One of the most commonly asked question by my blog visitors has been about “What are the Best visitors insurance plans for parents visiting USA?”. Given the high costs of medical services in USA, it is an absolutely must to buy the right ‘Visitors Insurance’ to have the peace of mind while you can spend quality time with your parents, friends and families. Over the past decade of living in USA, I have tried multiple visitors insurance plans for my parents with varying coverage, premiums, deductibles, pre-existing coverage, coronavirus health benefit coverage and quality of service. I will list down three of the most popular and trustworthy insurance plans on offer in 2020 especially keeping in mind the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. The comparative study between these three plans shows their coverage for each type of medical service, approximate premiums per person, their limitations and where to buy them from. Also, do read my earlier post about “Five things to keep in mind while buying insurance for parents visiting USA” which should help you understand key aspects of visitors insurance like Fixed vs Comprehensive insurance plans, What are PPO network coverages, How do coverages of pre-existing conditions work, Should you consider Indian insurance providers.
A comparative study:
Atlas America, Patriot America Plus and Cover America – Gold are the three most popular insurance plans among Indian visitors to USA. One of the key reasons they are preferred among Indians (esp. Indian parents) is the fact that they provide coverage for “Acute onset of pre-existing conditions”. If you are planning to get your parents or family members who have had existing medical conditions, then I would recommend buying from one of these three. Following is a comparative study of three of the Best visitors insurance plans along with their premiums, support, cost of services etc.
| Plans | Atlas America | Patriot America Plus | Cover America - Gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost * (For a 1 month coverage of $50K with $1000 deductible for a single person aged 60). | $102 | $121 | $119 |
| Plan Type | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Comprehensive |
| Cancellable & Renewable | Yes. Full refund if cancelled before policy effective date | Yes. Full refund if cancelled before policy effective date | Yes. Full refund if cancelled before policy effective date |
| Maximum Coverage | $2M | $1M | $250K |
| PPO Network | Yes, Extensive list of doctors and hospitals. Complete list here. | Yes, Extensive list of doctors and hospitals. Complete list here. | Yes, Extensive list of doctors and hospitals. Complete list here. |
| Out-Patient - Dr./Physician visit | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered. Out-of-Network: After deductible, the plan pays up to URC. Any amount above URC is the insured person's responsibility. | In-Network: 100% covered for first $5,000 100% covered thereafter Out-of-Network: 80% covered for first $5,000 100% covered thereafter10 | After deductible is met, Within PPO network: 100% covered up to policy maximum Outside PPO Network 80% covered for first $1000, 100% covered thereafter, up to policy maximum |
| Out-Patient - Urgent Care | With $15 copay (Deductible waived) only applicable to claims incurred inside the US. | In-Network: $25 copay Out-of-Network: 80% covered for first $5,000 100% covered thereafter | $15 co-pay for Urgent care consultation. For all other services that take place in the Urgent Care,After deductible is met, Within PPO network: 100% covered up to policy maximum Outside PPO Network 80% covered for first $5000, 100% covered thereafter, up to policy maximum |
| Acute onset of Pre-Existing Conditions | If you are under age 70, you are covered for an Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition. Coverage is available upto policy maximum chosen for Eligible Medical Expenses and upto $25,000 for Emergency Medical Evacuation. An Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition is a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition which occurs spontaneously and without advance warning either in the form of Physician recommendations or symptoms. Treatment must be obtained within 24 hours of the sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence. | Acute Onset of pre-existing condition coverage available for people below age 70. For medical expenses, related to acute onset, coverage is up to policy maximum chosen; For medical evacuation, related to acute onset, $25,000 available for people below 70 | Coverage available for Acute Onset of Pre-Existing Conditions This Benefit starts 48 hours after the policy becomes effective. Up to age 69: Covered upto policy maximum For Cardiac and Stroke: Maximum coverage $36,000 for those upto the age of 69. Age 70-79: Maximum coverage up to $30,000 For Cardiac & Stroke: Not covered |
