AXA Travel Insurance Review 2026: Explorer plans, real prices, exclusions and cheaper alternatives
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A. FruchardCo-Founder & Travel Insurance ExpertLast updated: September 14, 2026⭐ HelloSafe score: 4 / 5. Solid evacuation ceilings (up to $1,000,000), a 4.7/5 Trustpilot score from 1,573 reviews, but a medical cap that stops at $250,000 and a claims service that its own customers rate below its sales service.
🧳 Who it is for: US residents who want a big-brand single-trip plan with trip cancellation built in, especially for cruises, family trips and higher-cost vacations.
🏥 Key limits (Explorer Standard / Select / Elite): emergency medical $100,000 / $250,000 / $250,000, medical evacuation $150,000 / $500,000 / $1,000,000, trip cancellation 100% of the insured trip cost, baggage $1,000 / $1,500 / $5,000.
💵 Price: AXA advertises Explorer plans from $18, $26 and $52. A documented quote for a 45-year-old on a $2,000 week in Mexico came to $73.07, $98 and $136 (NerdWallet, February 2026).
❌ Less suited to travelers who want more than $250,000 of medical coverage, to anyone who books the plan more than 14 days after the first trip deposit and has a medical history, and to non-US residents, who cannot buy it at all.
Does AXA Assistance USA deserve its reputation with US travelers in 2026?
Our AXA travel insurance review gives AXA Assistance USA 4 out of 5: the Explorer plans deliver reliable evacuation coverage and a trip-cancellation benefit worth 100% of the insured trip cost, but the medical ceiling never exceeds $250,000 and the pre-existing-condition waiver has to be earned within 14 days of your first deposit.
AXA Assistance USA sells five single-trip plans and three annual plans to US residents only, through axatravelinsurance.com. The single-trip Explorer plans are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, a Crum & Forster company that AM Best rates A+ (Superior) with a stable outlook (rating effective August 27, 2026). Financial strength is not the question here; what the plans actually pay for is.
On paper the top plan, Explorer Elite, is generous where US travelers get hurt: $1,000,000 of medical evacuation, $100,000 of search and rescue, $5,000 of baggage and a Cancel For Any Reason option that refunds 75% of a trip up to $50,000. On the medical line, though, Elite and Select both stop at $250,000, and the entry plan Explorer Standard pays its $100,000 only after your own health insurance has paid first.
The other side of the ledger is service. Trustpilot shows a 4.7/5 TrustScore from 1,573 reviews, 80% of them five stars, and the Better Business Bureau grades the company A+. Yet the one-star reviews and the complaints logged by comparison sites tell the same story: buying is easy, claims can take months, and a cancellation reason that is not on the covered list is refused, physician's note or not.
Our verdict on AXA travel insurance
You get a brand-name plan that will fly you home from almost anywhere and refund a canceled cruise or tour, which is exactly what most US travelers buy travel insurance for. Where AXA falls short is the medical ceiling and the small print: $250,000 is thin for a serious hospital stay in Japan or Western Europe, and the 14-day waiver window catches travelers who insure late. For a traveler whose first worry is the hospital bill rather than the trip cost, a plan with $500,000 of medical coverage and evacuation at actual cost is a better fit, and it is often cheaper.
The strengths and concerns below are the ones that decided the score. They come from AXA's own plan pages, from its FAQ and from 1,573 Trustpilot reviews read in September 2026.
