International students in the United States after completing their required academic coursework (some students choose to graduate, but others might not have formally graduated) but are still in their US international student F1 visa status will enter the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.
As part of the OPT program, international students are temporarily employed in their major area of study and OPT is the work permit for them to work in their specialized field.
It works as employment authorization for F1 students. This is a transition period for F1 visa holding international students to become a full time employees, however, they are not eligible for the school health insurance as they are not enrolled in academic coursework, and they usually do not get health insurance from their employer given their current temporary nature of employment.
It is during this period that short-term insurance for opt students will cover any kind of medical assistance due to an unforeseen illness or injury.
At American student insurance, we help international students find the appropriate international student medical insurance. Similarly we have a comparison facility for best insurance for opt students. To give more insight and information on suitable plans for OPT holders, American Visitor Insurance has a compare OPT student health insurance utility.
There are some best health insurance for international students on opt. Students can also get an instant quote in this page by entering their age, start date(insurance effective start date) and the end date. This will provide the price information on the stem opt health insurance that are displayed for the input values entered.
Here, for each opt us student health insurance the maximum coverage and the deductible values can be varied to get the price for preferred coverage and deductible options. The "Know more" link will navigate the customer to the product page of the plan where all the details about that particular plan are available. The "Purchase now" button will navigate the customer to the insurance BUY page of the plan chosen where the customer can continue to fill out the application and purchase the US health insurance for OPT students.
Some more resourceful health insurance for opt international students information is available here where students can find the important student health insurance factors to consider before buying the popular student OPT health insurance and the reason for buying insurance while on the OPT status.
One of the best health insurance plans for opt students is the Atlas America Insurance plan offered by WorldTrips. Atlas America insurance plan by WorldTrips is health insurance for f1 opt students that one can have even after completing formal coursework and while on the OPT status.
Covers doctor visits in case of sudden injury or sickness.
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Some plans cover high school sports activities.
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Repatriation of remains expenses to home country in case of death.
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Expenses from sudden dental pain and accidental dental injuries.
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Some plans offer coverage for pregnancy, maternity and new born.
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Student insurance who need coverage for existing medical ailments.
Know more »The cheapest OPT student insurance is Student Secure Smart insurance plan, starting at just $67 per month. Other affordable student health insurance option includes Student Journey Lite insurance and Student Secure Budget insurance. This cost mainly depends on different factors such as student's age, coverage duration, medical benefits, deductible, and co-insurance.
The best OPT student health insurance is Student Journey Platinum by IMG. Other most popular plans are Patriot Exchange Program from IMG and StudentSecure Select from WorldTrips. Choosing the best health insurance for international students in the USA depends on factors such as personal health needs, budget, university insurance requirements, and visa status.
The OPT student health insurance cost per month ranges from around $42 to $463. The price depends on different factors like the age of the student, the duration, the medical coverage, the deductible and the co-insurance for the plan. Additionally the student health insurance cost in the US also depends on coverage for mental illness, dental expenses, hazardous sports, maternity and coverage for pre-existing ailments. Here at American Visitor insurance we have calculated the cost of health insurance for international students to help you compare and make an informed choice while buying the plan.
The average cost of OPT student health insurance for a 25 years opt student for one month.
| Insurance Plans | Policy maximum | Deductible | Cost * | Buy Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriot America Plus IMG | $50,000 | $250 | $47 | Buy now shopping_cart |
| Atlas America WorldTrips | $50,000 | $250 | $47 | Buy now shopping_cart |
| StudentSecure Smart WorldTrips | $100,000 | $0 | $65 | Buy now shopping_cart |
| Diplomat America Global Underwriters | $50,000 | $250 | $67 | Buy now shopping_cart |
| Patriot Exchange IMG | $50,000 | $250 | $70 | Buy now shopping_cart |
| Navigator Student GeoBlue | Unlimited Coverage | $0 | $463 | Buy now shopping_cart |
International students in the US come from different countries, with diverse economic backgrounds and face different financial needs. At American Visitor Insurance we offer health insurance for international students with flexible payment structures designed to make it more affordable and convenient, whether they are in the US for a semester or for an entire program spanning many semesters.
There are different student insurance payment options available depending on the insurer and the length of coverage. The payment options are mainly either monthly or yearly, and the purchase can be either by paper or bought online. Here are some details of the different payment options for international student insurance in the U.S.
| Payment Period | Highlights | Advantage | Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | Monthly payments, with recurring installments | Flexible with small installments | Overall higher total cost, and time consuming, Student must remember to pay on time to keep student medical insurance active. |
| Yearly | Pay the full premium up front (for entire policy period usually one year) | Cheaper than monthly payments, no risk of losing coverage by oversight | Larger upfront cost |
| Method | Description | Speed | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Application | Complete online application and payment on American Visitor Insurance | Fast — Policy issued instantly | Most common and use Credit card |
| Paper Application | Complete paper forms and submit documents by post | Slower — Takes time (few days) to process | Can pay by Check |
There are quite a few US student health insurance for international students that cover sports activities. At American Visitor Insurance, we offer some of the best options tailored for international student athletes.
