Insurance for Traveling Parents

Researched, Curated, and Published by a Group of Volunteers!

PLEASE NOTE: We are NOT endorsing or recommending any particular insurance co. We’re not representatives of them & don’t earn any commission from anyone. We’re only helping members as volunteers. Choosing to use an insurance is at the sole discretion of the member & we have no say in that.

This document should serve as guidance to anyone looking for health insurance for their parents traveling to the USA. Insurance should be a concern for those who are in the USA. High medical bills can bankrupt families and cause financial hardship. Although you may think there is an option to just not pay these bills as your parents do not have a social security number- the USCIS still performs credit checks on green card, H1-B, and H4 spouse applications. Not paying these bills could cause harm in the immigration process.

The process in evaluating the plans available was through research on 1) Policy Document, 2) Personal Experiences and Reviews, 3) Regulation and the company itself / contacts

UPDATED: 4/11/2024

We have included policy reviews for several Indian Insurance companies such as:

1. Apollo Munich
2. SBI
3. Bharti AXA
4. Bajaj Allianz
5. Religare
6. Royal Sundaram
7. ICICI Lombard

For the Indian company analysis - we went through the plan documents and pulled out the relevant exclusions for the programs, along with some of their reviews. We will be working on populating more information for Indian companies as time progresses

US Companies

Hop! Insurance (Classico | Ultra/Plus, VIP/Plus, Mindoro, TripAssist Plus) - Underwriter: AIG, Crum & Foster SPC, Tideview Risk SPC

SafeVista (SafeVista Comprehensive) - Underwriter: Tideview Risk, Convex Insurance Ltd.

International Medical Group (Patriot America, CoverAmerica Gold) - Underwriter: SirusPoint Specialty Corporation of Sweden

Tokio Marine (Atlas America, VisitorSecure) - Underwriter:  Lloyd’s of London

Trawick International (Safe Travels USA) - Underwriter: GBG International

Seven Corners (Liaison, In-bound USA) - Underwriter: Lloyd’s of London

INF (Elite / Premier) - Underwriter: Crum & Forster SPC

CIGNA Global | Underwriter: Cigna Europe Insurance Company S.A.-N.V. Singapore Branch (Registration Number: T10FC0145E)

Indian Companies

Apollo Munich (Now HDFC Ergo)
SBI General Insurance
Bharti AXA
Bajaj Allianz
Religare
Royal Sundaram
ICICI Lombard

Hop! Insurance | Underwriter: Crum & Forster SPC, AIG, and Tideview Risk SPC | www.hop.insure 

Plans Available: Mindoro (pre-existing), TripAssist Plus (pre-existing)

1. Price: The prices on the plans are very affordable. Rates on Mindoro start at $45 per month for age 60-69 and these are by far the cheapest rates for 70+ out there. Prices for age 69 and lower were just reduced in early April 2024 to be much more affordable, particularly for those age 59 and under.
   
2. Coverage: These plans are travel assist - not travel medical insurance. Basically you can think of it as Travel Assist = Medical Insurance + Travel Insurance + Assistance Concierge Service. Overall- these plans have decent pre-existing conditions coverage and guaranteed cashless claims via their 24/7 claims office who makes appointments for you

1. One note on this - they have the “7-2-1” rule

1. You have 7 days to report a non-emergency to their assistance team
2. You have 2 days to report a emergency to their assistance team
3. You have 1 day to report a travel assistance (lost baggage, missed flight)

1. Reporting to the assistance team means just pinging them on the their WhatsApp feed
2. They have a 24 hour WhatsApp number which helps in making the appointments / helping in emergencies

2. This “assistance package membership” also comes with “perks” like:

1. VIP Airport Assistance (priority immigration, help with bags) (optional upgrade)
2. 100% unlimited use telemedicine  (included with all plans)

3. This program uses United Healthcare PPO for US travelers

3. Reputation: This is a new company, but reviews it looks to be good so far. Moreover- the fact they are with reputable insurance companies like AIG and Crum & Forster speak to the quality of the program

Policy Document:

1. All the policies offer travel assistance memberships. Travel Assistance is basically like getting a medical insurance, but you have a 24/7 concierge team who will make arrangements on your behalf. It’s designed like a program for a true tourist- meaning they make the assumption you don’t know the hospitals around you so they will make the appointments for you.

1. In emergencies- you can go directly with the hospital without having to report right away to the assistance team.

These plans are design more for the convenience of the member, as you don’t have to call a bunch of doctors, make sure they accept the plan, etc. There should be no billing mishaps because the company makes all the arrangements for you.

2. With regards to Pre-Existing Conditions - they also have different definitions for coverage across the difference plans:
   

1. Hop Mindoro (best for minor/stable pre-existing conditions) | $ on price

1. This is a fixed benefit plan and covers pre-existing conditions defined as:

1. Pre-existing Condition” means an illness, disease, or other condition of the Member that in the 12-month period before the Member’s assistance became effective under the Policy: 1) first manifested itself, worsened, became acute, or exhibited symptoms that would have caused a person to seek diagnosis, care, or treatment; or 2) required taking prescribed drugs or medicines 3) was treated by a Doctor or treatment had been recommended by a Doctor. NonEmergency pre-existing conditions are covered to the pre-existing maximum, and emergencies are covered to the plan maximum

2. The interpretation of this definition is the following (confirmed by the Hop! team)

1. Pre-Existing conditions which worsen but are not an emergency (imagine being light headed due to high BP / low blood sugar) and require outpatient treatment (like urgent care / specialist) are covered to the lower pre-existing maximum
2. Pre-Existing conditions which are a emergency (think heart attack / stroke) are covered to the plan maximum up to $75,000

3. Although this is a fixed benefit program - because it covers all the pre-existing conditions, you will still get United Healthcare PPO discounts

1. For example- you have an ER bill of $5,000 - the UHC PPO gives between 70-90% discounts, so if you get even and 80% discount on the claim, plus the benefits paid by the program, your OOP would be around $500

4. Travel Benefits

1. This plan provides optional travel benefits which are not that costly to add on, for example $1000 baggage loss coverage is about $13 per month