| Prescription Drugs / Medicines | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered. Out-of-Network: After deductible, the plan pays up to URC. Any amount above URC is the insured person's responsibility. | 80% covered for first $5,000 100% covered thereafter (pay first then file claim) | 80% covered for the first $5000. 100% thereafter |
| Emergency Services - Emergency Room | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered. Out-of-Network: After deductible is met up to URC is covered. ($200 co-pay applicable, In addition to the deductible if not admitted as an inpatient. Only applicable to claims incurred inside the US.) | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered. Out-of-Network: 80% covered for first $5,000 100% covered thereafter For ER visits for sickness that does not lead to in-patient hospitalization, there is an extra $250 deductible | After deductible is met, Within PPO network: 100% covered up to policy maximum Outside PPO Network 80% covered for first $5000, 100% covered thereafter, up to policy maximum. For ER visits for sickness, that does not lead to in-patient hospitalization , there is an extra $250 deductible. This deductible does not apply to accidents/injuries or sickness that lead to in-patient hospitalization |
| Emergency Services - Ambulance expenses | Usual, reasonable and customary charges when covered illness or injury results in inpatient hospitalization | Usual, reasonable and customary charges when covered illness or injury results in inpatient hospitalization | URC, up to policy maximum |
| Lab & X-rays | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered. Out-of-Network: After deductible, the plan pays up to URC. Any amount above URC is the insured person's responsibility. | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered upto policy maximum Out-of-Network: 80% covered for first $5,000 100% covered thereafter | After deductible is met, Within PPO network: 100% covered up to policy maximum Outside PPO Network 80% covered for first $5000, 100% covered thereafter, up to policy maximum |
| In-Patient - Surgical treatment | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered. Out-of-Network: After deductible, the plan pays up to URC. Any amount above URC is the insured person's responsibility. | In-Network: After deductible is met, 100% covered. Out-of-Network: 80% covered for first $5,000 100% covered thereafter | After deductible is met, Within PPO network: 100% covered up to policy maximum Outside PPO Network 80% covered for first $5000, 100% covered thereafter, up to policy maximum |
| General Physical Full Checkup | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered |
| Maternity | Not covered | Not covered | Not covered |
| Limitations | Not allowed for NewYork, WA and Maryland state residents | Not allowed for Maryland state residents | None |
| Details | Details | Details |
A detailed review of Atlas America, Patriot America Plus and Cover America – Gold:
Atlas America:
An insurance plan with good PPO network coverage and provides coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The policy is administered by Tokio Marine HCC group and underwritten by Lloyd’s of London group. Please review Atlas America Insurance Brochure 
or Description of Coverage (policy document) for complete and accurate coverage and exclusions. I have had very good experience with them in the past few years and would recommend them for someone with an acute onset of pre-existing conditions:
Pros:
- 100% coverage within PPO Network.
- Urgent Care visit co-pay $15.Deductible waived. Urgent Care co-pay waived if $0 deductible is chosen in application.
- $50,000 up to $2,000,000 acute on-set of pre-existing conditions coverage for Age under 70.
- Maximum policy coverage of $2M.
Cons:
- Not available for residents of Washington, New York and Maryland states.
Patriot America Plus:
Another highly rated insurance plan with large PPO network and one of the best customer support. Also providers coverage of acute onset of pre-existing conditions. The policy is administered by IMG Group and underwritten by Sirius International group. Please review Patriot America Plus Insurance Brochure or Description of Coverage (policy document) for complete and accurate coverage and exclusions.
Pros:
- Wide network of PPO doctors/hospitals.
- Outside USA & Canada: Pays 100% up to the policy maximum.
- Good coverage for expenses outside of PPO network.
Cons:
- All coverage is based on usual, reasonable, and customary expenses.
- Maximum policy coverage of $1M. (Which should be enough in most of the cases in my opinion).
- Premiums slightly higher than its counterparts.
