John Hancock Travel Insurance has a variety of offerings to protect your travel plans.
Updated:
Mar 27, 2024
Written by
Nicole Leigh West
Nicole Leigh West
Travel insurance plans are designed to help you recoup financial losses because of trip cancellations and travel delays. When you buy travel insurance for medical coverage, you’ll know that you can get part or all of your money back if any unforeseen health issues or injuries cause you to cancel your plans.
We at the MarketWatch Guides Team have analyzed travel insurance products and companies to help you choose the best coverage for you. John Hancock Insurance Agency, Inc. is our pick for travel delay coverage. Find out why below.
Our Take on John Hancock Travel Insurance
John Hancock is a well-established financial services company. It has more than 160 years of experience. It’s a subsidiary of Manulife, and its underwriter is Starr Indemnity & Liability. Three travel insurance plans — Gold, Silver and Bronze — offer various travel insurance coverages to suit personal circumstances and budgets.
In terms of traveler ages, older customers or those with pre-existing conditions appreciate the good emergency medical evacuation coverage. Travel delay and trip interruption coverage also rank as standouts compared with other insurance companies.
Overall, John Hancock travel insurance policies earned 4.5 out of 5 stars based on our review standards.
Pros and Cons of John Hancock Travel Policies
Compare John Hancock to the Competition
Use the table below to compare John Hancock to other top-rated travel insurance companies
What Does John Hancock Travel Insurance Cover?
John Hancock has basic travel and international medical insurance through its Bronze Plan, which features benefits that compare favorably to other insurers. The Bronze Plan is marketed as a cost-effective option for international and domestic travelers, with coverage provided for trip costs before and during vacations.
The travel insurance coverage limits offered by the Bronze Plan are:
- 100% of trip cancellation costs
- 125% of trip interruption costs
- $500 (or $150 per day) for trip delay costs such as meals and accommodation
- $200 for missed flight connection costs, including nonrefundable trip payments
- $200 airline ticket change fee
- $750 baggage and personal effects reimbursement
- $250 baggage delay reimbursement for delays of more than 12 hours
- $50,000 emergency accident and sickness medical expenses with $0 deductible
- $250,000 emergency medical evacuation and medically necessary repatriation
- $250,000 repatriation of remains
- Pre-existing medical condition exclusions and waiver subject to conditions
- Terror attack coverage
- Single-occupancy supplement
John Hancock travel insurance offers better coverage with its Silver Plan and Gold Plan.
- Silver Plan: Trip interruption costs for covered reasons rise to 150% of prepaid costs under this plan. Other benefits include $100,000 for emergency medical expenses and $500 for baggage delays.
- Gold Plan: If you’re looking for a higher level of medical coverage, this premium plan provides $1,000,000 for medical evacuation and $250,000 for emergency medical expenses.
Optional Riders
Add-ons, known as riders, are extra insurance protection for your policy. John Hancock sells this optional trip insurance that’s available with all its plans. Among the added protections are:
- Trip cancellation for any reason: When a cancellation comes no less than two days prior to the departure date, CFAR reimburses up to 75% of nonrefundable trip costs. However, it’s not available to residents of New York state.
- Rental car collision: This reimburses policyholders for the cost of repairs caused by damage to a rental car within the limits of covered reasons. Excess/secondary benefits are $50,000.
- Accidental death and dismemberment (air only): $300,000 or $500,000 coverage limits are available.
Policies Offered
To assist you in comparing travel insurance policies offered by John Hancock, the chart below displays the coverage limits and plan details.
| Policy Tier | CFAR | Trip Delay | Trip Interruption and Cancellation | Baggage | Medical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze Plan | Optional upgrade | $500 ($150 per day limit) | 100% trip cancellation and 125% trip interruption | Baggage loss/damage $750 and baggage delay $250 | Emergency medical $10,000 and emergency medical transportation $50,000 |
| Silver Plan | Optional upgrade | $750 ($150 per day limit) | 100% trip cancellation and 150% trip interruption | Baggage loss/damage $1,000 and baggage delay $500 | Emergency medical $100,000 and emergency medical transportation $500,000 |
| Gold Plan | Optional upgrade | $1,000 ($200 per day limit) | 100% trip cancellation and 150% trip interruption | Baggage loss/damage $2,500 and baggage delay $5000 | Emergency medical $250,000 and emergency medical transportation $1,000,000 |
How Much Does John Hancock Travel Insurance Cost?
The cost of travel insurance depends on a range of factors. These include the destination you’re traveling to, your age, the length of your trip and the insurer. John Hancock’s plans compare well against policies from other insurance providers. To help you determine the costs, we gathered sample prices from John Hancock’s website.
