Deciding on the best travel insurance for the United States can be a real headache. There are many options and one does not always have the time to sit down and compare what each agency offers. Don’t worry, because that’s what we’re here for. We’ll show you the best travel insurance for the United States and compare them, so you can choose the right one for the adventure you’ve in mind.  

Every travel lover dreams of visiting the United States. The country is vast and the possibilities for enjoyment are endless. Whether strolling through the vibrant streets of New York or standing before the immensity of the Grand Canyon, its scenery always surprises. But what happens if the trip you’ve been dreaming about and planning is cut short by a medical problem or an accident while hiking in,let’s say, Yellowstone National Park? At that point, you’ll be grateful for having a travel insurance.

High medical costs and the possibility of facing unforeseen events make travel insurance essential. For this reason, we show you an analysis of the best travel insurance for the United States, with a special focus on IATI Seguros, a leading option in the market.

Why take out travel insurance for the United States?

The United States is one of the countries with the highest medical costs in the world. If you don’t believe it, here are some facts that will help you understand how important it’s to travel with an insurance.

For example, a medical consultation can cost between $200 US (€192,58) and $500 US (€481.49), while surgery for appendicitis costs around $27,000 US (€26.004,06) (plus post-operative hospitalisation). A bone fracture that doesn’t require hospitalisation can cost around $20,000 US (€19.259,48), while an overnight stay in hospital costs around $6,000 US (€5.777,53). As you can see, costs are extremely high and can turn your dream trip into a true nightmare.

We don’t want to scare you, just keep in mind that unforeseen events happen and we don’t always have full control over things. In addition, these “accidents” during the trip may also include lost luggage, cancelled flights or accidents during tourist activities that can ruin a trip.

A good travel insurance policy won’t only cover you for these problems and protect your health and your finances, but will also allow you to travel with the peace of mind of knowing that, in the case of any unforeseen event, you’ll be covered and will be able to fully enjoy your trip. 

What should a travel insurance for the USA cover?

Travel insurance for the United States should include essential coverages that are tailored to the specifics of the destination. Because it is such a large and diverse country, the types of trips that can be made are also very varied. For example, planning to go on a driving tour of the West Coast is not the same as planning to spend a few days in New York. But you may also have in mind to live adrenaline-fuelled thrills, such as paragliding in the Grand Canyon or climbing the rock walls in Yosemite National Park. In these cases, coverage for adventure sports is essential.

Whatever your idea of travel, there are certain points that any travel insurance to the United States should include in its coverage. Here we tell you what they are: 

• Medical cover: Medical expenses in case of accident or illness, preferably above $500,000 US (€481.472,61). Remember that health care costs in the United States are extremely high. In fact, it is one of the most expensive countries in the world in terms of health care.
• Repatriation and evacuation: This cover is essential if you’ve to return to your home country for medical reasons or emergencies.
• Lost or stolen luggage: Lost luggage is a common problem during international flights, so it is best to be covered for this possibility.
• Flight delays or cancellations: Compensation for delays or cancellations that may alter your itinerary.
• Civil liability: To protect you from possible lawsuits in case you cause damage to third parties.
• 24/7 assistance: Care in case of emergencies must be available at all times and in your language. While many travellers have a good proficiency in English, you may not speak it fluently or know how to explain what is happening to you. In that case, having assistance in your language can save you a lot of troubles.
• Coverage for adventure sports: It’s not a requirement, but if you’re travelling and want to go trekking, hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, scuba diving or any other activity that involves risk, it’s better for your insurance to include this section. On the other hand, if you’re planning to visit cities like New York, Washington, Boston, Chicago or Philadelphia, you probably won’t be going to play sports. In this case, you can opt for insurance that doesn’t include this cover or not add it to your package.
• No advance payment: This is another important point in order to avoid having to pay a medical bill in advance in case of surgery and subsequent hospitalisation. That would mean spending thousands of dollars! Therefore, it’s important that your insurance includes this section in the policy so that you don’t have to use your money to pay for medical care and then ask for refund (which can be time-consuming).
• No deductible: The policy you take out shouldn’t oblige you to pay a deductible. Make sure you always read the fine print in the contract, as sometimes the deductibles are even higher than the price of the insurance itself.
• Trip annulment-cancellation option: Organising a trip involves booking accommodation, transfers, activities and airline tickets. If you can’t travel due to unforeseen circumstances, you don’t want to lose all that money. Taking out a Travel Cancellation Supplement and receiving financial compensation will help you to regret less not being able to travel.

