Insurance for a F2 Visa
February 1st, 2013 by Bryanna Davis
Although insurance is not federally required for F2 visa holders, it is a good idea to have coverage since health costs inside the US can be expensive. However, finding insurance for a F2 visa can sometimes be a hunt. Many international student insurance plans will have certain eligibility requirements stating that the covered individual needs to be a full time student or have a F1 visa. This can create a roadblock for the F2 dependents of students.
Although difficult to find, individuals on an F2 visa have many options available when looking for a plan. Here are just a few:
- Be a dependent:
More than likely the individual who is on an F1 visa will also purchase health insurance. When making the purchase, whether it is to fulfill a school requirement or just to be prepared for the worst, it is important to check if dependents are allowed on the plan. The Student Health Advantage plan, for example, allows those on an F1 visa to purchase the plan and have a F2 spouse or child added to the plan.
Get a quote and purchase the plan online
- Purchase a major medical plan:
If purchasing a plan as a dependent is not an option and the individual needs insurance for an F2 visa for one year or longer, purchasing an international major medical plan is a great option. Often these plans do not have student status requirements and will provide comprehensive coverage.
- Purchase a travel plan:
F2 visa holders who need coverage for less than a year will want to explore their international travel medical plan options. Typically a main requirement of these plans is for the covered individual to purchase coverage for outside of their home country. That means there is not a student status required or a full year purchase needed.
You can find out more online on how to purchase insurance for a F2 visa or contact an agent for further information.
Fighting the Flu
January 25th, 2013 by Bryanna Davis
The US peak of flu season is here and it’s not passing by quietly. It has already become an epidemic according to the CDC and has killed 29 children/teens thus far.
International students especially need to ensure they are fighting the flu as best as possible. Attending class every day, living in close quarters and visiting the dining halls frequently can all contribute to the quick spread of this illness. If you develop one or more of the symptoms below, it could be the flu. Although most college students do not develop serious cases which require a doctor’s visit, this will depend on your personal health situation and strain of flu you develop. This year has produced a strain that tends to make the infected more ill than other strains. It is also advised to visit your doctor for further evaluation if you catch the flu and have a condition like kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, blood disorders, heart problems or weak immune system that could cause increased complications.
A big part of fighting the flu means knowing what symptoms to be on the lookout for:
- Fever of 100 °F or higher
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Chills
- Headache
- Sore Muscles
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea and vomiting
If you are in the lucky bunch of international students who has not yet caught the flu, there are a few things that you can do to continue to keep fighting the flu:
Wash your hands frequently: Soap and water work best when possible. Ensure that you wash for at least 20 seconds. Carry hand sanitizer for when this is not an option.
Don’t touch your face: Touching your eyes, nose or mouth after you have touched someone or something with the flu virus can potentially lead to you catching the virus also.
Do not eat or drink after others: Even if they appear healthy, it is best to not share these items since an infected individual is contagious one day before symptoms even appear.
Use a tissue: Use a new one each time you sneeze or cough and be sure to throw it away immediately.
If you are in the not-so-lucky bunch and already have multiple symptoms, grab your student insurance card and visit the doctor if needed. If you want to make sure you have coverage in place for the next time you get sick, find out more about the Student Secure plan as an excellent option for international students – or contact an agent for assistance.
The Difference between Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains
January 11th, 2013 by Bryanna Davis
When it comes to finding international insurance, two popular terms that shoppers will come across frequently are emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains. There are many country and school requirements
that state individuals need to have both emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains in their insurance plan. To make the process of finding an international insurance plan as simple as possible, you will want to know the difference between emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains before you begin the international insurance hunt.
In the process of looking at the difference between emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains, we will first look at emergency medical evacuation. Emergency medical evacuation occurs when an individual has a life-threatening emergency and needs care at a facility immediately. The evacuation may occur by air or ground. Additionally, if the individual is at a facility that is unable to provide the medically necessary treatment, emergency medical evacuation may occur if recommended by the attending physician.
Repatriation of remains is another term that often causes confusion. This term is referring to the transportation of mortal bodily remains to the principal residence of the covered individual. Usually, this is back to the insured’s family in their home country. Depending on the location of the home country and host country of the insured individual, this will be done by air or ground. Typically insurance plans include this benefit when the covered individual has a covered illness or injury that results in death.
There are a few key items included when looking at the difference between emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains. However, one main difference is that repatriation of remains refers to an individual who is already deceased, whereas emergency medical evacuation refers to a living individual who still is in need of medical assistance. Even if not required by their school or host country to obtain coverage for these benefits, students will want to make sure they have a plan that includes them since both of these instances can rack up high medical bills.
If you need a plan that includes emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains, contact one of our licensed agents to find a plan that best meets your needs.
*Helicoptor taking off photo courtesy of Shutterstock
OPT Insurance for Students from India
January 4th, 2013 by Bryanna Davis
The United States continues to be a popular destination for students from India to become an international student in. In the 2011/2012 academic year, there were more than 100,000 international students in the US from India, according to the latest “Open Doors” report.
