Travel insurance has a reputation problem: you buy it, hope you never use it, and if you do, brace for weeks of forms and a cheque that shows up whenever it feels like it. Faye, a US travel insurance company that launched coverage stateside in 2022, is trying to fix that with a single plan, a genuinely useful app and claims that pay out in days rather than months.
Unlike veterans such as World Nomads or Allianz, Faye keeps things simple: one comprehensive plan for both domestic and international trips, available in all 50 states. The base policy covers trip cancellation up to 100% of non-refundable costs, trip interruption up to 150%, emergency medical coverage of $250,000 for travel outside the US, medical evacuation up to $500,000, trip delay up to $2,100 ($300 per day after a six-hour delay), and up to $2,000 for lost, stolen or damaged belongings.
Add-ons are where it gets interesting. Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) cover reimburses up to 75% of non-refundable costs if you buy it within 14 days of your first trip deposit and cancel at least 48 hours before departure — notably offered as an affordable bolt-on rather than baked into an expensive premium plan. There are also options for rental car damage, adventure sports, vacation rental damage, and pet care, which covers vet bills up to $2,000 and kennel costs if you're delayed coming home.
The app is the real differentiator. You can buy a policy in about a minute, track flights in real time, and locate nearby doctors, pharmacies, ERs or ATMs. A telemedicine feature connects you to roughly 20,000 doctors speaking 21 languages — handy when you're unwell somewhere you don't speak the language. If your flight is delayed three hours or more, Faye throws in free airport lounge access. The app also stores digital copies of your passport, visa and vaccination records, surfaces destination basics like visa rules and plug types, and sells eSIMs so you're online the moment you land.
Claims work the way you'd hope: snap photos of receipts in the app, and for qualifying delays like baggage or flight disruption, reimbursement can land almost instantly in Faye Wallet — a digital card that works with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Larger claims are aimed to be resolved within 48 hours of receiving documents. Funds can also be transferred to your bank or posted as a cheque if you prefer.
Pricing depends on trip cost, destination, length, age and state, but international coverage starts at around $5.16 a day — competitive against the bigger names. Support is human and 24/7, every day of the year.
Who's this for? Frequent travellers who book everything on their phones and want insurance that behaves like a modern app rather than a filing cabinet. It's especially worth a look for pet owners, adventure travellers needing the sports add-on, and anyone who values fast payouts over legacy brand names. As ever, compare quotes against your actual trip before buying — but Faye has raised the bar for what a policy should feel like.
Review via Nomadic Matt