The insurance needs in a foreign country, however, are often quite different from those in the United States . Cultural differences that are charming when one is a carefree tourist can become nightmarish when one is forced to deal with a foreign country's legal system.

For example, the British system of law, on which our own system is founded, presumes innocence until proven guilty. The French system, or Napoleonic Code, presumes guilt until proven innocent.

Students in the U.S.

Before we discuss students abroad, we first take a look at students' needs while at home. Most colleges now require students to maintain health coverage. The first place to check is the student's parents' health coverage. Many plans will allow coverage for students so long as certain criteria, such as age and full-time attendance, are met. But, if the student will be studying in another part of the country, check that the insurance plan has providers in the area. Using an out-of-network physician or hospital might mean that all costs will not be covered, or that the parent will have to assume a steep co-payment.

If the parents' plan is not available, the student can often find coverage through group plans recommended by the college. These are often available for less money than an equivalent individual policy.

Coverage for personal property is an often-overlooked necessity. As with health insurance, the first place to look is at the parents' homeowners policy. Both the current AAIS and ISO forms now define an “insured” to include a student enrolled in school full time, so long as he or she was both a relative and resident of the named insured's household before leaving to attend school. In the ISO form the student may be age 24 or under; in the AAIS form the student may be age 25 or under. Thus, personal property owned by these insureds is covered. However, the homeowners forms typically limit coverage for property usually located at an insured's residence (think dorm) other than the residence premises to 10 percent of the coverage C limit of liability. Now, think how much students accumulate—I Pods, laptops, Blackberrys—not to mention clothing, miscellaneous furniture, and books. Will 10 percent of the coverage C amount cover the student's personal possessions? Remember, too, that there is no theft coverage for property if the student has not been at the residence during the 60 days prior to the loss.

As an aside, while researching this article, it appeared to be a common misconception that, while a parental homeowners policy would cover a student's property while the student lived in student housing, it would not cover the property if the student lived in an apartment off campus. Standard homeowners forms make no distinction, although it is of course possible that some non-standard forms exclude coverage. When in doubt, read the policy.

If the student lives off-campus, a tenant homeowners policy might be considered. The policy will provide coverage for personal property, medical payments, and liability coverage. Of course, the usual exclusions apply.

There are companies that specialize in coverage for students. One such is National Student Services, Inc. (NSSI; the web site is http://www.nssi.com/) Underwritten by Hanover Insurance Company, the policy, called the Student Personal Property Plan, covers property usual to students: desktops, laptops, clothing, cell phones, cameras, and furniture. Coverage for jewelry is limited to 20% of the policy amount; coverage for bicycles is limited to $500; loss or damage to CDs, DVDs, MP3 and video games is limited to $1,000 for any one loss. The policy provides world-wide coverage, and may be renewed for a year after the student graduates. Deductibles are $25, $50, or $100. The down side is that the policy only covers loss by theft, fire, earthquake, hurricanes and tornadoes, vandalism, flood, lightning, and accidental damage including liquid spills. This latter is optional.

Note, though, that the policy does not provide any liability coverage; this is where the parents' homeowners policy would come into play. In fact, of the many student insurance programs reviewed, none offered liability coverage. The assumption appears to be that the student will have world-wide coverage under the parents' homeowners policy.

Auto insurance, of course, must be considered if the student takes a vehicle to school. Typically, insurers give discounts for students attending school over 100 miles from the parents' residence, so long as they do not have an auto with them. If the auto is at the school, then a common practice is to rate the vehicle in the territory in which the school is located.

Health Insurance Abroad

It is possible, though highly doubtful, that parental health insurance will cover a student abroad for any length of time. And, although the socialized medicine in place in many countries means that no one will be turned away in event of a serious injury, the student cannot guarantee that his or her needs will be attended to in a timely fashion. Many hospitals in Europe will expect that a visiting

American will have health insurance, and will coordinate with the visitor's insurance. It is also possible that the student abroad might simply need to see a doctor. Therefore, the most prudent course of action is to purchase insurance.

Many colleges that offer study abroad programs also offer health coverage as part of the complete package. The first thing to do, then, is to check with the college. If the college offers coverage, review the benefits and exclusions carefully, and check offerings on line.

There are many differences, so some careful searching is well worth the time.

