Comprehensive Travel Insurance Guide for International Students in the USA

ATK
New Delhi [India], September 14: Students who study abroad, even for a semester, have a wider horizon to explore in their careers. They can opt for jobs overseas or in India with ease. The degree and certifications acquired in the United States of America, in particular, opens many doors for them due to their diversified experiences in the field and a hands-on approach during the education program.
As glamorous as studying abroad is, though, there are inevitable risks to travelling to countries with strict immigration laws. Students have to manage their finances in USD, but their income or pocket money often comes in INR. So, when emergency situations arise, it can be very difficult to navigate without some external help.
Obviously, it would be unsafe to secure a loan from a US citizen as the principal amount and any interest would be charged in USD. Therefore, it is ideal to take travel insurance online which is customised to the country's dogmas. That way, students can deal with their issues, and they don't end up repaying in USD or incurring any unexpected debt in cases of emergency.
What is included in your Student Travel Insurance for USA?
A student travel insurance for the USA covers a lot more than a short-term traveller's plan. Here are the inclusions of student travel insurance online and offline policies:
* Expenses incurred for dental treatments during your education.
* Expenses towards emergency surgeries.
* Expenses towards treating injuries after accidents.
* In cases that require medical evacuation
* If a student ends up permanently disabled due to a mishap
* Expenses for family members to visit if the student is hospitalised for over 7 days in the USA.
* Paying third-party damages accidentally caused by the student.
* In cases of bailable offence, the travel insurance provider helps provide the bail amount to detention centres and temporary holding cells.
* In case of long illnesses that hinder your progress at schools and colleges, your tuition will be refunded.
* Paying tuition in case your sponsor meets an untimely death.
* If you lose your passport, you can get a new one with the help of your comprehensive travel insurance plan.
* In cases of loss of baggage upon arrival in the United States.
* In case the luggage was rerouted or delayed due to errors by the airlines.
* Transporting the body back to the home country in case of an untimely and unfortunate death.
These circumstances have a way of derailing students from their goals if not dealt with immediately. Therefore, comprehensive travel insurance policies are designed to help students out in these situations so they can focus on their studies and not have to worry about trivial matters.
What is not included in your Student Travel Insurance for the USA?
Aside from the generous benefits of travel insurance online in cases of emergency, there are certain situations in which the insurance provider is not obligated to pay the claim. They are as follows:
- In case the student breaches the laws set by the government of the United States of America when issuing their student visa.
- If the student is arrested for partaking in the consumption of substances that are strictly banned in the USA.
- If the student injures themselves while partaking in extreme outdoor activities.
- If the student harms themselves, tries to commit suicide or puts themselves in a dangerous way for thrills.
- If the student needs treatment for a preexisting ailment or disease. That would come under medical insurance, not travel insurance.
- If the student opts for cosmetic surgery such as reducing belly fat, getting implants, etc.
These exclusions in the travel insurance plans are simply to ensure that the student does not compromise the terms of their visa and derail their career. Travel insurance is for emergency purposes, but if the student partakes in illegal activities or in self-harm, it is a choice that leads to circumstances. In that case, the travel insurance provider is not legally obligated to mitigate the situation.
Why is comprehensive travel insurance for the USA required for students?
Anything can happen when a student goes to the USA to study and learn more about other cultures. It may not be their fault, but they end up bearing the consequences. Here is a list of things that are likely to cost students dearly during their stay in the United States:
1. Losing luggage -
What if you arrive in the United States and discover that your luggage was misrouted or another passenger picked it up from the carousel? You have a whole semester or year of studies ahead and no belongings.
You can claim your travel insurance online to purchase emergency clothing and supplies to keep you afloat while the airlines figure out a way to return your luggage to you.
2. Running into accidents -
You can be careful, look left and right several times before crossing the street, and always be on the lookout for things that could fall on you, but it's never enough. It may not be your fault that a drunken driver hits you with their car or a bank robber comes in while you are depositing or withdrawing a check. It could happen in your home country, too, and it cannot be avoided no matter how hard you try.
If you do run into such circumstances and end up injured, you need to have travel insurance to pay the medical bills or be prepared to spend at least a couple of thousand USD, which is a little above 1.5 lacs.
3. Getting arrested -
Again, it may not be your fault but you will need to post bail if you are arrested before you can be tried and acquitted by the courts. You can claim your travel insurance online or reach out to the provider for help.
4. Falling ill or needing surgery -
If you suddenly fell ill, for instance, needing an appendectomy or some other surgery that is not a result of a pre-existing ailment, the medical bills would still skyrocket. Travel insurance helps reduce the costs of treatment as well as covers the charges for hospital admission, ambulance expenses, etc.
5. Misplacing important documents -
During your stay in the USA, it is possible to be a victim of robbery or small-time mugging. You could end up losing your allowance, passport, visa, identification, credit or debit cards, and almost anything else.
In such cases, you don't have to be scared of becoming undocumented in the USA (the laws are pretty strict for that one). Instead, you can claim your travel insurance online to replace them and produce backups of your documents submitted at the time of taking the travel insurance. The documents will be faxed to you so you can prove to the authorities that you are there with an F-1 visa and apply for the replacements.
Travel insurance providers can also help supply emergency funds if you claim them for your survival in case you lose your money and cards during the mugging.
6. Unfortunate death -
God forbid, but if you were to, unfortunately, pass away in the USA due to an illness, accident or any unforeseen circumstance, travel insurance providers will help bring your body back to your family for proper service.
You can apply for travel insurance online till you reach the immigration counter in your home country. Once you board that flight, you can no longer apply for travel insurance online or otherwise, even if your flight is delayed after an immigration check.
Conclusion
The risks associated with travelling overseas are quite real. Travel insurance for USA helps mitigate these circumstances without a heavy financial load weighing you down in both the short and long term. You can claim your travel insurance policy in case of emergencies and continue your studies.
Make sure to discuss any added medical insurance with your provider to avail further benefits while studying abroad.
Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)