Trawick International

What Trawick International is

Trawick International describes itself in different ways depending which of its own pages you read. A 2023 press release calls it "an industry-leading international insurance company," yet the same release explains that the three products it had just launched are "underwritten by one of Starr's U.S. subsidiaries, Starr Indemnity & Liability Company." The company designs and sells travel insurance plans under its own name while at least some of them are carried by a separate underwriter. Its about page gives 1998 as the founding year, stating "Trawick International® was founded in 1998" and that "2023 marked the 25th anniversary of Trawick International." A reviews page places it "based in Fairhope, Alabama, USA," matching the Starr press release's own dateline.

Trawick names its leadership on its own press pages: Daryl Trawick appears as "President & CEO, Trawick International" in the Starr announcement, while a separate release introduces Claire Hargreaves as "Managing Director, EMEAA," and another names Alison Traboulsi, who "joins Trawick International to lead marketing across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia."

A lineup of named plans, not one policy

Rather than one product, Trawick sells a menu that changes by traveler type. Safe Travels Outbound, for US citizens and residents heading abroad, lists a "Minimum premium of $20 per person" and gives a choice of "Accident and Sickness Medical Policy Maximum Choices $50,000, $100,000, $250,000, $500,000," alongside "Emergency Medical Evacuation $500,000 and Repatriation of Remains $50,000" and "Non-Medical Emergency Evacuation $25,000." Trip delay pays "For delays of 12 hours or more $2000/$150 per day." The same page sets the plan "For ages 14 days to 99 years," with "Coverage for a maximum of 180 days total," and says "Rates are based on age, policy maximum and deductible choices." It also lists destinations the plan does not serve, among them Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria and Russia "and other OFAC or restricted countries."

For non-US citizens traveling to the US, the plans work differently: they are "not available to US Citizens, or anyone who has been in the USA for more than 365 days," and one named option, Safe Travels Complete, "Requires a 90-day minimum purchase." Pre-existing condition treatment varies by plan: "The Safe Travels Comprehensive plan pays a higher benefit for Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition for ages up to 69," while, on the site's own account, "Some plans' pre-existing condition benefits end upon attaining age 70 and other plans cover them up to age 89."

Safe Travels USA is the one inbound plan with its own full benefits page. It calls itself "an EXCESS temporary accident and sickness medical coverage" that "covers Non-US citizens while traveling to the USA (50 States)." Buyers pick from "Accident and Sickness Medical Policy Maximum Choices $50,000, $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, $1,000,000" and "Deductible Choices $0, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000," with coinsurance of "90% of the first $2,500 then 100% up to the Policy Maximum." Coverage "can initially be purchased for a minimum of five (5) days up to a maximum of 364 days," and "There is a $10 minimum premium." The pre-existing benefit is narrow: "Unexpected Recurrence of a Pre-Existing Condition $1,000 per Period of Insurance," and "Upon attaining age 70 Unexpected Recurrence of Pre-existing Condition benefits are not available." The page names its carrier, describing the assistance services as "not a part of the insurance underwritten by Zurich Insurance Europe AG Belgian branch."

Trip cancellation runs through a different family of plans, named "Pathway Premium - Pathway Plus - Pathway Essential - Pathway Domestic - Safe Travels AnyReason." Three more, Safe Travels Armor, Safe Travels Defend and Safe Travels Protect, launched together in 2023 with Starr as underwriter; Armor is described as the richest of the three and "offers optional Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and Pre-Existing coverage on plans purchased within 14 days of the initial trip deposit." A separate annual family covers repeat travelers: Safe Travels Annual Select provides "Annual Trip Cancellation coverage up to $2,500 (Not available in NY)" at a "Flat rate of $199 per person ($260 for NY residents)," running for "364 more days" and covering "up to 45 days for each trip during the coverage period that is more than 100 miles from home."

Student coverage is its own category. Collegiate Care Exclusive, for international students in the US on an F, M or Q visa, runs on the "United Healthcare PPO Network" with an "Unlimited medical maximum and lifetime medical maximum," deductibles of "$50, $100, or $1,000" in network and "$100, $200 or $1,500" out of network, a "$0 Student Health Center Deductible," and set copayments of "$25" for a physician visit, "$50" for urgent care, "$250" for an emergency room visit and "$100" for hospital admission, with the plan covering "90% of the Preferred Allowance." Eligibility for that class of student runs from "minimum age 12 and maximum age 40." A separate, narrower plan for students already holding a major medical policy offers only "Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation $50,000 or $100,000" plus "Repatriation of Remains or Burial $50,000" and "Emergency Travel Expenses (Reunion) Up to $2,500 when in hospital for more than 3 days."

Who can buy and how the purchase works

Safe Travels Outbound "must be purchased prior to departure from the US," and is priced by age. On the inbound plans, the site says "Upon purchase, you will receive a visa letter showing it is covered," and they exclude anyone who has already spent more than 365 days in the US. Trip cancellation plans are more flexible on timing: "you can purchase a trip cancellation plan until the day before you leave," though Cancel for Any Reason add-ons "must purchase the optional benefit within the specified time frame from the initial deposit/final payment date," and the site notes plainly, "we do not have any plans which offer CFAR in NY or for travel to ISRAEL." The standalone student evacuation plan is stricter still: a buyer "must have a major medical academic health plan in order to purchase this plan," it is sold to "international students, scholars, OPT, faculty members, and their families," rates are annual, and "This plan is not refundable."

Who carries the risk

The underwriter is named plan by plan. Starr Indemnity & Liability Company carries the three trip cancellation plans launched in 2023, Safe Travels Armor, Defend and Protect, and Zurich Insurance Europe AG Belgian branch carries Safe Travels USA. The general trip cancellation page says "Complete underwriter details are available in the brochure," and the student evacuation plan's terms refer only to "The Insurer," so for those plans the carrier sits in the plan documents.

Who it suits and who it does not

Trawick fits a buyer who wants one company for several kinds of trip: US residents going abroad for up to 180 days, non-US visitors coming to the US, international students on an F, M or Q visa, frequent travelers wanting an annual cancellation plan, and anyone buying trip cancellation alone. Its reviews page reports "4.9" from "1,085 Reviews" with "82% Recommended." It is a weaker fit for a buyer who wants the underwriter on the plan page before paying, since only some plan pages name one and the rest point to the brochure. For a visitor to the US with a known condition, Safe Travels USA pays only the page's $1,000 recurrence benefit, and none from age 70.