It is almost August meaning the end of summer is getting closer. Between days at the pool, mowing the lawn repeatedly and trying to stay cool, the past few months might have flown right by. However, if one of your goals this summer was to travel abroad, all is not lost yet. There are still a few weeks left before classes will start back up that you are able to take that desired trip to a location around the world like Italy, China or Brazil.
If you have been saving for your trip abroad only to find out at the last minute that your friends have not, there are multiple outlets available that give you the option to travel with a group. There are multiple organizations that host trips abroad and enable students to meet new friends while gaining a cultural experience. A few places to search for programs available to students include GoAbroad, Summerfuel and Transitions Abroad.
After your trip is booked you will need to contact your insurance company to see if your current plan will cover you while outside the US. If not, you want to purchase travel abroad insurance.
One popular travel abroad insurance plan that individuals are able to purchase while travelling outside of their home country, is the Atlas Travel plan. The Atlas Travel plan does not require individuals to be a student during their coverage period and can be purchased for a minimum of 5 days. Since same day coverage is available with this plan, this means you still have time to squeeze in your sought after summer trip abroad and have the insurance coverage you will need during your travels.
If you are able to fit in a trip overseas before your new classes begin and would like more information on the Atlas Travel plan or other travel abroad insurance plans, contact one of our licensed agents today.
As the new school year is right upon us and many students are attending student orientations and registering for classes, most schools require that students purchase international student health insurance coverage either from them directly (the schools plan) or they can show proof of adequate, alternate coverage. With school plans costing upwards of $2,000 per year, that can be an expensive option – so it’s always good to look for other alternatives.
When looking for plans DO NOT just look at the monthly price! Although there are attractive options out there, you MUST look at the benefits and features since these plans could put you in more financial trouble if you get sick or injured.
To help you out – here are some of the top items to watch out for:
Tip #1 – Policy Maximum/ Coinsurance
When a plan states their policy maximum, ALWAYS look at the coinsurance that goes along with that plan. Coinsurance is the amount you will be paying towards your insurance plan if you get sick or injured – ideally you want this capped out, so that your coinsurance is only applicable up to a certain dollar amount.
Some plans, have their coinsurance setup like this:
Policy Maximum – $200,000
Coinsurance – 100% up to $40,000 and then 80% up to policy maximum
Look very closely for plans like this. Take, for example, if you get hospitalized and it can costs $100,000 – the plan will pay 100% up to $40,000 and then only 80% of the remaining $60,000. This means you will be left with a bill of $12,000 to pay!!
Ideally, you want your plan to be written something like this:
Policy Maximum – $200,000
Coinsurance – 80% up to $10,000 and then 100% up to policy maximum
With this scenario, there is a maximum you will pay out of pocket of just $2,000 since it is capped! In the other scenario, you could owe thousands of dollars!
Tip #2 – Cap on Medical Benefits
Look out for plans that cap actual medical benefits – things to be careful of are:
Tip #3 – Payment Flexibility
We all know that money is tight as a student – so look for plans that offer you the functionality to pay for your plan in monthly installments. You can spread the cost of your insurance over the year, and it avoids you having to pay all upfront for a full year of coverage!
Tip #4 – Sport Coverage
If you’re in college, you will most likely be playing sports in some shape or form – therefore you will want a plan that covers you if something happens when you are playing sports. Look out for plans that do not cover sports related injures such as intercollegiate, intramural and club sports! You do not want to have an injury and have to cover the full cost of your medical treatment.
Hopefully these 4 tips will help you choose the right plan – and help you avoid the common pitfalls. You do not want to end up paying more than you need to when a plan a few dollars more will cover you 100% for most injuries and illnesses!
Most colleges and universities have insurance requirements that international students must meet before they are able to enroll for classes. International students participating in sports must have insurance that also includes sports coverage. Students looking for a student health insurance plan that will cover them during their studies outside of their home country and that also includes organized sports coverage might be interested in the Student Secure plan.
The Student Secure plan comes in three levels: smart ($200,000 in coverage), budget ($250,000 in coverage) and select ($300,000 in coverage). The budget and select level of this plan have organized sports coverage for basketball, baseball, cross country, dance team, football, golf, kickball, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, weight training and wrestling.
Covered individuals on the Student Secure plan who are participating in intercollegiate, interscholastic, intramural or club sports will have medical expense coverage up to $5,000 per injury or illness.
The Student Secure plan automatically includes the organized sports coverage without an additional fee. This means that as an international student participating in your school’s sports, you can have the coverage that you are not only required to have, but the coverage you will need for your active lifestyle. The Student Secure plan gives international student athletes the chance to focus on what really matters: their game. International individuals who are on OPT and maintain a valid F1 visa are also eligible to purchase this plan.