After an international student graduates they have the option to participate in Optional Practical Training (OPT). This period allows international students to gain valuable work experience inside the US without having to change their student visa to a work visa like an H-1B. However, an individual who has purchased an insurance plan that has a full-time student eligibility requirement might find themselves in a bind once they graduate.
OPT insurance for students from India can be difficult to find. One popular plan option OPT insurance for students from India is the Student Secure plan. As long as students maintain their valid F1 visa status, they are able to have coverage on this plan during their OPT.
Individuals are typically on OPT for one year or less, eligible individuals can purchase the Student Secure plan for one month up to 364 days. Since it is a renewable plan, current students from India who need immediate coverage that will last through their OPT can purchase the Student Secure plan and be covered for up to four years. Additionally, many schools have certain requirements that students must meet with their international student insurance plan. To find out what your school insurance requirements are and if the Student Secure plan will meet, visit our school requirements database.
If you would like more information on purchasing OPT insurance for students from India please contact one of our licensed agents today for more information.
Students writing notes under a tree photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
International Student Insurance for the New Year
December 28th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
The New Year is rapidly approaching meaning so are deadlines to meet school insurance requirements. Finding a plan that will meet each requirement can be time consuming and confusing. However, our school insurance requirements database was created to assist you with this process. Using this tool, you can find your school by searching the state guide and see if our Student Secure plan will meet.
If you are unable to locate your school or if you prefer to speak to someone to help guide you in this process, you are able to call and talk to one of our licensed agents to find international student insurance for the New Year. If you discover that the Student Secure plan will not meet the requirements that your school needs you to have, don’t panic. We more than likely have an alternative plan that will!
If you already know that the Student Secure plan will meet your school requirements, you are able to purchase your international student insurance for the New Year through one of these two methods:
1. Online: You can visit the Student Secure main page and click “Apply Online.” From there you are able to receive a free quote and complete the application. As long as the payment is successfully deducted, you will receive an automatic confirmation that includes your certificate ID number!
2. Over the Phone: You can call and speak to one of our licensed agents who will assist you with your purchase over the phone. This service is available Monday through Friday 8am-6pm EST.
If your school has a waiver form or confirmation of coverage that needs to be finalized we are able to have these documents completed and returned to your school for you.
Don’t let the lack of insurance keep you from enrolling in the classes you need this upcoming semester. Purchase your international student insurance for the New Year and enroll as needed. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year 2013 photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Study Abroad Insurance for the United Kingdom
December 21st, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
Like the number of international students coming to the US, the number of US students studying abroad continues to increase. The latest “Open Doors” report shows that there was a 1.3 percent increase in the number of students who studied abroad in the 2010/2011 year when compared to the 2009/2010 year. There was a total of 273,996 US students that studied abroad. Of this number, 33,182 students decided to study in the United Kingdom. This makes the UK the leading destination for students to study abroad.
If you are one of the many US students who is currently or is planning on studying abroad in the UK but are not entitled to the National Health Service (NHS), you will need study abroad insurance for the United Kingdom.
One popular plan option for students who are studying in the United Kingdom is the Atlas Travel plan. The Atlas Travel plan allows students to choose their own coverage amount ($50,000-$1,000,000) and deductible ($0-$2,500). Students will receive coverage for doctor’s visits, hospitalization, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, trip interruption, political evacuation and much more.
Another plan option when it comes to study abroad insurance for the United Kingdom is the Student Secure plan. This plan comes in three levels: Smart ($200,000), Budget ($250,000) and Select ($300,000). The Student Secure plan will provide students with great benefits like coverage for doctor’s visits, hospitalization, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, emergency dental, maternity, mental health and sports coverage.
Both plans will provide students in the United Kingdom and around the world with the coverage they need. If you would like more information or to purchase study abroad insurance for the United Kingdom please feel free to contact one of our licensed agents today.
Closeup portrait photo courtesy of Shutterstock
International Students in the US
December 14th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
The year is almost to an end and the latest “Open Doors” report from the Institute of International Education(IIE) is in. The number of international students enrolling in colleges and universities within the United States continues to rise, this year brought 764,495 total, a 5.7 percent increase from last year, and a new record high. The trend of the leading country of origin continues to be China, giving Chinese students this title for the sixth consecutive year. Following in the lead is India, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Canada.
Where were these students headed? The top five states to host international students this past year were California (102,789), New York (82,436), Texas (61,511), Massachusetts (41,258) and Illinois (35,920). A few of the top US schools to host international students were the University of Southern California (9,269), the University of Illinois – Urbana – Champaign (8,997), New York University (8,660), Purdue University-Main Campus (8,563) and Columbia University (8,024).
Almost a quarter of the international students in the US studied business and management (166,733). The second most popular field of study was engineering (141,285) followed by math and computer science (71,364).