- Evacuation ceilings that match the trip: $500,000 on Explorer Select and $1,000,000 on Explorer Elite, plus $100,000 of security evacuation on both
- Trip cancellation at 100% of the insured trip cost: with interruption at 150%, on every single-trip plan except Explorer OnTrip
- Cancel For Any Reason available: 75% of the non-refundable trip cost, up to $50,000, on Select and Elite when added at purchase
- A financially strong underwriter: United States Fire Insurance Company holds an A+ (Superior) AM Best rating
- Genuinely good buying experience: 4.7/5 on Trustpilot over 1,573 reviews, praised for a fast quote and clear plan comparison
- Medical capped at $250,000: even on Explorer Elite, where competitors sold to US residents reach $500,000
- Secondary medical on Explorer Standard: AXA pays only after any other insurance you hold has been used up
- The 14-day waiver window: pre-existing conditions are covered only if you buy within 14 days of the first trip deposit and are fit to travel
- Slow, contested claims: reviewers report waits of several months and denials on reasons outside the covered list
- US residents only: Canadian, British and other English-speaking readers cannot buy these plans
Every year, our experts audit each plan against its binding policy wording: coverage, limits and exclusions, cross-checked with real customer feedback and live market prices. The analysis is fully independent, with zero paid placements and no insurer able to pay to influence a rating. We compare travel insurance across every country and currency, using the plans, prices and coverage actually offered in your country, not a single guide translated.
Learn moreExplorer Standard, Select or Elite: which AXA plan should you choose?
Explorer Select is the plan most US travelers should look at first: for a documented $24.93 more than Explorer Standard on a week in Mexico, it moves the medical limit from $100,000 to $250,000, the evacuation limit from $150,000 to $500,000, adds a $1,500 missed-connection benefit and unlocks the Cancel For Any Reason option.
AXA rebuilt its US range around the Explorer name. Reviews published before 2026 still describe Silver, Gold and Platinum plans; their medical limits ($25,000, $100,000 and $250,000) correspond to today's North America Explorer, Explorer Standard and Explorer Select or Elite. If you hold an older policy, the plan document you were sent at purchase is the one that applies.
- Explorer Standard (from $18, up to 30 days): the budget international plan. $100,000 secondary medical, $150,000 evacuation, $1,000 baggage, trip delay $200 a day after 12 hours up to $1,000. No missed-connection benefit, no CFAR.
- Explorer Select (from $26, up to 120 days): the cruise and family plan. $250,000 medical with $2,000 dental, $500,000 evacuation, $100,000 security evacuation, $1,500 missed connection, $1,500 baggage, optional CFAR and rental-car damage up to $35,000.
- Explorer Elite (from $52, up to 120 days): the high-end and senior plan. Same $250,000 medical (dental $2,500), $1,000,000 evacuation, $100,000 search and rescue, $5,000 baggage with $1,000 baggage delay after 12 hours, $1,000 sports equipment rental, $125 lost skier days, optional CFAR and rental-car damage up to $50,000.
- North America Explorer (from $11, up to 30 days): domestic trips, road trips and travel with pets, $25,000 medical.
- Explorer OnTrip (from $38, up to 180 days): the only plan you can buy after departure, medical only ($100,000), with no trip cancellation.
• Plans may only be purchased by US residents aged 18 or over; coverage itself runs from age 0 to 99 (AXA plan pages).
• The plan must be bought at least one day before departure, except Explorer OnTrip.
• Trip delay benefits start only after a 12-hour delay on every single-trip plan, twice the 6-hour trigger AXA uses on its annual plans.
Which limits do Explorer Standard, Select and Elite actually pay?
AXA's Explorer plans cover emergency medical bills up to $100,000 or $250,000, medical evacuation up to $1,000,000, trip cancellation at 100% of the insured trip cost and baggage up to $5,000, with every figure below taken from AXA's own plan comparison and plan pages as of September 2026.
Read the medical line with the destination in mind. A hospital week in Mexico or Costa Rica rarely exceeds $250,000, but the same stay in Japan or Switzerland can, and AXA offers no plan above that figure. The last column shows the highest limit a US resident can actually buy through HelloSafe for the same guarantee, so you can see where the gap is real.
