Secured with SHA-256 EncryptionCSA Travel Protection | Travel Insurance Review
CSA travel insurance is owned by Europe Assistance, an insurance company that specializes in providing emergency assistance services.
Launched in 1991, and headquartered in San Diego, California, CSA Travel Insurance has protected millions of travelers worldwide from common travel issues such as canceled trips and delays, as well as 24/7 assistance with emergencies such as hurricanes and medical evacuations by helicopter.
Whether you’re a single person traveling alone or a budget-conscious parent taking a family trip, CSA has options for you.
CSA Travel Protection
The CSA Custom Travel Protection Plan is designed to offer affordable trip cancellation insurance for travelers of all ages.
Coverage can be purchased per single trip and canceled within ten days of purchase if needed.
Their online cost calculator provides obligation-free travel insurance quotes.
CSA offers a variety of affordable coverage, and its range of service providers across the globe ensure that customers can travel with peace of mind, knowing that help is only a phone call away.
CSA received an A+rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and its underwriter, Generali, has high marks from A.M. Best and Moody’s.
Benefits of CSA Travel Insurance
CSA offers two types of trip insurance for travelers of all ages which cover trip cancellation, delays, and interruptions.
Customers have a ten day, obligation-free period to cancel their travel insurance should they decide they no longer need it, and get full reimbursement as long as they have not yet left for their trip.
Customers may purchase any one of the CSA Travel Protection Plans online for their convenience.
Medical assistance, baggage cover, accidental death, and group cover are available options, and children are protected under their parents’ coverage.
Travelers can have peace of mind knowing that 24/7 customer support is available from over 108,000 service providers internationally.
There are no exclusions on the CSA Custom Travel Protection Luxe Plan, and both CSA trip insurance packages offer extras that include return travel arrangements, rebooking assistance, lost baggage search, and legal aid.
CSA’s travel insurance reviews have been favorable thanks to exclusive services such as ‘Consult a Doctor’, which links customers to medical professionals anywhere in the world in case an emergency strikes while traveling abroad.
What’s Covered With CSA Travel Insurance?
The most common claims covered are:
- Trip cancellation: If you’re forced to cancel your vacation for any of the reasons covered by CSA Trip Insurance, you may be reimbursed in full. For more flexibility regarding cancellations for any other reason, make sure you add it to your travel insurance package when making your first deposit.
- Trip interruption: Regardless of whether you fall sick with the flu or you’re forced to return to work due to unforeseen circumstances, the costs for a return flight or for unused accommodations could be covered by the trip insurance.
- Travel delays and missed connections: Severe weather can interrupt flights for longer than expected, even if you’ve allowed for delays in your travel schedule. A holdup during the first leg of a trip can result in missing the next flight, cruise, or tour departure. CSA trip insurance provides ample coverage for delays and missed connections.
- Baggage delay and loss: In the event that an airline loses your luggage, they won’t cover the lost items’ cash value, quite an annoyance when the luggage contains essential items such as clothes and much-needed toiletries. Likewise, the airline isn’t required to provide essential items if there is baggage delay. CSA’s Custom Travel Luxe Plan gives you $500 for replacing baggage whether it’s lost or delayed by the airline or for any other reason.
- Medical expenses: The Custom Luxe plan provides generous coverage for a wide range of medical expenses while you are traveling. This high-end plan also covers accidental death and dismemberment, including funeral expenses.
- Emergency assistance: The 24-hour travel hotline helps travelers transfer cash, find a doctor, rent a car in the event of an emergency, or make an emergency airline reservation. Concierge and emergency assistance services are also provided.
CSA Travel Insurance Plans
CSA Trip Insurance offers two different plans depending on your budget:
CSA Custom Travel Protection Luxe Plan
An ideal, comprehensive coverage plan for single travelers or groups, CSA’s Luxe Plan offers a range of high-end options such as full reimbursements for trip cancellations and comprehensive coverage in the event of trip interruptions, travel delays, or missed connections.
If baggage is lost or delayed, the plan may pay out up to $500 for items such as clothing and toiletries, even if your luggage is found later.
Coverage is also provided for medical emergencies, airline reservations, cash transfers, emergency car rentals, and for dependents through their parents.
CSA Custom Travel Insurance Plan
This budget-friendly policy offers several perks, although its reduced costs come with coverage limits.
Travelers enjoy coverage that includes concierge service and identity theft resolution as well as 24-hour emergency medical services.
In the event of lost or stolen luggage, CSA trip insurance covers its cash value.
Nonetheless, the CSA Custom Travel Protection Plan does not offer coverage for preexisting conditions.
Even with its limitations, customers still enjoy plan benefits such as reimbursement for trip cancellations and delays, lost baggage, and certain medical and dental emergencies (excluding preexisting conditions).
