Travel insurance to the USA is just as important as booking your flights or hotel. Healthcare in America is among the most expensive in the world, with the average cost of treating an uninsured tourist being $9,650. For a day of hospitalization, the average cost is $2,883 – and that’s just for the room without treatment and medication. If you do not have proper travel insurance, you will pay all the costs yourself in the event of an accident.
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The Cheapest Travel Insurance to the USA Is…
Usually the worst. Buying automatically after the cheapest travel insurance from a comparison site is similar to buying the cheapest piece of clothing off the rack and then worrying about whether it fits your size.
With travel insurance, you must first consider the benefit limits, the risks involved and the exclusions. Only then does it make sense to take into account the price of the insurance and your experience with a particular insurer. For US travel, I consider the lower limit of medical expenses to be $250,000.
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Average Cost of Treatment in the USA
To give you an idea, take a look at the average medical expenses in the USA. Please take them as a guide, they are influenced by many factors and for example in New York State they are 20-30% higher. The data was provided to me by the insurance company CSOB.
Service Amount Tooth filling $100 Dental treatment $270 Outpatient treatment $1,500 Initial transport by ambulance $1,550 1 day hospitalization (stay) $2,883 Broken leg $8,000 Average cost of treatment $9,650 Acute appendicitis $26,500 Initial transport by helicopter $27,500 Heart attack with bypass application $185,000 -
How to Choose Travel Insurance to the USA
I recommend comparing travel insurance to the USA from several providers at the same time. The more there are, the more likely you are to find a better deal. I open several tabs together side by side in similar situations and compare.
Including arranging and paying by card, it takes me 10 minutes, and almost every insurance company offers some sort of discount. Medical expenses aren’t the only thing a good travel insurance policy should cover. I recommend paying for other risk protection as well.
The cost of travel insurance to the US depends on the breadth of coverage, policy limits and the insurance company in question. As I wrote above, the cheapest travel insurance to the US is not the best value.
💊 Medical Expenses
The basis of travel insurance is medical expenses, which cover transportation to a medical facility, treatment by a doctor, medications, x-rays and other tests. If necessary, medical expenses also cover hospitalisation or transfer back to your home country. I recommend choosing an insurance policy with medical expenses of at least $250,000, which should be enough for more serious problems.
🧳 Luggage Insurance
My friend had his rental car robbed on his last day in Los Angeles, they took his entire backpack hidden under the seat, so he lost his laptop, chargers and some small items. I was mugged on the street in Argentina and lost a phone that was a few months old.
Luggage insurance covers, among other things, just theft by burglary, robbery or damage due to a natural disaster. I recommend you read the insurance policy carefully and choose the amount of cover according to the value of the items you have with you. My insurance covers damage up to $1,750, which I consider sufficient.
⏳ Baggage or Flight Delay Insurance
The more flights you have to take when you travel, the more this insurance makes sense. For example, it protects you in case you land in America without your suitcases – without clothes, cosmetics and other necessities. In that case, your insurer will reimburse you for the essentials you need for the duration of your stay. My insurance has a limit of $225 per person.
🚫 Cancellation Fee Insurance
In the event of a serious illness or other serious complication, your insurance company will reimburse you for airfare, trip cost or other travel expenses.
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What to Look out for in Travel Insurance
🗺️ Choose the Right Destination
The United States is usually listed as a separate region in some online calculators. Healthcare in this country is very expensive, so some insurance companies have set different prices. Therefore, insurance to the USA can be more expensive than to exotic African countries.
🧓 Age Can Affect the Price of Insurance
Health insurance to the US can be more expensive for older clients who are at higher risk of making a claim. Always quote your actual age to calculate the cost of insurance.
🤿 Insurance for High-Risk Sports Usually Costs Extra
If you plan to play adrenaline sports, pay attention to the additional insurance. Ordinary skiing, surfing or diving are often considered risky. For a full list of sports not covered as ordinary risks, see the policy conditions.
💳 Travel Insurance for Credit Card
Most banks offer travel insurance for bills or credit cards – either free or for a fee. A common drawback of these insurances is that the policy limits are too low. For example, at an unnamed bank, the baggage insurance limit is only $450, which is not even enough to pay for an average phone call.
📞 If You Have Any Problems While Travelling, Contact the Helpline
Every insurance company operates a helpline that you can contact in case of any problems. Due to time zones, helplines are available 24 hours a day.
💰 The Best Travel Insurance to the USA Is Not the Cheapest
Repetition is the mother of wisdom: when comparing quotes, don’t primarily judge price, decide on the breadth of cover, the amount of policy limits and exclusions. For medical expenses, $250,000 is the lower limit.
🍷 Insurance Does Not Cover Damage Caused by Alcohol
Almost all insurance companies have an exclusion in their terms and conditions that travel insurance does not cover damage caused by alcohol.
🔍 Read the Insurance Policy Carefully
Finally, the most important thing: Read the whole contract before signing it, paying particular attention to the exclusions section.
💬 What is your experience with travel insurance not only to the USA? Have you dealt with a serious problem? I would be glad for any of your experience in the discussion. :-)
Contribute with Your Question or Personal Experience