Guarantee | Explorer Standard | Explorer Select | Explorer Elite | Best available through HelloSafe (US resident) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Emergency medical accident and sickness abroad | $100,000 secondary; dental $750 | $250,000 dental $2,000 | $250,000 dental $2,500 | $500,000 Atlas International, Epic Plan |
Medical evacuation and repatriation of remains | $150,000 | $500,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 or actual cost Atlas International; Go Explore |
Direct billing hospital paid without you advancing the money | Included | Included | Included | Included on every listed plan |
Trip cancellation covered reasons only | 100% of insured trip cost | 100% of insured trip cost | 100% of insured trip cost | Trip price up to $40,000 Smart Travel Protection |
Trip interruption | 150% of insured trip cost | 150% of insured trip cost | 150% of insured trip cost | $10,000 Smart Travel Protection, Atlas International |
Cancel For Any Reason optional add-on | Not available | 75% of trip cost, max $50,000 | 75% of trip cost, max $50,000 | Add-on Smart Travel Protection |
Trip delay | $1,000 $200/day after 12 hours | $1,500 $250/day after 12 hours | $2,000 $300/day after 12 hours | $5,000 Epic Plan |
Missed connection | Not covered | $1,500 | $1,500 | Not itemized on the US plans |
Baggage and personal effects | $1,000 | $1,500 | $5,000 | $3,000 Epic Plan |
Baggage delay | $300 after 24 hours | $300 after 12 hours | $1,000 after 12 hours | Not itemized on the US plans |
Search and rescue | Not covered | Not covered | $100,000 | ≈$6,800 Go Explore + |
Personal liability abroad | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered | $100,000 to ≈$1,700,000 Atlas International Premium; Go Explore |
Pre-existing condition waiver | Buy within 14 days of deposit | Buy within 14 days of deposit | Buy within 14 days of deposit | Plan-specific: check the wording |
Maximum trip length | 30 days | 120 days | 120 days | Up to 365 days Atlas International, Go Explore |
• Insure the whole trip cost. Trip cancellation and interruption pay a percentage of the insured trip cost. A $4,000 trip declared at $2,000 is refunded at $2,000, and time-sensitive benefits such as CFAR and the pre-existing waiver require the full cost to be insured at purchase.
• Buy inside the 14-day window. The waiver of the pre-existing-condition exclusion applies only when the plan is bought within 14 days of the initial trip payment and you are medically fit to travel on the effective date (AXA plan pages).
What other travel insurance does AXA sell to US residents?
Beyond the three international Explorer plans, AXA sells a domestic plan, a buy-after-departure medical plan and three annual multi-trip plans whose medical limits ($15,000 to $50,000) are far below the single-trip range; the annual plans' limits are also shared across every trip of the year.
AXA plan | Who it is for | Emergency medical | Points to note | Price shown by AXA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
North America Explorer | Domestic trips, road trips, travel with pets | $25,000 | 100% trip cancellation, $1,000 baggage, no missed connection, 30 days per trip | From $11 |
Explorer OnTrip | Travelers already abroad, last-minute departures | $100,000 | No trip cancellation; $2,500 interruption; $250,000 evacuation; $150,000 security evacuation; up to 180 days | From $38 |
Explorer Annual | Short getaways, several trips a year | $15,000 | $100,000 evacuation; $2,500 cancellation per year; $500 baggage per year; 30 days per trip; adventure and winter sports exclusions waived | From $293 a year |
Explorer Annual Plus | Active travelers, international trips | $25,000 | $150,000 evacuation; $5,000 cancellation per year; $1,000 baggage per year; 45 days per trip | From $470 a year |
Explorer Annual Max | Frequent, higher-value travel | $50,000 | $250,000 evacuation; $10,000 cancellation per year; $2,500 baggage per year; 45 days per trip | From $740 a year |
Two products often confused with these plans are sold by other AXA entities: the Schengen certificate reviewed on our AXA Schengen travel insurance page comes from AXA's European assistance arm and is bought by visa applicants, not by US vacationers, and the Voyageo plans quoted on French comparison sites are French contracts for French residents. If you are a frequent flyer, our comparison of annual travel insurance for US travelers shows what an annual plan with real medical limits looks like.
Which claims will AXA refuse under its Explorer plans?
AXA's Explorer plans exclude pre-existing conditions unless the 14-day waiver applies, dangerous activities such as skydiving, losses caused by alcohol or drugs, medical tourism, storms and outbreaks that were already forecast when you bought, and unattended baggage, according to AXA's own exclusions guide.
