Insure Against The Uncertainty Of Travel

Updated on October 26, 2021 12:00 am

The United States will lift the travel restrictions on visitors and non-residents from most countries including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan on November 8.

Kevin Munoz, the White House Press Secretary has confirmed via a tweet that "The US' new travel policy that requires vaccination for foreign national travelers to the United States will begin on November 8. This announcement and date apply to both international air travel and land travel. This policy is guided by public health, stringent, and consistent."

The move to lift the travel ban on countries that the US had earlier enforced, will allow all foreign nationals from these countries to finally travel to the U.S. with proof of vaccination. The vaccination requirement will also apply to all foreign nationals entering the United States, who were not subject to the restrictions earlier.

If you are already in the U.S., the federal government is providing the Covid-19 vaccine free of charge to all individuals, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status.

The new lift on the travel ban is a huge sigh of relief for many families who have been separated for such an extended period, but the uncertainty lingers. We will try to answer your questions in this article.

Which Vaccines Are Accepted By The US?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the United States will accept the use by international visitors of Covid-19 vaccines authorized by U.S. regulators or the World Health Organization.

Six vaccines that are approved by the U.S. regulator, Food and Drug Administration, or listed for emergency use by the WHO will meet the criteria for travel to the U.S.

Comirnaty and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine
Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine
Janssen Covid-19 Vaccine, also known as Johnson & Johnson vaccine
AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine
Sinovac or CoronaVac
Covishield (Oxford/AstraZeneca formulation)

Source: CDC and WHO

Is Covaxin Approved For U.S. Travel?

Covaxin is not on the WHO emergency use listing at the time of writing this article. WHO clarified that it cannot cut corners and is looking at additional information from the Indian vaccine maker Bharat Biotech to evaluate the data before including Covaxin in Covid-19 Emergency Use Listing.

According to the information from CDC, Indians who received the Covaxin jabs cannot enter the U.S. yet.

Other Uncertainties Surrounding The New Travel Requirements To The U.S.

The U.S. regulatory bodies have not announced any quarantine or Covid-19 testing guidelines yet. Learning from past instances and other countries, travel bans and subsequent lifts around Covid-19 are unpredictable. As travel picks up, health and public officials will have a better understanding of the risk and consequences that will guide their policy decisions. The truth, however, is that nothing is certain.

Insure Against The Uncertainty

In general, visitors to the United States have always been advised to get travel medical insurance to cover any medical emergencies during their time in the U.S.

Unlike the United Kingdom and other European countries, healthcare in the U.S. is not universal and is very expensive. In the U.S. an average cost of a 3-day hospital stay is around $30,000, according to the health department.

Which insurance Covers Covid-19?

Almost all travel insurance policies listed on VisitorsCoverage offer Covid-19 coverage as any other new illness and include an indemnity benefit for those required to quarantine. Seven Corners reports that over 80% of the travel medical plans it sells include a Covid-19 coverage.

There are two standard conditions for almost all travel medical insurance plans:

The insured did not contract Covid-19 prior to purchasing the policy.
The insured was not in an incubation period when the policy was purchased.

While shopping for new policies, make sure you understand what are the factors that you should be evaluating to pick the best travel insurance that suits your needs. Compare quotes, check the ratings of the insurance providers, read online reviews, speak to an insurance specialist for free.

Basic travel medical insurance in the U.S. should cover:

New illnesses (including Covid-19)
New injuries
Accidents requiring medical attention

Few basic or fixed medical insurance plans may list medical evacuation and repatriation as an add-on rider. On the other hand, most comprehensive insurance plans include emergency medical evacuation as part of the standard coverage.

Fixed medical insurance plans are cheaper than comprehensive insurance plans but offer low or limited coverage.

To insure against all uncertainty including canceling your trip for any reason, we would recommend buying a Cancel For Any Reason coverage.

This add-on coverage gives you the flexibility with your travel plans without having to incur huge financial losses, and most importantly peace of mind. CFAR will reimburse your prepaid trip expenses partially in case of any cancellation that is otherwise considered nonrefundable.

Conclusion

Travels bring infinite possibilities - whether it is making new friends or new memories with old friends, or simply bonding with your parents, children, or grandchildren.

You cannot predict the chances when things can go wrong. As cliched as it may sound, uncertainty is the only thing that is certain. So, do not let the fear of uncertainty alter your travel plans. With the right insurance, you can enjoy that well-deserved travel without worry.