Insurance FAQ

Items one through three on this page are dedicated to questions about the new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign International Travel Safety Policy (CAM HR-39), which took effect June 2023. The full announcement can be found in the Safety Abroad Blog.

Per CAM HR-39, as a faculty or staff member, you are required to enroll in International Insurance (Gallagher) when traveling internationally on University-related business, to include Puerto Rico, Canada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The University of Illinois System pays the insurance fee for faculty and staff on University-related travel. For more information on faculty and staff enrollment and to enroll, please visit https://go.illinois.edu/intl-insurance-fac-staff.

Graduate students participating in university-related activities abroad have been required to enroll in international insurance since 2012. As a graduate student, you must enroll as students (not as staff or faculty). This revision reinforces enrollment and adds a requirement for departments to pay for travel conducted as a teaching or graduate assistant. As appropriate the unit pays using a CFOP or the cost will be billed to the student account. For more information on graduate student enrollment and to enroll, please visit https://go.illinois.edu/intl-insurance-grad.

No, this initiative does not change the terms, benefits, limitations, and exclusions of the insurance policy.

The fee is based on the amount of time spent abroad; you can find the full fee schedule here. It will show up on your student account as a “Safety and Security Admin Fee”.

  • Undergraduate students: You must be enrolled in international insurance if participating in university-activities or programs abroad. If you are participating in a pre-approved program, you will be automatically enrolled. If you are unsure, please contact your college's study abroad office.
  • Graduate students: When enrolling yourself select “Yes” if your department will pay and provide a CFOP. If this section is blank, we will charge the fee to your student account.

Procuring visas is the responsibility of the traveler. If the country requires proof of insurance, the Verification Letter received in your insurance welcome email can be used to prove insurance coverage. General information about passports and visas is available on the Education Abroad website. If you purchase outside insurance, you are still required to enroll in the University-approved International Insurance through Gallagher.

There is no exception to opt out of the university-approved International Insurance (Gallagher). For International Safety and Security to assist travelers, we must know the policy coverages, exclusions, and how to access the insurance. We lack that information for outside or program insurance.

  • Undergraduate students: Some education abroad programs may require that you have their program-specific insurance, plus national health insurance. By University policy, you must also purchase the university-approved International Insurance (Gallagher). The University recognizes the financial implication of having multiple coverages, but each organization has identified their own insurance requirements that must be upheld. If multiple insurance policies are required, these costs should be reflected in your program budget.
  • Graduate students: Some grants provide insurance or require you to purchase a specific insurance. You are still required to purchase the University-approved International Insurance (Gallagher). Your unit may pay the fee with a CFOP when you enroll.

Everyone: You must maintain your U.S.-based medical insurance while abroad. This ensures that travelers have medical insurance if they return to the U.S. unexpectedly.

Graduate and Undergraduate Students: Your U.S.-based coverage can be any policy approved by the Office of Student Health Insurance. The International Insurance (Gallagher) is separate from the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and therefore, opting out of SHIP will not interfere with traveler enrollment in the international insurance.

University property is automatically insured, but with a $500,000 deductible. This insurance should not be relied upon for traveling with computers due to the high deductible. The university offers a Computer Insurance Plan that can cover computers and other electronic equipment. This coverage is not automatic. Colleges, Departments, or Units must contact Risk Management if they want to participate in this plan. Visit the Risk Management website for more information.

No, personal devices are not insured under the International Insurance (Gallagher) policy. You can elect to get Personal Property Insurance. You can find more information at https://safetyabroad.illinois.edu/insurance/other-insurance-products/.

When traveling abroad, it is important to know whether your medications and supplements are allowed and available in your destination country. Not all medications and supplements that are legal in the U.S. are legal abroad. Please consider the following tips to plan for your medication abroad:

  • Call International Insurance (Gallagher) to check on the legality of the medications in your country of destination.
  • If you require large amounts of a medication due to the length of your travel abroad, please contact international Insurance (Gallagher). They can assist in determining how much of a medication you can legally bring into a country, and also help you arrange refills of your medication once in country.

In many cases, yes! Many travelers with a pre-existing or chronic condition successfully travel abroad every year. To mitigate potential challenges, you are encouraged to assess your individual needs early in the study abroad planning process and consult with the appropriate resources (attending health care professional, university DRES representative, and/or family members) to plan for any needed accommodations or support. You must be proactive and advocate for yourself. To help plan for your needs, students are required to complete the Study Abroad Health Assessment Form as part of your application.

The International Insurance (Gallagher) will not pay for routine treatment or care associated with pre-existing conditions, with the exception of mental health counseling. However, it will provide coverage up to $10,000 in the event of emergency treatment related to a pre-existing condition.

