Our team at The Broke Backpacker collectively buys a lot of travel insurance. Between us we’ve purchased over 30 policies in the last few years and filed 15 claims: rabies jabs in Bali, a stolen backpack in Bangkok, cancelled trips, delayed flights. So when a team member comes back genuinely enthusiastic about an insurer, we pay attention.
Samantha, one of our editors, used Faye’s Cancel For Any Reason add-on on a trip that didn’t end up happening. She got 75% of her non-refundable costs back, paid on time, no paperwork, no pushback. “The UX is amazing,” she told us. “By far the smoothest travel insurance experience I’ve had.”
That’s the thing about Faye. It’s not the cheapest travel insurance for US-based travelers, and it won’t work for you if you’re not American. But if you’re a US resident booking a trip with real non-refundable costs, Faye has built something genuinely different: a fully app-based experience where claims are processed in 48 hours and reimbursements land directly in a digital wallet on your phone. No forms, no hold music, no waiting weeks to find out if you’re covered.
Here’s exactly what you get, what it costs, and who it’s actually for.
Faye Travel Insurance At A Glance
Faye is tech-first travel insurance company available to US residents in all 50 states, though not currently available in US territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands. Their coverage looks after your health, your trip, your gear, and if you’re travelling with a pet, them too – all managed through an app on your phone.
If you ever need to make a claim, you simply log in to the app, click to chat, upload all the necessary info and the claim will be assessed within 48 hours, with reimbursements on approved claims paid immediately to Faye Wallet, the company’s secure digital payments card that works exactly like Google Pay and Apple Pay. This means you don’t have to pay out of pocket for what you need, when you need it most.
In addition, you can chat with Faye’s support team of travel experts 24/7, anywhere in the world.
Faye’s plans are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company and Great American Insurance Group, both rated A+ by AM Best as of 2025, which is the highest available financial strength rating for insurers in the US. The company was also named a TIME Best Invention of 2025, one of the few travel insurance providers to receive mainstream recognition of that kind.
In summary, we have tried and tested a lot of different insurance providers and we haven’t found one quite like this.
Do You Need Travel Insurance?
It is estimated that only around 25% of Americans purchase travel insurance before taking a vacation trip whereas globally, the figure is closer to 50%. So why exactly are Americans less likely to take out travel insurance?!! Well the reasons for this anomaly are not entirely clear, but it may be that a lot of Americans mistakenly believe that they are covered and think they do not need travel insurance. And whilst some American health insurers may cover overseas treatment, others will not.
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Furthermore, health insurance is only ever one single aspect of what travel insurance is about. In summary, it is possible that 75% of American travellers are NOT adequately insured against mishaps.
Whilst travel insurance is rarely ever mandatory for entering a country or joining a tour, there are many reasons why you should consider it. Ultimately it is a matter of personal choice but we at The Broke Backpacker NEVER take a trip without insurance – over a decade of travel, it has come to our rescue enough times for us to learn that value exceeds its cost.
Anyway, we have written a full article asking if you need insurance which you can read at your leisure if you are so inclined!
What Can Travel Insurance Cover?
In a nutshell, travel insurance is designed to indemnify you against financial loss caused by unexpected problems that occur in relation to a trip you have booked. Travel insurance can cover trip cancellations (ie, if you are forced to cancel your trip), lost luggage (more common than you might think), theft whilst travelling and of course the cost of medical treatment if you get dengue fever.
All travel insurance policies are different. Some cover specific aspects of a trip whereas others are more comprehensive. Coverage amounts different between policies as do coverage amounts (the amount you are insured for).
Look, we get you are not exactly intending to get mugged in Paris but it does happen. Likewise, whilst you are naively trusting of the airline to safely deliver your suitcase to the conveyor belt at Charles de Gaulle, it may well end up in Timbuktu instead. Therefore if we were you, we would look very closely at travel insurance – or instead you could just read on….
