Insurance in the USA: types, procedure for registration, necessary documents, reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Insurance in the US is not a prerequisite for obtaining a visa. But in the meantime, it's worth doing. And all because medical services in this country are very expensive. So it turns out that it is much cheaper to pay for insurance in the US than to pay for medical expenses without it.

Buy or not

Experienced travelers are still advised to buy insurance. Although its acquisition is not a prerequisite for issuing a visa, it is a necessary thing.

In order to make the benefits of insurance in the US clearer, here are the approximate costs of medical services in case of its absence:

1. A visit to the doctor will cost between two hundred and three hundred dollars.
2. Surgical care will cost approximately $1200.
3. It will be possible to call an ambulance and take it to the clinic for one and a half thousand dollars.
4. To do a CT scan, you have to pay four thousand dollars.

From these figures, we can conclude that treatment cannot be called cheap. Even for the average American, insurance in the United States costs from two hundred tosix hundred dollars, and that's just for a month.

Calculate the cost of insurance for a tourist, based on how much a person travels and what services he is willing to pay for.

Which insurance to choose

For a tourist, the choice of insurance is quite difficult, because there are a lot of insurance companies, and even more profitable offers. And yet, before you buy he alth insurance in the US, you need to find out if it complies with the following rules:

1. Medical coverage must be valid throughout the United States.
2. Minimum insurance coverage should be fifty thousand dollars.

It is not uncommon for a traveler to purchase travel insurance that is valid worldwide, except for the US. And the reason for this is the inattentive attitude to the insurance contract. Be sure to study this document very carefully.

Equally important is what insurance covers. More precisely, what he alth insurance services in the US you can count on.

The bare minimum is:

1. Outpatient and inpatient treatment.
2. Hospitalization and doctor's call.
3. Return home for medical reasons.
4. Medicine refunds.

It is important to remember that travel insurance does not cover chronic diseases. And also, venereal and mental illnesses are excluded from almost all types of medical insurance in the USA.

Additional services

Very often the insurance company offers to add someservices. It could be:

1. Accident insurance.
2. Luggage insurance for flights.
3. Liability insurance.
4. Inclusion of dental services.

Everything that fits into the medical insurance in the US in excess of the norm is reflected in the insurance contract.

Sports or extreme pastime is not considered an additional service. For these purposes, a separate insurance is purchased. However, even basic insurance does not guarantee that you will receive medical services free of charge. The insurance will only cover personal expenses for medical treatment in this country.

Standard policy

Since travel insurance for the United States is most often chosen with a standard set of services, we will consider this option in more detail.

From the outside, it may seem that under a standard policy, medical care is minimal, but this is not so. This includes insurance risks such as:

1. Cold. This is the most common disease, so insurance covers it completely. But still, prices for services are considered individually.
2. Infectious diseases. This includes chickenpox, botulism, fever, pneumonia. Diseases, although infrequently found among tourists, nevertheless, the patient needs care.
3. Poisoning and alcohol intoxication. Travel insurance to the US fully covers the cost of treatment.
4. Cuts, fractures, bruises. Accidents are also reflected in the insurance, which allows the patient to hope for qualified and fast help.
5. Dental problems. In the US, this is a very expensive type of service, many of which even middle-income Americans cannot pay.

Insurance coverage

To understand which insurance suits you best, you need to determine for yourself the criteria on which you will rely.

The sum insured will take the first place. That is, the greater the amount of insurance, the more likely it is that you will receive medical assistance. Indeed, in the United States, the insufficiency of the amount of insurance can serve as a reason for refusing to provide assistance. The minimum amount of insurance in order to visit the country is fifty thousand dollars. But do you need insurance in the US with such a small limit? Definitely not, because even the treatment of abdominal pain will cost one and a half thousand.

Intermediary company

The intermediary company always answers the consumer's call. She also agrees on treatment and contacts the medical organization, and also gives consultations. As you understand, a lot depends on the intermediary, therefore, before choosing insurance in the USA, a tourist needs to pay attention to the intermediary working with the company.

There are several reliable intermediaries:

1. Class.
2. Mondial.
3. Internftional SOS.

Company Kudos

Before settling on any one insurance company, it's a good idea to know about its reputation. By the way, the rule that the larger and more famous the company, the more reliable it is, works great in the USA.

If the company has a lot of experience, then there will be no problems with the paymentinsurance. Even if certain disputes arise with customers, such companies try to resolve them peacefully, because reputation is more important to them.

