If your school has chosen to implement a mandatory insurance plan, you have no option but to purchase coverage predetermined by your college or university, and in many cases the cost of the insurance is automatically added to your tuition bill. Mandatory school-sponsored insurance options like this tend to be more expensive than purchasing an individual plan, but they are known to provide more comprehensive coverage as well, including coverage for maternity, pre-existing conditions without a waiting period, mental health, wellness and preventative care.
If your school handles their insurance coverage in this way, there are a few things you should be aware of to make sure you have the full coverage you need. Firstly, check to make sure the plan will cover you while on school breaks and during Optional Practical Training (OPT). If not, then a Travel Medical plan may work well in that situation. Secondly, some mandatory school-sponsored insurance plans do not provide coverage for emergency evacuation, repatriation and some travel related benefits you might need. If this is the case, you might want to consider purchasing a standalone evacuation and repatriation plan to cover those costs.Some schools will offer a mandatory insurance plan, but allow students the option to waive coverage if they can prove they’ve purchased a comparable international student health insurance plan. To help determine if an outside plan is adequate, schools create a “waiver form.” This document is usually 1-2 pages long (or might be done through an online portal), lists each of the benefit requirements that your own plan needs to either meet or exceed, and requires both your signature and that of the insurance company. Only once both you and the insurance company have completed the appropriate sections of the form and given it back to your school will you be removed from the school’s plan.
For those students looking to waive a school-sponsored insurance plan, be sure to check our school requirements database. Here you will be able to locate your school and determine if you can waive coverage through our popular student health plan.When your school has not provided a specific insurance plan you need to purchase, or has no health insurance requirements, you have the ultimate flexibility to choose the insurance plan that best fits your needs and budget! It’s important to make sure that the insurance plan you choose provides comprehensive coverage by reviewing the exclusions, ensuring that the plan is underwritten and administered through a reputable company, and speaking to a licensed insurance agent to help address any questions you may have.
Be sure to read other articles in the Insurance Explained section to help you better understand how healthcare is regulated in the US, myths that often surround insurance, as well as general information to consider when purchasing an international student health insurance plan.
Even though each school will create its own “waiver form” to determine if an outside health insurance plan will be considered adequate to waive school-sponsored coverage, the majority of colleges and universities require the same basic benefits:
After you’ve contacted your school to determine if they have a school-sponsored health insurance plan for F-1 visa holders, don’t forget to ask if your dependents can be added to the plan, as well as cost and information on what the plan will and will not cover. If you do have the option to waive your school’s option, feel free to utilize our insurance comparison sheet to help you compare and contrast up to three plans, and help determine which is best for your situation. To help get you started, click the link below to learn more about our most popular plan for international students around the world, the Student Secure.