Traveling with visitor medical insurance is a smart thing to do, especially if you are visiting the USA where the cost of medical care is extremely high. The healthcare system in the US, and anywhere outside of your home country, will work drastically different then what you are used to. Additionally, healthcare in the US is very costly, and the bill for any procedure, no matter how small or large, would add up very quickly.
Visitors and parents visiting the USA from India or any other country should consider purchasing a suitable visitors medical insurance policy to protect against extremely high medical expenses in America should any medical emergencies occur.
Related Article: 10 Reasons CoverAmerica-Gold is the Best Visitors Insurance Plan for the USA
Be a well-informed traveler and protect yourself and your family with insurance. It may surprise you how fast, easy, and affordable travel medical insurance can be. Below is some basic information about visitors insurance to help you become more knowledgeable before you make a purchasing decision.
- What Is Visitor Medical Insurance and What Does It Cover?
- Where Do I Buy Visitors Medical Insurance?
- What Are the Rates and Coverage Types?
- How Does Visitors Health Insurance Work?
- What Are the Periods of Visitors Insurance Coverage?
- How Do I File a Claim With My Visitors Insurance?
- What Are Some Factors That Determine Total Insurance Coverage?
- Visitors Medical Insurance Terminology
- Useful Tips
- FAQs
What Is Visitor Medical Insurance and What Does It Cover?
Visitors health insurance will come to the rescue should any unexpected accident or injury happen. This includes coverage for doctors’ fees, hospital charges, any prescriptions prescribed after your plan is in effect, lab tests, surgery, and other medical-related expenses depending on the plan you purchase. Visitors insurance can also provide some coverage for emergency evacuation, return of mortal remains, lost baggage, and trip interruption.
Where Do I Buy Visitors Medical Insurance?
You can buy medical insurance either in your home country or in the US, from an agent or online such as on VisitorsCoverage.
According to experiences of several people who have traveled abroad, a policy bought from an US-based insurance company works more efficiently when compared to the ones bought from your home country-based insurance companies.
Visitors Insurance from USA
Medical insurance from a US-based agency might be more expensive, but being recognized by a larger number of hospitals and doctors is definitely an advantage. One can receive instant coverage and instant attention during a medical emergency with US-based insurance. There are several companies in the USA that provide medical insurance for international visitors.
See Visitor Medical Insurance for USA for more information.
Facts About Visitor Medical Insurance Providers
There are very few companies that are the actual providers and the rest are the agents of the actual providers selling their policies under a different name.
Insurance From Your Home Country
There are several insurance companies that provide medical insurance for international travelers. These are mostly offered through the local travel agencies. For instance, the following are some of the Indian companies which provide visitor insurance for international travelers:
- New India Insurance
- The Oriental Insurance Company
- United India Insurance
- Tata AIG Insurance
- Bajaj Travel Insurance
- Reliance Travel Insurance
- ICICI Lombard Insurance
Though these organizations maintain websites, the information provided is not updated often. It is always best to call their local office to find out current pricing and plan options. Plans and rates vary from company to company. A major disadvantage with these policies is that they are not accepted by many of the hospitals and doctors in the USA. Hence, when you need to claim your expenses later on, you may have to deal with a lot of paper work, correspondence, and frustrating follow-ups.
Read more: Visitor Insurance From India vs. USA
What Are the Rates and Coverage Type?
Visitor insurance policies are not custom-made to fit individual profiles, thus rates depend on various factors such as age, duration of stay, type of plan, coverage needed, deductible, and premium. Apart from this, the rates also depend upon from which country/company one has purchased the insurance.
How Does Visitors Health Insurance Work?
The insurance company provides you with an ID card, or a document stating your policy number and personal details like your name/birthdate. If, while you are on your trip, you have to visit a doctor, they will verify the acceptance of your insurance policy. If your policy is accepted, you are instantly attended to. You may be asked to pay the minimum fee known as the “deductible” before the insurance begins to pay for covered benefits. The amount/percentage depends on your policy agreement and terms.
On the other hand, if they don’t accept the policy, you might have to pay for the entire cost of the medical expenses at the time of visit before seeing the doctor. In this case, you would have to file your claims after the fact to get paid for the covered benefits from insurance.
Read more about policy usage.
What Are the Periods of Visitors Insurance Coverage?