Why We Love Faye Travel Insurance
Before we tell you why we think Faye is awesome, we are going to tell you why everybody else sucks.
The two biggest problems we have with the traditional travel insurance industry are as follows;
- Bureaucracy and Paperwork
Most travel insurance policies are long and wordy and can even feel like they are designed to trick us into thinking we are covered when we are not. Many of us finish reading them and feel confused rather than well-informed.
Aside from that, if we ever need to make a claim, insurers seem to relish in a sadistic delight making us complete endless forms and providing countless documents. To be fair, they probably don’t intend for it to be like this, it is simply that they are still using business practices from the paper age even though we are well into the tech age.
- Delays in Making Claims
So yeah, it can take weeks or even months for most insurers to pay out on successful claims. This means that if the airline loses your bag at the start of a trip, you finally get the money to buy new clothes a month after the trip ends. If you end up in hospital abroad and rack up a whopping bill, you may be forced to pay it out of your own pocket whilst your insurer ‘ums and ahs’ over reimburses you.
We could have added a 3rd point to this list which is insurers wriggling out of worthy and legitimate claims but that’s perhaps getting a bit controversial for this time of day. But believe us here, standard, traditional travel insurance companies are notorious for their seemingly bottomless ability to offer up disappointment.
Enter Faye
Like a knight in shining armour riding in to save us from the malevolent dragons of travel insurance, enter Faye who are here to rescue the entire travel insurance industry.
Faye is a US based, fin-tech-travel-insurer whose industry leading innovative platform was created to be efficient and user friendly with an emphasis on resolving claims fast. Users can buy and manage a Faye policy without the need for any paperwork whatsoever. Policyholders can download the Faye app to review and manage their coverage.
When the need to make a claim arises, policyholders contact Faye through the app, tell them what has happened and submit the necessary info. In some cases, you’ll qualify for instant reimbursements (like baggage and flight delay). Once all the required details are provided, Faye will aim to resolve your claim in 48 hours. Unheard of.If successful, funds are then credited to the policyholders Faye Wallet on their phone instantly.
So, let’s imagine you arrive at the airport in Tulum to find that the airline has lost your luggage (they lose 25 million bags per year). You now have no bermuda shorts or floral shirts to wear on your hard earned beach vacation. With Faye, all you need to do is contact them via the app, scan the airline’s lost luggage document, and Faye can immediately add money to your Faye Wallet to go to H & M and buy yourself some new threads.
One practical note: if your phone is lost or stolen, you obviously can’t access the app to file a claim. In that case you can reach Faye’s support team directly by phone at 1-833-240-7056 (US) or 1-804-482-2122 (international), or by emailing claims@withfaye.com. They can walk you through the claims process without needing app access.
Faye Example Policy Details
In case you need more details about Faye’s travel insurance policy, then we have set out the finer details below. Friendly FYI: this list is an example of what’s available to a US resident traveling internationally. You can buy right up until departure, though buying within 14 days of your initial trip deposit unlocks pre-existing condition coverage and the Cancel For Any Reason add-on.
Trip cancellation
Pre-departure coverage if you cancel your trip for covered reasons.
Faye can reimburse up to 100% of your non-refundable trip costs if you cancel for a covered reason.
Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)
Not covered by standard trip cancellation? CFAR lets you cancel for any reason at all – fear of travel, change of plans, whatever – and get 75% of your non-refundable trip costs back. It must be added within 14 days of your initial trip deposit and you must cancel at least 48 hours before departure. It costs extra but for trips with significant non-refundable costs it’s worth serious consideration.
Samantha on our team used this add-on and reports it was so easy!
Trip interruption
When you must unexpectedly cut your trip short or extend it.
Faye can reimburse up to 150% of your non-refundable trip costs, plus additional transportation expenses, if you need to cut your trip short or extend it unexpectedly. The reason it exceeds 100% is to account for the cost of last-minute flights home or to rejoin your trip, which are typically far more expensive than what you originally paid.
