Overseas trips insurance

What should the employer cover?

Students going on placements or internships need to check that their employer has at least Public (or General) Liability Insurance and/or Employer’s Liability insurance in place that will cover them. These policies would provide compensation for the student if they are hurt or become ill in the course of their work, due to their work.

To check whether you will have the appropriate cover whilst you are working abroad, you should ask your prospective employer ‘Will your insurance cover liability for injuries or sickness suffered by placement students attributable to their duties with your organisation?’

If there is no such policy in place that would cover you, then this is a gap in cover. Your exposure is that there will be no provision for some fixed benefit in the event of death or permanent disablement arising from an accident at work, and without an employer's insurance policy or scheme to protect them the student is unlikely to receive any compensation from the company if they suffer an injury at work.

All UK and EU employers (with a very few exceptions) should have Employers Liability and Public/General Liability insurance.

Countries outside of the EU may not have this requirement and you may find that your employer does not have this insurance, particularly if it is a small charity. You then need to carry out a risk assessment and discuss the placement with your academic department to reach agreement on whether you can go on the placement.

The University’s insurance cannot cover anything that is the legal liability or responsibility of someone else. As the placement provider has control of the student while they are on placement, many responsibilities are their legal liability.

Therefore, any injury, loss or damage that the student may cause whilst they are under the supervision of the placement provider is likely to be the responsibility of the placement provider.

What does the University cover?

The University of Surrey’s public liability insurance covers its legal liability for loss, damage or injury that occurs to a third party.

This public liability insurance protects the student while they are on placement, for damage, loss or injury caused to the placement company, if the University is found to be legally responsible for that damage, loss or injury.

The same public liability insurance also covers the student for loss, injury or damage they may suffer themselves, again if the University is found to be negligent and legally liable.

The University’s liability insurance also provides some personal liability cover for the student if they should accidentally damage something whilst on placement – malicious and criminal damage is not covered.

The University's Personal Accident and Travel insurance covers all students while undertaking authorised visits involving travel outside England, Scotland and Wales on the business of the University of Surrey and its subsidiary companies – for example, for a work placement or Study Abroad.

The Personal Accident and Travel insurance policy is free for students and covers:

• Emergency medical expenditure - an emergency means anything that is unexpected (as opposed to regular treatment for an existing condition, it does not have to be a serious or life-threatening event);
• Emergency repatriation costs;
• Loss of baggage/money;
• Cancellation costs;
• Limited Personal Accident benefits.

For most claims, there is no excess. However, you will need to pay the first £50 of any valid claim for:

• Cancellations to travel arrangements
• Any electrical item of personal property including but not limited to mobile phones, laptops, fitness bands, gaming equipment, cameras, video cameras, e-readers and the like
• Trips longer than one year.

The policy covers unforeseen medical treatment, but if you have an ongoing medical issue you will need to consider how to ensure that you get any regular treatment or medication that you need – you may need to take out additional health insurance. Further information about Health and health insurance can be found below on this page.

You can download a copy of the insurance certificate for information below, but for cover to apply you must complete Travel Cert (see Travel Cert information below) when you know your travel dates to get a personalised insurance certificate.

• University of Surrey cover note – overarching cover note (PDF).

Students embarking on a semester/year abroad in Canada, the USA or Australia are now required to obtain a greater level of health insurance coverage than that of a generic UK Travel Insurance Policy.

Canada 

All international students in Canada are legally required to have health insurance. The level of coverage available to international students varies from province to province.

Ontario Province (Brock University & Ryerson University)

If you are studying or working at a university in Ontario, you will automatically be enrolled onto a province-wide private insurance plan called the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP). This plan pays for medical services such as seeing a doctor, hospital stays and treatment, exams and emergency services for the duration of your exchange/placement. The coverage charge will be confirmed by your host University. Everything you need to know about UHIP is available online on the UHIP website.

