The number of students opting to go abroad for higher education has seen a drastic rise over the past few years. Better quality of education, brighter career prospects, exposing yourself to a new and challenging life, learning about and enjoying a new culture and achieving that sweet fruit of freedom and independence are some of the reasons students leave their home countries in search of a foreign land. There are many things to prep and pack before you set out on your journey and among those essential things is study abroad insurance.
It is one of the most important and obvious things to secure before you leave but getting insurance also happens to be the most overlooked item. In this article, let us better understand what overseas student insurance is, what is included in the same and why is it so important to have.
What Is Study Abroad Insurance?
While your study abroad plan can seem to be very adventurous and thrilling sitting in your home country, there can be a chance of things going quite wrong during your time overseas. Trouble can come knocking in any form and that’s where a study abroad insurance can come to your rescue.
It acts as a safety net which helps cushion the fall caused by a variety of mishaps abroad. Many students are urged to get their insurance once they are at university abroad but it is always advisable to get it done from your home country as that comes with different advantages. Buying insurance in your home country is not only cheaper than insurance abroad but also offers better benefits.
Study abroad insurance covers a host of problems you might come across during your time abroad. One of the facets it covers is medical insurance. To help one understand the need for insurance better, let us take a scenario where you might have to get a doctor’s consultation or visit the emergency room. Normally, a doctor’s consult anywhere can cost you an arm and a leg. Or in the case of the latter, you are handed a hefty bill for just a few hours in the emergency room. Now if you have insurance, it helps cover a massive chunk of these costs.
But medical issues are not the only ones that are listed in the portfolio of study abroad insurance. Let us take a look at the other mishaps it shields you against.
What Does Your Study Abroad Insurance Cover?
Many times these insurance policies do not end up covering medical costs so you have to seek a separate medical insurance policy. But there are a variety of troubles that your abroad insurance can protect you against.
Studying in a foreign country is a bit tricky because their way of life differs vastly from your home country. You might find yourself prey to a variety of problems that you might not have even thought about back home. Insurance for students studying abroad foremostly safeguards you against loss or theft of your possessions. This includes loss or damage to your laptop, study materials or any important documents.
There might even be a situation where you might have to cancel your course due to unforeseen circumstances and your study abroad insurance once again comes to your aid. In many cases, we see university insolvency cases where the institution collapses due to bankruptcy where you are unable to pay off your debts. In these circumstances, students are guarded by the insurance policy to their name.
While abroad, students usually opt for on-campus housing or private student accommodation close to the university. In certain cases, there might be damage to your rented property either by your roommates, people visiting, any natural calamity or freak accident. Once again, your insurance plays the hero of the story and helps ease your burden of massive costs incurred in these situations.
The most important document that you would be required to carry to a foreign country would be your passport. Your passport is your ticket into and out of the country. Any damage to your passport can prove to be very fateful and can get you embroiled in serious trouble. Your problems can lead right up to the highest rung and it can cause you great difficulty in exiting the country too. But study abroad insurance can come into the picture and helps cover costs in case of damage to your passport or other important documents.
When you go to study abroad, you are naturally going to get homesick after the initial thrill of being in a foreign country dies down. Hence, most students are usually in the habit of carrying their most prized possessions with them which makes them feel a little closer to home. Abroad insurance helps cover the cost in case of any harm to these valuable possessions of yours.
All in all, overseas student insurance is an integral part of your study abroad plan and you should keep it at the top of your list of priorities before you set out on your journey.
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I have done Bachelor’s in Culinary Arts from India and completed my graduation in the year 2022 .I am 22 years old. After graduation, I have done 1 year paid internship from USA .Now, I would like to take occupational experience and learn culinary skills and also do masters in Culinary arts.How can I find the college n best course / country where I can persue studying further