Travel insurance influences booking choices for 70% of insured US travellers

Travel insurance is playing a growing role in where US consumers choose to book their trips, with new Allianz Partners research suggesting that access to cover can influence both purchasing decisions and customer loyalty.

Seven in 10 respondents said the availability of travel insurance significantly influenced their choice of booking channel or travel supplier, while 78% said they were more likely to purchase cover now than for trips in previous years.

Higher travel costs were the most commonly cited reason, identified by 45% of respondents, followed by increased disruption from delays and cancellations at 44%. A further 34% pointed to wider global uncertainty, while 33% attributed their increased likelihood of purchasing cover to a previous positive experience with travel insurance.

The findings also suggest that offering insurance at the point of sale could influence customer retention for travel companies.

Some 90% of respondents said they would book again with the travel supplier that offered insurance for their trip, while 82% said they preferred booking with suppliers offering built-in travel protection.

“For travel suppliers, the survey found that consumers prefer to book their trips with suppliers that offer travel protection, making the case that travel insurance can increase repeat business and customer loyalty,” said Daniel Durazo, Director of External Communications at Allianz Partners USA.

Claims experience linked to supplier trust

The relationship between insurance and loyalty extended beyond the initial purchase.

Of the 45% of respondents who had made a claim or contacted customer assistance, 89% rated their experience positively. Some 85% said accessing help or filing a claim was easy, the same proportion considered the outcome fair, and 84% believed the process was handled quickly enough.

Importantly for travel insurance distributors, 83% said their claims or assistance experience increased their trust in the travel supplier from which they had bought their trip. Another 80% said it increased their trust in the company that sold the insurance.

The results highlight the potential importance of the post-sale insurance experience for airlines, tour operators, online travel agencies, and other travel companies distributing cover alongside their core products.

Overall, 88% of respondents said travel insurance gave them peace of mind, while 76% considered it good value for money. Some 85% felt confident they understood what they were purchasing.

Allianz Partners surveyed 1,000 US consumers who had travelled and previously purchased travel insurance. The online research was conducted between 26 and 31 August 2026.

As travel insurance becomes more closely integrated into the booking journey, HelloSafe recently opened its Atlas travel insurance marketplace to travel agencies, tour operators, and booking platforms.