If you’re looking for the best travel insurance for the USA, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compared all the top travel insurance companies to check which is the most convenient for traveling to the States.
Overall, Heymondo is the best USA travel insurance, especially if you’re a visitor looking for single-trip insurance, although its long-term travel insurance is also excellent for students and expats. It is the only US travel insurance that pays your medical expenses upfront instead of having you pay them and then file a claim, which is very important in a country like the US, where medical bills can be incredibly costly.
Also, Heymondo covers COVID-related medical and travel expenses, and that’s one of the reasons why we chose it as the best COVID-19 travel insurance in 2023. Heymondo’s USA travel insurance plans cover you in case you test positive before your trip and can’t travel. They also cover all medical and quarantine expenses if you get sick during your trip to the United States.
In this article, we will cover the best travel medical insurance for the USA, whether you’re a tourist, a parent visiting the US, or a work or student visa holder. You will even find the best option for you if you’re a US citizen living abroad and visiting the US. However, we don’t cover domestic travel insurance (US residents traveling within the US) or insurance for Americans traveling abroad because we have specific guides on those topics.
If you’re traveling to the States from abroad, heads-up! If there’s a country where having travel insurance is crucial, it’s the USA. Let’s get into it!
Best travel insurance to the USA
The best USA travel insurance plan will depend on the reasons for your trip. Are you visiting for just a couple of weeks? Are you coming to study or work? We’ll review all the options to help you choose the best USA travel insurance for your needs.
In a nutshell, here are the top travel insurance companies for the USA:
- Heymondo, the best travel insurance for the USA (overall winner)
- SafetyWing, the best health insurance for visitors to the USA
- World Nomads, another travel insurance for parents and relatives visiting the USA
- World Trips, a great US work visa health insurance
- Trawick International, another great student travel insurance to the USA
- IMG Global, the best travel insurance for US citizens visiting the USA
1. Heymondo, the best travel insurance for the USA
Visiting the US for a week-long vacation? Studying abroad for a few months? Looking for travel insurance for your parents or relatives? Starting work in the US? Regardless of the reason you need US travel insurance, Heymondo is the best travel insurance for the USA overall.
That’s a pretty bold claim to make, so here’s why we think Heymondo travel insurance is by far the best one: first of all, they offer a wide variety of insurance options. You can get travel insurance for a single trip, medical-only travel insurance, annual multi-trip travel insurance (if you know you’ll be traveling a lot over the course of one year), or long-term travel insurance (which is the cheapest option for students and foreigners with US work visas).
Secondly, Heymondo stands out because they are the only travel insurance company that pays travelers’ medical expenses upfront instead of making them pay for it themselves and then file a claim to get reimbursed.
This is especially important to consider when shopping for travel insurance for the USA because American healthcare fees can be insanely high (check below for a breakdown of some common prices for American healthcare!). Instead of having to stress about when you’ll get reimbursed and whether you can afford to spare the money until you do, Heymondo will save you that hassle and simply pay your medical expenses for you.
1. Heymondo, the best travel insurance for the USA
Third, Heymondo offers very high coverage for quite affordable prices, giving it an excellent coverage-to-price ratio. Every time we have compared Heymondo’s coverage to other travel insurance with similar coverage (such as when we looked at the best travel insurance companies of 2023), Heymondo emerged as the most affordably priced while matching or even exceeding similar insurances’ coverage.
Finally, we have personally had a great experience using Heymondo on all of our most recent trips. Heymondo has an app that offers 24/7 customer support, which has really come in handy on our travels. Every time we run into any trouble, we get in touch with Heymondo’s support team, who are always super helpful and knowledgeable. Also, our family always buys Heymondo US travel insurance when they come to visit us in the US, and they love it too.
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(Psst – if all of that wasn’t tempting enough, you can even get a discount on Heymondo insurance with the link below just for being our reader!)
2. SafetyWing, the best travel health insurance for visitors to the USA
This category is for foreigners who are going to visit the USA and only need health insurance but don’t want travel insurance for the USA (i.e., coverage for baggage loss, trip cancellation, trip delay, etc.). Whether you’re traveling on a budget or you’re a student, worker, volunteer, or long-term traveler, you will probably want to buy health insurance for foreign visitors. As we mentioned above, American medical services and healthcare can be incredibly expensive, so buying health insurance is the best way to avoid paying those fees out of your own pocket.
