Keeping healthy is a prerequisite to having a satisfactory academic and cultural experience abroad. Students are encouraged to:
- Take appropriate health precautions, particularly when going to a developing country. Check with program sponsors to determine what inoculations may be needed. Be aware that many of these inoculations must be obtained several weeks prior to departure. Students taking prescription medication on a regular basis, including birth control pills, should either plan to bring a supply for the entire period they are there or bring a written Doctor’s RX for the medication indicating the generic name for the medication.
- Review major medical insurance with parents and confirm that the policy will cover students abroad. Be sure that you and your son/daughter understand the extent of the insurance coverage abroad, and any exclusions on the policy. Also be sure to review procedures for filing claims. Some study abroad programs and some visa applications will require that students show proof of their insurance policy by submitting a letter from their insurance carrier stating that they are covered abroad.
If you and your parents
have determined that your insurance coverage will not extend to the
overseas program site and there is no possibility of purchasing a rider
to extend coverage, you can consider purchasing a policy with Cross
Insurance by contacting 1-800-0537-6444 ext. 211 or
www.crossagency.com. Be sure to specify that you are a Colby student.
- Consider purchasing travel insurance for students studying
abroad. The College highly recommends that, in addition to your primary insurance, all students studying and traveling abroad on both Colby and non-Colby programs purchase supplementary travel insurance through iNext. You can purchase an iNext card on-line.
Simply create an account online and follow the prompts to select your
level of coverage, complete your profile, upload a digital photograph,
and make your purchase. Your card will be sent to you the following
business day. You will also be able to print a confirmation of
insurance directly from the iNext website.
This
supplementary insurance offers benefits such as accident and sickness
expenses, emergency medical transportation, 24-hour medical, legal and
travel assistance and travel document replacement.
Three plans are offered, varying in cost from $25 - $85 for one year of
coverage. It is important to understand that, as with any
travel insurance policy, this coverage is secondary to your primary
medical coverage and certain exclusions may apply.
If you have
any questions about the iNext travel insurance coverage or how to
purchase a card online, please feel free to contact Laurie Duston,
iNext manager, via telephone or email.
Laurie Duston
Manager, iNext
(207) 553-4039
info@inext.com
All students on Colby programs are required to carry comprehensive health coverage, either through a family policy or purchased separately. They will be required to show proof of such insurance, with their program application and when applying for a visa (if required), by submitting a letter from their insurance carrier stating that they are covered abroad. Students are responsible for paying any fees associated with visits to doctors, dentists, or counselors while abroad and during any travels. Students are also responsible for paying any hospitalization or testing. Students and families should, therefore, familiarize themselves with the procedure for filing claims. Please note that any payment is due at the time of treatment and hospitals and clinics will not bill insurance companies directly.
if you and your parents
have determined that your insurance coverage will not extend to the
overseas program site and there is no possibility of purchasing a rider
to extend coverage, you can consider purchasing a policy with Cross
Insurance by contacting 1-800-0537-6444 ext. 211 or
www.crossagency.com. Be sure to specify that you are a Colby student.
Every student on Colby programs abroad is informed of the availability of medical care and provided emergency contact numbers. If a student has a pre-existing medical condition or serious allergies, these details should be included on the health form that students were required to send to the OCS office at Colby. Please call the office if you believe that there is more information on your son or daughter's health that we should know. It is absolutely critical that our staff have detailed health information so that they can arrange for the best possible care for your son or daughter in the event that it is needed. This also includes any psychological conditions for which he or she may be undergoing treatment.
Students attending Colby programs in Dijon, Salamanca, and
St. Petersburg are required to purchase at least the iNext Basic card at a rate of $25.
Many of the same policies apply to non-Colby programs. Refer to the information above and to the specific program information for their requirements.
We suggest that you prepare all your emergency contacts and information
in one plance so it is handy when needed. You may download this
Student Emergency Information Card as a tool to help you keep track of all the important numbers you may need.
