Does Travel Insurance Cover COVID? US Visitor Plan Guide

Yes, many travel medical plans for visitors to the USA cover COVID-19 the same way they cover any other new illness that starts after the policy begins, subject to the deductible, coinsurance and policy maximum. It is not universal: a few lower priced plans exclude COVID-19 entirely, and almost no visitor plan pays for routine testing or for quarantine costs unless a specific benefit says so. The plan certificate, not the brochure headline, is where the answer lives.

Key facts at a glance

• WorldTrips states that Atlas Travel policies purchased on or after July 15, 2020 cover eligible medical expenses resulting from COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2.
• Trawick International states that under Safe Travels USA Comprehensive and Safe Travels USA, COVID is covered and treated as any other sickness, while Safe Travels USA Cost Saver does not cover it.
• In the plan details Ombrela receives, IMG's Patriot Plus and Patriot Platinum include COVID-19 coverage and Patriot Lite excludes it.
• The US ended its COVID-19 testing requirement for arriving air passengers on June 12, 2022 and its vaccination requirement for noncitizen visitors on May 12, 2023, according to CDC and Federal Register notices.
• A Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker analysis found that COVID-19 hospital admissions for people with large employer coverage cost an average of $41,611 in 2020.

Which visitor insurance plans cover COVID like any other illness?

Among the plans you can compare on Ombrela, the plan details show COVID-19 coverage as included on Atlas America, Atlas America Premium, Atlas Essential America, Patriot Plus, Patriot Platinum, Safe Travels USA Comprehensive, Safe Travels USA, and the fixed benefit plans VisitorSecure, Visitors Care and Safe Travels Elite. On these plans a COVID-19 diagnosis is handled as a covered sickness: the doctor visit, hospital room, medication and related care are assessed under the normal benefit schedule.

"Covered like any other illness" has a precise meaning. On a comprehensive plan it means the insurer pays its percentage of eligible charges after your deductible, up to the policy maximum. On a fixed benefit plan it means the insurer pays a set dollar amount per service, which can leave a large balance on a hospital bill. Our comparison of fixed benefit and comprehensive plans shows how that difference plays out.

Which plans exclude COVID?

Two plans in our plan details list COVID-19 as excluded: Safe Travels USA Cost Saver from Trawick International and Patriot Lite from IMG. Both are priced lower than their sister plans, and the exclusion is part of the reason. If you are comparing two quotes a few dollars apart, check this line before choosing the lower one.

Plan terms change, so treat any list, including this one, as a starting point. The certificate of insurance issued with your policy is the document that controls. Look in the exclusions section for the words COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2, and in the definitions for how the plan defines illness.

Does visitor insurance pay for COVID testing and quarantine?

Testing is generally eligible only when a doctor orders it to diagnose symptoms, in the same way a flu or strep test would be. Tests taken for travel, events, work or peace of mind are not medical treatment and are not paid. Home test kits bought at a pharmacy fall into the same category.

Quarantine is a different matter. Travel medical plans pay for medical care, not for extra hotel nights, meals or changed flights while you recover. The exception in our plan details is Atlas America Premium, which lists an emergency quarantine indemnity for COVID-19. The daily amount, the maximum number of days and the conditions are set out in the WorldTrips certificate, so read that section before relying on it.

Since March 2024 the CDC has folded COVID-19 into its general respiratory virus guidance, which advises staying home until symptoms are improving and you have been free of fever for at least 24 hours. There is no federal rule that forces a visitor to quarantine in a hotel, which is one reason quarantine benefits are rare.

What does a US hospital stay for COVID cost?

Most cases need nothing more than a clinic or telehealth visit. Serious cases are where the cost sits. The Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker reported that COVID-19 hospital admissions for people with large employer coverage averaged $41,611 in 2020, and admissions that involve intensive care or ventilation cost considerably more. Those figures reflect rates negotiated by insurers; a visitor without insurance is billed the hospital's full charges unless a discount is negotiated.

Older visitors carry the most exposure, both because severe illness is more likely and because policy maximums are lower at advanced ages. Visitors Care, for example, lists a $10,000 coverage limit for travelers over 80 in its plan details. To see what common treatments run in a given city, try the medical cost estimator, and read our overview of US hospital costs for uninsured visitors.

Where should a visitor with COVID symptoms go: urgent care, ER or telehealth?

For fever, cough or a positive home test without breathing trouble, an urgent care clinic or a telehealth visit is the appropriate and least costly setting. The plan details for Safe Travels USA list telemedicine as a feature. Go to the emergency room for difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion or bluish lips, and call 911 if the situation is urgent.

The setting affects what you pay. WorldTrips lists a $15 copayment for urgent care visits and a $200 copayment for emergency room treatment of an illness in the US under Atlas Travel; check your certificate for when each applies. More detail is in our guide to using urgent care with travel insurance.

When is a COVID claim denied?

The common reasons are not specific to COVID. The first is timing: if symptoms started or a test was positive before the policy start date, the illness is pre-existing. This catches visitors who buy a policy after arrival because someone in the house is already sick. The second is ongoing problems from an earlier infection, such as lingering breathing or heart symptoms, which existed before the trip.

The third is paperwork. Fixed benefit plans and some comprehensive plans reduce benefits when a hospital admission is not precertified; several plan details mention a 50% reduction. And claims without itemized bills and medical records stall. Our claim filing guide lists what administrators ask for.

Before the trip, download the free Illness Coverage Check for US Visitors below. It is a short checklist for confirming how a plan handles COVID-19 and other common illnesses, where to go for care, and which documents to keep for a claim.

How to get covered for COVID and other illnesses

Start on the visitor insurance quote page, enter the traveler's age, home country and dates, and open the details of each plan to confirm that COVID-19 is shown as included. Availability varies by home country, and the results only show plans that can be issued for that traveler.

Buy before departure so that an infection picked up in transit is a new illness rather than a pre-existing one. Premiums depend on age, trip length, policy maximum and deductible, so compare live quotes rather than relying on a typical price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need COVID insurance to enter the United States?

No. The United States does not require visitors to hold COVID-19 insurance, or any health insurance, to enter on a B-2 visa or under the Visa Waiver Program. The federal testing requirement for arriving air passengers ended in June 2022 and the vaccination requirement for noncitizen visitors ended in May 2023. Insurance is a financial decision, not an entry condition.

Is COVID considered a pre-existing condition?

Only if it existed before the policy started. An infection that begins after the effective date is a new illness on plans that cover COVID-19. If the traveler had symptoms, a positive test or treatment before the start date, or has continuing effects from an earlier infection, the related care is treated as pre-existing and is normally excluded.

Will visitor insurance pay for Paxlovid or other COVID medication?

On plans that cover COVID-19, antiviral medication prescribed by a treating doctor is assessed under the plan's prescription drug benefit like any other medicine for a covered illness. You usually pay the pharmacy and submit the receipt with the prescription and visit record. Fixed benefit plans may pay only a set amount, so keep every receipt and ask about lower priced options.

Does visitor insurance cover a COVID vaccine or booster?

Generally no. Visitor medical plans are designed for unexpected illness and injury and exclude routine and preventive care, which includes vaccinations. A visitor who wants a booster in the US should expect to pay the pharmacy's cash price. The same applies to tests taken for travel or screening rather than to diagnose symptoms.

COVID-19 is now one illness among many that a visitor plan either covers or excludes, and one line in the plan details tells you which. Check that line, buy before departure, and keep the certificate handy. Compare plans on Ombrela to see which options include COVID-19 coverage for your traveler.