Trip delay
When you’re stranded in transit due to reasons outside of your control
Faye can reimburse up to $300/day in expenses if you’re delayed 6 hours or more, capped at $2,100 per trip.
Trip inconvenience
When you’re inconvenienced during your trip due to a covered reason
Faye can offer payment up to $200 for each trip inconvenience you experience, capped at $600.
Missed trip connection
When you miss your trip departure due to a delay caused by a covered event
Faye can offer reimbursement up to $200 if your delay of 3 hours or more due to a covered reason causes you to miss your trip
Non-medical emergency evacuation
When, due to a covered event, you’re transported from a place of danger to a place of safety
Faye can offer cover up to $100K in costs.
Emergency accident & sickness medical expenses
Coverage of emergency expenses if you experience sudden illness or injury in-trip.
Faye can offer cover up to $250K in costs for international trips and up to $50,000 for domestic trips.
Pre-existing medical conditions
Coverage of medical conditions that started prior to the purchase of this plan.
Pre-existing conditions can be covered if you purchase your Faye plan within 14 days of your initial trip deposit and are medically able to travel at the time of purchase. Miss that 14-day window and pre-existing conditions are excluded, so buy early.
Emergency medical evacuation expenses
Coverage of transportation in the case of illness or injury that is acute, severe or life threatening when adequate medical treatment is not available in the immediate area
Faye can offer cover up to $500K in costs when it comes to medical evacuation coverage.
Lost or damaged belongings
Reimbursement for lost, stolen, or damaged luggage.
Faye reimburses up to $2,000 total per trip for lost, stolen or damaged belongings, but note the per-item limit is $150. That means a single phone, laptop or camera almost certainly exceeds what’s covered. If you’re travelling with expensive gear, look into a separate electronics policy.
Lost passport or credit cards
You probably know what this means right?
Faye can offer reimbursement up to $50 for each (subject to the limit for Baggage and Personal Effects – see above).
Baggage delay
Reimbursement for out of pocket expenses, like clothing and toiletries, if your luggage is delayed
If your bags are delayed by 12 hours or more, Faye will reimburse up to $300 for essentials like clothing and toiletries. There’s also a separate travel inconvenience benefit that pays a fixed $200 for covered disruptions including baggage delay, flight cancellations and diversions, capped at $600 per trip.
Adventure and Extreme Sports (optional add-on)
Faye’s base plan excludes adventure and extreme sports. If you’re planning to go skydiving, bungee jumping, cliff diving or similar, you’ll need to add this on at purchase. It extends your emergency medical and transportation coverage up to $250,000 for injuries sustained during covered activities.
It’s worth pointing out that standard recreational activities like hiking, surfing, snorkeling and kayaking are covered under the base plan without needing the add-on.
Other Add-Ons
Faye offers several additional add-ons worth knowing about depending on your trip:
- Pet care: Covers up to $2,500 in veterinary expenses if you’re travelling with an animal, plus up to $250 in additional kennel fees if a delay means you can’t collect them on time.
- Rental car care: Covers up to $50,000 for accidental damage, theft or vandalism to a hire vehicle.
- Vacation rental damage protection: Covers up to $3,000 for unintentional damage to a vacation rental property or its contents during your trip.
Final Thoughts on Faye
As we have seen, the travel insurance sector is widely considered to be something of a necessary evil. However, it seems that the market is about to get a solid kick in the back side.
Faye won’t be right for everyone. If you’re a non-US traveler, a long-term backpacker without pre-booked costs to protect, or someone travelling with expensive gear you need fully covered, there are better options for your situation. But for US-based travelers booking trips with real non-refundable costs, Faye is one of the most compelling options on the market, with fast claims, a genuinely excellent app, and coverage limits that hold up against much bigger names. If that sounds like you, getting a quote takes about 60 seconds.
