100 Dumb US Laws (With Proof They Exist)
Travel insurance to the USA is just as crucial as your flight tickets and hotel reservations. Healthcare in America remains the most expensive in the world in . The average cost of treatment for an uninsured tourist today hovers around . You will pay an average of for a single day of hospitalization—and that is merely for the bed, excluding treatment and medication. If you do not have properly arranged travel insurance, you will have to cover all costs yourself in the event of an accident.
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The Cheapest Travel Insurance to the USA Is…
Usually the worst. Buying the absolute cheapest travel insurance from a comparison site is like buying the cheapest piece of clothing off the rack and only checking if it fits after you have paid for it.
With travel insurance, it is essential to first assess the coverage limits, included risks, and exclusions. Only then does it make sense to consider the price and the reputation of the specific insurer. Given the current prices of American healthcare, I consider a medical expense limit of to be the absolute minimum for trips to the USA, though I ideally opt for a variant with unlimited coverage.
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Average Medical Costs in the USA
To give you an idea, take a look at the average expenses for medical procedures in the USA valid for the year . Please treat these as indicative; many factors influence them, and costs can be 20–30% higher in states like New York or California. I am basing this on current data from American healthcare servers and insurer statistics.
Service Amount Tooth filling Dental treatment (complex) Outpatient treatment (ER) Initial ambulance transport 1 day hospitalization (stay) Broken leg (treatment and cast) Average tourist treatment cost Acute appendicitis Initial helicopter transport Heart attack with bypass -
How to Choose Travel Insurance for the USA
I recommend comparing travel insurance specifically designed for the US market using comparison tools or checking offers from major international providers like reputable insurers and global assistance services. Personally, in similar situations, I open several tabs side-by-side to compare the offers directly.
Including the setup and online payment, it takes about 10 minutes, and almost every insurer offers a discount when arranging online. Medical expenses are not the only thing quality travel insurance should cover. I recommend paying extra for protection against other risks as well.
The price of travel insurance to the USA depends on the breadth of coverage, insurance limits, and the chosen insurer. As I wrote above, the cheapest insurance for the USA is rarely the most advantageous.
💊 Medical Expenses
The foundation of travel insurance is medical expenses, which cover transport to a medical facility, treatment by a doctor, medication, X-rays, and other examinations. If necessary, they also cover hospitalization or transport back to your home country (repatriation). I recommend choosing insurance with a limit of at least , or ideally unlimited coverage. Lower amounts might not be sufficient in the case of a serious operation, such as a heart bypass.
🧳 Baggage Insurance
On the last day of his stay in Los Angeles, a friend had his rental car broken into. The thieves took his entire backpack hidden under the seat, so he lost his laptop, chargers, and other valuables.
Baggage insurance applies, among other things, to theft via burglary, robbery, or damage resulting from a natural disaster. I recommend reading the policy conditions carefully and choosing the coverage amount based on the value of the items you are bringing with you. Ensure your policy covers electronics, as many basic plans have low single-item limits.
⏳ Flight or Baggage Delay Insurance
The more layovers you have on your journey, the more this add-on makes sense. It protects you, for example, in a situation where you land in America without your suitcases—without clothes, toiletries, and other necessities. In such a case, the insurance company will reimburse the purchase of essential items for the duration of your stay.
🚫 Cancellation Insurance
In the event of a serious illness, injury, or other major complications before departure, the insurance company will reimburse you for forfeited flight tickets, the cost of the tour, or other travel expenses.
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What to Watch Out for With Travel Insurance
🗺️ Select the Correct Destination Zone
The United States is often listed as a separate zone in online calculators (often “World extended to USA” or “Worldwide including USA/Canada”). Healthcare in this country is extremely expensive, so insurance companies set different rates. Insurance for the USA is therefore usually more expensive than for Europe or Asia.
🧓 Age Can Affect Insurance Price
Health insurance for the USA tends to be more expensive for older clients, for whom there is statistically a higher risk of an insurance claim. Always state your actual age when calculating the insurance price.
🤿 High-Risk Sports Insurance Often Costs Extra
If you plan to engage in adrenaline sports, pay attention to supplemental insurance. Even ordinary skiing off marked trails, surfing, or diving is often considered high-risk. You will always find a complete list of sports not included in the basic coverage in the policy terms and conditions (often referred to as the PDS in Australia/NZ).
💳 Travel Insurance With Your Credit Card
Most banks offer travel insurance with premium accounts or credit cards. A frequent shortcoming of these packages, however, is insurance limits that are too low and do not reflect the price reality in the USA. Additionally, some standard bank policies exclude the USA entirely unless you pay an upgrade fee. Always check if “Worldwide” actually includes the United States in your specific policy.
📞 Contact the Assistance Line in Case of Trouble
Every insurance company operates an assistance line that you can contact in case of any difficulties. Due to time zones, assistance lines are available 24/7.
💰 The Best Travel Insurance to the USA Is Not the Cheapest
Repetition is the mother of wisdom: When comparing offers, do not judge primarily by price; decide based on the breadth of coverage, the height of insurance limits, and exclusions. For medical expenses in the USA, consider to be a reasonable lower limit.
🍷 Insurance Does Not Cover Damages Under the Influence of Alcohol
Almost all insurance companies have an exclusion in their terms and conditions (a so-called alcohol clause) stating that travel insurance does not apply to injuries and damages caused while under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
🔍 Read the Insurance Contract Thoroughly
Finally, the most important thing: Before concluding the contract, overcome your reluctance and read the whole thing. Pay special attention to the section on exclusions and pre-existing medical conditions.
💬 What are your experiences with travel insurance, whether to the USA or elsewhere? Have you dealt with a more serious problem? I would be happy to hear about your experiences in the discussion. :-)
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