When students travel abroad to further their education, they battle not just culture shock, they are also not prepared for the high rate of medical care, especially in the United States. international student health insurance plans offer options that are especially geared toward the low-cost, low-risk student group.
You must have insurance before you start classes at a university or college. Designed especially for students on F1 visas and their dependents on F2 visas, international student insurance plans are low-cost and offer a range of deductibles. You can also use the insurance as study abroad insurance in another country.
The student can choose a plan most suited to his/her needs. There is a range of deductibles from zero to $2500, and plans can be purchased for periods ranging from 5 days to 3 years. Unless a change in situation renders the student ineligible, the plans are generally renewable until the student remains in college.
Coverage for dependents can be purchased if done along with coverage for the student. Most plans cover visits to the physician, hospitalization, prescription drugs, and medical evacuation, in case of emergency. Many of the study abroad insurance plans also cover pregnancy and pre-existing conditions.
To make the decision of choosing an insurance plan as hassle- and confusion-free as possible, companies which administers these international student health insurance plans, offers the facility to compare different plans.
If your institution has certain prerequisites for student health insurance plans, agencies can recommend plans that match your requirement. In fact, you could even save some money signing up for these plans instead of the college plan. If you think you will benefit from it, you can also add, for an extra premium, hazardous sports coverage.
You can use the Internet, fax, or mail to purchase the student health insurance plan. You can pay using your credit card or check, money orders or wire transfer. If you are a student, you probably don’t have much spare money, and the cashless settlement option of student insurance plans is a big attraction.
Your international student insurance plans are underwritten by companies such as Nationwide, Lloyd’s and AIG, which are rated high by the most trusted name in insurance ratings, A.M. Best Company.