International Student Insurance Introduced a New Online Application
November 17th, 2012 by ahoontrakulIf you are a student traveling abroad who is in need of a travel medical insurance plan, you may already know that International Student Insurance offers a popular option that provides excellent coverage at a great price – the Atlas Travel plan. Recently we have made the entire online application process even better by introducing our new, easy to navigate application tool.
The new application includes four simple steps:
Step 1: Get a free quote
In this step, you will simply need to indicate whether you will need to include the US in your insurance coverage, enter your travel start and end date and the date of birth of everyone who needs the insurance coverage. Once you have done so, click “Next Step.”
Step 2: Pricing
On this page, you can choose the deductible and coverage amount you would like to include in your plan. You can also see what the price will be for the coverage that you want. Select it by clicking on the bubble next to the price and then click “Next Step.” 
Step 3: Details
Here, you will provide your personal information such as your name, gender, mailing address and beneficiary (person who will receive the death benefit in the event of your accidental death). Again, once you have included all of the necessary information, click “Next Step.”
Step 4: Payment
The final step is entering your payment information. To purchase our Atlas Travel Medical plan online, you can make the payment with either a credit or a debit card from Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. Finally, after filling out the information, check the box that you have read and agree with the terms and condition and then click “Purchase.”
That’s it! The application is as easy as 1,2,3…4. After you click on the “Purchase” button, the application will process within a few seconds and you will immediately receive a confirmation email with your receipt and ID card.
If you have any questions about purchasing one of our health insurance plans, please contact our insurance agents today.
What is Co-insurance
November 16th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
Studying inside the United States as an international student is an exciting opportunity! It gives students a chance to earn their education while going on a cultural journey. Some International students brush up on their English before they arrive in the US while others complete an English as a Second Language (ESL) course after arrival. Either way, international students who study in the US usually become quite fluent in English. However, even some of the most polished ESL speakers have a difficult time when it comes to deciphering insurance terms. One of the most popular questions when it comes to insurance is “what is co-insurance?”
We are here to help those who are searching for an insurance plan and are trying to figure out just what is co-insurance. Co-insurance is referring to the shared expense between the insured individual and the insurance company when a plan is utilized. Usually, the co-insurance will be applied after any applicable deductible is fulfilled.
For instance, if you visit the doctor and your plan has a $100 deductible and 80/20 co-insurance up to $5,000, the payment would break down like this:
You:
$100 Deductible
20% of expenses below $5,000
The Insurance Company:
80% of expenses below $5,000
100% of expenses above $5,000
There are many variations to how co-insurance is included in a plan. Some plans require the insured individual to pay to a certain amount, other plans might not have that limit. The percentage of what the insurance company pays toward the co-insurance will also vary greatly from plan to plan.
This should give you the general idea of what co-insurance is. The next step is figuring out the details of the co-insurance of the plan you are interested in and determining if it is a fair out-of-pocket amount.
If you are still wondering what is co-insurance or if you have any other questions when it comes to finding an international student insurance plan contact one of our licensed agents today.
*Pretty woman with confused expression photo courtesy of Shutterstock
International Student Insurance in South Africa
November 9th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
There are over 60,000 international students in South Africa and it’s no secret why there are so many drawn to this county. South Africa is home to both excitement and beauty. There are plenty of mountains for the more adventurous souls to explore and miles of beaches for those who are looking to just relax. Additionally, South Africa is a great place to discover wildlife! Those looking to see the big five: lions, buffalos, rhinos, leopards and elephants will have plenty of chances to do so at one of the many natural wildlife reserves throughout the country.
Of course there is plenty of nature to be found throughout South Africa, but it also has a more developed side for international students to experience. There are a number of modern cities that provide students with the perfect combination of culture and entertainment to enjoy while pursuing their studies. A few popular cities for students to consider studying abroad in include Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban.
Those who will be studying as an international student in South Africa must apply and be approved for a study permit and it is better to do this sooner than later. Getting approved for a permit means the student will need to show they have sufficient funds for their studies and that they have adequate international student insurance in South Africa.
One great option when it comes to international student insurance in South Africa is the Atlas Travel plan. This plan provides coverage for doctor visits, hospitalization, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains and organized sports. Students who purchase this plan are also able to choose their own deductible and coverage amount.
