Atlas insurance is a type of travel insurance that provides coverage for trip cancellations, interruptions, or delays. It is offered by travel insurance companies and travel agencies to protect travelers’ investments in their vacations.
Atlas insurance gets its name from Atlas, a figure in Greek mythology who held up the celestial heavens. This type of insurance aims to support and protect travelers if their trips don’t go as expected.
Atlas travel insurance plans are typically comprehensive and can include coverage for trip cancellation, travel delays, missed connections, medical emergencies, lost luggage, and other issues that could arise during travel. They provide reimbursement for forfeited, non-refundable payments if a trip needs to be canceled or interrupted.
Many major insurance providers offer atlas insurance plans, including Allianz, AIG, Generali, Seven Corners, and more. Travel agents and tour operators also frequently offer travel insurance from these companies to customers booking trips with them. The level of coverage and cost of atlas insurance varies between providers.
Atlas insurance gives travelers peace of mind that their vacations have financial protection against unforeseen circumstances. While no one wants disruptions to arise, atlas plans can provide vital support if plans change unexpectedly. This type of insurance continues to grow in popularity as more travelers seek financial safeguards for their trips.
Types of Atlas Insurance
Atlas insurance refers to travel insurance policies designed for extended trips abroad, often for expats or long-term travelers. There are several main types of coverage included:
Trip Cancellation Insurance
Trip cancellation insurance provides coverage if you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances. It will reimburse prepaid, non-refundable costs such as flights, hotels, tours, etc. This protects travelers from losing money if they can’t take their planned trip.
Medical Insurance
Medical insurance covers emergency medical treatment during your trip, including hospitalization, doctor visits, prescriptions, and ground ambulance. Policies have different coverage limits and many include emergency dental care. This protects travelers from potentially high medical costs overseas.
Evacuation Insurance
Evacuation insurance covers the cost of getting you home for medical treatment if necessary. This may involve air ambulance, commercial flights with medical escorts, and other transportation costs. Having emergency evacuation coverage provides critical protection for travelers in case of serious illness or injury abroad.
Who Needs Atlas Insurance?
Atlas insurance is designed for certain types of travelers who may require more specialized coverage or protection. Here are some examples of who typically needs to purchase atlas insurance:
International Travelers
Those traveling outside of their home country should strongly consider atlas insurance. International medical care can be extremely expensive, so having coverage for illnesses, injuries, or emergencies abroad is crucial. Atlas plans provide benefits like emergency medical evacuation that transports you back home if hospitalized. They also offer 24/7 travel assistance services while overseas.
Travelers Going To Remote Areas
If you’re adventuring well off the beaten path in remote regions, atlas insurance provides necessary coverage. In rural areas or developing countries, quality medical care may be scarce. Evacuation may be challenging. Atlas plans include emergency transportation from isolated areas to get you proper treatment. They also cover search and rescue services.
High Risk Travelers
Certain travelers partake in higher risk activities like mountain climbing, scuba diving, or extreme sports. Atlas plans cover emergency medical costs related to amateur athletic activities. They also provide coverage for adventure sports and related gear. High risk travelers need the specialized protection atlas insurance offers.
So international travelers, those visiting remote areas, and high risk adventure seekers should strongly consider atlas insurance for their trips. The tailored coverage provides crucial protections not found in standard plans. Atlas insurance gives these travelers essential peace of mind.
Benefits of Atlas Travel Insurance
Purchasing Atlas travel insurance can provide numerous benefits for travelers going abroad. Some of the key advantages include:
Coverage when away from home country – One of the main reasons to get Atlas insurance is having coverage when you are outside of your home country. This includes coverage for medical emergencies, trip cancellations, lost luggage, and other issues that can arise during international travel. Atlas plans will cover you anywhere in the world except your home country.
Peace of mind – Having Atlas insurance provides peace of mind knowing that you will be covered financially if something unexpected happens on your trip. This allows you to relax and enjoy your travels without worrying about potential costs. Atlas plans help protect you from expensive medical bills, trip interruptions, and other costly problems overseas.
