Tips To Find Suitable International Student Health Insurance

Medical care is very expensive in the United States, and consequently, insurance is a necessity, not a luxury. Especially for students from another country, international student medical insurance is a confusing yet essential part of American life. Knowledge is power, and a student must know the basics of how student insurance works.

Every international student must have health insurance. Most schools offer a sponsored insurance plan that is applied to each international student automatically. They require that students provide proof of insurance before they register for courses. If a student has similar insurance from elsewhere, the college-sponsored plan can be waived.

U.S. students may be eligible for insurance under their parents insurance plan and may not purchase any additional insurance. International students must either enroll in the college-sponsored plan or look for international student health insurance elsewhere. Oftentimes, outside coverage is less expensive than the college-sponsored plan, and is much more flexible.

There are two ways to go about purchasing international student medical insurance outside the college: calling an agent or checking prices online. For the international student, the most effective way is probably to go online, where comparison Web sites can provide details of plans that meet specified criteria.

You must also consider coverage for your dependents. They cannot be insured under a student insurance plan unless you are the primary plan holder. However, they can be covered under other short-term insurance plans.

Your college will likely be asked to fill out a waiver form if you decide to purchase international student health insurance from outside. The form requires details of the plan that you will be insured under, to ensure that you have adequate coverage. If you buy insurance online, the site’s customer service department will help you fill the form and provide details of eligible plans.

Some usual benefits of international student health insurance are consultation and hospitalization, prescription drugs, maternity, mental health, emergency medical evacuation, accidental death and dismemberment, and repatriation of remains in case of death. Most plans also cover sports injuries, in addition to medical diagnostic tests.

International student health insurance is only valid until the plan holder remains a full-time student. Coverage may not extend to the Optional Practical Training period after graduation. Short-term insurance plans provide good coverage for such stop-gap insurance needs.

Dan Miller often writes about international student insurance.