Short-Term Visitors Insurance for the USA

Most visitors insurance plans can be purchased for as little as 5 days. If you're visiting the US for a week or two, you can get coverage for exactly those days. There's no requirement to buy a monthly or annual plan. For short trips under 30 days, a 5–30 day policy offers the most cost-effective protection.

Absolutely. A 2-week visitors insurance policy for a 50-year-old costs roughly $20–$40 total — less than the cost of a US restaurant dinner. Without insurance, a single ER visit can cost $3,000–$10,000. The math is clear: the risk of going uninsured vastly outweighs the cost of coverage, even for short trips.

Yes. All of our visitors insurance plans can be purchased for exactly 30 days. You choose your start and end dates, and the policy is active only for that period. If your trip runs short, most plans are refundable for unused days (if no claim has been filed). If it runs long, you can usually extend before expiration.

The coverage is identical — only the duration differs. A 30-day policy protects you for exactly 30 days; a 90-day policy for 90 days. The per-day cost is roughly the same regardless of duration, though some carriers offer slight discounts for longer terms. If you're unsure of your exact return date, buying 90 days and requesting a refund for unused days is a safer approach than being caught without coverage.

Most short-term visitors insurance plans cover the 'acute onset' of pre-existing conditions — a sudden, unexpected medical emergency caused by a known chronic condition. This is the same provision as long-term plans. There's no minimum duration requirement to access acute onset coverage. A 30-day policyholder has the same pre-existing protection as a 180-day policyholder.

Short-term visitors insurance covers: emergency hospitalization and surgery, ER visits and urgent care, doctor and specialist visits for covered illnesses or injuries, prescription drugs related to a covered event, diagnostic tests and lab work, emergency medical evacuation, and acute onset of pre-existing conditions. It does not cover routine checkups, preventive care, or non-emergency treatment of known chronic conditions.

Yes. Most B2 tourist visas allow stays of up to 6 months, but many visitors stay for 90 days or less. Visitors insurance can be purchased for any portion of that stay — 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or the full 6 months. We recommend buying for the full intended duration of your stay upfront, as extending after arrival can sometimes involve waiting periods.

If purchased before departure from your home country, coverage begins on your selected start date with no waiting period. If purchased after you've already arrived in the USA, most plans have a 48–72 hour waiting period for illness (accidents and injuries are typically covered immediately). For instant coverage with no waiting period, buy before you land.