Help with unexpected costs – Atlas insurance helps cover you for unexpected costs such as emergency medical treatment, last minute changes in travel plans, lost or delayed baggage, and other surprise expenses. Rather than paying these costs out of pocket, your Atlas plan can cover the charges so you don’t have to worry. This provides financial security and assistance when you need it most during international trips.
Atlas travel insurance gives travelers coverage, security, and assistance when away from home. Knowing your medical care, travel changes, lost items, and other unexpected costs will be covered provides significant peace of mind. These benefits make Atlas plans a valuable investment for international trips.
What Atlas Insurance Typically Covers
Atlas insurance policies are designed to protect travelers financially in case something unexpected happens on their trip. Here are some of the most common coverages included:
Trip Cancellation
If you need to cancel your trip due to a covered reason, such as illness or severe weather, trip cancellation coverage reimburses you for any pre-paid, nonrefundable expenses. This may include things like hotel reservations, tours, and flights. Policies have a maximum limit on how much they will pay.
Medical Expenses
If you fall ill or get injured during your travels, medical coverage pays for treatment you receive away from home. This includes hospital bills, doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, and even medical evacuation back home if necessary. Policies differ in coverage limits.
Lost Baggage
If your luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged by the airline, baggage insurance reimburses you for the contents. There are per item limits, so make sure to review them when purchasing a policy. Some plans may also cover things like laptops and sports equipment for an added fee.
Travel Delays
Trip delay coverage provides reimbursement for additional costs if your travel is delayed for a covered reason, such as severe weather. You are typically eligible for benefits like hotel, meal, and transportation expenses after a minimum delay time.
Reviewing the fine details of what a policy covers and its limits can help travelers pick the right atlas insurance plan for their needs and budget. Being aware of the key coverages like these can provide peace of mind for the unexpected.
What Atlas Insurance May Not Cover
Atlas insurance policies generally exclude coverage for certain situations. Here are some key things that may not be covered:
Pre-existing conditions – Most Atlas policies will not cover medical expenses related to pre-existing conditions. This includes any illness, injury or medical condition that existed prior to your policy effective date. Make sure to disclose any pre-existing conditions when applying.
High risk activities – Atlas policies usually do not cover injuries or illnesses resulting from dangerous hobbies, extreme sports, or other high-risk activities. This may include things like skydiving, rock climbing, scuba diving, racing, etc. Some policies have exclusions for alcohol or drug related incidents as well.
Pandemics – Standard Atlas plans often exclude losses caused by epidemics and pandemics. This became especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic, where many insurers added specific exclusions. Make sure to check if your Atlas policy has any pandemic-related limitations or exclusions before traveling during an outbreak.
Certain countries – Depending on where you are traveling, Atlas insurance may not cover certain destinations. This is especially true for countries under a travel warning by the U.S. State Department or other government entities. Always verify the geographic scope of your Atlas coverage.
Pre-existing medical conditions, high risk activities, and pandemics are frequently excluded or limited under Atlas insurance policies. Carefully review your policy documents to understand any restrictions that may impact your coverage before traveling.
How to Purchase Atlas Insurance
There are a few ways to purchase Atlas travel insurance for your upcoming trip:
Through a Travel Agent
One option is to purchase Atlas insurance through your travel agent when you are booking flights, hotels, tours etc. Most travel agents can add Atlas insurance to your total trip package for a small fee. This is often the easiest way to get coverage, as the travel agent will handle all the paperwork. They can walk you through the various Atlas insurance options and help you choose the right plan based on your trip details.
Directly from a Provider Website
You can also purchase Atlas travel insurance directly online through insurance provider websites like Allianz, AIG, Travelex, and others. These sites make it simple to get a quick quote and buy a policy entirely online. You’ll fill out information on your trip dates, destinations, age etc and can customize your Atlas coverage. Purchasing directly online is fast and convenient.