The list below is the one AXA publishes; the binding wording is the plan document issued for your state. Two of these exclusions produce most of the refused claims reported by reviewers: the pre-existing condition lookback and the closed list of cancellation reasons.
- Pre-existing conditions: any condition diagnosed, treated or medicated in the 60 days before the effective date is excluded unless the waiver was earned within 14 days of the deposit
- Cancellation for reasons not on the list: only the named reasons pay (physician-certified illness or injury, death, severe weather, involuntary job loss, jury duty, terrorism, supplier default, home damage, accident en route); a change of mind needs the CFAR add-on
- Dangerous activities: AXA names skydiving and jet skiing; scuba is covered only for recreational dives to 60 feet with a certification, 30 feet without
- Alcohol, drugs and self-harm: any loss arising from intoxication, drug use or an intentional self-inflicted injury
- Foreseeable events: a named storm, a disease outbreak or a travel warning already published when you bought the plan
- Medical tourism and routine care: elective or cosmetic surgery abroad, routine dental cleaning and check-ups
- Unattended baggage: items left unattended, items above the per-benefit limit, and losses during illegal or high-risk activities
AXA defines a pre-existing condition by what happened in the 60 days before your coverage starts: a diagnosis, a treatment, a change of medication or medical advice. A stable, long-standing condition with no change in that window is generally not caught, but a dosage adjustment is. If you or a family member had any of these, buy within 14 days of the first deposit; after that window the exclusion stands on every Explorer plan.
How much does AXA travel insurance cost, and is it cheaper than HelloSafe?
AXA advertises Explorer Standard from $18, Explorer Select from $26 and Explorer Elite from $52, but a documented quote for a 45-year-old insuring a $2,000 week in Mexico came to $73.07, $98 and $136 (NerdWallet, February 2026); for the same traveler, a HelloSafe plan with more than double the medical coverage costs $100.25 in September 2026.
AXA does not publish the assumptions behind its "from" prices, so the useful benchmarks are documented quotes. NerdWallet priced a 45-year-old Illinois resident on a $2,000 Mexico trip from October 1 to 7, 2026: Explorer Standard $73.07, Explorer Select $98, Explorer Elite $136, with the Cancel For Any Reason add-on at $42 to $52 and rental-car damage at $63 to $65. Upgraded Points priced the same age on a $2,500 trip to Japan in July 2026: $87.09, $115.88 and $154.73.
Two things drive the AXA price: the insured trip cost, because the cancellation benefit is a percentage of it, and the traveler's age. A 30-year-old on a $2,500 week paid $74, $96 and $114 under the former Silver, Gold and Platinum names (MoneyGeek, March 2026). Insuring $0 of trip cost, which AXA allows for travelers who only want medical benefits, brings the premium down toward the advertised minimums.
To compare like with like, we quoted the NerdWallet trip on HelloSafe on September 8, 2026: a US resident aged 45, Mexico, October 1 to 7, 2026, in US dollars. The Go Explore plans return a computed price for the whole trip but cannot insure the trip cost, so the table compares the medical side of each AXA plan with a HelloSafe plan that beats it on medical coverage; the US-market plans that do insure cancellation are quoted at their per-day starting rate.
Comparison | AXA Explorer plan NerdWallet quote, Feb 2026, $2,000 trip insured | Via HelloSafe real quote, Sept 2026, no trip cost insured | Medical coverage AXA vs HelloSafe | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Entry plan | Explorer Standard $73.07 | Go Explore $77.52 | $100,000 (secondary) vs ≈$280,000 | AXA $4.45 cheaper, HelloSafe 2.8 times the medical |
Mid plan | Explorer Select $98.00 | Go Explore + $100.25 | $250,000 vs ≈$570,000 | Within $2.25, HelloSafe double the medical |
Top plan | Explorer Elite $136.00 | Go Explore + $100.25 | $250,000 vs ≈$570,000 | HelloSafe $35.75 cheaper (26%) |
With trip cancellation | Explorer Select + CFAR $140 to $150 | Smart Travel Protection + CFAR from $5.16 a day, starting rate | $250,000 vs $250,000 | Final price depends on trip cost and age: quote both |
Same trip on both sides: US resident aged 45, Mexico, October 1 to 7, 2026. AXA figures from NerdWallet (February 2026, $2,000 trip insured); HelloSafe figures captured September 8, 2026 with no trip cost insured. Values copied from the table above.
