Health Insurance Information

Frequently Asked Questions

What health insurance coverage does the College provide during my overseas program?

Undergraduate students traveling abroad on overseas programs sponsored by Lewis & Clark are automatically enrolled in two insurance programs: the comprehensive Student Health Insurance provided by Lewis & Clark College (Pacificsource) and a supplemental travel insurance policy (iNext). Students studying on domestic off-campus programs are only enrolled in the comprehensive student health insurance program, and are not enrolled in supplemental travel insurance.

Comprehensive Student Health Insurance: All students participating on overseas programs, both abroad and domestic, are automatically enrolled in the College’s student health insurance program (this happens once a year leading up to the Fall semester,  or in the spring if a student starts during spring semester). Similar to a regular year on-campus, students participating in overseas programs may waive enrollment in the student health insurance program if they have other comparable comprehensive health insurance (e.g., through a parent, guardian or employer) that: 1) offers a policy maximum of at least $500,000 in coverage per year; 2) provides access to health care providers in the geographic area where the student will be studying for emergency and non-emergency conditions (Note: Plans that provide benefits only for emergency and/or urgent care do not satisfy this criteria); 3) covers inpatient and outpatient mental health care in the country they will be studying; and 4) is currently active and the student agrees to maintain health insurance coverage throughout the entire academic year.   Please note that waivers need to be submitted in the fall each year, so even if you have waived your enrollment for a previous academic year, you will need to submit a waiver for the current year.

Supplemental Travel Insurance: All students traveling abroad are also enrolled in a supplemental travel insurance policy offered by iNext and underwritten by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. This travel insurance policy is not provided to students on domestic off-campus programs. The iNext policy contains some limited health benefits, and is designed to be supplemental to other comprehensive health insurance. It includes benefits for emergency sickness and emergency accident medical expenses up to $500,000, and also includes a variety of other coverages. More information about benefits of the policy are listed below, under “What are the specific benefits of my travel insurance?” We encourage all students (and their families) to be familiar with the specific benefits of the supplemental travel insurance policy prior to departure

The premium for the comprehensive student health insurance plan is NOT included in your fees for your overseas program. However, for students traveling outside the United States, the cost of the iNext supplemental travel insurance policy (or comparable coverage) fee is included in your overseas program fees.

Information about the Comprehensive Student Health Insurance program

Do I really need other health insurance beyond the travel insurance policy?

Yes. The travel health insurance policy referenced above is designed to be supplemental to a traditional, comprehensive health insurance policy. All program participants must show evidence of enrollment in a comprehensive health insurance policy prior to their departure for their program, and must maintain their enrollment in such a policy for the duration of the program. 

How do I waive enrollment in the College’s comprehensive student health insurance policy if I have other acceptable coverage? 

Students are given one opportunity to waive the student health insurance coverage prior to their first semester of the academic year. Students who have comprehensive coverage that is comparable to the student health insurance plan and wish to waive enrollment in the student plan may submit an online waiver in the fall. More information on what qualifies as comparable insurance coverage and how to submit a waiver can be found on the Student Health Insurance website.

If your first semester of the academic year is the spring and you wish to decline the student health insurance coverage because you already have comparable coverage, you will need to complete the waiver prior to spring semester.

At the beginning of my next semester AFTER I finish my overseas program, will I automatically be enrolled in the College’s Student Health Insurance plan?  What if I don’t want that?

If you are returning in the spring:

If you waived coverage in the fall and return to campus for spring semester, you will not automatically be enrolled in coverage for the spring semester. If you decide you would like to enroll in the student health insurance plan for the spring semester after returning from abroad, please contact Student Accounts to pay the premium and enroll.

If you did not waive coverage in the fall, you will continue to be enrolled in the student health insurance plan for spring semester and charged the spring insurance premium. If you did not waive coverage in the fall because your insurance did not offer comprehensive coverage abroad, but you are fully covered domestically and want to waive the student health insurance coverage upon returning in the spring, you have a limited period of time before your spring semester back on campus to waive enrollment online. Please see information above about waiving enrollment.

If you are returning in the fall:

You will automatically be enrolled in and billed for the student health insurance plan, no matter what your enrollment status was for the previous spring semester. Please see above for information about waiving coverage if you already have comparable insurance coverage. 

Information about Supplemental Travel Insurance

How am I enrolled in iNext coverage?

The Overseas & Off-Campus Programs Office will automatically enroll you in the basic travel insurance policy before you go abroad. You will receive a welcome letter confirming enrollment and will receive a link that will take you to the website where you can complete your profile. This will allow you to upload a photograph and put in a mailing address if you would like to receive a card. You can print out the Welcome Letter with a printable template and the Confirmation of Insurance with your policy number and effective dates. You can access your plan online without the physical card. The cost of the card is not included in the Comprehensive Policy. There will be information on the Generali Global Assistance portal in the Welcome Email, along with the information to register. This is a great tool that is available that can provide you with alerts on your destination, it allows you to look up doctors in the area that you are in, as well as other information you may find useful when traveling.

When does my travel insurance take effect?  When does it end?

All coverage (except trip cancellation) takes effect the day before the official program start date. Please be aware that this means that students will generally have no health benefits through the travel insurance policy prior to their departure for their program. Coverage will extend through the duration of the program.

What are the specific benefits of my travel insurance? 

Your travel insurance includes benefits for trip delay, accidental death & dismemberment, emergency sickness, emergency accident, emergency evacuation, repatriation of remains, baggage/personal effects, and baggage delay. Emergency treatment means necessary medical treatment, including services and supplies, which must be performed during the program due to the serious and acute nature of the sickness or injury. We recommend that all students (and their families) review the policy prior to departure to assure a thorough understanding of benefits and limitations.  

What are some of the key exclusions of my travel coverage?

Exclusions include losses associated with:

1. Pre-existing conditions (see the policy for the definition of a pre-existing condition). 
2. Participation in bodily contact sports; skydiving; hang-gliding; parachuting; mountaineering; any race; bungee cord jumping; speed contests; scuba diving; spelunking or caving; heli-skiing; and extreme skiing/snowboarding.
3. Dental treatment, except as a result of an injury to sound natural teeth, in which case benefit is limited to $750.
4. Injury or sickness when you are traveling against the advice of a physician. 
5. Care received in the United States (for example, if you must temporarily return from your program for any reason).

Emergency accident and sickness benefits are capped at $500,000.

Note that this is not a full listing of exclusions. For that listing, see the policy document.

What happens if I want to stay abroad and travel after my program?

You may extend the benefits of your travel health insurance to support your post-program travel. You should contact info@inext.com to determine the cost of such an extension. Once you are enrolled in your policy, you can login to extend the coverage up to 30 days beyond the program dates, as long as the policy does not exceed 180 days in length. Students should never engage in post-program travel without adequate health insurance in place. 

What if I need to return unexpectedly to the US during my program?

Under this circumstance, your travel insurance benefits would not apply during the time you are in the United States.

Who can I contact for more information about my insurance options while studying abroad or after my return?

For more information about your insurance options while studying abroad, contact the Overseas & Off-Campus Programs office. For more information about your insurance options after you return to study in Portland, please contact Student Health Insurance (stuhealthinsurance@lclark.edu).