It can be difficult for foreigners to obtain US health insurance because most American insurance companies require you to be a US resident for 6 to 12 months before you can purchase insurance from them. That’s why it’s so helpful to purchase your US health insurance through international insurance companies.
SafetyWing is definitely the best travel health insurance for the USA (check our only medical travel insurance comparison chart.) Their insurance is specifically tailored for explorers who want comprehensive medical coverage while they’re traveling and can even be renewed automatically every month until you choose an end date, so you won’t have to worry about not having coverage.
Their Nomad Insurance plan includes coverage for medical-related expenses, such as hospital room and board, ambulance, and emergency dental, as well as for plenty of travel-related fees, including evacuation and repatriation, trip interruption, and lost luggage, so it really gives you the best of both worlds.
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If you don’t want to deal with having to file a claim and wait for reimbursement, Heymondo also has medical-only travel insurance, which is the best option for anyone who wants the convenience of having their medical bills paid upfront for them.
3. World Nomads, another travel insurance for parents visiting the USA
Are your relatives visiting the USA? Do you want them to have the security of medical coverage and personal protection? If you said “yes,” then US visitors’ insurance is for you!
As we’ve stated time and again, US healthcare is wildly expensive, so it’s worth getting insurance for that reason alone. Plus, you can rest assured that your parents and relatives will be safe and that their visit won’t be ruined if anything unexpected happens.
Apart from Heymondo, which would be the best insurance for this category, World Nomads offers some of the best visitors’ insurance for relatives visiting the USA. Their plans are all-inclusive, and they cover a very high level of medical expenses compared to other insurance providers. If you experience a sudden fall or find that you need emergency medical treatment, don’t worry – you’re covered!
Plans for US visitors’ insurance
World Nomads provides two different plans for US visitors’ insurance:
- World Nomads Standard Plan: This plan covers the basics of travel insurance for the USA, such as medical expenses, trip cancellation, luggage loss, and repatriation.
- World Nomad Explorer Plan: This plan covers everything the Standard Plan does, but up to higher amounts, plus other expenses, such as coronavirus travel costs, missed connections, and rental car excess.
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As we mentioned, Heymondo is a great option as well, particularly if you don’t want to risk paying for medical costs out of your own pocket. They offer two plans for US visitors’ insurance:
- Heymondo Top: This plan covers both medical- and travel-related expenses, such as emergency medical and dental fees, lost baggage, evacuation and repatriation, and trip cancellation.
- Heymondo Premium: This plan covers everything that the Top plan does, but to higher amounts, plus rental car excess.
4. World Trips, a great US work visa health insurance
You just got a job in the US. Congrats! So, what’s next? It can be difficult for foreigners to obtain health insurance from American insurance companies. Most require you to have resided in the US for 6 to 12 months in order to be able to purchase insurance from them.
Moreover, you will definitely not want to be without coverage for that long, since, as we’ve said, it can be incredibly expensive to pay US healthcare and medical expenses out of your own pocket.
Never fear! World Trips is here to save the day with its Atlas America Work Visa Health Insurance, which is designed for anyone with a temporary work visa for the USA (B1, H2-A, H2-B, L1, etc.). This plan covers all the things you’d expect your health insurance to cover, such as hospital room and board, local ambulance service, emergency medical evacuation, intensive care, and urgent care. It is also one of the best travel insurance for pre-existing conditions, even for patients up to 79 years of age.
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Another great option if you have a US temporary work visa is Heymondo’s long-term insurance. You’ll get all the benefits of Heymondo insurance, including affordable prices, upfront medical payments, and 24/7 app assistance, for a 3-month period, with the option to renew your insurance after that.
5. Trawick, another international student travel insurance for the USA
Studying abroad is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming, especially if you’re not prepared. Studying in the US can be a life-changing experience, but if you suddenly fall ill and have to pay all your medical expenses, your experience might not seem quite as amazing.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: US healthcare is expensive. Save yourself the stress of dealing with medical expenses and get medical insurance before you begin your studies in the US. Trawick International provides the best medical insurance for international students in the USA. They offer excellent coverage and have five different plan options, so you can really tailor your travel health insurance USA to fit your needs.
