Travel Insurance Options for Costco Members

Travel Insurance Options for Costco Members
  • Costco gives you the option to purchase a travel insurance plan when booking travel through their Costco Travel website through the company Zurich.
  • The Costco Cover-More travel insurance plan can offer protection for trip-related expenses caused by unexpected cancellations or delays.
  • Costco travel plans include options for domestic and international travel as well as cruises and rental cars for U.S. residents.
  • The Costco Cover-More travel insurance plan is more of a basic plan, and might not be suitable for all travelers and travel plans.
  • Doing your research and purchasing travel insurance independently can give you more flexibility in choosing coverage and benefits.

When making travel plans, people are always on the hunt for good deals. From travel arrangements to places to visit, and attractions to enjoy, Costco can help get you ready and set to go. However, whether you are planning a solo vacation or traveling with family or friends, costs can add up quickly, which is why it is always a good idea to consider travel insurance.

Travel insurance can help cover any unexpected trip mishaps, delays or cancellations if necessary. Even a sprained ankle or a short visit to urgent care can make your trip a bit more expensive than planned and might cause you to interrupt your vacation. Or what if your luggage is visiting a different destination than you?

If you are one of the thousands of people who have a Costco membership, you know they have some great deals when it comes to bulk buying. What you may not know if that they also have travel agents who can help plan your next vacation and even provide you with many discounts for hotels, flights and other expenses. But does Costco offer travel insurance?

Does Costco Offer Travel Insurance?

Costco Travel is a branch of Costco that is able to provide families and individuals that have Costco memberships with comprehensive travel packages that include discounts to many adventures. However, when booking your trip through Costco Travel, it's important to consider whether or not they offer travel insurance and where you can find a policy that will protect you abroad.

Costco Travel gives you the option to secure a travel insurance policy when booking your travel plans through their partner, Cover-More Inc through the company Zurich.

What Is the Cover More Travel Insurance Plan Through Costco?

The Costco Cover-More travel insurance plan by Zurich is a trip insurance plan that offers travel-related coverage such as trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, baggage loss, and emergency medical benefits.

Trip insurance offers reimbursement for eligible nonrefundable trip expenses related to trip mishaps as described in the plan's benefit documentation.

The Zurich travel insurance plan is a trip insurance plan that offers limited medical coverage. A comprehensive travel medical insurance plan is typically more suited for international travelers.

What Types of Travel Insurance Does Costco Offer?

Based on your travel plans, Costco travel will provide you with the option to purchase the travel insurance policy that best fits your plans. They offer the following types of travel insurance:

  • Domestic - for domestic travel in the U.S.
  • International - for all international travel
  • Cruise - trip insurance designed for cruises
  • Rental Car - rental car protection only

It is important to note that Costco travel insurance plans are trip protection plans, not travel medical insurance plans. Additionally, plans are only available for U.S. residents traveling domestically or internationally. Visitors to the United States are not eligible for these plans.

What Does Costco Cover-More Travel Insurance Cover?

Cover-More travel insurance can offer trip-related protection for unexpected travel hiccups. This can include:

  • Reimbursement for a covered trip cancellation reason for prepaid and nonrefundable expenses
  • Coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged baggage
  • Coverage for baggage delay of more than 12 hours
  • Emergency medical benefits
  • Emergency medical evacuation
  • Repatriation of remains

There are also some additional benefits available for an added charge including Cancel For Any Reason and a Rental Car Damage upgrade.

What Doesn’t Costco Cover-More Travel Insurance Cover?

As with most travel insurance, there are exclusions when it comes to coverage. These exclusions in coverage can include:

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Routine or preventative medical care
  • Pregnancy or maternity care
  • Refundable expenses
  • Adventurous activities
Coverage and exclusions can vary from plan to plan, so it is important to read a policy’s wording carefully to understand what is covered and what isn’t for any travel insurance plan you choose.

How Much Does Costco Travel Insurance Cost?

Costco travel insurance will vary in cost depending on a number of factors. This can include which plan you choose, your destination, the length of the trip, and the total trip cost that you are ensuring (non refundable and prepaid expenses).

In the chart below, you’ll find some example quotes* for Cover-More travel insurance for different types of trips.

*Quotes as of June 11, 2024

Should I Buy Travel Insurance Through Costco?

The Cover-More Zurich travel insurance plan is a basic trip insurance plan that has more focused coverage on travel-related expenses such as flight cancellations or trip delays. However, it is not a travel medical insurance plan and only offers limited medical coverage, which may not be suitable for all travelers. 

For example, if you are traveling outside of the United States, a trip insurance plan may not provide adequate medical coverage, especially for older travelers. Additionally,  we found in our research is that even though age does play a role in the cost of insurance, the prices almost double, yet the benefits don’t change through Cover-More for senior citizens.

It may be a wise idea to do some research into other options to see what is best for not only your age but for your individual needs, or any pre-existing issues or medical conditions.

Does Costco Credit Card Have Travel Insurance?

The Costco credit card does not offer comprehensive travel insurance coverage such as emergency medical care or trip-related expense coverage for trip interruption, delay, or cancellation. 

It does however offer some other travel benefits such as travel accident insurance if you or your spouse or child dies or is dismembered while on a common carrier if you used your card to pay for your fees.

Additionally, the Costco credit card offers rental car insurance, roadside assistance, and 24/7 travel and emergency assistance for emergency travel arrangements or issues.

The VisitorsCoverage Advantage

When you start your research it’s best to find a reputable global travel insurance marketplace where you can view and compare plans to make a decision based solely on your needs.

The plans we offer can cover emergency medical issues, rental cars, luggage loss, flight delays or cancellations, or even a Cancel For Any Reason add-on should you find you are unable to go through with your travels for any reason.

We also offer travel medical insurance plans which can provide adequate medical coverage for those traveling abroad, both to and from the United States.

Doing your research to find the travel plan that is best for your individual needs will save you frustration during your trip and ensure that you have the right protection.

VisitorsCoverage is Here for You

As you get ready for your next trip, all of us at VisitorsCoverage want to make the planning process as easy as possible. If you have any questions, our licensed travel insurance experts are available to help. We’ll send you on to your trip as hassle-free as possible.