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Co-insurance and Deductible

International travel health insurance is now an integral requirement for international travel, and given the myriad options available online it is not an easy decision.

However, it is important to take care of this before you travel as healthcare and medical help is very expensive in foreign nations and your domestic health insurance plans travel with you overseas. There are many private insurance companies who offer visitor insurance also commonly known as visitor medical insurance.

factors which determine your travel insurance costs

With so many choices of plans online, it gets a little tricky to select the right plan for your specific situation and needs. This results in questions raised about the coverage regarding benefits, the maximum covered amount, the price, type of plan, age related questions, coverage in particular area with provider network...

Given these many questions, quite often travellers want to understand specific visitor health insurance terminologies among which "Co-Insurance and Deductible" are very relevant.

Normally, there are 2 kinds of visitor medical insurance plans namely Fixed or scheduled benefits plan and Comprehensive plan, with co-insurance perhaps more relevant in comprehensive plans.

Let us first understand what Deductible means. Deductible is the amount that the insured pays before the insurance company pays for any medical expense. This amount can be chosen by traveller while buying the plan. The Deductible value is inversely proportional to the premium price of the plan. Both Fixed and Comprehensive plans have a deductible applicable on them. This amount can vary from $0 to $2,500 in each plan. It is up to the insured to choose their deductible amount on the plan the same way they choose their policy maximum amount.

Coming to the Co-insurance, this is the percentage amount that the person pays after the deductible for any medical expense incurred. This is applicable only for Comprehensive plans even though it is applicable only for the first $5,000 of expense after which the insurance company pays 100% after the deductible is met. Fixed plans do not have Co-insurance.

Co-insurance percentage varies from one plan to other. Some plans waive the co-insurance when the insured goes to a doctor within the PPO network. Some plans reduce the percentage for expense within the PPO network. This knowledge of these two health care terms help in making an informed decision while selecting a suitable plan for ones needs.

What medical benefits are included in travel insurance for USA visitors?

  • Health care expenses: Covers hospital expenses for sickness or accidents.
  • Doctor visit: Insures Doctor visits for sudden injury or sickness.
  • Pharmacy drugs: Doctor prescribed eligible pharmacy drugs expenses.
  • Medical evacuation: Medical evacuation expenses to nearest facility included.
  • Repat of remains: Repatriation of remains to home country included.
  • Pre-existing conditions: Some plans insure acute onset of pre-existing conditions.

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General - FAQ's

1. What are the benefits of travel insurance?

Travel insurance is important while travelling overseas for business or for pleasure. Unforeseen incidents and mishaps can occur hence it’s important to be prepared.

By purchasing travel medical insurance, you’ll be covered against emergency evacuation and medical expenses, and trip insurance will cover trip interruptions or cancellation, loss of passports or wallet, misplaced luggage. Travelers can also include Cancel for any reason cover that offers maximum coverage.

2. What travel insurance covers the USA?

US Travel insurance plans for coverage can be purchased online at American Visitor Insurance to get a medical and travel insurance cover in the United States. International travel insurance provides coverage for unexpected medical emergencies during the travel period.

Travel insurance is particularly important during the Covid19 pandemic for safe travel to the US. American visitor insurance offers customers with some of the best US travel insurance options which can be compared to find the most appropriate product for one’s needs. For more details travelers can call the customer service or email and the team will be glad to help.

3.Can a non-US citizen get medical insurance?

Yes, if the traveler is a non US citizen and needs medical insurance it can be purchased. The US travel insurance cover can provide the traveler with the medical coverage required.

How much does visitor health insurance USA cost?

How much is medical insurance for tourists in the US?

Healthcare in the U.S. is extremely expensive, and without good travel health insurance, even a simple doctor’s visit can become a financial burden. In 2025, the cost of travel health insurance for visitors to the US ranges between $19 to $172 per month, depending on the age, the insurance company, the type of visitors insurance, the coverage limits, and whether you want coverage for pre-existing conditions. If you are looking for a cheap option, some plans cost as little as $1 to $5 per day, making it an affordable way to stay covered.

Why is travel insurance USA is so important? A routine doctor’s visit can cost between $250 to $350, while a heart attack will leave you with a bill of at least $25,000. If you need to stay in the ICU after a stroke, the cost can exceed $150,000. Even something as routine as an echocardiogram ranges from $1,500 to $4,000, depending on where you get it. Emergency treatments for conditions like diabetes complications cost anywhere from $3,500 to $7,000, and if you need treatment for kidney failure, expect to pay over $30,000.

