GeoBlue Travel Insurance Review (2023) [Boss Insurance]

GeoBlue has plans designed for different types of travelers. Its coverage for a single, short-term trip is branded “GeoBlue Voyager”. These options have travel medical coverage limits ranging from $50,000 to $1 million and include accidental death and dismemberment, emergency evacuation, repatriation, and prescription drug reimbursement.

In addition to different coverage limits, this insurer offers deductible options ranging from $0 to $500. Additionally, patients can use telemedicine services for non-emergency care.

Trekker-branded insurance coverage is for frequent international travelers who need medical coverage for multiple trips. Meanwhile, the Navigator and Xplorer plans provide emergency and non-emergency healthcare benefits to expatriates, students, maritime crew members and missionaries.

GeoBlue’s Voyager Essential and Voyager Choice are cost-effective travel insurance options focused on medical services. Essential does not require a US-based primary health plan, unlike Choice.

Here’s what you get with the GeoBlue Voyager Essential plan.

• Emergency and non-emergency medical coverage from $50,000 to $1 million
• $500,000 for medical evacuation
• $25,000 for death, dismemberment or repatriation expenses
• 50% prescription drug coverage up to $5,000
• Baggage coverage of $500 per trip or $100 per bag
• $1,000 Trip Interruption Insurance

If you plan to take multiple trips or live abroad for more than six months, Xplorer or Trekker plans can provide long-term protection.

Optional endorsements

A rider is a supplement to a standard insurance contract. He changes the details or adds another coverage to the policy. For example, a rider could increase coverage limits or make exceptions for a pre-existing condition.

Due to the variable coverage limits and deductible choices of the Voyager Essential plan, endorsements are generally not required. However, Voyager Choice offers several upgrades that may be worthwhile for some travelers.

• $50,000 death and dismemberment coverage
• 100% coverage for prescription drugs up to $5,000
• No 180-day exclusion for pre-existing conditions
• $50 per day for trip interruptions involving quarantine

Although both of these plans are open to all US citizens, Voyager Choice requires that you have an active health insurance policy in the United States.

Policies offered

GeoBlue travel insurance plans focus on medical care, including emergencies and regular outpatient office visits. However, other coverages are also part of some plans.

All policies offer $25,000 for specified hazardous activities, such as downhill skiing and scuba diving (diving certificate required for coverage).

Prices for travel insurance policies depend on a variety of factors, including the cost of your trip, your age, pre-existing medical conditions, destinations, coverage limits, length of stay, and other factors. The insurer will ask about these different variables during the enrollment process.

Cost of international travel insurance

Quotes represent the cost of a one-month trip from September 1 to September 30, 2023 for a 40-year-old traveler from Texas. The plan has a $0 deductible and $1,000,000 medical coverage.

Voyager plans provide $1,000 in trip interruption and $500 in lost baggage.

GeoBlue says it offers 24/7/365 support for all medical insurance plans through its mobile app, website, and toll-free international call center.

The app includes self-service features such as virtual insurance ID cards, networked physician lists, medication dose conversions, and access to telemedicine services on compatible devices. Telemedicine services are done through Teledoc Health and include same-day appointments and additional communications, such as appointment notes, via the policyholder’s phone.

Insured customers can also contact GeoBlue by telephone on the free and collect hotlines. Operators are able to coordinate services listed on the policy, check eligibility for coverage, and find doctors around the country.

GeoBlue has over 80 reviews on Squaremouth and a rating of 4.63 out of 5 as of June 2023. Many customers have mentioned that they need international health insurance without cancellation or other travel coverage and have found GeoBlue to be the best solution for their needs. Some reviewers had difficulty finding information about GeoBlue network healthcare providers in their destination country.

Here are four verified customer reviews of Squaremouth.