One such insurer is HTH Worldwide (http://www.hthstudents.com/insurance). The student can have access to qualified, English-speaking doctors in over 180 countries. Maximum benefits are $100,000 per year; $250,000 lifetime. Two of the benefits (offered by this insurer, as well as other insurers) are for medical evacuation and bedside visit. The first of these pays up to $50,000, should it become imperative that the student be returned to the United States for medical care. The second pays up to $1,500 for a round trip coach ticket and hotel accommodations in the place where a student is hospitalized. And, although one does not like to contemplate the possibility, the policy pays up to $15,000 for repatriation of remains.

Of course, as in any insurance policy, there are exclusions. There are no benefits available during the first year of coverage for pre-existing conditions. There is no coverage for injury received while participating in professional sports, scuba diving, hang gliding, parachuting, or bungee jumping. Injury received while operating a motor vehicle, if not licensed in the jurisdiction where the accident occurred, is not covered. And, two important caveats: there is no coverage for injury resulting from being legally intoxicated or under the influence of alcohol as defined by the jurisdiction in which the accident occurred. Given that the favorite after-study pastime of the student abroad is to sample the local pub or bier stube, the student (and parents) should be aware of this exclusion—which, by the way, was common in the policies reviewed. Second, there is no coverage for expenses incurred in the student's home country, which in most instances will be the U.S. This exclusion was also common in the policies reviewed.

This insurance is underwritten by HM Life Insurance Company, Pittsburgh, PA, or HM Life Insurance Company of New York .

Cultural Insurance Services International (http://www.culturalinsurance.com) offers both a basic and upgraded plan. The basic plan offers $50,000 per accident or sickness, with unlimited lifetime maximum; the upgrade offers $100,000 with unlimited lifetime. Both plans provide up to $50,000 for medical evacuation or return of mortal remains. The upgrade includes up to $1,000 for baggage loss, $1,500 for emergency medical reunion, and 50 percent up to $1,000 for tuition refund. Exclusions include coverage for injury sustained while under the influence of intoxicants or drugs (other than those prescribed by a physician); coverage for injury sustained while “taking part in mountaineering where ropes or guides are normally used, hang gliding, parachuting, bungee jumping, racing by horse, motor vehicle or motorcycle, parasailing,” and coverage for pre-existing conditions.

CISI also offers the insurance (underwritten by the Insurance Company of Pennsylvania ) for the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). This insurance is extremely comprehensive, offering medical, illness, accidental death and dismemberment, emergency dental, mental disorder, repatriation of remains and transportation to home country, property, personal liability, and optional transit coverage. The RYE insurance, similarly to the others discussed, will not cover medical expenses resulting from an accident while the insured is intoxicated. The insurance will not cover injury sustained while operating a motorized vehicle except for lawn mowers, amusement park rides, or golf carts while on a golf course. There is an exception—students located in Bermuda, where small motor cycles or mopeds are practically mandatory (cars are limited to one per household, among other restrictions; see http://www.bermuda-online.org/wheels.htm for information) fall outside the exclusion. However, the student must hold a valid license to ride the bike, and the bike can be no more than 50cc in capacity. Unfortunately—since the coverage is so good—the insurance is not available to the general student population.

A company that is of interest not only to the student but to those traveling for pleasure is International Student Insurance (http://www.internationalstudentinsurance.com/). This company offers student health insurance for U.S. citizens abroad and for international students studying in the United States . Additionally, the company offers health insurance for those traveling abroad. The applicant must be at least 14 days old. Those under age 70 can purchase up to $1,000,000 in coverage; from age 70 to 79 the limit is $50,000; over 80, the maximum available is $10,000. The minimum coverage period is 5 days and the maximum initial period is 12 months.

There is coverage for hospital room and board, services, intensive care, outpatient treatment, emergency dental, accidental death and dismemberment, common carrier accidental death, repatriation of remains, trip interruption, and lost checked luggage. An optional hazardous sports rider may be purchased. There is coverage for emergency medical evacuation, emergency reunion, and a natural disaster benefit—up to $100 per day for 5 days when displaced from planned, paid accommodations due to evacuation because of forecasted disaster or following a disaster strike. The exclusions are similar to those already reviewed, except that an acute onset of a pre-existing condition, defined as a “sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a Pre-existing Condition, that occurs spontaneously and without advance warning either in the form of Physician recommendations or symptoms” is covered, so long as treatment is obtained within 24 hours of the sudden and unexpected outbreak of recurrence. This plan is administered by

MultiNational Underwriters® of Indianapolis, IN.

