Wether you are an international student who misses your relatives and their families during the festive season, or a traveler who yearns for poetry and distant places, if you want to visit relatives or take a short-term trip to the United States, in addition to various documents and commonly used drugs required by the government, you have to face Some insurance-related questions: Do I need to buy insurance when I come to the United States, and if so, what kind of insurance should I choose? Traveling to the U.S. for a short period of time is a joyful thing. You should not always worry about bleeding your wallet due to the high medical expenses in the U.S. Therefore, travel insurance is very necessary to help you solve your worries. In this article, Huhu will popularize the nouns, types and precautions related to travel insurance to help you choose the travel insurance that suits you. At the same time, everyone is welcome to consult and purchase the travel insurance plan of Huhu Insurance.


1. Why buy travel insurance?

Traveling to visit relatives is something that makes people happy physically and mentally, and increases knowledge. Potential risks should not be allowed to destroy people's good mood and plans, let alone cause major losses. At this time, the importance of travel insurance is reflected. Travel insurance is to protect people's health and property during travel, and to bring protection to people in case of unexpected or unforeseen events: if injured or sick during the trip, travel insurance can pay for medical expenses; if luggage is lost or stolen, travel insurance can help compensate for economic losses; if the trip is canceled or postponed for some reason, travel insurance can pay for the corresponding expenses. Some travel insurance can even provide services such as emergency assistance, translation, alternative transportation, etc., so that people can enjoy the fun of travel with more peace of mind. In addition, if unfortunately a major accident occurs during travel, the economic loss may bring the whole family into trouble. Having a travel insurance at this time can effectively transfer risks, reduce economic losses, and reduce the negative impact of accidents. Travel insurance can meet people's needs and have higher flexibility. Many scholars/tourists who come to the United States for a short stay do not plan or need to purchase a local general medical insurance, but they are worried that there will be a need for medical services during the short stay. Then travel insurance with flexible starting and ending time and various choices can meet people's needs.


2. Who should buy US travel insurance?

Anyone will need the protection of travel insurance while traveling abroad. The following groups of people should consider purchasing travel insurance:


Leisure travel to the United States: Tourists want to enjoy the fun of traveling in the United States during their holidays, but they have to face possible risks. Purchasing a travel insurance that matches the time is the most effective way to avoid risks.

Business trip to the United States: Business travel has its own set tasks, and worrying about various accidents will increase people's burden. Purchasing travel insurance can allow people to complete business tasks with peace of mind and reduce possible economic losses.

Leisure travel to the United States: Tourists want to enjoy the fun of traveling in the United States during their holidays, but they have to face possible risks. Purchasing a travel insurance that matches the time is the most effective way to avoid risks.

Relatives of international students: Families of international students often want to visit relatives in the United States, and some relatives may even travel to the United States for the first time. In order to protect the family's journey, a visiting relative insurance is very necessary.

Religious travel to the United States: Although religious travelers are different from ordinary tourists, they still need to face risks during the journey, and travel insurance is still applicable to this group of people.

Students and scholars visiting the United States for a short period of time: Some students or teachers will come to the United States for short-term academic exchange activities, such as semester exchanges, winter and summer camps, etc. Those who are less than one year may consider purchasing travel insurance.

3. Travel insurance options for visiting relatives and visiting the United States

After you understand the terminology related to travel insurance, you can start to investigate to see which companies will provide travel insurance plans for people who visit relatives in the United States for a short period of time. What are the terms and features of the insurance plans they provide for further selection Applicable travel insurance. Insurance companies in China and the United States have launched short-term travel insurance products that are available to non-U.S. citizens. Next, Huhu will introduce some travel insurance options provided by large insurance companies in China and the United States.


China

Ping An of China: Ping An of China provides global travel insurance (overseas) to people aged 0-80 in mainland China who go abroad for tourism or family visits. It supports individual and group insurance, which is applicable worldwide except in warring and sanctioned areas. Ping An Insurance is an overseas travel insurance that is common in many countries. The scope of claims covers medical treatment, emergency accidents, property loss and visa refusal. After checking, if you need to purchase a travel insurance with a valid date of two weeks and the destination is the United States, it will cost between 155 yuan and 500 yuan. wait. It should be noted that this travel insurance must be purchased before leaving the country, and matters related to the new crown are not covered.

