International Medical Group Travel Insurance: Choose the Coverage Before You Compare the Price
International Medical Group, usually called IMG, sells several different types of international insurance. The biggest mistake travelers make is treating all of them as the same product.
IMG’s iTravelInsured plans are designed around protecting the money invested in a trip and can include cancellation, interruption, delay, baggage and medical benefits. Its Patriot plans are temporary travel medical policies built primarily around unexpected illness, injury and medical evacuation while traveling outside your home country.
This guide compares those paths, explains current benefit limits, pre-existing-condition wording, deductibles, provider networks, claims deadlines and what to do during a medical emergency so you can understand the policy before using IMG’s live quote system.
IMG has provided global insurance and assistance services since 1990.
iTravelInsured protects eligible trip and travel losses.
Patriot focuses on temporary medical protection abroad.
MyIMG is the primary online claim system.
IMG publishes 24/7 emergency assistance services.
Which type of International Medical Group travel insurance do you actually need?
Choose the iTravelInsured side when protecting non-refundable flights, hotels, cruises, tours or other prepaid trip costs is a major concern.
Choose the Patriot side when the priority is temporary medical insurance outside your home country, including emergency medical treatment and evacuation.
IMG has America-focused Patriot plans and visitor-specific products. Visitors Protect deserves special attention when limited coverage for ongoing pre-existing conditions is a major requirement.
IMG travel insurance vs. IMG travel medical insurance
| Feature | iTravelInsured travel insurance | Patriot travel medical insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Protect eligible prepaid trip costs and travel disruptions. | Protect against eligible medical expenses while outside the home country. |
| Trip cancellation | Core benefit for covered reasons on current iTravelInsured products. | Do not assume it is included. Patriot is primarily medical coverage. |
| Trip interruption | Included subject to plan limits and covered reasons. | Not the main purpose of the standard medical product. |
| Medical treatment | Included up to the selected travel-plan limit. | Primary reason for purchasing the plan. |
| Evacuation | Available with plan-specific limits. | Major benefit, with limits reaching very high levels on Platinum. |
| Baggage / delay | Common travel-insurance benefit. | Not the central reason to choose the medical plan. |
| Best starting point | Expensive prepaid vacation, cruise, domestic or international trip. | International traveler, U.S. visitor, business traveler or family needing short-term medical cover abroad. |
IMG iTravelInsured plans compared
IMG currently highlights Choice, Travel SE and Travel LX as popular travel-insurance products, with Travel Lite and other plans also available. The figures below are planning references from IMG’s current product summaries; the policy issued for your state controls.
| Plan | Emergency medical | Medical evacuation | Trip cancellation | Trip interruption | Telehealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iTravelInsured Lite | Up to $100,000 per person | Up to $500,000 per person | Up to 100% of insured trip cost | Up to 125% of trip cost | Not included in the current summary |
| iTravelInsured Choice | Up to $100,000 per person | Up to $500,000 per person | Up to 100% of trip cost | Up to 150% of trip cost | Included |
| iTravelInsured Travel SE | IMG’s main comparison currently lists $250,000 | Up to $500,000 per person | Up to 100% of trip cost | Up to 150% of trip cost | Included |
| iTravelInsured Travel LX | Up to $500,000 | Up to $1,000,000 per person | Up to 100% of trip cost | Up to 150% of trip cost | Included |
A practical way to narrow the plans
Travel Lite can suit a traveler who primarily wants cancellation and interruption protection plus a lower layer of travel medical coverage.
Choice is designed for families, couples, solo travelers, weekend travel, cruises and other common trips.
Travel LX is positioned toward travelers wanting stronger benefit maximums, including trips to remote or expensive destinations.
IMG Patriot travel medical plans compared
Patriot plans are designed for individuals and families who need temporary medical protection while traveling outside their home country.
| Plan level | Medical maximum | Deductible choices | Evacuation | Coverage length | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriot Lite | Up to $1,000,000 | $0 to $2,500 | Up to $1,000,000 | 5 days to 12 months; renewable up to 24 months | Lower-cost short-term medical option; telehealth is currently an optional add-on. |
| Patriot Plus | Up to $1,000,000 | $0 to $2,500 | Up to $1,000,000 | Extensions can reach 24 months | America Plus includes acute-onset pre-existing-condition benefits subject to age and contract rules. |
| Patriot Platinum | Up to $8,000,000 | $0 to $25,000 | Up to the plan maximum | 5 days to 12 months; renewable up to 36 months | Highest Patriot benefit level; telehealth and additional assistance features are included. |
America or International?
Designed for a traveler outside the home country whose destination includes the United States or its territories.
