Missouri has a perfect blend of lively city life and quiet countryside to welcome any visitor. While in Missouri, you can explore St. Louis and Kansas City, or you could go for a little adventure to the Ozark Mountains. Read this guide to learn all about Missouri’s most visited places, popular activities, travel tips, and information about travel insurance plans.
Before you travel to Missouri, make sure that you buy visitors medical insurance or travel insurance to protect yourself from expenses due to unexpected accidents, illnesses, injuries, or travel mishaps.
Visitors Medical Insurance for Travelers in Missouri - FAQs
Healthcare in the U.S. is just as expensive as you’ve heard about. A simple ER visit could cost in the range of thousands of dollars—or even tens of thousands. Don’t set yourself up for the shock of your life by trying to seek medical treatment in the U.S. without insurance. Visitors medical insurance is a health insurance plan for visitors to the U.S. that can help cover the costs of any healthcare services you might need to seek while in Missouri.
Why buy visitors medical insurance before traveling to Missouri?
Accidents, illnesses, and injuries always occur without warning. You’re just as likely to experience some random act of misfortune, like being struck by a car while crossing the street, in Missouri as you are in your home country. The difference is that in the U.S., you’re at the mercy of a foreign, unfamiliar healthcare system. Visitors health insurance acts as a safety net against events beyond your control.
What should I look for in my Missouri visitors medical insurance?
As you’re reviewing visitors insurance plans, keep an eye out for the following options and benefits:
- Given the choice between a fixed coverage and a comprehensive coverage plan, go with comprehensive coverage. It’s a little more expensive, but only comprehensive coverage plans can match the exorbitant healthcare costs of the U.S. Fixed insurance plans set a maximum amount on what they’re willing to pay. When you’re staring down a $50,000 emergency room bill, you’ll be glad you invested that extra little bit up front for comprehensive coverage.
- Make sure your plan is extendable in case you have to extend your stay in Missouri. This is especially important if you have to stay for medical reasons; if your plan were to expire and you had to purchase a new plan, any claims or incidents that occurred under your previous plan would now be considered pre-existing conditions and wouldn’t be covered.
- Check for a plan that offers benefits for acute onset of pre-existing conditions.
- Coverage for emergency medical evacuation or repatriation can help you get transported to the nearest medical facility capable of providing adequate treatment.
Trip Cancellation Insurance for Travelers in Missouri - FAQs
Planning an international trip is an expensive endeavor that usually involves pre-arranging flights, hotel bookings, a rental car, tours and tickets for attractions, and more. If you were to have to cancel your trip, not only would you be disappointed, but you would also be facing the loss of many or all of these advance payments. Trip cancellation insurance can help cover your losses if you have to cancel your trip within the parameters of the policy.
Why should I get trip cancellation insurance for my Missouri travel?
Trip cancellation insurance can fully reimburse your prepaid, non-refundable expenses if you have to cancel your vacation for a reason explicitly listed in your policy’s certificate wording. The covered reasons vary from plan to plan, but most common reasons for cancellation—including you or a travel companion getting sick, weather-related cancellations or delays, work emergencies, and so on—come standard. Be sure to review the fine print of your plan before purchase for a thorough understanding of what situations would and wouldn’t be covered.
What should I look for in my Missouri trip cancellation insurance?
Review your trip cancellation insurance policy for the following benefits:
- Trip cancellation coverage for a covered reason
- Trip interruption coverage for a covered reason
- Trip delay coverage
- Missed connection coverage
- Theft or baggage loss coverage
With proper travel insurance, you need not worry as much about emergencies. Remember to check your plan’s certificate wording to see what it does and does not cover.
Missouri’s Most Popular Cities for Travel
- St. Louis: St. Louis is a beautiful city with rich museums, sprawling gardens, and parks. If you are looking for a perfect family travel destination, St. Louis is where you should go. Make sure that you visit the St. Louis Zoo, the Magic House, the Saint Louis Science Center, City Museum, and the Saint Louis Art Museum.
- Kansas City: Are you an art fanatic or a shopaholic? Kansas City, the City of Fountains, is the perfect stop for you. Explore the numerous museums, markets, live music venues, restaurants, and parks sprinkled throughout the city. The most visited destinations include the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, the Kansas City Zoo, Old Westport, and Country Club Plaza.
- Branson: Visit this small town in the Ozark Mountains for a perfect weekend getaway. There are countless live music venues. Earlier, these venues used to host some of the best country music performers in the country. Now, the music performed at these venues is much more diverse. Must-visit spots for you should include the Marvel Cave, the Silver Dollar City, and the National Tiger Sanctuary.
- Columbia: Columbia is a lively university town. If you are interested in progressive politics and splendid graffiti, you will certainly enjoy Columbia. The artsy folks will enjoy the Museum of Art and the Columbia Art League. Other popular tourist spots include the Shryocks Callaway Farms, the Finger Lakes State Park, and the Francis Quadrangle.
- Springfield: Springfield is a beautiful city in the Ozark Mountains. With three universities, this city has a lively and youthful vibe. Springfield is also visited due to its history of salient battles from the U.S. Civil War. You can easily explore this city on foot. Some popular spots for you to enjoy are the C-Street District, Pythian Castle, the Springfield Cardinals, and the Fantastic Caverns.
Key Guidelines for Travelers in Missouri
- Mind the Accent: While most residents in the northern part of Missouri speak with an American Midlands accent, otherwise known as unaccented American English, those in the southern part of the state can have a distinct drawl. If English is not your first language, it may take you some time to understand it correctly.
- Wild Weather: Missouri has some of the most widely variable weather of any state in the U.S. It can range from warm and sunny to snowy and cold; sometimes during the same day! Strong thunderstorms, snowstorms, floods, and droughts are also possible, depending upon the time of year when you visit. Bring a variety of clothes to suit the season.
- Rent a Car: You can explore most cities in Missouri on foot. However, the cities are not very close to each other. Traveling is easiest if you have a vehicle of your own. You can simply rent one from a local car rental agency or rely on cabs.
- When to Visit: The best time to visit Missouri is between April and June, or from September to November. Winter and early spring can be quite cold, and the humidity during the summer months can be uncomfortable if you are not used to the climate.
Before You Travel to Missouri - Do This
You are almost ready to travel to Missouri. Before you go, consider these suggestions.
- Spring in Missouri is beautiful. If you want a quiet holiday, visit Missouri during spring. Since it's an off-season, you can spend your vacation in a quiet and enjoyable location. Just keep an eye on the weather forecast, as strong thunderstorms can occur on occassion.
- Missouri is full of gems hidden away in plain sight. You will discover many picturesque spots if you travel on foot.
- Make sure that you buy adequate travel insurance coverage so that you and your group can enjoy a carefree vacation. Enter some basic information, compare your options, and select the plan that works best for you.