Last updated: 05/22/2023
As it currently stands, there is no requirement for U.S residents or visitors to purchase a travel insurance policy when traveling the country. However, given the United States has the highest healthcare costs in the world, in addition to the rising cost of travel, travelers should have some form of travel protection for the duration of their trip.
If you’re a U.S resident or citizen taking a domestic vacation, your current health insurance will likely cover medical expenses if you become injured or ill during your travels. However, for U.S residents and citizens with no health insurance, as well as foreign visitors, Squaremouth recommends a travel insurance policy that includes both Emergency Medical coverage and Medical Evacuation coverage.
The Emergency Medical benefit can reimburse travelers the costs to treat a medical emergency that occurs during a trip. Covered expenses within this benefit include ambulance services, hospital bills, emergency dental services, and x-rays, among other costs incurred to treat the illness or injury. In most cases, a policy with at least $50,000 in Emergency Medical coverage should be enough for USA trips.
The Medical Evacuation benefit can provide travelers with coverage for transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility in the event of a medical emergency. For travel within the United States, a travel insurance plan with at least $100,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage would be enough in most situations.
In 2022, Squaremouth data determined that the average United States vacation cost travelers roughly $4,500. From flights to hotels, tours to rental cars, the data shows that even domestic travel can be costly. Trip Cancellation coverage provides travelers with the peace of mind that they can recoup their prepaid, nonrefundable trip costs if unexpected, covered events cause them to cancel their plans.
The most common covered reason is an unforeseen illness, injury, or death of the traveler, a traveling companion, or a non-traveling family member. This also typically includes coverage if a traveler contracts Covid-19 and needs to cancel. Other common covered reasons include terrorism, inclement weather, or a natural disaster, among others. Getting trip cancellation coverage can mitigate the risk of financial loss in the event you can no longer travel.
When airlines are delayed or misplace luggage, it can impact a traveler’s itineraries and their wallets. With delays and other common carrier disruptions becoming more frequent, it’s not surprising that relevant travel insurance benefits are growing in popularity among both domestic and international travelers.
For those traveling the United States worried about flight delays, Squaremouth recommends a policy with both Travel Delay and Missed Connection coverage. These benefits will reimburse travelers for food, accommodation, and the cost to catch up to their trip if the delay meets their policy’s minimum delay period, typically 3-12 hours.
Travelers that wish to protect their luggage throughout their trip also have coverage options with the Baggage & Personal Items Loss benefit. Policies that offer this coverage will reimburse travelers if their luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged at any point during the trip.
The benefits mentioned above, as well as other forms of common carrier related coverage, are included in most comprehensive travel insurance policies. Information related to these benefits can be found in the policy’s unique details.
The United States offers year-round adventure to thrill seekers from around the world. If you’re planning on participating in any extreme or dangerous sports while on your trip, we recommend searching for a policy with Adventure & Sports coverage. Policies with this coverage can offer protection for hazardous activities that are often excluded from standard travel insurance policies.
Click here to begin your search for USA Travel Insurance.
The United States is an adventure lover’s dream, offering world-class cities, stunning scenery, and endless entertainment year-round.
Destination Rank: 1
Percentage of Squaremouth Sales: 11.26%
Average Premium: $244.14
Average Trip Cost: $4,062.84
Squaremouth Analytics compares thousands of travel insurance policies purchased pre- and post-pandemic to identify changes and trends in the travel insurance industry.
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Steven Benna, Lead Data Analyst: sbenna@squaremouth.com