If you have family coming to visit you in the U.S., obtaining proper travel insurance can protect them from incurring large medical bills during their stay, among other calamities.
Those visiting the U.S. can get travel insurance that helps cover medical care for unexpected injuries and illnesses. Additionally, some policies can cover travel mishaps they might face, like needing to reschedule or cancel their journey due to an emergency.
Here’s what you need to know about these plans and the best companies to buy them from.
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Best travel insurance for parents visiting the U.S.
Best for trip cancellation and interruption: IMG Travel Insurance
Who’s this for? You can add trip cancellation and interruption benefits to IMG Travel Insurance’s Patriot Platinum Plan, which also includes medical coverage.
Standout benefits: This plan could also be a fit for long-term visitors, as it can be renewed for up to 36 months.
IMG Travel Insurance
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Policy highlights
IMG has a variety of policies available at different coverage levels, including standard travel insurance, travel medical insurance and international health insurance for expats. It also offers coverage for mental health services, which is uncommon in the industry.
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Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Up to 75% reimbursement for nonrefundable trip costs if purchased within 20 days of your initial trip deposit.
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Pre-existing condition waiver
Available if policy is purchased within 21 days of initial trip deposit.
Pros
- Generous window to qualify for pre-existing condition coverage
- One of only a few companies to offer a standalone travel medical policy
- Covers mental health services
- Many policies available up to age 99
Cons
- CFAR not available to New York residents
- Earned a B from the Better Business Bureau, which cited a high volume of complaints
Best for no deductible: UnitedHealthcare SafeTrip Travel Insurance
Who’s this for? If you’re looking for medical travel insurance for U.S. visitors without a deductible, UnitedHealthcare’s SafeTrip Travel Insurance could be a good fit, as it offers multiple plans with affordable premiums.
Standout benefits: Plans also cover up to $500 for emergency dental treatment, which not all plans include.
United Healthcare SafeTrip Travel Insurance
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Policy highlights
UnitedHealthcare’s SafeTrip program offers standalone travel medical insurance, along with comprehensive travel insurance plans. Plans are available for travelers to than 150 countries worldwide.
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Coverage limits
Medical policies are available with up to $1 million in coverage with no deductible.
Pros
- Both standalone medical plans and comprehensive travel insurance available
- Access to 1.9 million healthcare providers worldwide
- 24/7 support
Cons
- Extreme sports coverage costs extra
- Not available to residents of Colorado, New York or Washington
Best for affordability: Seven Corners Travel Insurance
Who’s this for? Budget-minded travelers looking to keep costs down should consider Seven Corners Travel Insurance, as our sample quote returned the lowest premium of the companies we considered.
Standout benefits: Plans can cover pre-existing conditions for travelers up to 79 years old, a window that’s 10 years longer than other competing companies.
Seven Corners Travel Insurance
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Policy highlights
Seven Corners offers single-trip, annual and student plans and travel medical insurance. Optional add-ons include Cancel For Any Reason and Interruption for Any Reason (IFAR) coverage and protection for rental cars, sports equipment and event tickets.
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Cancel For Any Reason coverage
Reimburses up to 75% of nonrefundable trip costs if purchased within 21 days of booking.
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Pre-existing condition waiver
Available with Trip Protection Choice plan if bought within 20 days of initial deposit
Pros
- $2,000 limit for trip delay
- $1 million coverage for medical evacuation
- Interruption for Any Reason coverage available
- Coverage available up to age 99 on most plans
Cons
- Coverage for delayed baggage requires 12-hour delay
Best for high coverage limits: Trawick
Who’s this for? If you want to avoid any surprises with your coverage, Trawick’s plans offer up to $1 million in medical coverage and the option of a deductible up to $5,000.
Standout benefits: Several plans for residents of other countries traveling to the U.S. offer up to $125 for a wellness visit during the covered stay, and access to urgent care services with a $30 copay — or no copay if a $0 deductible is selected.
Trawick International Travel Insurance
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Policy highlights
Trawick offers coverage for both U.S. residents visiting other countries, and residents of other countries visiting the U.S.
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Coverage limits
Medical policies are available with up to$200,000 primary coverage for U.S. residents, up to $1 million in coverage for non-U.S. residents visiting the U.S.
Pros
- Available to both U.S. residents and those traveling from outside the U.S.
- Can have high medical coverage limits for those visiting the U.S.
- $0 deductible options for U.S. visitors
Cons
- Pre-existing conditions coverage for U.S. visitors limited to age 69 and younger
- Not all plans cover Covid-19
What does travel insurance for U.S. visitors cover?
Travel insurance for those visiting the U.S. primarily covers medical expenses. These policies tend to work similarly to U.S. health insurance, which can include deductibles and co-pays. There are also certain practices and providers who are considered in-network and out-of-network.
These plans typically cover the following types of care:
- Urgent care clinics
- Emergency medical services
- Inpatient and outpatient services
- Emergency dental care
- Emergency medical evacuations
- Prescriptions and medication coverage
Additionally, they tend to have a policy maximum limit that caps how much the plan will pay, though some policies can go beyond $1 million.
How much is travel insurance for U.S. visitors?
Travel insurance for visiting the U.S. is more expensive than the standard 4% to 10% of trip costs U.S. residents tend to pay when they visit another country.
Instead, costs tend to vary based on the visitor’s age and trip length. Then, several policy factors will also be a consideration, including the maximum coverage limit, deductibles and copays.
We gathered sample quotes from our top companies for U.S. visitors, and received the following costs for a single traveler born in 1970 visiting the U.S. from China for one week with a $100,000 coverage limit and a $100 deductible and 100% coinsurance when in-network:
- IMG: $39.50
- UnitedHealthcare SafeTrip: $45.98
- Seven Corners: $36.88
- Trawick: $40.95
Do I need travel insurance to visit the U.S.?
While the U.S. doesn’t require travelers to purchase insurance for many visa types, having a policy for your stay could be helpful. After all, medical costs in the U.S. can be a large expense. The average inpatient hospital expense in the U.S. was over $3,200 per day in 2024, the latest year for which data was available, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a healthcare policy organization.
What’s more, health insurance from other countries isn’t widely accepted.
Getting a travel medical plan for your visit to the U.S. could help you avoid these concerns. Having an appropriate medical coverage limit can prevent you from being held liable for potentially large medical bills incurred in the U.S.
Some plans can also help with travel mishaps, like needing to cancel a trip for a covered reason or inconveniences like lost bags.
Travel insurance for visiting the U.S. FAQs
Do you need travel insurance to visit the U.S.?
The U.S. government doesn’t require travel insurance for many types of visas, but having coverage could be a good idea. After all, your home health insurance policy may not be accepted in the U.S., and medical care costs can be high.
What are the best travel insurance plans for those visiting the U.S.?
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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed financial decisions. Every travel insurancereview is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of travel insuranceproducts.While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Our methodology
CNBC Selectanalyzed more than a dozen travel insurance companies that offer coverage to those visiting the U.S., focusing on cost, coverage limits, deductible options and add-ons. We also considered age limits for coverage as well as co-pays and other plan requirements.
To gather quotes, we focused on a sample traveler, born in 1970 and visiting the U.S. from China for one week. Our sample plan had a $100,000 coverage limit, a $100 deductible and 100% coinsurance when in-network.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
Based on these criteria, our picks for the best travel insurance are:
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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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