Travel Insurance Plans on PolicyBazaar#1
- Individuals
- Sr. Citizens
- Students
What is Student Travel Insurance?
Student travel insurance is a safety net for anyone going abroad for educational purposes. With sky-high rates and expensive medical care abroad, travel health insurance for students has a lot of unique features to save you from any sort of medical expenses when you're alone in a foreign country.
Most student travel insurance plans also include features like policy extension and auto-renewal facilities, making it easier for the insured student.
So, if you're travelling abroad, you must cover yourself with the right insurance for indian students studying abroad to eliminate the odds of the financial risks arising out of any unpredictable and unfortunate instances.
Facts about Student Travel Insurance
| Categories | Specifications |
| Eligibility | Indians between 16-35 years who are pursuing higher education abroad |
| Duration | Can range between 1-3 years |
| Benefits Offered | Medical Expenses Cover, Passport Loss, Delay/Loss of Baggage, Personal Liability, Maternity and Childcare Benefit, Loss of Laptop, Sponsor Protection, Study Interruption |
| Common Exclusions | Medical expenses due to pre-existing diseases, Self-inflicted injuries, STDs, Mental/Nervous Disorders, Experimental or alternative treatments |
| Renewal | Automatic renewal available with some insurers |
Key Features of Student Travel Insurance
Overseas student travel insurance comes with certain features that differentiate it from other types of travel insurance. Take a look at some of the most common features of international student travel insurance offered by insurance providers in India:
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Worldwide Coverage
No matter which part of the world you plan to study in, you will be protected under international student travel insurance for all sorts of medical and non medical expenses covered under your policy.
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Round the Clock Assistance
If something goes wrong while you're studying abroad, several insurers will assist you during various difficulties as per the scope of the policy round the clock.
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Covers for Accidents and Illnesses
Student travel insurance will protect you from high medical costs arising from an accident or an urgent medical evacuation, the student travel insurance plan will cover all the costs.
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Refund on Policy Cancellation
In case the university/ college abroad does not accept your student travel insurance policy purchased from India, then you can easily get it cancelled. All insurance companies come with a student travel insurance policy cancellation option.
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Baggage Loss or Delay
In case of theft or loss of baggage, your overseas student travel insurance plan will help you with the costs of all necessary amenities.
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Hijack Distress Allowance
As low as the chances may be, if you are ever a victim of hijacking, your policy will offer you some distress allowance to help you cope with the trauma that you may experience.
When is Student Travel Insurance Required?
In most countries, an overseas student travel insurance is mandatory to study at several colleges or universities. Many countries, like the Schengen nations, do not allow students to obtain a valid visa until they have bought an international student health insurance policy that meets all the necessary guidelines.
The student can either purchase medical insurance for international students in India before travelling abroad, or they can opt for the student medical insurance offered by their university abroad. It is recommended to purchase a domestic student holiday insurance plan as they're available at a cheaper price.
Why Do I Need a Student Travel Insurance Policy?
Studying and living alone out of your home country always involves some risks that could cost a fortune and disrupt your entire budget. It could be a sudden medical expense, loss of your passport or theft of your belongings. Since life is unpredictable and there is always a possibility of things going wrong, it is always better to have travel insurance for students.
Most universities abroad strongly suggest students get overseas medical insurance once they have secured an admission offer. You must either buy a travel health insurance from the university or buy an overseas student insurance plan from your home country.
Student travel insurance covers multiple emergencies and ensures that you do not have to bear the expenses. Overseas medical insurance for students also comes in handy in covering various non-medical expenses as well, such as:
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Unfortunate events like loss of checked-in baggage, etc.
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Bail bonds and tuition fee
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Delay in take-off or cancellation of flight
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Loss of passport
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Compassionate visit
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Bail bond cover
*For the complete list of inclusions, you must check the policy wordings
Students living outside India may also have visitors from their families during an emergency medical condition, which requires financial backup as well.
What does the Student Travel Insurance cover?
Covered in policy
A medical insurance for Indian students studying abroad offers wide coverage to neutralise various risks during the insured's study abroad. However, the exact coverage benefits vary with the insurance provider.
Take a look at some of the inclusions:
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Emergency Medical Charges: It offers reimbursement to the insured person for any medical charges incurred due to an unexpected illness or accident during the course.
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Dental Treatment Expenses: Some student travel health insurance plans reimburse dental treatment expenses as per their policy terms.
