Insurance Coverage Overseas
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You must be covered by comprehensive health and accident insurance while you participate on our program. You may also want to consider purchasing property insurance for valuable items, like laptops. It is your responsibility to make sure your policy covers claims outside the United States. Your policy must be in effect for the entire period you are overseas.
Health and Accident Insurance
You must be covered by comprehensive health and accident insurance for the duration of your program overseas. In many cases, you will be required to provide proof of insurance in order to receive a student visa or residency permit. We recommend that you review the following issues with your parents and with your parents’ insurance provider or enroll in an insurance plan designed for Americans living or traveling overseas.
Health care is just as expensive overseas as it is in the United States, so make sure you have that same amount of coverage protection abroad as you would in the United States. Your health insurance must provide full and comprehensive health and accident coverage while you are outside the United States.
If you are not insured under a family policy or a campus policy that provides for overseas protection, you should enroll in an insurance plan designed for Americans living overseas. For more information, Syracuse University students should contact Syracuse University Health Services (315-443-2666). Non-Syracuse students may contact our authorized insurance agent, Haylor, Freyer & Coon (1-800-289-1501) or check out other insurance providers' plans available for students studying abroad. You may download claim forms directly from the HFC web site.
If you have pre-existing conditions that short-term policies will not cover, such as asthma or diabetes, it may be possible to add a rider for overseas protection to your parents’ policy. Check your parents’ health insurance policy.
Limited Insurance Coverage with the International Student ID Card (ISIC)
The International Student ID Card (ISIC), supplied to you by SU Abroad, provides life insurance coverage, some supplemental accident coverage, medical evacuation, and repatriation of remains. This coverage is not sufficient by itself, and you will need to carry additional coverage during your sojourn abroad. The cost of the ISIC card is included in your program fee, so please remember to complete Form #10 and send us a passport size photo or an uploaded photo electronically.
Making a Claim Abroad
Carry a wallet-size ID card with your name, insurance company and policy number with you. If possible, obtain a list of your company’s agents abroad, and carry one or two claim forms with you. Make sure you know how to make a claim from abroad.
You should be aware that insurance providers generally require that you pay your medical bills yourself at the time of treatment and submit a claim for reimbursement. To make a claim from overseas, subscribers should realize that:
- An overseas insurance plan provides protection for medical expenses incurred abroad.
- Foreign hospitals do not recognize US insurance cards.
- The hospital or doctor will not bill your insurance company and await payment for services rendered.
Therefore, in order to gain the maximum benefits from your insurance, the following steps should be taken:
- Acquire copies of all medical bills and have them written in English.
- Request receipts for payment of any bill showing amount paid and date of payment.
- Submit all bills and payment receipts to:
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Central New York
344 South Warren Street
Syracuse, NY 13221
ATTN: Blue Cross Claims Dept. - Include a letter indicating:
- Your name and address
- Insurance Identification Number
- Group Number
- Diagnosis or reason for treatment
- Rate of currency exchange at the time of payment or amount paid in American currency
- Address where payment of claim should be mailed
Since many hospitals and clinics abroad do not bill your insurance company. They require payment in cash at the time of treatment. In case of emergency, you should have access to a credit card or an ATM card in order to pay for your treatment. If you are suddenly confronted with a medical emergency overseas, our overseas centers can give you an emergency loan. In all cases, you should obtain a receipt for the medical services performed and for the amount paid.
Personal Property Insurance
Many students bring valuable equipment such as laptop computers and cameras overseas. To protect your possessions against fire, theft, and vandalism, you may want to consult your parents’ homeowners insurance. You may already be covered under their plans. However, in some cases you may want to consider purchasing short-term, personal property insurance designed for students living or traveling overseas. Please consult your insurance provider or contact Haylor, Freyer & Coon at 1-800-289-1501.
Trip Cancellation Insurance
If you are interested in Trip Cancellation Insurance, many companies offer special packages that cover lost or delayed baggage, flight cancellation or delay, and other potential circumstances relating to overseas travel. Please consult your insurance provider or contact Haylor, Freyer & Coon at 1-800-289-1501.