10 INSURANCE COVERAGES THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

Most people are aware of the fact that travel insurance provides cover against any loss of checked-in luggage, passport or flight delay. A majority of them buy travel insurance in order to secure themselves against these three eventualities during the course of their journey. However, not many are aware that travel insurance covers a wide range of eventualities, some of which might not have been imagined by travellers.

10 INSURANCE COVERAGES THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

In this blog, Student Cover brings you a list of 10 such student travel insurance covers that might surprise you.

Compassionate visits

The provision for compassionate visits are useful to those Indian students who go abroad to countries like the US, UK, Canada etc. for longer periods of time for higher studies. A travel insurance policy with provision for compassionate visit provides travel cost to those who need to visit their close relatives in their home country due to death or hospitalization.

Some insurance plans for students such as the ones provided by Student Cover have provision for two way visit i.e. it not only provides travel cost to a student to travel to India and back to US but it also provides travel cost to one of his or her relatives to travel from India, in case the student falls sick and the doctor has recommended an immediate family member as an attendant.

Repatriation of mortal remains

In case of death of the student (god forbid) in a foreign country, the student travel insurance provides cover for the expenses incurred in repatriating the mortal remains of that individual back to one’s native place. Some international student travel insurance plans also include coverage for expenses incurred in cremation or burial of the insured individual in that country itself.

Emergency Dental

While most student travel insurance plans cover dental treatment necessitated by an accident or injury, some plans also include provision for emergency dental care i.e. treatment required due to dental problem such as ‘acute onset of pain’ in the gums which might require emergency dental care.

Terrorism and Hijack

Since the 9/11 attacks in New York, several travel insurance companies started providing cover against any harm, loss, injury or death caused due to acts of terrorism. Many of those policies include provision for injury and loss during any incident of hijacking of plane. However, the coverage of such plans is limited only in those regions which are deemed peaceful. Travel insurance do not provide cover for acts of terrorism in areas which have been designated as disturbed or are facing insurgency such as Sudan, Afghanistan etc. Students are advised to confirm from their insurer if cover against acts of terrorism and hijack is part of their student travel insurance plan.

Natural Disasters

Student Travel insurance plans also contain provision for natural disasters such as cyclone, hurricane etc. The insurance cover includes compensation or hospitalization expenses due to death or injury caused to the insured individual. They also include compensation for loss or damage to the belonging of an individual during such natural calamities. They however do not provide cover in those cases where the individual has deliberately put himself or herself in harm’s way or decided to undertake the journey despite having prior knowledge about the impending natural calamity.

Bail bond

This coverage is useful for student travelers in the event of any arrest or unlawful detention in a foreign country for a bailable offence. Unlike India, bail bonds in developed countries like the US are very high and could be of Lakhs of rupees. The provision for bail bond provides relief to a traveler in case of arrest or detention by law enforcement agencies.

Emergency evacuation back to India

In the event of an Indian individual falling sick or being diagnosed with serious illness or disease, this provision helps students get transported back to one’s own country i.e. India in case the student happens to be a resident Indian citizen. Such coverage is useful when an individual suffers from a disease and needs treatment which his or her insurance plan might not sufficiently cover in that country and hence, he or she might have to return back to one’s own country for further treatment.

Personal Liability

Any loss, damage or injury caused by an insured to a third party may result in a lawsuit against that student. The provision for personal liability covers for any such financial liability arising out of a lawsuit against the student. This however does not provide cover for the bodily harm or loss of property to the third-party caused by the individual, if it is found that it was done deliberately and with malicious intent. The plan also does not provide cover in case the student knowingly got involved in activity which is deemed illegal in that country such as illegal possession of endangered species.

Study interruption benefits

If the study of a student gets interrupted due to a student falling ill for a prolonged period of time, this provision provides reimbursement of tuition fees. The study interruption benefit is very useful to those students who have taken huge education loans go abroad for higher studies. The reimbursement of tuition fee ensures that the student is able to repay the education loan that he or she has taken to pay the tuition fees. However, the student is provided reimbursement for the tuition fee which he or she has actually paid and does not include that which is due.

Sponsor Protection

Sponsor protection is useful especially to those students whose sponsor dies due to any injury when the student was studying abroad. This provision helps student by reimbursing the tuition fees incurred for the remaining part of his or her education after the death of the sponsor.

We hope that you will find the content of this blog useful. We, at Student Cover strongly recommend travellers, especially students going abroad for higher studies to not travel without travel insurance.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is based on personal research of the writer. Conditions and benefits may vary from one plan to another. Readers are advised to go through benefits, exclusions and terms and conditions of the insurance document carefully and exercise their own judgment before buying any travel or health insurance plan.