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Permanent Disability: If the insured student is permanently disabled due to an accident, it pays the insured's family pre-decided compensation.
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Accidental Death Benefit: In the event of accidental death, it pays pre-decided compensation to the insured's family.
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Medical Evacuation: It pays for the actual expenses or the pre-decided amount insured, whichever is lesser when evacuating the insured back to India.
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Body Repatriation: The policy pays for the actual expenses or the pre-decided amount insured, whichever is lesser in case of repatriating the mortal remains of the insured person back to their country.
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Missed Departure or Missed Connection: The insured student is reimbursed for the incurred expenses because of missed departure or connections by the airline under a student travel insurance plan.
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Trip Delay: The insured is provided reimbursement for the incurred expenses due to a trip delay of over12 hours.
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Loss of Passport: If the insured's passport is lost, overseas student travel insurance will reimburse the expenses incurred for making arrangements for a fresh or duplicate passport.
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Personal Liability: Student travel insurance pays for damage(s) that an insured is legally bound to pay because of a lawsuit for accidental bodily damage or property damage(s) caused by them to a third party.
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Study Interruption: If the insured person can't continue their education abroad due to an emergency, the student travel insurance policy will compensate for the loss.
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Sponsor Protection: In case of accidental death of the sponsor of an insured person, Student travel insurance pays for the insured's tuition fees.
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Compassionate Visit: In case there is a need for a compassionate visit by an immediate family member of the insured, Student travel insurance covers that compassionate visit.
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Treatment for Expecting Mothers: After completing the waiting period of 10 months, Student travel insurance covers pregnancy-related in-patient medical expenses. Again depending on the type of policy that covers the particular situation.
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Emergency Accommodation Benefit: In case of a natural catastrophe, when an insured person cannot stay at their original accommodation, compensation is provided for additional emergency accommodation expenses under Student travel insurance.
Not Covered in policy
Even student travel insurance policies have certain situations that are out-of-the coverage list.
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Student Travel Insurance will not cover expenses incurred due to a pre-existing medical ailment unless the policy covers the same condition.
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Expenses incurred due to Suicide; injuries or illnesses due to self-infliction, or any kind of mental disorder depression, stress, or anxiety, alcohol, drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, etc
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The insurer is also not liable to pay for any expenses arising if the insured is travelling without the consent of their physician, or going to get a medical treatment in the country.
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Theft, damage or loss of passport due to negligence, or failure to report it to the local police authorities on time etc. is not covered under student travel insurance plans.
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Partial damage or loss of checked-in baggage (only complete loss or damage is covered). Moreover, precious items inside the bag are also not covered by Student Travel Insurance unless mentioned in the list of inclusions.
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Any situation arising due to war or nuclear threat in the country you are travelling to is not covered by student travel insurance
Tips to Save on Student Travel Insurance Premiums
If you are a student and are looking for ways to save some money on your medical insurance for Indian students studying abroad, then these tips will come handy for you:
Purchasing student travel insurance online is easier and more convenient than offline modes. After thorough comparison, it helps you save money and fetch amazing offers on the premium.
Be sure to assess the safety and health risks associated with the study destination you'll travel to. If it's less risky, you do not need to buy a higher health cover.
The closer you are to the trip, the higher your insurance premium will be offered. Once your admission is confirmed, purchase your student travel insurance online as soon as possible. This way, you will get the lowest premiums and maximum insurance coverage.
The deductible is a pre-decided amount you must pay when filing a claim before your insurer covers the remaining amount. Deductibles affect an insurance premium; ensure that you opt for the deductible based on what fulfils your student travel insurance expectations.
Extension of Student Travel Insurance Policy
There can be situations that may force you to extend your stay abroad. For example, if your exams get postponed and are rescheduled after your student travel insurance policy expires, or if you get hospitalized for an illness or injury that extends your stay beyond your original schedule.
A need to extend your policy will arise in all of these situations. Luckily, all insurance providers allow you to extend student travel insurance online.
If your overseas stay gets extended due to reasons beyond your control, then your travel insurer will extend your policy, provided you have paid the additional premium amount applicable.
Several factors determine this additional premium amount, namely the period of extension, age, type of insurance plan, location of your university, etc.
