Insurance

Choose the plan that meets your needs and spend more time enjoying your international experience not worrying about your insurance coverage.

Find Your Plan

Travel Medical
Insurance

Temporary coverage for accidents, sicknesses, & emergency evacuations when visiting or traveling outside of your home country.

International Health Insurance

Annually renewable international private medical insurance coverage for expats and global citizens living or working internationally.

Travel
Insurance

Coverage designed to protect you from financial losses should your trip be delayed, interrupted, or cancelled.

Traveler Services

Non-insurance services for worldwide emergency evacuation, field rescue, medical transport, and 24/7/365 travel assistance.

Show Services
Enterprise
Services

Meet your duty of care obligations with confidence, knowing your travelers are safe, healthy, and connected wherever they may be in the world.

Show Services

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to process my application and receive my ID card and other documents?

If you are applying for coverage under the Patriot series of plans, IMG will process your application and send your ID card and other documents within one business day. If you are applying for coverage under the Global or Group series, IMG will process your application within three to four business days following the receipt of all required information, and your materials will be forwarded the same day coverage is approved. Every attempt will be made to process your application timely. The specific time frame depends largely on the type of coverage for which you are applying. 

Do these plans cover sports-related illness or injuries?

IMG plans include customization options and add-ons, including add-on coverage for high school sports, interscholastic, intramural, or club sports, personal liability and legal assistance. 

How do I provide proof of insurance for my school?

To show proof of insurance, simply download or print a copy of the ID card and/or confirmation letter and provide it to your school's program administrator.

How do I determine the status of my waiver?

Check with your school to get your waiver status. 

When should I complete my waiver?

Once your plan is purchased and you have your plan documents, you will have the information you'll need to complete your school's waiver. 

What mission focused benefits are included in these plans?

In addition to the medical and health coverage, healthcare provider access, and other benefits you expect from IMG plans, we offer missionary-specific insurance benefits like coverage for furlough and political evacuations. See your plan befits information for more!

I already have health insurance. Why would I need Visitor Insurance in the U.S.?

If you were to suffer an injury or get sick while visiting the United States, you might be surprised by the cost of medical care. You may also be surprised by the limited assistance your domestic insurance provider can provide while you're visiting. Visitor insurance coverage in the U.S. helps to ensure that you don't incur any unforeseen expenses, receive excellent care, and get home quickly and safely if anything were to happen during your visit. 

My family is planning a visit. When should visitors to the U.S. purchase international insurance?

Visitors should plan to get insurance after they plan their trip and receive their visa, but before they arrive in the U.S. The effective dates for coverage should match their visa.

What should I do if the worst happens and I need to go to a hospital while on a mission Trip?

IMG plans provide you access to more than 17,000 providers through our International Provider Access (IPA) while you're outside of the United States. Our multilingual customer service centers, claims administrators, and 24-hour emergency care coordinators are ready if the unforeseen does happen during your mission trip. 

Am I getting the best deal on these plans?

Insurance prices are regulated by the government - you won't find a better price on IMG insurance plans anywhere else.  

What is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act? (PPACA)

The "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," commonly known as PPACA, was first introduced as a measure to deal with rising healthcare costs and numbers of uninsured.

The heart of PPACA consists of three provisions: guaranteed issue (insurers must offer coverage regardless of the applicant's health status or pre-existing conditions), community rating (insurers must offer policies within a given territory at the same price regardless of health status, age, gender, or other factors), and an individual mandate. The individual mandate assures that everyone has a minimum amount of coverage: those above a certain annual income are required to purchase coverage or incur a tax penalty; those who cannot afford it will have their coverage paid for by the government.

As PPACA continues to be implemented and challenged throughout the country, understanding the issues and implications for the international insurance industry and your business becomes all the more important.

I am a non-U.S. citizen that will be traveling to the U.S. temporarily. Do I need PPACA coverage?

IMG’s international travel medical products are not a substitute for minimum essential coverage that you may need to have under PPACA. If you are a U.S. citizen, national or legal resident alien in the U.S., you will need to maintain minimum essential coverage unless you are exempt. Exemptions include:

  • Individuals not residing in the U.S.
  • Non-U.S. citizens who are “non-resident aliens” (for U.S. income tax purposes).  See Am I a Resident or Non-Resident Alien? 
  • Individuals with a coverage gap of less than 3 months
  • Individuals who cannot afford coverage (i.e. required contribution exceeds 8% of household income)
  • Individuals with a religious conscience exemption (applies only to certain faiths)
  • Members of a health care sharing ministry
  • Incarcerated individuals
  • Individuals with income below the tax filing threshold; and
  • Members of Indian tribes

 

You will not need PPACA coverage for short-term travel to the U.S., unless you are considered an “alien lawfully present” in the U.S. See I am a Non-U.S. citizen covered under a Global Medical Insurance Plan.

