Posted on Thursday, January 19th, 2012 at 7:30 am

Many international students coming to the US from Nepal will need to purchase a Nepalese student health insurance. The United States is the most expensive country for medical care costs according to the World Health Organization, and it is important to purchase insurance to help cover any medical expenses that may come up when you study in the US. Here is a simple guide to follow to make sure you are properly insured when you come to the United States:

1. Insurance School Requirements – If you are coming to the US on a F-1 international student visa, insurance requirements are typically set by your school. Some colleges, universities, and even high schools may have a mandatory insurance plan in place. Others may not require any insurance, or, in other situations, you can purchase your own Nepal international student insurance plan as an alternative. Before purchasing insurance, we recommend that you contact your school or check out our School Requirements Database to see what your school requires.

2. Purchasing Your own Nepal International Student Insurance – There are a few situations where you may be purchasing your own student health plan. In some cases, schools may not have insurance or any requirements for their international students. Since health care can be expensive to cover out of pocket, most people will purchase their own Nepal international student insurance to help cover the high costs in case the unexpected happens. Even with schools who have a student health plan, many schools allow their students to waive with an alternative insurance plan. If this is your case, check with your school to see if there are minimum requirements that your alternative insurance plan must meet. Some students will choose an alternative insurance plan for a few reasons:

I. Coverage may be more comprehensive than what is currently being offered.
II. Rates may be more affordable for an international student.
III. Students want more flexibility with their plan. Many school-sponsored insurance plans will end once the student begins their OPT. With many individual plans you may be able to continue coverage while on OPT or CPT.

3. Waiver and Compliance Forms – If you purchase your own Nepal international student insurance, you may need to notify your school of your alternative student health plan. Depending on your school, this could mean showing them the brochure, completing the school’s waiver/compliance form, or have the insurance company present a letter to show proof of coverage. Either way, check with your insurance company before purchasing to make sure they can assist you with the paperwork you need.

4. Begin Your International Experience – As a Nepalese student studying in the US, this is an opportunity of a lifetime! Enjoy yourself, step out of your comfort zone, and know that in case the unexpected happens that you are properly insured. International Student Insurance works with students around the world and are familiar with the steps involved. If you are unsure of how to get started, contact one of our representatives to help review your insurance requirements and see that you are properly insured.

Posted by Jennifer Frankel

Jennifer is the International Director at International Student Insurance. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Florida where she holds a Masters in International Business and a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. She has lived and worked abroad in Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica and England, and traveled extensively in South America, Europe and Asia.