The world is a smaller place today and students regularly travel abroad to study. Or they may be taking a gap year to travel the world. Whatever be the case, these students don’t have access to funding or support from family and friends the way they would at home. And since youth also brings a certain amount of carelessness, accidents and illnesses are not out of the question.
One of the most important things students who are planning to go abroad can do is get travel insurance before travelling. The preconceived notion is that insurance policies are very expensive is not true anymore. Today, there are tailor made policies designed just for student who are working with a really tight budget.
Choosing the Right Kind of Travel Insurance for Students
Choosing the right kind of travel insurance for students is very important. Here is a list of things you should look for in your insurance cover to ensure that you have a comprehensive budget travel insurance package:
- Ensure that hazardous activities are covered as standard in your insurance package. Students will take part in sports, and these can cause injuries. Having coverage means that they are covered and need not worry about prohibitively expensive medical bills.
- Look for a policy that offers 24-hour emergency assistance. You never know when you could need help, so it is important to know you have a support system in place.
- Look for standard coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. Insurance companies can provide free medical coverage as part of the standard cover for a range of conditions. Check to see if your condition is a part of that list. If it is, you could save a lot of money in medical bills.
- If your medical condition is not listed as a part of the insurers’ standard coverage, connect with them to see if they can provide extra coverage for your condition.
- Go through the policy in detail and see if there are add-ons that you need which are not a part of your standard cover. You may need to customize your policy so that you can get cover for your valuables, cover for cancellations, excess waivers, etc.
- Make sure that there are no hidden costs when you are buying your travel insurance policy. Ask for details of all costs up front so you know exactly how much you are paying for your policy.
- Ensure that there is a repatriation back home option in your insurance plan.
- Choose the right kind of cover for your trip. If you plan to stay in Europe, you will get a cheaper plan. However, if you plan to go to countries other than Europe, be prepared to shell out some extra cash.
Ideally, you should not have to use your travel insurance at all during your trip. However, if the worst does happen, then you will truly appreciate the protection that you travel insurance plan offers you.