Your University-Sponsored Insurance might not Provide these Benefits

The previous article discussed international student insurance and why a student going abroad, especially in the US, must prefer buying one considering the country’s high cost of medical facilities. Apart from the countries making buying an essential factor for all the citizens and the students traveling there to pursue their higher studies, a health insurance plan could make things a lot easier. You might not even realize it during the time of purchase. Still, while a student is staying in the country, insurance makes survival easier.

Most universities and colleges in the US, Canada, or Australia offer students a health insurance plan which they provide in association with a local health insurance company. However, their coverage is limited to bearing the cost of treatment due to sickness or injury. Now, a health plan could either be university-sponsored or a plan chosen by the student from their own external sources. However, finding out which one is the best is comparing them by the number of benefits they include or exclude.

Further in this article, the expert’s team from Secure cover will explain the few benefits which one might not find in the university-sponsored insurance plan, and how those benefits could be better.

Vision and Dental Care benefits

Most pf the university-sponsored health plans are limited to medical expenses incurred in treatment of eye or tooth due to injury or accident, when it concerns vision or eye care coverage. They do not include treatment and procedures for keeping those vital organs in good shape or maybe a general doctor’s visit related to the good eye or dental care . So, if a student requires dental or eye treatment for reason other than injury, they are not covered in the plans provided by university.

In order to get coverage for eye and dental care, a student can opt for supplementary insurance which would provide the required coverage. Most university plans do offer supplementary plans for vision and dental care to students. Students can also purchase such supplementary plans from Healthcare marketplace or students can opt for an external source for their health insurance.

Travel insurance benefits

While the university sponsored student health insurance plans cover medical expenses due to sickness or injury, they do not include coverage for loss of checked-in luggage, flight delay and several other instances related to travel.

In some cases, the health cover offered by university sponsored plans is limited to the political boundary of that country only. If a student is traveling, he or she may have to purchase an additional travel insurance to keep him or her covered against any eventuality associated with travel.

Sponsor Protection benefits

A large number of students either take student loan (education loan) to meet the cost of higher education abroad or are sponsored by their parents or relatives. In case of a sponsored student, the death of the sponsor due to accident or injury may affect the student’s education as he or she may not be able to pay the fees. This is not taken into consideration by university sponsored plans.

Students, especially in India, can purchase overseas health insurance plans offered by several health insurance providers that compensate students in case of death of the sponsor. The compensation amount can be as high as $ 10,000. This would help student meet his or her fee payment obligation.

Compensation for study interruption

Sometimes due to a dire situation like a sickness, injury or familial issue, a student may not be able to attend class for a semester. That could lead to a student’s loss of an entire semester and having to repay the entire fees as they are asked to repeat the year. The student health insurance plans offered by universities and colleges cover cost of treatment but may not provide coverage of cost against unwanted consequences of those incidents such as study interruption.

Therefore, to prevent the student from suffering mental and financial hardship due to study interruption, several Indian health insurance companies have come up with overseas health plans that provide compensation for study interruption.

Compassionate visit benefits

There could be a possibility that a student’s close family member or they themselves become sick. In such a case, the cost of travel, for students in case any parent fall ill or the cost of travel for parents if the student falls ill might be very high. University and college sponsored health insurance plans do not provide cover for the expenses incurred on such travel.

However, there are plans, especially those offered by several Indian health insurance companies that have the provision for 2-way compassionate visit. These plans bear the cost of flight ticket for the student to visit to his or her home country if one of the parents is hospitalized for a period of 7 days or more. In case the student is unwell and is admitted for a period of 7 or more days, it covers the cost of overseas travel of one of the parents to meet the student.

Let’s Wrap Up!

There are several other benefits which a university-sponsored health plan might not provide and that could include lost baggage, study interruption, vision and dental problems etc. Finding out a health plan that overs such benefits at a minimum cost could do wonders and save you from trouble of incurring expenses from your own pocket which could be very high. Hence, reaching out to a correct source is very essential and buying a comprehensive health plan is a smart choice.

There are several Indian Insurance companies delivering comprehensive health plans to students traveling abroad. To know more about these plans, visit; www.securecover.in

For any queries, please write to us at; info@securecover.in 

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is based on personal research of the writer. Readers’ discretion is advised. Neither Student Cover nor the writer will be held liable for any wrongful interpretation of the content of this blog.