How much does cheap visitor insurance in USA cost?

Cheap visitor health insurance for visitors to USA starts at $19 per month for fixed benefit plans.

Following is the cost of visitor insurance per month.

Plan Name Plan max range Deductible Age 35 Age 55 Age 75
Safe Travels Advantage $25,000 - $150,000 $0 $19 - $54 $29 - $82 $59 -$160
Visitors care $25,000 - $100,000 $100 $25 - $44 $30 - $65 $66 - $152
Safe Travels Elite $25,000 - $175,000 $0 $25 - $71 $36 - $110 $105 - $150
Venbrook Essential $25,000 - $150,000 $0 $25 - $74 $36 - $105 $66 - $142
Visit USA Budget $50,000 - $150,000 $250 $30 - $49 $42 -$74 $81
VisitorSecure $50,000 - $130,000 $100 $31 - $55 $46 - $84 $93 - $135
Travel Medical USA visitor basic $50,000 - $150,000 $100 $39 - $47 $56 - $68 $178 - $196
Source: American Visitor Insurance®

How much does the best comprehensive visitor insurance cost per month?

The cost of comprehensive visitor insurance starts around $53 month, depending on factors such as age, coverage limits, deductible, and optional add-ons. Higher-tier plans with extensive coverage, including pre-existing condition benefits and lower deductibles, tend to be more expensive. On average, a good comprehensive health insurance plan costs $58 to $108 per month for a 35 year old traveler.

Following are the cost of best health insurance for visitors to USA per month for a $250 deductible.

Visitor health insurance for USA

Review US visitor insurance plan benefits.

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How much does 6 month medical insurance for visitors to USA cost?

For a 60 year old traveler, the cost of USA visitor insurance for 6 months typically ranges around $122 to $1,050, based different coverage options, medical needs, and traveler’s budget on American Visitor Insurance. The best 6 month USA travel insurance is the one which is affordable, reliable and allows the traveler stress free. From ER visits to urgent care, stay covered for 6 months in the U.S starting from just $1.50/day!

What are the different US Visitors travel insurance types ?

Fixed Benefit travel insurance

A fixed benefit or scheduled benefits travel insurance plan is the cheapest US travel insurance plan. This is because the Fixed benefit travel insurance have a fixed limit of coverage for different medical benefits. Fixed benefit international travel medical insurance works well for small ailments but can be inadequate for more serious medical conditions involving hospitalisation.

Comprehensive travel insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance provide full coverage for medical expenses up to the policy medical maximum limit. As opposed to fixed benefit international travel medical insurance there are no coverage limits for each benefit. It is much more expensive when compared to fixed benefit plans but also provides significantly superior coverage especially in case of a serious medical emergency or hospitalisation.

Pre-existing conditions visitors insurance

Tips for travelers with pre-existing conditions

Here are some travel insurance tips for travelers with pre-existing conditions

  1. Choose a travel medical insurance with pre-existing conditions coverage.
  2. Read the policy carefully to understand what is covered and what is not.
  3. Be aware of look back period for coverage of pre-existing conditions.
  4. Consider buying an US travel health insurance plan with higher medical coverage.
  5. Keep a copy of your medical records and list of medications when you travel.
  6. Take your Doctor's prescription and medications during your trip.
  7. Learn how to access healthcare at your destination.
  8. Contact your US traveler insurance provider immediately in case of a medical emergency.
  9. Disclose all pre-existing conditions when purchasing visitor health insurance.
  10. Follow all procedures while submiting a claim.

What is visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions?

There are many health insurance for us visitors options for international travel. However, many usa travel insurance for visitors plans exclude pre-existing conditions. Hence the traveler insurance will not cover the costs of treating a pre-existing medical condition. However at American Visitor Insurance, we offer some travel medical insurance plans that have coverage for pre-existing conditions and the policy clearly states what is covered for a pre-existing conditions, as well as specifying a limit to this coverage.

Some travel health insurance plans like Atlas America, Patriot America Plus offer coverage for an acute onset of a pre-existing conditions, ie, when there is a sudden medical emergency without any prior symptom that needs to be treated immediately. This typically includes emergency medical treatment, hospitalization and evacuation expenses related to the acute onset of the pre-existing condition. INF insurance however has the INF Elite insurance which covers pre-existing conditions going beyond the acute onset coverage. It is important to compare visitors insurance for pre-existing conditions on American Visitor Insurance both for the price as well as pre-existing conditions coverage before making a decision.