2. Hop TripAssist Plus (best for more serious / more risk averse) | $$$ on price

1. This is a comprehensive program - upon review it looks very similar to INF Elite, but is about 25% less

1. **This plan also covers pre-existing conditions up to $150,000 or $300,000 depending on the option you choose
2. Coverage up to $60,000 for pre-existing for age 70-99

2. Pre-existing conditions is defined as:

1. Pre-existing Condition: means an illness, disease, or other condition of the Covered Person that in the 24-month period before the Covered Person’s assistance became effective under the Policy: 1) first manifested itself, worsened, became acute, or exhibited symptoms that would have caused a person to seek diagnosis, care, or treatment; or 2) required taking prescribed drugs or medicines or 3) was treated by a Doctor or treatment had been recommended by a Doctor. Pre-Existing medical assistance applies to the worsening of stable pre-existing conditions until the condition has been stabilized, and may cover continuing treatment at the discretion of the assistance office and advice of the attending physician

3. The interpretation is the following:

1. There’s a 24 month lookback period - meaning any sickness or medications (even if condition is stable) could qualify as a pre-existing condition. However- this plan covers pre-existing conditions to $150,000 or $300,000 so this shouldnt be too much of a concern
2. The plan also covers up to $60K for new sickness / pre-existing conditions for people who are age 70-99 years old
3. It will cover the worsening of stable conditions (meaning outpatient / facility care, along with catastrophic emergencies) - up to the $150K max

4. Why is it less expensive than other comprehensive pre-existing programs?

1. The major reason we can see is that there is the 7-2-1 rule, and the folks at Hop help arrange all of the appointments for you, possible getting better negotiated rates

Personal Experiences & Reviews

1. This is a newer company - but can be found on a couple different aggregator websites like VisitorsCoverage, AmericanVisitorInsurance, and INFPlans.com. We can make a assumption that this plan is legit since it’s on these websites.
2. They have a couple youtube review videos here:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqqaC394GwA
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWygXMWlBJw

3. It also looks like they just started their Trustpilot but so far it’s good:

1. https://www.trustpilot.com/review/hop.insure
2. 
3. 

Regulation and who is “Hop!” - Hop is a Florida based insurance agency and regulated by the State of Florida:

Their insurance companies are also regulated by US DOIs including AIG (National FireInsurance company of Pittsburgh) and Crum & Forster (US Fire Insurance Company)

SafeVista | Underwriter: Tideview Risk SPC, Convex Insurance UK Ltd

Plans available: SafeVista Comprehensive

• Price: Economical compared to other acute onset plans by at least 10%

• For example - when you compare other acute onset plans for a 60 year old for 1 month with $50K coverage and $250 deductible:

• SafeVista: $144.90
• Patriot America Plus: $146.10
• Atlas America: $166.50
• Safe Travels USA: $139.20

• Source: visitorscoverage.com
  

• Overall- across the other deductibles and policy maximums we tested, this program has always come across to be less expensive for similar programs using United Healthcare. Some plans like Safe Travels USA and Beacon America may be less expensive because they do not use United Healthcare, but FirstHealth PPO which gives lower discounts for claims  
  
• On contacting the company, they mentioned it’s because they sell direct, meaning they do not need to pay 40-50% commissions to agents like VisitorsCoverage or Insubuy
  

• Coverage: It’s an acute onset plan - covering emergencies related to pre-existing. However, the offer up to $1million in coverage for people under the age of 70

• There is coverage for UTI - urinary tract infections, bladder infections, and its consequences like septicemia (blood poisoning) which is common among Indian travelers ** as a note, if you book a direct flight please implore your parents to walk around the plane and use the bathroom! **

• UTI is excluded by most other acute onset programs as its a very costly claim (typically between 40-100K medical bills)

•  Using UHC Network

• The plan distinguishes between in-network and out-of-network services, offering 100% to 80% coverage (but they only offer the 100% option right now) for in-network providers and 50% for out-of-network providers. This encourages the use of in-network services, which can help control costs- you should always try to find an in-network provider with this plan

• Robin Assist Claims

• An interesting point about this plan is their use of Robin Assist for claims. Overall - Robin Assist seems to have a much better reputation for claim handling
• They provide a WhatsApp number to contact the folks from Robin Assist, who can also help make appointments for members
• Robin Assist pre-pays for Urgent Care and PCP visits

• When you have the assistance team make the appointment for you, they pre-adjudicate (pre-approve) the claim and pay for the amount ahead of time so its cashless and there’s no billing disputes later

• Coverage for new sickness, accident, and acute onset of pre-existing conditions.

• Acute Onset requires hospitalization within 24 hours for any pre-existing emergency
• They offer 100% free unlimited use telemedicine, which can be used for out-patient issues related to pre-existing conditions
• Pre-Existing Conditions coverage at acute onset is covered at 100% with no other deductible charge (for example, there is no 80% of first $5000, rather it covers 100% from the first dollar of claims)
• Comes with trip interruption benefit (this is used if something happens back home in India and your need to go back, they will cover the rebooking costs)

International Medical Group (IMG) | Underwriter: SiriusPoint Specialty Insurance (BBB Credit Rating | Negative credit outlook) | www.imglobal.com 

Plans available: Patriot America Plus, VisitorCare, CoverAmerica Gold, US Visit Pro, Visitors Protect

●     Price: Low to Medium cost depending on your budget

●     Coverage: Offers moderate to low coverage on paper

●     Reputation: From what I’ve read online, lawsuits against this company, and people’s experience on this forum- this company is not good

●     Of note: SirusPoint has a long-term credit rating of BBB - and has a negative credit outlook from S&P

• Pre-Existing Coverage is very scant - offers only maximum 30k and is very limited due to exclusions regarding congenital issues, UTI, kidney infections, etc which are VERY common amongst Indian visitors
• Pre-Existing coverage offered by IMG / Sirius Point has been notoriously neglectful in providing meaningful coverage, as seen below:

1.  Policy Document: All the policies offer good coverage on paper- 100% of the policy maximum with up to $1,000,000 limits. However, when looking at the internal structure of the plan, we can see that this $1,000,000 will never be paid.

