Best Travel Medical Insurance Of January in 2024
Best Travel Medical Insurance Of January in 2024, People who are coming to visit from another country should make plans to get travel medical insurance. It’s not always possible to bring health insurance from another country into the U.S., and medical care in the U.S. can get expensive very quickly.
Travel medical insurance, which is sometimes called “visitors insurance,” can help visitors pay for their medical bills if they get sick or hurt while they are in the U.S. We looked at different visitor insurance plans to find the best one for trip medical insurance.
Atlas America
Atlas America’s comprehensive policy hits all the high marks for benefits across the board—including high coverage limits, a generous selection of deductible amounts and great trip interruption coverage.
Pros & Cons
Competitive costs.
Excellent trip interruption benefits of $10,000.
High coverage limit of $2 million available.
Generous choice of deductible amounts.
Out-of-network services covered at 100%.
Pre-existing medical conditions not covered (though acute onset of pre-existing medical conditions is covered).
$200 copay for emergency room care
Patriot America Lite
If low cost and robust trip interruption benefits are important to you, the America Lite policy from Patriot is worth checking out. Its prices are significantly lower than the competitors we assessed, which can make up for out-of-network care at only 80% coverage until you surpass $5,000 in services.
Pros & Cons
Lowest cost among the policies we evaluated.
Generous trip interruption benefits of $10,000.
Decent choice of deductibles and coverage limits.
The only plan among those we evaluated that does not cover acute onset of pre-existing medical conditions.
Standard care, urgent care and emergency care out-of-network are only covered at 80% for the first $5,000 in services.
Patriot America Plus
The America Plus plan by Patriot provides decent coverage at a good price and includes generous trip interruption benefits. The low price may make up for out-of-network care being covered for only 80% for the first $5,000 in services.
Pros & Cons
Low cost compared to other top-rated companies.
Ample trip interruption benefits of up to $10,000.
Does not cover pre-existing medical conditions (though does cover acute onset of pre-existing medical conditions).
Standard care, urgent care and emergency care out-of-network are only covered at 80% for the first $5,000 in services.
Safe Travels USA Comprehensive
Safe Travels USA’s comprehensive plan has top-notch benefits at a decent price. These include the most choices for a deductible among the travel medical insurance policies we evaluated. It also provides 100% coverage for out-of-network care and 100% coverage for emergency and urgent care.
Competitive cost.
Urgent care and emergency room care out-of-network covered at 100% after copay.
Most choices for deductibles among plans evaluated.
Trip interruption coverage of $5,000 is low compared to some competitors we evaluated.
Acute onset pre-existing medical conditions covered, but not pre-existing conditions.
Dental benefits of $250 are lower than some competitors.
What Is Travel Medical Insurance?
Visitors to the U.S. can get short-term medical care through travel medical insurance. If you get sick or hurt while on your trip, it pays for your medical bills up to the limits of the insurance.
These policies, which are sometimes called “visitors insurance,” are made for people who are not citizens of the United States who are going to the U.S. for a few weeks, a few months, or even a year. One popular type of travel insurance for parents coming to the U.S. to visit their adult children who live here is travel medical insurance.
Americans who are going to travel outside of the US can also buy travel medical insurance. This is usually included as part of a more complete policy that covers things like trip cancellation, travel delays, and more.
Not all trip medical insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions, and the ones that do usually have limits on how much they will pay.
Many travel medical insurance plans for people coming to the U.S. cover sudden changes in medical problems that were already there. This coverage usually covers the emergency medical care you need in a life-threatening medical situation or if you need rapid medical care because of a sudden and unexpected outbreak or return of a pre-existing condition. Read the fine print of the contract to find out what the limits of coverage are.
Trip interruption benefits (10% of score): Points were awarded if policies included $10,000 or more in trip interruption benefits. If a visitor has to cut their trip to the U.S. short and return home, this coverage can pay the costs. The reason for the trip interruption must be listed in the policy in order to make a claim.
Choices of policy maximum coverage amounts (10% of score): Points were awarded if the policy had maximum medical coverage amounts of $500,000 and up.
Urgent care out-of-network reimbursement (10% of score): Policies that cover out-of-network urgent care at 100% (after copay) earned points.
Emergency room out-of-network reimbursement (10% of score): Policies that cover out-of-network emergency room care at 100% (after copay) earned points.
Emergency dental care (10% of score): Points were awarded if emergency dental care coverage was $300 or more.
Do I need travel medical insurance if I have health insurance?
People who are coming to the U.S. need travel medical insurance so that they can get their medical bills paid back if they get sick or hurt while they are here. Most health plans from other countries can’t be used in the U.S.
If you are an American person traveling to another country, you also need travel medical insurance. It’s a good idea to think about medical insurance for trips outside of the U.S. because U.S. health plans won’t cover much or anything in other countries.
Does travel medical insurance cover Covid?
Some travel medical plans cover medical costs linked to COVID, but not all of them do. One plan from Seven Corners that doesn’t cover Covid is the Travel Medical Basic – USA plan. Check the fine print of your coverage to see if Covid is covered like any other illness.
How far in advance should I purchase travel medical insurance if I’m coming to the U.S.?
Getting travel medical insurance before you go to the U.S. is a good idea so that you are covered for medical costs. Sometimes, you have to buy an insurance at least 30 days ahead of time if you want certain features, like a rider that covers pre-existing conditions.
Is travel health insurance ever required?
Travel health insurance isn’t required to enter the U.S. Still, it can be a smart purchase so that you don’t end up with thousands of dollars in medical bills after an injury or unexpected illness while you’re visiting the U.S.
What types of travel insurance are available for visitors to the U.S.?
Visitors travel insurance usually refers to foreign medical insurance plans for people who are not citizens of the United States and are only in the U.S. for a short time, usually less than a year.
This is a limited policy, which is also known as a set benefits policy. Plans with fixed benefits are cheaper, but they only cover a certain amount. For each medical service or condition, these plans pay up to a certain amount. An all-around policy. Although comprehensive plans cost more, they offer better benefits than limited plans.