The honest reading: at the entry level AXA is a few dollars cheaper, and you pay for that with a $100,000 secondary medical benefit. From the mid tier upward, HelloSafe's US-resident plans give two to three times the medical ceiling for the same money or less, and the top-tier gap is $35.75 on a single week. What AXA sells that the cheaper plans do not is the bundle: cancellation, interruption, delay and baggage in one policy, which is why the CFAR row asks you to quote both.
How does AXA reimburse its policyholders?
AXA Assistance USA reimburses claims after the fact: you call the 24/7 assistance line for any emergency, pay or arrange direct billing through the assistance team, then file the claim with the plan administrator online, by email or by phone, with the receipts and the reports the claim form asks for.
- Call assistance first at 855-327-1442 (or 312-935-1719 collect from abroad) for any hospitalization, evacuation or trip interruption; the assistance team coordinates care and can arrange payment guarantees with the hospital.
- Keep every document: medical reports, itemized invoices, proof of payment, airline delay letters, and a police or carrier report within the deadline for stolen or lost baggage.
- File the claim for a single-trip Explorer plan with the administrator, Co-ordinated Benefit Plans, through cbpconnect.com, by email to axaclaims@cbpinsure.com or by phone at 888-957-5015; annual plans go to Sedgwick at starrtravelclaims.com or 877-219-2862.
- Answer document requests quickly: reviewers who waited months usually describe a file that was reopened for more evidence, in particular medical records when a pre-existing condition is suspected.
- Track the claim with the claims-status line, 888-957-5015, Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 4pm Central time.
Case 1, a covered cancellation. A traveler insured a $3,000 cruise on Explorer Select within 14 days of the deposit, then broke a leg three weeks before sailing. With a physician's certificate and the cruise line's cancellation invoice, AXA owes 100% of the insured non-refundable cost, $3,000; the same claim on a $2,000 declared trip cost would have paid $2,000.
Case 2, a refused one. A traveler canceled because a work commitment came up. Involuntary job loss is a covered reason; a new work commitment is not, and without the Cancel For Any Reason add-on, bought at purchase, the claim is declined. This scenario is the most common denial in the reviews we read, and it is a wording issue, not a service one.
Is AXA's 4.7 Trustpilot score earned at purchase or at claim time?
AXA Assistance USA scores 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 1,573 reviews, with 80% five-star and 4% one-star ratings (read September 8, 2026), and holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, which lists the company as founded in 1983 and not BBB-accredited.
The split inside those numbers matters more than the average. Five-star reviews are almost all written at purchase: a quote in minutes, a clear side-by-side of the plans, an agent who explains the difference between Select and Elite without upselling. The one-star reviews are written after a claim, and the three complaints that recur across Trustpilot and the comparison sites are the same: waits described as three to six months, repeated requests for the same paperwork, and refusals on reasons that were never covered.
- Fast, transparent purchase: the online quote and plan comparison are the most praised part of the experience
- Reasonable price for the bundle: reviewers who compared quotes found AXA competitive for cancellation-plus-medical coverage
- Helpful pre-trip agents: phone agents answer coverage questions and explain plan differences
- Slow claims: several reviewers report timelines of several months for small claims
- Hard to reach a human: long hold times and unanswered emails once a claim is open
- Denials on cancellation reasons: a physician's note does not help when the reason itself is not on the covered list
- Medical-record requests: claims linked to a health condition can trigger requests for years of records
Which AXA number do you call from abroad, and which one for a claim?