Meiya Company: Meiya Company has launched the Wanguo Travel Insurance Plan, which provides travel insurance for travelers aged 1-80 who go to all Schengen countries around the world (excluding mainland China), and the medical compensation insurance can cover the 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia For treatment expenses, the insured person is required to meet the conditions of permanent residence in China. Travel insurance plans with a valid date of two weeks and a destination in the United States range from $265 to $724.

America

IMG (International Medical Group): IMG provides visitors with a variety of travel insurance plans, which are suitable for non-US residents to use when they live abroad or travel. The Patriot series is the one with the largest customer base in IMG travel insurance. From IMG Patriot Travel Lite to IMG Patriot America Plus, according to whether it covers the new crown pneumonia related conditions and the individual compensation ratio, the charges are different, within the United Healthcare PPO network in the United States There is no need for personal compensation, and the travel insurance fee valid for two weeks in the United States is about 30 US dollars (depending on the destination, personal situation, and insurance type, the price will fluctuate). Buy IMG Travel Insurance today.

Atlas America: Atlas America is also a popular U.S. travel insurance launched by Tokio Marine HCC, a well-known American insurance company. Its coverage includes the onset of pre-existing diseases. This insurance participates in the United Healthcare PPO network, and has a wide range of choices. At the same time, the validity period of travel insurance can be extended flexibly. The insurance fee for the two-week validity period destinations including the United States ranges from US$20 to US$40 (depending on the destination, personal situation, The price of the insurance type will fluctuate). Buy Atlas America travel insurance today.

Fourth, the United States travel insurance classification

Now that you have learned about some of the travel insurances available in the United States and their general situation, the next step is to figure out what types of travel insurance are in the United States and their characteristics and rules. In general, travel insurance plans in the United States are divided into two types: Fixed coverage and Comprehensive coverage, the difference lies in the reimbursement model of the insurance company.


Fixed insurance plan (Fixed coverage): As the name implies, it means that the insurance company only bears a fixed amount for each medical service provided. Regardless of the actual consumption amount of the insured in this service, the insurance company will only cover the amount according to the previous contract. Payment of the amount above, for example, a fixed reimbursement of $2,500 for a surgical operation.

Comprehensive coverage: Linked to the ratio, the insured and the insurance company sign a contract to determine the ratio of each other's medical expenses under different circumstances. The insured needs to pay part of the deductible and the remaining expenses, and the specific compensation ratio will be displayed in the insurance contract.

Compared with the two, the insurance premium of the fixed insurance plan is usually lower than that of the comprehensive insurance plan. If people who come to the United States are in good health, they can consider buying a fixed insurance plan. But when encountering some emergencies or major accidents, the expenses that can be reimbursed by the fixed insurance plan are only the tip of the iceberg of the overall cost, so the comprehensive insurance plan is a better choice to avoid the risk of economic loss caused by health conditions.


5. Matters needing attention when purchasing travel insurance

Guarantee time: When purchasing travel insurance, make sure that the effective time can cover the entire itinerary to the United States, so as to avoid the contradiction of reimbursement after the event due to inconsistent time.

Included items and locations: The insurance company will provide a details page before purchasing, which will introduce whether the travel insurance includes certain emergencies or the destination of the itinerary. Be sure to check it out and make more comparisons before purchasing, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic in this way.

Pre-existing health conditions: insurance companies are very sensitive to the existing health conditions of the insured when purchasing insurance, and need to confirm whether the purchased insurance covers the medical service consumption caused by the original physical conditions. For the elderly, chronic diseases and other special conditions Situational people are very important.

Carefully calculate the gains and losses: American travel insurance plans have different charges according to age and physical condition. Cheap insurance premiums are sometimes not the most cost-effective choice. If you have chronic diseases and other conditions, it is safer to choose a comprehensive insurance plan. The terms of the deductible and the compensation ratio should be measured in conjunction with the relevant medical charges.

The quality of the medical network: Travel insurance plans in the United States are completely different on whether to use medical institutions within the prescribed medical network. When purchasing travel insurance, you need to pay attention to whether the medical network covers clinics/hospitals/pharmacies near the travel destination. A high-quality medical network can not only provide needed services, but also reduce the amount of out-of-pocket payments, killing two birds with one stone.