Besides, your student policy will be extended depending upon your insurer’s terms and conditions. However, you must meet the following conditions to extend your international student health insurance policy:
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The student travel insurance policy hasn't expired already
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Sum insured amount remains the same even after policy extension
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No medical claims have been filed during the policy tenure
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Insured must declare that they don't have any pre-existing health conditions
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The additional premium should be paid before the policy extension period comes into effect
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The total policy period, including the original policy period and extended period, does not exceed two years
Most insurance companies allow insured students to extend the policy only once. However, the exact number of times you can extend your travel insurance depends on your insurance company's policies.
You can extend your overseas study insurance policy only if the ongoing claim is related to one of the following covers:
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Loss of passport
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Dental treatment
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Emergency financial assistance
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Loss/ delay of check-in baggage
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Trip delay
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Missed connection
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Trip cancellation & interruption
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Hijack distress allowance
Make sure to inform your insurance company or the assistance provider as soon as possible so that the policy can be extended on time. Also, remember that the extension of your travel insurance policy depends on the sole discretion of the insurance company.
Things to Remember Before Buying Student Travel Insurance
A medical insurance for international students is quite important and negligence towards matters and facts related to insurance can cause confusion and disappointment later. Listed below are a few facts that you should know:
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Eligibility
You are eligible to buy a student travel insurance plan at the age determined by your policy and if you fulfil the mandatory student visa requirement.
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Compulsory Clause
As having student health insurance is mandatory in many foreign universities, it is important to buy it even for the visa process.. Some universities may also decline the admission application if the student is uninsured.
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Cheaper Premiums
Premiums for a student travel insurance plan is cheaper in comparison to the price of policies by foreign insurers.
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Mandatory Risk Covers
Many universities have made it compulsory for students to have coverage against specific risks like drug dependency, mental and nervous disorders, alcoholism, and other expenses related to intercollegiate sports injuries, pregnancy, mammography, cancer screening, and childcare benefits.
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Waiver of Premiums
If you, as a student, have availed of a health insurance plan from an insurer in India, then you can claim a refund from the foreign university as the premium is already included in the fees paid to the university.
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Pregnancy Clause
Any expense related to pregnancy and childbirth is not usually covered in overseas medical insurance for students. However, you can check if the expenses incurred due to any unforeseen emergency save the insured person's/child's life in case of acute complications are covered or purchase an add-on if offered.
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Premium Refund upon Early Return
If you end your trip before the expiry of your insurance plan and haven't filed any claims, you can contact your insurance company to get a premium refund. If you get a refund, it will come with a few deductions.
How to Claim a Student Travel Insurance?
During your stay in a foreign land, you never know when you need to file a claim. Here is the claim process for student travel insurance:
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Contact Insurer
Immediately contact your insurance provider or Policybazaar.com to inform them about the loss arising from a claim. You can do so by calling their helpline number or over email.
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Notify Your Insurer
In case of an abrupt mishap or sudden sickness where it's not possible to notify your insurer well in advance, get in touch with your insurance provider as soon as possible.
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Medical Examination
If required by your insurance provider, you need to undergo a medical examination. In most policies, this will be covered by your insurance provider.
Nowadays, the claim process can be easily filed for most student travel insurance online or through special mobile applications.
Why Choose Policybazaar for Your Student Travel Insurance?
Other than easy comparison, buying travel insurance for students studying abroad online from Policybazaar Insurance Brokers Private Limited has the following benefits:
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Make an ideal choice by comparing various student travel insurance quotes
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Choose the insurance plan from multiple insurers according to your specific requirements
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Complete transparency of information
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Compare and analyse the features and USPs of various plans simultaneously
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Buy the most efficient product in the least amount of time
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Quick and convenient insurance shopping
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Safety, mental peace, guaranteed end-to-end assistance
Focused on providing students with financial coverage against travel-related eventualities, overseas student travel insurance provides much-needed assistance in the hour of need.
You can also opt for other benefits with your travel insurance policy to fortify the cover and make your policy comprehensive. These riders include provision for a bail bond, reimbursement of tuition fee under sponsor protection, compensation on loss of passport and much more. For more details, you can write to us at care@policybazaar.com.
Top Study Destinations
Going to a foreign land to study is a dream for most people. For many Indians, this can easily become a reality thanks to affordable resources and insurance options available to them. Here's a list of the top study destinations if you're a student planning to go abroad for your education:
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Canada
Canada offers a unique study experience and has been one of the most popular destinations for Indian students. Compared to other countries, the average tuition fee and living cost here is much less without compromising the quality of education. Most colleges here invite applications for fall, winter, and summer intake which is why Canada is the best study destination.
