Student Health Insurance

By Keith Londrie

Many students do not have a clue that they need health insurance. Some of them know how important this is but still prefer to rely on the college or university clinic when they are ill.

Being a student doesn't mean you are not likely to get seriously ill or injured and for that reason a proper medical insurance plan is a must. Of course one of the reasons why students do not have medical insurance is that they cannot afford the typical health insurance policies. However there are other options available.

There are medical insurance providers that have special plans for students only. Moreover some colleges and universities have health insurance programs that feature many providers. All a student should do is to check what the options are and choose a plan that suits his or hers needs.

This is the second part of the problem. How could I know what is best when it comes to medical insurance? This is a though questions for those who have been working for many years and have significant experience with different heath insurance policies, let alone for e student newbie. The good thing is that you can ask questions to determine which policy will work for you.


The first thing to ask is what your health insurance plan will cover. Some student
insurance policies do not cover sport injuries for example. Check if there is a restriction on the physicians you will have to use and if you will need an approval from the insurance company before you go for a check up. Of course ask about the expenses.

Since many students travel a lot, the insurance conditions for traveling should also be checked carefully. This is in two directions if you are traveling abroad and if you are traveling within the country. In many cases if you will be traveling abroad you will need an additional health insurance.

Check how long your health insurance will last. Some student health insurance plans cover only under graduates. What this means is that when you graduate you will have to seek another individual health insurance policy. So if you are close to graduation you can start looking for a good individual policy instead of going for a student medical insurance plan. Another option is to get a short term student insurance.

Finally you can check if you cannot get medical care under your parents' health insurance plan. Of course some policies would not allow you to stay covered if you are over a specific age, but other policies allow this. If you are going to become a student soon, discuss this issue with your parents and plan ahead.