erika travel insurance aetna

Travel insurance: all EF students arrive with coverage

Students are required to have insurance that meets certain minimum standards to travel on our program. Most EF students have travel insurance coverage through Erika and the following guidelines apply. Students with other insurance should refer to their policy documentation for details or contact their parents. If you are not sure what insurance coverage your student has, please contact the EF office at 1-800-447-4273.

Erika vs. Aetna Student Health

Erika Insurance Ltd. (or an alternative insurance company as defined in the applicable insurance policy) and Aetna are separate companies. Erika works with Aetna Student Health and the students have access to the Aetna provider network.

When contacting the doctor’s office, say your student has “Aetna Student Health” as it is widely known and accepted across the nation. US medical providers will not recognize a European company.

Please reference the policy booklet for complete details. It can be found at erikainsurance.com .

Finding a provider

You can find an Aetna network provider at aetna.com/docfind/erika . This website will show all in-network hospitals and physicians in your area, as well mental health professionals, urgent cares and retail clinics. With an in-network provider the copayment is lower, and it is less likely that the doctor’s office will require your student to pay for the entire bill up front.

In most cases, visits to clinics at retailers such as CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are often covered as well. These will show as in-network providers through Aetna’s website, though it’s recommended to give a quick call to the clinic to confirm coverage. Treatment at these clinics is often the most affordable and convenient option.

Important resources:

Ef high school exchange year.

24/7 support line:

1-800-447-4273

Erika Insurance Ltd.

Download claim forms, the policy booklet and find emergency contact details.

Visit erikainsurance.com

Aetna Student Health

Aetna Student Health PO Box 14101

Lexington, KY 40512 1-800-783-7447

Support line: 1-800-783-7447

Find a provider or access Aetna ID cards

Visit aetna.com/docfind/erika

Insurance card

EF distributes insurance cards to students in their home country before they leave for the exchange. This includes an overview of coverage and lists contact information for Aetna Student Health and respective claims agents. EF suggests host families carry a copy of their student's insurance card as well.

Each student's unique Aetna ID number is generated one to two weeks after their arrival in the US. Soon after arriving in the states, students will need to obtain an updated Aetna ID card with their unique number. To find your student’s Aetna ID number, visit aetna.com/docfind/erika .

The Aetna ID number is what you should give to the doctor's office as the policy number. If your student needs to receive medical care before their Aetna ID has generated, use their EF student ID in its place. If your student has lost their insurance card, contact EF at 1-800-447-4273 or print off a new one at aetna.com/docfind/erika .

Below are general guidelines on the coverage. Without specific medical information, Aetna Student Health or Erika will not be able to verify coverage and will ultimately make all final decisions on a case by case basis.

Routine care

Routine care, such as physicals, check-ups and inoculations, is NOT covered. Students who visit the doctor when they aren’t feeling well should remind the doctor’s office that routine visits are not covered, and tell them to send Aetna Student Health a bill explaining why treatment was required.

Prescriptions

Prescriptions must be paid for up front by students. Afterwards, students can send in a claim form to Aetna Student Health for reimbursement. Both the cash register receipt and the medication information label attached to the prescription must be included. Students will be reimbursed for most prescribed medications except for acne, birth control or medication they take for a pre-existing condition. Over the counter medication is not covered.

Dental coverage is provided up to $200 for non-accidental treatment. Wisdom tooth treatment is covered up to $500. Temporary treatment for an injury as a result of an accident is usually covered in full.

Erika Sport

Please note that students are covered during all activities that are organized by their local high school. Erika Sport allows students to participate in risky sports and activities outside of their high school curriculum (i.e., on their own, or with their host family) that would otherwise not be covered should injury occur, including: skiing, alpine sports, lacrosse, wrestling, martial arts, four wheeling, bungee jumping, skydiving, parachuting, white water rafting, jet skiing, snowmobiling, etc.

If your student is going to be participating in any of the above activities, or any organized sports outside of school, please confirm that they do have Erika Sport. For those who don't, encourage them to add this coverage otherwise they will not have coverage for these types of activities.

