Note. John Hancock does not currently market a stand-alone annual multi-trip policy. Most travellers piece together coverage by buying successive single-trip plans or pairing John Hancock with a true annual product from another provider. Business Insider flags the gap plainly (Business Insider). This guide therefore explains John Hancock’s offers, shows how frequent flyers can use them year-round, and compares them with brands that do sell annual cover.
Why the brand still matters
John Hancock has insured Americans since 1862. Underwriter Starr Indemnity backs the travel line, and the agency enjoys an A + AM Best rating (Squaremouth Travel Insurance). Trust scores are solid, and phone support is 24/7 (1-833-322-1237 for emergencies, 1-866-511-9104 for general queries) (johnhancocktravel.com). For many nomads traveling often, brand stability trumps price.
Current plan menu
The firm sells three comprehensive, single-trip tiers:
| Plan | Emergency medical | Evacuation | Trip cancellation | Trip interruption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $50 000 | $250 000 | 100 % of trip cost | 125 % |
| Silver | $100 000 | $500 000 | 100 % | 150 % |
| Gold | $250 000 | $1 million | 100 % | 150 % |
Data: Squaremouth, 2025 averages (Squaremouth Travel Insurance).
All three include primary medical cover, COVID-19 benefits, baggage and delay allowances, and optional Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) reimbursement up to 75 %. Deductibles are zero.
Can these plans mimic an annual multi-trip insurance / travel insurance annual policy?
Yes—if your itinerary fits:
- Each covered trip must end within 364 days of its start.
- You must buy a fresh certificate for every departure.
- Prepayment windows: purchase up to 18 months before travel or until the day before departure (but CFAR and pre-existing-condition waivers require purchase within 14 days of your first trip payment).
Frequent flyers who schedule breaks between journeys can stack policies back-to-back. That strategy costs more than a true annual multi-trip insurance contract but lets you customise limits per journey and sidestep cap restrictions some annual products impose.
Who benefits?
Remote workers and other nomads traveling for months at a time gain the most. They bounce between hubs like Lisbon, Tbilisi, and Chiang Mai, often returning home only for quick visits. A John Hancock Gold certificate on each leg keeps their nomad healthcare budget clear. It pays large emergency bills, leaves everyday doctor visits to a cheap local clinic, and spares them the admin headache that comes with stitching together tiny regional plans.
Consultants who rack up short-haul flights also do well. They might speak in Prague on Monday, train a team in Milan on Thursday, then fly back to New York on Sunday. Single-trip policies stacked back-to-back let them choose higher cancellation cover for pricey European hotel blocks and lower limits for a quiet conference in Cleveland. Add CFAR and they can pivot fast when a client cancels.
Families on gap years fit too. Parents can list teens and pre-teens on one form—something a strict annual multi trip insurance contract may refuse once a child ages out of “dependent” status. If the route changes, mum can upgrade her medical ceiling for a trekking month in Peru while dad and the kids stay on Bronze for a classroom stay in Spain.
Part-time digital nomads, the “slow-mads,” benefit in a different way. They travel three months, pause for six back home, then launch again. A fresh John Hancock certificate each departure is cheaper than a dormant travel insurance annual policy that runs all year yet sits idle half the time.
Long-stay students bound for language programs in Seoul or Barcelona like the flexibility, too. Tuition dates are set, but side trips pop up last minute. Buying a new policy per excursion avoids gaps that often appear when a rigid campus plan excludes weekend travel outside the host country.
Finally, older expats who split the year between Florida and Portugal can pair John Hancock’s high emergency limits with an expat health insurance plan for routine care. That blend beats relying on Medicare abroad and sidesteps the age-band price jumps that plague some subscription products like those covered in a recent SafetyWing insurance review or World Nomads review.
In short, anyone whose travel calendar is fluid—yet who still wants strong evacuation and cancellation protection—will find the single-trip, roll-as-you-go method a clean fit.