A few of the other benefits included in the Student Secure plan are doctor visits, emergency medical evacuation, emergency dental, accidental death and dismemberment, local ambulance, emergency reunion, repatriation of remains, maternity and mental health.
If you would like more information on the organized sports coverage in the Student Secure plan or if you would like to purchase this plan over the phone, contact one of our licensed agents for assistance today.
There are more than 130,000 international students studying in Japan each year, making Japan is a popular destination for students from all around the world to study in as well to travel. During the 2010-2011 year there were over 6,000 international students studying in Japan from the US alone. Many international students elect to purchase separate student health insurance for Japan to cover any potential costs not covered by other plans.
Known as the “Land of the Rising Sun” Japan is a small island country, yet it has the 3rd largest economy in the world. Home to many high tech companies such as Sony and Toyota, Japan is a great place to study with its rich history and culture. It’s one of the safest countries and also has great transportation options for students looking to explore the country.
While international students in Japan are covered by the Japanese national healthcare system, which only provides 70% coverage on many services. In the event of an emergency, the student would still be responsible for the 30% of the cost. Expenses such as the cost of a bed in a private hospital room may not be covered at all.
Some universities in Japan also have their own health insurance available. Students should also check with their school to see what coverage is available through the school. However, for those who are looking to have more comprehensive coverage should consider purchasing an international student health insurance for Japan. By having a private insurance, students would then be covered for costs that are not covered by the national healthcare such as private medical care, repatriation, evacuation, trip interruption, 100% coverage etc.
For more information about our insurance plans, and to see a full overview of the plans available, please see our dedicate Japan Student Insurance section.
Japanese image provided by Shutterstock
Individuals interested in becoming one of the many international students in South Carolina for this upcoming fall semester do not have much time left before the deadlines will start rolling in. Schools will want to make sure their international students have been successfully admitted, have their student visa in place, have purchased an insurance plan that meets their requirements and that they are starting to think about their housing arrangements, classes and getting situated in their new environment.
If you do not have any of these items complete yet but would like to be one of the international students in South Carolina next school year, you can start by finding a school that is right for you.
South Carolina has a plethora of colleges and universities to choose from throughout the state. Whether you would like to attend a school that is primarily focused on one area of study like Greenville Technical College, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary or Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic or if you prefer to attend a school that offers multiple subjects to choose from like Lander University, Furman University, Wofford College or Winthrop University, there are multiple schools to choose from in South Carolina.
After you find a school that you would like to attend you will need to then contact their admissions department directly regarding their international admissions process and start completing the required documents as soon as possible. The admissions department is also a good place to start when it comes to finding out what other requirements you will need to meet are like insurance requirements. Many schools require that their international students have an international student health insurance plan that will meet a certain list of coverage benefits.
If you are looking for a plan that will meet your school’s insurance requirements that are given to international students in South Carolina, you can search through our school requirements database to see what plan will meet your school’s list of coverage benefits or contact one of our licensed agents who will help you find a plan that meets your needs.
Many students that decide to travel while studying have turned to Portugal in order to complete a semester or year abroad. It’s not a secret as to why students would want to study in Portugal. The country has hundreds of miles of coastline to relax on between study sessions, history that dates back hundreds of years to compliment any history class and plenty of culture to offer an international student looking to dive into a new environment.
If you are a student interested in studying in Portugal, you have probably already realized that the school year is approaching fast and there is not much time left to make sure you have everything in place, including your student health insurance for Portugal.
Since Portugal is part of the Schengen region, if you will be there for up to 90 days you will need to obtain a Schengen visa, meaning you will need student health insurance that meets the Schengen visa requirements. One popular student health insurance for Portugal option is the Atlas Travel.
The Atlas Travel plan will meet the 30,000 euro requirement with the lowest coverage option available and gives you the choice to pick a $0 deductible. A few benefits included in the Atlas Travel plan include repatriation of remains, emergency medical evacuation, doctor visits, emergency reunion, hospital room and board, trip interruption, local ambulance and accidental death and dismemberment. The Atlas Travel plan will meet your Schengen visa requirements, but also provide you with the coverage you need as a student abroad.
If student health insurance for Portugal has been the last thing on your mind while planning your studies abroad, you have the ability to purchase your health insurance right online and receive your confirmation of coverage right away.
If you would like to purchase your student health insurance for Portugal, contact one of our licensed agents today.
For many students, it’s summer time and that means school is out. It is a popular time for students to take advantage of their time off and travel around the world. Whether Europe, Asia, North America, or South America is on your list of destinations, it is important to be aware of what’s going on in the international environment. This July 2012 Travel Warning blog will let you know of the current travel warnings that were recently issued in the last month.
