GeoBlue is a travel insurance company that offers medical-only travel insurance in cooperation with Blue Cross Blue Shield. It offers long term travel insurance policies with low premiums.
Business Insider compared GeoBlue to the best travel insurance companies and found it to be a standout offering with low premiums and some unique features like the ability to pay doctors directly.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Pros and Cons
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Pros
- Ability to pay some doctors directly
- Low premiums for young travelers
- Telemedicine benefits
- Highly rated mobile app
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Cons
- Preexisting condition coverage costs extra
- Annual plans don't cover preexisting conditions
Get a Quote
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- A subsidary of Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Offers strong medical plans as long as you have a regular health insurance plan, but it doesn't have to be through Blue Cross
- Offers long-term and multi-trip travel protection
- Multiple complaints about claims not being paid or being denied
- Does not provide some of the more comprehensive coverage like CFAR insurance
- Buyers who do get claims paid may need to file multiple claim forms
Compare GeoBlue Travel Insurance
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- Zero Complaint Guarantee
- Streamlined comparison platform
- Variety of partnered travel insurance companies
- Customer service team is difficult to reach
SquareMouth is an online marketplace that helps you choose a travel insurance policy from 32 companies that shares a comprehensive, streamlined overview page for each insurance provider.
SquareMouth Travel Insurance
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- Policy coverage includes most pre-existing health conditions
- Generous medical and evacuation amounts for peace of mind
- COVID coverage included by default on all insurance plans
- Offers a wide range of plans for various budgets and travel needs
- Some plans offer CFAR, “cancel for work reasons,” financial default, and unemployment coverage
- Limited add-on coverage options
- Baggage loss and delay coverage is low compared to competitors
Tin Leg travel insurance offers eight travel insurance plans to meet the unique needs of travelers.
Tin Leg- Tin Leg was founded in 2014 by the travel insurance industry experts at Squaremouth. Designed to meet the most common needs of travelers, these policies offer comprehensive Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefits, and a range of Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation limits.
- Options to cover sports equipment
- Option to increase medical coverage
- Can cancel up to 48 hours before travel when CFAR option is purchased
- Affordable coverage for budget-conscious travelers
- Includes generous baggage delay, loss and trip delay coverage
- Optional "adventure sports" bundle available for riskier activities
- Pricier than some competitors with lower coverage ceilings
- Some competitors offer higher medical emergency coverage
Travelex travel insurance is one of the largest travel insurance providers in the U.S. providing domestic and international coverage options. It offers a basic, select, and America option. Read on to learn more.
Travelex Travel Insurance- Optional CFAR insurance available with the Ultimate plan
- Travel delay insurance starting at $500 with the Advantage plan
- Emergency medical and dental coverage starting at $15,000
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Overview
GeoBlue travel insurance specializes in medical travel insurance plans. These plans cover healthcare costs while traveling abroad but lack trip cancellation, lost luggage, and other coverages often associated with travel insurance. As such, this medical-only travel insurance option may only be suitable for some globetrotters.
GeoBlue offers very good coverage for a specific group of people. In this case, GeoBlue provides extremely cheap travel insurance for younger travelers with no preexisting conditions.
Older travelers may need to look elsewhere, as there is a steep increase in premiums. Additionally, GeoBlue charges extra to cover preexisting conditions. The extra cost isn't as noticeable for younger travelers, usually a few dollars more. However it's a far more substantial increase for older travelers.
One great benefit of GeoBlue is a refund policy. GeoBlue allows you to cancel your policy and receive a full refund up to the day before your policy goes into effect.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Coverages and Benefits
GeoBlue Travel Insurance offers three distinct medical travel insurance plans for individual travelers with varying levels of coverage. It also has a few group travel insurance plans for larger parties. Regular health insurance plans, destination, budget, and other factors play into the shopping experience. GeoBlue recommends each program for specific groups, but all three can be used for extended periods or multiple trips.
Here's an overview of the types of coverage included in each GeoBlue individual plan:
GeoBlue Voyager
The Voyager plan is GeoBlue's single-trip travel medical insurance available for travelers taking trips up to 182 days long. It offers the following benefits:
Coverage limit options: $50K, $100K, $500K, $1M
Deductible options: $0, $100, $250, $500
Professional services: Surgery, anesthesia, in-hospital doctor visit, diagnostic X-ray and lab: 100%
Office visits: 100%
Inpatient hospital services: 100%
Ambulance services (non-medical evacuation): 100% up to $1,000
Prescription drugs: 100% of reasonable charges up to $5,000
Dental care due to injury: 100% up to $500 per trip period
Dental care for relief of pain: 100% up to $250 per trip period
Medical evacuation: Up to $500K
AD&D: Up to $50,000
Emergency family travel arrangements: Up to $2,500
Hazardous activities: $25,000
Lost baggage: $500 per trip period, $100 per item
Post departure trip interruption transportation: Up to $1,000
Post departure trip interruption quarantine coverage: Up to $50 per day, up to 10 days
Repatriation of remains: Up to $25,000
GeoBlue Trekker
The Trekker plan is GeoBlue's multi-trip annual travel medical insurance policy. This policy offers protection for an unlimited number of trips for a 364-day period, covering the first 70 days of each trip.
