Life may be the greatest education of all, but U.S. colleges must come in pretty close, with the U.S. being the top destination for international students! One thing to remember when studying in U.S. colleges and universities is that international student insurance can make or break your life.

Most U.S. colleges offer sponsored international student health insurance. In many cases, a student is automatically enrolled in the college-sponsored plan unless he/she opts out of it. To opt out, an international student usually has to demonstrate comparable insurance from another source.

There are several student health insurance plans available, that satisfy the requirements set forth by most universities. While there is no rule governing insurance requirements for students on an F-1 student visa, most universities have set requirements that include substantial coverage for inpatient and outpatient care, and mental health.

While college-sponsored health insurance includes previously existing conditions, insurance purchased elsewhere may include previously existing conditions after six months of coverage. However, college-sponsored plans have a restricted area of coverage, while other plans usually provide better nationwide coverage.

Green travel is the new buzzword these days and several destinations are beginning to realize the value in preserving the environment along with providing an awesome travel experience. Does this really affect the costs of international travel, which includes travel insurance policies, accommodation, and airfare?

The general idea is that having an eco-friendly holiday means minimal damage to the environment, but maximum damage to the purse! This is fast becoming false, as the volume of eco-friendly tourism increases. The past decade has seen a nine-fold increase in eco-tourism. Airfare, probably the largest chunk of your travel budget, will still need to be borne as a eco-unfriendly expense!

In a great paradox of our times, booking your accommodation at a resort that advertises itself as being “eco-friendly” may oftentimes be more expensive than booking rooms at a genuinely rustic place. Finding such a place is easier said than done, but bed and breakfasts and local establishments are more likely to be eco-friendly, given that they have a direct stake in the local ecology.

While travel medical insurance is rarely affected by your decision to take a “green holiday” remember that you will still need to adhere to basic precautions such as washing your hands with soap, showering in hot water if the weather calls for it, and drinking bottled or boiled water. So go ahead, have yourself a green holiday and turn others green with envy!

Selecting a short term health insurance depends on the deductibles and the coinsurance you choose. In most plans, you can vary your insurance premium by selecting appropriate deductibles and coinsurance amounts.

The deductible decides the amount of premium that you will be paying for the insurance. The premium also depends on the coinsurance, or the amount that you will have to pay for the first $10,000 (or the plan’s coinsurance maximum) in covered charges. If you want to pay a lower premium, this would mean that the initial amount (coinsurance) that you pay before insurance benefits kick in will be higher. A higher premium ensures that the amount that you will pay as your initial contribution (coinsurance) if you get sick will be lower.

For example, let’s say you are a 33 year old, and have a short term insurance plan. You need $15,000 for medical treatment. If you choose $1,000 deductible with an 80-20 percent coinsurance, then you would have to pay $3,000 while the insurance would contribute $12,000. With this particular plan, you will be paying a premium of $86.57.

However, if you chose a $2,500 deductible with 80-20 percent coinsurance, then you will have to pay $4,500 for the same treatment of $15,000 and the insurance would pay the rest. You will be paying a premium of $67.33.

When travelers think of a trip to the United States, there are usually two reactions, both of which have to do with visitor health insurance. Do any of your friends or relatives think this way?

A person either thinks that if he/she falls ill, then the cost of healthcare will wipe out their finances and so, a trip to the United States is not a good idea. At the other end of the spectrum are people who believe that positive thinking will work wonders, and that nothing will happen to them; so they travel to the U.S. without any protection.

Both these attitudes are risky, and the United States has so much to offer in terms of experience that canceling a visit merely because of a fear of falling ill shouldn’t keep anyone from visiting the wondrous country. Nor should someone be foolhardy enough to make the visit with no health insurance.

Visitors health insurance can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of the airfare, and provides adequate coverage against sudden illnesses. However, if you have any pre-existing conditions as defined by the look-back period, these might not be covered. Either way, purchase your tickets, your visitors’ health insurance, and get ready to enjoy what the United States offers!