Starr Travel Insurance

What Starr Travel Insurance is

Starr Travel Insurance is the direct travel insurance site of the Starr insurance group, and the policies are written by a Starr carrier. The footer on every plan page states that insurance benefits are underwritten by Starr Indemnity & Liability Company, with an administrative office at 399 Park Avenue, New York, and gives that company an A.M. Best financial strength rating of A (Excellent). The site itself is operated by Starr Underwriting Agency, Inc., which the footer names in its disclaimers. The group's legal notice on starr.com explains that "Starr is a marketing name and is not directly involved in the business of insurance," and that the insurers under it include Starr Indemnity & Liability Company.

The About Us page traces the group to 1919, when "a bold young entrepreneur named Cornelius Vander Starr went to Shanghai, China and built a thriving insurance agency." The travel site sells four kinds of plan: single-trip (Classic Plus and Premier), annual multi-trip (Basic, Premier and Medical Only), an Air Ticket Protector and a Car Rental Plan. Assistance comes through Assist Card, which the About Us page describes as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Starr companies, providing "comprehensive concierge and assistance services with every insurance policy."

The single-trip plans

The Single Trip Plans page prints a full benefit table for its two plans, and the medical lines are where they differ most. Classic Plus, "Our most popular package, suitable for almost every trip," carries Emergency Accident and Emergency Sickness Medical Expense of $50,000. Premier, with "Enhanced benefits and the most comprehensive coverage," carries $250,000. Both list "Deductible: $0" and a $750 limit for dental expense. Both carry Emergency Medical Evacuation and Medically Necessary Repatriation of $500,000 and Repatriation of Remains of $250,000.

Both plans reimburse trip cancellation at 100% of trip cost and trip interruption at 150%, pay a $200 airline ticket change fee, and pay $750 for a missed connection after a delay of at least 3 hours. Trip delay pays $250 a day after 6 hours, up to $750 on Classic Plus and $1,500 on Premier. Baggage and personal effects is $1,000 on Classic Plus and $2,500 on Premier, with a $250 per-item limit on each. Baggage delay is $100 a day up to $300 after 12 hours on Classic Plus, and $200 a day up to $500 after 6 hours on Premier. Accidental death and dismemberment is $10,000 on Classic Plus and $50,000 on Premier.

Trip Cancellation for Any Reason is an optional upgrade at 75% of trip cost. The FAQ says it is "optional (except in NY) and can be purchased for an additional premium within 14 days of the initial deposit." The table marks the Pre-Existing Condition Waiver as "May be included; restrictions apply," and the FAQ gives the rule: "The Pre-Existing Conditions waiver is included if the policy is purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit."

The annual plans

The Annual Plans page covers three plans, each with a maximum trip length of 90 days. Basic Annual Multi-Trip lists medical expense of $50,000, evacuation and repatriation of $50,000, repatriation of remains of $50,000 and baggage of $2,000. Premier Annual Multi-Trip lists medical of $100,000, evacuation of $250,000, remains of $150,000 and baggage of $2,500. Medical Only Annual Multi-Trip, "Focused on medical coverage, suitable for every trip," lists medical of $50,000, evacuation of $100,000 and remains of $100,000. All three medical lines show "Deductible: $0." Baggage delay is $100 a day after 12 hours, capped at $500, $750 and $300 across the three. The page notes "Medical Only Annual plan not available in VA."

The FAQ says Starr does not discount for frequent travelers because "insurance regulations prevent us from offering discounts," and points them to the annual plans instead.

Air Ticket and Car Rental plans

The Air Ticket Plan is "ideal for those who specifically want to cover the cost of their airline ticket." It pays trip cancellation "Up to 100% of Airline Ticket Cost," trip interruption at 125% of trip cost, a $200 change fee, $500 for a missed connection, trip delay of $100 a day up to $500, and baggage of $500 with a $250 per-item limit. Its air-only accidental death benefit is $25,000. The page lists no medical expense benefit for this plan.

The Car Rental Plan provides "primary coverage if your rental vehicle is damaged," with Renter's Collision of $35,000. The page carries the note "Not available in NY, TX, WA, and KS."

Who can buy it and how it works

The About Us page says "Coverage is available for residents of all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia," and the footer adds that plans are only available to US residents. The quote form asks for resident state, destination, travel dates, trip deposit date, each traveler's age and trip cost. The FAQ lists what is needed to buy: "Names and dates of birth for all travelers," travel dates and non-refundable trip costs. It says "You must purchase a policy at least one day prior to departure," that "we do not allow $0 Trip Costs," and that "the maximum trip length is 90 continuous days from Departure." Trip cost can be raised before departure, but "changes to the policy cannot be made once you're on your trip." Travel to Cuba is covered "Only if you are traveling under one of the 12 guidelines set by the U.S. Government."

The footer says the premium includes the cost of travel assistance services, and each plan page notes that these services "are not insurance benefits and are not provided by the Insurer." The FAQ says "Every Starr travel insurance plan includes 24-hour emergency assistance services for domestic and international travel," and the homepage describes the assistance network as serving "over 190 countries." Claims are filed or tracked at the site's claims page, and the FAQ says a denial can be appealed by following the directions in the denial letter. Customer service is on 866-477-6741, Monday to Friday, 7am to 10pm ET.

Who it suits

Starr Travel Insurance fits a US resident who wants to compare published medical, evacuation and baggage limits before quoting, and to buy from a site whose underwriter is named on every plan page. Premier single-trip carries the largest medical figure, $250,000, while evacuation is the same on both single-trip plans. The annual plans suit frequent travelers whose trips stay within 90 days. It does not suit anyone living outside the US, a trip longer than 90 days, or a buyer who wants medical cover on the Air Ticket Plan.