Generali Global Assistance Review

The owner of CSA Travel Protection and Trip Mate, Generali Global Assistance is one of the biggest names in the travel insurance world. Even if you don’t purchase your insurance directly from Generali, odds are certain assurance products — like language assistance, facility finding, or concierge services — are provided by this Italian insurance giant.

Should you purchase your travel insurance from Generali as well? In this review, we’ll dive into what plans Generali Global Assistance offers customers, and who would benefit most from their options.

What is Generali Global Assistance?

As an insurance company, Assicurazoni Generali traces their history back to Trieste, Italy. In 1831, Generali first opened for business as a property insurance company. Over the next 190 years, the company went through several transitions as Italy — and greater Europe — broke up and reformed several times. Today, the company is the largest insurer in Italy, and is the ninth largest insurance company worldwide by value of net premiums written. In Europe, Generali is only behind AXA and Allianz.

Although the company is well known for their variety of insurance products, their entry into the travel market came after the purchase of two well-known travel insurance companies: CSA Travel Protection and Europ Assistance. Pierre Desnos founded Europ Assistance in 1963, offering travelers translation and medical aid when traveling.

CSA Travel Insurance was formed in 1991 as one of the pioneers of the travel insurance industry. Their first product covered trip cancellation for tourists going abroad, allowing them to recover certain costs in the event a major life event forced them to stay home.

Generali purchased the assets of Europ Assistance in 2001, followed by CSA Travel Protection years later. By 2016, the Italian insurance giant began rebranding CSA and Europ Assistance USA as Generali Global Assistance, giving them a unified brand in the marketplace. Three years later, Generali would go on to acquire Trip Mate, further expanding their reach into the travel insurance market.

Generali Global Assistance Travel Insurance Options

Generali Global Assistance offers three levels of travel insurance policies for international travelers, ranging from Standard to Preferred. The best plan for your travels will depend on your destination, planned activities, and how much your trip costs.

Generali Standard Travel Insurance

Built for travelers on a budget, Generali’s Standard travel insurance plan covers all the basics. Trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage loss and medical emergency coverage. This plan is designed for those taking a smaller trip, such as a cruise or a resort vacation.

Generali Preferred Travel insurance

Improving off the Standard plan, Generali Preferred travel insurance offers additional benefits for those taking a longer or more expensive trip. In addition to higher benefit maximums, the plan offers coverage for lost or delayed sporting equipment, operator financial insolvency, as well as accidental death and dismemberment aboard a common carrier.

Generali Premium Travel Insurance

For travelers who are taking an expensive trip abroad with a cruise line or tour company, Generali’s Premium travel insurance plan has the highest benefit maximums and most add-on options, including coverage for pre-existing conditions. Alongside up to $1 million in emergency assistance and transportation, travelers can also buy coverage for cancellation for any reason.

What’s Covered Under a Typical Company Plan

All three Generali Global Assistance travel insurance policies offer a base package of benefits to help travelers navigate the most common frustrations they may face. They include trip cancellation, trip interruption, baggage delay, and emergency assistance and transportation.

• Trip cancellation: If an emergency at home prevents you from going on vacation — such as a death in the family, or accident on the way to the airport — trip cancellation benefits can help you recover some non-refundable costs.
• Travel delay: Irregular operations and bad weather can stop planes and trains from leaving the station. Should a covered situation stop you from traveling, travel delay benefits can reimburse you for certain inconveniences, including meals and spare phone charges.
• Baggage delay or loss: Although it's uncommon, any bags you check with your airline or cruise operator could get lost in transition. Should your luggage get delayed or even lost, travel insurance may help you recover the cost of your lost items.
• Emergency medical and dental: You can’t predict when an accident will send you to the hospital. Your health insurance at home won’t cover a hospital stay abroad, but a travel insurance policy could guarantee payment to the provider, and reimburse your costs for care.
• Emergency assistance and transportation: Hiring air ambulances to take incapacitated travelers home can cost $20,000 or more. If a doctor orders an air ambulance for emergency travel, Generali insurance policies can help you arrange and pay for evacuation.

