Basics
Travel insurance or international health insurance?
Students often buy travel insurance for a year abroad and find out later that it was the wrong product.
| Travel insurance | International health insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Usually a single trip, often with a maximum length | Usually a year, renewable |
| Medical cover | Emergency treatment only | Routine and emergency care |
| Pre-existing conditions | Often excluded or limited | May be covered after a waiting period, or excluded |
| Belongings and cancellations | Often included | Usually not included |
| Accepted for visas | Sometimes for short stays | More often for long stays |
When travel insurance fits
Travel insurance suits short trips, travel during holidays and the journey to and from your host country. It is designed for things going wrong suddenly.
When it does not
Over a semester or a year, you are likely to need ordinary medical care: a doctor for an infection, a prescription, a dentist. Travel insurance usually does not cover these. Many visa authorities also do not accept it for long stays.
Using both
Many students hold the host country's required cover and a separate travel policy for trips during the year. Check that the two do not leave a gap, for example in the first days after arrival.
This page is general information, last reviewed in October 2026. It is not advice, and rules change. Check the official source for your visa and your university's own guidance before you buy anything.