GeoBlue offers two Trekker tiers: Essential and Choice. The main difference between these two options is their deductible and coverage. The Essential plan has a $500,000 limit and $200 deductible. The Choice plan has a $1 million limit and $100 deductible.
All of its medical benefits are the same as the Voyager plan, with some differences in additional benefits, which are as follows:
Medical evacuation: Up to $250K
AD&D: No benefit
Emergency family travel arrangements: Up to $2,500
Hazardous activities: $25,000
Lost baggage: No benefit
Post departure trip interruption transportation: No benefit
Post departure trip interruption quarantine coverage: No benefit
Repatriation of remains: Up to $15,000
GeoBlue Xplorer
This is GeoBlue's long-term travel medical insurance for people who will be outside of their home country for at least three months each year.
It offers a wide range of benefits like immediate preexisting condition coverage, waived deductibles for office visits, and unlimited annual and lifetime medical maximums.
Policyholders have the choice to see any healthcare provider outside of the U.S. and access to Blue Cross Blue Shield's PPO network within the U.S.
Ultimately, this plan is made with a specific customer in mind, but offers decent benefits for those who need it.
Additional Coverage Options from GeoBlue
GeoBlue Travel Insurance offers fewer riders or additional coverage options compared to other providers. Looking at the descriptions above, the three plans give a detailed list of included services, not all of which will be applicable during the average trip. The Voyager and Trekker plans have no additional coverage options.
However, the Xplorer plan is aimed at long-term travelers (including those who temporarily work internationally). So it provides two optional riders that come in handy if you're outside your home country for months at a time:
- Enhanced Prescription Drug Rider: Provides up to $25,000 of coverage for prescription drugs per calendar year.
- Basic US Benefits Rider: Provides healthcare benefits in the United States, emergency medical care, inpatient hospital coverage, and prescription drugs coverage.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Cost
Travel insurance coverage varies greatly, and the amount you pay reflects the range of protection. However, since travel insurance protects your financial investment, it's typically worth spending a few extra dollars for higher coverage maximums, especially for medical insurance and evacuation expenses.
We ran a few simulations to offer examples of how much GeoBlue single trip Voyager plan will cost for travelers of various ages. Rates vary based on deductibles, desired coverage limits, and whether they want preexisting condition coverage.
- A 23-year-old from an Illinois ZIP code taking a week-long trip: $8.56 to $16.16.
- A 30-year-old from a California ZIP code for two weeks: $20.55 to $38.40
- A 65-year-old couple from a New Jersey ZIP code for two weeks: $139.20 to $270 ($69.60 to $135 per person)
GeoBlue offers a multi-trip plan, that can cover multiple trips over a year. A 35-year-old would pay $184 for annual travel insurance with GeoBlue.
How to Purchase and Manage a GeoBlue Travel Insurance Policy
To purchase a GeoBlue travel insurance policy, you'll first need to obtain a quote on its website.
To receive a quote with GeoBlue, you need to provide your age, duration of travel, and ZIP code. Notably, GeoBlue doesn't ask for your trip budget or your destination when providing quotes.
Once you reach the quote page, you'll be able to select a deductible and coverage limit. You can also select whether you want your preexisting conditions covered. Once you make these selections, you can finalize your purchase.
How to File A Claim with GeoBlue
The easiest way to submit a claim with GeoBlue Travel Insurance travel insurance is to file it through its online Member Services page or mobile app. Claims should be filed within 60 days of the loss or as soon as reasonably possible.
Policyholders can also file claims via mail, fax, or email. If you wish to submit physical paperwork, the company asks that you send it to one of the following addresses:
Mail: GeoBlue
Attn: Claims
933 First Avenue
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Fax: +1.610.482.9623
Email: claims@geo-blue.com
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Customer Service Reviews and Ratings
Customer reviews of GeoBlue are relatively scarce. The greatest concentration of reviews is on its SquareMouth page, where it averages 4.64 stars out of five. Google reviews on its headquarters in Pennsylvania are more mixed, averaging 3 stars.
Customers complained that GeoBlue refused to issue payouts due to issues out of their control. One reviewer reported that they did not receive their payout because the clinic they received care at couldn't itemize their costs when filing paperwork with GeoBlue. Complaints also mentioned agents unfamiliar with policy specifics.
