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Study Abroad Insurance

Student Health Insurance Minimum Requirements
Options for Meeting Minimum Coverage Requirements
Responsibilities of Study Abroad Program Directors
Enrollment in HTH Worldwide Insurance Policy

Student Health Insurance Minimum Requirements

All students participating in University of Montana-sponsored study abroad programs are required to maintain health insurance coverage throughout the entire study abroad period. The University of Montana's minimum coverage requirements are:

  • Medical Expense Benefit: $100,000
  • Medical Evacuation: $50,000
  • Repatriation: $15,000

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Options for Meeting Minimum Coverage Requirements

Students have many affordable options to meet these minimum coverage requirements.

  • UM’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield student insurance policy meets all minimum coverage requirements. For this reason, those students enrolled in the UM Blue Cross/Blue Shield student insurance policy do not need to purchase supplemental coverage.
  • Students may also meet these requirements by maintaining their current health insurance through a parental policy and supplementing it, if necessary, with a policy that covers medical evacuation and repatriation. Some such policies include:
  • Students may meet all requirements by purchasing the UM's comprehensive study abroad insurance policy through HTH Worldwide Insurance Services. Students going abroad on a UM sponsored program and UM faculty and staff going abroad on university business may enroll in the plan. The cost is $45.00/month. This plan has coverage for medical expense, medical evacuation and repatriation. However, it offers only $5,000 home-country coverage within the coverage period and offers only minimal coverage for preexisting conditions. Program Directors electing to enroll students in the UM HTH comprehensive study abroad insurance policy may use the HTH Comprehensive Enrollment Form .
  • Students may meet all requirements by purchasing an independent study abroad insurance policy. The cost varies, usually about $40/month. Some companies to consider include:
  • PLEASE NOTE: Students purchasing a study abroad insurance plan (HTH or otherwise) are encouraged to retain their U.S. insurance so that they are covered for preexisting conditions and for any time they are in the U.S. before or after the program.

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Responsibilities of Study Abroad Program Directors

Program Directors are responsible for ensuring that participants in their programs have proper insurance coverage for the duration of the program. They may do so by requiring a completed Insurance Coverage Form (available from IP) from every student. In planning their Study Abroad program to meet the Insurance Requirements, Program Directors may choose to:

  • Require the same insurance plan of every student. This may be easiest method for short-term (i.e. 4 -week) programs. Students would not need to complete an Insurance Coverage Form if the Program Director ensures that all students are enrolled in the same policy and that the policy meets all of UM's study abroad insurance requirements. Program Directors electing to enroll students in the UM HTH comprehensive study abroad insurance policy may use the HTH Comprehensive Enrollment Form.
  • Give students a limited number of choices. Program Directors select 2-3 insurance plans which meet the Study Abroad Insurance Requirement and allow students to enroll in the plan of their choice from their approved options. Program Directors must require each student to complete an Insurance Coverage Form, thereby ensuring that each student is enrolled in an insurance policy that meets the Study Abroad Insurance Requirement.
  • Allow students to meet the insurance requirements with any available insurance plan. Program Directors must require each student to complete an Insurance Coverage Form, thereby ensuring that each student is enrolled in an insurance policy that meets the Study Abroad Insurance Requirement.

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Enrollment in HTH Worldwide Insurance Policy

Students participating in a UM-sponsored study abroad program and UM faculty and staff traveling abroad on university business are eligible to enroll in an HTH Worldwide supplemental or comprehensive insurance plan. The supplemental policy is $9/month and meets the minimum insurance requirements for medical evacuation ($50,000) and repatriation ($15,000). The comprehensive policy is $45/month and meets with all minimum requirements (medical expense benefit: $100,000, medical evacuation: $50,000, and repatriation: $15,000).

Program Directors who wish to enroll students in either plan should fill out one of the following forms:

HTH Supplemental Enrollment Form

HTH Comprehensive Enrollment Form

UM faculty and staff traveling abroad on university business can purchase either insurance policy by contacting Meghan Squires at meghan.squires@mso.umt.edu .

Please direct insurance-related questions to Meghan Squires at meghan.squires@mso.umt.edu or 243-6865.

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