Trawick insurance plans for international students in the USA
Trawick International offers five specific medical insurance plans for international students in the USA:
- International Student and Scholar Medical Evacuation and Repatriation: This plan is ideal for students who want to save money and just have coverage for evacuation and repatriation to their home country.
- Collegiate Care Essential: This is the most basic and affordable of Trawick’s student healthcare plans. This plan offers $300,000 worth of medical expense coverage and has a $250 deductible. Its coverage includes maternity and prenatal care, hazardous sports and activities, evacuation and repatriation, emergency medical expenses, and accidental death and dismemberment.
- Collegiate Care Enhanced: This plan covers everything that the Essential plan covers, but to a higher amount. It also has a higher amount of medical expense coverage ($500,000) and a lower deductible ($150).
- Collegiate Care Elite: This plan covers everything that the Enhanced plan covers, but the maximum medical coverage amount is unlimited. There is a choice of a $100 or $500 deductible.
- Collegiate Care Exclusive: This plan covers everything that the Elite plan covers, but offers a choice of a $100, $500, or $1,500 deductible.
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IMG GLOBAL PLANS – TRAVEL insurance FOR students in the USA
If you want other options, IMG Global has three travel medical insurance USA plans geared toward students:
- Patriot Exchange Program: This plan is specifically designed for individuals who are studying abroad in the US and can also cover students’ spouses and children. The best part is that this plan is aimed specifically at meeting US J1 and J2 visa requirements. This plan covers many medical expenses, including hospital room and board, physician visits, prescriptions, urgent care, emergency room visits, and more.
- Student Health Advantage: This plan is also designed for students studying abroad in the US and also meets J1 visa requirements. Among other things, it covers ambulance service, mental health, sports, and acute onset of pre-existing medical conditions, although this pre-existing condition coverage is only available after a twelve-month wait period.
- Student Health Advantage Platinum: This plan includes all the elements of the Health Advantage plan, plus coverage for maternity and newborn care.
Another excellent option is Heymondo’s long-term travel insurance or even their annual travel insurance. Student budgets can be tight, so Heymondo is perfect if you want comprehensive US visitor medical insurance that is still affordable. Plus, you’ll have your medical expenses paid upfront for you, so you won’t have to pay anything out of your own pocket.
6. IMG, the best travel insurance for US citizens visiting the USA
If you’re a US citizen living or working abroad, you may be looking for short-term travel insurance to cover you while you return to the US. It can be complicated to get travel insurance for US citizens because while many insurance companies are great about providing coverage for US citizens traveling abroad, very few of them actually offer travel insurance for US citizens traveling to the USA.
Note: If you’re a US citizen living in the States and traveling within the country, what you need is domestic travel insurance. Check our guide on this topic for the best options.
Moreover, American insurance companies will usually want you to have lived in the USA for a certain number of months before they offer you insurance coverage. US citizens returning to the USA normally have to have lived in the US for at least 3 to 6 months to be eligible for coverage from American insurance companies.
That’s why IMG Global offers the best travel insurance for US citizens visiting the USA. It’s well known as a great choice for American expats, and its three Patriot America plans not only offer extensive medical coverage but also include all the US travel insurance basics.
IMG Global plans for US travel insurance for US citizens
IMG Global offers three different plans for US travel insurance for US citizens:
- Patriot America: This plan includes extensive medical coverage. However, in terms of travel insurance for the USA, it also covers many situations, such as accidental death, emergency medical evacuation, trip interruption, lost luggage, and natural disaster.
- Patriot America Plus: This plan covers everything that the Patriot America plan includes, plus the acute onset of pre-existing conditions in people under the age of 70.
- Patriot Platinum America: This plan covers everything that the Patriot America Plus plan covers, but its maximum coverage options are much higher ($2,000,000 to $8,000,000) and it is renewable for 36 months instead of 24.
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Is it mandatory to have travel insurance for the USA?
It’s not an entry requirement to have travel insurance or medical insurance to enter the US, but that doesn’t mean that you should travel without it.