Coverage can be purchased in days or monthly increments. You can combine these increments to suit your travel needs. For example, if your trip is 2 and a half months long, then you will need to purchase insurance for a two month and a 15-day increment.
There are several policies that are renewable, and hence, can provide you with the flexibility to renew should your travel plans change.
It is advisable to request the effective date starting from the day of departure from your home country and ending the day you land back in your home country, as visitors insurance also covers you on your journey to and from your destination.
How Do I File a Claim With My Visitors Insurance?
In order to file a claim on your insurance policy, you should contact your insurance company. You will have to fill out claim forms, along with providing proof of any expenditures, including a copy of the hospital and doctor’s reports in addition to all original bills.
For a more in-depth guide, see: How to File a Claim.
What Are Some Factors That Determine Total Insurance Coverage?
- Age – This is one of the major factors that will determine your insurance premium.
- Maximum Coverage – There are different plans depending on the maximum coverage you want. For example, you can choose $50,000, $100,000, etc.
- Deductible – The minimum amount one has to pay in case of any medical expenses before insurance coverage kicks in.
- Rider Factor – Your insurance will increase if you plan to add option insurance riders that cover things like hazardous activities such as rock climbing, skiing etc. and cancel for any reason coverage.
Visitors Medical Insurance Terminology
Pre-existing Conditions
Pre-existing conditions are defined as medical conditions, medication, consultation, or treatment which existed or which was performed prior to the effective date of insurance coverage.
Deductible
This is the amount that must be paid by the insured before the insurance company begins to reimburse the expenses. This works like your auto insurance deductible where a certain amount is paid by the insured before the insurance covers damage to your car.
For instance, if you purchase a plan with a $500 deductible and incur expenses of $1,500, the insurance company will begin to reimburse you for expenses after you have paid the initial (deductible) of $500.
Exclusions
These can be defined as the expense that the insurance company/plan is not liable to pay. For example, expenses resulting from illegal drug use, conditions which existed prior to the purchase of the insurance (pre-existing conditions), or participation in various dangerous activities. Read your coverage carefully for exclusions to your plan.
Co-Insurance
The percentage or amount of eligible expenses that the insured pays after the deductible.
For example, if your co-Insurance is 20% or co-pay is 80/20, this means that the insurance company pays 80% of the charges and the insured pays 20%.
In many plans, there is a maximum co-pay amount, i.e., a limit to which the insurance provider pays 100%. If your deductible is $250 and your plan offers 80/20 co-pay up to $5000, then 100% up to policy maximum means the insured is required to pay the deductible of $250 plus 20% of expenses up to $5,000, and the insurance provider pays 100% of covered expenses that exceed $5000 up to the maximum policy coverage limit.
Premium
The amount you pay to purchase a medical insurance policy. Premiums may be paid full in advance or monthly depending on the policy.
Beneficiary
The person or persons designated by the insured to receive the proceeds of an insurance policy upon the death of the insured.
Policy Maximum
The maximum amount of money that the insurance provider will pay for covered expenses. This may be an overall maximum or an amount for each illness/accident.
Renewable or Non-renewable
This tells the consumer whether the particular plan can be renewed before its expiration to continue coverage after the originally planned end coverage date with the same terms and limitations.
Whether a policy is renewable or not can be of great significance because if an accident/illness occurred before the policy’s expiration, it will not be considered a pre-existing condition. However, a new policy would consider it as a pre-existing condition. So, if you extend your stay and the policy is renewable, you can simply renew your current policy instead of purchasing a new one.
Useful Tips
- Never travel without an insurance policy.
- Keep all your receipts, documents, and bills safe.
- Read your insurance policy carefully and ensure that the doctor/hospital that you attend accepts your insurance plan.
- If you extend your stay in the USA, don’t forget to extend your medical insurance policy as well.
Is It Important to Buy Insurance From a US-Based Insurance Company?
Yes – convenience, instant reachable customer support, insurance acceptance, the peace of mind and hassle-free claim process is certainly an advantage when you buy policies from a US-based insurance company.
Why Buy Visitors Insurance Online?
- It’s extremely easy and quotes are available in just minutes.
- No paperwork or memberships required.
- No physical or medical exams required.
- Get instant ID cards and coverage starts instantly or whenever you request.
- Renewal is easy.
- Only the top, most reliable Insurance companies provide online purchase options!
Find the Right Visitors Insurance for Visiting USA
Quote, Compare and Buy Visitors Insurance
Related Links
