A Guide to Visitor Insurance for Parents Visiting the USA
As an expat in the United States, having your parents visiting is a fun and exciting experience. However, it’s worth noting for parents that even in reunions like these, the risk for injuries and illnesses will always exist and the cost of healthcare in the US is higher than in other countries.
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In this blog post by Pacific Prime, we will be going over visitor insurance for parents visiting their expat children in the USA to ensure their reunion with their kids are equally as safe as they are memorable and joyful.
What is Visitor Insurance?
Visitor insurance, otherwise known as travel health insurance, offers temporary medical coverage to non-US residents visiting the United States, such as parents or relatives.
While some plans can cover lost luggage or trip delays, visitor insurance plans mainly cover unforeseen medical emergency expenses your parents could face while visiting the US such as illnesses or injuries.
Plans work just like regular health insurance in the US and may include deductibles, copays, and provider networks. This type of health insurance policy is especially helpful for older parents or relatives who may be at a higher risk of health issues or other medical emergencies.
Visitor Insurance Coverage Duration
In most cases, fixed visitor insurance coverage begins once your parents reach the US while comprehensive plans begin coverage the day they leave their home country.
If your parents purchase the policy after arriving in the US, coverage can begin the following day upon purchasing. Make sure to check the policy details carefully and be aware of any waiting periods.
Most plans last up to a year but some are renewable for up to two years, provided your parents maintain continuous coverage.
Visitor Insurance for Parents Visiting in the US
With visitor insurance, parents visiting their children in the US can see doctors in the United States for medical care. For non-emergency cases, it is advised that you choose healthcare providers that are part of the insurer’s network of providers to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
However, it’s worth noting that parents should obtain visitor insurance before any potential medical emergencies arise as you will not be able to qualify for coverage after a medical emergency occurs.
Even though visitor insurance is not mandatory for parents entering the US (though this may depend on if your parents need a visa and what type they need), having one beforehand is strongly recommended as unforeseen illnesses and injuries may be costly.
Visitor Insurance Eligibility for Parents Visiting in the US
Any non-US citizens can purchase visitor insurance policies. Some plans, however, may limit coverage for visitors over a particular age. Thus, if your parents are in their 70s to 90s, they may have a tougher time finding coverage for any pre-existing conditions, resulting in higher premiums.
Securing insurance coverage early on is not exclusive to just short-term health insurance plans. One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying health insurance is waiting to buy it in their later years, which results in high premiums.
For further reading on mistakes people make when purchasing health insurance, including waiting too long to purchase one in your later years, click the article below for further reading.
Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Buying Health Insurance
While there aren’t many restrictions for visitor insurance, most plans will exclude pre-existing conditions. However, options are available if your parents wish to have any pre-existing conditions covered while traveling to the US.
For instance, some policies may cover treatment of sudden development of diseases or its symptoms that will require urgent hospitalization such as heart attacks or asthma attacks.
On the other hand, other visitor insurance policies offer complete pre-existing conditions coverage. However, any routine medication or care would still be excluded in favor of covering only medical emergencies and a higher deductible may apply compared to new medical conditions.
Certain insurers also offer a waiver in order to remove pre-existing condition exclusions in specific cases.
Visitor Insurance Coverage for Parents Visiting in the US
Areas that visitor insurance cover range from doctor visits to physical therapy. As mentioned before, some plans may also cover pre-existing conditions though there may be limitations. Below are key areas visitor insurance covers for parents visiting the US.
- COVID-19 (only available in some plans)
- Pre-existing conditions (available in some plans and coverage may be limited)
- Trip cancellations, interruptions, delays or luggage loss (available in some plans)
- Repatriation
- Medical evacuation
- Physical therapy
- Prescription medication for new medical conditions
- Lab examinations and x-rays
- Hospital wards
- Emergency surgeries
- Ambulances and emergency rooms
- Emergency care for accidents
- Emergency dental care
- Doctor visits
Visitor Insurance Exclusions for Parents Visiting in the US
Now that we’ve covered the areas that visitor insurance covers, let’s now move onto the contrary with the areas visitor insurance excludes. Aside from pre-existing conditions being excluded in most plans, general exclusions may include chronic or mental health conditions.
Below are areas that visitor insurance excludes.
- Chronic and congenital conditions
- Non-emergency dental care
- Illnesses and injuries that stem from drug and alcohol usage or extreme sports
- Mental health conditions
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- Vaccinations, medications, or routine examinations
- Vision care
The Cost of Visitor Insurance for Parents Visiting in the US
The cost of visitor insurance for your parents will vary depending on various factors such as their age, duration, along with the type and amount of coverage.
For instance, insurance costs will gradually increase as a person grows older and seniors pay more for the same amount of coverage when compared to younger people. Additionally, depending on the duration of coverage needed.
Comprehensive plans are also pricier than their simpler counterparts due to offering more extensive coverage requiring less out-of-pocket expenses. Also, opting for plans that cover pre-existing conditions will also be more expensive.
The greater the policy’s maximum coverage amount, the higher your parents pay for the coverage. For example, policies covering medical claims up to USD $200,000 will be more expensive than policies covering claims up to USD $100,000.
Secure Health Insurance with Pacific Prime
Being an expat in the US and having parents visiting can be an exciting experience.
However, the risk for illnesses or injuries will always exist and older parents may not only be more susceptible to such illnesses or injuries, but their health insurance premiums may also be higher due to age and the US’ high medical costs.
But fortunately, health insurance doesn’t always have to be a headache and we are here to help.
As a leading international health insurance broker, Pacific Prime has over 20 years of helping match both expats and local citizens to a health insurance plan that suits their budget range and unique healthcare needs.
Whether you’re a parent or relative visiting your children, grandchildren, nephew, or niece abroad, Pacific Prime and our team of specialists will be more than happy to help you safeguard your finances and wellbeing to make your reunion both safe and happy.
And if you have any further questions, please get in touch with us and get a free quote here.
He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts, Media & Communication major (concentration: Creative Content) from Mahidol University International College (MUIC). During the compulsory major elective period in the summer of 2021 and voluntarily during the summer of 2022, he also interned as a video and photo editor at Mbrella Films.
He has experience working as an English Content Writer at a real estate buying/renting/selling platform in Thonglor. There, he crafted company blog posts on a multitude of topics. Topics include market trends, legal issues and disputes in property businesses, financial guides, expat guides, home insurance, home decoration and maintenance, and weekly real estate news quick-recaps. Occasionally, as part of the blog-writing process, he would also translate existing Thai blogs to English.
In his free time, Guy enjoys doing scriptwriting and storytelling for comic strips, watching movies, and listening to music (particularly film scores).
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