Thank you for such helpful information. You've impressed me as I have contacted other companies and haven't gotten half of the information from them that you have sent me. I will take what you've said into consideration and hope to be in touch soon.
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I recently visited your website for the first time to buy insurance for travel to US. I found the information very good. Your customer support was fantastic and awesome. You were so dedicated to take care of my inquiries. I would rate your service 100/100.
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I am pleased to say that your company is very professional in the field of Insurance.
The customer is happy to get easily connected and then you very patiently explain the difference between various plans to suit each customer's need.
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The International Travel & Health Insurance Journal has recently summarized some research by an Australian financial website listing the main reasons why insurance claims are rejected (ITIJ Issue 157, 2014).
The top reason for an insurance claim to be rejected by a travel insurer is that the policyholder was intoxicated at the time of the accident or injury occurred. This is why it is very important to fully understand the limitations of a policy before purchase to understand your risk and not get surprised by a rejection.
The second most common cause for rejection is because the accident occurred while participating in an extreme sport. Some policies do have coverage for some of these activities. It is important to note that some activities, such as motorcycle riding, while may not be considered extreme to most are NOT covered by some policies without some sort of adventure sports rider.
If you are anticipating doing some exciting activity while you travel, be sure to look for a sports rider and furthermore, that the activity you want to do is SPECIFICALLY LISTED on the rider. Some extreme sports, like motocross, are rarely covered, but check out the Diplomat America plan. Other activities, such as bungee jumping or white water rafting can be covered by several plans (Patriot America with rider, Travel Medical Basic with rider, Atlas America no rider needed).
The third cause for rejection is because the sickness was due to a pre-existing condition. It is important to note that some policies DO have limited coverage for pre-existing conditions for those policies), but these will have limitations. For example, a person must be stable before a condition could be covered.
if you are still recovering from illness or surgery, this will NOT be covered. Also, some specific pre-existing conditions are NOT covered generally under any circumstances. The most common pre-existing conditions that are excluded are pregnancy, cancer, HIV infection, and chronic illnesses.
That leads to the fourth most common cause for rejection by travel insurers: complications of pregnancy. Atlas America (for travel to the USA) or Atlas International (travel anywhere else) covers complications of pregnancy in the first 26 weeks of gestation. NO OTHER policy will cover such complications due to pregnancy, so if this is of special concern, be sure you get the right policy!
One of the reason why insurance claims gets rejected could be because the insured /claimant has not provided considerable proof and within the given time frame.
The final reason for rejection is because traveler is in a region where they have specifically been advised not to travel. Coverage is not provided in war zones and other places that the US State Department does not recommend travel. If you find yourself in a region where the US State Department advises travelers to vacate, some policies cover and even help coordinate your evacuation from that area.
Some policies cover injuries and losses due to terrorism. If any of these are a possible concern in your voyage, you can consider the Travel Medical Basic policy with specific coverage for terrorist attack.
The only information I would add to a potential client is that it is important, of course, to provide complete and accurate information on your application since this can also be a cause for a rejection later on. Furthermore, you should be aware of the procedure for using your insurance and filing a claim (if necessary). In my experience, insurance companies are more than willing to deal directly with a medical provider to arrange payment (the reverse may not be true).
You and/or the medical provider can give them a call and they should answer 24/7 for any medical emergency situation. It may be necessary to pre-certify medical costs with the company BEFORE they are incurred. These are generally high-cost expenses. For example, you must inform the insurance company within 24 to 48 hours of being in a hospital (if possible).
In this case, I would not rely on the provider to call, but I would advise you to call yourself, if you are able, to let them know what is going on. They will also be able to help you understand the claims process. When in doubt, I would make the easy, toll-free call and keep your mind at ease.
