Jeffrey Wade
If you're planning to visit the USA, it's important to be aware of the high medical costs in the country. A routine doctor's visit can cost between $250 to $350, while a heart attack will leave you with a bill of at least $25,000. To mitigate these potential costs, visitors to the USA can purchase travel medical insurance, which provides short-term medical coverage for non-US citizens staying temporarily in the country, usually for up to 364 days. This insurance can reimburse a person's health expenses if they get sick or injured during their trip and can provide coverage for inpatient and outpatient care, urgent and emergency medical services, prescription drugs, and more. The two main types of visitors insurance are fixed insurance, which covers a set amount for each medical expense, and comprehensive insurance, which offers more robust coverage at a higher price. Visitors can purchase insurance online at company websites or comparison sites, with popular providers including Insubuy and Visitor Guard®.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To reimburse a person's health expenses if they get sick or injured during their stay in the U.S. |
| Who is it for? | Non-U.S. citizens who have domestic health insurance but aren't covered outside their home country |
| Why get it? | U.S. healthcare costs are much higher than in other countries. An unexpected illness could result in thousands of dollars of debt. |
| How to get it | Compare different plans and get quotes from multiple providers. No medical exam or medical history review is necessary. |
| What does it cover? | Inpatient and outpatient care, urgent and emergency medical services, emergency dental coverage, trip cancellation, interruption and delay, medical evacuation, repatriation of remains. |
| What does it not cover? | Pre-existing conditions (most plans), dental and vision (most plans) |
| How much does it cost? | Depends on age, duration of trip, and coverage selected. Fixed benefit plans are cheaper but may not cover all expenses. Comprehensive plans are more expensive but provide more coverage. |
| Recommendations | IMG's visitor insurance plans provide a wide range of coverage options, access to multilingual customer service experts, and 24/7 assistance services. |
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What You'll Learn
Fixed benefit plans
The cost of fixed benefit plans depends on the age of the visitor, the medical maximum coverage, and the deductible. For example, a traveller in their thirties may pay around $40 per month for a fixed plan or $60 for a comprehensive plan. The average cost of fixed benefit plans ranges from $58 to $353 per month.
It is important to note that fixed benefit plans may not cover pre-existing conditions, and policyholders should carefully review the policy details to understand what is and isn't covered. Additionally, these plans usually do not include trip interruption coverage, and they may have specific limits for different medical services or conditions.
Some reputable companies offering fixed benefit plans include IMG and WorldTrips, which have been recognised by Forbes Advisor as the best travel medical insurance companies for visitors to the USA.
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Comprehensive plans
Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions: Some comprehensive plans offer coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. This means that if you have a sudden and unexpected flare-up of a pre-existing condition during your trip, you may be eligible for coverage. However, it's important to carefully review the policy documents, as pre-existing conditions are often excluded from coverage or may be covered with certain limitations.
Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment: Comprehensive plans typically cover both inpatient and outpatient treatment. Inpatient care refers to hospital stays, surgeries, and other treatments that require admission to a hospital. Outpatient care, on the other hand, includes doctor visits, diagnostic tests, and treatments that do not require hospitalization. Make sure to check the specific inclusions and exclusions of the plan you're considering.
Emergency Medical Services: These plans usually provide coverage for emergency medical services, including ambulance services and emergency room visits. This is crucial, as emergency medical care can be extremely expensive in the USA. Comprehensive plans help ensure that you're protected financially in case of unexpected medical emergencies.
Prescription Drug Coverage: Many comprehensive plans also include coverage for prescription medications. This benefit can be extremely valuable, as prescription drugs can be costly in the USA. Review the plan details to understand the extent of prescription drug coverage, as certain medications may be excluded or subject to specific limitations.
Extended Benefits: Comprehensive plans often come with additional benefits that enhance your overall coverage. These may include benefits such as emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, and trip interruption coverage. Some plans may also offer optional add-ons like dental and vision coverage, or coverage for adventure sports activities.
When choosing a comprehensive plan, it's important to carefully review the policy documents, exclusions, and limitations. Pay close attention to factors such as the coverage limits, deductibles, and waiting periods. Additionally, ensure that the plan is underwritten by a reputable insurance company and accepted by a wide network of healthcare providers in the USA.
To find the best comprehensive medical insurance plan for your specific needs, consider using comparison tools and seeking advice from reputable insurance brokers or advisors.
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Coverage for pre-existing conditions
When considering medical insurance for visitors to the USA, it is important to understand the coverage for pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions are generally defined as any injury, illness, sickness, disease, or other physical, medical, mental, or nervous conditions that existed at the time of insurance application or within a set number of years before the policy's effective date. Most travel medical insurance and visitors insurance plans offer limited coverage or do not cover pre-existing conditions at all, specifically focusing on acute onset.
Acute onset refers to a sudden and temporary recurrence or worsening of symptoms of a pre-existing condition, and many plans now offer coverage for this. Examples of such plans include Safe Travels USA Comprehensive, Patriot America Platinum, Beacon America, and Atlas Premium America. These plans have varying levels of coverage, with Safe Travels USA Comprehensive offering coverage up to the policy maximum for those up to 69 years old, and Patriot America Platinum providing coverage of up to $1,000,000 for non-US citizens under 70.
