Study abroad: 3 essential assignments before you leave
Strasbourg, Brussels, Trier and even the United States or Asia... You live in Luxembourg and are starting higher education? Chances are that you will spend a few months or years abroad as part of your studies. Leaving at the beginning of the academic year and a little lost in the administrative maze? We help you to take stock to make sure you have the right protection in a setback.
1. Take out health insurance
This is the first concern when considering a course of study abroad.
What happens if I need to be treated locally? If you go to a European country, no problem. You’ll be covered by the Luxembourg National Health Service (CNS) through the European Health Insurance Card. Medical expenses not covered by the CNS will be covered by your complementary health insurance. If your parents have insured you with AXA, you will continue to benefit from the coverage provided by the Optisoins contract as an insured. What does that mean in concrete terms? Imagine that you go to study in Vienna and head off skiing at the weekend... If you have an accident, your hospitalisation costs will be covered. Depending on your state of health, you will be repatriated to Luxembourg or transferred to a specialised hospital. The costs of an avalanche search are also covered.
If you’re leaving for a country outside Europe, things are a bit different. Depending on the quality of the local health care system you will have to join the country's health care system or choose a specialised insurance policy. In any case, your educational institution will be best qualified to guide you. This is what happened to Anne-Samia, who went to study for a year in Australia. “The school gave us really sound advice. We knew we had to join the student social security system there. When we arrived at the partner university, they explained everything to us, gave us a card with our insurance number and emergency phone numbers.” And she didn't wait long before using it. Three months after her arrival, she decided to see a bit of the country. “I travelled to a mountainous area with an organised mountain bike tour. I wasn't really used to big downhill runs. I hit a root and flew over the handlebars. I finished the ride next to the bike, one leg and one arm quite badly banged up”. All’s well that ends well, as Anne-Samia was taken care of by the local hospital and didn't have to pay anything
2. Check your civil liability
Your host educational institution will ask you to prove that you are well insured for civil liability. This covers any damage you could cause to others.
Explanations.
Imagine that you are invited to a party at one of your classmates' homes in Bern. You're digging into the local specialities, but when you put down your plate on the table you accidentally push off your classmate's glasses, which end up in several pieces on the tile floor. Not the best way to make new friends. Luckily, at AXA, your Civil Liability is covered by your parents' Multi-risk home insurance, even when you’re studying elsewhere in Europe. The glasses are replaced free of charge. And your relationships start off on the right foot.
3. Think about insuring your student accommodation
To rent an apartment, the landlord will probably ask you to provide a home insurance certificate. If your parents have AXA home insurance, certain guarantees taken out in their home insurance contract are automatically extended at no extra cost to your student accommodation up to a maximum amount of 100,000 euros. Please note: Theft, earthquake and flood cover are not included in the extensions granted to the student accommodation. For more comprehensive coverage, or coverage specific to the country of destination (e.g. insurance for natural disasters in France or Belgium), do not hesitate to contact a local insurance company.
Outside Europe, you are well advised to take out repatriation insurance
If you’re venturing outside Europe, taking out repatriation insurance that covers assistance, healthcare and the loss or theft of your luggage could give you greater peace of mind. For long-stay insurance solutions (over 3 months), contact specialist insurers such as our partner Assudis.be, which offers packages designed for the specific needs of students, au pairs, trainees, etc.
Any doubts? Any questions? Don't hesitate to call our advisers to find out about coverage that applies to the whole family, even student children.