Québec Province (HEC Montréal)

If you are studying or working at a university in Québec, you will be required to have medical and hospitalisation insurance equivalent to the Québec Health Insurance Plan (RAMQ). Students at HEC Montréal will automatically be enrolled onto the University’s compulsory health insurance plan (Sun Life Financial) as soon as they complete registration.

• View further details regarding HEC Montréal insurance plan 

USA

You may be required to have a health insurance policy for your placement and the University’s policy may not meet all its requirements. You may be offered the opportunity to purchase a health insurance policy through your employer/institution. Or you may wish to find your own health insurance. Alternatively, the University brokers, Arthur J Gallagher, have developed a policy that can be purchased in the UK which is competitive with other products available and can be accessed via the link.  Please note that you do not have to buy an annual policy, but rather only for the time you are there, which is measured in months.  

• Student/Staff Health Insurance USA

Australia

All student visa holders must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) which provides medical and hospital insurance in Australia. See the OSCH website for more information.

For students without an EU passport travelling to the Schengen area, you should not need to take out additional Travel Insurance to meet the requirements of a Schengen visa (unless explicitly told otherwise by an embassy) as the University Travel Insurance policy meets Schengen requirements.

Vet students should have membership of the BVA. This includes student insurance which offers some cover for personal accident and third party personal liability when undertaking EMS.

The BVA does not provide any veterinary malpractice cover for its members. Placement providers should be asked the following question:

‘Will your insurance cover liability incurred by the student for damage, including injury to any animal, arising from their duties within your organisation?’

Vet students placed in the USA can purchase economical Vet Practice insurance by joining SAVMA.

Nursing students going on placement will need some kind of professional liability/indemnity, medical malpractice or professional negligence insurance which will provide cover if you make a clinical mistake resulting in harm to a person.

It is usually provided by employers, but you may not be covered if your placement organisation does not consider you an employee. Check with the organisation.

If it is not provided by your employer, then the RCN indemnity scheme will cover you (subject to conditions and exclusions) for electives in UK or abroad – except for Canada and the USA. Check if the RCN indemnity scheme covers you by visiting the RCN website.

If you are going to Canada or the USA, then your placement organisation may be able to recommend a scheme. Check with the organisation.

If not, then you will need to look online for a suitable insurance policy.

All University sanctioned activities, including field trips and attendance at conferences will be covered by its Public Liability policy, although research trips need to be reviewed for any additional insurance requirements (see the Research projects section of the Liability and property page). Trips abroad will be covered by the University Personal Accident and Travel Policy also.

Self-organised overseas trips

‘Self-organised trips’ are trips that are not directly organised and explicitly sanctioned by the University of Surrey or the USSU.  Therefore do not assume that it will be covered by insurance, or that any responsibility or liability which arises from your, or your volunteer’s activities with the sending organisation, lies with the University or the USSU. 

It is, therefore, important to do some research into each organisation to find out what exactly your fees will pay for, what help and advice they will provide you with and what the time commitment is both before and during the project.

However, while the sending organisations can provide volunteers with guidance and training on this topic, it is also your responsibility as a volunteer or a supporting organiser to abide by that advice and to use your common sense.

Additionally, your general research into your volunteer placement should include finding out about the local health and security situation. Most problems encountered by travellers could have been avoided if proper precautionary measures were taken in conjunction with careful planning. Ask yourself the following questions to help you decide whether you are thinking about the relevant issues.

• Have you made certain that you have relevant health and travel insurance for your overseas placement?

Some sending organisations will provide this insurance, while others will not. Find out whether you need to make arrangements yourself, and ensure that you have proper coverage before going abroad for a placement. Be aware of what your insurance covers, and how to access assistance, if necessary. Programme their emergency number into your mobile.

• Is any health and safety training provided by your organisation? What are the organisation’s health and safety guidelines?
• Have you made certain that you have all the relevant vaccinations for the area in which you will be volunteering?

Again, these will be provided by some organisations, while others will require that you make your own arrangements. Be sure that you receive all the relevant vaccinations for the area to which you will be travelling – avail of expert advice about this topic to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information.

