Amy288

Hi Guys,

I fly out tomorrow on an f1 visa and my classes start the first week of January. I've been trying to sort out my health insurance (I'm aware I may have been very unorganised with this leaving it this late! I am as we speak frantically trying to get the last of the packing done, it's been a manic month) and I'm completely and utterly lost.

Ideally I'd like to wait until I'm there and sit down with American friends to figure out which is the best policy to buy with their help.

What I'm wondering is, if I buy one weeks travel insurance to cover the period until I get the health insurance arranged will it still be valid as I'm not visiting as a tourist, if that makes sense?

Hoping someone who is a little bit more clued up than me can help!

Thanks in Advance

tom169

Highly unlikely.

Has your college / educational institution provided any guidance on this subject?

Amy288

They don't provide a policy or recommend one unfortunately. My friends in America are either Nurses or EMTs so would be brilliant to wait a few days and be able to sit down with them to work out the best policy but would be just my luck something would happen in those few days and I wouldn't be covered.

Chrissie85

Back when I came over here (2006) with my degree for my placement year...the University advised us to obtain a typical traveling policy.

Not sure if that is as good now or even if it fits your situation...sorry.

glowie

When I was studying abroad under a J-1 from 2010-2011 I was advised to do the same as Chrissie85.
A 10 month travel insurance was what I got back then.
But, it's already 6 years ago and you hold an F visa.

PetrifiedExPat

I believe through anecdotal evidence alone, if you travel to the US with the intent to work/study (aka not for tourism), any travel insurance you have will not be valid.

scrubbedexpat099

You can buy long term travel insurance which would include business and education.

Certainly as far as Medical Insurance is concerned it would not include anything routine as it is a temprary situation and if anything serious happened the forst thing they would be looking to do is get you back home.

PetrifiedExPat

That is handy to know, actually. Without repeating myself from another post, I found out a day before I traveled to the US as a tourist a few years back, the travel insurance I purchased in the UK was not actually valid. Reason: I had not been a resident of the UK (longer than 6 months if I recall correctly) before that particular travel to the US as a tourist. Short version: glad I called the insurance company beforehand to iron this out (my premium didn't even change, but at least my insurance was valid!).

petitefrancaise

Your college will almost definitely have some kind of health insurance for the students. Google the name of your college + health insurance and if nothing comes up then phone the international student office. It will probably be the cheapest way for you to get health insurance. Try to find out about this before you sign up for anything else. Some more info here:Health Insurance Requirements for the F1 Visa