If you are in need of international student insurance in South Africa contact one of our licensed agents today for more information.
*A giraffe silhouetted photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Insurance For Parents Visiting Students Oversea
November 3rd, 2012 by ahoontrakul
If you are the parent of a student studying abroad, this may be the first time that you are apart from your son or daughter for such a long time. It is natural to worry about their health and well being, many parents even decide to pay a visit overseas to check up on their child. If you are planning to do the same, before leaving, you want to be sure that you have adequate travel medical insurance coverage for your trip.
Many domestic health insurance plans do not provide coverage while you are overseas, or provide limited coverage. Therefore, before leaving the country, you will want to make sure that your current health insurance plan will cover you internationally. If it does not provide sufficient coverage, you should purchase a short-term health insurance plan. Insurance for parents visiting students oversea is not expensive; you don’t have to spend a fortune to have great coverage.
Our travel medical insurance plan called the Atlas Travel is not just for students studying abroad, anyone traveling outside of their home country is eligible for this plan, so it is a great insurance plan for parents visiting students overseas.
In case you become sick or injured while traveling abroad, the Atlas Travel plan will provide coverage for both doctor visits and hospitalization along with many other benefits. This plan also allows you to choose your coverage anywhere between five days up to one year, so you can fit the plan to your exact travel itinerary.
Regardless of the reason you may want to visit your kids abroad, by making sure that you adequately protect yourself in case of unforeseen events to ensure your trip to see your child is a joyful experience.
Large passenger plane flying picture provided by Shutterstock.comInternational Students at the University of Montana
November 2nd, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
The University of Montana has been experiencing a steady growth in the number of international students since they had their first international student in the 1920’s. This year they reached their all-time high of 536 international students coming from 72 various countries around the world, according to the Montana Kaimin.
How has the University of Montana maintained and increased their international student population? A portion of the results are due to the institution’s reputation. In the 2010/2011 academic year, Montana Tech of the University of Montana was on the top 40 list of baccalaureate institutions put out by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
The other portion of their increase is due to the increased international efforts among the university as a whole. The university uses recruitment methods like offering scholarships to their international prospects and increasing the institution’s presence overseas through means like research projects.
Students who are part of the increasing number of international students at the University of Montana more than likely already know they are required to purchase health insurance and show proof of their coverage each semester. However, what many students don’t know is that they have the option to either purchase the insurance plan through the school, or choose their own individual plan.
For those looking for alternate plan options, one popular choice for international students at the University of Montana is the Student Secure plan. The Student Secure plan comes in three levels: Smart, Budget and Select. Each level has varying benefits and premium costs allowing students to choose the coverage that they want. Smart, Budget and Select will give students coverage for hospitalization, doctor’s visits, repatriation of remains, emergency medical evacuation and multiple other benefits. The Budget and Select levels provide more comprehensive benefits including enhanced mental health, organized sports coverage, dental treatment to alleviate pain and maternity coverage.
International Students at the University of Montana looking for insurance plan options can contact one our licensed agents for more information.
*Portrait of a beautiful young girl standing by a globe against white background photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Insurance for Thanksgiving Break
October 26th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
International students in the US will soon be able to enjoy their Thanksgiving break and have time to relax before the stress of finals begins. During this break university housing will often close, student dining halls give only the bare-minimum options and the campus will resemble a ghost town.
Many international students who are studying inside the United States take this time to travel either throughout the US or to a neighboring country like Canada or Mexico. Since Thanksgiving is a time for being thankful and giving back, some may also decide to use this break to volunteer in locations like Costa Rica. Those who are not sure where to go or who don’t want to go alone should do a bit of research on their school campus. Many colleges and universities have group travel and volunteer trips organized for holiday breaks and sometimes even offer school credit for these trips.
International students who will be joining this trend of travel and decide to visit outside the US will want to make sure that their current health insurance plan will cover them in their destination country. If not, they will need to look into purchasing a short-term health insurance plan so they will have insurance for Thanksgiving break.
One international insurance plan that students often purchase for school breaks is the Atlas Travel plan. It can be purchased for a minimum of 5 days up to 364 days meaning that students going on a short trip outside their home country are able to purchase insurance for Thanksgiving break for the exact number of days that they need.
