Travel insurance for the United States
Adventure from sea to shining sea
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Yellowstone National Park, the Guggenheim, Hollywood, Hawaii, and New York City – with 50 states and an area of 9.83 million square kilometres (3.8 million square miles), the US is an extraordinary country to visit. You’ll have your pick of snow-capped mountains, deserts, beaches, national parks and exciting cities that offer amazing experiences for young and old alike.
- How can travel insurance help when I’m visiting the USA?
- Overseas medical assistance and COVID-19 cover
- Skiing, snowboarding, water sports, and hiking
- Wildlife watching
- Rental car excess cover
- What’s not covered?
- What other tips for safe travel do you offer?
Before you book your trip and go exploring a quaint surfside town, the Big Apple, or a remote geological wonder, here are a few things to know about travel insurance coverage.
How can travel insurance help when I’m visiting the USA?
Travel insurance is designed for many reasons, including medical emergencies, lost or stolen bags, unforeseen injuries, unexpected bad weather, or travel delays that derail your trip. World Nomads offers coverage (up to the policy limits) for:
- Emergency overseas medical: surfing in Hawaii can be great for the body and soul but not if it ends in an accident. Emergency medical coverage can help when you need urgent medical treatment. Get to a doctor for treatment and medication and you can submit a claim to recover the costs (up to your benefit limit).
- Evacuation: your hiking trip to the Appalachian Trail might take you far away from medical facilities. With our coverage, you can be transported to the medical facility best for your care, subject to approval from the 24/7 Emergency Assistance Team. Please note that remote travel is not covered. Nor are search and rescue expenses.
- Trip cancellation: has a sick or injured traveling buddy put a stop to your ski trip to Colorado? Depending on your plan, you may be able to recover your unused, prepaid travel expenses.
- Coverage for extended stays: if you’re having too much fun in the USA and want to extend your trip, we can help keep you covered. A few days before your policy expires, just sign into your World Nomads membership, select your current policy and follow the links to extend your cover online. Terms and conditions apply.
Make sure that you’ve selected the right travel insurance plan for your specific needs. With World Nomads you can get a quote, make a claim, or extend your policy instantly online, even while traveling.
Overseas medical assistance and COVID-19 cover
The US has one of the most expensive and complicated health care systems in the world. Even a brief consultation with a doctor could do some serious damage to your wallet, not to mention that an emergency (hospitalization, evacuation, or a repatriation home) could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and ruin your vacation.
Adding travel insurance can help with medical emergencies and the associated expenses when you’re out-of-town on a trip (It’s not the same as your health insurance, which is for routine or ongoing medical care when you’re at home.)
Another bonus is having access to COVID-19 cover for some coronavirus-related events. The level of cover you’ll have for any Coronavirus-related events under our Standard and Explorer plans will depend on your country of residence. Check out our Coronavirus cover article which goes into more detail on all the Coronavirus cover benefits, including benefit limits and terms, conditions, and exclusions.
Our Emergency Assistance Team can support you 24/7 to give you advice on what to do in the case of an emergency. This could include:
- Locating suitable medical facilities
- Arranging ambulance transportation
- Organising hospital stays
- Helping set up direct payments to the medical facility if needed
- Putting you in touch with our in-house nurse who can help with medical queries.
If you’re traveling alone and are unable to navigate your repatriation by yourself, depending on your Country of Residence, we may also send one of our World Nomads team members to accompany you home. You can read the story and watch a video on how we helped one of our travelers in this scenario.
Note: you should always check the travel requirements on your home country’s government advisory US embassy website or by visiting the US Department of State website which has the latest travel and COVID-19 updates. Always do your research on any country you’re planning to visit as there may be government-imposed travel bans or restrictions in place. If you decide to travel to a country on a ‘Do Not Travel’ or possibly an 'Avoid Non-essential Travel' list (depending on your country of residence and policy conditions), then you won’t be covered.
Cover for more than 150 adventure activities, sports and experiences
Skiing, snowboarding, water sports, and hiking
The US has an adventure for every level of sportsman, from novice to near-expert, and every traveler should have the appropriate tier of travel insurance to match. Depending on your country of residence and your travel insurance plan, World Nomads provides cover for activities such as hiking, trekking, cross-country and Alpine skiing, and helicopter skiing.
Caveat: some exclusions apply, including activities above certain elevations, mountaineering and solo expeditions, and search-and-rescue missions. Be sure to check your policy carefully to see if your chosen adventure activities and sports are covered or not.
Ways to avoid accidents or injury include wearing a helmet, sticking to open trails in the resort, staying within resort boundaries, making sure your gear is up to warmth and safety standards, and keeping an eye on the weather.
From white-water rafting to scuba diving and sea kayaking, World Nomads offers cover for a wide range of activities taking place on lakes, rivers, and oceans. Some activities have conditions (such as the accompaniment of a licensed guide) or exclusions to the level of activity. Additional premiums may apply.
