Which medical insurance to select in the USA

The first thing to do before you travel to the United States, as we have already seen, is to have medical insurance. Well, technically, firstly you should book your flight to arrive there followed by insurance. Whichever. Also, you should take into account the E1 form. 11, ensures the medical assistance in whichever country that is a member of the EU. You should take it into account before leaving Spain.

On the other hand, and we will focus more on the insurance that is designed for students (that are Erasmus or on a language scholarship or a scholarship which is destined to cross the pond), there are some that consider them more interesting.

So, which type of insurance should you buy?

• The first thing to do is to check whether your national insurance covers travel to the United States or not. It most likely will not but in the case that it does, you need to check every detail of what it does and doesn't cover, if there is a limit of money that it would cover if something were to happen etc. As a reference, when I checked for myself I did it conscientiously and they told me that the ideal thing would be insurance that would cover up to 50 million dollars. The figure frightens me and the fact that 100 and a little euros a month does not lower this type of insurance. But if you go on holiday for pleasure (tourism) and do a high-risk activity, then obviously it compensates, in case there was some sort of operation or whatever (Jobs does not want it).
• The second thing is to buy, when necessary (practically always), a medical insurance for foreign tourists in the United States. Later on in this post, I am going to recommend some specific medical insurances for young people and students. But if you are not in this category, the web page of the Travel insurance centre that is affiliated with USA Tourist.com offers a large variety of insurances for all types of people and situations.
• Thirdly and lastly, but of no less importance. In fact, it would be simultaneous really. Use Squaremouth to compare hundreds of insurances to see which is the most convenient for each case. Yes, there are hundreds of insurances. I felt the same. But what are you waiting for?

Embassies and American consultants recommend the two pages which are named 'Travel Insurance Centre' and also 'Squaremouth'. there must be a reason.

An important thing to note: if you finally select another type of insurance, always verify the coverage that they have, above all if it is to travel further, like in the case of the United States, where you will be immigrants.

And now I will explain to those who are most interested in the young people and the students that we are "on the way" through California. Or wherever you are in general from the United States, it does not matter. The danger in the form of an injury lurks at every corner, in each banana peel or at each crooked step.

The fact is that the TIVE (Office of the Youth Community of Madrid) normally recommends the Europe Assistance.

You can get better information by going to any of its offices. In Madrid the two main ones are on

• Calle Fernando el Católico, 88
• Tel: 915 437 412
• Fax: 915 440 062
• tive. [email protected]
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9h to 14h.
• Oficina Joven Comunidad de Madrid (Young Community of Madrid Office). TIVE
• Calle Recoletos, 1 corner to Paseo de Recoletos, 14.
• 28001 Madrid
• Tel. 901 510 610 or 91 276 75 63
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9h to 14h.

You can ask typical things in any youth information office and also refer to all kinds of international cards such as

• International Student Card (ISIC)
• Teacher (ITIC)
• International Youth Travel Card (IYTC)
• Youth Hostels
• Youth Card
• Reservations at international youth hostels
• Language courses abroad
• Travel Insurance
• National and international bus tickets
• National train tickets and interRail ticket emmission

Others are ISIS insurance for language courses and general travel. The Institute of Youth, which is a member of the International Insurance Association for Students (IASIS), offers this type of insurance, created specifically for young people and students. You can hire it for weeks, so it is ideal in these cases. Some specific agencies also take care of this type of insurance for students (normal, we all want to take out dogs hehe).

An option that is not bad for the first few days is an insurance for VISA, MasterCard, etc. Let's look at credit cards, as some have special coverage. But look at this too, because it is not usually very high.

And if in your particular case you are taking a continued medication, you are better off carrying enough for several months (with your prescription), you will not be smelled by dogs in customs and you're left without medication, or worse, without entering the country), because sometimes it is not easy to get the same drug in the United States without going through doctors, clinics and those stories.

Things in the fine print that you should look at with special attention when you sign up for an international health insurance:

• The euros. We see the maximum expense covered by the policy. Remember that in the US, medical care is very expensive. We are talking about recommending that the expense covered is at least fifty thousand dollars, just in case brother.
• Check if you need to pay a deductible. That is if you have to put a minimum of money out of pocket before insurance starts paying for medical expenses.
• Look for any type of co-pay. Come on, if there is a medical emergency, if you have to pay an amount of your own money first and then the rest is paid between the insurer and the patient in a contracted percentage in advance. I hope you do not get ripped off with that, you can also make fun of the joke in case of an accident.
• In specific cases, if you have any chronic or special disease look at the diseases excluded in the insurance policy or certain activities, such as risky sports. Especially if you were planning to go skiing or things which that could lead to serious injuries. To contract insurance that later does not cover you... would be annoying. And it happens.
• If traveling as a family make sure the insurance covers the whole family. To see if you are going to be paying a lot thinking that it is because it covers all and no, it only covers the holder. Also if it is for trips counted as such or for a whole year, in the case of it being annual insurance, although we are usually talking about the weekly or monthly type.

Another important thing, just in case it happens to you as a school partner, remember that you must buy the insurance as you buy the flights to make use of the cancellation insurance. In case you cancel.

In terms of company names, people I met had hired with Allianz. Others with Mapfre insurance, which with the latter you have 24 hours from the purchase of tickets to buy insurance to cover you in the case of cancellation. This is important.

And as quantifiable data to put figures, we have not talked about how much exactly they can cost. Although they change constantly and the most important thing as always is to buy a lot and find the best offer. To give you an idea:

In travel forums, the insurance most discussed for travel is with Columbus Direct, either for USA and Canada (combined) or for any other destination. They say that these are the ones that offer more coverage for a reasonable price.

For example this year for a month in the USA, for two people, husband and wife, the standard is 150. 98 €, with medical coverage of one hundred thousand euros or a Super 183. 28 € with seven million euros or something crazy like that.

Also check out forums like losviajeros.com that I used it a lot in its day. Because there are even promotional codes out there for you to get some special discounts. They are not usually much but hey... less gives a stone.

Well tell me, how did you do it on your getaway to the United States?

Did you play the limit like me without insurance for three weeks? Did you get a bargain? That there sometimes are... Share your experiences, that is free!

Keep in touch brothers!

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