Many people might think buying travel insurance for the USA is a waste of money. However, as we’ve continually mentioned above, American healthcare can be really expensive. People who don’t have insurance and need medical care can be forced to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for medical attention.
Do you know how much American healthcare really costs? Below, we’ve compiled a chart of some common medical expenses and their prices:
PRICES OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE UNITED STATES |
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| Price of a medical visit without tests | $450 |
| Price of an emergency room visit | $3,300 |
| Price of an x-ray | $550 |
| Price of an MRI scan | $1,150 |
| Price of a CAT scan | $3,270 |
| Price of an appendicitis operation | $11,600 |
| Price of a night in hospital | $5,220 |
| Price of general anesthesia | $8,774 |
| Price of ambulance transport | $1,700 |
| Price of an emergency room stay | $2,306 |
As you can see from the chart above, the price of any one of these items is many times more than the cost of travel insurance. Given these prices, travel insurance for the USA is worth it for the medical expense coverage alone.
Also, travel insurance for the USA doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of options for cheap travel insurance that can still give you the coverage you need.
How much travel insurance coverage do you need for the USA?
Now that you know how important it is to have travel insurance for the USA, what exactly do you need coverage for?
How much travel insurance coverage do you need for the USA?
Your US travel insurance should include:
- Medical expense coverage: This coverage is the most important and necessary since, as I continue to emphasize, American healthcare prices can be exorbitant if you don’t have insurance. Don’t risk paying out of pocket for a trip to an urgent care center or hospital; make sure you at least have US visitor medical insurance before you travel to the United States.
- Evacuation and repatriation coverage: This type of coverage ensures that you can be sent back to your home country for treatment if you fall seriously ill.
- Trip delay, cancellation, and interruption coverage: You never know when a flight’s going to get canceled or an illness is going to interrupt your trip. Make sure you’re covered if an emergency causes you to cancel or interrupt your trip by getting this type of coverage.
- Baggage loss coverage: Replacing clothes and toiletries can get expensive. Having travel insurance for the USA with baggage loss coverage means you won’t have to replace your precious items at your own expense.
How much is travel insurance to the USA?
The cost of US travel insurance depends on a variety of factors. First of all, the type of travel insurance you choose/need will determine the price. Longer-term insurance will be more expensive, while medical-only travel insurance will generally be cheaper.
Second, your age will affect the price of your USA travel insurance. The older you are, the more expensive your travel insurance for the USA will be. Your home country can also impact the price of your insurance.
Finally, the deductible and maximum coverage amount can majorly impact the price of travelers’ insurance for the USA. The lower your deductible, the more expensive your insurance will be. Likewise, the higher your maximum coverage amount, the more expensive your travel insurance will be.
How much is travel insurance to the USA?
Below you can check example costs for each type of travel insurance for the USA:
Average cost of general travel insurance for the USA
To generate quotes for travel insurance USA, I used the example of a 30-year-old British citizen traveling to the US for two weeks with a trip cost of $2,500.
Price | $71.60 | $98.35 | $84.05 |
Emergency Medical Expenses | $4,100,000 | $6,900,000 | $250,000 |
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation | $590,000 | $6,900 | $500,000 |
Trip Cancellation | $4,100 | $4,100 | 100% of $2,500* |
Baggage Loss | $2,000 | $1,400 | $1,500 |
| COST OF SINGLE-TRIP TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR THE USA | |||
*Price used for example
As you can see, in this example, prices range from around $70 to $100 for fairly similar coverage.
Average price of travel medical insurance USA
I used the example of a 30-year-old British citizen traveling to the US for four weeks with a trip cost of $2,500 in order to calculate quotes for tourist health insurance USA.
Price | $73.08 | $112.09 | $101.85 |
Deductible | $250 | $0 | $0* |
Emergency Medical Expenses | $250,000 | $11,800,000 | $1,000,000* |
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation | $100,000 | $590,000 | $1,000,000 |
Emergency Dental Expenses | $1,000 | $600 | $300 |
| ONLY MEDICAL TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR THE USA COST | |||
*IMG offers options for deductibles ($0, $100, $250, $500, or $1,000) and maximum medical coverage ($50,000, $100,000, $500,000, or $1,000,000).