Wildlife watching
The US has an incredible variety of wildlife, including moose, wolves, bison, alligators, and mountain lions. Encounters with nature can be awe-inspiring up until you inadvertently get hurt. Travel insurance can provide protection for accidents and injuries when you act responsibly – but not when you’re feeding bears in the woods or petting porcupines; gallivanting in the remote backcountry; or teetering at the edge of a cliff or geyser for the ultimate selfie. The consequence of going headfirst into an iffy situation? You’re not covered.
No matter what activities and sports you plan to do, World Nomads offers cover for many activities, but remember you may need to compare the Standard or Explorer plans to see which activity levels are covered on each plan. Depending on your country of residence, you may need to add activities to your policy for an additional premium.
Your plan may also have conditions of coverage. For example, you may be required to wear safety equipment, book a tour with a licensed tour operator, or stay within certain parameters of your sport: your treks may only be covered up to a certain elevation, or your scuba dives only to a certain depth.
Please check your policy for any exclusions, such as search and rescue missions and professional sports.
Rental car excess cover
While a road trip across the US can be an epic experience, you want it to be memorable for all the right reasons.
If you’re planning to hit the road and explore Route 66, the Pacific Coast or the Great River Road, World Nomads can offer rental vehicle excess damage coverage in case of your vehicle is stolen or you are involved in an accident. Some World Nomads plans have damage collision waiver coverage depending on your country of residence and your choice of a Standard or Explorer plan. Check the details of your plan for restrictions on vehicle types: RVs, motorbikes, and luxury-model cars may not be covered.
You may also have camping gear in your trunk or sunglasses in your glove compartment. Thieves can be crafty enough to get into locked spaces. With World Nomads travel insurance, you can make a claim for a replacement or a reimbursement of your stolen items, up to a per item and total maximum limit. Check the Luggage section of your policy wording for cover terms and conditions.
What’s not covered?
Some things we don’t cover include:
- Pre-existing medical conditions as explained in your policy wording.
- Traveling to, planning to travel to, or choosing to remain in a country or region that is subject to a ‘Do Not Travel’ or ‘Avoid Non-essential Travel’ warning.
- Participation in a sport or activity not listed as covered in the policy wording or agreed by World Nomads or where you haven’t paid the required additional premium.
- Additional costs incurred as a result of not immediately telling the travel agent, tour operator or provider of transport or accommodation that you need to cancel the trip.
- Loss or damage to luggage due to age, wear and tear, loss of value.
- Damage to sporting equipment caused while in use.
What other tips for safe travel do you offer?
We have compiled this general information if you’re looking for more USA travel inspiration. We also have information on the latest travel safety alerts for the USA.
About World Nomads
World Nomads polices are designed by travelers for travelers to provide simple and flexible travel insurance. Featuring coverage for more than 150 activities, you can get a quote, claim, or extend your policy online at www.worldnomads.com. All the information we provide about travel insurance is a brief summary only. It does not include all terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions of the travel insurance plans described. Coverage may not be available for residents of all countries, states or provinces. Please carefully read your policy wording for a full description of coverage.
Travel insurance tip: some countries may require proof of COVID-19 vaccination before you can enter, and some have introduced visas and travel insurance minimum requirements. Do your research before you go as travel insurance does not cover expenses you incur because you don’t have the correct visas to enter your intended destination(s). Make sure you have the required proof of any vaccinations so you can easily produce them while traveling overseas.
Travel Insurance Benefits: how we can take care of you*
Trip Cancellation
Been working hard for your trip?
We'll work hard to protect it.
Trip Protection
- Unexpectedly hospitalised?
- Travel buddy unfit to travel?
- Close relative suddenly dies?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Expenses
Feeling fit and healthy? What if you get sick or injured?
Take the pain out of medical or dental costs.
Emergency Medical Insurance
- Need meds quick?
- Accidentally injured?
- Suddenly sick?
We’ve got your back.
Emergency Medical Transportation
Know where the nearest hospital is?
Don’t stress, we’ll get you there quickly.
Evacuation and Repatriation
- Banged up abroad?
- Need a hospital urgently?
- Medivac home?
Help starts here.
Protect your gear
Love photography, filming or sport?
Cover your bags, tech or gear.
Protect your gear
- Passport or tech stolen?
- Airline lost your gear?
- Bags delayed?
Help starts here.
- Emergency Overseas Medical & Dental Expenses
- Emergency Medical Evacuation & Repatriation
- Trip Cancellation or Interruption
- 24-Hour Assistance Services
- Baggage
- And more (depending on your country of residence)
24/7 emergency assistance
Whether you need medical assistance or emergency evacuation, our teams are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year before and during your trip.
Are you in need of emergency assistance right now?
Contact the teamWherever you are, we’re here 24/7 to help you in any emergency.
Emergency Assistance, World Nomads
Travel insurance. Simple & flexible.
Travel insurance for independent travelers and intrepid families. Nobody wants to think about all the things that could go wrong on their trip, but these things can and do happen. So be prepared and get your travel insurance today.