For an individual or family or a group of people who intend to travel to the United States of America, making the flight reservations is not the only important factor for the trip. Once the trip is booked, the most important and recommended is to purchase visitors health insurance. As the name suggests, visitor health insurance offers coverage to visitors, against unforeseen medical conditions that may occur to an person in the host country. In country like USA, such an insurance is important to have as the medical costs can be unexpectedly higher.
Do you know what is covered under health insurance for visitors to USA?
Before making any purchase of health insurance for visitors to USA, it is important to check and understand what the particular plan offers and covers. In an expensive foreign country, it is always beneficial to be on a safer side. For the families visiting their relatives in the USA, it safeguards both the visitors as well as the hosts from financial trauma, as well as provides life-saving medical facilities. Plans for health insurance for visitors to USA generally provides:
- Protection against any unexpected/new illness, sickness and injury
- Medical evacuation (moving the injured/sick traveler patient to a place of medical facilities and supervision)
- Repatriation, i.e. return of mortal remains in case a traveler passes away while traveling in the host country. A plan covering for repatriation means assistance would be provided for necessary including paperwork, cremation expenses and bringing back the remains to the home country.
Things to be known before purchasing visitors health insurance for India to USA Travel
- While traveling to USA, visitors health insurance must be bought from an authorized US-based insurance agent/provider, instead of a local insurance provider in India.
- It should be taken into account whether the purchased plan for health insurance for visitors to USA, offers renewability. This is helpful if the visitor wishes to extends his stay in USA.
- The purchased plan must provide the provision for easy cancellation and termination. This is helpful when the visitor wants to change his departure date to an early date than planned. In such cases, US insurance companies refund the balance amount, under the condition that no claims have been filed for that policy, and that they would charge a minimal cancellation fee.
- Travelers are recommended to purchase a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan. A PPO plan offers more flexibility to visit the traveler’s choice of a doctor or hospital. But it should be noted that some plans may not offer this flexibility, so the traveler can visit any doctor/hospital.
- Prospective visitors must know that the fixed coverage plans cost less but do not provide adequate coverage in case of medical emergency during the stay in USA. The comprehensive coverage plans cost a little more than the fixed coverage plans but provide greater amount of coverage.
- Travelers must be very well-aware that not all visitors health insurance plans cover the acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The term “Acute Onset of a Pre-Existing Condition(s)” shall mean a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition(s) which occurs spontaneously and without advance warning either in the form of Physician recommendations or symptoms, is of short duration, is rapidly progressive, and requires urgent care. The Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition(s) must occur after the effective date of the policy. Treatment must be obtained within 24 hours of the sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence. The definition and coverage of acute onset of pre-existing condition may differ from plan to plan. These may be covered only to a certain limit by some of the plans. Before making the purchase, the visitor should consider their coverage and to what extent, if needed.
- Emergency evacuation insurance/provision for repatriation is covered in most of the plans but traveller is advised to check how much coverage is available.
- Emergency reunion covers reasonable expenses concerning lodging and travel of a relative or a friend during a medical emergency.
Where to buy visitors health insurance from?
Visitor health insurance should be purchased from an authorized US-based insurance agent/provider. VisitorPlans.com is your friendly and easily accessible visitor health insurance provider. We provide excellent support, 7 days a week. To understand the best suited available visitor health insurance plans based on your preferences and health conditions, contactus today.
