Freely

What Freely is

Freely is a travel insurance brand built around a phone app, and it is not the insurer. Its U.S. homepage says "Freely is travel insurance in an app," sold as "our single bundled plan and optional coverage add-ons." The footer of the U.S. policy page sets out who stands behind it: "In the United States, Freely travel insurance is offered and provided by Cover-More, Inc., doing business in California as Cover-More Insurance Services, CA Agency License #0N13321. Travel insurance is underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC # 16535)." Claims are administered by the Zurich Travel Claims Administrator in Youngwood, Pennsylvania, and "Travel assistance services are provided by World Travel Protection Canada Inc. under the registered tradename Zurich Travel Assist." The footer adds that these companies "are separate legal entities and part of Zurich Insurance Group."

The U.S. about page says Freely was "Founded in 2020 and backed by global insurance group Zurich" and describes it as "a travel insurance and safety app." It also says Freely donates "1% of our revenue to environmental and social initiatives." The same brand runs a separate Australian site; this listing covers the U.S. product only.

What the Essentials Plan covers

The U.S. product is one plan, the Essentials Plan, which "offers coverage for medical and dental emergencies, evacuation and repatriation, and accidental death and disability" as well as belongings and trip interruption. The benefit table on the emergency medical and evacuation pages lists:

• Emergency medical expense $500,000
• Emergency dental expense $1,000
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation $1,000,000
• Accidental death and dismemberment $50,000
• Accidental death $10,000 and disability $10,000
• Trip interruption "Up to 150% of trip cost"
• Lost, stolen or damaged baggage $2,500, and baggage delay $250

A footnote cuts the medical figure for one state: "Emergency medical expense is $50,000 for NH residents." The accidental death benefit applies to an injury "caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means (as opposed to being caused by sickness or disease)," with death occurring "within one year of the accident." The disability benefit covers "permanent total loss of sight in one or both eyes or the loss of use of one or more limbs," on the same one-year condition. The plan pages add "24/7 Emergency assistance" with "Telehealth & medical specialists," and the homepage says telehealth with e-script capability works "in over 70 countries" but "Only applies to overseas plans."

Trip Extras and Daily Boosts

Cancellation is not in the base plan. The site says "Need cancellation coverage, trip inconvenience and snow activity coverage? Simply add it to your Essentials Plan when getting a quote." The add-ons, called Trip Extras, are priced in two ways: Snow Activities, Rental Car Damage and Adventure Activities are "Pay per day," and Pre-Trip Cancellation, Baggage Upgrade and Trip Inconvenience are "Pay per trip." Daily Boosts can be switched on in the app for single days, which the homepage pitches for a "Last-minute ski trip" or a rental car "for the day."

The Snow Activities Boost covers snow skiing and snowboarding, including "some emergency medical coverage and Search & Rescue to to $10,000," and the FAQ says "coverage amounts vary depending where you live." The FAQ is plain about three snow exclusions: Freely "does not offer coverage for heli-skiing or heli-boarding," nor "for off-piste skiing or snowboarding, or any form of extreme skiing," nor "for snowmobiling."

On COVID-19, the plan page says the Essentials Plan "can provide coverage if you, a traveling companion, family member or business partner tests positive," including emergency medical costs and medical evacuation, and that evacuation "must be medically necessary, physician certified and arranged by Zurich Travel Assist." Cancellation for a positive test needs the Pre-Trip Cancellation Extra. The FAQ says that after a positive test abroad, travel assistance "can help you make arrangements to extend your hotel stay, locate alternate accommodations, make changes to your travel bookings," and Zurich Travel Assist can refer a traveler with symptoms "to a local clinic, physician, or medical facility." A traveler in quarantine can stay in "a hospital, hotel, or vacation rental" and remain eligible for the travel delay benefit "in our trip inconvenience boost up to the daily limit."

Who can buy and how it works

The FAQ says "Residents of the United States who are traveling internationally or within the United States can purchase our Essentials Plan," and that apart from Australia, "we don't have products available for non-U.S. residents." A website quote follows a short sequence: select "Get a quote," enter the travel information, choose the Trip Extras and Daily Boosts for the trip, then select "Buy Now." Quotes and purchases work on the website, but "to access and amend your policy (such as adding a Daily Boost), you will need to download the Freely app," which runs on "iOS (5S and up) & Android (7.0 and up)." The site pitches this as a way to "Update your policy on your trip," adding cover mid-journey rather than buying everything up front. Payment in the app is by "Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and AMEX."

Policy wording is published state by state. The Travel Insurance Policy page asks the reader to select a state and shows a current policy "For policies issued between: July, 1 2024 – Present" and a previous one for "May 1, 2023 – June, 30 2024." Claims start on the site's Claims page. Emergency help runs 24/7 through Zurich Travel Assist, which the FAQ says monitors "COVID-19 outbreaks, natural disasters, civil unrest," and the app sends "geo-specific safety alerts in near real time" to users who allow location access. Chat support for the U.S. runs "Monday-Friday 8:00am–7:00pm CT."

The homepage shows a "4.7 App Store Rating" and "9.5/10 Forbes Advisor." Age limits, deductibles and pre-existing condition rules sit in the state policy documents rather than on the plan pages.

Who it suits

Freely fits a U.S. resident who wants one bundled plan with published limits, $500,000 of emergency medical cover (outside New Hampshire) and $1,000,000 of evacuation and repatriation, and who is happy to run the policy from a phone. The per-day pricing on snow, adventure and rental car cover suits a trip where those activities fill only a few days. It fits less well for anyone who is not a U.S. resident, anyone planning heli-skiing, off-piste skiing or snowmobiling, or a New Hampshire resident for whom the medical limit is $50,000. Travelers who want trip cancellation must add the Pre-Trip Cancellation Extra.