As always, we wish you safe and healthy voyages!For Pre-existing medical conditions and covid
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Travel insurance is coverage only for unexpected medical expenses while you are on a trip away from home. Some companies offer coverage for what they call "acute onset" of a pre-existing condition (excluding chronic or congenital disorders). This would be a life or life-style threatening situation that cannot wait to be taken care of when the trip is over.
It must be "acute" meaning that it came on suddenly and needs to be taken care of quickly (defined as within 24 hours of symptom onset). A "pre-existing condition" does not necessarily have to have been previously diagnosed. If it is reasonable to assume that this condition started in the patient before the start date of the insurance, then it will be considered pre-existing to the policy. Note that the exclusion for chronic (conditions that worsen over time) and congenital (conditions a person is born with) limit greatly the application of this exception.
If Asthma is not considered chronic, then an emergency due to Asthma could be covered by a policy which covers at least "acute onset" of pre-existing conditions. If a person requires regular medication and/or doctor visits for their asthma, this will NOT be covered and will have to be paid by the insured completely out of pocket.
Note that in the US, the same medications can differ widely in costs depending on the pharmacy you use and some medications (generally generics) for common illnesses can be purchased for $40 per month at the Walmart pharmacy (although there may be long wait times). Also, some drug companies have special "coupons" available online for some of their drugs. There are often "discount cards" available at pharmacies and other stores for prescriptions that are free to use.
These are all resources your visitor can use to avoid paying full price for costly required medications should they run out while they are in the US. Other countries may not require a prescription and may not be as costly to obtain. Having a prescription with you, however, may be a good idea to ease getting the medication and show authorities you are allowed to have it (in the case of regulated substances which can vary country to country).
No. When you purchase any of our travel insurance plans, they offer guaranteed coverage with no medical questions. However, be aware that they all exclude pre-existing medical conditions. So, please take any medications you use regularly or for flare ups of your conditions since these will not be covered by travel insurance. As far as I know, Arthritis cannot lead to a life-threatening situation, so will be excluded from coverage by short-term travel policies.
If you are a frequent traveler and want major medical coverage in any country to which you travel, you can opt for global medical policies which will (after the first year, generally) cover all aspects of health costs.
You can Compare and buy Global health insurance policies. To apply for these policies, you will have to reveal your entire medical history and you are not guaranteed coverage.
The application must go through underwriting and you can be approved, rejected, or approved with exclusions. In any case, you can opt out of the policy 10 days from your approval for no cost to you or simply reject the exclusions they require on the policy. Note that these policies are best for people who want health insurance for a whole year, or better, longer.
Once you are approved on the plan, you are guaranteed coverage year after year and the price is determined by your age group, not your individual medical history. So, in the case of a global medical insurance application, you would have to declare your Arthritis on the application and you may or may not be covered for that illness by the policy they offer you.
Absolutely, yes! Travel insurance is meant to cover you in the unlikely event of a sudden illness or accident while you are on your trip. Even if you have a pre-existing condition that complicates treatment, that is not relevant to the coverage for an unexpected illness or injury.
Naturally, your pre-existing conditions themselves are excluded from coverage, so you should pack as much medication as you will comfortably need for your trip.
Yes. Any medical condition you have been diagnosed with or are being treated for will be considered pre-existing to a new travel policy. If you take regular medication for your condition, this will not be covered by the policy. However, should you, for example, have an accident and break a bone, this would be covered even if your condition may have made you a little more vulnerable to the break (unless you were being particularly reckless).
Accidents are generally always covered (car accidents are more complicated because if you were not at fault, the driver's insurance may cover part of your injuries) unless caused by intoxication. So, even if you have OsteoArthritis or some other pre-existing condition, you are still eligible for coverage by a travel insurance policy which will protect you from sudden illness or accident/injury while you are on your trip.
This is a tough question. And, unfortunately, the answer depends on where you are traveling to and from.
For people that are traveling to the US from abroad:
As a broker, I am not a medical professional, so I can only tell you this from the insurance side of the question. Generally speaking, the most common cause for heart attack as I understand it is due to plaque build up in the person's arteries.