Designed for travel outside the home country when the destination excludes the United States and its territories, subject to limited incidental U.S. provisions described in the contract.
When IMG Visitors Protect deserves a separate comparison
Visitors Protect is specifically designed for individuals and families traveling from their home country to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Current options are $50,000, $100,000 or $250,000 through age 69. For age 70 and older, the published maximum is $50,000.
IMG currently lists up to $25,000 through age 69 and $20,000 for age 70 and older, subject to the special deductible and policy language.
The current product summary lists periods from 90 days through 12 months.
How pre-existing conditions work with IMG travel insurance
“Pre-existing condition covered” can mean very different things depending on the IMG product.
Selected iTravelInsured plans can have waiver provisions when all contract requirements are met. Purchase timing and other eligibility requirements matter.
Some Patriot plans may cover an acute onset of a pre-existing condition for eligible travelers, often subject to an under-age-70 condition.
Visitors Protect provides specified benefits for pre-existing conditions for travelers to the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
What IMG trip-cancellation coverage actually means
Standard trip cancellation does not mean that you can change your mind for any reason and automatically receive your trip money back.
The cancellation must normally result from a reason defined as covered in the insurance contract.
A covered sickness or injury affecting the insured traveler or another covered person may trigger benefits when the policy conditions are met.
Certain weather events can qualify when the exact policy definition and timing requirements are satisfied.
IMG cites examples such as qualifying job loss, traffic accidents, death of a family member, military obligations and certain pregnancy-related events, depending on the plan.
When coverage starts
IMG says trip-cancellation coverage generally begins at 12:01 AM on the day after the appropriate premium is received. Most other travel-insurance benefits start when the insured departs on the first travel arrangement.
IMG Cancel For Any Reason coverage explained
Cancel For Any Reason, usually shortened to CFAR, is designed for cancellations that do not qualify under standard covered reasons.
What to do when you need medical care with IMG insurance
Emergency medical evacuation is not simply “a flight home”
Medical evacuation coverage is designed to transport an insured traveler when medically necessary under the contract. The destination, method of transport and approval process are controlled by the benefit wording—not simply by the traveler’s preference.
The current plan summary lists emergency medical evacuation up to $1 million.
The current summary lists evacuation benefits up to the selected plan maximum, which can reach several million dollars.
The current trip-insurance comparison lists medical evacuation up to $1 million per person.
How to find an IMG provider without assuming every doctor is in network
IMG tells members to check the PPO network printed on their ID card. Current member resources can route eligible plans to networks such as UnitedHealthcare or First Health.
Confirm participation with the physician office because provider-network data can change.
IMG’s International Provider Access database lists physicians and facilities worldwide.
Providers marked for direct billing can submit eligible medical expenses through the IMG arrangement, potentially reducing the amount the traveler must pay upfront.
Precertification can change how much IMG pays
Some IMG plans require the insured to contact IMG before certain non-emergency services. The exact list is plan-specific.
How to file an International Medical Group travel insurance claim
IMG states that the fastest and most convenient route for both trip and medical claims is the MyIMG member portal.
Trip-protection claim
Travel medical claim
IMG claim delayed or requesting more documents? Check these first
Why the words “primary” and “secondary” matter on IMG plans
IMG defines primary coverage as insurance that can process eligible expenses without first requiring another insurance policy to pay.
IMG currently identifies iTravelInsured Choice as primary coverage.
When coverage is secondary, another applicable insurer generally processes the expense first. IMG then considers eligible remaining expenses according to its contract.
Patriot Lite and several visitor/travel medical products are currently described as secondary coverage.
How much does International Medical Group travel insurance cost?
IMG uses a live quote process rather than publishing one universal premium because the price changes with the trip and traveler.
Medical risk and available benefit limits can change substantially with age.
A U.S.-inclusive medical policy is different from a plan covering travel that excludes the United States.
Longer medical coverage generally creates a different premium from a short vacation.
Travel-insurance premiums are affected by the amount of prepaid non-refundable trip cost being insured.
Choosing $100,000 of medical coverage is different from selecting a multimillion-dollar maximum.
Travel medical products offer several deductible choices that affect both premium and out-of-pocket exposure.
CFAR, enhanced medical, telehealth or other available add-ons can increase the plan cost.
State and jurisdiction can change plan wording, available benefits and eligibility.
A medical-only Patriot plan is priced differently from an iTravelInsured policy covering a large prepaid trip investment.
Can you cancel an IMG policy after buying it?
Refund rules depend on the product and contract.
