Every fall, millions of people leave the snow behind for Florida, Arizona, Texas, Mexico, and Costa Rica, and stay for three to six months. That length of stay is what makes snowbird insurance different. Your health plan at home, whether that is Medicare or a Canadian provincial plan, does very little for you once you cross a border. This guide covers what snowbird travel insurance is, what to look for in a plan, and which plans fit each kind of snowbird.
- If you’re a US resident, comprehensive travel insurance is usually the better fit, since your health coverage already travels with you inside the US.
- If you’re a Canadian snowbird, travel medical insurance is the better option to cover your medical expenses in the USA.
- Medicare generally does not pay for care outside the United States, and Canadian provincial plans reimburse only a small fraction of a US medical bill.
- Most insurance plans cap a single trip at 90 to 180 days, so a five-month stay may exceed the limit. Check the maximum coverage period before you buy, not after.
- Age caps vary widely between plans. Some stop at 79, others go to 89 or 99. The cap, not the price, is usually what narrows the list for a senior snowbird.
Who are Snowbirds?
Traditionally, snowbirds have been younger retirees between 50 and 69 years old who escape the northern chill for sunnier destinations. However, today’s snowbird community has expanded significantly. With the rise of remote work, digital nomads of all ages can now maintain their careers while enjoying warmer climates during winter months. From young professionals with laptops to families with flexible schooling arrangements, the snowbird lifestyle is no longer limited to retirees.
Snowbirds typically fall into several categories:
- Retirees who spend winters in Florida, Arizona, Texas, Hawaii, or international destinations like Mexico and Costa Rica
- Remote workers and digital nomads who temporarily relocate to warmer climates while maintaining their jobs
- Families seeking extended vacations during school breaks
- International travelers from Canada and northern European countries visiting the U.S. sunbelt
Regardless of which category you fall into, proper preparation, including securing appropriate travel insurance, is crucial for a worry-free winter getaway.
Snowbird Insurance for U.S. and International Travelers
As a snowbird, your insurance needs likely differ from those of short-term travelers. If you’re planning on spending your winter outside of your home country, your domestic healthcare will not protect you financially from any medical bills you incur while you’re away. Extended stays, age considerations, and potential healthcare needs make choosing the right coverage essential. Luckily, getting travel insurance provides you with proper protection while still keeping costs affordable for you.
There are two primary types of travel insurance that snowbirds should consider: travel medical insurance and comprehensive travel insurance.
Travel Medical Insurance
Travel medical insurance is designed to cover unexpected illnesses and injuries that occur while traveling outside your home country. Travel medical insurance is particularly crucial for those worried about their medical coverage while they are traveling internationally, especially given that most domestic health insurance plans offer limited or no coverage beyond national borders.
Key benefits of travel medical insurance include:
- Coverage for emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, and doctor visits
- Emergency medical evacuation coverage, which can cost $100,000+ if uninsured
- Prescription medication coverage for emergency prescriptions
- 24/7 travel assistance services to help locate appropriate medical facilities
- Customizable medical coverage limits and copays
- Repatriation of remains coverage in worst-case scenarios
For Canadian snowbirds heading to the U.S. or Americans traveling internationally, travel medical insurance can be a necessity. Without it, a simple medical emergency could lead to significant consequences.
Comprehensive Travel Insurance
For American residents, either traveling domestically or internationally, or visitors to the US, trip insurance is also a viable option, based on your priorities. This type of travel insurance can offer protection for both your travel investment and basic health emergencies. These comprehensive policies typically cover:
- Emergency medical expenses while traveling
- Emergency medical evacuation when necessary
- Pre-existing conditions
- Trip cancellation if you need to cancel for covered reasons
- Trip interruption if you must cut your stay short
- Travel delays requiring additional accommodation
- Lost or delayed baggage
- Missed connections
Travel insurance is particularly valuable when you’ve made substantial non-refundable payments for accommodations, flights, or activities.
Key Differences Between Travel Medical and Comprehensive Travel Insurance
Understanding the fundamental differences between these two insurance types will help you determine which one, or both, best suits your needs:
- Coverage Focus: Travel medical insurance primarily covers health emergencies when visiting the USA, while comprehensive travel insurance focuses on reimbursing prepaid, non-refundable trip costs along with providing medical benefits.
- Customization: For those particularly worried about their health, solely getting comprehensive travel insurance might not give you the coverage you’re looking for since it has a set coverage limit for medical emergencies. On the other hand, travel medical insurance is designed to be customizable so you can set your coverage limit to as high as you need it and your copay to as low as you want it.
- Eligibility: Travel medical insurance is available to international travelers of most nationalities traveling to most countries. Comprehensive travel insurance, however, is typically only available to American citizens and residents.
- Purchase Timing: Travel medical insurance can be purchased anytime before or even after departure (though it’s best to secure it before leaving home), while comprehensive travel insurance typically should be purchased within 14-21 days of making your initial trip payment to maximize benefits. Although it’s possible to purchase comprehensive travel insurance as late as 24 hours before your trip, it’s not recommended.
- Cost Calculation: Travel medical insurance premiums are based primarily on age and coverage length, while comprehensive travel insurance costs are calculated as a percentage of your total prepaid trip expenses, plus factors like age and trip length.
