Hi there, I’m shopping around for travel insurance in the United States, where medical costs can escalate dramatically. I’ll be there for over 6 months so am wanting adequate coverage. Wondering if anyone has had any recent positive experiences with making a medical insurance claim there?
Welcome to the nightmare.
Would be probably six years since had to get insurance to cover full health in the USA. I trawled the market and the inclusions and exclusions in the policies basically meant they could find an out for anything to avoid covering. Thankfully now covered by my sponsors. Was the condition I stipulated as I aged as the cost was getting prohibitive for the period of time. Now only do annual six week stints.
Edit: Tried to find some of the notes made looking up travel insurance to prediminatly cover accident and health/medical. Must not have retained them. Some if you had one alcoholic drink you were not covered. The pre-existing conditions they wouldn’t cover were vague in most cases to give them an out. At the time my Platinum Credit card gave me some of the best cover, albeit limited to $US500,000. Is no longer that good.
Thanks - yeah it seems like it’s hard to get adequate cover…
My partner is travelling for work and he is covered by his Australian workplace’s policy, which unfortunately doesn’t cover spouses… if it was for an American company we would be both be sponsored.
It is not hard but it can be expensive. Medical coverage in travel policies for the USA is usually unlimited excepting in economy policies, that still generally cap over $USD100,000.
However 6 months is a long period for a travel policy, a type that targets travellers going for a few weeks to a month or two, not 6.
Noting this link is a commercial site hoping for click-to-sales, it may be more useful to you than looking for travel insurance. You can also buy car and accident insurance; what might be more difficult is general liability insurance but that too is obtainable. It may be bundled as part of home contents insurance.
As guidance, a week in hospital in the US can cost $USD100,000 or more and a visit to an emergency room starts around $USD3,500 in most places and goes up smartly. Even for 6 months look for a policy with a cap of $USD500,000 (or more) for peace of mind. As with many types of insurance the more copay (excess in our jargon) you select the lower the cost.
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PhilT makes a lot of sense, especially when he writes that travel insurance typically covers a few weeks and not six months. I know this from previous inquiries to Australian insurers.
PhilT’s link to an interesting article is certainly well worth reading.
That said, in your shoes, in the first instance, I would
(a) Ask your partner’s firm “what they would charge to have you included in the policy”? You couldn’t possibly be the first spouse to ask this question; and
(b) Ask your credit card company, assuming they offer travel insurance, what is the charge for 6 mths in the US?
Both may reply in the negative or offer astronomical premia, but you lose nothing by asking.
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Thanks this is great 
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