Current IMG pages for iTravelInsured Choice and iTravelInsured Lite state that customers can request a full plan refund within 10 days of purchase as long as they have not departed and have not filed a claim. Those pages state that the plan becomes non-refundable after the 10-day period.
Read these 12 items before buying IMG travel insurance
Which IMG plan family should different travelers investigate first?
| Traveler | Main risk | IMG starting point | Critical question |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. family taking an expensive cruise | Losing prepaid trip cost plus overseas medical expenses | iTravelInsured Choice, SE or LX | Do you need CFAR and what amount of medical/evacuation coverage is comfortable? |
| Parents visiting the U.S. from India | Large U.S. hospital bill | Patriot America series | How are pre-existing conditions handled at their ages? |
| Older visitor with diabetes and hypertension | Pre-existing-condition treatment in North America | Compare Visitors Protect carefully | What exact pre-existing-condition maximum, deductible and coinsurance apply? |
| U.S. traveler going to Europe | Unexpected medical treatment abroad | Patriot International | Do existing U.S. health benefits already cover international care? |
| Remote adventure trip | High-cost medical treatment or evacuation | Compare higher-limit Patriot Platinum or Travel LX benefits | Are the planned activities excluded? |
| Long-term expatriate | Ongoing healthcare rather than a temporary trip | IMG international health insurance | Is annual private medical insurance more appropriate than temporary travel medical? |
What IMG members should save before leaving home
What IMG members can manage online
Access and download plan identification documents.
Review the actual contract that controls coverage.
Search U.S. networks or international providers based on the plan.
Selected members can initiate or manage precertification activity.
Submit new claims through MyIMG and monitor existing claim status.
Eligible IMG Mobile users can receive location-based travel intelligence and security alerts.
Who is actually behind International Medical Group insurance?
IMG says it has provided global insurance benefits and assistance services since 1990 and serves members in more than 190 countries.
IMG administers and markets multiple insurance products, but the actual insurance underwriter can depend on the specific product and the insured’s state or jurisdiction.
IMG is owned by SiriusPoint. IMG’s current company information identifies SiriusPoint among its insurance underwriters and financial-support relationships.
Selected iTravelInsured state-specific plans can be underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, part of the Crum & Forster group.
International Medical Group contact information
International Medical Group headquarters map
International Medical Group travel insurance FAQs
What is International Medical Group travel insurance?
IMG offers both iTravelInsured trip-protection products and Patriot travel medical policies. The correct category depends on whether you primarily need trip-cost protection, temporary medical coverage abroad or both.
What is the difference between IMG travel insurance and travel medical insurance?
iTravelInsured products focus on trip cancellation, interruption, delays, baggage and related benefits while also providing medical coverage. Patriot travel medical policies focus primarily on medical treatment and evacuation outside the home country.
Which IMG plan is for a visitor coming to the United States?
Patriot America plans are designed for travel outside the home country when the destination includes the United States. Visitors Protect is another option for travel to the U.S., Canada and Mexico and has a separate limited pre-existing-condition benefit.
Does IMG cover trip cancellation?
Current iTravelInsured plans include trip-cancellation coverage for eligible losses caused by reasons defined as covered in the contract. Simply changing your mind is not standard trip cancellation.
Does IMG offer Cancel For Any Reason?
IMG currently offers CFAR as an optional add-on with selected Choice, Travel SE and Travel LX configurations. Additional premium and timing requirements apply, and IMG states that CFAR is unavailable to New York residents.
Does IMG cover pre-existing medical conditions?
It depends on the product. Some plans may have a waiver, some Patriot plans cover only acute onset under specified conditions, and Visitors Protect has a separate limited pre-existing-condition benefit.
How do I find an IMG doctor?
Use the provider search in IMG’s member resources or MyIMG. In the United States, use the PPO network printed on the IMG ID card. Outside the U.S., use IMG’s International Provider Access database and look for direct-billing information.
How do I file an IMG claim?
IMG recommends filing through MyIMG. Select Claims, choose Submit a Claim and provide the requested trip, medical, payment and loss documentation.
How long do I have to file an IMG claim?
Current IMG instructions say trip losses should be reported promptly and no later than 30 days, with the claim generally submitted within 90 days. Medical claims under travel medical products are generally due within 180 days of treatment. Your own policy controls.
How much does IMG travel insurance cost?
There is no universal price. Traveler age, destination, duration, insured trip cost, medical maximum, deductible, plan and optional benefits influence the live quote.
Use IMG directly only when the action must be live
The important plan differences, claim deadlines and coverage concepts are explained above. Use IMG’s official systems below for personalized quotes, state-specific policy wording, enrollment, provider searches and claims.