For example, the plan only covers “Acute Onset of Pre-Existing conditions.” Now- you may think having no known pre-existing issues would mean you do not have to worry about this clause- however if you look at the definition of pre-existing in the policy, it will say,

“Pre-existing Condition: Any Injury, Illness, sickness, disease, or other physical, medical, Mental or Nervous Disorder, condition or ailment that, with reasonable medical certainty, existed at the time of Application or at any time during the three (3) years prior to the Effective Date of this insurance, whether or not previously manifested, symptomatic or known, diagnosed, Treated, or disclosed to the Company prior to the Effective Date, and including any and all subsequent, chronic or recurring complications or consequences related thereto or resulting or arising therefrom.”

This basically means if you have any chronic issues like diabetes or blood pressure- they will not be covered by the plan. Moreover- if you have an unknown condition like an undiagnosed aneurysm, clogged artery, kidney stone, etc which becomes acute- this will also be denied as ”pre-existing” because they were existing before the policy began.

As this relates to COVID-19- this plan has been denying claims saying the COVID-19 was an unknown medical condition existing before the travel date therefore denied by the plan.

Moreover- this plan does not cover worsening issues. Say your BP goes up and you get a nosebleed, or you have an asthma attack- these are not considered acute onset because they are not sudden nor rapid or unexpected. Most of the time, IMG will claim the condition was caused by a worsening pre-existing issue and is not covered by the plan.

“A sudden and Unexpected outbreak or reoccurrence that is of short duration, is rapidly progressive, and requires urgent medical care. A Pre-existing Condition that is chronic or congenital, or that gradually becomes worse over time is not an Acute Onset of Pre-existing Condition.”

Other noticeable clauses in this plan:

●      Acute onset coverage does not apply if you are above age 70

●      any infection of the urinary tract (including, without limitation, infection of the kidney, ureter, bladder, prostate or urethra) is not covered by the plan

●      Plan will deny claims based on diet and other factors which should be concerning

** There is a pattern of IMG not honoring claims. Even plans offering “pre-existing” coverage by IMG or SirusPoint Speciality Insurance should be looked at twice **

2. Personal Experiences and Reviews: The thing to keep in mind is that people only leave reviews if they have a really good experience or a really bad experience- so the number of bad and good experiences should be reflective of the quality of the program.

We went to several review websites to find reviews of not the purchase experience, but the actual claiming on the insurance.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/international-medical-group-indianapolis-3?sort_by=rating_asc

https://www.bbb.org/us/in/indianapolis/profile/travel-insurance/international-medical-group-inc-0382-17001341/complaints

Moreover, IMG has been in several lawsuits (with Indian members no less) regarding the way they are paying claims…

First is Ramaswamy vs. IMG: https://www.scribd.com/document/474923778/case4

In this case- Ramaswamy was wrongfully denied a $60,000 claim and caused emotional distress for a sickness. Ramaswamy had a distal common bile duct obstruction- which should have been covered as a new sickness. However, IMG denied the claim saying it was pre-existing even though there were no issues before.

What this tells us is that IMG would rather spend thousands of dollars on lawyer fees instead or rightfully paying claims they promised to do.

Second case I found was Mani vs. IMG: https://www.scribd.com/document/474178969/lawsuit2

Here- we see an Indian, Venkatarani Mani, was visiting his family in Texas. During his visit he got new condition called “acute cholecystitis” and a “hepatic liver abscess.” IMG once again claimed this was a pre-existing condition- and did not pay anything to Mani.

This case I found was Hollowll vs. Sirius Insurance Company (underwriter for International Medical Group / IMG Plans): https://www.scribd.com/document/580608341/Sirius-Insurance-IMG-International-Medical-Group-lawsuit-for-denied-claims

IMG/Sirus will make any sickness fall under congenital / pre-existing in order to deny claims. Even plans offered by Sirus offering pre-existing will still deny claims, based on the allegations in this lawsuit.

3. Regulation and who is “IMG” – IMG is based in Indianapolis, IN and was founded in 1990.

This company is not regulated by the United States. Although they are based in Indianapolis, IN, their underwriter (SirusPoint Speciality Corporation) is based in Stockholm, Sweden, and operates in a regulatory grey area which offers consumers little protection.

 World Trips (Tokio Marine) | Underwriter: Tokio Marine Syndicate at Lloyd’s of London (A-Rated) | https://www.worldtrips.com/

Plans Available: Atlas America, Atlas America Essential, VisitorSecure

●     Price: Low to Medium cost depending on your budget

●     Coverage: Offers moderate to low coverage on paper, 100% up to policy maximum and $1,000,000 policy max

●     Reputation: My own personal experience, as well as others in our Group, has been terrible. Of course, this is substantiated with many other reviews online.zee

Policy Document The policy we’re looking at is for Atlas America. There is another plan called “VisitorSecure" – but this is a fixed program. So even if it did work, it is going to pay out much less. We are going to focus primarily on the pre-existing conditions coverage under this plan- because several members and my own personal experience.

Acute Onset of Pre-Existing Conditions – again we are seeing this phrase pop up again. This plan does not cover pre-existing conditions unless they qualify as “Acute Onset” – which in most cases, does not happen. They define pre-existing conditions as:

1. Condition for which medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment (includes receiving services and supplies, consultations, diagnostic tests or prescription medicines) was recommended or received during the 2 years immediately preceding the certificate effective date;

2. Condition that had manifested itself in such a manner that would have caused a reasonably prudent person to seek medical advice, diagnosis, care, or treatment (includes receiving services and supplies, consultations, diagnostic tests or prescription medicines) within the 2 years immediately preceding the certificate effective date; or

3. Injury, illness, sickness, disease, or other physical, medical, mental, or nervous conditions, disorder or ailment (whether known or unknown) that, with reasonable medical certainty, existed at the time of application or within the 2 years immediately preceding the certificate effective date. For the purposes of the Complications of Pregnancy coverage offered hereunder, pregnancy will not be included within the definition of a pre-existing condition.

How it relates to COVID-19: This plan will deny COVID-19 if you are infected within a reasonable amount of time after travel because it considers “unknown conditions” as pre-existing. We do not know when we get infected with COVID-19, and this plan takes advantage of this clause.