Price of insurance

In order not to miscalculate, it is better to compare the offers of different companies before buying and only then choose the best. The price of travel insurance in the United States depends not only on the pricing policy of the insurance company, but also on how many days a person plans to spend in the country.

For example, a thirty-two-year-old man who travels to the US for fifteen days can pay a minimum of 1225 rubles. That is, insurance will cost 82 rubles per day. He can also buy insurance for 1753 rubles. Then a day already turns out 117 rubles. But this is not the limit. Insurance can cost 190 rubles per day, which in total will be equal to 2856 rubles. Naturally, the price varies depending on the included services.

Franchise

To save on he alth insurance in the US, a franchise was invented for citizens of other countries. This is such an amount, the excess of which you will have to pay out of your own pocket, but the insurance company still pays the bulk.

The downside is that all expenses within the franchise are paid by the person himself. Naturally, under such conditions, insurance becomes much cheaper compared to the standard option.

But again, the deductible is bad because, due to the low cost, there may be problems with the provision of medical care if the insured event does occur.

Due to the fact that consdeductibles outweigh its pros, almost all insurance policies are purchased without it. But with a strong desire, the franchise can be bought separately. Such insurance in the United States will cost about two hundred dollars.

Paying for treatment

Today, there are only two options for paying for medical care:

1. Treatment can not be paid. You just need to present medical insurance - and you can count on any medical assistance. Questions about payment for treatment are settled by the insurance company.
2. Treat yourself with your own money, and then get compensation. If you save all receipts and certificates, then after you have returned home, they can be presented to the insurance company, and it will calculate compensation. Usually, compensation arrives in a few days.

Factors affecting price

The cost of insurance is formed from the following factors:

1. Price policy of the insurance company.
2. Time of stay of a tourist in the country.
3. Compensation limits for different services.
4. Type of insurance.
5. Services covered by insurance.
6. Insurance add-ons and features.

Insurance requirements

Insurance in the US with a tourist visa must include risks such as sports. If suddenly the traveler breaks some part of the body, then he will be provided with free medical care. Apart from this item, there are no other recommendations.

Insurance for multiple visa holders is most often purchased annually. She hasa fixed period for each trip, which means it will cost less than issuing a new document each time. The annual contract can be from thirty to one hundred and eighty days.

If a person is traveling to the US on a visitor visa, then the best option would be to take out US insurance marked with liability insurance. This means that if the insured damages the property of another person in the country, the company will compensate for the damage. Damaged furniture in the hotel will fall under the insured event.

If a person is going to work or study in the USA, then he should make sure that his insurance can cover a large amount. After all, due to a long stay in another country, the risk of diseases increases. For these people, you can also add a clause on civil liability insurance.

Insurance programs

Before you get insurance in the US, you need to decide on an insurance program. There are two types:

1. Premium. This means that the insurance company takes care of everything - from luggage insurance to compensation for damage caused to other people.
2. Classic. Under this insurance, it will be possible to solve medical problems, receive legal assistance, as well as assistance in case of loss or theft of documents.

How to get insurance

There is no compulsory insurance in the US, but just in case, it is better to protect yourself. So, in order to issue an insurance policy, you need the passport data of a person. Their spelling should not differ from thatin the passport. And also you need to specify the date of birth.

A big plus is that insurance can be issued to several people.

After a person pays for insurance, a policy comes to his e-mail. It comes with a cover letter, which contains all the conditions of insurance and a list of additional services (if any).

The most important thing in the document is its number and the telephone number of the intermediary company. This is where you need to call if an insured event occurs.

If you do not want to print the policy, then you do not need to do this. The main thing is to remember the document number and the phone number of the intermediary or write them down somewhere. It is best to carry them with you.

No one has the right to demand an insurance policy when crossing the border!

What to do if an insured event occurs

The first step is to contact the intermediary company. Messenger messages are also tracked. The good news is that if you call the US from another country, the insurance company will reimburse part of the cost of the call.

If you have chosen an American insurance agent, you will have to speak in English. If the insurance agent is from Russia, then, accordingly, in Russian.

First you will be asked to explain your problem. If the case is insured, the agent will confirm this and instruct about further actions.

Most often, the intermediary immediately calls the hospital (which is closest) and sends a letter of guarantee.

