Navigating Insurance Options for Erasmus Students: A Must-Read Guide
Health insurance or travel insurance? Are you gearing up for your Erasmus adventure? Exciting times ahead, no doubt! But before you get swept away by the whirlwind of anticipation, let’s talk about something crucial: insurance. Yes, I know, it sounds about as thrilling as watching paint dry, but bear with me.
Understanding the difference between health insurance and travel insurance can save you from headaches down the road and ensure your Erasmus experience is a smooth road (or flight, depending on how far you’re going).
Health Insurance
Health insurance is your lifeline when faced with illness, injury or even preventative care when you are abroad. If you are prone to getting sick, need special care for pre-existing illness, or just want to have the option of going to the doctor any time you want, then health insurance is for you.
Instead of panicking about medical bills or navigating the labyrinth of foreign healthcare systems, you can focus on getting better, knowing that your health insurance has got you covered.
From doctor’s visits to prescription medications, health insurance ensures that your well-being remains a top priority, no matter where your journey takes you.
Travel Insurance
Imagine this: you just landed in what will be your home for the next few months, when suddenly, bam! Your luggage decides to take a detour to Timbuktu. Don’t panic! This is where travel insurance swoops in to the rescue and takes care of everything until your luggage makes its way back to you.
But travel insurance is not just prevention against lost luggage or missed connecting flights. Travel insurance includes many other coverages that are essential to your stay abroad:
- Medical expenses in case you get sick or suffer an accident
- Repatriation in case something happens
- Personal liability
- Legal defense
- And more!
So, when the unexpected happens (and trust me, it often does), you can breathe easy knowing that travel insurance has your back.
Choosing the Right Coverage for You
So, how do you decide between one or the other? It all boils down to your needs and priorities.
If you are prone to getting sick and would like to have access to doctors any time you want, then health insurance is your best option.
Are you more of a “just in case” person and would like to have your back covered in case of the unexpected? Travel insurance is for you.
If you are elegible for a European Health Insurance Card, you can always combine it with a travel insurance, like OnCampus Abroad to have the perks of both worlds!
So, before you jet off into the sunset, take the time to understand the difference between these two, and choose the coverage that suits you better. Your future self will thank you for it. Happy travels!