The following chart compares the covered reasons for the Custom Travel Protection Luxe Plan and the Custom Travel Protection Plan.
| Covered Reasons | CSA Custom Travel Protection Luxe Plan | CSA Custom Travel Protection Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Tour Operator Cancellation | ||
| Injury/Illness/Death of Traveler | yes | yes |
| Injury/Illness/Death of Non-traveling Family Member | yes | yes |
| Injury/Illness/Death of Business Partner | yes | yes |
| Injury/Illness/Death of Host | ||
| Injury/Illness/Death of Host’s Family or Friends | ||
| Natural Disaster at Destination | yes | yes |
| Tour Operator/Airline/Cruise Line Ceases Operation | ||
| Terrorism/Evacuation at Destination | yes | yes |
| Home or Business Damaged | ||
| Jury Duty/Court Appearance | ||
| Military Deployment | ||
| Work Related | ||
| Victim of Crime Prior to Trip | ||
| Car Accident Prior to Trip | ||
| Theft of Passport Prior to Trip | ||
| Separation/Divorce | ||
| School Related | ||
| CFAR Coverage (Cancel for any reason) | yes |
The following chart compares the limits between the Custom Travel Protection Luxe Plan and the Custom Travel Protection Plan.
| Coverage | CSA Custom Travel Protection Luxe Plan | CSA Custom Travel Protection Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Trip Cancellation | yes up to 150 percent cost of the trip | yes, up to 100 percent - limited to a list of reasons provided by CSA |
| Cancel For Any Reason | yes | no |
| Trip Interruption | yes up to 100 percent cost of the trip | yes - limited to a list of reasons provided by CSA |
| Interrupt For Any Reason | yes | no |
| Accident and Sickness Medical Expenses | yes up to $50,000 per policy | yes - excludes pre-existing conditions |
| Emergency Evacuation, Medically Necessary Repatriation, and Repatriation of Remains | yes up to $1,000,000 per policy | yes up to $250,000 per policy |
| Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation | yes | no |
| Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) | yes | no |
| Air Flight Only AD&D | yes up to $200,000 | yes up to $100,000 |
| Baggage and Personal Effects | yes up to $1,500 | yes up to $1,000 |
| Baggage Delay | yes up to $500 | yes up to $200 |
| Change Fee Coverage | yes | yes |
| Travel Delay | yes up to $1,000 (subject to daily limits) | yes up to $1,000 (subject to daily limits) |
| Missed Connection | yes | yes |
| Itinerary Change | yes | no |
| Reimbursement of Miles or Rewards Points | no | no |
| Rental Car Damage | yes up to $50,000 per policy (not available in all states) | no (optional - $9 per day) |
Add-ons such as travel assistance services, return travel arrangements, and roadside assistance may also be purchased on the CSA Custom Travel Protection Luxe Plan.
Add-ons provide protection that goes above and beyond regular benefits.
On the other hand, the optional cover on the Custom Travel Protection Plan is limited to $9 per day for rental car damage.
How Much Does CSA Travel Insurance Cost?
Travel insurance costs are based on factors such as destination and departure lag, and usually range between four and eight percent of the total trip cost.
CSA does not have age limits for travelers, and dependents are covered through their parents on both the Custom Luxe and Custom Travel Protection Plans.
However, the coverage is only valid for single trips.
Online quotes are based on the total cost of the trip and are available in real-time on the CSA website, allowing travelers to immediately determine the amount of travel insurance they’ll need.
All refunds and claims must be made within ten days of purchasing the policy, either full reimbursements for trip cancellations or unused accommodations and return flight reimbursement for trip interruptions.
Claims can be started online through the CSA website or through fax, email, or regular mail.
CSA Travel Protection Company Ratings & Reviews
Despite receiving some negative reviews, CSA Travel Insurance has an A+ rating from the BBB.
CSA strives to resolve all customer queries and provides feedback to its customers. Negative reviews are usually related to terms and conditions stated in the fine print on insurance contracts.
In 2017, CSA Travel Protection won two Stevie ® Awards for Sales and Customer Services. CSA Travel Protection was voted one of the best trip insurance companies in 2018.
Financial Stability
CSA Travel Insurance policies are underwritten by Generali, an Italian insurance company founded in 1831.
As of 2010, Generali was the world’s second-largest insurer (based on revenue) making it a financially sound international company.
Financial strength is essential since the insurer must be able to pay its customers’ current and future claims.
CSA has earned Moody’s Long-term Corporate Obligation Rating of Baa2 implying moderate credit risk, which is acceptable in the travel industry.
CSA’s A.M. Best financial rating is a+.
CSA Travel Insurance Customer Assistance Services
Travelers can call any of the more than 108,000 service providers available internationally for assistance ranging from emergency cash transfers, identity theft resolution services, eyeglass, and medication replacement, to return travel arrangements.
Help is available over the phone 24/7 eliminating time zone difference and providing peace of mind for travelers requiring assistance at any time.
CSA lacks basic digital options, as it does not have a mobile application, and their online experience only offers an online cost calculator that lets customers determine the cost of insurance per trip.
Furthermore, apart from commenting on review pages, customers can expect some delays receiving responses to emails or for an operator to answer their call.
Customer assistance does include help with rebooking, lost baggage search, lost passport/document assistance, emergency cash, translation services, legal assistance, and roadside assistance.
Additional benefits include medical assistance services, physician referral, medical case management, arrangements for medical payments, emergency prescription replacement, and eyeglass replacement.
Concierge services provided by CSA include restaurant referrals and reservations, event referrals and bookings, and ground transportation.
CSA Travel Insurance Phone Number & Contact Information
- Homepage URL: https://shop.generalitravelinsurance.com/csa-travel-protection/
- Provider Phone: (877) 243-4135 – Toll-free in the United States, (240) 330-1529 – Collect from anywhere else in the world
- Headquarters Address: CSA Travel Protection, P.O. Box 939057, San Diego, CA 92193-9057
- Year Founded: 1991
Best Alternatives to CSA Travel Insurance
Not satisfied with what CSA has to offer? These companies provide great travel insurance alternatives:
Additional Providers
There are several other travel insurance providers that deserve consideration as well which you can see in our Best Travel Insurance Companies article.
These companies didn’t make our list of top providers but we have created some more detailed reviews that you can view below:
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