CoverAmerica-Gold and Safe Travels USA Comprehensive are two of the most popular travel medical insurance plans for visitors to the United States. Both offer comprehensive medical coverage, access to large PPO hospital networks, and acute onset of pre-existing condition benefits. They come from different underwriters and administrators, use different hospital networks, and have real differences on age limits, deductibles, and how pre-existing condition coverage scales with age.
This Guide Will Cover:
- What each plan includes and how coverage works
- Which hospitals and doctors accept each plan
- Key differences on policy maximums, age limits, and cancellation
- How each plan handles pre-existing conditions
- Which plan makes more sense depending on who you are
- The most common questions travelers have before buying
CoverAmerica-Gold is underwritten by Sirius International with the U.S.'s oldest and most well-reputed travel medical insurance policy administrator IMG (International Medical Group) as the administrator. Safe Travels USA is underwritten by GBG Insurance Limited with Trawick International as the administrator. Both plans come with the world-class service of VisitorsCoverage.
While the CoverAmerica-Gold benefits share some similarities with Safe Travel USA benefits, there are some differences. Here is a side-by-side travel insurance comparison, to help you decide which plan is best for you.
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.
Customers find CoverAmerica-Gold to be one of the best values on the market. The combination of comprehensive coverage, competitive pricing, no cancellation fees, and features like Border Entry Protection makes it one of the most preferred visitor insurance plans overall.
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 eligible expenses up to a $1,000 out-of-pocket maximum, then 100% up to the policy maximum.
Core coverage includes:
- Doctor visits, hospital stays, surgical treatment, lab work, X-rays, and physical therapy up to $500,000
- Emergency medical evacuation up to $1,000,000
- 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
One of the biggest reasons for its popularity is that customers find CoverAmerica-Gold is one of the best plans to get the biggest bang for your buck. The affordable price, comprehensive coverage, and additional benefits (like border denial or trip-related coverage) makes it one of the most preferred plans overall.
What Is Safe Travels USA Comprehensive and Why Is It Popular?
Safe Travels USA Comprehensive is a travel medical insurance plan for non-U.S. residents visiting the United States. It is underwritten by Zurich Insurance Europe AG, rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best, and administered by Trawick International. The plan uses the First Health PPO network, a subsidiary of Aetna, and is available for travelers up to age 89.
What Does Safe Travels USA Comprehensive Cover?
Safe Travels USA Comprehensive pays 100% of eligible medical expenses after the deductible is met, up to the policy maximum. There is no coinsurance split after the deductible.
Core coverage includes:
- Doctor visits, hospital stays, surgical procedures, labs, diagnostics, and prescriptions
- Emergency medical evacuation up to $1,000,000
- Accidental death and dismemberment ($25,000 principal sum)
- Acute onset of pre-existing conditions (up to policy maximum under 70; up to $35,000 for ages 70-79; up to $20,000 for ages 80-89)
- Cardiac and stroke coverage ($25,000 for ages under 70; $15,000 for ages 70 and older)
- One wellness visit per policy period (up to $125)
- Walk-in clinic visits ($15 copay, waived with $0 deductible)
- Mental or nervous disorders (up to $2,500)
- Emergency medical treatment of pregnancy (up to $1,000)
- Physical therapy and chiropractic ($50 per visit, up to 10 visits per policy period)
- Natural disaster evacuation (up to $10,000)
- Political evacuation (up to $25,000)
- Trip interruption (up to $5,000)
- Repatriation of mortal remains (up to $50,000)
- Lost checked baggage (up to $1,000)
- Optional sports activity coverage (up to $50,000)
- Optional home country coverage (up to $25,000)
Customers are drawn to Safe Travels USA Comprehensive for a few reasons that are hard to find elsewhere: coverage extends to age 89, the acute onset of pre-existing conditions benefit continues scaling all the way through that age range, and cardiac and stroke coverage is included at every age tier. For elderly parents over 80 visiting the US, this plan fills a gap that many competitors do not.
Which Plan Should You Pick?
Both plans offer very strong medical coverage for visitors to the US, particularly for travelers aged 55 to 65. CoverAmerica-Gold provides additional benefits that most plans don’t, including no cancellation fees, border denial coverage, trip-related benefits, and reduced pricing for return customers, and is recognized for its affordability.
SafeTravels USA is a comprehensive plan that explicitly details coverage for cardiac and stroke events. While most travel medical plans include this coverage, the explicit mention is a key benefit that many elderly travelers and parents visiting the US like to see.
For travelers ages 65-79, both plans are comparable on policy maximum.The decision comes down to the specific features that matter most to you.
You should pick your travel medical insurance plan based on your needs and which plan features will be useful for you. If you need assistance, you can contact our Customer Support Team or call VisitorsCoverage at (866) 384-9104 to speak to our Customer Success Team.
You can also learn more about CoverAmerica-Gold or compare the travel insurance plan to some of our other top-rated plans for the U.S. and international travel including Patriot America Plus and Atlas America.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do CoverAmerica-Gold and Safe Travels USA Comprehensive cover pre-existing conditions?
Neither plan covers ongoing or chronic pre-existing conditions. Both cover an acute onset, meaning a sudden, unexpected medical emergency tied to a pre-existing condition that was stable for at least 30 days before coverage started and where treatment is sought within 24 hours.
For travelers under 70, both plans cover this up to the full policy maximum. For ages 70-79, CoverAmerica-Gold covers up to $30,000 with no cardiac or stroke coverage, while Safe Travels USA Comprehensive covers up to $35,000 and keeps cardiac and stroke in at $15,000. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive extends the benefit through age 89. CoverAmerica-Gold stops at 79.
Which hospital network does each plan use?
CoverAmerica-Gold uses the UnitedHealthcare PPO network, which includes over 1.4 million physicians and nearly 7,000 hospitals across all 50 states. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive uses the First Health PPO network which is also widely accepted nationwide. Both are established, large networks. Before purchasing either plan, confirm that the hospitals and providers near your U.S. destination participate in that specific network. You can check this by going on both networks’ websites.
Which plan has a higher coverage maximum?
For travelers under 65, Safe Travels USA Comprehensive allows policy maximums up to $1,000,000 compared to CoverAmerica-Gold's $500,000. For travelers ages 65-79, both plans are comparable, with maximums up to $100,000. For travelers 80 and older, CoverAmerica-Gold is not available at all. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive offers a $20,000 maximum for this age group, which is limited but fills a gap that other plans don’t.
What if my trip runs longer than expected?
CoverAmerica-Gold can be extended up to 24 months total. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive can be extended up to 364 days total. For very long stays, CoverAmerica-Gold offers more runway.
What happens if I am denied entry to the U.S.?
CoverAmerica-Gold includes a Border Entry Protection benefit that pays up to $750 toward related costs if you are denied entry to the United States with a valid B1 or B2 visa. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive does not offer this benefit.
How do I file a claim under either travel medical plan?
CoverAmerica-Gold claims go through IMG at imglobal.com/member. In-network providers can often bill directly. For out-of-network care, pay first and submit documentation within 180 days of the date of service. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive claims go through Trawick International at mytrawick.com. The same general approach applies: in-network providers can bill directly, and out-of-network claims require documentation submitted within the filing window.
