An article in Business Today, Subject of Safety, clarifies that different universities in the United State have different regulations regarding student insurance. Some institutions have their own insurance policies for international students, the premium for which is included in the fees. Others make is mandatory for students to be insured under a policy. There are also cases where colleges do not have any specific guidelines regarding insurance but it is always better to have one anyway.
For instance, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a renowned engineering college in the United States, offers Student Health Plans to protect its students and only allows waivers if the student has a private health insurance plan that is equivalent to the one they offer. If your Indian insurer is not at par, you will have to buy the university’s protection regardless of how well you are insured with the other policy.
In this article…
Benefits of Overseas Student Insurance
Medical benefits:
Healthcare in America is one of the most expensive in the world, says an article in The Daily Mail. So, if you suffer from any illness or an injury while in the US, you insurance will pay for the medical bills, without you having to take on the financial burden. A good policy usually takes care of hospital and board expenses, medication expenses and all other inpatient and outpatient emergencies. Some may even provide benefits for emergency evacuation, compassionate visits and repatriation of remains back to India, in the unfortunate event of the policyholder’s demise.
Loss of baggage or passport:
Insurance policies provide compensation and distress allowance for delayed or total loss of checked-in baggage. They also cover the cost of obtaining a new passport overseas if you lose your original one, while some policies even provide assistance for the issuing process.
Flight delays and cancellation:
Buying insurance before you embark on your journey is important to minimise the trouble caused by delayed or cancelled flights. Insurance companies compensate for flight delays of more than 12 hours and reimburse for cancelled flights, which can then be used to buy another ticket.
Legal help: Some comprehensive student insurance policies also cover for any legal expenses incurred in the United States, since getting proper legal representation in a dispute is crucial in cases that involve foreign nationals.
Best Student Insurance Policies
For students pursuing education in the United States, this policy may be the go-to choice, as it has an association with United Health Care, which ensures the best health care benefits. The policy covers medical and non-medical expenses, dental expenses, sports injuries, mental and nervous disorders, loss of passport or baggage, personal liabilities, family visits and repatriation of remains.
This policy offers quick disbursement of claims via its network of hospitals worldwide. It provides 24-hour emergency assistance as well. A unique feature of this plan is the Red 24 service, which informs the insured about the risks and threats of any particular location. It also provides other conventional benefits, such as cover for accidental medical expenses, mental and nervous disorders, emergency evacuation, family visits and more.
Insuring yourself before overseas travel not only covers for travel and medical contingencies, it also leaves you worry-free, enabling you to focus on your education and perform well.
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