AXA's 24/7 emergency assistance line is 855-327-1442 from the US and 312-935-1719 collect from abroad; policy questions go to 855-327-1441 (option 1) Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm Central, and claims status to 888-957-5015.
Channel | Details | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
24/7 emergency assistance | 855-327-1442 (US) or 312-935-1719 (collect, worldwide) | Any hospitalization, evacuation, death, or trip interruption abroad; call before incurring major costs |
Customer service | 855-327-1441, option 1; AXATravelinsurance@axa-assistance.us; Monday to Saturday 8am to 7pm CST | Policy questions, changes to dates or travelers, cancellation of a policy |
Sales | 855-327-1441, option 2; Monday to Saturday 8am to 7pm CST | Quotes and plan choice before purchase |
Claims, single-trip Explorer plans | cbpconnect.com; axaclaims@cbpinsure.com; 888-957-5015 toll-free; 727-450-8794 collect | Filing and following a claim on Standard, Select, Elite, North America Explorer and OnTrip |
Claims, annual plans | starrtravelclaims.com; starrtravelclaims@sedgwick.com; 877-219-2862 | Filing a claim on Explorer Annual, Annual Plus or Annual Max |
Claims status | 888-957-5015; Monday to Friday 7:30am to 4pm CST | Checking an open file |
Mail | AXA Assistance USA, 2 Prudential Plaza, 180 North Stetson Avenue, Ste 3650, Chicago, IL 60601 | Written notices, including the 10-day cancellation notice |
How does AXA's 10-day free look work if you change your mind?
AXA's FAQ states that you may cancel the policy within 10 days of purchase by written notice delivered or mailed to the insurer, for a full refund provided the trip has not started and no claim has been filed; after that free-look period the premium is generally not refundable.
- Check the free-look period printed on your plan document: 10 days is AXA's stated standard, and some states impose a longer one.
- Send the notice in writing, by email to AXATravelinsurance@axa-assistance.us or by mail to the Chicago address, quoting the policy number; the cancellation takes effect on receipt.
- Confirm the refund on the card used at purchase; call 855-327-1441, option 1, if nothing appears within a billing cycle.
- After the free-look period, ask about a date change instead of a cancellation: AXA can move the coverage dates when the trip is postponed, subject to the plan's rules.
The 10-day free look gives you time to compare, but the time-sensitive benefits (pre-existing waiver, CFAR) are tied to the date of your first trip deposit, not to the policy purchase date. Canceling an AXA plan and buying another one after the 14-day window has closed can cost you both benefits on the new plan too.
Which plans beat AXA on medical cover for the same price?
For a US resident whose priority is the hospital bill, the best alternatives to AXA are the plans sold on HelloSafe with $500,000 of medical coverage and evacuation up to $1,000,000 or at actual cost: on the same week in Mexico they cost $77.52 to $100.25 as computed quotes, or start from $5.16 a day for the US-market plans that also insure the trip cost.
Two named competitors are worth reading before you decide. Our Allianz travel insurance review covers the other big-brand bundle that US travelers compare with AXA, and our Heymondo travel insurance review looks at a specialist that builds its plans around direct billing. For US-market plans with the same cancellation logic as AXA, see our reviews of AIG travel insurance in the USA and Generali travel insurance in the USA.
If your trip is medical-first, the guide to travel medical insurance for US travelers explains why a $250,000 ceiling is thin for Japan or Western Europe. If your worry is the deposit, our page on cancel for any reason travel insurance compares the plans that refund 75% of a canceled trip, AXA included.
Why this shortlist for an AXA reader
You get emergency hospital care paid directly by the insurer, an evacuation home at actual cost or up to $1,000,000, and a medical ceiling of $500,000 or more, for the price of a mid-tier Explorer plan. Go Explore + leads because it computes a real price for your exact dates ($100.25 for the Mexico week we quoted) with ≈$570,000 of medical coverage and ≈$1,700,000 of liability, which no AXA plan carries. Atlas International follows for travelers who want a US-dollar contract with $500,000 of medical and $1,000,000 of evacuation from $5.90 a day. Smart Travel Protection is the pick if you must insure the trip cost: cancellation up to $40,000, a Cancel For Any Reason add-on and $250,000 of medical, priced from $5.16 a day.