Now, what if I’m planning to drive around the country? For example, many travellers dream of travelling the almost 4,000 kilometres of the legendary Route 66. In fact, this type of journey is a classic of American travel. In that case, it’s important to be covered in case of a traffic accident. With the IATI Star plan, you’ll be able to hit the beautiful roads of the country with peace of mind. With this same plan you’ll also have no deductibles and won’t pay in advance.

Now, what about Internet connection? You won’t always have a WiFi network available, so we recommend that you also sign up for Holafly eSIM and stay connected.

Comparison of the best travel insurances for the United States

Here’s a comparison table of the best travel insurance for the United States. We analyse features such as price, medical cover, repatriation and other key factors to help you choose the best option.

The 5 best travel insurances for the United States

Let us now take a closer look at each of these insurances. What other plans do you offer? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each one? We tell you everything and more below:

1. IATI Seguros

IATI Seguros is an excellent choice to travel to the United States because of its comprehensive medical coverage and 24-hour multilingual assistance. This insurance is also notable for its adventure sports coverage, ideal for those planning outdoor activities such as hiking in national parks.

The best thing is that IATI plans are suitable for all types of travellers. For those who’re thinking of have adventure activities, there’s a premium insurance, IATI Star, which provides medical assistance for €5,000,000 ($5,189,902.17 US), medical-health repatriation, private civil liability and protection for this type of activity. In addition, you can add travel cancellation insurance of up to €5,000, ($5,189.67 US) making it one of the best travel insurances to the United States. Another advantage is that it can be taken out by anyone, regardless of age. 

If you’re on a tighter budget, but also want to do activities such as kayaking, trekking or canyoning, IATI Backpacker is the perfect insurance for travellers up to 70 years old. There’s also a Basic Plan which offers limited cover for those who don’t plan to do adventure sports or are on a low budget. 

IATI Seguros has a free mobile app with 24-hour assistance and medical chat with all kinds of specialities.

• Advantages: High coverage, 24/7 multilingual assistance, plans for all types of travellers.
• Disadvantages: Slightly higher prices than other insurances, not all cases include sports coverage.

2. World Nomads

World Nomads is perfect for those looking for flexible insurance with excellent extreme sports cover. Ideal for digital nomads or adventurous travellers, this insurance also covers trip cancellations and medical emergencies, although its medical coverage is lower than that of IATI Seguros.

For travellers who enjoy adventure sports, this plan is one of the best, as its policies include coverage for more than 150 adventure activities. For example, their Standard and Explorer plans include surfing, skiing, scuba diving and many other sports and activities. In both cases you will be covered for $100,000 US (€96.305,41) in case of accident or illness and 24/7 emergency assistance.

The World Nomads Standard plan offers basic cover, but with good protection for extreme sports. While the World Nomads Explorer plan provides greater cover and additional protection in unforeseen situations.

• Advantages: Ideal for extreme sports, flexibility for digital nomads.
• Disadvantages: Less medical cover compared to IATI, higher prices

3. Intermundial

Intermundial is a solid and reliable option for those looking for travel insurance for the United States, with comprehensive coverage, medical assistance at any time and the possibility of adding extras such as trip cancellation. However, it’s recommended to assess whether your coverage for sporting activities aligns with your travel needs.