“A really nice person at GeoBlue helped me before departure when I had some difficulty accessing membership cards via the internet. She was very patient and very helpful. We have had no health incidents during our travels, but plan to purchase similar coverage the next time we travel outside the United States. —Catherine from GA

“My trip to Israel was canceled by the travel agency a week before we left. I emailed GeoBlue to let them know the trip had been cancelled. Within minutes I received an email. -email from GeoBlue advising me that my insurance has been canceled and that I will receive a refund on my credit card as soon as possible.I hope to reschedule this trip as soon as possible and will only use GeoBlue for travel insurance. I couldn’t have been happier with the service and would highly recommend them to anyone considering travel insurance in the future.” —Pamela S. Johnson of Ohio

“My suitcase was stolen during my trip to Sweden. Upon my return, I filed a claim ($500 total, $100 per item for lost/stolen item) and was declined twice, the last time because I don’t have receipts for the items lost (we are talking about a suitcase, [clothes]shoes, electric toothbrush, toiletries, etc. [Things] that people don’t keep receipts). The first refusal was noted as not providing medical records and receipts, as if they hadn’t even bothered to read the application. I provided them with the police report provided to me, the report provided by the Gate 1 travel agency, and a breakdown of what was in the suitcase, including prices. —Kenneth from AL

“I was constantly asked by the doctor in Greece over a period of 6 months to help them because I made 2 visits to the doctor and they claim that they have not been paid. Since I [contracted] Covid I also had blood work, chest x-rays etc, 2 visits in all. I paid directly to the hospital [on my] first visit and met my deductible. ($250 or 240.50 euros). The doctor claims they were never paid by GeoBlue!

I called GeoBlue twice from Greece, which is very expensive, and asked that they [please] straighten that out. I sent 2 emails stating the same thing. But to this day, the doctor’s secretary writes to me to obtain payment. I was sick in May — it’s now November! I told the doctor that you are part of the GeoBlue network and should contact GeoBlue to get paid. Most annoying and frustrating. —Martha from FL

Note: GeoBlue has responded to the above review with the following: Thank you for your opinion! A response to your claim request email was sent on 11/16/2022, please check your email and spam folder for our resolution to your claim issue.

GeoBlue offers several options for filing a claim. Customers with travel medical plans will have access to the member hub and mobile app. Both allow electronic submission of claims. The process includes filling out a claim form and submitting scans or images of medical bills and supporting documents. You can also file a complaint by fax, e-mail or traditional mail.

GeoBlue has country-specific phone numbers for certain destinations.

GeoBlue focuses on providing health insurance to people traveling outside their home country. You can use the deductible and coverage limit options to change the cost and level of protection for your policy.

GeoBlue stands out in travel health insurance because it offers telemedicine, a global network of doctors, direct payment for in-network services, and short- and long-term insurance options. We recommend that you request a quote from GeoBlue, as well as at least two other suppliers, to ensure you get the best value for your trip.

Our team interviewed dozens of travel insurance providers and created a rating system to judge each company’s quality and service. We requested sample quotes, both over the phone and online, to simulate an authentic customer experience. Here are the factors that explain the opinions of our suppliers:

• Package Availability (20%): We researched insurers offering a variety of plans and the ability to customize the policy with upgrades.
• Coverage (40%): Among the benefits noted were medical expenses, medical and non-medical evacuation, COVID-19 coverage, waivers excluding pre-existing conditions, “cancel for any reason” coverage, trip interruption , travel delay time requirements, baggage delay time requirements, baggage reimbursement and financial default of a travel supplier. Special consideration was given to companies offering unique add-ons, such as extreme sports coverage, business equipment coverage, and pet coverage.
• Customer service and support (30%): We looked for indicators that a company is well prepared to meet customer needs. Businesses with an established global resource network, a 24/7 emergency helpline, robust mobile apps, and perks like concierge and translation services have obtained better results.
• Reputation (10%): We assess reputation by evaluating consumer reviews, third-party financial strength, and customer experience ratings, specifically by AM Best and the Better Business Bureau.

Josh Lew is a travel journalist and writer based in the Midwestern United States. He’s been active for the past decade, covering airlines, international destinations and ecotourism for sites like TravelPulse and TreeHugger. He is currently contributing to words of the world.

Sabrina Lopez is a publisher with over six years of experience writing and editing digital content with a particular focus on home services, home products and personal finance. When not working on articles to help consumers make informed decisions, Sabrina enjoys writing creatively and spending time with her family and their two parrots.