While the U.S. provides some of the best healthcare in the world, it is also the most expensive. When relatives are visiting the U.S., many people understand this fact and purchase visitors insurance. However, some people keep wondering whether they really need to purchase visitors insurance. Even though the U.S. does not mandate visitors insurance for tourist or business travel (B-1/B-2 visa-holders), it is always a good idea to purchase it to protect yourself from unexpected illnesses, injuries, or accidents.
People have a lot of misunderstandings about visitors insurance, and this article aims to clarify many of them.
Nothing will happen to me
The fact is that anything unexpected can happen to any person at any time. Even if someone is perfectly healthy, it is possible that they can get injured by falling down or getting hit by a vehicle. In an unknown country, there is a high possibility of food poisoning from unfamiliar foods.
Sometimes, people in the U.S. whose parents are coming to visit argue that their mother is healthy, and so they would like to buy visitors insurance only for their father, who has medical issues. In some of these cases, we have seen that nothing happens to the parent with some potentially anticipated issues, while the perfectly healthy person gets sick or injured. What about slicing your finger open while cutting vegetables? Falling down in the bathroom or on the stairs? Getting burned with boiling water? How about falling down in the snow? Twisting your ankle on an icy sidewalk? There are instances of highly fit soldiers or recent veterans having unexpected medical issues through nothing but bad luck while visiting the U.S.
Therefore, it is always a good idea to purchase visitors insurance while visiting the U.S.
I already have medical insurance
Even if you already have medical insurance in your home country, most likely, it will not provide any coverage in the U.S. Even if it does provide any coverage, the typical limits in many countries are a lot lower than typical medical expenses in the U.S. E.g., A lot of people in India have medical insurance that provides coverage up to ₹400,000 to ₹500,000—which is not even $10,000, and for that much money, you can’t practically get anything done in the U.S.
Buying insurance is a hassle
Some people avoid buying visitors insurance simply because they mistakenly think that purchasing visitors insurance is a long and complicated procedure which will take a long time, require them to get a medical exam, etc.
The fact is that purchasing visitors insurance is a very simple process that only takes around five to ten minutes. You can make an instant purchase online at Insubuy. There is no paperwork required, and no medical exam is needed either, for any age. Immediately after the purchase, you will receive your insurance ID card and policy wording through a link provided by email.
But I don’t need it right now
Some people who are already currently healthy mistakenly think that they don’t need visitors insurance at this time. Obviously, if you are already sick and/or in the hospital, no insurance company will provide insurance at that time, as it is already too late.
The fact is that anything unexpected can happen to anyone at any time, and visitors insurance is meant to cover exactly that. When you already need it, you can’t start looking to buy at that time.
Some people think that it is a waste of money to purchase travel insurance, but when you really need it, you will know its value and you will be glad that you purchased it.
If something happens, I will pay out of my pocket
Many people traveling to the U.S. may have spent their lives in countries where healthcare is relatively quite cheap (such as in India), and even middle-class families are used to paying for major surgeries and hospital stays out of their pocket without much burden. Therefore, a lot of people who are generally well-to-do in their country may think that if something happens to them, they will simply pay out of their pocket.
However, they simply don’t realize the cost of healthcare in the U.S. A simple visit to the doctor would be a few hundred dollars, an emergency room visit would be at least a few thousand dollars, and any surgery would be in the tens of thousands of dollars. A couple of days’ stay in the hospital can easily turn out to be $50,000. For anything serious that requires you to stay in a hospital for a month or so, you would be facing a bill that of a few hundred thousand dollars. It is simply shocking for most people to realize how expensive U.S. healthcare really is.
Therefore, unless you really have that kind of spare money, you should highly consider purchasing visitors insurance when you are visiting the U.S.
Non-medical, travel-related benefits
Apart from unexpected medical expenses, most visitors medical insurance plans also provide coverage for a wide variety of travel-related matters such as emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, loss of checked luggage, accidental death & dismemberment, and a lot more.
Conclusion
For a wide variety of reasons listed above, it is always a good idea to purchase visitors insurance when visiting the U.S. You can easily do so at Insubuy, where you can get instant quotes from multiple plans, compare them side by side, and make an instant purchase online. If you have any questions, you can call toll-free +1 (866) INSUBUY between 8 AM and 7 PM CT, five days a week, to speak to a licensed insurance professional in the U.S.
Enjoy your trip to the U.S.
