Whether you are taking your family to the theme parks of Florida, exploring the canyons of Nevada, skiing in Colorado or enjoying the sights in New York, a comprehensive travel insurance policy is a vital part of any trip to the USA.
Air travel from the UK and over 30 other countries is once again permissible for fully-vaccinated travellers with a negative Covid-19 test. You can find out more here about how the rules changed on 8 November 2021.
But healthcare is extremely expensive in North America. So if you – or a family member – need emergency medical care during your holiday, travelling without insurance could prove the most costly mistake you ever made.
Bills that run into tens of thousands of dollars are commonplace, while the total cost could exceed £100,000 if your condition necessitates a long hospital stay.
That’s why insurers charge more for worldwide travel insurance policies that include the USA – along with Canada and the Caribbean.
Best Travel Insurance Providers
1
Coverwise
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Select Platinum
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£6,000
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Southdowns
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Select Platinum
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Cancellation Cover
£6,000
What is travel insurance for the USA?
The USA isn’t covered by standard worldwide travel insurance; to be protected you’ll need a policy that specifically includes the US, Canada, and the Caribbean.
However, like other types of travel insurance, cover for trips to the USA comes in several different forms.
The main options include:
- Single trip insurance that covers one trip to the USA
- Annual insurance that covers you for multiple trips to destinations around the world, including the USA
- Backpackers insurance that covers longer, multi-destination holidays that involve spending time in the USA
If you’re travelling with your partner and/or your children, you can also find couples and family travel insurance policies for trips to the USA.
Do I need travel insurance to go to the USA?
It’s not compulsory to have travel insurance to visit the USA; you can travel without it if you want.
However, doing so means risking a potentially life-changing medical bill should something go wrong during your trip.
It also leaves you unprotected if you are targeted by thieves, for example, or have to cancel your holiday due to illness or injury.
Find out more about travel insurance for Covid-19 related risks.
What is covered by travel insurance for the USA?
An insurance policy that covers you for travel in the USA should offer all the same protection as a European or Worldwide (excluding USA, Canada, and the Caribbean) contract.
However, due to the potentially higher costs involved should you require medical treatment or need to cancel your trip, it’s sensible to look for a policy that offers generous coverage in these areas.
The main forms of protection to look out for include:
- Cancellation and curtailment, which covers you if you have to cancel your holiday or come home early due to illness or injury
- Medical treatment, which covers the cost of emergency medical care while you’re away, as well as repatriation to the UK where necessary
- Disruption and delays, which covers you if you experience problems such as cancelled flights
- Lost, stolen or damaged luggage, which covers the cost of replacing your baggage and belongings (although you may require extra cover for expensive gadgets)
- Legal/personal liability cover, which covers you if you face legal costs due to an incident that occurs while you’re in the USA.
It’s also important to check you will be covered for any activities you plan to do, such as hiking, skiing or scuba diving.
What’s not covered by travel insurance for the USA?
As with almost all kinds of travel insurance, policies taken out to cover trips to the USA will not pay out if the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against travelling to the country at the time of your trip.
You’re also unlikely to be able to make a claim if it’s due to civil unrest, terrorism, or being drunk.
And as most insurance policies exclude claims linked to instances in which you broke the law in your destination, it’s worth familiarising yourself with the different areas of the USA you plan to visit.
Laws vary widely from one state to another, so make sure you know what you can and can’t do in the ones on your itinerary.
If you’re heading off on a road trip, remember too that you’re likely to need separate insurance to cover any road accidents or damage to the vehicle.
How much does travel insurance for the USA cost?
The USA is among the most expensive destinations when it comes to travel insurance. But that doesn’t mean you can’t save money by shopping around and comparing different policy types and levels of cover.
As with other types of travel insurance, the cost of your cover for the USA will depend on factors such as:
- Your age: the older you get, the more expensive travel insurance becomes
- Your medical history: a pre-existing medical condition is likely to bump up the cost of cover – especially for trips to the USA
- What activities you plan to do: you’ll need to pay extra for cover for sports such as snowboarding
- The duration of your trip: If you choose a single trip policy (trips of up to 31 days are generally covered as standard by annual policies)
Once you’ve got your travel insurance in place, you’ll also need to pay $14 to get an ESTA, a form of electronic visa, which you can apply for online and should usually receive within the next 72 hours.
How can I choose the best travel insurance for the USA?
As mentioned above, when choosing travel insurance for the USA, ensuring you have enough medical cover in place is essential.
Other things to check include:
- Is the cancellation cover provided sufficient to reimburse you in full if you need to cancel?
- How much is the excess you have to pay towards any claim?
- Would the lost luggage protection cover the cost of replacing all your belongings?
To avoid paying over the odds, it’s also worth comparing the cost of single trip and annual policies.
If, for example, all the other trips you have planned in the next 12 months are within Europe, you might find you can save money by taking out a single trip policy for your US holiday and an annual European policy for your other travel.
Either way, it’s sensible to buy a policy as soon as you book your trip to the USA.
That way, you can claim if you have to cancel it, for example because you’re involved in an accident.
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