Cover America – Gold:
Cover America – Gold is one of the Best visitors insurance plans with extensive PPO network and covers acute onset of pre-existing conditions. It is the first travel medical insurance policy to offer a Public Health Emergency Screening benefit for COVID-19. This is a one-time benefit for up to $150. The policy is administered by IMG and underwritten by Sirius International group. Please review CoverAmerica- Gold Brochure or Description of Coverage (policy document) for complete and accurate coverage information.
Pros:
- Urgent Care Consultation co-pay only $15. This is a massive advantage over other comprehensive plans.
- Covers amusement parks, cruises, international missed connections too.
- Covers Public Health screening for COVID-19.
- No cancellation fee.
Cons:
- The plan may require pre-certification for certain services and treatments. Read more on Pre-Certification Requirements for CoverAmerica – Gold
Where to Buy:
VisitorsCoverage.com: is the most popular preferred website to compare and buy various different insurance plans. They have more than 35 plans to choose from with different premiums and coverages catering to various needs of visitors. I have personally used them to buy Atlas America & Patriot America Plus plans and was quite pleased with the overall experience. Their customer support, web portal is good too. Their website has video library with nice tutorials to help users understand some of the tricky insurance terminologies. They are one of the few brokers listed on the US Department of State site as an reputed insurance provider for visitors. TrustPilot.com reviewed VisitorsCoverage and gave them 9.3/10 with 250-odd reviews and most of them are positive.
Also, their website offers a wide range of helpful articles/blogs as well as some video tutorials which I found quite informational. ( for eg, Tips for people travelling with heart problems, Should you go to Urgent Care of Emergency Room and many more).
Its important to note here that insurance quotes are regulated by law and they will be exactly same on all the portals including VisitorsCoverage.com. Deciding on where to buy the insurance plan from boils down to factors like 24 x 7 customer care, better administrative support, responsive to customer asks/needs, better cancellation/refund policy.
How I picked the best visitors insurance plans for my parents:
- Do some research in your local area to find out doctors and hospitals and doctors covered in PPO network of the plan providers. For eg, you can use this link to find out doctors/hospitals that are covered by PPO network of PatrioAmerica Plus. Consider someone living in Sunnyvale area of California, El Camino, Santa Clara Valley medical center, Palo Alto VAMC etc are covered. Similarly for Plano area in Dallas, The Park at Plano, Medical center at Plano etc are covered.
- Always choose a comprehensive Insurance plan as they offer percentage based coverage. i.e. depending on the plan you choose, they usually cover from 80% to 100% of the bill after the deductible, up to policy maximum. Stay away from Fixed coverage insurance plans. All of the three mentioned in this post are comprehensive plans but you might get tempted by Fixed coverage plans which have lower premiums. You can read through my post “Five things to keep in mind while buying insurance for parents visiting USA” to read more about these in detail.
- Verify that plans do not have any limitations on the insurer’s age, state of residence, country of origin etc. For eg, Atlas America is not allowed for residents of Washington and New York state.
- Choose the one with high deductible (around $1000) and maximum coverage ( > 100K). My idea behind buying an insurance plan was to cover me for unexpected serious medical conditions. For minor issues, I asked my parents to carry their prescribed medications from India. But, if you think that you might have to pay multiple visits, you can go for lower deductible.
What is ‘Acute onset of pre-existing conditions’ mean?:
Almost of the insurance plans cover only ‘acute onset of pre-existing conditions’. By definition, ‘An acute onset’ is a sudden unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition which occurs spontaneously and without advance warning either in the form of Physician recommendations or symptoms, is of short duration.
To give you an example, lets say a person has diabetes and buy one of the above policy which covers acute onset. This would mean that the policy won’t cover for the treatment of diabetes and their regular medicine, but may cover any complications that can occur due to diabetes. It has to be an acute medical condition that requires immediate medical attention.
Still have few questions?
Reach out to me at desicompile@gmail.com if you want to know about the process or experience of buying the Best visitors insurance plans. If you have questions about one of these plans offerings, coverages etc, I would suggest calling them on their customer care. For eg, VisitorsCoverage customer care is quite friendly and will give you suggestions on what to buy from. You can reach them at their toll-free number at 1-866-384-9104 which is available 24 x 7.