6. Matters needing attention when using travel insurance

Carry your insurance card with you: In the United States, large and small medical service-related places will require you to show your insurance card to enter information, so it is very necessary to carry it with you.

Understand the institutions and services in the medical network corresponding to the insurance plan: The iron law of American medical insurance is that using the services in the medical network will help reduce monetary losses. Each insurance plan gives the name of the medical network used. At this time, remember to check the scope of the medical network stipulated by the relatives and friends insurance plan to avoid unnecessary losses.

How to receive documents: Most companies now use email to send insurance policies and insurance cards, so make sure that the email is valid for a long time. If you need paper mail, remember to check the mailing option at the beginning.

Documents required for reimbursement: Insurance reimbursement requires different documents as vouchers, such as invoices, etc., and relevant documents must be kept well to avoid loss of the reimbursement process.

Seven, American travel insurance terminology

The medical system and medical insurance in each country have their own set of operating rules. Therefore, if you want to buy travel insurance that suits you, you must understand the terminology of American insurance, so that you can hold the initiative firmly in your hands. The nouns and definitions given below are what you will definitely encounter when purchasing travel insurance in the United States, so please keep your spirits up and read them carefully.


Insurance premium refers to the regular payment paid by the insured person to the insurance company. Insurance premiums are expenses that must be paid when purchasing insurance. Insurance premiums are related to the scope of insurers, age, health status, etc. Generally, the older the insured person is, the more expensive the insurance premium will be.

Deductible Deductible refers to the expenses that the policyholder must pay after seeing a doctor. When seeing a doctor, general insurance policyholders must first pay a certain amount of medical expenses themselves, and the insurance company begins to reimburse the medical expenses that occur thereafter. This amount of out-of-pocket payment is called the deductible. Each insurance plan has a different deductible. Some insurance plans do not require a deductible (the premiums for this type of insurance will be relatively high). Most insurance plans require individuals to pay a deductible ranging from $500 to $5,000.

Payout ratio Coinsurance is the percentage that the insured will pay each time he sees a doctor after the policyholder has paid the deductible. If the insurance plan is 80% coinsurance, the policyholder only needs to pay 20% of the medical bill, and the insurance company will pay 80% of the bill.

Fixed registration fee Copayment means that the policyholder needs to pay a certain amount each time he sees a doctor, similar to the domestic registration fee. Different medical programs may charge different amounts of fixed registration fees.

The maximum amount of payment Out-of-pocket Maximum refers to the maximum amount of all medical expenses paid by individuals at their own expense within a fixed period of time, usually one year (excluding premium premiums and self-payment Deductible expenses), known as the policyholder's maximum Payment amount (Out-of-pocket Maximum). When a large medical bill comes due, the maximum amount payable protects individuals from financial hardship. Under normal circumstances, after the personal expenditure reaches the maximum limit, the insurance company will pay 100% of the cost.

The maximum payment Life-time maximum is the maximum amount of medical expenses paid by the insurance company during the lifetime of the policyholder. Lifetime maximums are usually in the millions of dollars, and insurance companies set lifetime maximums to protect the insurance company's interests.

In general, when purchasing travel insurance, you should choose: lower deductible, higher ratio of Coinsurance, lower registration fee (Copayment), lower maximum payment amount (Out-of-pocket Maximum) A travel insurance plan with a higher life-time maximum and fewer compensation limits.




After reading this article, have you learned how to choose a suitable travel insurance? Although Chinese companies will also provide travel insurance for visitors to the United States, there will be problems such as poor communication and cumbersome reimbursement procedures. At the moment of the epidemic, many overseas insurance products have even been discontinued. Travel insurance provided by American companies can actually reduce many troubles, but when purchasing travel insurance from American companies, you will worry about language differences, professional terms and special terms and other issues. don’t worry! Welcome to view and purchase the travel insurance plan of Huhu Insurance. Huhu Insurance provides 24-hour customer service in Chinese and English. If you add WeChat customer service, we will use the best service to solve insurance-related problems for you. In addition, welcome to pay attention to the official account (ID: tigerlessinsurance), and you can also log in to the official website of Tigerless Insurance to inquire about other insurance information!