Afterafter the intermediary settles everything, he calls the tourist and tells the place and time of the reception. If the problem is not too serious, then the appointment is recorded the next day. But in an emergency, the intermediary urgently signals an ambulance.

There is a small nuance. The fact is that not all hospitals in the United States work with intermediaries, or this particular intermediary does not have an agreement with the nearest medical organization. In this case, the insurance company covers the cost of transportation, but this point needs to be clarified.

The medical organization will accept tourists for free. The basis for this will be a letter of guarantee that the intermediary will send to the hospital.

If there is a preliminary agreement, then you can pay for all services yourself, and the insurance company will compensate for the costs as soon as the tourist arrives home. But in order to get your money back, you will need certificates and checks.

What not to do

In order not to have to pay for treatment out of your own pocket, you must follow certain rules:

1. You can't pay for he alth care until you call the middleman.
2. Do not engage in extreme sports or drive while intoxicated. In this case, the cost of treatment will not be reimbursed.
3. If a person is self-medicating, they may also be denied insurance coverage.
4. For the treatment of chronic diseases under the pretext of emergency medical care, insurance compensation is not paid.

Risk factors in the US

BecauseAmerica is a rather big country, so there are many risks for tourists. For example, before traveling to the California coast, it is better to include he alth insurance in the standard package of services. Not only avid surfers can suffer there, but also ordinary vacationers, for example, from a shark.

When traveling to New York, it is better to insure yourself against car accidents, as there are problems with discipline and safety on the roads in the country. Car insurance in the US will also not be superfluous.

Ardent naturalists need to take care of an extended policy, as places like the Grand Canyon will still need to be reached by rescuers. But do not think that there are no animals in cities. If any possum or raccoon scratches you, then you should immediately seek medical help.

Among other things, there are many poisonous creatures in America: scorpions, snakes and mosquitoes. Don't discount wild animals either.

Various cataclysms often occur in the country. If you are not lucky, you can get into the tornado or hurricane season. Not a wonder for America and forest fires, and river floods.

How to get travel insurance

If you forgot to make insurance before departure, then you can get it already on the spot. True, and it will cost several times more. Not all insurance companies provide this service, so you'll have to look.

The Liberty company provides such a service, but with the condition that the insurance comes into force only on the sixth day of travel.

Practiceshows that travelers use such services, but not very often.

Proven Russian companies

In order not to run into scammers, it is best to contact trusted companies. So, according to reviews, it is best to take out insurance in the USA in the following companies:

1. "Capital-Polis".
2. MAX
3. "RESO-Garantia".
4. SOGAZ.
5. Rosgosstrakh.
6. "Alliance".

In addition to medical insurance, a tourist may need car insurance. After all, car rental is very developed in the USA.

How to rent a car and do you need insurance for this

It doesn't take much effort to find a car to rent. This direction is very developed in the country. But before making a deal, it would be nice to have at least some idea of how it goes:

1. In the States, cars are rented only with automatic control. At the same time, the price of a middle-class car will be approximately seventy dollars per day.
2. You can order a car on the rental website or from a broker. The latter, as a rule, put prices lower. In addition, you should not order a car directly to the airport, because no one will drive it there. The tourist himself must find a parking lot for shuttles and from there get to the rental office.
3. To avoid problems, it is better to take care in advance and get permission to travel to other states.
4. In order to rent a car, a passport with an open visa, a driver's license (evenRussian) and a credit card.
5. If you order a car online, you do not need to enter card details. It will be enough data about the driver, email, phone and address.
6. If the driver is under twenty-five years old, then he must pay the young driver's fee.
7. The rental price includes insurance and unlimited mileage (sometimes they exist, for example, the number of states), as well as taxes.
8. When driving in America, do not forget that each state has its own traffic rules, fuel prices, fines, and more.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to say that you should not rely on chance. It is better to prepare for all sorts of surprises in advance and be calm. After all, no one knows what will happen tomorrow.

And in order for the trip to leave only good memories, you need to choose the right insurance company. It is worth giving preference to companies with extensive experience and a good reputation.

Besides, before traveling it is better to choose the right time to exclude the possibility of natural disasters. It is not worth taking risks and climbing into wild places on your own, as well as disregarding the rules of conduct in the country.

If you want to receive insurance compensation, then do not deceive the insurers. Sooner or later, the fraud will be revealed and you will not receive any money.

And remember, with what respect you treat a foreign country, your country will be treated with such respect. So try your bestleave only a favorable impression of Russia.