Is it too late to buy travel insurance if you've already started your trip?

[garet]

I've got insurance in Thailand, but I'm visiting family for 6 weeks in the US and I've got no insurance. 

 

Can I still buy travel insurance to cover me here even though I've already started my trip?

 

Even if I'm not covered for the first 2 weeks, I'd like to have coverage for major illness or accident for the last month of my trip if possible.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Insurers based in Thailand only offer fairly standard travel policies and as far as I know they all require that the policy incept before travel commences.

 

There are insurers, mostly based in Europe, that offer cover that incepts after travel has commenced. Here's an offering from Allianz: https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/travel/post-departure/saving-money-with-post-departure.htm. I haven't read through the entire description, so I don't know if this product would cover American citizens in the US. You'd have to check.

 

Another possibility might be to get short-term medical cover from an insurer in the US. https://www.uhc.com/individuals-families/short-term-health-insurance. I suspect this may require a US address and may come with other restrictions or requirements, but it seems they offer cover for as little as one month.

 

Good luck.

[Hummin]

2 hours ago, garet said:

I've got insurance in Thailand, but I'm visiting family for 6 weeks in the US and I've got no insurance. 

 

Can I still buy travel insurance to cover me here even though I've already started my trip?

 

Even if I'm not covered for the first 2 weeks, I'd like to have coverage for major illness or accident for the last month of my trip if possible.

There is quite a few providers who do,

 

Search Travel insurance while travelling 

 

I have used a few from world nomads, Gengki and safety wing, but World Nomad havent been accessible for my part of world after the pandemic. 

 

 

[Sheryl]

It varies with the insurer. Some allow this.

 

I know Safety Wings does but that is only an option if under 65.

 

For US IMG is good option but I don't know if they allow you to apply after trip. If akready in US perhaps give them a call.

https://www.imglobal.com/travel-medical-insurance 

 

It is advantageous to get a policy from a US based insurer but be aware some will not give travel policy to US citizen visiting US. IMG will. 

 

 

[Jaybott]

Just walk across the Mexican border; you're covered.

[garet]

On 4/13/2024 at 4:10 AM, Jaybott said:

Just walk across the Mexican border; you're covered.

I know what your getting at, but why would I do that? I'm not travelling in Mexico and nowhere near it.

[Sheryl]

17 hours ago, garet said:

I know what your getting at, but why would I do that? I'm not travelling in Mexico and nowhere near it.

Nor can one, even if near thd border, be assurred of being stable enough to cross it.

 

And of course a foriegner is not "covered" in Mexico; they have to pay for care. Certainly it costs less than in US but it is not free. And for best quality care/complex treatments  would need to travel quite some distance from the border. 

[Chivas]

I know (as a Brit) that we can buy coverage when already travelling but I found it was very expensive to say the least when I did a dummy quote

I suspect partially because of the high chance of fraud over a claim

 

Inotherwards people say "Ohh I wish I taken out insurance" when they've just been robbed etc etc