How does travel insurance for pre-existing conditions work?

The travel health insurance plans which cover pre-existing conditions have clear definitions of what is a pre-existing condition, the look back period for pre-existing condition, whether the travel insurance coverage is limited to acute onset of pre-existing conditions, and if it provides full coverage for pre-existing conditions the coverage limit within the policy for pre-existing conditons. Any travel health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions will depend on all these.

Factors to consider while purchasing visitors health insurance for pre existing conditions?

The following are important factors for buying travel insurance for pre-existing conditions

  1. The definition of pre-existing conditions and the look back period under the policy.
  2. The eligibility age limit for pre-existing conditions coverage.
  3. Whether pre-existing condition coverage is limited to acute onset of pre-existing conditions.
  4. The coverage limit for pre-existing conditions which is different from the policy medical maximum.
  5. The deductible and out of pocket expenses for pre-existing conditions coverage.

Why is health insurance for travel to USA with pre-existing conditions coverage important?

Traveling anywhere outside worldwide is supposed to be an eye opening, special and a relaxed trip experience. Traveling with a health condition brings in more challenges in order to get covered for the unexpected medical expense in case of odd surprises during the trip. This calls out for an insurance plan that covers the pre-existing conditions that will relieve the unnecessary stress of taking extra care of yourself during your most memorable travel experience.

The plans also will be expensive considering the risks involved to cover pre-existing conditions. Many of the travel insurance plans exclude pre-existing conditions. At American Visitor Insurance we offer plans that cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions as well as some cover full pre-existing conditions.

Pre-existing conditions coverage - FAQ's

1. How do I know if my pre-existing condition is covered by travel insurance?

Unfortunately, this simple question has a fairly complicated answer. The answer is: it depends. Firstly, it depends on whether you are a US resident traveling outside the US or a visitor to the US. US residents can purchase trip cancellation insurance that can cover pre-existing conditions and even plans that are travel medical only without cancellation often are more generous in their coverage of pre-existing conditions. These plans may have specific requirements in order to waive the usual exclusion of coverage for pre-existing conditions (like purchase them within a certain number of days of your initial trip deposit or that you have a primary domestic insurance plan in the US), so you should check these details carefully if this is important to you.

Non-US residents or US residents traveling into the US have much more limited options to insure their pre-existing conditions are covered. Some plans offer coverage for "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions. However, this is misleading, since a careful look at their definition excludes chronic or congenital disorders from such coverage. Chronic illnesses are those that worsen over time and congenital disorders are issues one is born with. They exclude emergencies due to chronic illness because they will say that is not "acute" it is simply a worsening of your condition. There are only two policies we know of that offer coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. They are INF Premier and INF Elite plans.

Firstly, they define pre-existing conditions in the following way: A pre-existing condition is a condition for which the insured received treatment or took medication for in the previous 12 months before the start of the policy. If the medication dosage has not changed and is taken as a maintenance medication, this would NOT count as a flare up or treatment of the condition. In that case, very stable conditions that have no flare ups in the past 12 months are not even excluded as pre-existing conditions. Conditions that have had flare ups or doctor recommended treatment or change in medication, are still covered by the plans but with a higher deductible and a lower maximum.

INF Elite (also INF Elite 90) are comprehensive plans offering fairly complete coverage. INF Premier is a fixed plan. Find details on these plans here.

The above plans must be purchased for at least 90 days and can be quite pricey for seniors, but they offer the only real coverage for chronic conditions.

The other option, of course, is to take a plans with little ($1K) or no coverage for pre-existing conditions and take a risk that that condition will not flare up during the trip.

2. What does full coverage for Pre-Existing Conditions mean?

INF plans boast they offer "full" coverage for pre-existing conditions. This can be a little misleading. Firstly, any regular treatment or medication that is required by the condition is never covered. The main advantage to the INF Elite and INF Premier is that they cover sudden illness/injury regardless of whether it is pre-existing or not. The only difference is that a pre-existing condition will be covered with a higher deductible at at a lower maximum than any other "new" illness or injury. However, coverage is not limited to an emergency or life-threatening situation.

