When planning a trip to the United States, one thing you should always consider is getting travel insurance.
Why? Medical expenses in the U.S. are some of the highest in the world. If an accident or unexpected illness were to occur during your travels, you may be left with a huge financial burden, especially if you have to pay for your medical expenses out-of-pocket.
As you compare travel insurance plans for your US trip, you may find that you have a couple of options: US trip insurance and US travel medical insurance.
Which is better for travelers to the USA? Let’s break it down.
What Does Trip Insurance Cover?
Trip insurance is a type of travel insurance that is designed to protect a traveler’s nonrefundable and prepaid trip costs.
This means that if you have to cancel your trip or if your trip is delayed or interrupted for a covered reason under your trip insurance policy, you can have coverage for any trip expenses you insure that otherwise would have been nonrefundable.
This can include expenses such as your flight, hotel or accommodations, tours, transportation, and more.
Trip insurance coverage can include:
- Trip cancellation
- Trip delay
- Trip Interruption
- Baggage delay or loss
- Accident & sickness
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Accidental death & dismemberment
- Lost or stolen travel documents
- Rental car damage
What Does Travel Medical Insurance Cover?
Travel medical insurance is a type of travel insurance that is focused on covering emergency medical expenses if you are injured or fall ill during your travels and need to seek medical care.
Comprehensive travel medical insurance plans offer excellent protection for emergency medical situations, which is vital when traveling to the United States where medical costs can be extremely high.
Travel medical insurance can also include many other benefits, such as border entry protection, return of mortal remains, emergency dental treatment, political evacuation, and more.
Travel medical insurance coverage can include:
- Hospitalization
- Physician visits
- Urgent care
- Lab tests
- Surgery
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Return of mortal remains
- Accidental death & dismemberment
- Lost luggage
- Lost or stolen passport
What Are the Differences Between Trip and Travel Medical Insurance?
The main difference between trip insurance and travel medical insurance is the type of coverage that they offer.
Trip insurance is useful for those who want to protect their actual trip expenses, while also receiving other emergency medical benefits. The cost of trip insurance is typically based on the total amount of your nonrefundable and prepaid trip expenses that you insure when you purchase your plan.
Travel medical insurance is focused on covering a wide range of emergency medical expenses. The cost of travel medical insurance is typically based on your age, length of trip, and destination country.
Does Trip Insurance Cover Medical Expenses?
Yes, trip insurance does offer an accident and sickness benefit which can cover eligible emergency medical expenses.
It also includes other medical expenses such as emergency medical evacuation.
One important thing to note about trip insurance medical coverage is that you cannot choose your policy maximum or deductible – these benefits are fixed for each plan. Different trip insurance plans may offer different coverage amounts, but you can’t increase a plan’s policy maximum if you want more coverage.
Travel medical insurance, however, gives you the flexibility of choosing your policy maximum if you want better coverage and the ability to choose your deductible to control your out-of-pocket costs.
Which Is Better for Visitors to the USA?
When it comes to choosing between a trip insurance plan or a travel medical insurance plan, one isn’t necessarily better than the other. It really depends on your wants and needs as a traveler.
If you have a lot of nonrefundable prepaid expenses for your trip to the US that you want to protect in case your trip plans are disrupted, trip insurance is a good option as it still includes some medical coverage.
If you are mostly concerned about having health coverage in a country where medical expenses can be extremely costly, and you want to be able to choose your medical benefits according to your needs, travel medical insurance is an excellent option as it can offer comprehensive medical benefits for travelers.
Best Trip Insurance for US Visitors
SafeTrip International Travel Medical Plus – Premium
SafeTrip International Travel Medical Plus – Premium offers travel protection for your trip expenses in the event of a covered cancellation or interruption in addition to emergency medical benefits.
Key benefits of SafeTrip International Travel Medical Plus – Premium include:
- Up to 100% coverage for trip cancellation
- Up to 175% coverage for trip interruption
- Up to $150,000 in emergency medical expense coverage
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Baggage delay or loss
- Accidental death & dismemberment
- Optional coverage for extreme sports activities
- Optional coverage for rental car damage
SafeTrip International Travel Medical Plus – Core
SafeTrip International Travel Medical Plus – Core is a travel protection plan that covers your eligible nonrefundable trip expenses in the event of a coverage cancellation or interruption and also offers basic emergency medical expense coverage.
Key benefits of SafeTrip International Travel Medical Plus – Core include:
- Up to 100% coverage for trip cancellation
- Up to 125% coverage for trip interruption
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Baggage delay or loss
- Accidental death & dismemberment
- Optional coverage for extreme sports activities
- Optional coverage for rental car damage
- Up to $50,000 in emergency medical expense coverage
Best Travel Medical Insurance for US Visitors
CoverAmerica – Gold (Most Popular)
CoverAmerica – Gold is a travel medical insurance plan specifically designed for visitors to the US. It offers ideal comprehensive medical coverage for new illnesses and injuries that occur during your trip to the US.
Key benefits of CoverAmerica – Gold include:
- Plan pays 100% of eligible medical expenses in network after the applicable deductible up to the policy maximum
- No cancellation fee
- Urgent care visit with only $15 copay
- Covers the acute onset of pre-existing conditions
- Border entry protection
- Loss of passport or travel documents
- Emergency dental treatment & eye exam
- Emergency medical reunion
- Return of mortal remains
- Natural disaster & terrorism coverage
- Flu shot covered (separate deductible of $25 applicable)
Patriot America Plus
Patriot America Plus offers comprehensive medical coverage for those traveling to the US from abroad for new injuries or illnesses that occur during your travels.
Key benefits of Patriot America Plus include:
- Plan pays 100% of eligible medical expenses in network up to the policy maximum after the deductible is met
- Outpatient and inpatient treatment
- Emergency medical evacuation
- Coverage for the acute onset of pre-existing conditions
- Telehealth
- Natural disaster evacuation
- Return of mortal remains
- Pet return
- Lost luggage
Travel With Protection and Confidence
Regardless of which type of travel insurance you opt to choose, having protection during your US trip will give you the ultimate protection and peace of mind so you can fully enjoy your travels, even if the unexpected were to occur.
Ready to get covered? Compare our available trip insurance plans or travel medical insurance plans or contact our Customer Success Team for further assistance.
