Trawick Safe Travels Elite vs IMG Patriot America Lite
A premium plan vs a budget plan from different providers. Here's the coverage gap — and when paying more for Elite makes sense.
Safe Travels Elite is Trawick's premium offering; Patriot America Lite is IMG's entry-level plan. The price difference reflects a substantial coverage gap. Safe Travels Elite offers $75K acute onset pre-existing benefit (vs $20K on Lite), mental health from day one (vs none on Lite), better coinsurance terms, $1M evacuation coverage (vs $250K), baggage and trip interruption included (Lite has neither), and a dual network with Aetna. Patriot America Lite's key advantages are a lower premium and age coverage through 99 (Elite caps at 89). For any traveler with health history or visiting for more than a few weeks, Elite's comprehensive coverage is worth the premium.
Plan Overview
- Travelers who want the highest pre-existing condition coverage available
- Those who want mental health covered from day one
- Travelers wanting the best baggage and trip interruption limits
- Seniors 70–89 needing strong coverage
- Highest acute onset pre-existing benefit available ($75K under 70)
- Mental health covered from day one — no 30-day wait
- Dual network (First Health + Aetna) — maximum hospital access
- Best-in-class baggage ($1K) and trip interruption ($10K)
- $1M evacuation coverage
- Higher premium than other Trawick plans
- Max age 89 (vs 99 on IMG/WorldTrips)
- First Health + Aetna network (not UHC)
- Budget-conscious travelers in good health
- Young visitors with minimal pre-existing conditions
- Short trips where cost is the primary concern
- Families insuring multiple healthy visitors
- Significantly lower premium than the Plus version
- Same UHC network access for in-network savings
- Still covers acute onset — just at a lower limit
- COVID-19 covered like any illness
- Lower pre-existing condition benefit ($20K vs $50K on Plus)
- Mental health not covered
- Lower repatriation benefit
- Not ideal for seniors with significant health conditions
Side-by-Side Comparison
Choose Safe Travels Elite if the traveler has any pre-existing conditions, is visiting for more than 30 days, or wants the best available coverage. The $75K pre-existing benefit is the highest in the market.
Choose Patriot America Lite if the traveler is young, healthy, and primarily cost-sensitive — or if they need coverage past age 89.
See Exact Quotes for Both Plans
Enter your trip details and we'll show you real-time prices for both plans — plus every other option available for your situation.
Get My Free Quotes