Travel Insurance for the USA
With its bustling cities, classic countryside, sunny beaches, and national parks, the USA attracts thousands of Brits each year. Each city offers visitors a small glimpse of American culture, cuisine, and lifestyles.
Emergency Contact Information
The emergency number for the USA is 911. Dial this number to be put through to the American police, hospitals, and fire departments. If you’re in need of help while visiting the USA, you can get help from the British Embassy in Washington or a British consulate in another state.
Visit our claims information page if you need to make a claim on your travel insurance policy.
Travel Safety Tips
America is a large country, and crimes can differ from state to state, but it’s always best to prevent your belongings from being stolen by pickpockets and petty thieves by not leaving things unattended and by not flashing expensive gadgets and jewellery.
The USA has been known to experience adverse weather conditions and occasional natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wild fires, and snowstorms. Look up the weather conditions for the state you plan on travelling to so you can plan accordingly.
To enter and leave the US, you’ll need a visa or an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) visa waiver. While the USA is governed by federal laws, each state has its own laws. For example, while you can rent a car and drive in America with a UK driver’s license, some states require international travellers to have an International Driving Permit (IDP) too.
America is well known for its high medical costs, which is why it’s important to have your emergency medical expenses and repatriation expenses covered by travel insurance. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, don’t forget to declare it when purchasing your travel insurance policy.
Check out the FCDO travel advice for the USA for more travel-related information.
Places to Visit in the USA
America has 50 states. A short trip is not enough time to experience everything the USA has to offer. If you’d like to take multiple trips to America, you can purchase annual multi-trip travel insurance to cover all your trips under one policy.
To help you narrow down which state to visit, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite US cities and the famous tourist attractions and landmarks you’ll find there.
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, also known as the “Windy City”, is best known for its classic deep-dish pizzas and mouthwatering Italian beef sandwiches. It’s also famous for being the starting point of Route 66. Tourists should head to Rosa’s Lounge or Kingston Mines to hear the best Chicago blues and wander over to the Magnificent Mile to see the Chicago Water Tower. If you want to see a baseball game, stop by Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs. It is also worth taking a trip to Grant Park and taking a boat tour of the Chicago River.
New York City, New York
When visiting New York City, take a trip to the tops of the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Centre in Manhattan, and hop on a ferry to Staten Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Visitors of the “Big Apple” should also stop by Central Park, Times Square, and the Brooklyn Bridge. It would be a shame to miss out on the B&B Carousell and Wonder Wheel at Coney Island, and if you’re feeling brave, you should consider taking a ride on the Coney Island Cyclone.
For the best look into American culture, stop by the American Museum of Natural History or watch an iconic show on Broadway. Chinatown and the Lower East Side are popular among foodies. And while Tiffany & Co jewellery may be expensive, don’t let that put you off having breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Blue Box Café.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Visitors shouldn’t go to Bow Orleans without going for a drink at one of the many bars on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter or listening to jazz on Frenchman Street. While you can take busses and taxis to get around, you should try touring the city on the historic streetcars. You can also take a steamboat ride along the Mississippi River, and if you’re feeling peckish, Cafe du Monde serves coffee and beignets 24 hours a day. May tourists also travel to New Orleans to see the elaborate and colourful parades during Mardi Gras and to go to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Anchorage, Alaska
Most people travel to Anchorage to see the northern lights and be closer to nature. Kincaid Park is a popular place to do winter sports, fishing, kayaking, and cycling. You can learn about Alaskan history and culture at the Anchorage Museum and visit the animal enclosures at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
San Francisco, California
Is a beautiful hilly city, which is best navigated by cable car. Grab your camera to get a photo of the vibrant Victorian houses in Alamo Square and the wild parrots on Telegraph Hill. You can take a walk along the Golden Gate Bridge or head to Fisherman’s Wharf and a ferry to Alcatraz Island. The best music venue in San Francisco is The Fillmore, which has hosted some of the world’s most famous musicians. If you fancy an afternoon of golfing at Lincoln Park Golf Course, you can cover your clubs and shoes with Oasis Golf Cover Travel Insurance.
Honolulu, Hawaii
People come to Honolulu to enjoy the sun and surf at Waikīkī Beach and to have adventures. You can hike the Diamond Head Trail or go ziplining at Kualoa Ranch. You can also hike up to Manoa Falls and the nearby Lyon Arboretum. Popular monuments and landmarks to visit are Pearl Harbour, the Aloha Tower, and the Iolani Palace. To get a better understanding of Hawaiian culture, visit the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and the Polynesian Cultural Center. The Polynesian Cultural Center offer tourists the chance to observe and participate in Polynesian culture. There are various shows and hula performances and luaus.
