Travel insurance is meant to cover short-term trips from the risk of emergencies, cancellations, and baggage loss. On the other hand, student travel insurance offers a range of benefits that include medical needs, study interruptions, and tuition fees. This guide reviews both the policies and the deciding factors to help you make a decision based on your travel or academic needs.
Going to a foreign country for fun, work, or study is an exciting experience but also a risky one. A medical emergency that was not expected, the canceling of a trip, or the losing of belongings can make a dream trip a financial nightmare. So, this is the place where travel insurance comes in.
Most travellers can cover themselves with a regular travel insurance, but students are in a position to require an extra protection that is specifically created for their needs. Knowing how international student travel insurance is different from a regular travel insurance is very important for a person who is going to study abroad.
Continue reading to learn the main distinctions between travel insurance and student travel insurance.
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is basically a support system that keeps you safe from additional costs and situations of distress if you go to locally or in another country.
This is what it generally takes care of:
- Medical emergencies abroad, for example, hospitalisation, operations or treatments.
- An insurance can return the money of the bookings that have been paid in advance once the trip is cancelled by the user.
- What is the loss or theft of baggage or passport? An insurance policy can give you money as a replacement or provide help in the return process.
- It also takes care of additional costs due to flight delays or missed connections.
- If you happen to be the one who accidentally caused damage to someone’s property, personal liability can help you cover the expenses.
What is student travel insurance?
Travel insurance for students studying abroad is a specialised policy created specifically for students. It supports students financially when they are faced with various unexpected situations like medical emergencies, cancellations, interruptions, losing luggage or important documents, and personal liability.
Moreover, having student travel insurance is sometimes compulsory because a lot of universities list it as one of the necessary documents for enrollment. Besides, this insurance can offer you a lot more benefits:
- Some policies will pay back the tuition fees if the student withdraws the course due to an illness.
- Certain plans may pay the costs of a family trip if a member gets hospitalised, but this service is not available in all policies.
Difference between travel insurance & student travel insurance
Different companies and policies may provide different coverage details for overseas student travel insurance. The features mentioned below are typical ones that are usually available but it is always better to check the precise inclusions with your insurance company.
The key differences between travel insurance and student travel insurance are as follows:
| Feature | Travel Insurance | Student Travel Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Covers general travellers for trip-related risks like cancellations, lost baggage, or medical emergencies. | Designed specifically for students studying abroad, covering academic and long-term stay needs. |
| Coverage Duration | Typically short-term (days to a few months). | Usually long-term (months to years) and aligned with the course duration. |
| Medical Coverage | Emergency medical expenses during travel. | Broader medical coverage, often including hospitalisation, routine checkups, and mental health support. |
| Additional Benefits | Trip cancellation, flight delays, lost baggage, and passport loss. | Tuition fee protection, sponsor protection, study interruption coverage, and travel insurance benefits. |
| Eligibility | Any traveller (tourist, business, etc.). | Full-time students travelling abroad for education. |
| Cost | Based on trip length, age, and destination. | Based on course duration, destination country, and additional academic benefits. |
Travel Insurance or student travel insurance: what to choose?
How to choose the insurance
If you require insurance for students studying abroad or standard travel insurance, these are the ways for choosing:
Choose travel insurance:
When being on a short trip just for the sake of business or pleasure, choosing travel insurance will be a perfect decision. When you are searching for the basic protection against luggage, delays of the trip and medical emergencies, travel insurance will satisfy your needs. If you are allowed to travel only for a short period of time yet you still want to be covered, you can choose the flexible option of the coverage for different travel durations.
Choose student travel insurance:
In case you are going to study at a college, university or exchange program in another country; student travel insurance should be your choice. If you are planning an extended stay, and the period is usually from 6 months to 3 years, then you should consider buying a proper insurance that is suitable for you. If you want to be safe from any interruption of study such as sickness or accidents etc., you are able to get the appropriate insurance. If you are interested in gaining the coverage for study-related travel, internships or research trips, choose a student travel insurance. If you need more medical coverage than usual, which is often a requirement of universities and visa authorities, then a student health insurance would be the best fit for you.
Things to consider when buying a travel insurance or student travel insurance policy
Once students decide to purchase travel insurance policies online, the following bullet points summarize the things they should consider while doing so.
- Trip duration and destination: Be sure the policy extends to you allow the arrival, return, and the destination you are going.
- Medical coverage limits: Included in the insurance policy program, double-check that the sum of money is sufficient to cover the medical expenses.
- Loss or delay protection: Investigate if the predicament of the loss of baggage or passport and trip delays are among the covered risks.
- Emergency assistance services: Ensure that the 24*7 helpline is available always for emergency help.
- Student-specific benefits: By means of such extra like study interruption coverage, or laptop protection see whether you have a student-specific benefit.
- Sports or activity coverage: In particular, if your plan includes risky activities, verify that your insurance policy covers such sports activities.
- Claim process and support: The ease of filing a claim while being abroad, and the average time taken for settlement, are some factors you should look into.
- Cost vs. coverage: Opt for a plan that gives you the best trade-off between the premium and the coverage.
Conclusion
Choosing a proper travel insurance or a student travel insurance should not be solely based on the premium cost, but also on the extent of the coverage and how it guarantees full protection.
You can make the right choice by comparing the benefits, verifying the coverage limits, understanding the exclusions and evaluating your needs before purchasing. A carefully selected plan is your safe financial backup and puts you at ease, no matter where you travel.
FAQs
Does travel insurance cover adventure sports or activities?
Most insurers exclude coverage for high-risk adventur es. But, a few of them might give permission to add it as a separate benefit in your policy.
Several insurance companies permit
Can I extend my travel insurance while I’m already abroad?
Several insurance companies permit the inclusion of extensions, but only when the application is submitted before the expiration of the existing policy.
What happens if I lose my travel insurance documents during my trip?
Several insurance companies provide electronic copies of the documents and 24*7 customer service for sending your policy information again.
Will my student travel insurance cover part-time work abroad?
The insurance coverage for injuries sustained during work varies. Find out whether your insurance includes that or if you need to purchase an upgrade.
Disclaimer: This content is solely for educational and informational purposes. It may contain data that is no longer current, as well as information related to the article’s topic. Before you go ahead with any significant steps, it would be wise to check the data and information for their latest updates and relevance. Any errors that may be present in this outdated information and the resulting outcomes that the user may suffer are not the responsibility of travelguidemn.com.