In this example of quotes for travel health insurance USA, prices differ from around $70 to $110, although the coverage amounts vary widely, being the Heymondo plan the one with the higher coverage.
Average cost of US visitors’ insurance for parents and relatives
To get an average price for visitors’ insurance USA for parents and relatives, I used the example of a 60-year-old British citizen traveling to the US for two weeks with a trip cost of $2,500.
Price | $71.60 | $266.87 | $160.47 |
Emergency Medical Expenses | $4,100,000 | $6,900,000 | $250,000 |
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation | $590,000 | $6,900 | $500,000 |
Trip Cancellation | $4,100 | $4,100 | 100% of $2,500* |
Baggage Loss | $2,000 | $1,400 | $1,500 |
| COST OF US VISITORS’ INSURANCE FOR PARENTS | |||
*Price used for example
With this example, prices range from roughly $70 to $250 for parent and relative visitors’ insurance USA, with some differences in coverage.
Average price of US work visa health insurance
For this US work visa health insurance quote, I used the example of a 30-year-old British citizen who is living and working in the US for three months.
Price | $307.00 | $464.40 |
Deductible | $0 | 0* |
Emergency Medical Expenses | $4,100,000 | $2,000,000* |
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation | $590,000 | $1,000,000 |
Emergency Dental Expenses | $355 | $2,000,000 |
| COST OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TRAVEL INSURANCE TO THE USA | ||
*World Trips offers options for deductibles ($0, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000) and maximum medical coverage ($50,000, $100,000, $250,000, $500,000, $1,000,000, or $2,000,000).
As you can see, prices for this type of travel insurance for the USA example vary from $300 to $450 for similar coverage.
Average cost of international student travel insurance to the USA
For this international student travel insurance USA quote, I used the example of a 22-year-old British citizen who is studying in the US for six months.
Price | $252.00 | $587.46 | $520.14 |
Deductible | $250 | $0* | $0 |
Emergency Medical Expenses | $300,000 | $250,000* | $4,100,000 |
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation | $60,000 | $50,000 | $590,000 |
Emergency Dental Expenses | $500 | $500 | $355 |
| COST OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TRAVEL INSURANCE TO THE USA | |||
*IMG offers options for deductibles ($0, $100, $250, or $500) and maximum medical coverage ($50,000, $100,000, $250,000, or $500,000).
With this example of travel insurance to the USA for students, prices range widely from roughly $250 to $600, with coverage varying extensively as well.
Average price of travel insurance USA for US citizens visiting the US
I used the example of a 30-year-old American citizen living in the UK and traveling to the US for two weeks with a trip cost of $2,500 for this travel insurance for US citizens quote.
Price | $38.50 | $56.53 | $60.73 |
Deductible | $0* | $0* | $0** |
Emergency Medical Expenses | $100,000* | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
Medical Evacuation and Repatriation | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
Emergency Dental Expenses | $100,000 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 |
| TRAVEL INSURANCE USA FOR US CITIZENS VISITING THE US | |||
*IMG offers options for deductibles ($0, $100, $250, $500, or $1,000) and maximum medical coverage ($50,000, $100,000, $500,000, or $1,000,000).
** IMG offers options for deductibles ($0, $100, $250, $500, or $1,000) and maximum medical coverage ($2,000,000, $5,000,000, or $8,000,000) for this plan.
As you can see, in this example, the cost of travel insurance for US citizens ranges from about $40 to $60, with slightly different coverage based on price.
In conclusion, the best travel insurance for the USA is whichever plan best suits your needs. If you just want travel medical insurance in the USA, focus on plans that deliver the best medical coverage. In case you’re interested in saving money and getting cheap US travel insurance, look for insurance that has higher deductibles and lower maximum coverage. If you need travel health insurance in the USA as a student or a work visa holder, purchase a plan that is specifically tailored to your situation.
Of course, the overall best US travel insurance is Heymondo, so you can’t go wrong if you purchase one of their plans. Your benefits will include comprehensive coverage, including COVID-19 coverage, affordable prices, a $0 deductible, and, best of all, no upfront, out-of-pocket payments. Remember that you can even save money on Heymondo insurance with the discount link below!
I hope you find this guide helpful when choosing your US travel insurance company and plan. Please feel free to leave any questions in the comment section.