Sanctioned countries

When you complete Travel Cert, if you wish to travel to a sanctioned country, your application for travel insurance will not be approved and the Insurance Office will automatically be alerted.

If you wish to travel to a country that is subject to UK or US sanctions, you need to complete a sanctions form (docx) at least 5 weeks before you travel and send it to the Insurance Office. The online sanctions check will be carried out by the Insurance Office and the form will then be forwarded to our insurance company for approval of the travel. Many sanctioned destinations are also not approved for travel by the FCDO and such trips will therefore be subject to additional scrutiny/approval by the University.

Please note that some countries are subject to stricter sanctions which means that the insurance company cannot make any payments to any organisation within that country. This means that any medical treatment in that country could not be claimed under our travel insurance. Generally, travel to such countries should be avoided, but where this is not possible, students would need to make their own arrangements to pay for medical treatment.

High risk countries

Some countries or areas are high risk destinations, due to factors such as political regime, war, crime, terrorism or natural disasters. Generally, travel to such countries should be avoided by our students. Where this is not possible, a risk assessment would need to take place and mitigating measures put in place as required.

If the travel was booked when the destination was low risk and it subsequently became high risk, it may be possible to make a claim for cancellation of the trip. Please contact the Insurance Office for information.

What is TravelCert?

Completing TravelCert will provide you with an insurance cover note for your trip and let you store emergency contact details.

How to access TravelCert

It can be accessed via the TravelCert website. Your pass code is: 996754.

What happens next?

Please answer the questions on Travel Cert carefully as it is not possible to edit them after you have saved a trip.

Once a trip is logged, a confirmation email with the cover note attached will be sent to you. If a trip is not compliant with policy i.e. to a restricted territory or needs referral, a clarification email will be issued to you advising you to contact the Insurance Office.

Travel health and vaccinations 

The University has sold the Robens Centre which used to advise on vaccinations and travel health. Students should now check the specific travel health advice and vaccination requirements for your destination/journey at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or with your GP once you know your departure date (ideally 8 weeks in advance) as some vaccines cannot be given together or take a period of time before they become effective.

Pre-existing medical conditions

If you have a pre-existing medical condition which is currently being treated, then you will require a ‘Fit for Travel’ sign off from your GP or relevant medical professional.  You do not need a letter, just ensure a note has been made on your medical records.

Please check whether you will need a doctor's letter to carry any medication with you. If you need to take regular medication, please be aware that if you are going abroad for several months, your GP may not prescribe you enough medication to cover the whole of your trip. If this is the case, you will either need to take out additional health insurance that will cover pre-existing conditions or make arrangements to have repeat prescriptions posted out to you.

GHIC

The new (post-Brexit) Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) will enable you to access state-provided healthcare in European Union (EU) and some other European countries, at a reduced cost, or sometimes for free. It will cover your treatment until you return to the UK. It also covers treatment of pre-existing medical conditions and routine maternity care, providing the reason for your visit is not specifically to give birth. For more information about what is covered in each country, see the country-by-country guide on the NHS website.

If you are a UK or EU student who usually lives in the UK permanently and you are going to study or undertake certain categories of work placement or internship in an EU country, you will need to apply for a time-specific ‘student GHIC’. To apply please visit the NHS site to download the application form and for further information on entitlement. Apply in good time as you will require documentation to accompany your application. Note that you cannot have a GHIC and a Student GHIC at the same time. So, if you already have a valid GHIC, you will need to send it in the post to the GHIC services team so that they cancel it and you can receive a student GHIC.

The GHIC card is free of charge. Beware of unofficial websites, which may charge if you apply through them.

GHICs do not provide cover in the same non-EU countries as an EHIC card used to. For more information, please visit the country-by-country guide, on the NHS website, as referenced above.

