StudentSecure insurance from HCC Medical Insurance Services

Pursuing your education outside your home country? Take StudentSecure insurance from HCC Medical Insurance Services (HCCMIS) with you.

Do I need study abroad insurance? If you are a student or scholar planning on traveling to pursue your education outside your home country, health insurance is a necessity.

Most student visas and learning institutions require visiting foreign students be covered by a comprehensive health insurance policy. You may also fi nd that the coverage from your home country will not follow you while you are studying abroad. HCC Medical Insurance Services (HCCMIS) off ers StudentSecure as an aff ordable solution.

HCCMIS takes the guesswork out of insurance for individuals in study abroad programs with StudentSecure, a plan designed specifi cally to meet the needs of international students and scholars. HCCMIS’s StudentSecure is the program that travels with you and meets or exceeds U.S. government student visa requirements.

The four levels of coverage - Elite, Select, Budget and Smart - ensure that you can fi nd the appropriate plan. Each plan includes coverage for medical expenses, emergency medical evacuation, and repatriation of remains.
After purchasing coverage,

how can I trust the company to be there if I need them?
HCC Medical Insurance Services LLC (HCCMIS), headquartered in the United States in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a full-service company off ering international medical insurance and short- term medical insurance products designed to meet needs of consumers worldwide. HCCMIS is a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCC), a leading Specialty Insurance group. HCC’s major companies have a fi nancial strength rating of AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings and A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.



For more information about StudentSecure, please visit hccmis.com
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Car Accident
Converting kilometers to miles can be hard, but a speed limit is a
speed limit.  Car accident $120,599*
*This amount is an example of an actual claim handled by HCCMIS. Coverage for similar claims is not to be inferred as all claims are unique.
VisitorsCoverage Inc. 2350 Mission College Blvd.  Suite #1140 Santa Clara, CA 95054 Phone: 408-737-2538 Fax: 408-737-2555 E-mail: insurance@VisitorsCoverage.com
Pre-existing Conditions
After 6 months of continuous coverage, StudentSecure Elite and StudentSecure Select will provide benefi ts for pre- existing conditions (12 months for StudentSecure Budget).  A pre-existing condition is generally defi ned as any injury or illness which, within the 12 months prior to the eff ective date of coverage, manifested itself, exhibited symptoms, or required medical treatment or medication, or for which a physician was consulted. Please refer to the certifi cate of insurance for the complete defi nition. 
Acute Onset of a Pre-existing Condition
Individuals who purchase StudentSecure Smart are entitled to a $25,000 lifetime maximum for the acute onset of a pre- existing condition.  The acute onset of a pre-existing condition means a sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence of a pre-existing condition which occurs spontaneously and without advance warning either in the form of physician recommendations or symptoms, is of short duration, is rapidly progressive, and requires urgent care. The acute onset of a pre-existing condition must occur after the eff ective date of the policy. Treatment must be obtained within 24 hours of the sudden and unexpected outbreak or recurrence. A pre-existing condition that is a chronic or congenital condition or that gradually becomes worse over time will not be considered acute onset.   All other expenses related to pre-existing conditions are not covered with StudentSecure Smart.

Organized Sports Activities
Medical expenses for injuries or illnesses sustained while participating in intercollegiate, interscholastic, intramural, or club sports are covered by the StudentSecure plan up to a maximum of $5,000 per Injury or Illness on StudentSecure Elite and Select and up to $3,000 per injury or illness on StudentSecure Budget.  StudentSecure Smart does not provide coverage for organized sports activities.
Mental Health Disorders
StudentSecure Elite, Select and Budget provide benefi ts for mental health disorders including the treatment of substance abuse.  Drug and alcohol abuse are covered under the mental health disorders benefi t.  Treatment for mental health disorders is covered only if not obtained from a student health center.
Emergency Dental
The following emergency dental expenses are covered: emergency dental treatment and dental surgery necessary to restore or replace sound natural teeth lost or damaged in an accident which is covered under this insurance subject to a maximum of $250 per tooth and $500 certifi cate period maximum; and emergency dental treatment necessary to resolve acute, spontaneous and unexpected onset of pain subject to a maximum benefi t of $100 per certifi cate period.  Emergency Dental benefi ts are available on the Elite, Select and Budget plans only.
Emergency Medical Evacuation
Would you know what to do if you found yourself in a lifethreatening situation far from home? HCCMIS is experienced in arranging emergency medical evacuations. StudentSecure will cover the necessary expenses to transport you to the nearest medical facility qualifi ed to treat your life- threatening condition. We also understand the importance of family support in these diffi  cult situations. StudentSecure will also cover the transportation, lodging, and meal costs for a relative to join you after an emergency medical evacuation up to the lifetime limit.
Terrorism
In these turbulent times, the risk of a terrorist attack is a reality. If you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, StudentSecure off ers coverage for medical expenses resulting from these acts.
Repatriation of Remains
The death of a loved one is never easy, no matter the circumstances. In the unfortunate event of your death while traveling abroad, StudentSecure will arrange for and cover the costs associated with the repatriation of your remains.

