Priceline travel insurance is sold in conjunction with the company’s other products of online discounts on hotels, flights and rental cars.

Priceline, founded in 1997, became famous thanks to its viral ads featuring William Shatner and its exciting Name Your Own Price travel system.

This system allows users to choose a location, general service level, and the price they’re willing to pay to get access to deep discounts on their travel purchases.

As part of its website checkout process, Priceline gives users the option to add travel insurance.

However, the travel insurance plans are sold and administered by Allianz Global Assistance, a leading travel insurance and assistance company that has worked with Priceline since 2016, and one of the two major insurance companies that between them manage the vast majority of travel policies.

Priceline Travel Insurance Coverage Options

priceline logoPriceline travel insurance covers you before and during your Priceline-booked trip.

In general, travel insurance can include protection for things such as trip cancellation or interruption, travel delay, lost or delayed baggage, medical coverage, and emergency transportation, depending on the type of plan the consumer chooses.

Priceline’s travel insurance plans also include 24/7 live travel assistance.

Priceline, through its partnership with Allianz, provides the following types of coverage options:

  • Comprehensive
  • Trip Cancellation/ Interruption
  • Medical
  • Baggage
  • Accidental Death

At checkout, Priceline offers one travel insurance option based on the type of trip you are booking, not allowing the customer to choose from different plans.

Some customers may see this as a helpful way to streamline the process, while others would probably prefer to be able to select between more options, and with more information.

Though these plan options are only viewable after purchase, customers can get a good idea of the available coverage options by considering two of the basic plans described on the Allianz website, the One Trip Cancellation Plus Plan and the One Trip Basic Plan.

Coverage OptionsCostsCustomer Reviews & ReputationCustomer Service BenefitsFinancial Strength
Priceline suggests a travel insurance plan at checkout based on the options selected by the customer on its website.Though Priceline’s plans are affordable, the coverage is a little sparse for the cost.Priceline and Allianz have a score of A+ from the BBB.Priceline customers enjoy 24/7 customer service.Allianz Global Assistance products have multiple underwriters depending on the policy and the insured’s state of residence.
Priceline’s travel insurance plans are very basic. Those who need more medical coverage or other perks may want to look elsewhere.The length and overall cost of the trip are significant factors in determining insurance costs.Priceline and Allianz both are highly rated by Trustpilot.Claims may be filed online, by mail, over the phone, or by email.Allianz has a track record of strong and stable financial performance.

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One Trip Cancellation Plus Plan

The One Trip Cancellation Plus Plan is a bare bones travel insurance plan, with just the essentials.

It works well for domestic travelers who want cancellation and trip interruption benefits, but don’t need post-departure benefits like medical or evacuation coverage.

The Allianz One Trip Cancellation Plus Plan includes trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay benefits. Should you need to cancel for any covered reason, your trip investment is protected.

As with any insurance policy, make sure to carefully read the plan so you understand what would be considered a covered emergency in the event you need to use your coverage.

Also, note that this plan does not provide any coverage for baggage loss or delay. However, if you are renting a car through Priceline, you may also be able to add optional rental car collision insurance coverage as well.

One Trip Basic Plan

The One Trip Basic Plan is a step up from the Cancellation Plus plan since it includes trip cancellation and interruption benefits as well as limited post-departure benefits, such as emergency medical coverage and lost/damaged baggage benefits.

One perk is that coverage for pre-existing medical conditions may be available depending on when the policy was booked.

However, the coverage limits are relatively low and might not provide much help in the event of a real medical emergency, especially one requiring hospitalization.

As with the previous plan, if you are renting a car through Priceline, you may also be able to add optional rental car collision insurance.

Both Allianz options, which are comparable to the plans that Priceline automatically offers, are relatively simple non-comprehensive travel insurance plans.

Though they may meet the needs of travelers staying in the U.S. who have good medical insurance on their own, these plans are probably not sufficient for those traveling outside the U.S. or who have concerns about medical coverage or evacuation.

In particular, adventure travelers or those who may need emergency medical care should look for a more comprehensive plan.

Covered ExcusesOneTrip Cancellation Plus PlanOneTrip Basic Plan
Tour Operator CancellationYesYes
Injury/Illness/Death of TravelerYesYes
Injury/Illness/Death of Non-traveling Family MemberYesYes
Injury/Illness/Death of Business Partner
Injury/Illness/Death of Host
Injury/Illness/Death of Host’s Family or Friends
Natural Disaster at DestinationYesYes
Tour Operator/Airline/Cruise Line Ceases OperationYesYes
Terrorism/Evacuation at DestinationYesYes
Home or Business DamagedYesYes
Jury Duty/Court AppearanceYesYes
Military DeploymentYesYes
Work RelatedYesYes
Victim of Crime Prior to Trip
Car Accident Prior to TripYesYes
Theft of Passport Prior to Trip
Separation/Divorce
School Related
CFAR Coverage (Cancel for any reason)

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Priceline Travel Insurance Costs