Since that build up happens slowly, over time, I think it's fair to say that it would NOT be covered by any travel health insurance. This is because travel health insurance excludes pre-existing conditions from any coverage (even emergency coverage if they are chronic or congenital). So the answer for the common cause of heart attacks is NO. So, foreigners run a risk (hopefully a small one) when traveling here.
Health insurance can still help with costs of accidents and other unexpected illnesses while on vacation. However, the answer is be different for people who are US residents traveling abroad. US residents can purchase trip cancellation plans and some of those waive the pre-existing condition exclusion IF you purchase them within a short time of your initial trip deposit (that is the earliest date you pay for any portion of your trip).
Check out trip cancellation plans. Notably, the GeoBlue student and travel plans also waive the pre-existing condition exclusion for people who had creditable prior insurance coverage, and these plans are only available to US residents with US domestic coverage. And, for travel plans for US residents going abroad, some, like the Safe Travels Outbound plans, will cover pre-existing conditions IF they have been stable in the last 6 months (meaning there have been no changes, episodes, or changes to medication in that time frame). You can Compare Safe Travels Outbound Insurance plans.
No. Travel health insurance is meant to cover a sudden illness or accident, such as you get a stomach flu or you twist or break your ankle. Since Arthritis is not a life-threatening illness, it will not be covered by a short-term travel plan. Should you require regular medications or ointments, you should bring them or purchase ointments available in the visiting country for your condition.
Some countries may not require prescriptions to purchase medications. However, you should be cautious in using a new medication since there may be side-effects of concern. You may want to stick to what you know or consult with your own physician if you can.
Yes, INF is one company that offers travel insurance for pre-existing conditions. Some other US travel insurance providers offer travel insurance for acute onset of an pre-existing ailment. The INF Elite and INF Premier travel plans provides greater flexibility for coverage of pre-existing conditions.
The following travel insurance plans cover acute onset of pre-existing conditions:
A pre-existing condition is an existing condition/illness that exists at the time of application of the travel insurance, whether or not it has been treated and diagnosed or disclosed to the company, and any of or all of the subsequent complications or consequences related to or resulting from the ailment.
Mental and Nervous disorders, maternity and newborn care, preventive care, chronic illness which cannot be cured, for instance, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, pre-existing conditions except for sudden recurrence of the pre-existing conditions are some of the medical conditions that the travel insurance completely excludes from coverage.
Travel Insurance plans do not specify anything about the waiting period, but some plans have a look back period for coverage for pre-existing conditions. Most travel insurance plans only cover the acute onset of pre-existing conditions with INF being the exception which offers coverage for Pre-existing conditions up to the defined limit with their INF Premier and INF Elite travel insurance plans.
US Student medical insurance plans which are useful for international students coming to the US for higher studies however do provide a waiting period of 6 months to one year which varies from one plan to another.
Travel Insurance plans provide coverage for unexpected sickness and injury. They provide benefits to cover emergency medical evacuation and repatriation. Apart from this, they provide coverage for the acute onset of pre-existing conditions. If there is a medical condition that you do not need any coverage for, then yes, you can still purchase travel insurance for unexpected medical accidents which might result in a highly expensive claim expense.
US short term travel insurance plans are bought online by filling out the travel insurance application form provided by the insurance company. In the insurance company application form, there are no specific questions about the pre-existing condition the customer might have.
However, on American Visitor Insurance on the form to travel insurance quotes, we ask the customer to fill in the requirement details including if coverage for pre-existing conditions is needed. This helps us display the plans with the best coverage for pre-existing conditions or for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The available travel insurance plans can also be filtered depending on the pre-existing condition coverage requirement.