Moreover- if your parents have an issue like diabetes or high BP and gets a COVID-19 complication it will not be covered by the plan. This happened to several members of the community. Personally, my mom was infected with COVID-19 after landing, and had a liver complications which may have been caused by her diabetic conditions.

Atlas America & Tokio Marine stated her entire hospitalization was due to this diabetic complication and denied a claim of $90,000+. This is because they say that her liver complication was a “worsening condition” and not considered “Acute Onset”:

YOU ARE NOT COVERED IF: 1. The Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition(s) occurs before the certificate effective date; or 2. The pre-existing condition is

a chronic or congenital condition; or

a complication or consequence of a chronic or congenital condition; or

a condition that gradually becomes worse over time;

For COVID-19 we would NOT recommend enrolling in the Atlas America plan. They may use the plan terminology to deny claims. Most claims can be related to pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure / diabetes (chronic / conditions which can become worse)

2. Personal Experiences and Reviews: From my own experience with Atlas America- this plan will not cover your COVID-19 claims. And from others who were also in this group- they deny claims which can be tangentially related to any pre-existing conditions.

I found the following reviews for Atlas America / Tokio Marine across the web (all of them which have had bad experiences):

https://www.yelp.com/biz/hcc-medical-insurance-services-indianapolis-2?sort_by=rating_asc

https://www.bbb.org/us/tx/houston/profile/insurance-services-office/tokio-marine-hcc-0915-55000060/customer-reviews

https://www.facebook.com/HCCMIS/reviews/?ref=page_internal

https://www.resellerratings.com/store/hccmis_com

Atlas America / Tokio Marine was in a class action lawsuit from the constant denying of claims:

https://www.scribd.com/document/480478974/HCC-Class-Action-Complaint-2018

 Atlas America has been accused in a Class Action Lawsuit of categorically denying claims and defrauding unsuspecting and vulnerable individuals enrolled in Short Term Medical plans (otherwise known as Insurance for Visitors, or International accident & sickness insurance plans).

As per the complaint filed in the United States District Court South Direct of Indiana, Indianapolis Division:

"Atlas America commits to providing short-term accident & sickness insurance with a pre-existing condition exclusion as short as six months and only as long as two years, and to promptly paying any claims arising during the period of coverage during a period as short as one month. Atlas America never does this."

From my personal experience- I can attest to the following excerpt customer service experience you can expect with the Atlas America insurance:

“Atlas America customer service representatives delay the processing of claims by, among other tactics: requesting even more legally irrelevant records; ignoring policyholders’ attempts to contact them; inventing reasons for why the provided documents are inadequate; falsely informing policyholders that their health care providers have been unable or unwilling to provide the requested records; and falsely asserting that they do not have records that are in fact in their possession.”

3.Regulation & Who is “Tokio Marine HCC” – Tokio Marine HCC is actually HCC Medical Services based in Indianapolis, IN. This company, although bought by Tokio Marine insurance, is actually backed by a “syndicate at Lloyds of London” – meaning that this is a product which is unregulated by the United States – as you can see below this is a UK based insurance company:

A subsidiary of Tokio Marine HCC, HCC Lloyd’s Syndicate 4141 is managed by HCC Underwriting Agency Ltd which is authorized by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA. Registered in England and Wales No. 04632146. Registered office: 1 Aldgate, London EC3N 1RE, United Kingdom.

Trawick International | Underwriter: Nationwide (A+) | Best Low Cost Option and Non-Pre-Existing | www.trawickinternational.com 

 Plans available: Safe Travels USA

●     Price: Lowest cost on the market, coverage is weaker for sickness / accident

●     Coverage: It’s decent for people without pre-existing conditions. There are a few exclusions related COVID-19 and other issues for pre-existing, but if this isn’t a concern you may want to look at this plan.

●     Reputation: They are the lowest price in the market, but comes with sacrificing the coverage

1.           Policy Document: In terms of COVID-19- this plan plays a dangerous game. The plan has a 2 week incubation exclusion clause meaning that if you get sick within the first 2 weeks after arriving in the USA- it will be considered a pre-existing condition and therefore COVID-19 is not covered by the plan.

Given most of the stories (although a heuristic) on FB groups- we can assume most infections are happening within 5-8 days

 Only a few clauses to be aware of in the policy document under exclusions:

 1. “36. Any infection of the urinary tract (including, without limitation, infection of the kidney, ureter, bladder, prostate or urethra) and any complication, medical condition or other Illness directly or indirectly arising therefrom” – again I have several family members who visited and got a UTI and it was quite expensive to treat if it gets bad.

** I want to also add that a COVID-19 related kidney & liver complication can be triggered by diabetes as well **

2. “39. Voluntary tests, including COVID-19 viral and/or antibody tests for healthy individuals.” – this means you cannot just go and get covid-19 test done

3. “25. treatment of hernia; Osgood-Schlatter’s Disease; osteochondritis; osteomyelitis; congenital weakness whether or not caused by a Covered Accident”… this plan DOES NOT cover hernias or other weakness

 Moreover- in the coverage- you also are taking some risk. For the acute onset of pre-existing conditions- if you have a cardiac related issues (like heart attack or stoke) – your benefits are capped at $25,000 if you’re under 70 and only $15,000 is above 70. And also if your above 70, the plan is limited to only $35K in coverage overall.

 Also if you look at the definition of acute onset its same as others.. It has to be sudden, unexpected, life and death scenario and there is a 2 day waiting period after the buy the plan to go to the hospital.

Personal Experiences and Reviews

Reviews are decent for Safe Travels USA - with a ⅘ star rating on Trustpilot. This is a good option for people who do not have major pre-existing issues, and are looking for a great low cost option.

https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.trawickinternational.com

      This plan works with First Health PPO - which has a decent network and gets a negotiated rate between 25-35%. Generally- we recommend this plan for v low risk parents, or those who are on a budget but do not want to opt for an Indian based program.