In general, PPACA does not govern short-term limited duration insurance, like IMG’s short-term travel medical insurance programs.

However please understand that under PPACA, as of January 1, 2014, extensions of short-term coverage will be limited to less than 12 months to meet the definition of a short-term limited duration plan.

I am a U.S. citizen that will be temporarily traveling outside of the U.S. Do I need PPACA coverage for this?

IMG’s international travel medical products are not a substitute for minimum essential coverage that you may need to have under PPACA. However, since most PPACA plans do not provide the types of international benefits and assistance that travelers need, you should strongly consider purchasing an international travel medical plan such as IMG’s Patriot Lite Travel Medical Insurance for coverage while you travel outside of the U.S.

If you are a U.S. citizen, national or an “alien lawfully present” in the U.S., you will need to maintain minimum essential coverage unless you are exempt. Exemptions include:

  • Individuals not residing in the U.S.
  • Non-U.S. citizens who are “non-resident aliens” (for U.S. income tax purposes). See Am I a Resident or Non-Resident Alien?
  • Individuals with a coverage gap of less than 3 months.
  • Individuals who cannot afford coverage (i.e. required contribution exceeds 8% of
  • household income).
  • Individuals with a religious conscience exemption (applies only to certain faiths).
  • Members of a health care sharing ministry.
  • Incarcerated individuals.
  • Individuals with income below the tax filing threshold; and
  • Members of Indian tribes

 

In general, PPACA does not govern short-term limited duration insurance, like IMG’s short-term travel medical insurance programs.

However, please understand that under PPACA, as of January 1, 2014, extensions of short-term coverage will be limited to less than 12 months to meet the definition of a short-term limited duration plan.

I am a non-U.S. citizen and an international student. Will PPACA's individual mandate affect my IMG plan?

As non-resident aliens, international students on F, J, M and Q visas (and certain family members of students) are not subject to the individual mandate for their first 5 years in the U.S. All other J categories (teacher, trainee, work and travel, au pair, high school, etc.) are not subject to the individual mandate for 2 years (out of the past six).

Since international students are not subject to the mandate, they are not required to purchase a plan that meets PPACA requirements and can purchase an appropriate IMG plan.

International Students – Exempt as Non-Resident Aliens

Under the IRS international student exemption, anyone “temporarily in the United States on an “F”, “J”, “M”, or “Q” visa for the primary purpose of studying at an accredited academic institution or vocational school (and certain family members of students), and who substantially complies with the requirements of that visa,” is exempt from being treated as a resident alien, and is therefore exempt from the individual mandate as a non-resident alien.

That exemption applies for 5 years. After 5 years, a student is no longer exempt, and the substantial presence test must be applied. See examples here.

Even after 5 years in the U.S., an international student may continue to be a non-resident alien for tax purposes under the “Closer Connection” exception if they can prove that they still have a closer connection to their home country than to the U.S.

The Individual Mandate and Alien / Non-Alien Status

The IRS provides a questions and answers page on the individual mandate. Question 11 asks whether all individuals living in the U.S. are subject to the mandate. The answer is that U.S. citizens and permanent legal residents are subject to the mandate, as are “foreign nationals who are in the U.S. long enough during a calendar year to qualify as resident aliens for tax purposes.” Thus, non-resident aliens are not subject to the individual mandate, even if they have to file a tax return.

Am I a Resident or Non-Resident Alien?

The IRS states that you are a non-resident alien unless you meet either the green card test or the substantial presence test.

Under IRS Publication 519, Tax Guide for Aliens (the green card test), green card holders are resident aliens for tax purposes. The substantial presence test uses a formula to count the number of days present in the U.S. over the past 3 years. Generally, you a resident alien after six months of presence in the U.S. – unless you are exempt.

Can I purchase visitors insurance for my relatives?

Yes, the insured does not have to be the one that fills out the application. You can purchase a travel medical plan for your parents, friends, or relatives as long as you have the necessary information.

What country do I select as my primary destination if I'm visiting several countries?

If you're planning a trip with multiple destinations, such as a vacation to Europe, you'll want to select the country that you plan on spending the most time in. Your travel medical insurance will cover you for the entirety of your trip and in countries outside of your own.

Disclaimer

The information provided above is for general informational purposes only. While we have attempted to provide current, accurate and clearly expressed information, this information is provided "as is" and IMG makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy or completeness. The information provided should not be construed as legal or tax advice or as a recommendation of any kind. External users should seek professional advice from their own attorneys and tax advisers with respect to their individual circumstances and needs.