The Atlas Travel plan allows students to choose their coverage amount and deductible and provides coverage for emergency medical evacuation, doctor visits, hospitalization, extreme sports and repatriation of remains.
Those who would like more information on insurance for Thanksgiving break can contact one of our licensed agents today.
*Group of happy, surprised teens photo courtesy of Shutterstock
How to avoid bed bugs while traveling
October 20th, 2012 by ahoontrakulIf you are studying abroad, you will likely also do a lot of traveling to different cities and neighboring countries. With planning your excursions and studying for you classes, the last thing you may think about is keeping your bed free of bed bugs! However, with recent news about outbreaks of bed bugs, being prepared can help you avoid suffering from the torture of a bed bug infestation. Here are some things you can do to avoid bed bugs while traveling.
Before you leave home and decide where you will be staying, look for reviews about your hotel or hostel. You can look for reviews online by doing a search on Google or on travel websites such as Tripadvisor.com. If someone encounters bed bugs, they will most likely leave a comment online. Remember the bed bugs can infest a place by being carried in inadvertently not necessary because a place is dirty, so a five star hotel can guarantee a bed bug free place anymore than a hostel.
Once you have arrived, check your room for signs of infestation. Bed bugs are about 1-7 millimeters long, reddish brown, flattened oval shaped and wingless. When you are in the room, look around the bed area, check under the sheets, pillowcases bed frame and the headboard. Remember that they like to hide in any nooks and crannies located near their food source (you!).
Even if you search, it is impossible to be 100% sure that there are no bed bugs. To reduce your chance of picking up these little critters even further, avoid putting your suitcase on the bed, or on any carpeted floor in your room. Instead, put your suitcase on a luggage stand or in the bathroom where there are fewer places for the bugs to hide.
If you think there is an infestation, report it to the hotel staff and leave! Stay at another hotel if possible. If changing hotels is not an option, ask for another room as far away from the infested room as possible since the bugs can easily move between adjacent rooms.
If you think you encountered bed bugs during your trip, don’t bring the problem back with you! Make sure to put your belonging into plastic bags so that the bugs can’t spread to other places. Wash and dry all your cloths using the highest temperatures to kill any bugs and have all other non-washable items treated.
By taking these precautions to avoid bed bugs while traveling, you can help keep your dream trip from becoming a blood-sucking nightmare.
Bedbug picture from shutterstock.com
Insurance for Recent International Graduates
October 19th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
International students in the United States know that finding a health insurance plan that will meet country requirements along with school requirements is not an easy task. It takes time and preparation to find a plan that will not only meet necessary coverage requirements but that fit into a student budget as well. When an international student graduates, something they will need to look into is if they are still eligible for their international student insurance plan. Insurance plans lay out eligibility details that individuals need to meet when buying that specific plan. As life situations change, so will the ability to meet the eligibility requirements of certain plans.
Those who are recent international student graduates and have an international student insurance plan will need to check if they are still eligible. Some plans make certain exceptions for those who have recently graduated, depending on their visa status or if they are in Optical Practical Training (OPT) status, other plans do not. Graduates on plans that require a full-time student status will need to begin the hunt for a new plan.
Individuals who are looking for insurance for recent international graduates have three popular plan options to choose from: the Student Secure plan, the Atlas Travel plan and the Global Medical plan. The plan that will be best suited for the individual will depend on their situation and how long they plan on staying inside the US. Here is a guide for those looking for insurance for recent international graduates:
Less than one year:
Recent graduates who plan on staying inside the US for 364 days or less are able to purchase the Atlas Travel plan. This plan will cover illnesses and injuries and offers graduates the flexibility to choose their coverage amount and deductible.
Less than four years:
The Student Secure plan is an option for insurance for recent international graduates who will be on OPT and still have a valid F-1 visa. Additionally, those who plan on continuing their education in graduate school at a college or university are usually eligible as well. This plan comes in three levels: Smart, Budget and Select and provides coverage for doctor’s visits, hospitalization, repatriation of remains, emergency medical evacuation and more.
Longer than four years:
International students and recent graduates looking for a plan that will last them throughout the years are able to apply for the Global Medical plan. This plan is medically underwritten and provides comprehensive coverage to those who need it.
Recent graduates who would like more information on these plans or assisting picking one out, please contact one of our licensed agents.