3. Regulation and “Who is” Trawick International. Trawick International is based in Fairhope, Alabama and works with two underwriters, Nationwide and CF SPC 

Seven Corners | Underwriter: Lloyd’s of London (A rating) | Tramont Insurance of Bermuda (Not Rated) | www.sevencorners.com

 Plans available: Liaison, In-Bound USA

●     Price: On the more expensive / costly side

●     Coverage: Acute onset of pre-existing conditions and COVID-19 have stated coverage

●     Reputation: Yelp reviews, Trustpilot, and BBB ratings all show people have moderate experiences with this company

1.           Policy Document: We reviewed the comprehensive program they have for Liaison Travel Plus and found the following items:

Acute Onset of Pre-Existing conditions is only covered up to $10,000. Also- this program does not cover anyone for acute onset  pre-existing conditions above the age of 75.

Based on the definition here- you actually are not covered for the first 3 days after you come to the USA- which is highly risky as most people fall sick from their flight within this time period.

When you take a look at their definition of Acute onset of Pre-Existing conditions- basically they are saying it has to be truely sudden- and a chronic issue like BP or Diabetes is NOT considered acute onset if it worsens and IS NOT COVERED by the plan.

2. Reputation and Personal Experiences:.

⅕ Stars on Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/seven-corners-carmel?sort_by=rating_asc

4/5 stars on Trustpilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/sevencorners.com?languages=en&stars=1&stars=2

      Over 40 complaints on Better Business Bureau: https://www.bbb.org/us/in/carmel/profile/insurance-companies/seven-corners-inc-0382-3050449/complaints

Most of the reviews have to do with claims- which from reading they give a lot of issues from the documentation of claims. Which is expected due to the complexity of US medical insurance sometimes claims take alot of time to process.

3. Regulation and “Who is” Seven Corners. Seven Corners has been around for about 26 years and is also based in Carmel, IN. They claim their underwriter is Lloyd’s of London- however it is not actually Lloyds- but actually a Bermudan based offshore Trust company which uses the “Lloyd’s of London” name (aka a “fronting carrier”). These companies use offshore trusts to avoid  the regulatory scrutiny of the insurance commissioner, but also offer more flexibility in the policy filing with the states.

INF | Underwriter: Crum & Forster SPC (A-rating) | Best option for pre-existing | www.infplans.com

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Plans available: Elite, Premier, Traveler USA, Standard  NOTE they are now offering a Premier X and Standard X which comes with UHC, and Premier / Standard which work with Multiplan. They are the same price, but it may be better to go with the UHC option for better network

●   INF Plans have a unique feature of “guaranteed cashless claims” - where they make appointments for you so you don’t have to worry about paying out of pocket. Basically you just message them on a whatsapp number and they do basically everything for you

●     Price: Plans tend to be on the higher end of the spectrum- with some premiums at almost $1000 per month or higher for older age groups

●     Coverage: 80% or 90% of the negotiated rate- from what I understand they took a domestic policy and changed the eligibility. This option has deductibles from $50 - $5000 **Note** You want to go with a low deductible if you want doctor visits/labs/scans/ER covered immediately, You want to go with the high deductible like $5K if youre only concern is catastrophic injury or sickness

○     Please note: INF Premier now works with United Healthcare PPO which gives discounts between 45-55%.

○     Say the bill from the hospital is 100K, with Premier you will need to pay the balance after insurance payout / negotiation. So if insurance discounts by 50K, and pays $25K- you would pay the remaining $25K.

○      Moreover- Premier is a fixed benefit plan- meaning it will only pay a predetermined dollar amount for a claim.

■     Premier plan is better for small things like COVID test / doctor visit

○     With INF Elite, you get a PPO network discount, so the 100K becomes 30K, and then insurance pays the 25K or so and the rest is paid by the insured. There is a reason INF Elite is expensive, but it’s crucial when you need it.

■     Elite plan is better for catastrophic claim / ongoing care after an accident / sickness

1.           Policy Document: I reviewed the policy for the INF Elite (which from my understanding, is the same as Traveler USA but just covers better for pre-existing conditions).

Unlike most of the other plans we spoke about- there are no sickness exclusions in this policy per se. There is one exclusion:

But when I reached out to them- they mentioned the following:

“We interpret this to mean that we do not pay any benefits for accidents that result from any Sickness/disease, etc. with the exception of bacterial infections resulting from an accidental external cut/wound or accidental ingestion of contaminated food.

So for example, if you cut yourself and develop an infection, it may be considered eligible (subject to other policy provisions, exclusions and limitations of course).”

Basically- they are saying if you have a sickness (like a flu) and you get into an accident because of having the flu- the accident is not covered.

Network Coverage

From July 1- INF is using UHC as their PPO network for all of their plans

         Pre-Existing Conditions Coverage

This I think is the most important part about the Elite plan- as they advertise that this plan and Premier (fixed benefit option) are “full pre-ex” and “cover all pre-existing conditions”:

The mention it in the first paragraph of the policy here:

What this means is that in the INF Elite & Premier plans - they consider issues that you have gone to the doctor for or gotten treatment for only in the last 1 year as pre-existing. Moreover, they are saying only if you started to take medication for a condition within the last 1 year then it would be pre-existing, otherwise if it’s stable it’s not pre-existing.

Upon clarification- this means common issues like BP and Diabetes that are table are covered as a new sickness up to $300K or $75K, and also unknown issues are also covered like a new problem.

Cancellation Policy

One thing we found interesting is that there is no cancellation after the effective date of the policy unlike other insurances which give a prorated refund. Due to this- we do NOT suggest enrolling your parents for like 6 months at once because you will leave that money on the table if they go early- we would do like 2 or 3 months at once and then renew.

          Ratings and Reviews

See below reviews for INF Plans.The bad ones are regarding their cancellation policy, and claim processing times. Sometimes INF takes months to process claims, but they will get to paying it eventually.

4.8/5 starts on Trustpilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/inf.insure

4.5/5 stars on Consumer Advocates: https://www.consumersadvocate.org/travel-insurance/c/inf-visitor-care-review

And they have some youtube videos too…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sWPcOjUZYc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjNB0yxMPng

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q3dW82k8Nc

3. Regulation and “Who is” INF.

INF stands for “India Network Foundation” - a non-profit which has sponsored this program for visitors to the US. INF was founded in 1988 as an organization to communicate news from India to the USA for students (a “network” of “Indians”) based in the USA. They are currently based at 7065 Westpointe Blvd, Orlando, FL 32835, and do many different non-profit projects in India which are helped by collecting membership fees. See more information here: https://indnet.org/about.html.

