Whether it is to make a trip to an exotic location or just enjoy a lazy vacation, or for work and business—there are many reasons why people visit other countries.However, students going to foreign destinations to pursue higher studies are not the same as visiting these places for work and holidaying. Consequently, the travel insurance in the two cases is also not the same.
Overseas students travel great distances and stay there for a significant time to complete their course and lay the foundation fora successful career. While it seems extremely appealing and worthwhile, the process of getting there can be quite daunting and stressful owing to the uncertainty associated with an unknown place and being on your own.
Under such circumstances, student travel insurance can serve as the biggest help. However, more often than not, students are confused between general travel insurance and international student travel insurance.
What is travel insurance?
While travelling abroad, an injury or sickness or change in plans such as a delay in flights can lead to major stress. Also, mishaps such as losing the passport, or lost luggage can cause major stress and jeopardize your plans. In such a situation, having travel insurance can bring amuch-needed respite. Your travel insurance will keep you covered against all such losses and expenses.
In case of a medical emergency or an accident, you can call your travel insurance provider and they will arrange for immediate healthcare. If and when required, your insurer will also arrange for your transportation to the nearest healthcare facility and to back home. Travel insurance keeps you cushioned against all such unanticipated events that can be a cause of worry or derail your trip.
What is student travel insurance?
As the name suggests, it is a travel insurance plan specifically outlined for the students who plan to go abroad for their studies. Every year, lakhs of students go the foreign institutions to pursue higher studies. As per the Bureau of Immigration, in 2021, 444,553 students departed India for higher education. As of January 2021, almost 10 lakh students are studying across 85 countries outside India.
In a different country, a student would need more than the basic facilities of his/her institution. Moreover, there are a lot of things that can go wrong before one gets acclimatised to the new environment. Parents also get worried about the uncertainty that their kids will face in a new country. While all cannot be sorted, a majority of the potential difficulties could be managed if you have student travel insurance.
What is the Difference between the Two?
- General travel insurance can be issued for any purpose of visit—it could be work, a holiday, or an invite, whereas as it appears, student travel insurance is issued only to students who are going abroad for their higher education.
- As the purpose of the visit, the applicability is also generic. Anybody visiting abroad can get them a travel insurance plan, and include their family members in it as well. But, student travel insurance covers the concerned student who is going to study outside, only.
- The usual travel insurance covers you for the period of your trip which could be a week or a fortnight. Usually, these are relatively short trips. However, student travel insurance covers them for the period of their study which could range from months to years.
- The coverage that an insurer offers under student travel insurance is much more extensive than general travel insurance.
What Does Student Travel Insurance Cover?
A comprehensive student travel insurance policy covers the following:
- Covers the expenses of medical treatment in case of an injury or illness.
- Student travel insurance will cover the costs of the emergency medical evacuation of the insured student back to India.
- In case of the unfortunate event of the early demise of the insured, the insurance policy will further cover the expense of transporting the mortal remains of the insured back to the country, for burial.
- It covers the expenses incurred because of an accidental injury overseas.
- In addition, student travel insurance also covers the cost of medical expenses arising out of personal accidents causing injury or partial and permanent disability, if the student had been riding in the passenger seat in a foreign country.
- The student travel insurance covers the loss of baggage or belongings in transit.
- It covers the cost of reissuing or getting a duplicate passport, in case of loss of passport along with related expenses.
- In case the policyholder is hospitalised for more than 7 days, the insurance policy covers the two-way cost for one family member to visit the student.
- If the study programme of the insured is disrupted because of a medical cause, the semester fee that has already been paid is reimbursed.
- If the student is forced to terminate the study due to the death of a family member, the advance payment, if any, is also reimbursed under the student travel insurance.
- While being abroad, if the insured is arrested or detained for a billable offence, the bail amount is paid out by the insurer.
- The policy further covers the cost of treatment of mental issues, nervous disorders, and addictions such as alcoholism and drug dependency.
- In case of the death of the sponsor of the insured student, the policy offers to pay the remaining tuition fees as well.
Given the extensive coverage offered by student travel insurance, it is a must-have for every student going abroad for higher studies. You can avail of student travel insurance online, hassle-free, with a click.