Chinese Student Health Insurance in New Brunswick
September 26th, 2011 by Jennifer FrankelNew Brunswick is a province in Canada that is located on the eastern shoreline. Like with the other provinces in Canada, New Brunswick offers national health care to its citizens and permanent residence called the New Brunswick Medicare. If you are an international student studying in New Brunswick, whether a student from another province or country, you are not eligible for the New Brunswick Medicare.
Instead, if you are a Chinese international student in New Brunswick, you will need to purchase a separate policy to cover you while studying in Canada. If you do not have an insurance plan in place, you will be expected to pay for medical treatment and expenses out-of-pocket. To cut down on your expenses, you should first contact your school to see whether they have a mandatory insurance plan in place.
Some schools will allow you to choose your own student insurance plan if you are able to provide proof of insurance upon arrival. Other schools will leave students on their own to purchase insurance. Other universities may build insurance into the tuition without the option to waive out. In any of these cases, it is important to find out what your school offers, what options you have, and what type of benefits are included in your plan.
International Student Health Insurance in Taiwan
September 23rd, 2011 by ahoontrakulAccording to the CIA World Fact Book, Taiwan has an estimated GDP real growth rate of 10.8% placing it at number 4 compared to the rest of the world (2010). Taiwan has one of the most dynamic economies in the world but is often an overlooked destination for student studying abroad. However, this country is a great destination for students who want to study abroad and learn Mandarin Chinese at the same time!
If you will be an international student in Taiwan for over four months you will receive an Alien Resident Certificate which will allow you to enroll in the government’s National Health Insurance (NHI). If you are studying in Taiwan for just a semester, you would not be eligible for the National Health Insurance program and would need to have your own private international student health insurance in Taiwan.
For students ineligible for the Taiwan National Health Insurance (or for those wanting private insurance), our private international student health insurance in Taiwan would be able to provide a great protection against any unforeseen sicknesses or injuries that might happen while you are there.
Chinese Student Health Insurance in Quebec
September 19th, 2011 by Jennifer FrankelWhile Quebec offer its citizens national health care, it is not available to international students studying in Quebec unless there is a bilateral agreement that entitles them to national health care in Canada. While China does not have an agreement, France, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden all allow students to obtain free health care in Quebec.
If you are not from one of these countries, however, you will need to purchase a private health insurance for your studies in Quebec. Most universities, however, have their own mandatory health insurance plan that most Chinese international students must purchase. The two largest mandatory insurance plans required by universities are Blue Cross and Desjardins Securité financière.
You will need to contact your school to see what type of insurance is available and whether it is mandatory. If they use the Blue Cross and Desjardins Securité financière insurance plans, they are modeled after the national health care plan called the Quebec Assurance maladie (RAMQ Medicare). Be sure to find out the benefits of the plan and check coverage to make sure that you will covered if you will be traveling.
International Student Insurance in Chinese
September 14th, 2011 by ahoontrakulInternational Student Insurance brings you interesting, useful and relevant information with our blog, Facebook and Twitter pages. We are always looking for new ways to provide more useful information to our community – and we’ve just done it again!
The number of international students studying abroad has been increasing year after year. A large number of these international students are from China. In the most recent Open Doors Report 2010, statistics show that the total number of international students increased by 3%. Of this total number, the report found that “this year’s growth was primarily driven by a 30% increase in Chinese student enrollment in the United States to a total of nearly 128,000 students.”
Because of this explosive growth, we have been targeting information relevant to international students from China. We are excited to announce that our International Student Insurance plan information, for example, is now available in Mandarin Chinese! You can now read more about both of our Student Health and Travel Medical Insurance plans in your native tongue.
That’s not all! We’ve just launched our International Student Insurance Chinese blog where international students can comment and read about the latest changes affecting Chinese students studying overseas. We’ve even translated our relevant blog posts to help students in their native language understand pertinent information!
Chinese Student Health Insurance in Manitoba
September 12th, 2011 by Jennifer FrankelManitoba, a province in Canada, insures its citizens under a nationwide universal health care plan called Manitoba Health. Recently, the province has made some reforms as to the eligibility of their health insurance specifically directed at international students.
As of January 19, 2011, Manitoba Health is no longer available to foreign students who only have a Study Permit. Instead, if you are a Chinese student or other foreign national, you are eligible for Manitoba Health if you have a valid work permit. However, if you do not have a valid work permit and intend on studying only, they will need to purchase a private student health insurance plan either individually or through your school.
International students in Manitoba enrolling in a post-secondary school are typically required to purchase the Manitoba International Student Health Insurance (MISHIP) through their school. This plan is provided by Great West Life and provides coverage only in Manitoba. If you plan on staying in Manitoba, we recommend that you contact your school to confirm your insurance options. Universities that offer the MISHIP generally make enrollment mandatory unless you have a valid work permit and have a Manitoba Health card.
If your school requires this insurance, it is important to contact your international student office to confirm coverage. If you plan to travel to another province or country you may want to consider purchasing a travel insurance since some services may be limited or excluded entirely.