Of course the “Open Doors” report does not only track international students in the US. The number of US students studying abroad is also recorded and has recently increased by 1.3 percent. The latest results show that there were 273,996 US students who studied abroad for academic credit, the majority (58.1%) being short-term. A few of the top destination countries were the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France and China.
IIE has conducted research on international student trends both in and out of the US since 1919, in 1954 these findings became known as the “Open Doors” report.
International Business photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Renew your Insurance Plan for the New Year
December 7th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
With the New Year and semester right around the corner, many students and scholars will need to renew or extend their international insurance plan to ensure they have the coverage that their school requires. Luckily, those with the Student Secure plan or Atlas Travel plan can renew their plan in a matter of minutes online. If you need to renew your insurance plan for the New Year, follow the simple steps below and enjoy your holiday season knowing that you have the coverage you need!
- You can start this process in the Student Zone. To log in simply enter your certificate ID number and date of birth or password. Those who are unsure what their ID number is can always contact us for assistance.
- Once logged in, plans that are able to be extended or renewed will populate the option to “Extend Coverage.” Simply select this option and decide if you will be making a single payment or monthly payments. From there, the extension zone will appear and the new plan termination date can be selected. Before completing the extension or renewal of your insurance plan for the New Year there will be an option to review payment information, if the dates and prices are on par with the coverage needed, the next step is to enter in the necessary billing information and click “Proceed to Payment Screen.”
- Once the extension or renewal has been successfully completed you can view your plan extension endorsement which shows the new coverage information.
Students who need a new school insurance waiver or compliance form completed after extending their plan are able to contact us to have the necessary documents completed and sent to their school, or to answer any questions you may have.
6 Month Pre-existing Condition Coverage
November 30th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
As an international student on a F1 visa you are not required by the federal government to obtain health insurance. However, many schools have certain insurance requirements in place that you as an international student will need to abide by. One popular benefit that schools request students to include in their international insurance plan is pre-existing condition coverage after only a 6 month waiting period.
A pre-existing condition is any illness or injury that displayed symptoms, or that you were treated for, prior to your plan’s effective date. Some insurance plans will exclude these conditions from being covered or require that the student has been on the plan for a certain time period before coverage for those conditions is included.
When a school requires you to find an insurance plan that has pre-existing coverage after a 6 month waiting period, this means that after you have been on a plan for 6 months it needs to cover you for conditions that you had prior to having the plan.
If your school requires that you find an insurance plan that has 6 month pre-existing condition coverage, one plan option is the Student Secure 6 month pre-existing condition plan.
This plan has all of the great benefits of the Student Secure plan like hospitalization, doctor visits, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains. However, you will only have to wait 6 months to have pre-existing conditions covered!
If you are researching international student insurance options that include 6 month pre-existing condition coverage, check out the Student Secure 6 month pre-existing plan. If your school has multiple benefits that you need to meet to waive out of a school plan or to show that you have adequate coverage, contact one of our licensed agents today to find a plan that will include what you need – including 6 month pre-existing condition coverage.
Ankle of male athlete being wrapped photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Which Student Secure Plan Level is Right for You
November 23rd, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
You might have done your best with procrastinating when it comes to choosing your international student health insurance plan, but the time has come to make your purchase. Whether you have decided it is necessary for your health or your school has blocked you from enrolling in classes until you have an insurance plan, we are glad that you have started exploring your health insurance options.
Many international students elect to purchase the Student Secure plan but become confused and overwhelmed when trying to pick one of the three levels: Smart, Budget or Select. To help ease the process of deciding which Student Secure plan level is right for you, we have created a guide to assist you when making your decision.
Select: The Select level is the most comprehensive of each of the three Student Secure plan levels. With the Student Secure Select level, students will have a $300,000 policy maximum and benefits like doctor visits, hospitalization, prescription drugs, maternity, mental health, organized sports and emergency medical evacuation. When it comes time to utilize your insurance plan, this level also has the least out of pocket expense.
Budget: If you are trying to decide which Student Secure plan level is right for you and need a plan that will give you great coverage at an affordable price, the Budget level is a popular option. The Student Secure Budget level includes a $250,000 policy maximum, and has many of the great benefits offered in the select level like maternity, organized sports, mental health, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains.
Smart: Although the Smart level is the most basic of the three levels, it still gives student the coverage that they need, but at a reasonable cost. The Smart level gives students up to $200,000 in coverage and benefits include doctor visits, hospitalization, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains and much more. Students looking for a plan to cover them in both an emergency situation and for minor illnesses, like a cold, will want to check out the Smart level.
Another factor to take into consideration when choosing which level of the Student Secure plan is right for you is if your school has certain benefits that you need to have in your plan. Perhaps your school requires you to have maternity coverage, mental health and $300,000 for emergency medical evacuation. In this case the Select level would be best. If your school allows you to choose your plan without having you meet certain restrictions and you are looking for the most economical plan, the Smart level is a popular selection.
If you would like more information on which Student Secure plan level is right for you and will meet your school requiremements please contact our licensed agents today.
Picture of businesswoman photo courtesy of Shutterstock