Are There Additional Coverage Options?

Generali offers additional add-on coverage, but the options depend on the plan you ultimately choose. While the Standard and Preferred plans allow you to add rental car insurance coverage, the Premium plan also gives the flexibility of a cancel for any reason option.

• Rental car damage: An optional add-on for the Standard and Preferred plan, the rental car damage coverage provides a maximum benefit of $25,000 per person, per plan if your auto is damaged by collision, theft, vandalism, or natural disaster. Rental car damage is included in the Premium plan.
• Cancel for any reason: Only available with the Premium plan, cancel for any reason allows travelers to recover some of their non-refundable costs if they change their mind about their trip. This benefit allows travelers to recover 60 percent of covered costs.

How to Buy Generali Global Assistance Travel Insurance

Generali travel insurance is available through the major travel insurance marketplaces, including Squaremouth, InsureMyTrip.com, and TravelInsurance.com. Travelers can also purchase Generali Global Assistance plans directly from the company.

To get a quote, travelers can go to the Generali Global Assistance website. The process starts with basic information about their trip, including:

• Destination
• Travel dates
• Number of insured travelers (and their age)
• State of residence
• Total trip cost

From there, Generali will issue a quote for all three of their products. If you decide to purchase, you will need to submit some personally-identifiable information, including:

• Traveler names and dates of birth
• Primary traveler’s address, phone number, and e-mail address
• Beneficiary information (for accidental death and dismemberment coverage)
• Arranged travel with airlines, car rental companies, tour operators or cruise lines
• Credit card information

Once the purchase is complete, your travel insurance plan will be active on the date of your travel, and documents will be delivered electronically, or in the mail.

How Will I Get my Travel Insurance Documents from Generali?

While most travel insurance providers deliver documents electronically, Generali Global Assistance provides two different options for your convenience. If you choose to receive documents by e-mail, your policy paperwork will arrive shortly after your purchase.

If you would rather have physical documents to pack, you can opt to have your documents delivered via U.S. Mail. While this is a good option if you are months away from your trip, those who are closing in on their departure date may not get their papers in time. Before selecting delivery by mail, be sure you will have enough time to receive them.

Generali Global Assistance Online Security

Transactions on the Generali Global Assistance website are secured by a SHA-256 SSL security connection. The security certificate is provided by DigiCert, one of the largest digital security providers globally.

Generali Global Assistance Reviews and Ratings

Everywhere they are sold, Generali Global Assistance is consistently ranked high by their customers. Customers of Squaremouth give Generali travel insurance an overall rating of 4.1 stars out of five, while InsureMyTrip customers rate them 4.58 stars out of five.

From an independent perspective, the company is accredited with the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating with the consumer advocate. However, the BBB has also received over 500 complaints about the company, mostly about the claims process. At TrustPilot, Generali has a rating of 2.8 stars out of five, based on 11 reviews.

From a financial perspective, Generali maintains a solid profile with AM Best. The insurance giant holds an A (Excellent) financial strength rating, and an A+ (Excellent) long term issuer credit rating.

Pros and Cons of Generali Global Assistance

Pros:

• Simple to shop for insurance based on budget and benefits: three products ranging from basic to full-coverage
• High benefit limits for critical coverage (like trip interruption, emergency medical care, and medical evacuation), even on basic coverage
• Cancel for any reason buy-up option available on Premium travel insurance plan

Cons:

• Prices trend higher compared to other travel insurance products
• Delay benefits are limited based on the plan you select
• Only the Premium plan offers coverage for pre-existing conditions

Final Thoughts on Generali Global Assistance

Backed by one of the oldest and most respected insurance companies on the globe, Generali Global Assistance offers three of the best travel plans in the marketplace today. Although they don’t come cheap, their plans offer generous coverage levels for many of the situations that can go wrong. Those who are going on high-priced vacations with tour operators or cruise lines may want to look at Generali as a primary option.