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Best Insurance Companies In France

A guide to insurance in France

Compulsory insurance reaches across many sectors in France. Here's an essential guide to make sure you're properly insured while living in France.

The French have a more dirigiste approach to insurance than many new arrivals may be used to. Where liability is concerned for example, insurance is often obligatory. This guide is designed to make sure you are properly insured while living in France.

The French insurance market offers a wide choice of companies and policies to choose from. You may contact an insurer online, through a local agent or via a broker.

As in other spheres, you get what you pay for. A broker may be more expensive but his job is to get the best deal for you from the insurer and to be at your side throughout the life of your contract including whenever a claim occurs. Insurance has its own jargon and, in a foreign country, language may be an additional problem. Although some company sites carry an English-language page, most do not. 

Some local agents speak English and there are brokers who specialise in helping expatriates. Banks and supermarkets also offer insurance policies at attractive rates but they are not tailor made and the staff is not trained to the same degree as those who only transact insurance.

Insurance is a legal requirement

Insurance is a legal requirement for vehicle owners (assurance automobile), homes whether rented or owned (assurance habitation), for civil liability (assurance responsabilité civile or chef de famille), and for school-age children (assurance scolaire).

In addition to having a job or a private income, one of the requirements for residency in France is that you are covered by health insurance. If you are employed or self-employed, you have to pay into the state health coverage system (La Sécurite sociale). This will not cover you fully and most people take out top-up insurance commonly called a Mutuelle. 

If you are not employed and are not entitled to a European pension, you will have to take out private health insurance that covers you from the first euro of your healthcare expenses. For more information on health insurance see 'A guide to healthcare in France'.

You are legally required to insure your home

Whether you rent or own, you must have your policy in hand before moving in. All home insurance policies in France are comprehensive and they will cover any damage to your home and contents, such as fire, water damage, theft and vandalism. 

In addition, any risk of damage that an accident at your home might cause to someone else's residence will be included since this is obligatory. This will cover you if, for example, your apartment's bathtub leaks into the ceiling of the flat downstairs or a tile falls off of your roof onto someone’s head. 

Natural catastrophes are also automatically covered. Recent years have seen an alarming number of natural catastrophes in some regions, particularly forest fires and flooding in the south of the country, including in urban areas.

You will be asked questions about the property, including the number of square meters and the number of rooms, but most companies will not require a visit before offering terms. You will not be asked to value the building since this is dealt with by a national building index. 

Be sure you ask for adequate contents cover; some people try and reduce the premium by undervaluing their contents and rue the consequences on the day of a claim. Fire alarms are not required either by French law or most insurers. Certain theft protections may appear draconian such as the presence and use of an alarm (depending upon the value of your contents) and the closing of shutters at night or during long absences.

It is strongly advisable to make sure you understand the small print of any policy, especially regarding the excesses you will have to carry and your obligations to protect the property. 

All of the major companies are reputable, and the only significant difference in policies will probably be between rates. Some companies will offer discounts if you choose them for multiple policies such as home and car insurance.

Insurance required for school children

Some home insurance policies will automatically cover your liability for any damage or injury your child may cause at school; others will offer this as a separate cover at a nominal premium. In both cases, the insurer will give you a certificate or attestation that the school will ask you for at the beginning of the school year. While not strictly mandatory for school attendance, it is required for any activities outside the official curriculum including field trips of any kind as well as extracurricular sports.

Motor vehicles in France must be insured

All motor vehicles in France must be insured for collision liability, even if they are not in use, unless all four wheels are removed. Policies are either third party (tiers collision), third party fire & theft or comprehensive (tous risques).

Whenever you drive your vehicle, you are legally required to carry—along with your car registration papers(le certificat d’immatriculation) —a document, the attestation d’assurance, issued by the insurance company proving you are insured. Part of this, is a green certificat d'assurance testifying to the validity of your insurance. This must be fixed on your vehicle windscreen, so as to be clearly visible.

Don't leave these papers in the glove compartment; if your car is stolen and you cannot produce them, you will have difficulties in obtaining the police statement you need to make an insurance claim. You also help the thief pretend he is the rightful owner.

Your insurer will also issue you with an internationally standard form, le constat amiable, to fill in the event of an accident. It provides space to fill out insurance details, a written and graphic description of the accident and it must be completed and signed by both you and the other party involved. It is a carbon copy sheet, and both parties send their copy back to their respective insurer to establish responsibility.

Do not add anything to the form after completing and signing it with the other party as the two insurers may compare their copies in establishing who was at fault.

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