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Tin Leg offers an extensive range of eight distinct travel insurance plans designed for different types of travelers.
Coverage limits are generally high, particularly for medical and medical evacuation coverage where it counts the most.
You can purchase cancel for any reason (CFAR) insurance and rental car damage coverage as an optional add-on to your plan.
Tin Leg’s customer service operates 24/7 to provide assistance not only for medical emergencies, but also for issues like lost credit cards, finding embassies, and relaying critical messages.
Use our online comparison tool to see all of these plans and more to find the one that best suits your needs.
SUMMARY
Currently, Tin Leg offers some of the best travel insurance plans on the market. Why, you ask?
Tin Leg boasts some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings we’ve ever seen and offers extremely comprehensive plans at a lower cost than other providers.
All this makes it the best value travel insurance provider in our minds.
Yes, Tin Leg is a legitimate and one of the most reputable travel insurance providers on the market and boasts high customer satisfaction ratings.
Tin Leg is the proprietary brand of the travel insurance aggregator Squaremouth. Squaremouth sells plans from over 30 different travel insurance companies on its website but launched Tin Leg insurance in 2014 as its own brand.
Since then, Tin Leg has emerged as a reputable and affordable travel insurance provider that offers an extensive range of well-appointed plans catering to different travel needs, budgets, and destinations.
Policies are backed by several important insurance companies, including Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company, Spinnaker Insurance Company, and Starr Indemnity & Liability Company.
Bottom line: Main highlights of Tin Leg travel insurance
The biggest advantages of buying travel insurance from Tin Leg are:
Variety of options
Extensive coverage
Affordability
The company offers many different plans, so it’s easy to find one that suits your budget and travel plans.
Coverage limits are high, particularly when it comes to medical care and evacuation which are arguably the most important coverages for the majority of travelers.
In most scenarios we’ve seen, Tin Leg also beats the competition on price.
All of this leads to high customer satisfaction (4.59 stars out of 5). Tin Leg comes with a top-rated customer service team with an emergency assistance department that is available 24/7 by phone.
Agents can refer you to nearby healthcare facilities, provide translation services to help with communication in foreign hospitals and coordinate medical evacuation as needed. They can also help with non-emergencies like helping you understand your plan coverage, assisting with lost credit cards, finding embassies and consulates, and relaying critical messages – to name a few examples.
Here’s a look at our 3 top recommended Tin Leg plans:
Tin Leg offers eight different travel insurance plans designed to fit different types of travelers’ needs. Below we have ranked them from cheapest to most expensive:
If you need an affordable premium, but you’re concerned about your health and well-being, the Basic plan can provide peace of mind. It includes $50,000 in secondary medical coverage and $200,000 for medical transportation. Keep in mind that this travel insurance policy doesn’t cover terrorism, layoffs, financial defaults and work-related cancellations, so it’s best if you’re traveling to a stable area and your job is unlikely to affect your trip.
The Economy plan is Tin Leg’s base-level travel insurance. It includes just $20,000 in secondary emergency medical and $100,000 in medical evacuation coverage, so it’s best if you’re traveling to relatively close destinations such as Mexico or Canada. Note that this policy doesn’t cover sports and activities or cancellations for financial default or work reasons.
With coverage that includes $100,000 of secondary emergency medical and $500,000 for medical evacuation, the Platinum plan is a solid option for travelers visiting most domestic or international locations.
If you’re looking for solid coverage and an affordable premium, the Standard plan fits the bill. With $30,000 in secondary emergency medical coverage and $200,000 for medical transportation, it’s best for low-risk trips to easily accessible destinations.
This plan is best for travelers who prioritize high-limit medical coverage over comprehensive trip protection. With $500,000 in primary medical coverage and $500,000 for medical transportation, it offers ample protection for a wide range of locations and activities. Trip benefits are modest; the plan includes $500 for delays, $500 for baggage loss and $500 for missed connections.
With limits of $100,000 for primary emergency medical coverage and $250,000 in medical transportation, the Luxury plan is a good option if you’re traveling to a well-connected domestic or international destination. What sets this plan apart is its high limits for trip delays; you’ll get up to $2,000 per person, with a $150 daily cap. This can save you a significant amount of money if you’re traveling during a time of year when snowstorms, flooding or hurricanes are common.