INF’s carriers are Best Meridian Insurance and Crum & Forster SPC (backed by US Fire Insurance company), Convex Insurance UK Ltd rated AM BEST A+


Cigna Global | Underwriter:  Cigna Europe Insurance Company S.A.-N.V. Singapore Branch (Registration Number: T10FC0145E) | **Best option for Greencard holders / Preventative Care and those looking for close to major medical coverage** | https://www.cignaglobal.com/

**Note: This is a legit heavy duty medical insurance plan with pricing similar to Obamacare ($700+ per month for age 60-69).

Plans Available & Eligibility:

1. Silver
2. Gold
3. Platinum
   
   

See details here: https://www.cignaglobal.com/individuals-families/our-plans/global-health-insurance-plans/plans-in-detail

●     These plans do cover cancer treatment (recurrence or otherwise)

●     Pregnancy is also covered, but there's a 12 month waiting period

●     This plan has high benefit for mental / behavioral care

Note: Cigna has plan designs of the following variety:

 0% Cost-Share with $0 OOP max

10% Cost-Share with $2000 OOP max

10% Cost-Share with $5000 OOP max

20% Cost-Share with $2000 OOP max

20% Cost-Share with $5000 OOP max

30% Cost-Share with $2000 OOP max

30% Cost-Share with $5000 OOP max

There are also additional add-ons you can have as a topper onto your plan, for example, you can have a combination like:

Keep in mind- Cigna Global is mainly designed only for IN PATIENT care - and you will need to add out-patient treatment to the plan. However- they will be able to give up to a 10% discount if you ask them, and they will also cover health and wellness (like physicals / routine blood work, etc)

You can enroll in this plan for your parents (B1/B2 visa holder are eligible for the program)- but keep in mind when the produce a quote, they are expecting a ONE YEAR commitment. This is true health insurance- not a flimsy visitor plan, hence if your parents are green card holders or will be in the US for an extended period of time- this may be a good option for you.

Premiums are in line with true health insurance (Obamacare) pricing. See a quote below for a 66 year old with mild pre-existing conditions:

 This plan is $1,669 PER MONth - which is probably between 4-10x greater than your typical visitor insurance plan. However- once again it’s important to note this is NOT visitor insurance, this is a true heavy duty medical insurance .

To complete the enrollment for your parents you will need to provide the following information:

1.    A copy of your parents passport

2.    A proof of address dated in the last 3 months / or / a copy of your driving license if it shows an address on the front, ID  – this can be from any country.

3.    Answers to the 5 medical questions I will ask over the phone.

4.        Payment for the first month which they will take over the phone on a secure phone line (             Mastercard, Visa or American Express).

The plans will also come with the following benefits:

As a full medical insurance plan - you get access to features like:

 A Clinical Team which involved in:

 coordinating your healthcare and treatment plan;

1. accessing global medical experts for advice and support;
2. providing second medical opinions or medical reports if

required.

Access to the Wellbeing App:

1. Access Global Telehealth: Video and phone consultations with medical practitioners and specialists;
2.  Manage health: Health risk assessments and chronic condition management;
3. Change behaviour: Track biometrics and access online coaching programmes and a health library.

Keep in mind- CIGNA Global does require pre-authorization, however you are able to access CIGNA provides within the United States who will be able to provide “cashless claims”

 Pre-Existing Conditions Coverage

 The major drawback with this program is that it DOES NOT cover pre-existing conditions. For example- we asked the Cigna Rep:

 “If my dad has been taking blood pressure medication for the past  years, and he suddenly gets a heart attack- is this covered”

 The agent responded honestly and told us, “No- this would not be covered by the plan- but if he had a heart attack caused by another reason, it would be covered”

 It would be safe to assume that this plan should be used only for those without chronic conditions, and who will be in the US for a long term  

1. Apollo Munich (Now HDFC Ergo)

https://www.apolloinsuranceservices.com/products/travel-insurance/

*Exclusions:

• If the journey is undertaken for the sole purpose of availing medical treatment.
• Any instance of war or acts of war, act of foreign enemy, invasion, war-like operations, public defense, civil war, rebellion, insurrection, revolution, usurped or military acts, riot, chemical, radioactive or nuclear contamination, acts of terrorism, etc.
• Involvement in military, naval, or air force operations
• Participation in racing, aviation, diving, scuba diving, hang-gliding, parachuting, mountain/ rock climbing.
• Any criminal activity/ breach of law.
• Use of intoxicants or hallucinogens including alcohol and drugs.
• Suicide or attempted suicide, self-inflicted injury or illness.
• Complications arising out of pregnancy and childbirth.
• Sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV / AIDS.
• Pre-existing medical conditions and complications arising therein.

*Reviews:

2.Bharti AXA

*Exclusions:

• Cosmetic surgery is not covered in this policy unless it has been warranted due to an accident, or for a routine medical examination
• Pre-existing conditions are not covered (except in the case of life threatening situations)
• This policy does not cover injuries which have been sustained whilst the insured was participating in perilous activities such as bungee jumping. The company will take the call on this.
• This policy does not cover claims caused by terrorist activities
• If you do not report loss of travel documents (including passport) to the local authories withing 24 hours of it going missing, the company will not provde cover. Similarly, if it was left unattended in a public place also, you will not get cover.
• You will not get cover for partial loss of items that were inside checked-in luggage.

*Reviews:

• “I have booked a ticket in GoAir to travel from Kuwait to India and the flight is cancelled. Ticket was insured with Bharti AXA and I contacted the insurance provider. They declined my claim and telling the reason that the flight is providing credit shell option. But I explained to them that its not useful for me because I cannot travel on that time. I sent so many email to follow-up and no one is replying”
• “I bought insurance cover for overseas travel. I sent several emais enquiring about the proper process of making a medical claim. No response at all. Diasppointing and Frustrating. Do not want to renew the product”
• “We had an emergency situation and required Orthopedician's intervention and hospitalization. But our claim was rejected stating that it was a pre-existing condition. What is the relation between hypertension(pre-existing condition) and Fracture?”