Yes, it is highly recommended that you have health insurance during your OPT (Optional Practical Training) period.
While on OPT, you are no longer enrolled in your university’s health insurance plan, and you may not have health insurance through your employer since many OPT jobs do not offer health benefits. Without insurance, you could be responsible for significant medical expenses in case of illness or injury.
Is it worth buying US OPT health insurance:
If you're on OPT, it is best to look into a specialized OPT health insurance plan that provides the right coverage for medical or emergency expenses while in USA.
Choosing the right health insurance plan is essential for international students studying in the United States. With so many options available, it can be challenging to compare coverage limits, monthly costs, deductibles, and how pre-existing conditions are handled. The table below provides a clear side-by-side comparison of some of the most popular student health insurance plans tailored for international students. Whether you’re looking for the most affordable monthly premium, the highest coverage amount, or flexible payment options, this chart will help you decide which plan best fits your health needs and budget while studying in the U.S.
Costs are based on quotes for 20-year-old students traveling to the USA
| Plan name | Max coverage | Deductible | Pre-existing coverage | Monthly cost | Yearly cost | Payment option |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Journey Lite IMG | $150,000 per injury/illness | $100 | Covered after 6 months | $30 | $360 | Annual payment |
| StudentSecure Smart WorldTrips | $200,000 overall maximum | $0 | Not covered | $32 | $372 | Monthly/ Annual |
| Student Journey Plus IMG | $300,000 per injury/illness | $500 | Covered after 6 months | $48 | $576 | Annual payment |
| StudentSecure Budget WorldTrips | $500,000 overall maximum | $0 | Covered after 12 months | $53 | $624 | Monthly/ Annual |
| Patriot Exchange IMG | $500,000 overall maximum | $500 | Covered after 12 months | $66 | $794 | Annual payment |
| Student Joureny Platinum WorldTrips | $500,000 per injury/illness | $250 | Covered after 6 months | $74 | $888 | Annual payment |
| Student health advantage standard IMG | $500,000 overall maximum | $250 | Covered after 12 months | $95 | $1,146 | Monthly/ Annual |
| StudentSecure Select WorldTrips | $1,000,000 overall maximum | $0 | Covered after 6 months | $106 | $1,248 | Monthly/ Annual |
| StudentSecure Elite WorldTrips | $5,000,000 overall maximum | $0 | Covered after 6 months | $181 | $2,135 | Monthly/ Annual |
| Student Health Advantage Platinum IMG | $1,000,000 overall maximum | $100 | Covered after 6 months | $282 | $3,389 | Monthly/ Annual |
Source: American Visitor Insurance®
The OPT Student Health Insurance Plans cost varies depending on the age of the OPT student and the duration of coverage required. The older the student the higher will be the OPT medical insurance cost. The longer the duration of travel insurance required, the greater will be the cost of health insurance for students on opt.
Our cheap health insurance for OPT students quote comparison facility lists the opt student health insurance plans that satisfy your requirements comparing them based on price and benefit. Compare health insurance for OPT students on American Visitor Insurance to get free OPT medical insurance quotes and find the best f1 opt insurance online.
Comprehensive F1 visa OPT student health insurance that includes medical emergencies, doctor visits and prescription medications is recommended. Compare the different F1 visa OPT insurance options on American Visitor Insurance and ensure that the plan meets your needs when you are on the OPT status.
Important factors to consider include the medical coverage limits, deductible and co-insurance amounts, benefits for different medical expenses, the PPO network availability, coverage for any pre-existing medical conditions, and any other specific features that you require.
F1 OPT students should ideally buy OPT health insurance coverage before the start of their OPT period to ensure continuous protection as they transition from the F1 visa student insurance to the OPT status.
The US government does not make it mandatory for F1 OPT students to have health insurance. However given the extremely high cost of US health insurance, it is highly recommended that international students buy OPT health insurance as they start their working career in the US. The risks of not having the best OPT health insurance is simply too high.
Compare and Buy best health insurance plans for opt students.
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Health insurance usa for international students FAQs.
Click here to read more »Resources for health insurance cost for international students in USA
Click here to read more »Factors while buying best insurance for international students in USA.
Click here to read more »International Student medical insurance plans for students studying abroad.
Click here to read more »Students when they travel outside their home country to study along with the university academic experience also get an opportunity to experience a new culture and to see different parts of the world and meet new people with varied backgrounds. We work with several US insurance providers that offer excellent student F1 health insurance.
We have developed an excellent compare F1 visa student travel insurance tool and have article and FAQ's with information for the best travel insurance for f1 students studying abroad. Our international student insurance plan comparison facilities lists the student travel insurance that satisfies the student requirements.
Students can find the cheapest health insurance for international students in USA as well as outside the USA. Other than the cost, we also display relevant coverage details of health insurance for international students on F1 visa studying in the USA.
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