Online travel insurance provider InsureMyTrip reports that it has seen a significantly increased number of customer policies purchased for domestic trips this summer. In June 2020, domestic policies accounted for half of all travel insurance purchases, compared with just 11 percent in June 2019.
Realizing that travel conditions in the COVID-19 era can be complex and confusing, even when you’re sticking with U.S. domestic trips, InsureMyTrip compiled its own U.S. travel guide to help customers keep abreast of the various travel restrictions and safety requirements currently in place in each of the 50 states.
Plenty of states are not presently imposing restrictions on out-of-state travelers. They are: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Other states across the nation continue to enforce individual requirements for entry. As of September 1, 2020, these include:
Alaska: All non-residents must provide documented evidence of the negative results of a COVID-19 test taken within the 72 hours prior to their departure. Those without one can be tested at the airport upon arrival but must quarantine in Alaska until their results arrive. Those unwilling to test must adhere to a 14-day quarantine.
Connecticut: People coming from states that have a COVID-19 test positivity rate higher than ten percent (as measured over a seven-day average) who are remaining in Connecticut for more than 24 hours are required to quarantine for 14 days following their arrival.
Hawaii: All arrivals from out-of-state must observe a mandatory 14-day quarantine. The launch of Hawaii’s testing program for travelers who hope to bypass quarantine has been delayed until at least October 1, 2020.
Illinois: Though there are no statewide restrictions, anyone entering the city of Chicago from states that are seeing 15 or more daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people is required to quarantine for 14 days. The updated list of affected states is posted on the official website.
Kansas: Those who have been in Florida or Arizona between July 17 and 27 are required to quarantine for 14 days; as well as arrivals who have either been on a cruise ship since March, traveled to Aruba on or after August 27 or attended out-of-state gatherings of 500 or more people on or after August 11.
Kentucky: Those coming from states that are experiencing COVID-19 infection rates of at least 15 percent are requested to quarantine for 14 days. A full list is available on the state’s website.
Maine: Travelers are required to either quarantine for 14 days upon arrival or present their negative results of a COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours prior to their arrival. Residents of Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey are exempt from restrictions.
Massachusetts: All out-of-state travelers, except those from lower-risk states, must provide proof of negative results from a COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival or quarantine for 14 days.
New Hampshire: Travelers coming from all except surrounding New England states (Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island) are requested to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
New Jersey: People coming from states or territories that have a COVID-19 test positivity rate higher than ten percent (as measured over a seven-day average) who are remaining in New Jersey for more than 24 hours are required to quarantine for 14 days following their arrival.
New Mexico: All out-of-state travelers are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival or the duration of their stay in the state, whichever is shorter. Information on exemptions and the rules for drive-through travelers can be found on the official website.
New York: Travelers coming from those states and territories that are placed on New York’s restricted list because they have a ten percent or higher COVID-19 test positivity rate (as measured over a seven-day average) and who will remain in the state longer than 24 hours must quarantine for 14 days.
Ohio: Those arriving in Ohio from high-risk areas (defined as states reporting positive testing rates of 15 percent or higher, based on a seven-day rolling average) are expected to voluntarily quarantine for 14 days
Pennsylvania: Travelers coming from areas experiencing a high rate of COVID-19 incidence are requested to quarantine for 14 days. The updated list of impacted states can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s official website.
Rhode Island: Those entering Rhode Island from states having positive testing rates of higher than five percent are required to either provide negative results of a COVID-19 test performed within 72 hours of arrival or quarantine for 14 days.
Vermont: Out-of-state travelers are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, except for those who are residents of other Northeastern states with similar active COVID-19 caseloads (New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, D.C, Virginia and West Virginia.)
Washington D.C.: Passengers coming from the District of Columbia’s designated high-risk states (updated list available online) are required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
For more information, visit insuremytrip.com.