Senior parents visiting the US must buy travel insurance to keep them safe from unfortunate mishaps. The US has been one of the prime destinations that attract thousands of tourists from all over the world. Besides being a touristy place, the country offers growth and opportunities to countless individuals, who arrive and settle down over the years. If you have been living in the US for quite some time now, you would know the soaring lifestyle and medical costs.
When parents come to visit you, you must not ignore their health and medical requirements. Many senior travelers have pre-existing illnesses. Sometimes, these conditions can become severe and lead to a life-threatening situation. This may require hospitalization, diagnostics procedures, surgeries, MRIs, scans, and other medical expenses. The expenditure can be so high that you may lose all your money.
To find the right health insurance for senior parents, you need to consider a few points.
Parents’ health
Your parents can be in extremely good health, but that does not guarantee anything. Things may take an adverse turn during their stay in the US. Therefore, it is a smart decision to buy a health insurance policy for them. They are more prone to getting sick or falling or getting injured. Whenever there is a setback, the medical insurance plan can get cover for the eligible illness/injury in the US.
Sometimes, senior travelers have pre-existing medical histories that can lead to serious conditions. For example, a person with asthma may get a sudden attack during the trip. They may require immediate medical attention. This is where your insurance plan plays a key role. Remember that no visitor insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions, instead, they cover you for the acute onset of pre-existing conditions.
Duration of stay
Some parents come for a short visit, while some can stay longer, up to a year. No matter what the duration of the stay is, you need an insurance policy that can cover them temporarily. Senior parents coming to the US will be considered visitors, hence, you will get the option to choose from limited benefit and comprehensive visitor insurance plans
Their length of trip can be a deciding factor whether you want to buy a limited benefit plan or a comprehensive plan but buying a comprehensive insurance policy is always recommended. If you want to choose an economical plan for short visits, you can consider fixed benefit plans. But again, comprehensive plans offer better protection to the visitors.
Additional benefits
Visitor insurance plans have optional add-ons that can be added for an additional premium. If you add these optional benefits with a standard visitor insurance plan, you need to pay a little extra charge on top of the premium. The add-ons include AD&D (Accidental Death & Dismemberment) rider, extreme sports, chaperone, and faculty rider coverage, and more. You can choose the add-on you prefer.
General tips to remember
- Plans can offer policy maximum ranging from $25,000 to $1 million. Whereas some plans can offer up to $2 million. Senior travelers, however, do not get many policy maximum options. If your parents are 80 years and above, there can be extremely limited insurance coverage.
- Visitor health insurance plans for elderly adults have expensive premiums because they are prone to more health risks. The same plans charge less premiums for younger travelers because they do not fall sick often.
- The premium is influenced by four factors- policy maximum, age, trip duration, and deductible. Elder adults pay more premiums than younger travelers. Moreover, if you choose higher policy maximum, the premium increases. But if you choose a higher deductible, the premium decreases.
- Visitor insurance plans do not cover pre-existing conditions. You will find plans covering acute onset of pre-existing conditions for one episode or up to a certain amount. As each policy defines pre-existing conditions and acute onset distinctly, reviewing the policy is important.
- There are comprehensive and limited benefit plans for elderly travelers. Comprehensive plans are expensive, and the limited ones are economical. It is your personal choice of the plan you want to buy for your parents because this totally depends on the risks you want to take in the US. The limited benefit plans have pre-defined limits, which makes you eventually pay more for a trip to the hospital. It is always recommended to buy a comprehensive plan for better financial protection and insurance coverage.
Source: seniorinsuranceagency.com
Conclusion
There is no right plan for senior parents visiting the US. Parents’ health, medical history, age, trip duration are some factors that can help you determine a suitable plan. Not all visitor insurance plans are ideal for every senior traveler. For the best outcome, contact a travel insurance provider and get all your queries resolved.