Gap analysis: health care abroad
Nomad health and expat health insurance concerns go beyond emergency bills. John Hancock covers acute illness and evacuation but not routine dental, wellness, or chronic-care visits. Long-term expats may add:
- SafetyWing Nomad Health for outpatient check-ups and preventive screens (premium from $56.28 per four weeks for ages 10-39) (Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site).
- Staysure expat insurance for UK citizens abroad needing ongoing prescriptions. Note Staysure’s expat product sits outside standard discounts (Staysure).
Blending policies ensures day-to-day nomad healthcare while John Hancock handles catastrophic events.
How John Hancock stacks up against rivals
| Feature | John Hancock Gold | World Nomads (Explorer) | SafetyWing Nomad Insurance | Staysure Annual Multi-Trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual multi-trip available | No | No | Yes (rolling) | Yes |
| Emergency medical | $250 k | $100 k | $250 k | Unlimited for emergencies (age-based) |
| Evacuation | $1 M | $500 k | $100 k | Up to £10 M |
| Adventure sports option | Limited | Included | Add-on | Optional |
| CFAR | Up to 75 % | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| Typical price (age 35, $5 k trip, 4-week period) | $548.50 avg (Squaremouth Travel Insurance) | ~$145 | $56.28 (medical-only) (Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site) | ~£88 |
- World Nomads review highlights flexibility and built-in adventure sports but lower medical limits. Emergency claims line: 1-844-207-1930 (World Nomads).
- SafetyWing insurance review praises budget prices and subscription billing, yet evacuation limits are low.
- Expat Staysure (sometimes searched as expat staysure or staysure expat insurance) scores 82 % with Which? for covering complex medical histories (Which?).
Coverage fine print that frequent nomads traveling should note
- Trip-length limit. Each John Hancock policy caps at 365 days. Continuous travel beyond that window requires a new contract.
- Geography. Coverage is worldwide except sanctioned countries; Albania to Zimbabwe lists are selectable during quote (johnhancocktravel.com).
- Home-country return. No automatic medical visits back home (SafetyWing offers 30 days).
- High-risk sports. Scuba deeper than 50 ft, technical climbs, or paragliding need the Gold Adventure Pack add-on.
- Pre-existing conditions. Waiver only applies if you buy within 14 days of first deposit and you’re medically able to travel on purchase date.
Claims and support
John Hancock’s customer‐care chain is built on two layers. Routine questions (policy tweaks, coverage checks) go to the Boston service desk at 1-866-511-9104 on weekdays, 07:00-22:00 ET, or by email to service@johnhancocktravel.com (johnhancocktravel.com). True emergencies route through Starr/Seven Corners: 1-833-322-1237 inside the U.S. or +1-819-566-0612 abroad, both 24 ⁄ 7 (johnhancocktravel.com).
Behind the scenes, Seven Corners is also the claims administrator. A single switchboard (1-800-335-0611, option 3) handles benefit questions; the same menu offers 24-hour medical assistance on option 1, plus live text and WhatsApp for lower-urgency chats (Seven Corners). You download a fill-able PDF from the portal, attach receipts, medical reports and any airline or tour invoices that prove loss, then email or upload the bundle. John Hancock’s filing guide lists exactly which papers match each loss category— for example, a trip-cancellation claim needs the supplier’s penalty notice, e-tickets and a physician’s statement if illness was involved . They recommend sending everything within 20 days of the event; once the dossier is “complete,” adjusters quote ≈15 business days to a decision, though complex medical files can stretch longer. Always keep scans in cloud storage because nomads traveling between weak-Wi-Fi hostels risk document loss.
If treatment is urgent, call the assistance line from the hospital within 24 hours. The nurse team can issue a guarantee-of-payment letter so you avoid a large cash deposit—critical for nomad healthcare when local clinics demand money up front. Failing to phone first will not void cover, but it may turn a direct-bill case into a slower reimbursement one.
