Scholarships to pursue higher education overseas have become easily accessible to deserving students. But scholarships only provide for expenses incurred for education and college/university. You need to ensure that you are financially provided for in case of a sudden medical emergency on foreign soil. This is the reason you need to need to avail of international student insurance.
The international students insurance policy remits medical expenditures incurred by a student while his overseas studentship tenure. However, the policy extends its financial benefits only if the nature of the claim is not categorized under some particular exclusionary clauses.
An injury or illness will be disqualified for insurance cover if the company is not given with related documents within 3 months of medical treatment. Pre-existing conditions, which needed diagnosis/ treatment in the look-back period, are covered by the policy. The look back period could range from 6 to 24 months before the commencement of the policy tenure.
The Insurance policy judges the urgency and necessity of the nature of treatment undertaken. So, it does not extend insurance cover to unnecessary expenses incurred in cosmetic surgeries (of non-corrective natures). Free treatments are also not covered by the international student insurance policy.
To claim financial cover, a student must produce a physician’s certificate that officially prescribes the course of the treatment taken. Medical treatments undertaken to facilitate scientific or experimental purposes are not covered by the insurance for international students
The insurance policy does not extend its financial cover to treat students who were injured while consciously violating the law. Injuries sustained in military or civil strife, or while pursuing activities detrimental to the state are not extended financial benefits by the policy. Injuries incurred in conscious violation of curfew or police prohibition orders are not granted financial cover for treatment.
Any treatment in the nature of alternative/ traditional/ experimental medication is excluded insurance cover benefits. This exclusionary clause also repudiates sensory therapeutic treatment like aromatherapy and music therapy. Self treatments, consultations with quacks and random over-the-counter medications are not covered as well.
Demanding insurance cover for treatments of injuries sustained in pursuit of adventure sports is not eligible. Involvement in high risk sports or hazardous environments disqualifies the insurance cover for incurred medical expenditure. Periodic diagnostic check-ups not related to a particular injury/ illnesses are not covered by the insurance policy. Expenditures incurred while treating clinical abuse and alcoholism are also to be borne by the policyholder. These are some of the primary clauses that would deny applications for financial cover for international student insurance.