Insurances

Students are responsible for arranging full insurance coverage for their exchange. Students should ensure that their insurance coverage is sufficient at the moment of departure and that it covers the entire period of their exchange abroad. More information can be obtained from the students’ own insurance company.

Health Insurance

Students are responsible for arranging their own insurance coverage. Make sure that you have sufficient coverage for the costs of health care insurance abroad, and that your policy includes a repatriation clause in case of serious illness or death, or if something similar happens to a family member.

Some foreign universities (for instance in Canada, the United States and Australia) insist that foreign students coming to study in their countries take out health insurance from the host university. If that is so, find out whether you can retain your Dutch insurance policy, while reducing your coverage to the lowest possible premiums while you are away.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

Ask your health insurance company for an EHIC Card. This card entitles the holder to immediate emergency help in Europe.

Realize that there is no basic health coverage outside the EHIC participating countries, or if you are staying in one of the EHIC participating countries for longer than twelve months. In that case you will have to take out a separate health insurance policy, either in the host country or, for example, with AON or IPS, health insurance companies with special offers for students who go abroad for study or an internship.

Information on AON’s policy: www.aonstudentinsurance.com
Information on IPS’s policy: studentsinsured.com

Third-party liability insurance

This type of insurance covers you against material damages or bodily harm to a third party as a result of your actions. Many students in the Netherlands are covered under their parents’ third-party liability insurance policies. This includes worldwide cover and is usually adequate for a stay of three months abroad. Of course, every insurance company has different rules and regulations. If your stay abroad exceeds the length of time covered, you will have to take out additional cover. If your parents do not have third-party liability cover, we recommend that you take out a policy for yourself. Make sure you know whether the amounts for which you are covered also apply to your destination country.

Travel insurance

We recommend that you take out travel insurance to cover the journey to and from your destination, and your time there. This will include coverage for loss or theft of your luggage, or damage to it. Travel insurance includes ‘SOS cover’. Extra expenses as a result of illness, accident or death are included in this. It is also possible to include health insurance cover in a travel insurance policy if necessary. Make sure that you have a copy of your policies to hand at all times, as well as your health care insurance card. You will have to show this card when enrolling at the host university. A number of companies have attractive packages for students who are going to be spending time abroad.

Please note that the University of Groningen is not liable for any expenses involved with illness or accidents abroad.