Visitor insurance is designed to provide temporary medical coverage for international travelers visiting the U.S. While your standard health insurance plan may provide sufficient coverage at home, most domestic plans aren't designed to cover emergencies outside your home country. Healthcare costs are notoriously expensive in the U.S., so these visitor insurance plans can help ensure travelers have access to necessary medical care and financial protection during their travels.
There are many different levels of coverage and types of plans IMG offers. Let’s look at some hypothetical examples to better explain what may be covered in various unexpected illnesses or accidents on IMG’s different visitor insurance plans.
Sanjay is 68 and spending a few months in the U.S. to visit his son and grandchildren. One month after his arrival, he develops a fever, cough, and congestion. Sanjay goes to an urgent care facility and is diagnosed with an Upper Respiratory Infection (the common cold). A Visitors Care plan’s fixed benefits may leave him paying more up-front for the visit and a small amount of the bill after IMG’s coverage, but a Visitors Preferred or Patriot America Plus plan would require less initially and potentially cover more of the entire visit.
Maria is 52 and has come to the U.S. to spend time with her sister, niece, and nephew for nine months. She’s had some health issues in the past but doesn’t suffer from anything chronic or congenital. A few months after her arrival, Maria develops a cough, a fever, and is feeling quite ill. After a trip to urgent care, she is sent to the emergency room where it is determined she has pneumonia. The pneumonia confines her to the hospital for a week and she ends up with a large medical bill. A Patriot America Platinum plan, with a higher maximum limit than IMG’s other visitor insurance plans, may provide the most coverage given the circumstances.
Charlie is 8 years old and is visiting the U.S. to spend the summer with his extended family. While trying to show off his new bike riding skills to Grandpa, he falls off and breaks his wrist. He needs to be taken to the emergency room for x-rays and to diagnose the wrist. Charlie’s visit may be covered on a Visitors Care plan up to the fixed benefit amount, but his family would be responsible for the difference, which could be a substantial amount of money. With a Patriot America Lite plan, portions of Charlie’s visit may be covered up to the maximum limit of the plan.
Liam is 45 years old and lives in Ireland. He leads a healthy lifestyle and works out regularly. Liam is on vacation with his family in the U.S. when they decide to take a walk along a popular wilderness trail. During the walk, Liam faints. His family brings him to the hospital. It is discovered at the hospital that Liam fainted because he is diabetic. He was not diagnosed prior to the trip. Due to the nature of type II diabetes, this is a condition that was likely developed over time. If Liam received an annual physical, this could have been diagnosed before his trip. This is a pre-existing condition. With a Visitors Protect plan, Liam’s medical expenses pertaining to this event could be covered.
1These are illustrations only and are not a promise or prediction of how any claim would actually be administered. Actual claims will be determined after a consideration of all facts and circumstances and a review of the applicable plan language.
Have Additional Questions?
If you have questions regarding different scenarios and what may or may not be covered between IMG’s different visitor insurance plans, check out our Visitor Insurance FAQs. You can also learn more about How to File a Claim in case you experience anything unexpected during your visit.
*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.