How Can Travel Insurance for Snowbirds Help With Your Trip?
Like we said, travel insurance for snowbirds helps cut down your financial risks as you swap snow for sun. But before we get to the best travel insurance plans for every type of snowbird, there are a few things everyone will want to look out for.
Important Travel Insurance Benefits for Snowbirds:
Emergency medical evacuation
This benefit helps to ensure that if you need immediate medical attention, you can be transported to the nearest medical facility. Without insurance, emergency medical evacuation can cost upwards of $100,000, so make sure the policy you select has this benefit so you stay protected from the unexpected.
Pre-existing conditions
Some travel medical insurance plans can cover the worsening of pre-existing conditions or the acute onset of pre-existing conditions. Meanwhile, a comprehensive travel insurance plan can cover ongoing conditions through a pre-existing conditions waiver. When choosing a plan, consider factors such as age-specific limitations, as many policies reduce or eliminate pre-existing condition benefits for travelers over age 70.
Maximize plan coverage
The higher an insurance plan’s policy maximum, the more expensive the premium. But, having a policy maximum that offers at least $100,000 in coverage will ensure that you’re covered for a variety of situations. Some policies offer maximums of as much as $5,000,000. You can assess your risk and select the best maximum for your individual needs and destination.
Best Travel Insurance for US Snowbirds
Our licensed agents reviewed the plans available to US residents for long domestic and international stays.
Best Cheap Travel Insurance Plan: iTravelInsured Travel Lite
Why we recommend iTravelInsured Travel Lite:
- Covers a single trip up to 180 days, perfect for snowbirds on longer trips
- Accepts travelers up to age 99, with no state purchase restrictions
- Pre-existing conditions are excluded unless a condition has been stable on an unchanged prescription 60 days before departure
Best Travel Insurance for Long Trips: FlexiPAX
Why we recommend FlexiPAX:
- Covers pre-existing conditions when the plan is purchased within 21 days of your first trip deposit
- Covers a single trip up to 180 days, the longest travel duration available
- An optional medical coverage upgrade, which boosts the standard $100,000 in medical coverage to $500,000 and boosts the $500,000 in emergency medical evacuation coverage to $1,000,000
- Optional Cancel For Any Reason and Interruption For Any Reason bundle, each up to 75%
Best Travel Insurance with High Medical Limits: iTravelInsured Travel LX
Why we recommend iTravelInsured Travel LX:
- The strongest medical coverage included, with $500,000 in emergency medical coverage and $1,000,000 emergency medical evacuation
- Coverage for pre-existing conditions is included if purchased within 20 days of initial trip payment
- Rental car damage and theft are included, not a paid add-on like other plans
- Optional Cancel For Any Reason and Interruption For Any Reason, if bought within 20 days of your first deposit
- Maximum coverage is 90 days, so it fits a three-month stay
Best Travel Medical Insurance for Canadian Snowbirds
Comprehensive travel insurance is not available to Canadian residents, so travel medical is highly recommended. Our guide to travel insurance for Canadians visiting the US covers why exactly a travel medical insurance plan is essential for trips to the USA.
Best Travel Insurance for Out-of-Network Care: Safe Travels USA Comprehensive
Why we recommend Safe Travels USA Comprehensive:
- Pays 100% after the deductible both in and out of the UnitedHealthcare PPO network, where most plans drop to 80% or 90% out of network
- Eligible for travelers up to 89
- Covers acute onset of a pre-existing condition to the policy maximum through 69, up to $35,000 for ages 70 to 79, and $20,000 at 80 and above
- Can be purchased after you arrive, and extends up to 364 days
Best Overall Travel Insurance for Canadian Snowbirds: CoverAmerica-Gold
Why we recommend CoverAmerica-Gold:
- Built specifically for visitors to the US, paying 100% in the UnitedHealthcare PPO network after the deductible
- Extends up to 365 days with no extension fee, where most plans charge one
- Covers incidental trips to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America, so a week away mid-winter does not open a gap in coverage
- Acute onset of pre-existing conditions are covered to the policy maximum up to age 69, or up to $30,000 for ages 70 to 79
- This plan is eligible for travelers up to age 79
Best Travel Insurance for Highest Coverage Limits: Patriot Platinum
Why we recommend Patriot Platinum:
- Eligible for travelers up to age 99, the best age limit available
- Acute onset of a pre-existing condition covered up to $1,000,000 for travelers up to 69, but no coverage for travelers above the age of 69
- Extends up to 365 days and can be purchased after arrival
- For non-U.S. residents traveling internationally, not just the USA
When Should I Buy Snowbird Travel Insurance?
Snowbirds should buy travel insurance as soon as their plans are booked. For U.S. travelers, this is essential to qualify for the pre-existing condition waiver, which requires purchase within 14 to 21 days of your first trip deposit.
If you’re a snowbird traveling to the USA, some travel medical insurance plans can be purchased even after your arrival; however, these will not cover any incidents that occurred before your policy started.
Where Can I Get the Best Snowbird Insurance?
With a travel insurance comparison website like VisitorsCoverage, you can compare plans side-by-side using our quote tool. Simply enter your travel details, and you will see only the plans you are eligible for. If you would rather talk it through, our licensed advisors are based in the US and can help you narrow the list.