This way it is easier for the customer to view the plans that provide good pre-existing condition coverage. In conclusion, the customer does not have a way to disclose what pre-existing condition they have in the application form. Again only INF insurance offers coverage for pre-existing conditions while other providers only offer acute onset of pre-existing condition coverage, and they will not be covered for the pre-existing condition unless the incident is reported by the doctor as a acute onset of a pre-existing condition.
The following is the visitors insurance pre-existing conditions coverage buy different US travel insurance providers:
INF Plans. These plans offer full Pre-existing conditions up to the pre-existing conditions coverage limit in the policy:
The following is the visitors insurance pre-existing conditions coverage buy different US travel insurance providers:
INF Plans. These plans offer full Pre-existing conditions up to the pre-existing conditions coverage limit in the policy:
International Medical Group - IMG offers both full Pre-existing and Acute onset of Pre-existing condition coverage :
WorldTrips offers acute onset of Pre-existing conditions:
Trawick International offers Acute onset of Pre-existing conditions and sudden, unexpected recurrence of a Pre-existing Conditions:
Seven Corners offers acute onset of Pre-existing conditions:
The Lookback period is the period before the travel insurance policy's effective date during which the pre-existing medical condition must be stable. The look back period varies depending on the policy.
No, typically, you must not receive any treatment or medication for the pre-existing condition during the Lookback period to be eligible for coverage under the policy.
Yes, there is typically an age limit for purchasing visitors travel insurance for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The age limit varies depending on the policy.
Yes, Green Card holders are eligible to enroll in the INF Plans as long as they maintain a residence outside the US.
Yes, people who are already in the US, can buy the INF plans, but they must get prior permission to apply for INF plans. To do this, they must submit the following forms:
The I-94 form is a government doc that can be filled out on line, they should choose “Get most Recent” on the website here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/ and you should complete this “health attestation form”.
Note : Hop Travel Assist plans are not available if visitors are already in abroad
Yes, you can purchase INF travel medical insurance even if you have pre-existing conditions. INF offers Premier, Elite, Elite Plus and Elite 90 plans that provide coverage for pre-existing conditions. However, coverage for pre-existing conditions may have some limitations and exclusions depending on the plan and your specific condition. It is important to carefully review the policy details and ensure that the coverage meets your specific needs.
INF travel medical insurance for pre-existing conditions is a type of travel insurance that provides coverage for individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions.
The INF insurance plans are designed to provide coverage for medical emergencies and unexpected medical events that may occur while traveling. The plans include benefits such as hospitalization, doctor visits, prescription medication, emergency medical evacuation, and more.
INF offers several insurance plans for travelers with pre-existing conditions, including the INF Premier, INF Elite, INF Elite Plus and INF Elite 90. These plans have varying levels of coverage and benefits, so it is important to review each plan carefully to determine which one best fits your specific needs.
The cost of the INF visitors insurance will vary depending on the age of the traveler, the type of coverage and the length of your trip. Typically, visitor’s insurance policies cost can start even as low as $1 per day, but will be much higher for older travelers seeking coverage for pre-existing conditions that INF insurance offers.
The INF Elite Travel Insurance plan is INF’s comprehensive insurance for visitors traveling to the United States. There are 3 types of INF insurance Elite plans and the price of these plans varies depending on the coverage they provide. The INF Elite plan, INF Elite 90 plan and INF Elite Plus plan.
The INF Elite plan is a comprehensive travel medical insurance plan that offers coverage for emergency medical and dental expenses, medical evacuation, trip interruption, and other benefits for visitors to the USA. The INF Elite plan, INF Elite 90 plan and INF Elite Plus plan are all part of the Elite Network of plans offered by INF.
The INF Elite 90 plan is designed for travellers who need coverage of eligible medical expenses up to 90%.
The INF Elite Plus plan provides coverage for pre-existing conditions as defined in the plan, as per policy limitations, exclusions and maximums, with no benefit waiting period.
INF Elite Plus also provides Preventive & maintenance care benefits, which can be used for a number of different covered medical services and offers coverage for TDAP, Flu, etc Vaccines.