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Real HelloSafe quotes for a US resident aged 45, 7 days in Mexico (October 1 to 7, 2026), no trip cost insured, in US dollars. Go Explore and Go Explore + show the computed price for the whole trip; Atlas International, Smart Travel Protection and the World Nomads plans show their per-day starting rate. The two Go Explore plans are euro contracts, converted at the live exchange rate our comparison uses. HelloSafe data, captured September 8, 2026. AXA's Explorer plans are not sold on HelloSafe: the AXA prices quoted on this page come from AXA's own site and from documented third-party quotes.
HelloSafe is available as an app inside ChatGPT. Install it from ChatGPT’s Apps tab, then type @HelloSafe followed by your destination and dates to compare travel insurance.
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AXA travel insurance review: the questions US travelers ask most
Yes for financial strength and purchase experience: the Explorer plans are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best, and AXA Assistance USA scores 4.7/5 on Trustpilot from 1,573 reviews. Our reservations are the $250,000 medical cap, the secondary medical benefit on Explorer Standard and the claims delays reported by policyholders, which is why our score stops at 4 out of 5.
AXA Assistance USA is the seller and assistance provider. The single-trip Explorer plans are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company (Crum & Forster group) and the annual Explorer plans by Starr Indemnity & Liability Company; claims are administered by Co-ordinated Benefit Plans for single-trip plans and by Sedgwick for annual plans. The former Silver, Gold and Platinum plans were underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
AXA replaced them with the Explorer range. By medical limit, the old Silver ($25,000), Gold ($100,000) and Platinum ($250,000) correspond to today’s North America Explorer, Explorer Standard and Explorer Select or Elite. A policy bought under the old names keeps the plan document it was issued with.
AXA’s quote engine accepts promo codes, but no permanent public discount is advertised on axatravelinsurance.com. A code rarely changes the decision: the real saving is in the plan tier and the insured trip cost, and a HelloSafe plan with twice the medical coverage costs about the same as Explorer Select before any discount.
No. AXA states that its travel protection plans can only be purchased by people residing in the United States. Canadian and UK residents are sold different AXA products by other AXA entities, with different limits and prices; use a comparison run for your own country of residence.
Coverage is available for travelers aged 0 to 99, and the buyer must be 18 or older. Premiums rise with age, and AXA positions Explorer Elite as the plan for senior travelers because of its $1,000,000 evacuation limit; the medical limit itself stays at $250,000 whatever your age.
Only through the waiver: buy Explorer Standard, Select, Elite or North America Explorer within 14 days of your initial trip payment and be medically fit to travel on the effective date. Otherwise any condition diagnosed, treated or medicated in the 60 days before coverage starts is excluded.
Cruises are the stated use case for Explorer Select, with $1,500 of missed-connection coverage and $500,000 of evacuation. Adventure sports are limited: AXA names skydiving and jet skiing as excluded, covers recreational scuba only to 60 feet with a certification (30 feet without), and waives its adventure and winter sports exclusions on the annual plans, not on the single-trip ones.
AXA does not publish a processing time. Reviewers describe simple, complete files paid within weeks and contested ones, in particular those touching a pre-existing condition, stretching to several months. Calling assistance before you incur costs and sending every document with the first submission is what shortens the wait.
On the same week in Mexico for a 45-year-old, Go Explore + costs $100.25 on HelloSafe against $136 for Explorer Elite, with ≈$570,000 of medical coverage instead of $250,000; against Explorer Select ($98) the price is within $2.25 for double the medical. AXA stays a few dollars cheaper only at the entry level, where its medical benefit is $100,000 and secondary. Quotes captured September 2026; AXA’s include $2,000 of trip cancellation, ours do not.
Last updated: September 2026. Prices and limits checked on AXA's site and on hellosafe.com on September 8, 2026.
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