Visitor Guard®

What Visitor Guard actually is

Visitor Guard is an insurance agency, not a carrier. Its about page says it "functions as an insurance agency to design, market, sell and service insurance plans from many insurance carriers and plan administrators," and that the site "is operated by The Guard Company, LLC., based in Virginia, USA," which "holds a VA insurance agency license # 135729." The page adds that "the owners of the company have served the insurance industry since 2003." Its provider menu lists IMG, Trawick International, WorldTrips, USI Affinity Travel Insurance Services, Petersen International Underwriters, Global Underwriters, BlueCross BlueShield and Travelex Insurance. A buyer here holds a policy from one of those companies, and the agency says its agents "assist you throughout the claims process."

The about page names its founder, Chiranth Nataraj, "the founder of Visitor Guard®," and Pallavi Sadekar, "head of the Operations Team," with "over 15 years of experience in the travel insurance industry." The site's navigation carries pages for buyers from India, Canada, China, Australia, Mexico, Israel, the UAE, the Philippines, Germany and the UK, and for parents visiting the USA, B1/B2 visa holders, students and travelers with conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Sample premiums, each tied to one age

Visitor Guard prints a sample monthly price for most plans, and each one names the age, plan maximum and deductible it was quoted for. On the green card page, "Patriot America Plus $ 75 / mo For age 45 year with $50,000 plan and $250 deductible," Patriot America at "$ 70 / mo" on the same basis, and Diplomat Long Term at "$ 173 / mo For age 45 year with $500,000 plan and $250 deductible." The page says "immigrants on H-4 & F-2 visa holders can purchase insurance from Visitor Guard."

The Trawick page lists Safe Travel Elite at "$ 42 / mo For age 45 years with $50,000 plan and $100 deductible," with "Plan maximum limits ranging from $25,000 to $170,000." For the same age with a $50,000 plan and $250 deductible, it lists Safe Travel USA Comprehensive at "$ 91 / mo," Safe Travel USA at "$ 62 / mo," Safe Travels International at "$ 63 / mo" and the cost saver version at "$ 53 / mo," each with "Plan maximum limits ranging from $50,000 to $1 million" and "Deductible options from $0 to $5000." The sports travel page gives a different sample for Safe Travel USA Comprehensive on the same basis, "$ 73 / mo," alongside Atlas Travel at "$ 80 / mo" with limits "ranging from $50,000 to $2 million," and Diplomat America at "$ 99 / mo," marked "(non-renewable)." The Petersen page lists USAway Major Medical at "$ 149 / mo For age 45 years with $50,000 plan and $500 deductible," "Available for ages 30 days to 84 years," with limits "ranging from $50,000 to $5 million," and a Bridge Plan at "$ 258 / mo For age 60 years with $100,000 plan and $10K deductible." The Petersen page also states that "Written proof of loss must be given to Underwriters within ninety (90) days after the date Eligible Expenses are incurred."

Eligibility and sports cover on the carrier pages

The carrier pages set out who each plan is for. The Trawick page says "Safe Travels Elite plan is available to non-US citizens who reside outside the USA and are traveling outside their home country to solely visit the US," and that it "is not available to US Citizens, US Residents, or Green Card Holders in the US." Safe Travels USA and the cost saver version cover the same non-US travelers visiting "the United States or to the United States & Worldwide." The Petersen page describes USAway Major Medical as "short-term medical insurance for Americans living or traveling abroad," and says Petersen "is licensed in all 50 states, Washington D.C, and Canada, but not all products are available in all states or countries." Its Bridge Plan offers a "Choice of either Part A, Part B or both," where "Part A includes hospitalization, hospice facilities, skilled nursing facility, home healthcare" and "Part B includes physicians and surgeons, supplies, therapy and ambulance, x-ray, lab work," with "Deductible options from $1000 to $10,000."

For sports, the sports travel page says "Safe Travel offers optional coverage by paying an additional 20% of the premium for athletic sports coverage," with professional and semi-professional sports excluded, while "Diplomat America offers optional coverage at an additional 1.25 factor on the base premium plus additional flat monthly rates." The Global Underwriters page says that company has "almost 50 years of experience" and says it "offers coverage for travel medical insurance, trip interruption & cancellation, group travel, business travel, medical evacuation."

Diplomat America in detail

The Diplomat America page is the most complete plan page here. It says "Diplomat America Insurance by Global Underwriters is designed for Non-U.S. residents traveling to US," and names the carrier: "Diplomat America Medical Insurance is underwritten by Insurance Company of State of Pennsylvania, member of American International Group (AIG) of companies." Benefits reach "Up to $1 million in coverage for Medical illnesses and injuries," with "Deductible options from $0 to $5,000." For ages above 60 to 79, the benefits table caps in-patient, out-patient, doctor and prescription cover at "From $50,000 to $100,000." After the deductible, "the plan pays 80% up to $5,000 of the eligible costs, then 100% to the Medical Maximum." Coverage runs from "15 days" to "365 days" and "is not renewable."

The page is specific on pre-existing conditions: "Diplomat America has a 24-month prior to the start date exclusion on pre-existing conditions. The plan provides coverage for acute onset of pre-existing conditions for members under age 70," and treatment "must be obtained within 24 hours of the sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence." It prints a price table, for example "From 50 to 59 years $144 $177" for $50,000 and $100,000 maximums, noting "Premium based on a $250 deductible for 31 days." Eligibility notes say "Coverage is NOT available for citizens of Australia or Iran" and "This plan is not designed to cover U.S. residents or any travel outside the United States." The plan "does not follow a PPO network," and its worldwide assistance service is "Open 24 hours/ 7 days a week."

Evacuation cover for students and scholars

The evacuation page lists "Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance $ 85 / year" with "24 Hour Assistance," a "Choice of up to $50,000 or $100,000 Emergency Medical Evacuation," "$50,000 for Repatriation," and up to $2,500 each for "joining of Family Member Accommodation" and "Return of Dependent Children." It is sold to "Students, Faculty, J visa scholars and their dependents engaged in international education/exchange," and the page says "You must have a major medical academic health plan in order to purchase this emergency evacuation insurance plan."

Who it suits and who it does not

Visitor Guard fits a shopper who wants several carriers' visitor plans side by side with a worked sample price, especially a parent or relative visiting the US, a green card holder or H-4 or F-2 dependent, or a student who needs evacuation cover on top of an academic health plan. It fits a buyer who wants help from a licensed agency rather than buying from one carrier's own site. It is a weaker fit for someone who wants one settled price: each figure is a sample for one age, plan maximum and deductible, and the site prints two different samples for Safe Travel USA Comprehensive. Only some plan pages here name the carrier, so for the other plans the underwriter sits in each plan's brochure.