Over the Phone
Lastly, Atlas travel insurance can be purchased over the phone by calling providers directly. This allows you to speak with an agent who can answer any questions you may have. They will gather your trip details over the phone and help you select the right Atlas insurance plan. One benefit of phone purchases is you can pay via credit card over the phone. The agent will email your policy documents after.
Purchasing Atlas travel insurance is easy through a travel agent, directly online, or over the phone. Comparing plans from multiple providers can help you find the best Atlas coverage for your upcoming international journey.
Cost of Atlas Insurance
The cost of Atlas insurance varies depending on a number of factors such as policy and coverage limits, age and health status of the traveler, destination of the trip, and length of travel.
Policy and Coverage Limits: More comprehensive policies with higher coverage limits typically cost more than basic policies with lower coverage caps. For example, a policy with $100,000 in emergency medical coverage will cost more than one with $50,000 in coverage.
Age and Health: Older travelers and those with pre-existing medical conditions usually pay more for Atlas insurance compared to younger, healthier travelers. Insurance companies view them as higher risk.
Destination: Trips to regions with higher medical costs like the United States and Canada have higher Atlas premiums than trips within lower-cost areas. Also, destinations perceived as more hazardous carry higher rates.
Trip Duration: Longer trips require longer policy periods, increasing the Atlas premium cost. A 6-month international backpacking trip will cost more to insure than a 1-week resort vacation.
Add-ons: Additional coverages like cancel for any reason or hazardous activities can add to the base premium.
In general, Atlas policies can range from around $100 for a basic week-long trip to $500 or more for a high-coverage, long-term international journey. It’s important to balance adequate coverage with trip budget when purchasing Atlas travel medical insurance.
Top Providers of Atlas Insurance
Atlas insurance is offered by several leading insurance providers that specialize in travel medical coverage. Here are some of the top companies to consider when shopping for Atlas insurance plans:
Allianz
Allianz is one of the largest insurance providers in the world and offers Atlas plans under the Allianz Travel Insurance brand. Their Atlas plans provide coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, delays, medical emergencies, and more. Allianz has a strong reputation for customer service and prompt claims payment.
AIG
AIG Travel is another major provider of Atlas plans. They offer different levels of coverage at competitive rates. AIG Atlas plans include useful benefits like emergency medical transportation, 24/7 travel assistance services, and coverage for lost baggage. AIG has experience covering travelers worldwide.
Seven Corners
Seven Corners is a leading travel insurance provider with over 25 years in the industry. They offer Atlas America and Atlas International plans. Seven Corners is known for its multi-lingual customer support and ability to pay claims quickly. Their plans can be customized with add-ons like rental car damage coverage.
Trawick International
Trawick International specializes in travel medical insurance and has been in business since 2003. Their Atlas plans cover medical emergencies, evacuations, accidental death & dismemberment, and more. Trawick International aims to make the claims process smooth and provide exceptional customer service.
When selecting an Atlas provider, be sure to compare levels of coverage, pricing, ratings, services, and reputation. The companies above are all trusted leaders in the travel insurance space.
Conclusion
Atlas insurance provides important protection for travelers heading abroad or engaging in adventurous activities. This specialized coverage is designed for extended trips, high-risk destinations, and individuals with complex medical needs.
The main benefits of Atlas insurance include coverage of emergency medical expenses, evacuation services, trip cancellations, lost baggage, and travel delays. It provides vital assistance when you need it most while away from home.
Atlas is ideal for international travelers, adventure seekers, long-term travelers, expatriates, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. It safeguards your finances and gives you peace of mind.
Key advantages are comprehensive medical coverage, flexible customization, and providers with global reach. Just make sure to read the fine print and understand any exclusions before purchasing a policy.
With atlas insurance in your pocket, you can focus on creating memorable experiences instead of worrying about potential mishaps. It allows you to venture off the beaten path with confidence.