The Silver plan comes with $1 million for medical evacuation and $250,000 in primary medical coverage. It also includes Tin Leg’s highest baggage delay coverage ($500), $2,500 in baggage and personal items loss and benefits of up to $2,000 per person for travel delays over six hours. Given its high coverage limits, this plan is a good option for travelers visiting extremely remote destinations with a high possibility of long delays. You might choose it if you’re visiting a far-off island with a limited number of flights per week or a destination where multiple connecting flights are required, like when traveling to Tanzania.
As you might guess from the name, this plan is ideally suited to adventure travelers. It comes with $500 in missed-connection coverage, $500 for sports equipment delays and $100,000 in primary emergency medical coverage. Critically, the Adventure plan includes $1 million in medical evacuation coverage, which can help you get assistance if you’re injured on a wilderness backpacking trip in remote Alaska or a back-country ski trip in Chile.
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None of Tin Leg’s policies require paying a deductible for medical care. In addition, most Tin Leg plans will cover pre-existing conditions as long as you buy a policy within 14 or 15 days of your first trip deposit. The only exception is the Economy plan, which doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions in the 180 days before your trip.
All Tin Leg plans cover 100% of the trip cost if you need to cancel for a covered reason. The majority of plans will also cover 150% of the unused trip cost in the case of trip interruption. Again, the Economy plan doesn’t offer this benefit; it reimburses you for 100% of the unused portion of your trip costs. Tin Leg’s trip cancellation insurance also covers the transportation costs you incur while getting home early or rejoining the trip.
Optional add-ons
Tin Leg offers a small selection of add-on options. These features aren’t included in the base policy, but you can purchase them for an extra fee to get more insurance coverage.
Here are two types of optional add-ons from Tin Leg:
Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage
The Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) add-on enables you to claim a reimbursement for 75% of the trip cost if you cancel for a reason that’s not covered by your policy. That way, if you’re planning a ski trip but the resort hasn’t gotten any snow, you can cancel without losing all your nonrefundable payments. Tin Leg offers CFAR coverage as an add-on to the Luxury, Adventure, Silver and Gold plans.
Rental car damage coverage
Only one type of travel insurance from Tin Leg is available with rental car coverage: the Luxury plan. If you purchase this optional waiver, Tin Leg will reimburse you for costs arising from theft of or damage to your rental car. You may be responsible for a deductible amount.
What Tin Leg travel insurance doesn’t cover
It’s important to remember that exclusions are common with travel insurance. Therefore, you must always read the fine print regardless of the plan or provider you choose.
Each plan is slightly different. For example, the Economy plan covers “missed connections”, while the Standard plan does not. Making sure you understand the plan differences is key to getting the coverage you need.
That said, there are some common scenarios travel insurance won’t cover, and this is also true for Tin Leg.
Tin Leg travel insurance doesn’t cover:
Elective or routine medical procedures
Mental health disorders
Suicide, suicide attempts and self-inflicted harm
Injuries that happen during excessive drug or alcohol use
Replacements for glasses, hearing aids and contacts
Extreme sports and motorsports
Professional athletics
Flying an airplane
Unlawful acts
War and civil disorder
Cost of Tin Leg travel insurance plans
Tin Leg is one of the most affordable providers around given the caliber of coverage it offers. It’s known for being one of the providers that offers the best “bang for your buck”.
That said, the price of travel insurance can change significantly based on several factors:
Your age
The total cost of your trip
The length of your trip
Your destination of travel
The number of people you need covered
The state you live in
In the table below we have compiled some examples to illustrate this and to show the estimated cost of Tin Leg plans for a range of different trip parameters. Example quotes were based on residents of Arizona.
Take note of how costs increase with the travelers’ ages, the total trip cost, and selecting more comprehensive plans. The more comprehensive the plan is, the more expensive it will be.
Traveler and trip details
Total cost per trip: Basic Plan
Total cost per trip: Economy plan
Total cost per trip: Platinum Plan
Total cost per trip: Standard plan
Total cost per trip: Gold Plan
Total cost per trip: Luxury Plan
Total cost per trip: Silver Plan
Total cost per trip: Adventure Plan
One traveler, aged 40, traveling to Mexico for 7 days at a trip cost of $2,000
$73
$50
$91
$59
$113
$97
$102
$118
Two travelers, aged 30, traveling to Japan for 10 days at a trip cost of $5,000
$125
$120
$161
$144
$184
$228
$235
$270
Two parents, aged 42, and two children traveling to France for 14 days at a cost of $10,000
$287
$292
$362
$349
$458
$552
$428
$654
One traveler, aged 65, traveling to the U.K. for 10 days at a cost of $5,000
$459
$220
$517
$260
$376
$397
$363
$453
Two travelers, aged 75, traveling to the Bahamas for 7 days at a cost of $4,000
The cost of travel insurance for your trip will be unique to you and your travel parameters. Therefore, the quickest way to determine the cost is to get an online quote like the one below.