Students are granted three weeks after their arrival in the United States to pay for the additional Erika Sport. For specific questions, please reach out to Erika or your EF Program Advisor.

Going home for an emergency

The insurance may cover a round-trip flight in case of death or grave illness of an immediate family member. The policy defines immediate family members as parents, legal guardians and siblings of the exchange student. Grandparents do not fall under the definition of immediate family.

If your student has a family emergency and wishes to return home, contact your IEC, EF support staff and the appropriate assistance company listed on your student's insurance card.

Medical treatment

Find a provider at aetna.com/docfind/erika

Contact your IEC whenever your student receives medical care.

Routine illness

In case of a routine illness (e.g., stomach flu, cough, cold, sore throat, etc.), students should see a doctor in the Aetna network or visit an in-network clinic at a retailer like CVS, Walgreens or Walmart. An in-network provider will charge a lower copayment ($20 versus $70).

Please do not go to the emergency room for routine medical care as students will be charged an additional ER copayment per visit. ER visits typically have a longer wait time and a more complicated billing process.

Acute illness or injury

Use your best judgement when acute injuries occur to assess whether an ER visit is necessary. Many broken bones, lacerations or sports injuries can normally be treated at your local urgent care facility. Your wait time will likely be shorter, and billing will be easier at an in-network urgent care center.

We recommend you visit the website listed above to proactively determine the closest in-network urgent care center in your community. If there is not an urgent care facility close by, a visit to the ER may be necessary.

For any serious mental instability, injury, trauma or illness (e.g., possible appendicitis, seizure, etc.), please take your student to the nearest emergency room and contact EF’s emergency line at 1-800-447-4273. Research local ER facilities and their hours of operation. If your student has Erika coverage, you can contact the appropriate assistant helpline, as well.

If your student is in grave condition, please call EF immediately. It is important that EF contact the consulate, who will pass this information on to the parents. Please do not call their family abroad directly.

Find the right exchange student for your family

Does your family have any hobbies or interests that you'd like to share with an exchange student? Are you looking to learn more about a particular region of the world? Consider some of these topics and start browsing student profiles today.

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Before your student arrives

Preparation is key: how to make sure your family is ready

When will my student arrive?

How to start building your relationship before your student arrives

Add a personal touch to your student's room

How to prepare your exchange student for school

Using family mealtimes to get to know each

The advantages of hosting two exchange students

Student & Host family expenses: who pays for what?

The first days

Making your student feel at home

Rocky start? Try active listening if you're struggling to communicate

Overcoming a language barrier: how you can help

Top tips for supporting your homesick student

Family relationships: helping your student create balance

6 stages of culture shock

Life with your student

Who to talk to if you have a question

Participation is important: help your student get involved locally

Overcoming challenges and misunderstandings with your student

Navigating religious differences and expectations

My student is struggling academically: how can I help?

What if it doesn't work out?

American traditions every exchange student wants to try

5 ways to enjoy fall as a family

10 ways to get in the Halloween spirit

5 ways to give back in November

The holiday season

Other topics

Frequently asked questions

Does your student want to apply for a local drivers license?

Important information when taking your student to the doctor

Health insurance: all EF students arrive with coverage

Student visa information and guidelines on travel

More trips with EF

Custodial guardianship

Saying goodbye and keeping in touch

How to claim

If you would like to seek reimbursement for expenses, you are welcome to make your claim here. You can handle everything online. Documentation is important so make sure to have receipts, reports and other relevant documents available as electronic files or pictures that you can upload. If you have a paper copy you can take a picture and attach that.

Make an online claim

It’s easy, just click below to make your online claim.

Should you instead want to print the claim form and do the process manually you can print it below. Note however that making the claim online will speed up the process.

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Enjoy peace of mind wherever you travel with global medical coverage.

We have over 30 years experience in international health insurance. And more than 500,000 members trust us with their care worldwide. We offer:  

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Visit Aetna International

Designed to help expats find first-class international medical coverage, this type of plan offers a wide range of options to fit a busy lifestyle.  