However, there are now options for coverage of non-acute-onset pre-existing conditions. Visitors Protect is one such plan, providing coverage for non-acute-onset pre-existing conditions with certain terms and conditions. It is important to carefully review the policy details of any insurance plan to understand what is and isn't covered regarding pre-existing conditions, as the specific definitions and covered conditions can vary between insurance companies and products.
When purchasing insurance, it is not necessary to disclose any pre-existing conditions, and no medical tests or questionnaires are required. However, it is crucial to ensure that the traveller is healthy at the time of purchase and does not need immediate medical attention. By reviewing the policy documents, which are usually freely available, you can make an informed decision about the coverage of pre-existing conditions and ensure that legitimate claims will be paid.
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Trip cancellation, interruption and delay
When planning a trip to the USA, it is important to consider purchasing travel insurance to protect yourself from unforeseen events that may cause you to cancel or interrupt your trip, or result in unexpected delays. Trip cancellation, interruption, and delay insurance can provide financial reimbursement and peace of mind in the event of travel disruptions.
Trip cancellation insurance covers situations where you need to cancel your trip before departure for valid reasons specified in your policy. It typically reimburses prepaid, non-refundable expenses such as airfare, cruise tickets, tour bookings, and hotel reservations. Some policies may also cover additional accommodation fees if you prepaid for shared accommodations and your travel companion needs to cancel for a covered reason. To make a claim, be sure to notify your airline, tour operator, cruise line, and other relevant parties within the specified time frame, usually within 72 hours.
Trip interruption insurance comes into effect when you need to unexpectedly cut your trip short and return home for covered reasons. It can reimburse lost prepaid costs, minus any available refunds, up to the maximum benefit amount. It may also cover the cost of extended accommodations and your trip back home. Trip interruption benefits only apply if the interruption is due to reasons outlined in your policy.
Trip delay insurance provides coverage for short, unexpected delays in your travel plans. It can reimburse you for lost prepaid expenses, as well as additional costs incurred due to the delay, including meals, accommodations, communication, and transportation. For an event to qualify as a covered delay, it must meet the minimum duration specified in your policy, typically around six hours, and be caused by a covered reason, such as a travel carrier delay or lost travel documents.
When choosing trip cancellation, interruption, and delay insurance, it is essential to carefully review the policy details, including the covered reasons for cancellation, interruption, and delay, as well as any exclusions or limitations on the amount of coverage provided. Additionally, consider the cost of the insurance and whether it offers a good value for the benefits included.
By purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation, interruption, and delay coverage, you can have peace of mind knowing that you are protected from unexpected events that may impact your travel plans.
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Travel insurance providers
When looking for travel insurance as a visitor to the USA, it is important to consider the scope of medical benefits, cost, breadth and depth of coverage, plan customizability, and customer reviews.
Travel medical insurance provides more coverage for medical treatment than standard travel insurance policies. For example, travel medical limits for standard travel plans generally top out at $500,000, while you can find travel medical insurance with coverage up to $2 million.
- Insubuy: Insubuy offers visitor medical insurance and has been positively reviewed for its buying process and pro-rata cancellations. Its website is easy to use and allows for easy comparison of policies.
- Travel Guard: Travel Guard offers tailored insurance plans based on your country of residence. Their plans can cover trip cancellation, travel health insurance, and more.
- Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection: This company provides numerous opportunities for travellers to customize coverage to their needs, including for cruise disruptions.
- Allianz Global Assistance: Allianz Global Assistance is a reputable travel insurance company offering a variety of single-trip and annual policies. Allianz's OneTrip Cancellation Plus plan provides protections for trip cancellation, trip interruption, and travel delay.
- Travelex Insurance Services: Travelex offers three different trip protection and cancellation options that vary in coverage limits and perks. Their highest-tier Ultimate plan includes pre-existing coverage if you buy the policy within 21 days of the first trip deposit.
- Seven Corners: Seven Corners is recommended by NerdWallet as one of the best travel insurance companies of 2025.
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Frequently asked questions
Healthcare costs in the US are much higher than in other countries. A routine doctor's visit can cost between $250 to $350, while a heart attack will leave you with a bill of at least $25,000. Visitor insurance will help protect you from these unexpected costs.
Visitor medical insurance covers inpatient, outpatient, urgent care, specialist and doctor visits. Comprehensive plans may also cover trip cancellation, interruption and delays.
The cost of visitor medical insurance depends on your age, the duration of your trip, and the coverage you select. A person in their thirties will pay about $40 per month for a fixed plan or $60 for a comprehensive plan. The price is usually double for someone in their sixties.
Yes, you can buy visitor medical insurance after arrival in the USA. However, any event that occurs before the policy's effective date will not be covered.
Some recommended providers of visitor medical insurance for the USA include Insubuy and IMG. Both providers have received positive reviews for their customer service and ease of use.