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USA
The ultimate American Dream, to this day, getting into a distinguished US university is considered a feat not easily achieved. Over a million students studying here are foreigners, and for good reason. The country has some of the top-ranking universities and Ivy League institutions making it one of the most , with around 60% of students getting a good job after finishing their studies here. Moreover, with a health insurance for f1 students visa, you will be covered against medical emergencies also in the USA.
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Australia
With one of the highest student visa acceptance rates, around 90% to 95%, Australia has emerged as a competitor of the top study destinations, especially for Indians. Its universities offer numerous scholarships and affordable education opportunities to foreign students.
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United Kingdom
The seat of some of the world's oldest and most reputed universities, the UK continues to be the top choice in Europe. However, some may be deterred from studying here due to expenses. Nonetheless, home to Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the UK remains to be one of the best countries to pursue higher education in.
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Germany
Rapidly becoming a favourite for its affordability, Germany offers free education through its public universities to all international students willing to study here. With some mandatory conditions like German proficiency and valid travel health insurance for Germany, the country is an all-rounder for offering the best faculty in most fields.
These countries consist of highly-ranked universities and professors, which sets them apart from the rest. If you have made it into one of those or are planning to apply for admission, money and other expenses should not be the reason stopping you from fulfilling your dreams. Also, not having any relatives in that country should not keep you from coming here. With sturdy overseas medical insurance for students, you will never be alone during difficulties or sudden financial emergencies.
Student Travel Insurance: FAQs
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Q: Would I get any reimbursement if I have not travelled during my student trip insurance policy period?
Ans: You are eligible for a refund only if your insurer has specifically mentioned the same. It depends on your student travel insurance coverage and terms and conditions. However, its most unlikely to get a refund. You can get benefits at the time of reissuance, but that also will vary as per the insurance provider. -
Q: What is not covered by overseas health insurance for students?
Ans: The overseas student insurance plan doesn't cover injury, loss, damage, legal liability, etc., arising directly or indirectly from travelling to/ in or through restricted countries,medical expenses arising due to negligence or self harm, any losses incurred due to alcohol or drug abuse, etc. -
Q: Do students need a travel insurance plan?
Ans: When you travel abroad to study, you are exposed to various risks arising from unexpected/unfavourable events. Unfortunately, events like passport loss, baggage loss, an accident or any medical emergency may occur at any time. If you've student travel insurance coverage, it safeguards you against all such events. -
Q: Am I eligible to buy a student travel insurance policy?
Ans: All Indian students who study overseas at an international university can purchase a student travel insurance policy. The age of the applicants varies with the insurer and is usually between the ages of 16 and 35 years. However, the age may differ with different insurance providers. -
Q: Is it mandatory to buy student travel insurance?
Ans: No, travel insurance for students is not mandatory universally. However, many international universities have made it compulsory for international students to possess valid overseas student insurance, especially Canadian and German universities. Make sure to check the insurance requirements with your university, as some of them prefer students to buy insurance policies from them. -
Q: Is being in India mandatory while purchasing the student travel insurance policy?
Ans: Yes. All applicants for student travel insurance must be in India when purchasing the policy, as they cannot be purchased if the applicant has already left the country to study abroad. -
Q: Will my university abroad recognise/accept my international travel insurance?
Ans: Almost all universities abroad accept/recognise the international student travel insurance offered by insurers in India. However, it entirely depends on your university if it accepts your student trip insurance policies, as they may have tie-ups with specific insurance companies or have specific admission requirements. -
Q: What is an emergency assistance provider?
Ans: An emergency assistance provider is an organisation appointed by the insurance company that offers customer-centric services to the insured student in case of an emergency abroad. It provides assistance during emergencies abroad along with helping them raise a claim and, sometimes, settle it on behalf of the insurance company. -
Q: Will I get a refund if my university does not accept my student travel policy?
Ans: Yes. You will be refunded if your university abroad does not accept your travel insurance policy. The refund will be made as per the terms of your policy. -
Q: How does international student travel insurance cover me if I meet with an accident during the trip and suffer injuries or losses?
Ans: In case you meet with an accident abroad and suffer from injuries and losses, your travel insurer will cover the cost of your medical treatment. In the worst-case scenario, if the accident leads to your death, compensation will be paid to your family. In case you suffer from a permanent total disability as a result of the accident, you will receive compensation from your insurer. However, the extent of the compensation and the treatment expenses is limited to the sum insured of your international student travel insurance policy.
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