International Student Insurance

 As a former university student, I thought that it would be fitting to write a brief article on International Student Insurance. Government statistics show that over 175,000 students enrolled in Universities in Canada, are from foreign countries. Canadian health care cannot support this amount of additional people; so as a result, international students need coverage while they are studying abroad.

So, what exactly is International Student Insurance? Simply put, it is travel insurance for students who are studying away from their country of origin. For most students, the purpose of buying this kind of coverage would be to protect against unexpected medical costs. I will examine this closer, along with some other types of International Student Insurance of which you may or may not be aware.

Hospital and Medical

This would cover any accidents, illnesses, or visits to the doctor, up to the amount purchased. It often includes coverage for prescription drugs, of which up to 80% of the cost would be reimbursed, depending on the plan purchased. This could also cover maternity costs. In essence, if you are studying abroad, and are married, a child could be conceived and delivered during your time abroad. Also covered are eye examinations, accidental dental, for teeth which are damaged, and impacted wisdom teeth. Again, these are examples of different types of coverage which are available. It is important to know, that in order to qualify for International Student Insurance, you should be enrolled in at least 60% of the courses of a specific program at a college, university or accredited program.

Following, are other types of coverage also available.

Trip Cancellation & Interruption

This would reimburse you if you had to return home due to illness, or a death in the family, if a family caregiver became sick, and you had to return home, or, if something such as a disaster made your residence uninhabitable. These are examples of different occurrences which would be considered a Trip Interruption. Trip Cancellation would cover becoming ill before you left your country of origin. In this case, the non-refundable or non-recoverable portion of the trip would be reimbursed.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment

In the event of an accidental death while abroad at school, a lump sum would be payable to a named beneficiary. For an accidental dismemberment, a lump sum would be payable to yourself. The amount paid would depend on the amount of coverage purchased, based on the benefit schedule in the policy.

Baggage

When leaving for a year or longer, there is a good chance you are travelling with considerable personal belongings. So, it would be advisable to insure your baggage. You can insure your belongings against loss, damage, or theft. This includes, your travel documents, a specified sum of cash, and even in some cases, a pet which you may be bringing with you.

This article was designed to give a general overview of International Student Insurance, and what to look for when choosing a policy that works best for you. Be sure to look at your travel insurance policy before you buy. Do not assume that everything explained here is part of all policies. These are just examples, of the types of inclusions you can add to your policy while studying abroad.

I hope that you have found the information in this article helpful. For more information on this type of insurance, please visit our website.

Jordan Kovats B.Sc.