Travel Insurance Required for Nephew?

[tm81663 10]

Hi all,

My 10 year old nephew just got his Mexican passport and B2 visitor visa approved, and my wife and I are hoping he can come and stay with us in Michigan for the summer.

I'm concerned about health insurance and liability however. Any advice on health insurance while he's here? I'm basically worried when he's playing around, if he breaks an arm or something like that while riding a bike or playing, that I will get stuck with a VERY big bill to treat him in the USA. Does his health insurance from Mexico cover him here? If not, am I liable for his health coverage when he's visiting. I don't think my wife or I are considered "sponsors" of him as his Visa is a B2, so I don't think we are legally connected to him for coverage.

Any recommendations/advice is appreciated. Thanks

Tom

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Purchase travel insurance

[Merrytooth 5,748]

Research and buy travel insurance.

The US taxpayers should not be liable for his huge medical bills either.

[tm81663 10]

I know to buy insurance, just looking for recommendations on reputable companies I guess that people have dealt with in the past. I wouldn't consider charging the state or US for emergencies, which is why the question is being asked.

[Pork and Beans 4]

OP,

Check out:

http://www.reviews.com/travel-insurance

Bravo to you for being proactive and addressing that potential issue.

[Pork and Beans 4]

Hi all,

My 10 year old nephew just got his Mexican passport and B2 visitor visa approved, and my wife and I are hoping he can come and stay with us in Michigan for the summer.

I'm concerned about health insurance and liability however. Any advice on health insurance while he's here? I'm basically worried when he's playing around, if he breaks an arm or something like that while riding a bike or playing, that I will get stuck with a VERY big bill to treat him in the USA. Does his health insurance from Mexico cover him here? If not, am I liable for his health coverage when he's visiting. I don't think my wife or I are considered "sponsors" of him as his Visa is a B2, so I don't think we are legally connected to him for coverage.

Any recommendations/advice is appreciated. Thanks

Tom

That would be dependent upon the terms of his health insurance company in Mexico. My health insurance covers me worldwide.

I don't believe you're liable, the visa would be issued to him and I don't believe there is a caveat that says the person they're visiting is responsible.

[Dakine10 5,452]

I know to buy insurance, just looking for recommendations on reputable companies I guess that people have dealt with in the past. I wouldn't consider charging the state or US for emergencies, which is why the question is being asked.

We used the website ***removed***.com to compare plans. We usually use one of the Lloyds plans, either Atlas America or Patriot America. You can get them through any number of agents (websites) but we have had good luck with questions and so forth when buying from that site.

The main thing is to buy a comprehensive plan which you will select a maximum coverage, deductible and copay amount and the pay the premium. There are cheaper plans called fixed coverage which have limits on everything like daily limit for hospital room, limit per ER visit and they can be very difficult to deal with.

Remember most visitors insurance will still pay nothing or very limited amounts for conditions that are determined to be preexisting. The ACA does not apply to these types of plans. This is more of a consideration for older visitors though but just in case your nephew has something chronic that he is already being treated for, they may deny coverage. Other than that the plans are relatively cheap for kids less than 18. You could probably go with a 250 deductable and 10 percent co-insurance with $200,000 limit for $50 a month or so.

The plans we chose also had PPO networks where they would bill the insurer. Make sure a hospital close to you is in the network. Some plans do not have this and may ask for payment from you and get you to submit the claim. That's harder to deal with, and that's why the suggestion is to purchase a US based plan. Way easier to deal with when you are trying to get medical billing to call a US number and a name they recognize.

[Dakine10 5,452]

PM me if you need the website. I forgot it get's removed by the censor. Otherwise just search for the plans I listed above.

[Boiler 45,522]

You but Travel Insurance in the country you live in, this case Mexico.

Odd that you are asking, why have the parents not sorted it out.

Mexico has a developed Insurance market.

[JFH 12,190]

Many airlines have a recommended insurance provider for their passengers (usually the one that pays them the most commission for every customer lead they generate). It's worth looking at the local website for the airline to see what they have on offer.

Which company did you use when you came for visits prior to becoming a resident? If you were satisfied with their service, that would be your first avenue.

[Dakine10 5,452]

You but Travel Insurance in the country you live in, this case Mexico.

Odd that you are asking, why have the parents not sorted it out.

Mexico has a developed Insurance market.

For health insurance, if your visiting the USA, best to buy the insurance here unless you want to risk paying the hospital bill up front and hoping to get reimbursed when you get home. The big US travel insurance companies have PPO networks and direct billing set up. It's unlikely you'll find a US hospital that will direct bill a foreign insurer. You also will likely not find a contracted rate with foreign companies so you'll get the full price hospital bill.

When your visiting another country you can do it either way. A trip to the hospital won't bankrupt you in most other countries. For the USA buy the insurance here if possible.

[Boiler 45,522]

For health insurance, if your visiting the USA, best to buy the insurance here unless you want to risk paying the hospital bill up front and hoping to get reimbursed when you get home. The big US travel insurance companies have PPO networks and direct billing set up. It's unlikely you'll find a US hospital that will direct bill a foreign insurer. You also will likely not find a contracted rate with foreign companies so you'll get the full price hospital bill.

When your visiting another country you can do it either way. A trip to the hospital won't bankrupt you in most other countries. For the USA buy the insurance here if possible.

Huh?

I have a feeling Mexican Travel Insurers have well developed networks, lot closer than the UK and many more Mexicans visit the US than UKC's do.

Many of them are no doubt US subsidiaries anyway.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Huh?

I have a feeling Mexican Travel Insurers have well developed networks, lot closer than the UK and many more Mexicans visit the US than UKC's do.

Many of them are no doubt US subsidiaries anyway.

They may or may not. The only way to be sure is check the brochure for the policy. Some don't have formal networks. You can use them anywhere, but you pay first and file the claim yourself after. There's no reason to do it that way unless there is no alternative.

For visitors medical insurance, I wouldn't leave it to chance. Remember when the visitor is a minor, he will not be giving consent or assuming financial responsibility for medical treatment. It should be what works best for the host in this case.

I'm not familiar with what policies are available in Mexico, but all things being equal, it will be easier to deal with US based insurance.

[Boiler 45,522]

They may or may not. The only way to be sure is check the brochure for the policy. Some don't have formal networks. You can use them anywhere, but you pay first and file the claim yourself after. There's no reason to do it that way unless there is no alternative.

For visitors medical insurance, I wouldn't leave it to chance. Remember when the visitor is a minor, he will not be giving consent or assuming financial responsibility for medical treatment. It should be what works best for the host in this case.

I'm not familiar with what policies are available in Mexico, but all things being equal, it will be easier to deal with US based insurance.

I have never heard of anyone visiting the US from the UK buying Travel Insurance in the US, makes no sense.

You get a card with a local help line for emergencies.

A topic really for the regional forum.

[Dakine10 5,452]

I have never heard of anyone visiting the US from the UK buying Travel Insurance in the US, makes no sense.

You get a card with a local help line for emergencies.

A topic really for the regional forum.

We're not talking about visiting from the UK though. One of the biggest travel insurers, Lloyd's is based in the UK so there likely wouldn't be an issue. Not every insurer in every country is going to be recognized by US hospital billing. That's the difference between the hospital billing the insurer or billing the patient.

If I'm going to get a $20000 hospital charge, my preference would be to pay $1500 and let the insurer be billed for the rest. Me paying $20000 and filing a claim myself to get $18500 back from the insurer may be the same in the long run, but it's not the way I want to do it. Good visitor insurance plans work the first way, but there are many plans out there that are not good.