Since our last June 2012 Travel Warning, there have been five travel warnings issued that all travelers to the region should be aware of:
Our July 2012 Travel Warning is an overview of the Department of State’s newly issued warnings. To read more and stay up to date with the latest, we recommend that you check out the Department of State’s website which monitors the international climate closely.
เริ่มต้นตั้งแต่ปี 2007 รัฐบาลฟินแลนด์ได้แนะนำกฎหมายสำหรับนักศึกษาต่างชาติทุกคนที่จะเข้าเรียนในมหาวิทยาลัยในประเทศฟินแลนด์ให้ต้องมีประกันสุขภาพสำหรับเรียนที่ฟินแลนด์
กฎระเบียบประกันสำหรับนักศึกษาต่างชาติในประเทศฟินแลนด์ในปัจจุบันนี้คือ:
ตั้งแต่นั้นมา ที่ InternationalStudentInsurance.com เราเป็นบริษัทชั้นนำที่จะให้การประกันสุขภาพสำหรับนักศึกษาต่างชาติที่ฟินแลนด์
แผนประกันสุขภาพสำหรับฟินแลนด์ที่นิยมมากที่สุดของเราเรียกว่า Atlas plan สำหรับนักเรียนอายุ 18-29 ปี ราคาเริ่มต้นที่เพียงแค่ 273 เหรียญสหรัฐฯ (ประมาณ 8,700 บาท ต่อปี)
อีกแผนหนึ่งที่นิยมของเรานั้นเรียกว่า Student Secure plan แผนนี้เป็นแผนเฉพาะสำหรับนักศึกษาที่สามารถคุ้มครองค่าตั้งครรภ์ จิตวิทยาและ สามารถที่จะจ่ายรายเดือนได้ด้วย
กรุณาติดต่อเราถ้าหากคุณมีคำถามเกี่ยวกับการประกันภัยสำหรับนักศึกษาที่ฟินแลนด์
Are you a student who has always wondered what it would be like to travel to different countries around the world and see sights like the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower and the Great Barrier Reef? Many times students find that studying for tests, finding financial aid and hanging out with a roommate might take precedence over finding out how to study abroad and make this dream of travel actually happen. Here are a few key point to help you figure out how to study abroad.
When coming up with a game plan on how to study abroad, you will first need to decide where to study abroad. There are numerous locations around the world that would compliment a year of learning, however, you will also need to make sure that your school offers a study abroad program for the overseas school you have in mind. Contact your school’s international office and find out which schools around the world they have a student exchange agreement with.
After you have established a school to study overseas at you will then need to make sure you can afford a semester or year abroad. Since the number of international students around the world has increased within recent years, so has the number of financial aid options for those individuals. Study abroad loans and international scholarships are both good places to start when determining how you will fund your studies abroad.
The next step in determining how to study abroad is finding out what paperwork you will need to complete. It is best to dive into the required paperwork as soon as possible to have it complete by the deadline. Many schools have lengthy study abroad applications that require letters of recommendation, official transcripts, international student health insurance, proof of funds and sometimes even an essay. It is best to get this in as soon as possible so the process is not delayed. However, you should not rush the purchase of your international student health insurance plan. Before purchasing your insurance, it is best to check what visa requirements you will need to meet with your plan. If you are unsure which plan you need to purchase to meet your requirements, you can contact one of our agents for assistance.
The preparation to study abroad takes effort and time, but the reward of traveling the world is what makes it worthwhile.
Becoming an international student can be a lot of work, but it can also be a very rewarding experience. Before classes even begin, most international students have a stack of paper work to complete and a check list of guidelines to comply to, including finding international student health insurance that will meet their school requirements.
Since each school has their own requirements that they have put in place for their international students to meet with their insurance plan, you are able to search our school requirements database to see if we have insurance for your university.
Many students purchase the Student Secure plan since it will meet many school requirements such as maternity, repatriation of remains, emergency medical evacuation, mental health care and prescriptions. Also, since this plan is able to be purchased on a monthly basis, you only have to buy coverage for the time that you need, whether that is one month, one semester or one year*.
Some schools have an insurance plan that international students must purchase or waive out of. Usually schools will allow students to waive out of the university insurance plan as long as the alternate insurance plan will cover certain benefits as laid out in a school-provided waiver form. If you would like to purchase one of our plans that will meet your school’s requirements but are required to also complete a waiver form, we can take care of this for you. After you purchase insurance for your university we will complete the waiver form and ensure it is sent to your school. That way you can focus on completing other items on your check list to become an international student.
Finding insurance for your university can be difficult if your school has several benefit requirements listed. Contact one of our agents today to see if we have a plan that will meet your school insurance requirements.
*Coverage can be purchased for up to 364 days with the option to renew.