Benefits of Health Insurance for Students
Covers international medical costs
Key features
Necessity
Simran has over 4 years of experience in content marketing, insurance, and healthcare sectors. Her motto is to make health and term insurance simple for our readers has proven to make insurance lingos simple and easy to understand by our readers.
Reviewed By:
Anchita has over 6 years of experience in content marketing, insurance, and healthcare sectors. Her motto to make health and term insurance simple for our readers has proven to make insurance lingos simple and easy to understand by our readers.
Updated on Jun 30, 2025 5 min read
Benefits of Health Insurance for Students
Health insurance is a crucial investment for all students. It offers financial protection, access to quality healthcare, and peace of mind, allowing students to focus on their studies and enjoy their college experience without the constant worry of medical expenses.
As a student, your focus should be on learning and growing. Let your worry about how to pay for a doctor’s visit or prescription be handled by your suitable health insurance. This article will examine the numerous benefits of health insurance for students, demonstrating why it’s a vital investment for their future.
traordinary Facts
Did you know? College students are at a higher risk for certain health issues. Compared to other young adults, college students are more likely to experience mental health challenges, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted infections. Student health insurance plans often offer specific coverage for these issues.
What is Health Insurance for Students?
Health insurance is an essential tool that empowers students to prioritize their physical and mental well-being, allowing them to thrive both academically and personally. From preventive care to emergency treatment, health insurance for students provides a safety net, ensuring that students can access the care they need when they need it.
Top 10 Benefits of Health Insurance for Students
Health insurance for students can be a valuable investment for them, offering a range of benefits that can protect their physical, mental, and financial well-being. Here are some key advantages of health insurance plans for students in India:
Reduced Medical Costs:
Health insurance can significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenses for doctor visits, prescriptions, emergencies, and hospital stays. This is especially important for students who may have limited income or savings.Peace of Mind:
Knowing that medical expenses are covered can provide peace of mind and reduce stress, allowing students to focus on their studies and other important aspects of their lives.Preventive Care:
Many health insurance plans cover preventive services like vaccinations, screenings, and checkups, which can help students stay healthy and avoid future medical problems.Network of Doctors and Hospitals:
Health insurance plans typically have a network of providers, making it easier for students to find doctors and hospitals that offer quality care.Mental Health Coverage:
Some health insurance plans include coverage for mental health services, which can be crucial for students who may experience stress, anxiety, or depression.Prescription Drug Coverage:
Health insurance can help students afford necessary medications, which can be expensive without coverage.Emergency Coverage:
Health insurance can provide financial protection in case of unexpected accidents or illnesses, ensuring that students can receive prompt and appropriate medical care.Affordability:
Students can explore various options to find affordable health insurance plans, such as student health plans offered by their universities, government-sponsored plans, or private insurance plans.Coverage Needs:
Students should consider their health needs and choose a plan that provides adequate coverage for the services they are likely to use.Enrollment Periods:
Students should be aware of enrollment periods and deadlines to ensure health insurance coverage when needed.
Why Do Students Need Health Insurance?
It is undoubtedly true that everybody needs an individual health insurance policy to cover hospitalization expenses when a medical emergency knocks at the door. However, people often have this misconception that young people don’t require health insurance. Purchasing appropriate health insurance for students is the need of the hour, and when it comes to protecting one’s health, the young and old need equal attention.
Moreover, a student may be affected by common infections and diseases, chronic physical and mental illnesses, harmful effects of drug and alcohol abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases. Further to this, with all the fun and adventurous approach of today’s youth, there might be possibilities of bodily injuries and unforeseen accidents. Having health insurance cannot prevent all such cases, but will at least lessen the financial burden of the treatment, and can prove to be of great help.
Let us understand the importance of having a student’s health insurance with an example.
The family of Mr Sharma was in great dismay after a phone call that they got from the USA. Their son, Rohit who moved to the USA to pursue a Masters in Accounting, had met with an accident. After waiting the entire night, they received a call at 6 A.M., when their son told him about the expenses that he needed to pay before getting discharged.
Since Rohit did not have a health insurance policy, all these expenses needed to be paid by the family or Rohit himself. This situation could have been avoided if Rohit had been more careful about buying a health insurance policy before travelling to the USA.
