In a student’s life, studying abroad can be one of the most defining and dream come true-moments. Apart from the pressure of academics, life in a foreign country can be problematic as a student is staying away from loved ones and in an entirely new place.
Nothing can replace the care family and friends provide a student; however, overseas travel insurance for students can help them get out of tight spots. From the parents' perspective, this is an assurance that their child will be financially safe in any difficult situation.
Student travel insurance eliminates all the worry about unexpected circumstances and expenses and helps students focus on fulfilling educational goals. Student travel insurance has become essential to get peace of mind overseas for the students as well as their families due to university-specific compulsory student insurance requirements, rising healthcare costs and so on. Keep reading to get detailed insight on this.
What a Student Travel Insurance Can Cover?
Overseas travel insurance for students is an essential aspect of studying abroad. It protects you from unexpected expenses, including flight delays, legal fees, baggage loss, laptop/passport theft, medical costs, and many more challenges that can arise during your academic pursuit.
Here are a few reasons overseas student travel insurance is valuable:
Emergency Evacuation
If a civil situation or a serious medical condition demands evacuating the country, students can get back home safely without an issue with this insurance coverage.
Medical
During a student’s time abroad, medical costs are generally too much to bear without insurance due to the nature of a country’s economy. If a student gets sick, this insurance can cover the costs.
Lost or Stolen Belongings
There is a prevalent risk of losing your luggage during travel. Students can cover the loss or theft of luggage by choosing overseas travel insurance.
Trip Cancellation or Interruption
Flight cancellations or delays are events that can push students out of their schedule and bring unforeseen expenses. Travel insurance covers these aspects and saves students in these scenarios.
Academic Interruption
Imagine a scenario where you have to cut your trip short and return to your home. You have spent a considerable amount on tuition fees, and now you are losing so much of that academic expense. This can happen to any student studying abroad. If you have insurance that covers your reasons, it can save you from losing that money.
Personal Liability Coverage
One can imagine scenarios where students have unwillingly or accidentally damaged someone else's property or injured someone. It can conjure unforeseen financial strain and legal costs. The only way out of this situation is to buy travel insurance.
Travel Assistance Services
Travel assistance services are for students who are travelling for the first time and feel like they require additional assistance after reaching their destination. These insurance policies can offer 24/7 emergency assistance services, help with finding local healthcare providers or support in cases when travel documents are lost.
Natural Disasters
Travel insurance also provides coverage against natural disasters. When unforeseen natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and so on disrupt your travel plans, the student's travel insurance policy can deal with it.
Adventure Activities Coverage
Student life is filled with adventures. Some of those adventures are what make students become more mature human beings. As there are no adventures without some risk, one should empower oneself by opting for the adventure activities coverage a student's travel insurance provides.
Legal Assistance
Parents and students alike should stay informed about the legal system of the country. However, not every legal hardship is avoidable. Overseas travel insurance for students can cover legal expenses. It provides students protection around the unfamiliar legal system.
Peace of Mind for Parents
This is the indirect and probably the most important benefit of having travel insurance. It provides parents peace of mind by ensuring their child's safety. If a student is financially safe during emergencies in a foreign country, it is a huge pressure off the parent's mind.
What is the Difference Between Student and Normal Travel Insurance?
Now that you understand the crucial role insurance can play in a student’s education abroad, it is important to understand the difference between regular travel insurance and student travel insurance.
In simple terms, one can say that the main difference between regular travel insurance and student travel insurance lies in the coverage and tenure.
Coverage
Regular travel insurance will cover common travel-related mishaps, such as travel delays, medical emergencies, baggage loss, trip cancellations, etc. It also covers damage or loss of personal property and belongings that are left at home in India.
Whereas regular travel insurance covers the general needs of a traveller, student travel insurance focuses on the unique needs of students including visits of family members during a medical emergency, coverage for tuition fees, any interruption of academic pursuits, etc.
Tenure
Student travel insurance has longer tenures, as is evident from its purpose. Generally, it matches the length of the course, which can range from several months to a few years. Regular travel insurance provides essential coverage for shorter trips. So, its tenure often ranges from several days to a few weeks.
How to Get Your International Student Travel Insurance?
In the age of the internet, this answer is obvious. With numerous students immigrating each year, the online insurance market is beaming with reliable options. You can get the best travel insurance online relatively easily. Follow the steps below before choosing a suitable service:
Compare Policies
Conducting thorough research is a must. It will help you narrow down your options. Apart from that, consider connecting with people who have posted their opinions about travel insurance policies and your friends and family who have real experience in this field.
Some companies hide a few details about their product, generally, with the intent to sell. These details can cost you later. So, finding complaints and feedback from customers about those policies is a must to make an informed decision.
Check With Your University
If your university has a partnership with an insurance firm, it can offer you travel insurance as a deal. If your institution has one, be sure to check with them and get one. It will be more beneficial for you this way, as your university can take a proactive role in speeding up the claim process.
Consult a Student Counsellor and Doctor
Talking to your counsellor and doctor is essential to make a list of all your coverage needs. The student counsellor will know what awaits in your academic future, and thedoctor knows your medical history, so their opinions will help you find the policy that matches your needs perfectly.
Get Your Documentation
Gather necessary documents concerning your health condition, including proof of age, enrollment proofs, and so on, to meet the eligibility requirements for travel insurance.
From the discussion above, it is evident that numerous situations can disrupt your academic pursuit abroad. Whether you plan everything minutely or choose to go with the flow, having a financial support system in a foreign land is essential.
So, as you plan to study abroad and start planning for the journey, choose the right overseas travel insurance for you and keep your and your parents' minds at ease.