*Happy group of students in their graduation smile photo courtesy of shutterstock
Insurance for International Students from Mexico
October 12th, 2012 by Bryanna Davis
The United States and Mexico share a border that spans almost 2,000 miles. With this much land touching it can only be expected that students will want to explore their neighboring land. The number of Mexican international students studying in the United States increased by three percent last year in comparison to the previous year, according to the open doors report. The 2010/11 academic year brought in 13,713 students from Mexico, the majority of those being undergraduate students (59.5 percent).
International students from Mexico will need to meet the F-1 visa requirements. Those requirements include the following:
- Acceptance at a school
- Sufficient funds to pursue the desired course of study
- Preparation for the course of study
- Intent to leave the US after studies are complete
Federal requirements are not the only requirements that international students should be aware of. Colleges and universities also often have certain stipulations that international students must follow. For example, although individuals with an F-1 visa are not federally required to have health insurance, many schools do have an insurance requirement that international students will need to meet. The requirement of insurance for international students from Mexico will vary greatly depending on the institution. Some institutions have an insurance plan through the school that students must purchase; however, some schools allow their students to waive out of this plan as long as the alternate plan can meet certain coverage requirements laid out by the school. Other institutions simply leave students on their own to find an adequate student health insurance plan.
Individuals searching for insurance for international students from Mexico, whether to waive out of a school plan or to simply ensure they have the coverage they need while abroad, one popular plan option is the Student Secure plan. This plan gives eligible Mexican international students coverage inside the US and around the world.
The Student Secure plan allows international students to choose from three different levels: smart, budget and select. This lets students pick the level that has the coverage they need or are required to purchase.
If you would like more information on insurance for international students from Mexico please contact one of our licensed agents today.
*College student sitting on grass photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Studying Abroad with a Food Allergy
October 6th, 2012 by ahoontrakul
There are many benefits to studying abroad, but if you have a severe food allergy, the thought of traveling to another country with strange food customs might give you some pause about your safety. While you have legitimate concerns, it should not stop you from experiencing the world. With some preparations, many people are now traveling and studying abroad safely and comfortably, despite their food allergy.
If you are allergic to certain foods, preparation prior to your trip is key to having your experience goes as smoothly as possible. Here are some suggestions on what food allergy sufferers can do to prepare for their study abroad:
-
Research Food Custom
s. When you are in your planning stage, besides doing research on where to stay, what classes to take and where to travel during your breaks, be sure to also research the food customs of your destination. Many dishes may contain ingredients you might be allergic to but would not be able to tell just by looking; knowing the basics beforehand can save you from eating the wrong food unintentionally. - Bring Necessary Medications. Pack any medications that you may need. Over the counter medication, and most prescription medication, is easily packed. While you might be able to buy over the counter medications in your host country, the brand and the dosage may be different; and getting refills of your existing prescription can be quite difficult. For severe allergy, you should also talk to your doctor before leaving. (See our tips for Traveling with Medication)
- Buy Insurance. Be sure to buy adequate travel health insurance. Review the policy and make sure that the insurance policy will cover you in case you have a serious allergy attack and need to go to the hospital in addition to other sicknesses or injuries.
- Prepare Your Airline. When booking your flight, make sure you contact your airline and inform them about your allergy. With advance notice, most airlines are able to prepare special meals for people with dietary restrictions. You may want to pack some of your own food in a zip lock bag to snack on as well.
- Language Skills. Learn a few important phrases in your host country’s language so that you can tell others about your dietary need or prepare a phrase card that you can show others instead if you are not sure if you can remember how to say it or not have proper pronunciation.
- Communicate. Let important people know about your allergy in advance. For example, if you are staying with a host family, they might decide to cook a welcome dinner for you full of expensive seafood only to find out that you cannot eat any of it.
Finally, once you have arrived, the best way to know what you are eating is to make it yourself! If you are studying abroad and are lucky enough to have a kitchen, ask where to find the nearest grocery store. Not sure what things are? Ask your fellow shoppers! Walking around in the grocery store is a great way for you to meet the locals and gives you the chance to improve your language skills. Studying abroad with a food allergy doesn’t have to limit what you can do, but rather it can be a unique part of your international education.
Picture from ShutterStock.com