Most problems encountered by travellers can be avoided if proper precautionary measures are taken in conjunction with careful planning. Gather as much information on the current threat alerts (be it terrorism, civil uprising or natural disaster) of your destination before undertaking your journey.

Travellers should check before departure for up-to-date information on their destination country. This can be found on the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) or the AIG Travel Assistance App.

The AIG Travel Assistance app is your travel safety companion and puts a wealth of valuable information at your fingertips and has a quick-call help button that immediately connects you to emergency travel, medical and security assistance. Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and search for AIG Travel Insurance. For more information on the services offered, how to download/use, see the ‘Lifeline’ guides listed below:

• Lifeline mobile app flyer (PDF)
• Lifeline mobile app download guide (PDF)
• Lifeline mobile check-in (PDF)
• Lifeline mobile claims notification (PDF).

As part of your application for approval to travel you will be required to complete an enhanced Travel Risk Assessment by the International Engagement Office (IEO) in most circumstances.

If you require proof of insurance for a visa application, please complete Travel Cert to get a personalised cover note. If this is not sufficient, please contact the Insurance Office by emailing insurance@surrey.ac.uk. You need to let us know:

• Your full name (as it appears on your passport)
• Your travel dates
• The country you are travelling to.

Please contact us at least two weeks before you need the cover note.

Please note that you should start making visa enquiries at the relevant embassy as early as possible and make a note of what they require in terms of documentation.  The application process can be lengthy.  The average processing time is three weeks but this can often be longer during busy periods, for example, Christmas, Easter and the summer. It is also important to note that most embassies require you to have 3-6 months visa/leave to remain in the UK still remaining in your passport at the end of your trip.

Please note that if you book your travel before your visa comes through then the cost of your ticket is not recoverable under the terms of our policy if your visa is refused. We strongly recommend that you do not book any flights until after you have received confirmation that your visa application has been approved.

Travel insurance

If you are planning to add on any personal holiday at the beginning or end of your approved placement / study abroad this must be covered under a personally arranged travel insurance policy.

If you are taking a holiday in another country (i.e. not the country in which you are doing your placement) then you will NOT be covered by the University policy.

Motor insurance

If you will use your personal car for travel to and from placements or for the activity of the placement, then you need to check that cover is either offered by your personal motor insurance or by the placement provider. The University does not hold this cover.

Extreme sports

High risk sports such as skiing and horse riding are not covered by the Personal Accident and Travel Policy. If you want to take part in such activities, you will need to arrange your own insurance.

Other exclusions

The insurance company will not pay any claim which is the result of bodily injury, death, disablement or the incurring of Medical Expenses caused by:

• Intentional self-injury
• Suicide or attempted suicide
• Flying as a pilot.

The insurance company will not pay any benefit where bodily injury or death, disablement or the incurring of Medical Expenses is the result of or is contributed to by:

• An existing sickness or disease (not resulting from accidental bodily injury)
• Any naturally occurring condition or degenerative process which is known to an Insured Person and their General Practitioner
• Any gradually operating cause.

Please note: the policy does not cover the costs of quarantine or Covid tests.

Assistance services are provided by an insurance company 24 hour number. You must ring the assistance number if something goes wrong as not only can a wide range of information, advice and assistance services be given (including medical advice, local payment of hospital bills, advance of emergency cash, replacement of lost or stolen passport, cancelled flights, tickets or other travel documents, lost luggage, legal advice and emergency repatriation) but failure to do so could lead to seriously enhanced costs being incurred, which the insurers may be entitled to curtail or even decline to pay.

Travellers are advised to carry a copy of the cover note at all times.

For claims for trips insured by AIG:

• Emergency telephone: +44 (0) 1273 456 463
• Email: claimsuk@aig.com
• Please quote AIG policy number 0010016168.

For advice in office hours

Contact the insurance office on:

• Email: insurance@cervusplus.co.uk
• AIG claim form personal property (PDF)
• AIG claim form travel – cancellation LUPC (PDF)
• AIG claim form - medical expenses (PDF)