Despite mixed reviews, GeoBlue has a highly rated mobile app on both the Apple app store and Google Play store. Its iOS app has 4.7 stars. Its Android app has 4 stars.
GeoBlue travel insurance policies are underwritten by 4 Ever Life Insurance, which has a 0.50 Company Complaint Index rating from the National Association of Life Insurance Commissioners, which means it has exactly half the number of complaints than expected for its share of the market.
4 Ever Life has an A (Excellent) rating from AM best, meaning it is likely to uphold its financial obligations, like paying claims.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance Alternatives
GeoBlue Travel Insurance vs. Allianz Travel Insurance
Both GeoBlue Travel Insurance and Allianz Travel Insurance offer single-trip, standalone medical insurance plans. In addition, both provide coverage for emergency medical transportation, emergency medical claims, and baggage loss. However, there are a few differences.
GeoBlue supplies coverage for non-emergent inpatient and outpatient visits and accidental death or dismemberment. It also explicitly includes preexisting conditions pending your travel with a regular health insurance plan. Meanwhile, Allianz issues coverage for epidemics and other travel services like cancel for any reason coverage.
In addition, the two plans are structured differently. Allianz offers payouts up to a set dollar amount. GeoBlue covers a certain percentage of qualifying medical costs after a met deductible.
Read our Allianz travel insurance review.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance vs. AIG Travel Guard
Travel Guard's essential travel insurance plan provides medical evacuation coverage, security evacuation coverage, trip delay, and other coverages. In line with the low price, the essential plan's limits for each section are limited. For example, travelers would get a max of $15,000 medical travel insurance coverage. The company does not offer a standalone medical plan.
AIG Travel Guard customers may or may not be eligible for a preexisting conditions waiver, whereas GeoBlue's plans specify preexisting coverage as long as you have a permanent health insurance plan from your work or otherwise.
AIG focuses primarily on single-trip coverage options, though it does provide an annual travel insurance plan. GeoBlue's website recommends plans for different travelers, but all three programs allow for multiple trips or extended travel times.
Regardless, if you want broader protection for necessary medical treatments, you will likely be served with a plan from GeoBlue. On the other hand, if you're looking for more trip cancellation and other standard travel insurance coverages, you will steer towards AIG.
Read our AIG Travel Guard travel insurance review.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance vs. World Nomads Travel Insurance
The travel insurance plans sold by World Nomads Travel Insurance differ slightly from GeoBlue's. Rather than focusing exclusively on covering your medical costs and limited baggage loss, World Nomads offers a comprehensive insurance option. Its plan also includes trip cancellation, interruption, and more coverage.
In addition, World Nomads' plan covers a wide range of adventure sports, compared to the two (downhill skiing & scuba diving) covered by GeoBlue. Looking at the two companies side by side, you may see many of the same services. However, the two companies offer staggered benefits. World Nomads has a more extensive list to cover whatever comes your way.
However, GeoBlue is more thorough in covering preexisting conditions and other medical services if its terms are followed. If you look at the details, GeoBlue covers higher amounts for the services it includes.
Read our World Nomads travel insurance review.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance FAQs
GeoBlue lacks any trip cancellation coverage and other trip inconvenience benefits. However, it's also far cheaper than many comprehensive travel insurance policies.
Yes, you can get GeoBlue travel insurance if you have a preexisting condition. You can also get your conditions covered, but you'll have to pay extra.
GeoBlue coverage targets international travel for US residents or US residents traveling abroad. GeoBlue provides secondary medical, so it'll kick in after your primary health insurance plan has issued its payout. As such, it's less useful for US residents traveling within the US.
You can utilize GeoBlue's resources such as its highly rated mobile app and online directory to find a healthcare provider.
To file a claim with GeoBlue, you typically need to submit the necessary documentation, including medical records and receipts, within a specified timeframe. Timely submission is crucial for efficient claim processing, especially since customer reviews allude to a long and difficult claims process.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Rated GeoBlue Travel Insurance
When reviewing GeoBlue Travel Insurance travel insurance, we compared its products against those of other top travel insurance providers. In particular, we examined the available plan options, supplemental policies, claim limits, inclusions, exclusions, and sample policy premiums.
Selecting the best policy for you and your travel companions is about finding a policy with the correct type of coverage and adequate claim limits. That said, price is also an essential factor for many consumers. In addition, trip-specific riders for things like rental care coverage or adventure activities may be necessary for some travelers.
As such, we take all that into account when writing our reviews. Then individual readers can make decisions based on their travel plans and needs.
You can learn more about how we rate travel insurance products.
