It's that time of year again when colleges and schools are gearing back up for a new year. Here at American Visitor Insurance, we've helped thousands of international students secure the international student insurance they need to study in the US and abroad! Here's a little buying guide to help you choose an economical plan that will meet your institution's requirements.
Firstly, if your institution simply wants you to have some health insurance, then you are free to purchase any plan (whether for student or visitor) that we offer. Student plans are specifically for students or exchange scholars only. Your eligibility is tied to the visa you are using for entry into the country. For international students in the US, they can be on F1 visas or J1 visas.
Technically, most policies for students require the F1 or J1 person to be the primary insured (the first one on the policy, whether male or female) and F2 and J2 dependents can be added as a spouse or child defendants to that policy. However, a select few policies allow a J2 visa or F2 visa holder to purchase them as the primary insured.
So, for students with no specific requirements (besides possibly maximum and/or deductible) you can choose from any visitor or student plan we offer. I would personally suggest a comprehensive policy with a maximum of at least $100K (which is specifically required for the J1/J2 visas).
If, on the other hand, you have a laundry list of requirements from your institution, here are some that meet a more demanding list. Institution requirements that are difficult to meet:
Students and scholars should be aware that several policies charge significantly more for a dependent on the policy or don't allow coverage for dependents. Policies that do allow dependents and only charge the same amount for dependents are: Patriot Exchange Standard.
Also, if you are told that you have to meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) student insurance requirements, then as far as we can tell, you will be forced to purchase the institution's offered insurance since no short term visitor and student plans are not ACA compliant.
If your institution requires a signed waiver to be submitted on your behalf (signed from the insurance company), you will have to purchase the insurance and then send the form to the correct email address for the insurance company. We can help you get the right email address if you do not know where it should be sent. You will have to fill out your portion (if necessary) and include the certificate number of the policy as well as the email address where it needs to go.
Note also that all the International student health insurance plans must be purchased for entire months. If you purchase it for one month and one day, you will pay for two months, so you may as well purchase the full month in case your plans change and you stay in the US a little longer than expected.
Please let us help you if you can't understand or are not sure if a policy will meet your requirements, please contact us. It is helpful if you can link the requirements or include the PDF file with them so we can look them over for you. We are happy to help you figure out the best option for you!
American Visitor Insurance wishes you a great new year filled with learning and improvement! Good luck!
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 health insurance for F1 students is offered by Student Journey Lite insurance plan, starting at just $30 per month. Other affordable student health insurance option includes Student Secure Smart insurance and Student Journey Plus insurance. This cost mainly depends on different factors such as student's age, coverage duration, medical benefits, deductible, and co-insurance.
The best health insurance for international students in the USA are Student Journey Platinum by IMG, Patriot Exchange Program from IMG, 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.
On American visitor insurance the cost of health insurance for international students in USA varies from $30 to $115 based on providers and coverage. WorldTrips offer StudentSecure smart plan starting as low as $30 per month, particularly for those on F1 or J1 visas. 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 cost of health insurance for international students in USA 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 cost of health insurance for an international student per month aged 20 years old.
| Insurance Plans | Policy maximum | Deductible | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Journey Lite IMG | $150,000 | $100 | $30 |
| StudentSecure Smart WorldTrips | $200,000 | $0 | $32 |
| Student Journey Plus IMG | $300,000 | $500 | $48 |
| StudentSecure Budget WorldTrips | $500,000 | $0 | $53 |
| Patriot Exchange IMG | $50,000 | $250 | $58 |
| Diplomat America Global Underwriters | $50,000 | $250 | $63 |
| Student Journey Platinum IMG | $500,000 | $250 | $74 |
| StudentSecure Select WorldTrips | $1,000,000 | $0 | $104 |
| Student Health Advantage Standard IMG | $500,000 | $250 | $115 |
Source:American Visitor Insurance®
If you’re an international student planning to study in the USA on an F1 visa, having the right health insurance is essential. Most of the universities typically require F1 students to have health insurance coverage for medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, repatriation of remains, and often mental health or maternity care. To make sure you meet both university and visa requirements, explore our comprehensive guide on best F1 visa health insurance requirements in USA.
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 health insurance for students that cover sports activities. It is hard to pick one plan as the best plan. There might be slight differences in the kind of sports activities that they cover. On American Visitor Insurance we offer the best sports health insurance plans for international students.
Coverage level |
Add-on cost (flat monthly rate) |
Sports covered |
| Low Option | $12.00 | Ballet, Baseball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Field Hockey, Golf, Horse Polo, Water Polo, Rowing, Softball, Surfing, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball |
| Middle Option | $26.00 | Basketball, Competitive Cycling (Road, Track, CX), Ice Hockey, Inline Skating (with helmet/proper gear), Lacrosse, Martial Arts/Karate, Modern Pentathlon, Skiing (Slalom, Giant Slalom, Downhill), Ski Jumping and Wrestling |
| High Option | $80.00 | Football (No Division I), Gymnastics, Rugby (No Division I) and Soccer |
Thank you for your prompt reply. Thank you for doing some good homework on our behalf. May the Lord richly bless you and all your encounters and may He fill your life with all of his abundance.
I needed to move my policy date, but remembered it too late. American Visitor Insurance customer support made a lot of efforts to fix it out and succeeded. It's a really good service. Great thanks to your support staff.
Thank you for such helpful information. You've impressed me as I have contacted other companies and haven't gotten half of the information from them that you have sent me. I will take what you've said into consideration.
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The cost for the student travel insurance varies depending on the age of the student and the duration of coverage required. The older the student the higher will be the cost. The longer the duration of travel insurance required, the greater will be the cost. Ourstudent travel insurance quote comparison facility lists the travel insurance that satisfy your requirements comparing them based on price and benefit. On American visitor insurance you can compare best rates USA to student travel insurance and free quotes online.
The US student abroad cost ranges from $26 to $289 per month. The price depends on the factors such as student's age, coverage duration, medical benefits, deductible, and co-insurance.
The best student health insurance abroad cost per month for an international student aged 20 years.
| Insurance Plans | Policy maximum | Deductible | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| StudentSecure Smart WorldTrips | $200,000 | $0 | $26 |
| Patriot Exchange Program IMG | $50,000 | $250 | $39 |
| StudentSecure Budget WorldTrips | $500,000 | $0 | $47 |
| Student Health Advantage Standard IMG | $500,000 | $250 | $82 |
| StudentSecure Select WorldTrips | $1,000,000 | $0 | $80 |
| Student Health Advantage Platinum IMG | $1,000,000 | $25 | $246 |
| Navigator Student GeoBlue | Unlimited Coverage | $0 | $289 |
Source:American Visitor Insurance®
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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