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Written byNick Dauk
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6+ years writing about insurance, travel, and personal finances
Contributor to brands like Credible
In addition to insurance, Nick specializes in writing about business, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and travel. He’s been featured in myriad web publications, including Fox Business.
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Edited bySara Getman
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.
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Table of contents
Studying abroad is one of the most engaging ways to continue your studies while learning about a country’s history, culture, and more. So, it’s important to make sure you have the right protection before jet-setting across the world. That’s where travel insurance comes in.
Travel insurance can provide peace of mind during such a big move. It protects your bags if they get lost, reimburses you for hotel costs if your flight is delayed or canceled, and helps cover emergency medical costs.
Here’s what you need to know about travel insurance when studying abroad.
What is study abroad travel insurance?
Travel insurance is a type of insurance that reimburses you for some or all of your expenses when you experience an unfortunate event when traveling. This could be anything from losing your luggage to having to completely cancel the trip.[1]
Travel insurance could help you recover financially from these unexpected problems. Aside from issues with the trip itself, you may want to also consider travel medical insurance.
Good to Know
In most cases, your regular health insurance plan won’t cover the costs of your medical care outside of the United States, and the U.S. government won’t pay for medical bills or related costs if you’re injured while abroad.[2]
Types of travel insurance for studying abroad
If a university requires travel insurance for a semester abroad, faculty members or staff in charge of the program should notify the students of the policy requirements. If travel insurance is optional, study abroad program participants should at least know which options to consider.
Even if you’re staying in your home country — such as a student from the mainland United States enrolling in a semester in Alaska, Hawaii, or a U.S. territory — lost luggage, flight delays, and cancellations caused by a natural disaster can all happen.
These are some common types of travel coverage:
An emergency can happen at any time, and most U.S. health insurance isn’t usable abroad. Travel medical insurance typically pays for medical services you receive outside your home country, such as a routine service like a doctor visit for a prescription or a vaccination, as well as an emergency service suddenly required during your study trip. Travel medical insurance plans differ with each travel insurance company, so compare policies accordingly.
You’re likely bringing a lot of luggage if you’re going to study abroad. Baggage insurance covers your luggage if you lose it in transit. For example: Suppose you checked a bag at an airport in your home country, changed planes in a layover airport, and arrived at your destination only to discover that you no longer have your baggage. In this instance, baggage insurance would pay for the cost of your lost luggage.
This insurance might not be an important consideration for students using only carry-on luggage.
It’s very likely that you’ll have layovers and multiple flights when leaving the U.S. Travel insurance works on a case-by-case basis, and covered information-specific events are outlined in your policy. It’s important to remember that trip cancellation differs from a trip delay.
Basic travel insurance covers some long delays that result in you missing a significant amount of your trip; additional delay insurance can potentially cover you for smaller delays, such as long flight delays or transportation strikes.
Trip cancellation insurance is an important consideration, even if you believe you don’t need baggage insurance or delay insurance. Cancellation insurance protects your financial investment in a single trip by reimbursing you for canceled cruises, flights, train tickets, and more.
For instance, if your host country suddenly changes its entry requirements or your home country suddenly sets new travel restrictions, cancellation insurance may cover these events.
Travel can include moments of stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Some policies allow you to purchase additional insurance related to mental health coverage.
If you currently receive mental health services through your university, talk to your study abroad office about how you can ensure your unique psychological needs are covered abroad through mental health travel insurance.
Travel evacuation insurance removes you from the host country if military action or political unrest breaks out. If you’re going to a country that may have civil unrest, travel evacuation insurance can help you return home.
Studying abroad can be expensive, so it’s important to make sure you can get your expenses reimbursed no matter what happens. If you have to cancel your study abroad for a reason not listed on your travel insurance, “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage can help.
CFAR insurance may come in handy if you have to cancel your trip due to a change in financial situation, if there’s a family emergency, if you have a scheduling conflict, and more.[3]
What study abroad travel insurance covers
While every policy is different, study abroad travel insurance covers these core areas:
Travel protection
This covers your standard travel perils, such as flight delays, flight cancellations, and lost luggage.