3. What does "acute onset of pre-existing conditions" mean?

The "Acute Onset of a Pre-Existing Condition" is a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a pre-existing medical condition which occurs without any advance warning either in the form of physician recommendations or symptoms and requires immediate care (within 24 hours of first symptoms). A Pre-Existing Condition that is a chronic or congenital condition or that gradually becomes worse over time will not be considered acute onset.

The acute onset coverage benefit does not include coverage for known, scheduled, required, or expected medical care, drugs or treatment existent or necessary prior to the effective date of coverage. An example of this might be someone who has a food allergy or bee allergy and is unknowingly exposed to their allergen and requires immediate medical attention.

4. What is the difference between Full Pre-Existing & Acute Onset Insurance?

Acute onset of a pre-existing condition can be defined as the sudden & unexpected occurrence of a pre-existing condition which requires in-patient, emergency hospitalization within 24 hours of exhibiting first symptoms. The main difference between acute onset & full pre-existing is that with Full Pre-Existing coverage, is that one is covered for all pre-existing conditions and associated medical costs and this includes follow up visits, hospitalizations and doctor’s visits, etc. The acute onset coverage will only cover the in-patient hospitalization expense.

5. What are the limits of Full Pre-Existing plans under INF travel insurance?

Full Pre-existing means we will cover any issue regarding a pre-existing condition, however, if one is traveling to the United States solely for medical treatment, that will not be covered. INF plans do not cover any medical tourism related claims. Pre-existing conditions under the INF plans are covered with a higher deductible and a lower maximum than other illnesses or injuries. These are chosen or specified when you purchase you plan.

6. Do INF travel insurance plans really cover all pre-existing conditions?

Yes, the INF policies will cover any pre-existing issue that the traveler may have during their stay in the United States. This includes blood pressure, diabetes, kidney related issues and arthritis, all of which are covered by the INF Premier, INF Premier Plus, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90 Plans.

7. Why are Full Pre-Existing plans more expensive than other visitor medical insurance usa plans?

The insurance company takes on an enormous risk by insuring individuals and including coverage for pre-existing conditions without any prior medical examination. Under the INF plans, you are paying more, but you are getting the full value for the money you pay given the very high cost of US healthcare. With the INF Premier, INF Premier Plus, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90 Plans, even though it is expensive, you can have the comfort of knowing that you are covered for any emergency or contingency. This peace of mind given the expensive US healthcare expense is what makes INF plans worth it despite being expensive.

8. What services are covered under best travel insurance for usa visitors with full pre-existing coverage?

The list of covered services under Visitors insurance full pre-existing conditions coverage can be found on the American Visitor Insurance website of the INF Premier, INF Premier Plus, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90 Plan pages. INF plans are open to green card holders

What is the best US visitors insurance with pre-existing conditions coverage?

The best US visitors insurance with pre-existing conditions coverage is listed here:

  1. The INF Elite plans are designed for travelers who need coverage for full pre-existing medical conditions up to age 99 years. INF Elite plans are comprehensive plans available for people traveling to the US and provide flexible coverage. Minimum Purchase of 90 days is required on the plans.
  2. Safe Travels USA Comprehensive offers coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions up to 70 years the limit is up to the medical maximum purchased per period of coverage and for any coverage related to cardiac disease, coverage is limited to $25,000.
  3. Atlas America Insurance is a comprehensive visitor insurance for acute on set of pre-existing conditions that covers Non-US citizens and Non-US residents while visiting the US up to age 79 years.
    The plan provides acute onset of non-chronic pre-existing conditions coverage..
  4. Patriot America plus is Comprehensive travel insurance covers acute on set of pre-existing conditions up to chosen maximum limit aged up to 70 years. This plan is available for Non US citizens travelling to the USA and US citizens and Non US citizens living abroad can buy this plan for visiting the US for short while. Plan is suitable for Green Card holders as long as they reside outside the US.
  5. Visitors Protect is Comprehensive visitor medical insurance offers pre-existing conditions up to age 99 years. Minimum Purchase of 90 days is required on the plan. It is an affordable plan for visitors visiting the US.
  6. Safe Travels USA is a cheap travel medical insurance plan that covers sudden, unexpected recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition for Non-US Citizens and Non-US Residents while visiting the USA up to 89 years.

Which are the best visitors insurance companies?

You can find reliable insurance providers like International Medical Group (IMG), Seven Corners, WorldTrips, Global Underwriters, Travel Insure, GeoBlue, HTH Worldwide, and INF Insurance.

Which are the best visitors insurance companies?

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