ChoiceAmerica vs. Visitors Care
When it comes to shopping for travel medical insurance, there are various products on the market and during your search, you may come across two seemingly similar plans: ChoiceAmerica and Visitors Care. When compared side by side, these plans appear to have many similarities but it is important to note that they both possess unique features that do in fact set them apart. In order to choose a plan that best fits your individual travel needs, you must first identify those key differences.
ChoiceAmerica and Visitors Care are two limited coverage or budget plans that pay a fixed, pre-defined amount for each treatment or service after the deductible is satisfied. Both of these plans are administered by IMG and are great for travelers visiting the U.S., especially elderly travelers like parents, traveling from the Indian sub-continent to the U.S. Please refer to the comparison chart below for more information on what sets ChoiceAmerica and Visitors Care apart:
- Coverage only in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada
- Coverage for border entry denial
- Coverage for loss of passport and essential travel documents
- Optional riders available for pre-existing conditions, adventure sports and dental & vision
- Covers COVID-19
- Covers Influenza Vaccination
- If no claims have been filed, policy can be cancelled and refunded for a $20 cancellation fee
- Coverage up to $50,000 for emergency medical evacuation
- Not available in Maryland or New York
- Available up to age 79
- Coverage only in the USA
- No coverage for border entry denial
- No coverage available for loss of passport and essential travel documents
- No optional rider available for extreme sport and amusement park injuries
- If no claims have been filed, policy can be cancelled and refunded for a $25 cancellation fee
- Coverage up to $25,000 for emergency medical evacuation
- Not available for purchase to residents of Maryland and New York
- Available up to age 99
COMMON EXCLUSIONS (What's not covered)
- Preventative care (immunizations, routine medical exams)
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage
- Terrorism coverage
- Trip interruption coverage
- Pregnancy and maternity care
BEWARE: Risk of Limited Plans
Limited coverage insurance plans may be less expensive, but come with higher liability risks. Since limited travel insurance policies only cover a fixed, pre-defined amount for each benefit, you pay for any costs that exceed the pre-defined amount for any given medical treatment or service, and those medical costs could potentially run up to thousands of dollars.
Example: If you have a limited coverage policy with a limit of $400 for ambulance services, which costs about $2,000, then you have to pay the difference – a liability of $1,600.
