What insurance for a student trip abroad?

Travel insurance for students: how to be well insured during one or more semesters abroad? Wanderlix tells you everything!

Have you decided to go to study abroad? This means you're leaving for many months. During this period, you may become sick or hurt, or even be hospitalized. You may also need to meet specialists like a dentist. But that’s not all. If you have to be repatriated, if you hurt someone, how will you be taken care of? Discover what student insurance you need to subscribe to spend a few months or more, abroad.

Social and Student Mutual Security: Are you insured abroad

Social security as well as the student mutual protect students who live and study in France. If you have chosen to study abroad, outside the European Union, the situation can be different.

If you are under 20 years of age, you will receive French Social Security if you meet the following conditions:

• Prepare an official diploma ;
• Can provide a school certificate ;
• You return to France at least once during your academic year.

The French Health Insurance reimburses you for your urgent and unforeseen care. However, this is done according to the French tariff scales, which is not necessarily adapted to actual expenditures. This protection is therefore not sufficient. In addition, you must make the cost advance. However, a student budget does not necessarily allow this.

If you have over 20 years , French Social Security does not protect you. This time you must register for the Student Social Security of the country in which you study. If this does not exist, you will need to join the local general regime.

What cover for a student with ECAM?

If you are a student in the European Union, you can apply for a European Health Insurance Card.

This request is made 15 days before your departure directly on the ameli.fr website. In the event of a late application, you will receive a provisional certificate.

In the event of medical care, submit your ECAM or your Interim Certificate. According to the country and its legislation, either you will have no advances in fees to be paid or you will be reimbursed by the local social security agency.

If you have not made an application by CEAM, you can claim a refund to French Social Security via the form “care received abroad”, cerfa no.12267*04.

Credit card insurance and foreign studies

When you leave abroad, your bank card can offer you travel insurance. This allows you to benefit from a comprehensive coverage for your medical expenses, but also for different needs. In case of hospitalization, need for repatriation, damage to a third party, etc., you are insured.

This requires a Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold card. However, this solution, if complete, may not adapt to your situation. Indeed, credit card insurance only covers you during 90 days . For an internship, it can be consistent. For studies abroad, you will not be protected.

A specific foreign student insurance?

We discussed health coverage. It is true that it is an essential element to be covered abroad during your studies.

The student insurance benefits from a coverage for medical expenses. Health insurance thus allows for the care of health expenses, from the consultation of a doctor to hospitalization, to the reimbursement of examinations and medicines.

But that’s not all. The social protection of a student must go far beyond that. Indeed, the risk of getting sick if you leave for a year is real. But you can meet other needs. Compare student insurance contracts to determine the guarantees that can protect you at best.

What guarantees do you subscribe?

For students abroad, beyond medical reimbursements, it is important to subscribe comprehensive insurance. Here are the guarantees to which you can claim and which are very similar to those of travel insurance:

• Medical expenses;
• Hospitality expenses;
• Repatriated assistance;
• Research and rescue costs;
• Baggage insurance;
• Civil liability abroad;
• Legal assistance;
• Psychological support.

By subscribing all these guarantees, you are sure to get protection for all life events.

Good to know: If you rent self-catering accommodation on site, don’t forget to subscribe to a home insurance. Same if you rent a car , subscribe car rental insurance that will protect you, whether you are responsible or not for a sinister car.

Student insurance abroad: points of vigilance

The subscription of an insurance for students abroad should not be done without reflection in advance. Indeed, it is enough to compare the offers of insurance companies (Europ assistance, Chapka, etc.), to understand that the guarantees are not always identical.

Take the example of medical expenses . All insurance for students abroad will offer you this protection. You will then be tempted to go at least expensive. But what does it really involve?

The price difference can be justified by a lower ceiling. If you go to a country where medical care is expensive, you better choose a suitable ceiling.

This difference can also be justified by an exclusion. Some care may not be taken care of, it is better to make sure before leaving rather than having a bad financial surprise on the spot.

At the time of the subscription of an insurance for your studies abroad, check the franchises . For the record, this is the amount that will not be covered by the insurance in case of expenditure. For example, if you have to pay €100 with a deductible of €50, the insurance will only refund you €50.

There are also franchises that act as a compensation floor. For example, if your franchise is 80€, no support is provided below. On the other hand, any higher payment allows full support (with respect to the ceilings applied).

Finally, make sure that your student travel insurance contract does not impose a deficiency on you. This is a period during which you pay your guarantees without being able to benefit from it.

Chapka Insurance Cap Student Insurance

To understand what insurance is for students abroad, it is essential to understand the guarantees.

Take the example of Cap Student Insurance Chapka . This travel insurance expert has chosen to offer insurance to the first euro. But what does that mean?

• We have previously referred to franchises and deficiencies. For its insurance dedicated to foreign students, Chapka offers, for medical expenses in the event of an unexpected illness or accident, a coverage from the 1st eurowithout a franchise and without a ceiling. It is naturally very attractive.
• Support is also integral to the repatriation. Your actual expenses will be refunded if you have to return to France following an illness or accident or in the event of an early return due to a family problem (death of a loved one).
• This insurance, however, offers ceilings for the dental expenses (emergency)500€) and for the optics in the event of injury (200€).
• For civil liability abroad, the ceiling is 4 000 000€. This amount may seem very high. However, it will be very useful if you hurt someone and then become handicapped.
• Legal assistance proposes a ceiling of €3 000. Support for search and rescue costs is capped 5 000€.

Travel insurance for students abroad: how much does it cost?

If you take the example of Chapka, the price is the result of the area in which you study and the duration of your stay.

For example, if you study for 10 months in Europe and you are a holder of ECAM, you will pay 246€ . For the same duration in the world outside Zone 3, the price is 362€ . Area 3 concerns countries where medical expenses are particularly high, the insurance premium is naturally more expensive. The countries of this area are: United States , Canada Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland and the Bahamas. This time, for 10 months, your insurance will cost you 468€ .

Do not hesitate to make a comparison with other insurances. Compare allows you to find a guarantee adapted to your needs, the duration of your stay, the country in which you study and, of course, your budget.

Dear students, you have all the cards in your hands! Nice study trip!