What is Student Travel Insurance and its Importance?

Students often travel with plenty of baggage especially when heading to a foreign country. The risk of losing your stuff can be extremely high. This is where travel insurance comes in as it reassures the traveler that he/she will be compensated for any lost item and can replace it easily in a foreign country. Student travel insurance is a carefully curated insurance plan designed specifically for international students. These plans provide coverage against medical costs, loss of personal belongings such as baggage and passport, emergency accommodation, and other travel-based risks that a student might face during his/her international trip. Here is all you need to know about the best way to get travel insurance! 

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Why do you Need Travel Insurance?

A student travel insurance policy has multiple useful features. It provides a number of coverages in the event of loss of property and emergency accommodation, auto-renewal facilities, and extension of the policy during the entire academic course. This policy takes care of family visits and emergency medical requirements. International students living out of India on their own in developed nations such as the USA, UK, Germany, China, Russia, Canada, and similar nations need a backup plan to face emergency situations. 

Any accident or emergency situation can cost you heavy amounts. The medical expenses and other costs are extremely high. Students living outside require a good financial backup. Student travel insurance covers many similar costs and helps in covering the following.

• Medical expenses or emergency hospitalization cost
• Recovering passport
• Recovering lost baggage
• Bail bond cover
• Flight delay or cancellation
• Tuition fee
• Covers unexpected situations

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How to Get Student Travel Insurance?

All international students require student travel insurance, it is the best protection against loss of property and makes students feel in control because they have a good backup plan. There are certain requirements that need to be fulfilled. Given below are the facts that you should know before availing of student travel insurance:

Check your Eligibility

You can get the student travel insurance plan if you are above the age of 16. Students above 35 years are not eligible for this policy. The only purpose of availing of this insurance should be education in domestic or international institutes.

Check the Compulsory Clause

Having health insurance is a mandatory clause for international students. Every university offers health insurance. But by availing of the travel insurance, the students automatically cover the medical emergency cost as well. For some universities, having health insurance is compulsory for admission process completion.

Find Cheaper Premium Plans

The premiums for travel insurance plans are comparatively cheaper when policies are brought from domestic insurance providers. The premiums are lesser. Nearly 1/3 of the premiums are payable for policies offered in international universities abroad.

Check for Substitutes

Students must wisely choose a plant that substitutes the Health cost. By comparing the plans, you can save a lot of time and money on the premiums of the student travel insurance.

Check for Mandatory Risk Hours

Many western countries and your universities follow urban lifestyles. Therefore it is compulsory for students to have coverage against specific situations such as mental disorders, nervous disorders, alcoholism, drug dependency, and other medical emergencies such as cancer screening, mammography, child care, and more.

Check for Easy Extension

Go for the travel insurance plans which provide an easy auto-renewal policy during your entire Academy course. You may avail of extensions through simple online renewal forms.

Check for a Study Interruption Cover

In case of a medical emergency and hospitalization for long months, the studies are interrupted. The insurance covers the tuition fee for those months of disturbance. Also in a situation where a family member expires, reimbursement is made for those months.

Benefits of Travel Insurance

There are multiple benefits of availing the student travel insurance. Some of the reasons are mentioned below.

High Medical Costs Coverage

Health costs are very different in different countries. Most healthcare facilities are expensive in developed countries such as the USA and Europe. Without travel insurance, it would be very difficult for students to get treatment in any medical agency.

Protection of Personal Belongings

Students abroad or international students without insurance often pay a hefty amount from their personal savings to cover financial losses during an emergency situation. A travel insurance policy can save such personal funds.

Protection to Students

It is very common for students to face emergency situations during their stay abroad. The financial status can drain the students. But with a valid and reliable international student travel insurance policy, there is very little to worry about. From covering the costs of medical expenses to providing a temporary passport, everything is taken care of.

In some countries such as the USA, it is mandatory for students to have a valid student health insurance policy. It is a must during the admission process of foreign students.

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Inclusions: Student Travel Insurance

The student travel insurance covers the following emergencies:

Medical Emergency

A travel insurance policy for students provides aid in case of injury or illness. Also covers medical expenses in your home country during serious illness. Dental treatment can be very costly but with student travel insurance these costs are minimized.

Loss of Personal Belongings

If the student loses luggage or passports during the foreign trip, the travel insurance helps in recovering those finances. A temporary passport can be provided to cover the loss.

Temporary Accommodation

Certain countries are vulnerable to natural calamities and disasters. In case of temporary shelter needs, a travel insurance policy compensates and relocates the students.

Judicial Matters

Another unique benefit of student travel insurance is that it covers judicial matters. Students often fall into judicial matters when they’re unaware of the foreign country’s laws. In such a situation a student travel insurance policy compensates the damages and helps in getting bail.

Exclusions: Student Travel Insurance

The following situations are excluded from the student travel insurance policy.

• It does not cover the expenses of a pre-existing medical condition until a specified in the policy
• Expenses due to the following situations are not included such as suicide, self harm, mental disorders, depression, stress, anxiety, alcohol or drug abuse, HIV or AIDS
• Damage or loss of property due to carelessness or negligence
• Partial damage to baggage or loss of precious items inside bags
• Situations arising due to nuclear threat or war are not covered in student travel insurance

Also Read: Health Insurance Plans for Studying Abroad

Things to Consider

Here is a list of things that you must consider before availing of student travel insurance.

Assistance Services

It is necessary to check the assistance services that an insurance company provides abroad. Claim settlement process and hospital networks are critical during emergencies.

Deductibles

A deductible is an amount a claimant agrees to pay in order to get insurance. Students must seriously check the deductibles on the travel insurance policy that is what the student shall pay later on.

Requirements of your University

Certain universities abroad have specific requirements in insurance for international students. It is clearly mentioned on the university websites. You can read it for more details. Most of the universities mention the minimum requirement during the admission process in their college. Go for a minimum of INR 1,50,00,000 cover for US & Canada and INR 37,00,000 to INR 1,50,00,000 cover for the UK, and other countries.

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This was all about student travel insurance and its importance. If you are planning to study abroad then having insurance must be on the top of your list. Need some professional guidance for choosing the best scholarship to choose the right accommodation then contact our experts at Leverage Edu today and get a free consultation!