Accident and sickness
It’s very rare for U.S. health insurance to be accepted abroad. Additionally, if you’re staying in one area for a long time, your visa might require you to carry international health coverage. Accident and sickness coverage helps pay for emergency accidents and illnesses, medical evacuation, emergency dental, and prescriptions and mental health resources (depending on your plan).
What study abroad travel insurance excludes
Study abroad insurance isn’t comprehensive, and you’ll likely need additional coverage. Here’s what it’ll likely exclude:
Personal property: Unfortunately, study abroad insurance typically doesn’t cover cell phone and laptop theft. Personal property coverage is a common add-on that helps ensure you can replace your possessions if they’re stolen while you’re abroad.
Trip cancellation: Trip cancellations are occasionally covered, but it depends on your policy’s listed perils. It usually won’t cover cancellation if there’s a family emergency, a scheduling conflict, or a change in your financial situation.
Sports injury: School sports injuries typically aren’t covered. You can purchase higher-level plans that’ll cover injuries if you study abroad and play on a school team.
Pre-existing conditions: Study abroad insurance doesn’t typically cover pre-existing conditions. If it does, it’s typically after six months to one year.
How much does study abroad insurance cost?
The cost of your travel insurance coverage depends on your university, the coverage you want, the length of your stay, and whether you choose a private insurer.
If you’re getting coverage through your university, prices range from $35 for two weeks to $50 for one month, $65 for a trimester, and $300 for a semester.
If you want more coverage than your university offers, you can choose a private plan. Prices range by coverage level, length of trip, and trip location.
You should budget at least a few hundred dollars for coverage for a study abroad trip.
Where to get travel insurance for studying abroad
Many insurance companies offer policies specifically designed for the needs of study abroad students. Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) provides travel insurance policies for international students and students studying abroad.[4] You can also purchase travel insurance through a global network of insurance companies for school-related trips.
The first places to search for policies are either through the study abroad office at your university or through your current insurance company. Most schools that facilitate study abroad trips will have either documents for you to view or email and other contact information to find a plan.
Similarly, your current medical, auto, or even homeowner insurance company may offer travel insurance that you can add to your policy.
Study abroad insurance FAQs
Whether it’s your first time studying abroad, or if you’ve never purchased travel insurance for a previous academic adventure, here’s some helpful information about study abroad insurance.
Do you need insurance to travel or study abroad?
You don’t typically need travel insurance unless your school or visa requires it. You do usually need to carry some form of health insurance, as U.S. health insurance isn’t accepted abroad. Your university will likely offer a plan.
What does study abroad insurance cover?
Study abroad insurance typically covers healthcare and medical expenses, trip delay, baggage loss, and sometimes cancellation.
How much does study abroad insurance cost?
Like every insurance type, it depends. Factors include trip length, coverage levels, trip location, visa requirements, and whether you work through your university or another insurer. For shorter trips of less than a month, you’ll typically pay $100 or less. Longer trips can range from $100 to $300.
Will the study abroad program provide health insurance?
Your university will provide health insurance options for you to enroll in and pay for. It’s unlikely your college will offer coverage for free.
What are the benefits of a student travel insurance plan?
Travel insurance can help cover lost luggage, flight delays or cancellations, trip delays, and certain trip cancellations. It can also help you get back to the U.S. if there’s an emergency or the area you’re in has an evacuation.
Sources
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Travel Insurance."
- U.S. Department of State -- Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Insurance Coverage Overseas."
- Allianz Travel Insurance. "What is Cancel for Any Reason Travel Insurance?."
- Cultural Insurance Services International. "Worldwide Travel Insurance Plans."
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Nick Dauk
Nick Dauk is a freelance writer specializing in business, entrepreneurship, personal finance, and travel. His work has been featured in Fox Business, BBC, The Edge, Business Insider, and Bisnow. Nick is a first-generation college graduate, having majored in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Central Florida. His eclectic coursework, combined with previous managerial roles in the retail and broadcast television industries, have helped him develop an interdisciplinary approach to writing.
For nearly a decade, Nick has created content for mom-and-pop businesses and global corporations. As a travel writer, his global adventures have also been featured on Inside Hook, Houston Chronicle, Culture Trip, and Matador. When he's not traveling, Nick can be found in Orlando spending time with his wife and toddler.
Nick has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga, and crocheting.