Whether its visiting family, taking a vacation, or traveling for business, there are many reasons why international travelers come to the U.S. every year. Many travel to the U.S. with a B-2 visa, and while travel medical insurance is not required for these visitors, it is highly recommended. Receiving medical care in the U.S. can be much more expensive than in other countries, and while you may never intend to need health coverage, purchasing a visitor insurance plan can help protect you and/or your loved ones from an unexpected illness or injury.

If you’re one of the many people planning a visit to the U.S. for either yourself, a family member, or friends, you’re most likely shopping around to find the best visitor insurance plan that fits your needs. IMG offers six visitor insurance plans with varying cost and coverage levels. Use the guide below to find the best plan for your trip.

Which visitor insurance plan is best for pre-existing conditions?

Visitors Protect is the only IMG visitor insurance plan that provides some coverage for pre-existing conditions. Visitors Protect offers a $1,500 deductible per injury or illness due to pre-existing conditions, up to a maximum limit of $25,000 through age 69 and up to a $20,000 maximum limit for travelers ages 70 and older. View the full Visitors Protect benefits table.

Several IMG plans do offer coverage for “acute onset of pre-existing conditions.” This is less coverage than is available on Visitors Protect and is defined as “a sudden and Unexpected outbreak or reoccurrence that is of short duration, is rapidly progressive, and requires urgent medical care.” Pre-existing conditions that are chronic or congenital, or that gradually become worse over time are not covered under this benefit. Patriot America Platinum, Patriot America Plus, Visitors Preferred, and Visitors Care all offer coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions at varying maximum limits and age restrictions.

Which visitor insurance plan is best for budget-conscious travelers?

Visitors Care is designed for budget conscious, healthy travelers that are interested in limited coverage for emergency situations. There are three different plan options for you to choose from (Lite, Plus, and Platinum), with Lite offering the lowest levels of coverage and Platinum offering the highest.

Visitors Care is a fixed benefit plan, which means covered benefits are paid out up to the designated maximum amount listed, then the insured pays the difference. While a fixed benefit plan is generally the most affordable option up-front, it may result in higher out-of-pocket costs if covered events accrue higher bills than the maximums listed. View the full Visitors Care benefits table.

Travelers who want broader protection but still need to manage costs should consider Visitors Preferred as a step up from fixed-benefit plans.

Which visitor insurance plan provides the best balance of coverage and affordability?

Visitors Preferred is a well-rounded plan offering the coverage you expect for emergencies like hospitalizations and surgery, as well as coverage for minor health issues that may only require a telehealth appointment or a visit to a walk-in clinic. It’s most like our Patriot America Plus plan, but with the addition of embedded telehealth services, a border entry protection benefit, a higher maximum limit for lost baggage, and a lower copay for urgent care clinics. Visitors Preferred is also offered at a slightly lower rate than Patriot America Plus, making it the best mix of total benefits and rate. View the full Visitors Preferred benefits table.

Patriot America Plus has been our flagship visitor insurance plan for decades, offering all the Patriot America Lite benefits with the addition of one key benefit: acute onset of pre-existing conditions. Patriot America Plus offers potential coverage up to the maximum limit of the plan for acute onset of pre-existing conditions for insureds under 70 years of age and a $25,000 maximum limit for a directly related emergency medical evacuation. View the full Patriot America Plus benefits table.

Which visitor insurance plan offers the highest medical coverage limits?

Patriot America Platinum is designed for the traveler seeking the highest maximum limits for travel medical coverage available on the market. In addition to the benefits included with Patriot America Plus, Patriot America Platinum also offers higher maximum limits (up to $8,000,000), additional benefits for telehealth and travel intelligence, as well as the ability to extend coverage up to 36 months. However, Patriot America Platinum only includes acute onset of pre-existing conditions, which is less coverage than the pre-existing coverage available on Visitors Protect plans. View the full Patriot America Platinum benefits table.

Which visitor insurance plan is best for seniors visiting the United States?

It greatly depends on the person, but seniors managing chronic conditions are best suited for Visitors Protect. It is the only IMG visitor insurance plan that includes true pre-existing condition coverage. View the full Visitors Protect benefits table.

For seniors in good health, Patriot America Plus is the best option overall. It does not offer full pre-existing condition coverage but does include coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions for travelers under 70. It also includes overall higher maximum limit options compared to other entry-level plans. View the full Patriot America Plus benefits table.

Which visitor insurance plan is best for longer stays or repeat visits?

Longer stays come with higher cumulative risk – more time for illnesses, accidents, and the unknown. Patriot America Plus and Patriot America Platinum are ideal for longer trips as they both offer renewable coverage for extended stays and higher maximum medical limits compared to entry-level plans. Patriot America Plus can be renewed for 24 consecutive months and offers maximum limit options between $50,000 and $1,000,000. Patriot America Platinum offers an even longer renewal period of up to 36 consecutive months, and maximum limit options between $1,000,000 and $8,000,000. Please note that certain maximum limits are restricted depending on your age. Check plan wordings for details.

Which visitor insurance plan is best for short-term visits to the U.S.?

If you don’t expect to stay in the U.S. for more than a few weeks, you likely want to prioritize cost efficiency and emergency coverage over high limits and long renewability. With that in mind, Visitors Preferred, Patriot America Lite, and Visitors Care are ideal. Visitors Preferred provides the best balance of coverage and cost. It boasts a variety of maximum limits and deductibles, coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions for those under 70, and well-rounded benefits in case of an emergency. Patriot America Lite is the best low-cost option for young, healthy travelers with no known medical issues. It does not include any pre-existing coverage but offers lower premiums and basic coverage for emergencies. Visitors Care also offers basic coverage and lower premiums, plus coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions for certain age groups. It has a fixed-benefit structure, meaning you’ll have predictable costs for basic emergencies should they arise.

Which visitor insurance plan covers emergency medical care in the U.S.?

All IMG visitor insurance plans cover emergency medical care in the U.S. Each plan offers varying maximum limits, deductibles, and benefits. Get a quote and compare plans here.

Have Additional Questions?

If you have questions regarding what may be covered between IMG’s different visitor insurance plans, check out our Visitor Insurance FAQs. We’ve also compiled a list of some real life examples of how visitor insurance works here.

_{*This is a summary of a selection of plan benefits offered only as an illustration and does not supersede in any way the Certificate of Insurance and governing policy documents (together the “Insurance Contract”). The Insurance Contract is the only source of the actual benefits provided.}