“My entire experience with Tin Leg Insurance has been fantastic. From start to finish, the process was incredibly smooth… What truly set Tin Leg apart, though, was their outstanding customer service. Every interaction, whether online or over the phone, was met with professionalism and a genuine commitment to helping me.”
“Our trip was canceled and I have been working with Tin Leg…I got the insurance “Cancel for any Reason”. We have submitted the documents they requested and each time it takes 15 days to process then they request more information and then another 15 days to see where we are in the refund.”
“The Tin Leg customer service people were always friendly, but the process is onerous and I really wasted a lot of time on something that wasn’t helpful at all.”
It’s worth noting that what travelers don’t like about Tin Leg seems to be common to all travel insurance providers.
Insurance claims processes are notoriously arduous and time-consuming. Insurance claims teams usually go the extra mile to ensure you are reimbursed only for what you are actually owed. Therefore, we recommend taking these negative points with a grain of salt.
In fact, the claims process was also a point highlighted as a “pro” by many users. Therefore, it’s all about perspective.
Is Tin Leg travel insurance worth it?
Tin Leg travel insurance is absolutely worth it. In fact, it’s one of the most affordable providers on the market when compared to the amount of coverage it offers.
In essence, Tin Leg offers a great value for the money which is what most people look for when buying travel insurance. Apart from this, the coverage limits are high and the types of coverage offered are wide-reaching and inclusive. Therefore, we would venture to say Tin Leg is one of the best travel insurance companies around.
Which plan is right for you?
The Gold plan is our top pick as it’s best for most travelers in terms of coverage inclusions, coverage limits, and cost.
The Economy, Standard and Basic plans are good for budget-conscious travelers and people traveling close to North America as these trips typically don’t require high medical or evacuation limits.
The Adventure plan is similar to the Gold plan but is particularly well-suited to travelers who plan to explore remote destinations or participate in active exploration and adventure activities.
The Platinum, Silver and Luxury plans are great if you need travel insurance with coverage for wide-reaching scenarios and solid medical benefits. That said, the Gold plan offers most of these benefits for a lower price.
All of the travel insurance plans from Tin Leg offer some level of COVID-related coverage. They cover you if you receive a positive COVID-19 test and need to cancel the trip, extend your coverage due to a quarantine or get medical care during the trip. If you come down with COVID during the trip, all Tin Leg policies cover medical transportation costs if you need to go to a different healthcare facility or back to your home city.
Tin Leg’s Luxury, Adventure, Silver and Gold plans allow you to purchase Cancel for Any Reason coverage.
With that add-on, you can cancel in case of these COVID-related issues:
Travel advisories
Border closings
Cancellations by travel providers
Fear of traveling
Who underwrites Tin Leg travel insurance?
Tin Leg works with a variety of travel insurance underwriters, including:
Spinnaker Insurance Company
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company
Starr Indemnity & Liability Company
How do I contact Tin Leg travel insurance?
To get in touch with Tin Leg, call the customer service department at 844-240-1233 between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. EST. For emergency assistance, call 844-927-9265 from the United States or +1 727-264-5657 from outside the United States.
How do you extend Tin Leg travel insurance coverage?
Tin Leg allows you to extend your coverage by up to seven days, but only if you’re unable to go home on the scheduled date. You must be delayed by circumstances that you can’t control, such as airline flight cancellations or hospitalization on the last day of your trip. When the extension is due to an illness or injury, you will likely need to provide a letter from a doctor explaining the diagnosis and stating that you’re unable to travel.
Hayley Harrison is an active personal finance contributor for LA Times Compare. She is passionate about helping consumers make informed financial decisions and achieve their financial goals by simplifying complex topics relating to insurance and personal finance.
Hayley brings first-hand knowledge of the finance industry thanks to her previous experience as a branch manager for a mid-sized regional bank and as a licensed accident and health insurance agent.
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