  • As an international student, you are required to purchase the University-approved International Insurance (Gallagher) if participating in education abroad, even if returning to your home country. Some policy benefits are limited while in the home country; for more information, contact safetyabroad@illinois.edu.
  • If you pay for medical care in your home country, you must use your permanent U.S. address when filing a Claim for Reimbursement or it will be denied due to policy exclusions and limitations.
  • The dates of coverage for your international insurance (Gallagher) can be found in the document titled “Verification Letter.” This document can be located in your enrollment email from (announcement@gallagherstudent.com) the insurance provider as an attachment.
  • If there is a discrepancy between the Verification Letter and the program dates, please contact us and your study abroad advisor.

The reason for the extension must be associated with an education abroad or university-related requirement. The extension cannot be for personal or leisure travel. If you would like to extend the coverage dates for your international insurance (Gallagher), please email International Safety and Security. In your email, please include your name, UIN, original travel dates, new travel dates, and reason for the date change. If traveling on a study abroad program, we will contact your study abroad advisor to confirm the extension.

Gallagher provides 24/7 travel assistance services. When calling please be ready to provide the following information:

  • Name of caller;
  • Relationship to insured person;
  • Insured’s name, age, sex, and policy number;
    • Student Policy Number: GLM N10893392
    • Faculty/Staff Policy Number: GLM N14287310
  • If medical, provide name, location, and telephone number of the hospital;
  • If non-medical, provide the reason you are calling.
  • You can contact Gallagher by phone or email.
    • Outside the US: +1-866-693-6873
    • Inside the US: +1-312-935-9242
    • Email: GallagherGlobalAssistance@ajg.com

When traveling abroad, healthcare providers may require payment before treatment. Payment is the responsibility of the traveler. Payment may be made in cash, credit card, or as a guarantee of payment (GOP) from the International Insurance. To secure a GOP you must contact Gallagher and request a GOP. Please note that some locations may not accept a GOP. If a GOP is not accepted, the traveler must pay for medical care up front and seek financial reimbursement later. For the more information on how to seek reimbursement, please visit the Claims for Reimbursement page.

The University-approved International Insurance policy covers the cost of medical care to treat COVID-19, monkeypox (MPV), and other infectious diseases. The University has added a quarantine benefit to the policy as well.

Quarantine Benefits

  • The benefit value is a maximum of $2,000 for all covered expenses.
  • It covers quarantine up to 14 days (consecutive or nonconsecutive).
  • This benefit only pays through reimbursement. You must pay first and then request reimbursement with documentation.
  • The quarantine must be required by a recognized government authority, their authorized deputies, or medical examiners.
  • Testing must be ordered and administrated by a provider with written results; at-home tests are not accepted for documentation (proof) of disease.

Covered Expenses for Quarantine Include:

  • The reasonable expenses incurred for lodging and meals;
  • the cost of a one-way economy airfare ticket to either the Insured Person’s Home Country or to re-join the group; and
  • non-refundable travel arrangements.

NOT Covered

  • Mandatory arrival quarantine. The quarantine benefit will NOT apply to mandatory quarantine upon arrival as a precaution required by the host government. This is a known cost and should be planned for accordingly.
  • Limits. The quarantine will NOT be covered once you exceed 14 days or $2000, whichever happens first.
  • Quarantine based on your desire to isolate; it must be recognized by an authorized authority.

Covered

  • Quarantine upon suspected exposure and/or symptoms. The benefit will apply to a required precautionary quarantine because of suspected exposure or if you are displaying symptoms. Any reasonable charge for meals is also covered.
  • Quarantine upon confirmation of an infection. The quarantine benefit will apply to quarantine if testing positive for COVID-19, monkeypox, etc. This applies to quarantine in a hospital, other government facilities, designated hotels, or special program accommodations set aside for quarantine. Any reasonable charge for meals is also covered.

Other Details

  • Symptoms of the infection must first present themselves after starting the trip. If you are sick before departure, you will not be covered for quarantine and should not travel.
  • For any claim, you must submit documentation of the requirement to quarantine and receipts or proof for all requested costs. Quarantine must be required by a recognized government authority, their authorized deputies, or medical examiners.
  • Claims must be filed within 90 days of payment. Reimbursement will be paid via check mailed to your designated location in the U.S.

Yes, you can review information concerning benefits and assistance in the International Insurance Student Guide (PDF). International Safety and Security encourages everyone to download the mobile guide (PDF) to their smartphone, tablet, or other device before travel. After reviewing the guide, if you have remaining questions, contact International Safety and Security.

Faculty/Staff: Yes, a proxy can enroll you. You must provide specific information to the proxy for enrollment. You can find more information at https://go.illinois.edu/intl-insurance-fac-staff.

Graduate/Undergraduate student: No, our system does not allow proxies to enroll students. You can enroll yourself here:

No, if you enroll a faculty or staff by proxy, they are required to supply you with the correct information and then check the insurance confirmation email for accuracy.