You can apply for INF insurance online through American Visitor Insurance. You can also call them at +1 (877) 340 7910 to get more information on how to apply for INF insurance from licensed insurance agents.
The maximum length of coverage for INF insurance is 364 days.
INF insurance is available for international visitors to the United States, Canada or Mexico.
The main requirements for applying for INF insurance is the travelers passport details and the travel dates. You can apply for INF insurance online on American Visitor Insurance or call +1 (877) 340 7910 to get help in applying for INF insurance.
To purchase INF insurance coverage, you must not be a citizen or permanent resident of the host country you are traveling to, ie the US, Mexico, or Canada. The coverage is available for non-U.S. residents and non-U.S. citizens traveling to the United States, Mexico or Canada between the ages of 14 days and 79 years. US green card holders can buy INF insurance if they have a residence outside the USA. The coverage duration is available from 5 days up to 364 days.
There is a minimum purchase of 90 days required to buy these INF Elite plans.
The INF plans use the United Healthcare Preferred Provider Organisation (PPO). This means that even if the pre-existing coverage limit is low, customers will still be able to access the full PPO discounts via United Health Care (UHC).
For example : A customer has to go to the Emergency Room (ER) for blood pressure and get a bill of $10,000 and the customer has the INF HOP UltraPlus plan. Although the UltraPlus covers $700 for pre-existing, the customer will get the PPO discount on the bill since it is covered. This in itself can translate to very significant savings such as an 80% discount + $700 paid out. This means your total coverage was $8,700 and out of pocket expense is only $1,300.
Definitely, one can travel to the US on a tourist visa without travel insurance, however it is very important to have travel medical insurance as it can be financially suicidal being admitted to an US hospital without any insurance.
The healthcare costs in the US are extremely high and good travel insurance will put your mind at ease during your international travel.
It is always recommended to purchase travel insurance before you depart your home country and start the travel. This is to make full and genuine use of the insurance so that you are covered from day One when you are in a foreign country.
However, you can also purchase the insurance after arriving at your destination country. Some insurance plans might have arrival time restriction where the insurance must be purchased within 30 days after arriving in the destination. This time could be 6 months as well depending on the age of the person.
Some of the countries have made it mandatory to have travel insurance before starting the travel. While the travel insurance takes care of the unexpected incident coverage travel plans extend their coverage benefit to cover emergency coverage in case of sudden recurrence of a pre-existing condition, repatriation, evacuation, trip interruption, baggage delay and loss which definitely makes a very necessary requirement for a traveler.
Travel insurance not only covers the unexpected incidents and injuries and takes care of the hospital costs, it also extends coverage for acute onset of pre existing condition, emergency evacuation, repatriation, trip interruption, trip delay, baggage loss or delay...some of the travel insurance plans offer coverage for adventure sports.
Visitor Insurance Resources
Choose international travel insurance resources for travel outside your home country.
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Factors for Travel Insurance
Important factors to consider while deciding on the best travel medical insurance.
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Types of Visitor Insurance
Understanding different US travel insurance options, fixed benefits vs comprehensive coverage.
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Travel Claims Procedure
Travel medical insurance online claims process for getting medical care in a hospital.
Explore »While travelling in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic, one must ensure that they have the right travel health insurance with proper Covid-19 coverage. At America visitor insurance travelers can get visitors insurance for Covid -19 illness.
We offer a range of options for visitors where they can compare using our Visitors insurance for Covid19 comparison tool based on the factors like the travelers age, duration of travel, the maximum coverage required, deductible and the need for pre-existing conditions or for covid coverage.
Travelers can narrow down their search further by applying the “filter” option for Covid19 available in the tool. Please know we are here to help you make the best, informed decision to get coverage even for COVID19! Let us know how we can assist you. Feel free to contact us by email or phone at any time.
Covid travel insurance - Know more
