Last updated 6/5/2023
COVID-19 needs no introduction. And although most pandemic restrictions have now ended and travel has resumed as normal, there is always the possibility of becoming infected while traveling. Therefore, many people still want to buy visitors insurance, or international travel insurance that covers COVID-19.
Fortunately, there are many visitors insurance plans that offer COVID insurance coverage. They cover COVID-19 just like any other new sickness that occurs after the effective date of the policy, as long as they contract COVID-19 after the insurance effective date.
COVID-19 Visitors Insurance FAQ
Q: What visitors insurance plans cover COVID-19?
A: The following visitors plans can cover COVID-19:
Fixed Coverage Plans
Comprehensive Coverage Plans
- Atlas America
- Atlas Essential America
- Atlas Premium America
- Patriot America Platinum
- Patriot America Plus
- Safe Travels USA
- Safe Travels USA Comprehensive
- Visitors Protect
Q: What exactly does it mean when it says the plan provides COVID-19 coverage?
A: Visitors insurance plans that provide COVID-19 coverage can cover COVID-19 testing and treatment that is medically necessary due to COVID-19 sickness that is contracted after the effective date of the policy. In other words, it can cover COVID-19 just like any other eligible sickness that occurs after the effective date of the policy.
Q: Before traveling back to my home country, I am required to have an RT-PCR test. Would visitors insurance cover that?
A: No, as it is not medically necessary for a sickness that occurs after the effective date of the policy.
Q: I am not getting the RT-PCR test voluntarily. It is mandated by the government or airline. Why don’t you cover it?
A: Because that is one of the travel requirements, just like getting a U.S. visa, or getting airline tickets. It is not medically necessary for a sickness that occurs after the effective date of the policy.
Q: How can I be sure that the visitors insurance plan I am looking at would cover COVID-19?
A: You can look at the certificate wording of the respective plan. Some plans will explicitly mention COVID-19 coverage, while others will not have any exclusion related to travel warnings, CDC warnings, U.S. Department of State warnings etc. and therefore, implicitly cover COVID-19.
Q: If I am already vaccinated, why should I worry about visitors insurance?
A: People bought visitors insurance long before the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare expenses are the highest in the U.S., and without proper health insurance, most people can’t afford to pay for medical care out of their pocket. Even though the coronavirus may be on everyone’s minds these days, people can still be affected by other sicknesses, injuries, and accidents after the effective date of the policy. You need visitors insurance coverage for these instances.
In any case, even if you are vaccinated, there is no 100% guarantee that you will not be infected with COVID-19. The highly contagious omicron variant has resulted in many “breakthrough” cases, where even fully vaccinated individuals are affected by the virus.
While you may not get as sick if you are fully vaccinated, you do not want to take chances with your health when you are far from home. It is best to have visitors insurance that can provide coverage for any new medical condition that occurs after the effective date of the policy.
For more information about visitors insurance and Coronavirus coverage, and to determine the best COVID travel insurance for you, please read various other articles in our Guide section.
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