CoverageOneTrip Cancellation Plus PlanOneTrip Basic Plan
Trip CancellationTrip cost up to $5,000Trip cost up to $10,000
Cancel for Any ReasonNot availableNot available
Trip InterruptionTrip cost up to $5,000Trip cost up to $10,000
Interrupt for Any ReasonNot availableNot available
Accident and Sickness Medical ExpensesNot available$10,000
Emergency Evacuation, Medically Necessary Repatriation, and Repatriation of RemainsNot available$50,000
Non-Medical Emergency EvacuationNot availableNot available
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)Not availableNot available
Air Flight Only AD&DNot availableNot available
Baggage and Personal EffectsNot available$500
Baggage DelayNot available$200
Change Fee CoverageNot availableNot available
Travel Delay$150$300 ($150 per day)
Missed ConnectionNot availableNot available
Itinerary ChangeNot availableNot available
Reimbursement of Miles or Rewards PointsNot availableNot available
Rental Car DamageOptional add-onOptional add-on

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Generally, travelers can expect the price of trip insurance to range between 4 and 8 percent of the total cost of travel. Most plans calculate the overall amount based on factors which include the policyholder’s age, the length and destination of the trip, method of travel, and the total cost of the trip.

For a provider like Priceline, however, the price calculation appears to be a little simpler. Quotes are given immediately during the booking process based on the travel options the customer selects on the Priceline website.

It is easy to accept the option Priceline picks for you at checkout, and for many travelers who don’t need much protection, this convenience may make going with the insurance offered by Priceline their best choice.

However, keep in mind that Priceline’s plans are not at all comprehensive. Depending on your needs and concerns, you may be able to get better coverage at a lower cost from a separate provider, or by purchasing from Allianz directly.

In particular, those who want better medical coverage, evacuation coverage, or adventure travelers whose activities may not be covered by these plans should make sure to look at other policies to make sure their needs will be met.

Priceline Travel Insurance Customer Reviews and Reputation

Since Priceline’s travel insurance plans are sold and administered by Allianz, it is helpful to check the reviews of both companies to get a complete picture of what to expect when purchasing travel insurance through Priceline.com.

Priceline has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited by the organization since 1998, despite its over 2,500 customer complaints.

It only receives a one-star rating from reviewers, but most of the claims have to do with booking issues and not travel insurance problems. Trustpilot gives Priceline four out of five stars, with 73% of customers rating it excellent.

Allianz also has an A+ rating with the BBB, with accreditation since 1991. With 382 complaints on the BBB website, it fares a little better than Priceline when it comes to customer reviews.

As is the case for many insurance companies, many complaints come from customers who did not fully understand their policy’s coverage exclusions and restrictions. Allianz earns five out of five stars from Trustpilot with 84% of reviews rating its service as excellent.

Priceline Travel Insurance Customer Service Benefits

When it comes to travel insurance customer benefits, most consumers want to know how easy it will be to file a claim. As discussed elsewhere, Priceline’s travel insurance plans are sold and administered by Allianz, and therefore claims must be submitted through them.

Fortunately, Allianz provides several different acceptable ways to file a claim, including through a dedicated Priceline web portal, by phone, mail, or email.

Purchasing Priceline travel insurance customers gives access to Allianz’s 24/7 customer service hotline staffed with multilingual specialists, a standard industry practice. The hotline can assist travelers with everything from reporting lost baggage to getting emergency medical treatment.

It can even provide relevant travel information, help replace lost passports, offer interpreter services, refer customers to local legal help, or guarantee payment to gain admission into a hospital.

If you need help while traveling, these hotline services can be a great perk of a Priceline travel insurance plan. Keep in mind, however, that assistance services are not insurance benefits, and some services may require a separate charge.

Financial Strength

An interesting, if often overlooked, a consideration when choosing a travel insurance provider is the financial stability of the insurer. If you are putting your trust in a company, you need to make sure it can honor the policies that it writes.

One of the best ways to evaluate the company’s financial stability is by accessing credit reports from independent rating agencies such as Moody’s, A.M. Best, and Standard and Poor’s.

In the case of Priceline travel insurance, the consumer needs to evaluate the underwriter of Allianz’s travel insurance products.

Allianz Global Assistance products are underwritten by three different companies: Jefferson Insurance Company, BCS Insurance Company, and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company or its affiliates. The underwriter varies depending on the insured’s state of residence and the plan type.

Jefferson Insurance Company and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company both boast an A+ rating from A.M. Best, while BCS Insurance Company holds an excellent A- financial strength rating with the same company.

Furthermore, Allianz has a track record of strong and stable performances, supported by a diversified earnings profile. Fortunately for policyholders, these are signs that indicate good financial stability, making it likely that any Priceline travel insurance policy will be honored in the future.

Priceline Phone Number and Contact Information

Home page URL: https://www.priceline.com/

Provider Phone: (800) 774-2354

Headquarters address: 800 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT 06854-1631

Year Founded: 1997

 

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: