CoverAmerica-Gold and Patriot America Plus are two of the most widely purchased travel medical insurance plans for visitors to the United States. Both are backed by the same insurer, use the same PPO hospital network, and are administered by the same company. But they are built differently, and depending on your age, how much coverage you want, and what specific situations you want protection for, one will be a meaningfully better fit than the other.
What This Guide Will Cover:
- How each plan handles emergency medical coverage and hospital access
- What your actual out-of-pocket costs could look like
- Key differences on policy maximums, age limits, and cancellation
- Which plan makes more sense depending on who you are
- The most common questions travelers have before buying
What Is CoverAmerica-Gold and Why Is It So Popular?
CoverAmerica-Gold is a comprehensive travel medical insurance plan designed specifically for non-U.S. residents visiting the United States. It also covers incidental trips to Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. The plan is underwritten by SiriusPoint Specialty Insurance Corporation and administered by IMG (International Medical Group), one of the oldest and most established travel medical insurance administrators in the country.
What Does CoverAmerica-Gold Cover?
CoverAmerica-Gold pays 100% of eligible medical expenses within the UnitedHealthcare PPO network after the deductible is met. Outside the PPO network, the plan pays 80% of the first $5,000 in eligible expenses, then 100% thereafter, up to the policy maximum.
Core coverage includes:
- Doctor visits, hospital stays, surgical treatment, lab work, X-rays, and physical therapy
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation
- Accidental death and dismemberment
- Acute onset of pre-existing conditions (up to the policy maximum for travelers under 70; up to $30,000 for ages 70-79)
- COVID-19 as any other new illness, plus a Public Health Emergency Screening benefit and quarantine indemnity allowance
- Natural disaster coverage (up to $200/day for 5 days plus replacement accommodations)
- Terrorism coverage
- Loss of passport or travel documents (up to $200)
- Loss of checked baggage (up to $1,000)
- Missed international connection (up to $400)
- Discounts on prescriptions (with free prescription card)
- Direct billing
- Border Entry Protection (up to $750 if denied entry to the U.S. with a valid visa)
- No cancellation fees
- Downloadable insurance ID card
Customers find that CoverAmerica-Gold is one of the best plans to get the biggest bang for your buck. The affordable price and comprehensive coverage makes it one of the most preferred plans overall.
What Is Patriot America Plus and Why Is It Popular?
Patriot America Plus is another comprehensive travel medical insurance plan from the same underwriter and administrator (SiriusPoint and IMG). Like CoverAmerica-Gold, it is built for non-U.S. citizens visiting the United States, but it also applies to U.S. citizens and Green Card holders who live abroad and need coverage when returning to the U.S. temporarily. The Patriot series is one of IMG's flagship product lines and has long been a go-to option for visitors, parents of U.S. residents, and international travelers of all ages.
What Does Patriot America Plus Cover?
Patriot America Plus is equally comprehensive and pays 100% of eligible in-network medical expenses after the deductible is satisfied. Outside the PPO network, it pays 90% of the first $5,000 (on select plan configurations), then 100% up to the policy maximum.
Core coverage includes:
- Doctor visits, hospital stays, surgical procedures, labs, diagnostics, and prescriptions
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation
- Accidental death and dismemberment
- Acute onset of pre-existing conditions (for travelers under 70)
- COVID-19 as any new illness (no screening or quarantine benefit)
- Trip interruption and return travel coverage
- Optional adventure sports rider (for travelers under 65)
- Optional trip cancellation, interruption, and travel delay rider (for U.S. residents only)
- Optional device protection rider
- Direct billing through UnitedHealthcare and First Health PPO networks
- $25 copay for urgent care visits
Customers looking for high coverage limits for elderly parents turn to Patriot America Plus since the age limits are a lot higher than most plans and can give up to $1M in medical coverage for older travelers visiting the US.
CoverAmerica-Gold®
Patriot Plus
A
A
U.S., and incidental trips to Canada, Mexico, Central America, Caribbean, and South America. If your destination is the U.S., this is the best plan.
Covers international travel.
Between 5 days and 12 months, can be extended for 2 years
Between 5 days and 12 months, can be extended for 2 years
Covers COVID-19 like any other new illness. This plan also covers screening costs and includes an indemnity allowance.
Covers COVID-19 like any new illness.
