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Evaluating your INSurance needs
i Next
Card
All eligible students and faculty participating
in TCC faculty-led study abroad programs will receive, as part
of their program fees, an iNext Card. One benefit of the iNext card is an insurance policy that is designed to supplement private insurance by providing additional coverage for the costs of accidents and routine sicknesses while you are abroad. Additionally, the policy offers Emergency Evacuation and Emergency Medical Transportation Coverage, 24-hour Medical, Legal, and Travel Assistance Services, Travel Document Replacement, as well as limited Baggage Delay coverage.
The iNext Card does not include trip cancellation coverage, which TCC highly recommends that all participants have. Those without cancellation coverage are responsible for paying out of pocket any
additional fees incurred because of trip cancellation/interruption, or operator default.
Because individual needs vary, please review the Checklist for Evaluating Travel Insurance Needs and seriously consider purchasing additional
insurance coverage.
Comprehensive Traveler's
Insurance
Tidewater Community
College highly recommends that all participants on TCC's study abroad programs are insured by adequate comprehensive
travel insurance (supplemental medical, repatriation, trip interruption, and trip cancellation insurance). Please review the following checklist to determine your insurance needs.
A simple accident or illness abroad can ruin your trip; however, a serious
medical event can be financially devastating to you or your family.
Although TCC does not endorse any particular company, we think that the following
two companies are a good place to start when reviewing comprehensive traveler's insurance policies:
Checklist for Evaluating Travel Insurance Needs
Insurance Coverage Questions:
Please evaluate
insurance policies carefully before purchasing comprehensive travel
insurance.
The following is a list of questions to consider when reviewing insurance coverage
before traveling. The questions can be applied to individual, family, or supplementary
travel insurance policies.
- Is there a booklet or resource explaining my coverage in detail?
- What do I use as proof of international medical coverage (if I need to use
the insurance or if the host government requires documentation)?
- Are there any deductibles? If so, what are they?
- Is there a dollar limit to the amount of coverage provided for various services?
- Will the plan cover ambulance costs and emergency room expenses?
- Are there multi-lingual staff members available for translating if needed
while I am abroad?
- Does the plan include hospitalization coverage for accidents and illnesses
for the entire period while I'm abroad? (Some policies provided by a parent's
employer may cover medical expenses for brief stays abroad but not for the
full term of a longer program.)
- What do I do under the plan if I have to pay cash up front and I don't have
any money or don't have enough money?
- Does the plan cover visits to the doctor or medication prescribed while
abroad?
- Does the plan assume it is the primary or secondary carrier? If it is the
secondary carrier, when does the coverage begin?
- In the case of a serious illness or accident, is the coverage for a family
member or close friend to travel to the country to be with the injured or
sick insured individual?
- What is the coverage for medical evacuation?
- In the case of death, what is the coverage for repatriation?
- If you obtain medical assistance while you're abroad, when and how should
you inform the agency?
- What are the procedures for filing a claim, and how long does it take to
get reimbursed after filing the claim?
- Do I need to pay expenses up front and then submit receipts to the insurance
company for reimbursement? (Make sure that you get information from your policy
about how to arrange for routine treatment, medical emergency procedures,
and what is required to pay for or be reimbursed for a claim.)
- What documentation of expenses is required? Does the bill need to be in
English and the amount of the charges in U.S. dollars?
- When selecting and purchasing a travel insurance plan:
- What is the process for enrolling in the plan?
- If you find it necessary to use your insurance, what do you show as proof
of worldwide recognition?
- How do you contact the insurance company while abroad?
- How do you find out where the closest medical facility is?
- How do you find out who your insurance company works with locally in the
city in which you are traveling?
- If you are not a U.S. citizen, will you be covered by your plan?
- What are the premiums? How are the premiums determined? By length of time
abroad or by cost of trip?
NOTES:
- The local U.S. Consulate or Embassy at your travel destination is the best
source of local information.
- Many overseas health providers will not process American insurance claims
and will expect payment at the time of treatment. Travelers should have access
to a minimum of $400 (either by credit card or traveler's checks held in reserve
for emergencies) in the event that medical treatment is required abroad. Be
sure to obtain a receipt to submit with your insurance for reimbursement upon
your return to the US.
- If you will be doing any extreme sports or activities (such as scuba diving
or horseback riding) while traveling abroad, ask the insurance provider if
you will be covered under the plan in the event of an accident or injury while
participating in the extreme sport or activity.
- Some credit cards may include insurance coverage, check terms and conditions.
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