Key Features of Health Insurance for Students
Health insurance for students is a necessity, especially now that we know that medical emergencies can strike at any time. Student health insurance plans are less expensive in India and more comprehensive than those available in other countries. So, we have mentioned below some of the features of student health insurance plans:
Cashless Hospitalization
In an unfortunate event where a student needs to get hospitalized due to any illness or injury, he/she can avail the benefit of cashless hospitalization. Under cashless hospitalization, the bills will be directly settled by the insurer & the policyholder can take care of other important aspects & not worry about the financial expenses.
Covers International Medical Costs
The lack of awareness of the need for medical insurance plans for students makes many students buy policies on-campus & pay heavy premiums for them. Having health coverage prior to shifting abroad will protect a student from paying unnecessary higher premiums, and at the same time will protect them from any medical emergencies.
Safeguards You from Personal Liabilities
With medical insurance for students, personal liabilities such as accidental lawsuits or damage to third-party property are covered by the insurer.
Compensation for Study Interruption
Getting hospitalized for an extended period may interrupt your studies and can ruin your career opportunities. With health insurance for students, one can avail of monetary benefits to overcome such interruptions.
Sponsor Protection
If the sponsor succumbs to an unfortunate death, the insurance plan will compensate the student for outstanding tuition fees and will also safeguard the sponsorship interest.
Miscellaneous Expenses
Expenses incurred on your medical aids or diagnostic tests like X-ray, ultrasound, etc or travelling expenses such as ambulance charges are covered under the student’s health insurance.
Is Student Health Insurance Necessary?
Yes, health insurance is mandatory when you are emigrating to other countries for studies. Unfortunately, a number of students are unaware of this fact and realise it once they reach there. However, the universities allow the students to opt for student medical insurance offered by their chosen universities. Usually, the policies they buy from the university are more expensive than the policies available in India.
Consult for Personalized Insurance Advice
But how does it work?
Schedule a call with India’s number 1 trusted advisor with a 4.5+ rating on Google. We are not your average insurance agents. Our advisors are experts in their insurance knowledge and will give you the right information at the right time. The service is free of cost! Don’t worry, we won’t spam as we value your time.
Health Insurer Network Hospitals
Benefits of Health Insurance for Students: FAQs
1. Is health insurance mandatory for international students?
In most cases, yes, health insurance is mandatory for international students studying in the United States and many other countries. It’s often a requirement for obtaining a student visa. Universities typically require international students to enrol in a health insurance plan that meets specific criteria.
2. Why should students have health insurance, even if they’re young and healthy?
Even if you’re young and healthy, health insurance is still essential. It protects you from any unexpected events and acts as preventive care. Also, if you are young, your premiums will be low.
3. Is health insurance mandatory for all students?
While not universally mandatory in every situation, health insurance is highly recommended for all students. Many colleges and universities require students to have health insurance, especially if they live on campus or participate in certain programs. Even if your school doesn’t mandate it, having health insurance is crucial for protecting your health and finances. For international students, health insurance is almost always a visa requirement.
4. Why do colleges require students to have health insurance?
Colleges require health insurance to protect both the students and the institution. For students, it ensures they can access necessary medical care without facing overwhelming financial burdens. For colleges, it helps manage the costs associated with student health services and reduces the risk of students incurring large medical debts that the college might indirectly be involved in.
5. What if I’m on my parent’s health insurance plan?
If you’re covered under your parents’ plan, confirm with the insurance provider that the coverage extends to you while you’re away at school, especially if you’re attending a college out of state. Some plans have limitations on out-of-network care. Understand what your plan covers and where you can access medical care near your campus.
6. What if I can’t afford health insurance?
If you’re struggling to afford health insurance, talk to your college’s financial aid office or student health services. They can provide information about available resources and assistance programs.
Health Insurance Companies
Know More About Health Insurance Companies
Share your Valuable Feedback
4.4
Rated by 2634 customers
Was the Information Helpful?
Select Your Rating
We would like to hear from you
Let us know about your experience or any feedback that might help us serve you better in future.
Written By: Simran Saxena
Simran has over 4 years of experience in content marketing, insurance, and healthcare sectors. Her motto is to make health and term insurance simple for our readers has proven to make insurance lingos simple and easy to understand by our readers.
Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share?