What travel insurance for the USA?
What travel insurance for the USA?
The United States still attracts Europeans, whether for simple tourist holidays or more. It's your turn to fly to the United States. Whatever the duration, the exact destination, or the purpose of your stay, know that it is strongly recommended to take out travel insurance before your departure. Without adequate coverage, the slightest concern can lead to the expense of several thousand dollars... So, to leave with peace of mind, consider USA travel insurance! Advice and comparison of the best offers on the market!
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Why buy travel insurance for the USA?
Travel insurance is not mandatory if you are going to the USA, whether for a week or for 3 months. However, it is strongly recommended, in particular by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Indeed, medical or hospitalization costs are very high in North America. A simple visit to the doctor will rarely cost you less than $100, while a hospitalization can cost thousands of dollars or even tens of thousands, depending on your pathology. In addition, in most cases, you will have to demonstrate your solvency to the healthcare establishment before you are even taken into their care. A certificate of insurance can therefore be very useful.
International travel insurance, specially calibrated for North America ("USA and Canada world contract included"), is therefore essential for your security. In the event of a problem, the travel insurance will reimburse your medical expenses (consultations, examinations, etc.) or will pay for you directly with the establishment concerned (in the event of hospitalization). If your condition requires it, your repatriation may be decided by the insurer's medical team. It will then, again, be covered in full at actual costs.
To find international travel insurance, in anticipation of your departure for the United States, do not hesitate to use our travel insurance comparator. Free of charge, without traveling or wasting time, you get suitable quotes and can choose the one that best suits your trip to the United States!
What are the guarantees of United States travel insurance?
Travel insurance for the USA offers you complete coverage against emergencies abroad for the duration of your stay. Some guarantees apply even before your departure, as soon as you take out insurance (trip cancellation, flight cancellation, impossible departure, etc.). The three main guarantees of travel insurance, included in all policies on the market, are:
- Coverage of your medical and hospitalization expenses abroad up to a certain amount,
- Civil liability coverage abroad,
- Repatriation assistance (financial and logistical support for it by the insurer if necessary).
We strongly advise you, when choosing your travel insurance policy for the United States, to take out cancellation coverage (flight only or full stay). It turns out to be a valuable security measure since you could be forced to cancel your trip and thus lose a major part of the cost of your reservation.
What are the different types of travel insurance for the USA?
As with any other destination in the world, several types of USA travel insurance exist. The most common contract is so-called "multi-risk" insurance, which includes a set of guarantees intended to protect you on site (medical cover, repatriation assistance, and civil liability in the USA), sometimes even before your departure if you have, for example, chosen cancellation insurance. The latter can also be contracted independently with a separate contract.
Another distinction can be made depending on whether you sign an individual contract or a group travel insurance contract, which is less personalized but faster to subscribe to.
The length of your stay in the USA also influences the type of contract you will take out and, therefore, the price of travel insurance (the longer the contract, the lower the price per day). Insurers distinguish between short trips (less than 90 days) and long trips (more than 3 months). Finally, some policies depend on the purpose of your presence on site. Insurance companies, for example, offer contracts specifically tailored for expatriates, students abroad, globetrotters, business trips, etc.
In the particular case of the USA (and Canada), some insurers offer "world excluding USA / Canada" and "world USA and Canada inclusive" contracts. This differentiation is explained by the fact that the cost of medical expenses is excessively high in these two countries. In a worldwide, USA and Canada included" contract, the compensation ceilings are adapted to these destinations, and the amount of the premium is in principle higher.
Do not worry; when you make quotes, for example, online, you will fill out a form, and the insurance product offered will be personalized according to the duration, nature, and specificities of your project in the United States.
How much does travel insurance for the USA cost?
Each insurer freely sets the price of the different travel insurance plans it offers. As a result, prices vary from simple to triple on the market. In addition, the options listed inflate the amount of the premium. The criteria for determining the price are, among others, the following:
- Your age.
- The number of insured persons in the contract.
- The scope of guarantees.
- The compensation limits are provided for in the insurance policy.
- the duration of your presence in the USA (check the duration and validity of your travel insurance).
- The purpose of your presence in the USA.
- The activities you will do there.
How do you choose your travel insurance for the United States?
Basically, do not focus solely on the question of price, even if it is logical that this is central. The extent of the guarantees and therefore the quality of the cover are just as important, especially if you are going to the USA, where medical and hospitalization costs are exorbitant compared to French standards.
All insurers are aware of the cost of care in the United States and therefore provide for high compensation ceilings, sometimes going up to 1 million euros. This turns out to be an important security measure for you. We therefore advise you to be particularly attentive on this point when reading the table of guarantees of the policies studied. To go further, do not hesitate to take a look at the general conditions of coverage.
In addition, check that repatriation assistance is included (which is the case in the vast majority of policies available on the market). Also, make sure that the insurer's support team is easily reachable, ideally 24/7.
Finally, look at the general conditions of the contract that interest you to determine at what point the insurer replaces you for the payment without your having to advance the costs (in general, after a certain number of days of 'hospitalization).
What is the insurance on your bank card worth for a stay in the USA?
Your credit card gives you international insurance, more or less complete depending on the type of card. Those considered top-of-the-range provide you with more complete coverage, more guarantees, and higher compensation limits.
This insurance is only valid for stays of less than 3 months. You will therefore need to take out dedicated insurance if you are going to the USA for longer. In addition, for the coverage to be effective, you must have paid for your entire stay with your credit card.
The main interest of this insurance is that it is "free", since it is linked to your credit card agreement. Be careful, however, because the extent of the guarantees varies according to the banks. Be aware that, in general, the coverage provided by your credit card will be less comprehensive than that of a dedicated travel insurance contract:
- There will be fewer guarantees (in principle, no luggage guarantee, for example),
- The compensation ceilings will be lower (which can be detrimental in the USA given the cost of on-site care),
- Many franchises are planned.
