As a student heading out to see the world, you quickly realize there are many reasons you need a flexible travel insurance policy that can cover many of the contingencies you may face while out on the road. If you are travelling for research with
graduate programs online or travelling with a student group, it is important for you to be covered in an emergency.
Not only do you need adequate health coverage, but you will want to consider covering personal property so you can replace your valuables if they lost or stolen. You can even purchase a travel insurance policy that will refund your money if your trip is cancelled or you miss connections and find yourself stranded.
Existing Health Insurance Coverage
If you have existing health insurance, review it carefully to see what it does and does not cover when you travel abroad. Some policies are only good in the country of origin, while others offer limited coverage while you are traveling.
The more expensive health insurance plans often cover you when you travel but require main office approval to authorize treatment. You also need to check for provisions covering such extreme conditions as quarantines or emergency evacuations. In such situations, even if you are in good health you could be facing challenging circumstances where the right kind of coverage would make rescue services available.
Carefully go through the list of exclusions in an existing health insurance policy to see if there are stipulations about covering accidents while intoxicated or that prohibit participation in certain sports. Consider if you will have the resources on hand to pay the current deductible amount or if you should arrange to have it decreased in exchange for paying higher premiums while you are traveling.
Travel-Only Health Insurance Coverage
If you are traveling abroad through your college or university, they might have requirements regarding the type of health insurance needed to participate in their program. Consult with the student health insurance office since they typically offer flexible, low cost plans that can be tailor-made to suit the regions you will be visiting.
If your travel is not directly related to your school, or if your classes are online, you will want to find an independent insurance travel agent that offers health insurance packages that can be set for the specific dates and locations where you will be traveling. These policies can be piggybacked on existing health insurance plans to provide extended coverage only for those contingencies not covered by your primary carrier. Group contracts are awarded to insurance companies who specialize in international travel and extend to leisure activities that may be associated with a group trip.
Check the insurance policy to see if they offer assistance finding medical care in other countries. You may want to confirm that they will reimburse you for medical expenses like prescriptions so you have the option to pay cash up front.
Another factor to consider is pre-existing conditions caused by injury, illness or disease since most policies automatically exclude coverage. You have to sign a pre-existing condition waiver and purchase that part of the coverage in a lump sum before you leave.
Other Travel Insurance Policies
Along with the mandatory student travel health insurance, look into coverage for such nightmare scenarios as losing your passport and identification or having your luggage stolen in transit. You can also obtain travel insurance that will refund your money if your trip is cancelled or you have to return early because of an emergency at home.
Ideally, student travel insurance should be broad enough to cover all contingencies so you can seek and receive medical help, have lost or stolen valuables replaced, and have resources available in case your travel plans abruptly change, but you shouldn’t have to pay outrageous prices for most plans and can often get a student discount. Looking on online forums and insurance review sites can also help you look for highly recommended insurance options available.