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• Do not use health care or have health insurance in the U.S.
• Want plans that cover doctor visits as well as hospital stays
• Need a maximum per person coverage up to $1.6 million per year

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This style of coverage gives you access to the highest level of health care and services, regardless of your location.  

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• Each benefit plan defines which services are covered, which are excluded, and which are subject to dollar caps or other limits. Members and their providers will need to consult the member's benefit plan to determine if there are any exclusions or other benefit limitations applicable to this service or supply. The conclusion that a particular service or supply is medically necessary does not constitute a representation or warranty that this service or supply is covered (i.e., will be paid for by Aetna) for a particular member. The member's benefit plan determines coverage. Some plans exclude coverage for services or supplies that Aetna considers medically necessary. If there is a discrepancy between a Clinical Policy Bulletin (CPB) and a member's plan of benefits, the benefits plan will govern.
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See CMS's Medicare Coverage Center

• Please note also that Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs) are regularly updated and are therefore subject to change.
• Since Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs) can be highly technical and are designed to be used by our professional staff in making clinical determinations in connection with coverage decisions, members should review these Bulletins with their providers so they may fully understand our policies.
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See Aetna's External Review Program

• The five character codes included in the Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs) are obtained from Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®), copyright 2015 by the American Medical Association (AMA). CPT is developed by the AMA as a listing of descriptive terms and five character identifying codes and modifiers for reporting medical services and procedures performed by physicians.
• The responsibility for the content of Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs) is with Aetna and no endorsement by the AMA is intended or should be implied. The AMA disclaims responsibility for any consequences or liability attributable or related to any use, nonuse or interpretation of information contained in Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs). No fee schedules, basic unit values, relative value guides, conversion factors or scales are included in any part of CPT. Any use of CPT outside of Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs) should refer to the most current Current Procedural Terminology which contains the complete and most current listing of CPT codes and descriptive terms. Applicable FARS/DFARS apply.

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Trip cancellation insurance: how it works.

• February 15, 2024

Chris Butsch

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com  to learn more.

If you travel often, you may have had to cancel your trip due to an unforeseen circumstance like a sudden injury, a nasty illness, or a hurricane that made you reconsider your paddle boarding adventure. 

In all three cases, a trip cancellation insurance policy might reimburse you for 100% of your prepaid, nonrefundable expenses. That could include your flight, accommodations, and even your paddle board lessons.  Here’s what you need to know about what it covers, what it doesn’t cover, and how to get one through your credit card. We’ll also take a look at the difference between trip cancellation, trip delay, and trip interruption insurance so you’ll be set with the right coverage for your needs.

Erika Taught Me

• Trip cancellation insurance will reimburse you for prepaid travel expenses that can't be reimbursed if canceled for a covered reason.
• Trip cancellation insurance covers you and your traveling companion.
• Some credit cards have trip cancellation insurance, but you must use the card to book the travel.

What is trip cancellation insurance?

Trip cancellation insurance is a special type of insurance that can help protect your prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses if you need to cancel your trip because extenuating circumstances prevent you from going. Examples of this are sicknesses, flight cancellations or delays, missed connections, bad weather, and optional Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage.

Let's consider a scenario where you've planned a $4,000 trip to Bali. You've already purchased flights, hotels, and a tour of Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. Despite eagerly anticipating the trip for months, you receive jury duty 30 days before departure. Fortunately, trip cancellation insurance usually covers legal obligations. You can submit a claim to your provider, offering evidence of your civic duty and providing details of your eligible expenses. This action is likely to result in a full reimbursement of your $4,000.

You can purchase trip cancellation insurance through companies like VisitorsCoverage , but before you do this, check your benefits because you might already have it for free through your credit card. 

Which credit cards offer trip cancellation insurance? 

Since trip cancellation insurance is a pretty valuable benefit, it’s typically reserved for high-end travel rewards cards that charge an annual fee of $95 or more. 

Here are just some of the credit cards that include complimentary trip interruption insurance: 

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• United Club℠ Infinite Card
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

It’s worth noting that not all trip cancellation benefits are the same. The difference you’ll see between cards is the coverage limits — or the maximum dollar amount you can be reimbursed. 

