Difference between 'Fixed' and 'Comprehensive' coverage?

[jaya_06]

Hi all,

My parents are visiting USA in Oct'06 and will stay here for 4 months. My father is 59 and mother is 55 and they are currently in good health.

I want to know the difference between 'Fixed' coverage and 'Comprehensive' coverage. I know 'Fixed' is cheaper and has less benefits, but, I did not know what exactly is different between the two types of coverage.

Also, how much maximum coverage is ideal to select? $50K or $100K?

I know none of the companies cover pre-existing conditions, but do they ask for a letter or ask for any checkups to make sure the person is healthy. We are planning to get the insurance through USA based companies listed on this website. I want to know what steps need to be done by my parents before they board the flight - like general checkup, letter from their doctor, letter from an authorized doctor etc. My parents live in a town and for them to visit an authorized doctor in a nearby city like HYD, I need to tell them in advance for them to make travel arrangements to HYD and for them to stay in HYD for 2-3 days for the checkups. So, I would like to know well in advance of what needs to be done on their part to get the insurance from USA based company.

Thank you all in advance for the help.

- Jaya.

[insubuy]

Dear Jaya,

Please visit https://www.insubuy.com/visitors-insurance/, which discusses the differences between fixed vs. comprehensive. Protection America is a comprehensive plan https://www.insubuy.com/patriot-amer...e/brochure.jsp and Visitors Care is fixed https://www.insubuy.com/visitors-car...cal-insurance/.

I would recommend $100K policy maximum, as medical expenses in the U.S. are very costly one could easily exceed $50K with one major sickness/injury.

Medical check-ups are not required in order to purchase insurance from a U.S. based company.

[jaya_06]

Mindy,

Thank you for your reply. I will go through the links and get back with any questions I may have. Thank you.

[jaya_06]

Hi Mindy,

Thank you for providing the links below. I went through the links and I have a couple of questions for you.

Comprehensive coverage is pretty expensive and my parents are in general good health (aged between 55-59). Hence, I have decided to get a 'fixed coverage' plan, but couldn't decide which plan the best bang for the buck.

"Inbound USA" says that the deductible and the policy maximum are 'per Incident'
where as "Visitors care" says that the deductible and policy maximum are 'per period of coverage'.

Hence, 'Inbound USA' appears to be better as the $50K or $100K max coverage is 'per sickness' unlike 'per policy period'.

Am I comparing the plans right? Which plan would you suggest among these two based on the fact that my parents are healthy and are aged between 55-59.

Thank you in advance for your input.

- Jaya.

[insubuy]

You are NOT comparing it quite accurately.

Even though $50,000 in Inbound USA is per incident, you are not going to get full $50,000 per every sickness because of the internal limits placed in the policy.

e.g., following benefits are same in both Inbound USA and Visitors Care
$55/dr. visit
$330/er room visit
$3300/surgery
$1400/day for hospital room/board
and so on.

Therefore, in most situations, the coverage you realistically get would be same in both Inbound USA and Visitors Care. And both plans are good plans from 2 different companies.

Now that you have the facts in front of you, you can decide which one would be more suitable for you.

If you need any further help, please feel free to contact us at any time.

[jaya_06]

Hi Narendra,

Thank you for the detailed reply. I understand the fine print behind the 'inherent limitations on each individual service/sickness'. But, still thought that 'max per sickness' is better than 'max per policy period' when both plans are available for the same premium.

It is very very rare that a visitor goes through multiple sicknesses within the same trip (i.e. if they get really sick, they would prepone their journey and go back well before the second sickness arises). Hence, both plans appear to work in the same way if only one sickness arises during the policy period.

Thank you very much for your help. I will research on the plans a little more and then make a decision.

- Jaya.

[priyaram]

[QUOTE=narendra]You are NOT comparing it quite accurately.

Hi Narendra
My parents are all ready here They are in good health I am planning to take fixed insurance suppose if they become seriously ill is it possible for me to transfer to comprehensive insurance.Please let me know
Thanx
Priya

[insubuy]

No, you can't do that.

After the effective date, you can't make any changes in the plan.

There is no concept of upgrading or transfering to the comprehensive plan.

If you would like to buy comprehensive plan later, you would have to cancel the fixed insurance you have and you will have to buy altogether a new plan. And everything starts all over again including the pre-existing conditions, coinsurnace, deductible etc. Insurance company will pay for any new medical conditions after buying the comprehensive condition.

Therefore, you can't buy fixed coverage first and then and try to buy
the comprehensive coverage just after gettting sick. In that, you would loose whatever little coverage you had in fixed coverage, and you would not get any coverage in comprehensive plan because that condition would be considered as pre-existing condition.

It does not matter whether the person is in good health or not. Insurance company does not pay for pre-existing conditions any way. And probability of someone getting into new condition is same for every one for a given. When something new happens, how much you are covered is the difference between fixed and comprehensive.