3.Bajaj Allianz

*Exclusions:

• Substance Abuse: Alcohol or drugs.
• Human-made situations: War, Civil war, Terrorism.
• Medical Exclusions: HIV/AIDS, Alternative treatment, cosmetic treatment, pre-existing conditions or diseases, not following doctor’s medical advice, suicide or self-inflicted injury
• Baggage or Passport: Loss of passport is not covered under the travel insurance in India when the same is left unattended. Also, if the baggage is shipped separately from the insured, there is no coverage.
• The travel insurance policy won’t cover Injuries due to participation in adventure sports.

Details: https://www.bajajallianz.com/travel-insurance-online/travel-ace-plan.html

Travel Insurance Policy Wording

*Reviews:

• “They don't want to settle the claim or reimburse.There employees make all efforts to not settle claim.I have claimed for my delay in baggage, I have sent them all documents what they told me but again they sent deficiency letter asking for same document.”
• “My elder brother bought a second hand car. He got the RC and Insurance transferred from the previous owner after which the insurance was to expire. Bajaj Allianz customer care called my elder brother and told him in order to pay the amount for a link sent in order to review the Insurance. The same was done accordingly. Till one month, the renewed Insurance was not received. Bajaj Allianz was contacted several times plus emails were dropped multiple times followed by no result. Only refund's amount was being requested to them for its renewal considering the expiry of Insurance. Enforced by the situation resulted, a consumer complaint was filed by us against Bajaj Allianz Travel Insurance.”
• “I was not able to travel due to medical reasons. My bookings were non - refundable(flights and hotels). I had prime insurance from Bajaj. My policy number is OG-19-9906-9910-00061741They denied me claim due to loop holes. The agent asked me to read 36 pages booklet which I had received in the email. So while falling sick I should read 36 pages of rule book? Singapore airlines didn't owe me anything but they were kind enough to offer me 100% refund. All I asked from Bajaj was the hotel bills. They were rude and all agents kept saying not covered.HATE BAJAJ, never opting for you again!”

4.SBI General Insurance

*Pre-existing Disease:

Pre-Existing Disease means any condition, ailment or injury or related condition(s) for which you had signs or symptoms, and / or were diagnosed, and / or received medical advice / treatment within 48 months to prior to the first policy issued by the Insurer.

*Exclusions:

• Pre-existing disease
• Travelling against the advice of a Physician
• Suicide attempted suicide or wilfully self inflicted injury or illness, mental disorder, anxiety, stress or depression, venereal disease, alcoholism, drunkenness or the abuse of the drugs,
• Naval, Military or Air force operations
• No claim will be paid if arising from War, invasion, acts of foreign enemy, hostilities (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation or nationalisation or requisition of or destruction of or damage to property by or under the order of any government or local authority.
• Ionising radiation or nuclear exclusion
• Travelling in aircraft not properly licensed to carry passengers
• Participation in winter sports, mountaineering (where ropes or guides are customarily used), riding or driving in races or rallies, professional sports or any other hazardous sports,
• Losses arising from accidents on two wheeled motorised vehicles unless at the time of the accident the driver is duly qualified, is in possession of a current full International driving license and the insured person is wearing a safety crash helmet.
• Criminal or illegal act

Details: https://content.sbigeneral.in/uploads/5e329b89448f477194c16109f532d365.pdf

5.Royal Sundaram

*Exclusions:

• Any claim in respect of Pre-existing conditions (excepting in case of life threatening situations).

• Any claim arising out of illnesses or Accidents that the Insured Person has caused intentionally or by committing a crime or as a result of drunkenness or addiction

• Any claim arising out of mental disorder, suicide or attempted suicide self-inflicted injuries,
• Any claim arising out of sexually transmitted conditions anxiety, stress, depression, venereal disease or any loss directly or indirectly attributable to HIV (Human Immuno deficiency Virus) and / or any HIV related illness including AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) and / or any mutant derivative or variations thereof howsoever caused.
• Any claim for self-exposure to needless peril (except in an attempt to save human life).
• Any loss of which a contributing cause was the Insured Person’s actual or attempted commission of or wilful participation in an unlawful/illegal act or any violation or attempted violation of the law.

• Any claim arising out of consequential loss or contractual liability.
• A claim which is fraudulent in any respect, or if any false declaration has been made or used in support thereof or if any fraudulent means or devices are used by the Insured or any one acting on his behalf to obtain any benefit under the Policy or if the loss or damage is occasioned by the wilful act, or with the connivance of the Insured

• Pregnancy and all related conditions (excepting as provided under Benefit 31 - Maternity benefit for termination of pregnancy only applicable in respect of student travel plan)
• Treatment related to personal comfort, convenience and hygiene related items and services
• Medical expenses/services, the need for which arises out of a Pre-existing Condition (excepting in life threatening situations where it is covered up to $2000).
• Routine physicals or examinations where there are no objective indications or impairment in normal health.
• Cementing or fixation of tooth or teeth bridge/s.
• Any claim for participation in Hazardous Sports/Hazardous Activities
• Any claim arising out of sporting activities in so far as they involve in training or participation in competitions of professional or semi- professional sports persons
• The Company will not be liable for any Jewellery, perishables and consumablesLoss caused by the Insured’s failure to take reasonable steps to guard against the loss of the passport
• Any claim resulting from transmission of an illness or disease by the Insured Person.
• Any willful, malicious, criminal, illegal or unlawful act.
• Failure to check in on time
• Suspension of services by the Common Carrier whether pursuant to any order from any authority
• If the time gap between the scheduled arrival of the previous flight and the scheduled departure of the next flight (Missed Flight) shall be less than 3 hours.
• Loss of Jewellery and Valuables
• Elective surgery
• Any mental and nervous disorders rest cures or stress of any kind (excepting as provided under Benefit 31 - Treatment for mental and nervous disorders: including alcoholism and drug dependency
• for any bail amount where the insured has been charged for breaking the law with Criminal Intent
• Loss arising out of mysterious disappearance of the laptop and Loss of the laptop if left unattended

*Pre-existing Disease:

Pre-Existing Condition Any condition, ailment or injury or related condition(s) for which you had signs or symptoms,and/ or were diagnosed, and/or received medical advice/treatment within 48 months to prior to the first policy issued by the insurer.