Free cancellations
$50
Despite having a visa, you may be denied entry to the U.S. In this event, the plan pays up to $550; this can help you with any related expenses.
Does not cover
Up to 100K
$50K only
$30K
$50K
$30K
$50K
Yes
No
Plan features and benefits are subject to change. Always review the current plan documents and policy brochure before purchasing. This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute insurance advice.
Both CoverAmerica-Gold and Patriot America Plus are great plans to cover international travel. They're underwritten by the same insurer, Sirius International. Their administrator, IMG (International Medical Group) is the United States' oldest and most-trusted travel medical insurance policy administrator. Both plans come with the world-class service of VisitorsCoverage.
Like other insurance plans, these plans have some exclusions, are subject to eligibility requirements, and have other terms and conditions. We highly recommend that you review the plan documents carefully before you purchase a plan.
Which Plan Should You Pick?
If you are primarily visiting the United States and you are in your 70s, CoverAmerica-Gold is generally the stronger pick. CoverAmerica-Gold offers a higher policy maximum for your age group, no cancellation fees, Border Entry Protection, and many other benefits.
If you are under 70 and want the option to scale up to $1,000,000 in coverage, or if you are over 80 and need any coverage at all, Patriot America Plus is likely the better fit. It is also a better choice if you want adventure sports coverage or a trip cancellation add-on.
You can also learn more about CoverAmerica-Gold or compare it to some of our other top-rated plans for the U.S. and international travel including Atlas America and Safe Travels USA.
Regardless, you should pick your travel medical insurance plan based on your needs and which features of a plan will be useful for you.
At any point, if you are unsure, don’t hesitate to reach out to a licensed travel insurance advisor who can review your specific travel dates, destination, age, and health history and help you find the plan that fits best. VisitorsCoverage's Customer Success Team can answer plan-specific questions at no charge.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do CoverAmerica-Gold and Patriot America Plus cover pre-existing conditions?
Neither plan covers ongoing, chronic pre-existing conditions. Both plans do, however, cover the "acute onset" of a pre-existing condition. This means a sudden, unexpected flare-up of a condition that existed before the policy start date, as long as it requires immediate medical attention and was not something you anticipated or planned for.
For travelers under 70, both plans cover acute onset up to the full policy maximum. For ages 70-79, only CoverAmerica-Gold offers coverage (up to $30,000).
Which plan has a higher coverage maximum?
For travelers 65 and under, Patriot America Plus has up to $1,000,000 in coverage and CoverAmerica-Gold has a maximum of $500,000. For travelers under 70, Patriot America Plus allows up to $1,000,000 in coverage, compared to CoverAmerica-Gold's maximum of $100,000. For travelers ages 70-79, CoverAmerica-Gold allows up to $100,000, while Patriot America Plus is capped at $50,000. The better plan depends on how old the traveler is and how much coverage they want.
Can I cancel my travel insurance if my trip changes?
With CoverAmerica-Gold, there is no cancellation fee. If you cancel after your effective date and have not submitted any claims, the unused portion of your premium is refunded with no additional charge. With Patriot America Plus, cancellations before the effective date receive a full refund. Cancellations after the effective date are subject to a $50 processing fee, and only full months of remaining premium may be refunded.
Which plan should I get for my 80+ parents?
CoverAmerica-Gold is not available to travelers age 80 or older. Patriot America Plus is available to travelers in this age group, but the policy maximum is limited to $10,000. If you are looking for coverage for a parent or relative who is 80 or older, Patriot America Plus is the only option between these two.
What happens if I am denied entry into the United States?
CoverAmerica-Gold includes a Border Entry Protection benefit, which provides up to $750 if you are denied entry to the United States despite holding a valid visa. This benefit can help cover the cost of return travel or other related expenses. Patriot America Plus does not offer a comparable benefit.
How do I file a claim under either plan?
Both plans are administered by IMG, so claims for both CoverAmerica-Gold and Patriot America Plus go through IMG's claims process. When you receive care in the U.S., in-network providers can often bill IMG directly, meaning you may not have to pay out of pocket and then seek reimbursement. Then, you file for a claim (to provide receipts and proof to the insurance provider). For out-of-network care or care received abroad, you would typically pay first and submit a claim with receipts and documentation within 90 days of the date the claim was incurred. IMG's multilingual customer service team is available 24/7 for support.