Use the chart below to compare John Hancock's average cost to competitors:
Read More: Travel Medical Insurance For Travelers Visiting The United States
Does John Hancock Offer 24/7 Travel Assistance?
John Hancock offers 24/7 emergency travel assistance with every plan, including coordinating medical evacuation services. Assistance services provide concierge benefits, such as restaurant recommendations and translation services.
John Hancock Customer Reviews
John Hancock travel insurance is rated 4.2 out of 5 stars from more than 1,200 reviews on Squaremouth, a travel insurance comparison provider. Satisfied customers report that the claims process is simple and issues are quickly resolved. Among negative reviews, customers mention some difficulty using the website to file claims.
Below are some examples of positive and negative company reviews on Squaremouth.
“We had to cancel our trip because of an injury that required surgery and rehab. We were able to take care of our refund request all online… We submitted it on Saturday, [and it] was approved after a few days. Received a check a week after that. It was a surprisingly easy process. We will use John Hancock as a travel insurance provider in the future.” — Arthur via Squaremouth
“I filed a claim for a trip delay and received full reimbursement for my claim. The process was completed within two weeks. I give it 4 stars because I found the website to be clumsy and difficult to navigate. I ended up calling in my claim and mailing in my documentation. Otherwise, I was pleasantly surprised after reading reviews about various insurance companies… The people I spoke to on the phone at John Hancock were very professional, sympathetic and polite. Actually bought another policy from them for an upcoming trip.” — Marilyn via Squaremouth
“My claim was finalized to my satisfaction, but there are opportunities for process improvements. The portal does not always work, and it does not accurately reflect what is in the works, and there was no communication that my claim was finalized-I just got my check. I had a great claims specialist who was good with return calls/emails, but once my claim was escalated there was no communication.” — DP via Squaremouth
How to File a Claim with John Hancock
Travelers can file a claim with John Hancock through the company’s website or through its customer service department, depending on your policy. Have supporting documentation for your claim. For example, if you need to cancel your trip because of an illness or injury, you’ll need a statement from a physician and proof of payment for the claimed expenses. Contact the Claims Customer Service Department at 866-888-7803.
Is John Hancock A Good Choice For Travel Insurance?
John Hancock sells three travel insurance policies to appeal to a variety of travelers. The basic Bronze Plan is cost-effective, the Silver Plan is more comprehensive for a small increase in cost, and the Gold Plan is a good choice if you require excellent medical coverage. Each policy provides good coverage amounts, however, the trip delay coverage is especially competitive when compared with policies from other travel insurance providers.
All three plans feature a high level of emergency assistance, with 24/7 access to travel support teams. A choice of optional upgrades offers expanded coverage depending on your requirements, including coverage for any reason (CFAR) and reimbursements for repairs because of a rental car collision. No matter which policy you choose, John Hancock travel insurance is good for travelers looking for peace of mind, especially regarding coverage for trip delays and medical expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions About John Hancock Travel Insurance
John Hancock travel insurance reimburses you for prepaid or nonrefundable trip costs in the event of cancellations or travel delays covered by your policy. Medical insurance is a safeguard for unforeseen medical emergencies that may result in significant costs.
Choose one of three plans (Bronze, Silver or Gold) to fit your budget and coverage needs. Policy upgrades are available and 24/7 support team assistance is offered with all plans.
File a claim with John Hancock travel insurance via the website or call the Claims Customer Service Department at 866-888-7803. A support team can help with questions about submitting claim forms.
You’ll need reports, receipts or other documents to support your claim. Reference guides are provided to help you gather the correct information. Choose from a variety of forms to suit different claims, including trip cancellation, baggage claims, medical expenses and rental car claims.
The cost of John Hancock travel insurance depends primarily on your age, the trip cost, destination and duration, and policy upgrades you might require. Based on sample quotes we obtained for a $1,500 trip to Mexico for eight days, it would cost $63 to insure a 40-year-old person under the basic Bronze plan.
Request a free quote from the John Hancock website to check rates and compare policies to find the right one for you. You’ll be required to provide your age, state of residence, destination, trip cost and travel dates.
The best insurance plan for international travel is one that offers you suitable reimbursement for prepaid costs if you need to cancel due to emergencies. Emergency medical coverage provides peace of mind in the event of illness or injury overseas, to avoid potentially expensive upfront medical costs.
All three plans from John Hancock offer competitive coverage for trip cancellation, travel delays and medical expenses. A 24/7 emergency customer support service is available to help with arrangements while you’re overseas.
Methodology: Our System for Rating Travel Insurance Companies
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