Buying insurance to visit the US?

Can anyone please make recommendations for buying health insurance while visiting the US?

We left the US last July and I've since been back for work so my employer provided insurance for those trips. We're going to the US (my dual citizen daughter, my UK spouse and me a USC) this summer for holiday so I can't rely on that. I heard a rumor that the NHS would reimburse you costs if you needed medical care in the US, but even if that's true I'd rather not tie up a bunch of our cash in bills if I can just buy some sort of simple catastrophe policy?!

No, that’s not true about the NHS reimbursing costs - I’ve never heard that before and I’ve been visiting the US (and taking out travel insurance for it) for over 20 years.

I would shop around some different travel insurance companies and see what prices you get. You will need to make sure you select policies that INCLUDE USA and Canada, as you need to make sure you have enough medical coverage for the US healthcare system (£10 million is usually recommended).

You’ll also need to check whether the policy covers anyone resident in the U.K. or if you need to hold ILR or citizenship to qualify

In the past, I’ve bought my travel insurance from (I’m a U.K. citizen):
Boots
Endsleigh
STA Travel
Debenhams

And you could also try places like:
M&S
Post Office
Tesco

And maybe look at Go Compare or Money Supermarket for comparisons.



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You can also try your bank.

Make sure that your policy covers repatriation to the UK.

Okay, thanks for the feedback. I'll start researching tonight. 

Also, if you'll need pre existing condition cover it gets more difficult and expensive. I used "insurance with" on my last trip home because it was the only one that let me cover pre existing with such a short residency in the UK.

Thanks, Margo. That's good to know because I was thinking about that. I fortunately only have one pre-existing condition and it's not one that would require emergency care. If I had a flare up (after 20 years of being perfectly healthy) there's no reason I couldn't wait until we're back to the UK/NHS to see a doctor since we're not going for a long visit. 

Thanks, Margo. That's good to know because I was thinking about that. I fortunately only have one pre-existing condition and it's not one that would require emergency care. If I had a flare up (after 20 years of being perfectly healthy) there's no reason I couldn't wait until we're back to the UK/NHS to see a doctor since we're not going for a long visit.

Just make sure you declare it anyway, even if it's something that you wouldn't need urgent treatment for. Insurance love any reason to deny a claim.

Just make sure you declare it anyway, even if it's something that you wouldn't need urgent treatment for. Insurance love any reason to deny a claim.

Yes, of course. I just wouldn't seek medical treatment for it.