Chinese Student Health Insurance for Saskatchewan
September 5th, 2011 by Jennifer FrankelLike many provinces in Canada, Saskatchewan offers national health care under the Saskatchewan Health program to all residence in the province. International students studying in Saskatchewan for a minimum of one year are eligible for national health benefits if they have full-time attendance at an accredited educational institution, have submitted the Student Certification, and have a valid Study Permit from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Once you have applied with Health Registration, you will receive a Health Services Card that can be renewed on an annual basis. If you will be studying in Saskatchewan for less than one year, you may not get a Study Permit and thus may not be eligible for Saskatchewan Health. Instead you will need to purchase a private student health insurance from either your school or independently.
It is important to note, however, that if you have traveled to another province longer than 90 days before you arrive in Saskatchewan, you will have a 3 month waiting period applied to your Saskatchewan Health plan. If this is the case, you will want to purchase a private health insurance plan to cover you for this waiting period. Some foreign students from China even purchase a supplementary insurance plan to provide additional coverage to the free benefits provided under the Saskatchewan Health.
Chinese Student Health Insurance in British Columbia
August 29th, 2011 by Jennifer FrankelLike many provinces in Canada, British Columbia offers its citizens national health care. Known as the Medical Service Plan (MSP) in British Columbia, the national health care lawfully requires residence of British Columbia to enroll in this health care system. You may wonder, does the MSP also apply to international students, including those from China?
For foreign students in British Columbia who plan to stay in Canada for 6 months or longer, study permits are issued under the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Under this status, British Columbia recognizes international students as residents and thus are eligible and required to enroll in the Medical Service Plan.
To apply for this coverage, international students must apply with a passport and Study Permit upon arrival in British Columbia. Once students have submitted their application, there is a 3 month waiting period before any benefits are paid. Because of this, many Chinese students purchase a private health insurance plan so that the plan will cover your medical expenses instead of having to pay out of pocket for this period.
Once the 3 month waiting period is over, you will receive your Care Card in the mail which will typically have the same expiration date as your Study Permit. If you will be studying in British Columbia for less than 6 months, you will need to secure your own private insurance plan for Canada to cover you in case of illness or injury.
International Student Insurance for High School
August 24th, 2011 by ahoontrakul
When most people hear about studying abroad or international students they think of students in their 20’s studying in college or university. But there are many international students studying that are still in high school, and there students all around the world who are studying internationally at high school.
Many insurance policies for international students are designed specifically for college students, and traditionally high school students may have some trouble finding an insurance policy that will work for them. But, luckily there are options available to you if you are a high school student that are both comprehensive and affordable!
The best International Student Insurance for High School plans are:
- Most of the time you will be traveling under the F1 Visa – in which case you are automatically are eligible to apply for our Student Secure. The plan comes in three different levels: Smart, Budget and Select, and all three provide a range of benefits that you will need. If you are also planning on playing in an interscholastic sports team, the Budget and the Select level will provide coverage for most sport-related injuries as well. The plan is also renewable, so if you plan to study for more than one year it is a great option!
- If you are coming to study in the US on a high school exchange program which would last no more than one year, the Atlas Travel Plan is another good option for you. The Atlas Travel Plan gives you the flexibility to choose the exact number of days you need coverage for your stay in the US, along with the policy maximum and deductible level you would like.
Whichever option you choose, both plans offer a wide range of benefits for emergency and non-emergency services including doctor visits, prescription medication, etc. However, if you would like assistance in selecting the right plan for your needs, please do not hesitate to contact one of our experience insurance agents who will be more than happy to help you find the right plan for you!
Waiving Your School’s Insurance Plan
August 22nd, 2011 by Jennifer FrankelMany international students are required to purchase insurance while studying in the United States. Every school administers their insurance plan differently, some leave students to purchase their own plan, other schools provide an optional plan, and still others have a mandatory insurance plan with the option to waive if they can show proof of coverage.
As students prepare to go back to school, many international students are looking to have high quality health care and save money! Most schools have a mandatory insurance plan that students are automatically enrolled in unless they can show that they have an alternative health insurance plan that meets the minimum requirements specified by the school. International Student Insurance works with students across the United States to help provide alternative, affordable, and comprehensive health coverage. If you are looking to waive your school’s insurance plan, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to do this:
Step 1. Find out what your school’s insurance requirements are.
Many schools that allow students to waive their school’s insurance plan want to make sure that their students are properly covered. Because of this, schools require students to show that they have met their minimum requirements (which are determined by your school). Some schools list their requirements on their website, while others provide this information upon request when you contact your adviser or health center. For those schools that have this information published online, we have designed our School Requirements page to help you find this information more quickly!
Step 2. Now that you know your requirements, find a plan that meets.
Every school has individualized insurance requirements that not all international student insurance plans meet. Go through each requirement and compare them with the plan you are interested in. Our Student Secure plan meets most insurance requirements and you are welcome to contact our licensed insurance representatives for assistance.
Step 3. You’ve found a plan that meets, now you need to let your school know.
Once you find a plan that meets your schools requirements, now it’s time to purchase the insurance. Be sure to confirm any particular dates of coverage you are required to have – you don’t want to be automatically enrolled in your school’s insurance plan because you didn’t have the right dates of coverage. Once you purchase the plan, you will need to notify your school that you have an alternative insurance plan that meets their requirements. To do this, most schools have a waiver form – also known as a compliance form – that the student and the insurance company are required to fill out. If you have purchased our Student Secure plan, you can simply fill out your student-only portion and either email or fax this form to us to be completed. We typically have forms completed and faxed to your school within one business day after the form has been received.