There are many other health plans from which to choose; as noted earlier, this article should not be taken as an endorsement of any particular carrier or program, but simply as a guide.

Property Insurance Abroad

Remember that standard policies, such as the tenant homeowners, cover personal property anywhere in the world. The student's parents' homeowners policy will also generally provide coverage.

But, just as there are health insurers targeting students, so are there insurers specializing in student personal property coverage. See, for example, http://www.insuranceforstudents.com. Written through the CSI Insurance Agency, Inc., Fireman's Fund Insurance offers the Student Personal Property Protector Plus®. The policy covers the property of an “enrolled student,” meaning “any full or part-time student, faculty or staff attending the school named in the declarations. A student is considered enrolled during normal school breaks and while attending any other educational institution, in connection with primary enrollment.” In other words, the student studying abroad is covered. Coverage is world-wide, so long as claim is made and any mediation or arbitration is brought within the

United States . Coverage is on an open perils basis, and losses are settled on an actual cash value basis unless replacement cost coverage is purchased. A $2,000 limit applies to jewelry, watches, precious stones or metals, fine arts, bicycles, and musical instruments, unless the items are scheduled.

The policy will not cover accounts, bills, deeds, evidences of debt, letters of credit, money, credit, debit, or fund transfer cards, tickets, bullion, animals, birds, or fish, firearms or ammunition, bulbs, lamps, or articles made largely of glass. The policy will not cover property stolen while left unattended in a privately owned vehicle unless the vehicle was locked and there are signs of forced entry. This exclusion and exception has largely disappeared from current property policies; but because stealing from an auto can be a way of life in some areas, it makes its reappearance here.

The GEICO gecko offers renters insurance for students. Go to http://www.geico.com/information/aboutinsurance/renters/insights/apartment/ for information.

Auto Insurance Abroad

The student should know that his or her parents' auto policy will not provide coverage in any foreign country other than Canada .

Therefore, contemplating driving while studying abroad should be discussed thoroughly prior to departure. In the past, one of the benefits of purchasing an umbrella policy was that it provided coverage while driving in a foreign country. But now, many umbrella policies follow form and will not provide coverage if the underlying auto policy excludes coverage. And, since that is the case, an umbrella is not the solution.

If the student simply wishes to rent a car for a week or so to tour the country, then the best source is the rental agency. Of course, the student would have to qualify for renting the car. If the student purchases a vehicle abroad, then the student should check in that country for coverage.

Although it is highly doubtful that a student will ship his or her vehicle to a foreign country for a year, on the off-chance, the gecko again comes to the rescue. Go to http:///www.geico.com for information on coverage for an auto or motorcycle abroad. GEICO, remember, was founded as an insurance company for government employees, many of whom are stationed abroad. Small wonder, then, that the company has offices in many foreign countries.

Liability Insurance Abroad

There are no stand-alone liability policies available, except for those providing malpractice or similar coverage. Two of the sites that were checked for property coverage stated that students should be covered under their parents' homeowners policies.

One has only to follow the case of Amanda Knox, on trial in Italy for the murder of her roommate, to realize the perils that can accompany the student abroad. Now, this is not to say that a parental liability policy would necessarily have provided a defense, but it does highlight the importance of the coverage.

So, the first thing to do is to read the parents' policy to see who is an insured. As noted above, in the ISO form the student may be age 24 or under; in the AAIS form the student may be age 25 or under. So long as the student meets the age criteria, and was a resident relative prior to leaving to attend college, then world-wide coverage is available. If the student does not qualify, or for some other reason prefers to obtain coverage, then a renter's policy, with medical payments and liability coverage, would be the best idea.

And Finally…

Each year approximately 250,000 students will go abroad to study. Although most will enjoy a wonderful experience, there are a few who will not. For an illuminating article, go to http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-05-27-study-abroad-main_N.htm. We should note that since this article was first written many study-abroad organizations have reviewed and changed their policies as necessary; however, there are risks. The student should be prepared prior to departure with contact information, including the local U.S. Embassy, and health information including all necessary immunization, travel advisories, etc. There are Web sites that link to companies that provide travel assistance, such as interpreters, medical evacuation, and pre-travel advisories. “Googling” travel assistance will bring up any number of sites. Most of these do not function as insurance, but coordinate with the student's own medical insurance. The student will need to purchase the necessary coverage prior to departure.