel at the time of purchase. That’s good news for most seniors and sets this plan apart from many others.
They cover single trips lasting 2 to 60 days, which meets the needs of most travelers taking one or two trips a year.
AXA Travel Insurance: Pros and Cons
| AXA Travel Insurance: Best Features | AXA Travel Insurance: Where They Fall Short |
|---|---|
| No deductible. | No Multi-trip or annual plans offered. |
| Choice of four products. | The longest trip they’ll cover is 60 days. |
| Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver available for the Gold and Platinum Plans, depending on the state of residency (must be purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit). | Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver only applies to trip protection and evacuation/repatriation services (not accident and health benefits). |
| Look-back period for pre-existing medical conditions is short at 60 days. | The Silver Plan provides low levels of accident and sickness medical coverage and doesn’t have non-emergency evacuation coverage. |
| Cancel for any reason available with the Platinum Plan (must be purchased within 14 days of initial trip deposit). | Secondary coverage upsell available with Silver Plan and is included in the Gold Plan. |
| The Gold and Platinum Plans provide robust coverage across benefit categories. | The Adventure Product is not available to residents of all states or all ages. |
Who Should Consider AXA Travel Insurance?
Families – AXA offers good value for families. As you can see in the pricing example above, a solo traveler pays $161 for the Gold Plan for a two-week trip or $230 to take his wife and two kids. Further, the Gold and Platinum Plans offer robust coverage that would give most parents peace of mind.
Occasional Travelers – AXA covers single trips lasting 2 to 60 days. If you travel once or twice a year, this should meet your needs.
People Seeking Comprehensive Coverage – The Gold and Platinum Plans offer high coverage in all of the most important benefit categories: sickness and health, evacuation and repatriation, trip protection, and property protection. Both offer primary coverage (with the Gold Plan, this is an optional add-on). Cancel for any reason coverage is available for the Platinum Plan.
Seniors – AXA covers people up to 100 years of age. Some other travel insurance providers won’t cover seniors beyond age 70 or 80.
Who Should Skip AXA Travel Insurance?
- Frequent Travelers – AXA doesn’t have a multi-trip or annual travel insurance plan, so frequent travelers should look elsewhere.
- Extended Stay Travelers – Most people don’t travel for more than 60 days at a time, but if you do, AXA is not going to cut it.
How to Buy AXA Travel Insurance
The easiest way to get a quote and purchase your policy is online. You can contact AXA with any questions through email or phone.
>> Get a FREE Quote from AXA Travel Insurance <<
How to Make a Claim
First of all, if you need to arrange emergency travel or medical treatment, contact AXA first, and let them take care of the details.
Should you need to file a claim, you’ll have to contact AXA by phone (toll-free) or email to get started. The AXA customer service team will hook you up with the forms you need and answer any questions.
If you’re filing a claim for property loss, you need to file a report with the police (in the event of theft) or transportation carrier (if they lose your luggage). AXA will need copies of those reports to process your claim. Again, contact them so you know exactly what you need to submit.
AXA Travel Insurance Review: Is it a Good Buy?
Is AXA travel insurance worth it? Well, that depends on the plan you’re selecting and your needs.
AXA offers four travel insurance plans with varying levels of coverage, so one is bound to meet the needs of the occasional traveler. There’s no annual or multi-plan option, so frequent travelers are out of luck. Similarly, there’s no coverage beyond 60 days, so people traveling a few months at a time won’t be covered.
The Adventure Product may not be available to you, depending on your state of residence and your age. Even if it is, there are better options out there for adventurous travelers (like World Nomads).
With that said, I think the coverage offered by the Silver Plan is too basic for many travelers. In particular, $25,000 for accident and sickness is too low and wouldn’t provide me peace of mind. The lack of non-emergency evacuation coverage is also concerning, although it might be worth it if you have additional travel medical insurance.
For a small increase, you can upgrade to the Gold Plan, which is much more inclusive. That plan offers good value for money for most people and is a smart buy.
The Platinum Plan is a good option if you need the highest available benefits, primary insurance, and the opportunity to buy “cancel for any reason” trip protection. I’d definitely consider it for an expensive trip with large non-refundable costs.
We hope this review has been helpful! Until next time, happy traveling!