Intermundial offers plans such as Totaltravel mini, Totaltravel and Totaltravel Premium. They’ve medical cover ranging from €300,000 ($311,478.35 US) to more than €1,000,000 ($1,038,278.85 US), which is crucial for travelling to a country where medical care is known to be extremely expensive. It also has a cancellation insurance, an important detail in the event of an unforeseen event that leads to the cancellation of your trip.

As with IATI, Intermundial also has an app that allows remote consultation, making it easy to contact a health professional no matter where you are, avoiding the need to search for hospitals or clinics.

• Advantages: Good medical cover (especially on their higher plans), includes trip cancellation, free mobile app, extreme sports cover.
• Disadvantages: One of Intermundial’s most notable drawbacks is that its products are primarily aimed at legal residents of Spain. If you don’t live in the country, you’ll have to opt for the Go Schengen Plus plan, which is more limited compared to other options.

4. Chapka

Chapka is another good travel insurance option for the United States, with plans tailored to different types of travellers. CAP Trip Basic is ideal for those looking for essential cover at an affordable price, while CAP Trip Plus provides greater cover such as trip cancellation and more activities covered.

Its insurances include comprehensive medical coverage, ranging from €250,000 ($259,469.25 US) to more than €1,000,000 ($1,038,278.85 US). In some of the plans, Chapka also offers specific cover for sporting activities, ideal if you plan to do, for example, hiking or trekking. In all cases, the plans include 24-hour travel assistance and repatriation in case of serious emergencies or death.

Like the previous ones, Chapka has a free app for policyholders to have all their insurance information, FAQs and more at their fingertips.

• Advantages: Affordable price, good medical coverage, 24/7 assistance.
• Disadvantages: Compared to other insurers, the CAP Trip Basic plan may not be sufficient for those looking for more comprehensive cover, especially if you need protection against trip cancellations or want to cover more adventure activities. In certain cases, they may require a deductible fee for some of their services.

5. HeyMondo

Heymondo is another excellent option for those looking for easy-to-manage digital travel insurance, with a 24/7 assistance app that makes medical arrangements much quicker. However, if you plan to do adventure sports or need high medical coverage, you may want to opt for one of their more advanced plans such as Viaje Top, which offers more coverage and more benefits.

Heymondo allows you to add a trip cancellation supplement to be covered. In case you need to cancel your trip for justified reasons, you’ll be protected up to €5,000 ($1,038,278.85 US) , depending on the plan chosen. In addition, in case of medical assistance, Heymondo takes care of the costs directly, which means that you don’t need to advance money for treatment.

Listen up Latin American citizens! Heymondo’s insurance to travel to the United States is slightly more expensive than that offered to Spanish citizens.

• Advantages: Plans for all types of travellers, 24/7 support
• Disadvantages: In its most basic plan, coverage for adventure sports may be limited, so it’s important to make sure what activities are included. It doesn’t offer travel cancellation cover in its Peace of Mind plan.

Which is the best travel insurance for the United States?

After carefully considering all the options, we came to the conclusion that the best value for money is IATI Seguros. Its alternative plans suit all types of travellers, including the adventurous and those on a tighter budget. So you’re sure to find the right plan for your needs.

While the price of their Backpacker plan may be a little higher than other basic insurance plans, the breadth of coverage (especially for adventure sports and medical assistance) makes it a worthwhile investment. In addition, there are no hidden deductibles, which means that you’ll not have to pay out of pocket before the insurance covers the costs.

Another perk of IATI is its 24/7 multilingual customer service. This is especially useful if you’re travelling to a country where you don’t speak the local language or if you prefer to solve any problems in your own language. 

However, one of the greatest benefits of IATI Seguros is that it doesn’t require you to pay money up front for medical care, as it pays clinics and hospitals directly. In addition, it offers comprehensive medical coverage that can reach up to €500,000 ($519,166.31 US) or more, depending on the plan you choose.

Travel insurance for the United States: Frequently asked questions

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