World Nomads funnels U.S. claims through Trip Mate. The dedicated number is 1-844-207-1930 and the email is wnclaims@tripmate.com; mailed paperwork goes to the Hazelwood, MO P.O. Box on their template (World Nomads). Emergency doctors, meanwhile, call +1 954-334-8143 collect or 877-289-0968 toll-free; staff answer 24 / 7 and can liaise with airlines for medical repatriation (World Nomads). Many world nomads review posts praise the human tone but note that Trip Mate still asks for original receipts, so factor courier time into your itinerary.
SafetyWing is almost paper-free. Log in, click “File a claim,” upload a PDF bill, and sign electronically; the form keeps your passport data pre-filled. Claims must be lodged within 60 days of the policy end date, and support promises a ten-day decision window; simple outpatient bills often pay in 48 hours according to recent user stories (Anxious Travel Guy). If you hit a snag, email claims@safetywing.com or open the 24-hour web-chat, which remote teams answer in roughly a minute—handy when you are juggling nomad health errands from a coworking desk.
For long-term expat staysure customers, Staysure’s expat insurance helpline runs out of the UK but accepts collect calls worldwide: +44 1403 288 414 (UK), +1 844 780 0639 (USA/Canada). The same number coordinates emergency repatriation, an important add-on for annual multi trip insurance holders who need swift evacuation after an accident (Staysure).
Practical tips to speed any claim
- Phone first, claim later. Pre-authorisation almost always unlocks cash-free treatment and shortens paperwork.
- Bundle evidence. A single PDF containing invoices, boarding passes and photos of lost gear cuts review back-and-forth.
- Label your files. Use plain names like
BKK_Hospital_Bill.pdf; busy adjusters appreciate clarity. - Track deadlines. John Hancock asks for forms within 20 days; SafetyWing within 60 days; Trip Mate within 90 days for U.S. residents. Set calendar alerts so your travel insurance annual policy doesn’t lapse before you finish admin.
- Escalate politely. Every provider offers an appeals address—John Hancock via Seven Corners’ customer-service option 3, SafetyWing via feedback@safetywing.com, World Nomads through Trip Mate’s supervisor desk. Include policy number, claim ID, and a concise timeline.
Handled well, the back-office side of travel cover feels as smooth as your itinerary. A spare five minutes online, solid documentation, and the right phone number in your contacts ensure that nomads travel on, confident their annual multi trip insurance will keep cash flow healthy and stress low.
Pricing tactics for an “annual” mindset
- Bundle low-risk hops. If you will spend three weeks in Spain, two in Morocco, and one in Georgia, list Morocco as the “primary” destination and keep one certificate.
- Book early. Buying within 14 days of first spend locks in CFAR and the pre-existing waiver—vital for older nomads health concerns.
- Self-insure under $2 000. For micro-weekend trips where flights and lodging are refundable, skip cancellation cover and shift budget to emergency medical only.
Pros and cons at a glance
Pros
- High medical and evacuation ceilings match what seasoned nomads travel with.
- Primary medical coverage means no out-of-pocket wait for reimbursement.
- CFAR up to 75 % on every tier.
- Strong financial backing and clear, US-based claim phone lines.
Cons
- No dedicated annual multi-trip insurance; must juggle multiple certificates.
- Adventure-sport riders cost extra.
- No routine nomad healthcare; pair with expat health insurance for check-ups.
Practical tips before you buy
- Calculate the total of your flights plus pre-paid accommodations for six months. Compare that with the per-trip premium. Sometimes a travel insurance annual policy from SafetyWing or Staysure is cheaper even with lower limits.
- Read exclusions—mental-health events are covered only if hospitalised.
- Keep scanned receipts in cloud storage; bandwidth is unreliable in some nomads travel hubs.
- For very long stays, combine John Hancock for cancellation and evacuation with an expat health insurance plan for everyday doctor visits.
John Hancock’s robust single-trip packages can, with planning, stand in for an annual policy. They shine for travellers who need high emergency limits, want CFAR, and value a US-centric customer-service model. Yet perpetual nomads traveling year-round should weigh the cost-and-admin load against purpose-built annual multi-trip or nomad health options from SafetyWing, World Nomads, or Staysure. Blend wisely, keep sentences short, and travel smart.
