United States Travel Insurance
Everything you need to know before your trip
Healthcare Cost Level
Extreme
Avg. ER Visit
$3,500
Recommended Coverage
$1,000,000
Evacuation Risk
Minimal
Healthcare in United States
What to expect if you need medical care
The United States offers excellent healthcare quality with full English availability, making communication with medical providers straightforward. However, the healthcare system operates primarily on a private insurance model, resulting in extreme costs for those paying out-of-pocket. An emergency room visit for something as simple as a sprained ankle or minor infection averages $3,500, while more serious conditions requiring hospitalization will cost you $5,000 per day on average—and that's before factoring in procedures, tests, medications, or specialist consultations. A multi-day hospital stay for a serious illness or injury can easily reach six figures. Medical facilities will expect payment or proof of insurance coverage before or shortly after treatment.
What Your Policy Should Cover
Country-specific considerations for United States
Your policy should provide comprehensive medical coverage given the extreme healthcare costs in the United States. Since evacuation risk is minimal and healthcare quality is excellent, focus on robust medical expense coverage rather than evacuation benefits. If you plan to ski or participate in winter sports, ensure your policy explicitly includes winter sports coverage, as this is often excluded from standard policies. Given that claims are considered easy to process in the U.S., prioritize high coverage limits over complex policy features. Make sure your policy covers emergency room visits, hospital stays, and specialist care. The excellent English availability means you won't need translation services, but you should still verify that your policy covers the full spectrum of potential medical scenarios you might encounter.
Activity-Specific Coverage
Skiing: Ensure winter sports coverage
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
Our recommendation based on United States's healthcare costs
The recommended coverage amount of $1,000,000 reflects the extreme healthcare costs in the United States. While the minimum of $250,000 might cover a brief hospital stay, serious medical emergencies can quickly exceed this amount. A week-long hospital stay alone would cost $35,000, and complex treatments, surgeries, or intensive care can easily reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since evacuation risk is minimal and you'll receive treatment locally, your entire coverage amount should be available for medical expenses. The million-dollar recommendation provides adequate protection against catastrophic medical bills.
Minimum
$250,000
Basic emergencies only
Recommended
$1,000,000
Full protection
Making a Claim in United States
Tips for smooth claims processing
Documentation Required: Keep all receipts and medical records
- Keep all receipts, invoices, and medical records from any healthcare provider you visit, as documentation requirements are straightforward and claims are considered easy to process
- Request itemized bills from hospitals and medical facilities, as U.S. providers routinely generate detailed documentation that insurers require
- Save all emergency room discharge papers and treatment summaries, which will clearly document your medical situation in English
- Contact your insurance provider before seeking non-emergency care if possible, as they may direct you to preferred facilities or provide pre-authorization
- Photograph or scan all documentation immediately and store copies digitally in case originals are lost
Get Covered for United States
With healthcare costs in United States among the highest in the world, travel insurance is essential.
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