Details: Travel Insurance Term

*Reviews:

• “Its Been 2 month my car is at hyndai garage due to poor claim process of Royal Sundaram. I have in discussion with their regional I and branch head for the same. despite too many emails from manufacturers and dealer regarding replacement of critical part of the car which was damage in the accident they are giving approval only for repair work. Worst attitude of staff without understanding the risk involved in this.”

6.Religare

*Exclusions:

• Expenses incurred due to the misuse of drugs or alcohol.
• War or any war-like activity, and Nuclear perils or consequences arising therein
• Contamination and other consequences of Ionising Radiation
• Suicide, attempted suicide or intentional self-injury
• Any hazardous sports or activities like bungee jumping, paragliding, rafting, etc.
• Breach of law or criminal activities
• Sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, AIDS, etc.

*Reviews:

• “This policy not cover your claim under delay in your country like in India . If your flight delay they dont do entertainment your claim. Only flood , earthquake , rain, cyclone etc.”
• “They find the best reasons to dodge your travel insurance claims. Recently bought one and had to return to India on medical emergency. Claimed the difference in airfare, but they quoted irrelevant and misleading clauses to refuse the claim. Absolutely no use buying Religare Travel Insurance.”

7.Reliance

*Exclusions

• Life-threatening conditions are covered only if they arise from disclosed pre-existing diseases, which are mentioned in the travel insurance policy schedule, for people up to 70 years of age. Claims arising out of non- disclosed and non-declared pre-existing medical conditions will not be covered. So make sure to declare all pre-existing diseases while taking the travel insurance policy.
•  Expenses incurr​ed due to any of the following con​ditions:

Suicide

Self-inflicted injuries or illnesses

Mental disorder

Anxiety, stress or depression​

Venereal diseases

Alcohol/drug abuse

HIV/AIDS

• Expenses incurred if you're...​

Traveling agai​nst the advice of a physician.

Receiving or are on a waiting list for specified medical treatment.

Travelling to receive treatment abroad.

Have been given a terminal prognosis for a medical condition.

•  Issues faced due to theft or loss of passport when left unattended, or unreported to local police authorities.
• Loss of checked baggage - no partial loss or damage shall become payable
• War or nuclear threat in the country where you're traveling​​​

*Reviews:

• “I have contacted them for my father to know the procedure after seeing the doctor on an overseas trip, followed their instructions and submitted the documents. They come back asking for more and more documentation when they have all the proof as hard and soft copies.I kept following them for claim for 2 months and after 2 months they came with email of Denial for no reaonsRELIANCE IS FULL OF FRAUD, BE AWARE DO NOT FALL VICTIM”
• “Never ever by reliance travel insurance. They are cheating with you. They have more excuses for not paying your money.”

8.ICICI Lombard

https://www.icicilombard.com/travel-insurance

*Exclusions

• Any claim due to or arising out of pre-existing medical condition/ailment whether declared or undeclared is not covered under the policy
• Treatment of orthopedic, degenerative and oncological (Cancer) diseases unless such treatment pertains to Life Threatening Medical Conditions or measures solely taken to relieve acute pain and in any case, excluding chemotherapy or radiotherapy expenses.
• Treatment for any dental Illness/ Injury.
• Beauty and/ or cosmetic treatment and/ or reconstructive plastic surgery in any form or manner.
• Any treatment related to general debility, convalescence, and rest or recuperation at a spa or health resort, sanatorium, convalescence home or similar institution.
• Pregnancy and resulting childbirth, voluntary termination of pregnancy, miscarriage or disease of the female organs of reproduction and any fertility, infertility, sub fertility or assisted conception treatment or sterilization or procedure, birth control procedures and hormone replacement therapy. However, the exclusion do not apply to ectopic pregnancy proved by diagnostic means and is certified to be life threatening by the Doctor.
• Routine physical tests and/ or examination of any kind not consistent with or incidental to the diagnosis and treatment of any Illness or Injury either in a Hospital or as an outpatient.
• Vaccination and inoculation of any kind, unless it is post animal bite.
• Rehabilitation and/ or physiotherapy expenses or the cost of prostheses/ prosthetics(artificial limbs) or any Services provided by chiropractioner.
• Self-inflicted Illness or Injury.
• Cost of spectacles/ contact lenses, hearing aid.
• Hospitalisation expenses of donor.
• Naturopathy treatment, ayurvedic/ homeopathic/ unani medicine, acupressure, acupuncture, magnetic and such other therapies.
• Circumcision unless necessary for treatment of an Illness or necessitated due to anAccident.
• Weight management services and treatment, vitamins and tonics related to weight reduction programmes including treatment of obesity.
• Any treatment/ surgery for change of sex or treatment/ surgery/ complications/ Illnessarising as a consequence thereof.
• Personal comfort, convenience and hygiene related items and services. • Alternative Treatments

*Pre-existing Disease:

Pre-existing Condition shall mean and include any condition, ailment or injury or related condition(s) for which you had signs or symptoms, and/ or were diagnosed, and/ or received medical advice/ treatment within 48 months to prior to the first policy issued by the Insurer.

Details:https://www.icicilombard.com/docs/default-source/policy-wordings-product-brochure/international-travel-insurance-policy-wording.pdf

*Reviews:

• “This is my worst experience with ICICI travel policy.I have made claim for my baggage loss while travelling to USA which which was not settled yet and today I got claim rejection sms and email with out any valid reason. Humble request to all , please do not buy this bogus policy for travel purpose.I never recommend anyone to take this anymore.”
• “I had taken their policy when I went to USA 3 months back.Unfortunately I got Herpes which affected my right eye and Right head. I spoke to their rep on the number given in Policy who advised me to go to any specialist and in case you are not going to be admitted to hospital you have to pay first and then claim. Since mine was not the case for hospitalization I paid and spent $ 1288 for consultations and medicines. And I came back and submitted my claim. They have passed claim for $ 652- only and disallowed the fees of Doctors saying that they will pay only $100/- per visit. They were just to deduct $100/- as per the policy. I will never buy their policy .Mine was a genuine case.I am sending you photo- what happened to me”