For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card will reimburse you up to $2,000 per person, per trip if something goes wrong. That’s probably enough for most folks who travel domestically and stick to a modest travel budget. 

Frequent international travelers — who fill their itineraries with cruises and juicy steaks — will likely find $2,000 insufficient. If this aligns with your travel M.O., you might want to consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred instead, which provides maximum benefits of $10,000 per person and $20,000 per trip. 

In addition, to get the benefit, you need to book your travel using that specific card. If you accidentally book your flight using your Chase Freedom instead of your Chase Sapphire Preferred, you might want to take advantage of that 24-hour cancellation window to rebook on the card with trip cancellation insurance attached. 

Finally, what happens if you book with points and the trip gets canceled? Do you get your points back? Cash? While the answer may vary between credit cards, we spoke to a Chase Claims Administrator who told us that they take the latter approach.  

“If you book with points and your trip gets canceled for a covered reason, you won’t get your points back,” they said. “Instead, you’ll get a check in the mail for the value of your points.” 

What trip cancellation covers 

Trip cancellation insurance varies by provider and policy type, but most plans will cover: 

• Severe weather that renders your departure or destination unsafe
• Natural disasters and mandatory evacuations
• Change in military orders for you or your partner
• Strikes that result in major travel disruptions
• Legal obligations such as witness subpoenas and jury duty
• Unforeseen illness or injury rendering you or your traveling companion unfit to travel, by order of a licensed physician
• Hospitalization or death of a family member

As you’ve probably figured out, the list is short and exclusive. Any scenario that isn’t specifically listed out in your policy won’t be covered. 

What trip cancellation doesn’t cover

Trip cancellation helps, but it doesn’t cover everything. The following scenarios typically won’t be covered by trip cancellation insurance, so be sure to read your benefits carefully: 

• Elective or routine medical procedures
• Injury resulting from self-harm or high-risk behavior, such as extreme sports or drug abuse
• Reasonably foreseeable events such as planned strikes and named hurricanes
• Outbreaks (travel insurance companies famously denied claims en masse for reasons related to COVID-19)

Trip cancellation vs. other forms of travel insurance

Trip cancellation insurance, trip delay insurance, trip interruption insurance… it can all get a little confusing. 

So here’s a mini-glossary of the most common types of travel insurance and what they typically cover: 

• Trip cancellation insurance reimburses you if you can’t travel at all due to sudden illness, injury, death, legal obligation, inclement weather, or other unforeseen circumstances.
• Travel delay insurance helps cover sudden “gaps” in your travel plans. If a flight gets delayed, often a minimum of six to 12 hours, a trip delay may cover your hotel, food, and cab rides to and from impromptu accommodation.
• Trip interruption insurance reimburses you if your trip gets cut short for many of the same reasons covered by trip cancellation, such as unforeseen illness, airline strike, and more.
• CFAR insurance , or Cancel for Any Reason insurance, is an optional add-on that lets you cancel for any reason you want. CFAR has become a popular choice for folks who aren’t sure their passport will arrive in time, and while it sounds great, the catch is that your maximum reimbursement is typically 75% or less of your trip value.
• Travel insurance is a blanket term for a policy that can include the above three types plus lost luggage/medical insurance. It’s like the term “car insurance,” which can include liability, collision, and more. 

Related: Flight delay compensation: What are you entitled to and how can you get it?

How to make a claim against your trip cancellation insurance

Circling back to our earlier example, let’s say you’re still holding your jury duty summons and you know that your trip to Bali will have to wait. Bummer. 

For now, let’s make sure you file a claim so you can get your $4,000 back. 

In general, the process of filing a claim against your trip cancellation insurance looks something like this:

• Contact your provider : There’s typically a phone number listed on your policy or within your credit card benefits for a Claims Administrator or similar title. Reach out to them for further instructions. You may also be able to submit a claim fully online.
• Cancel your plans and maximize your refund : You’ll need to show proof that you canceled your plans to receive reimbursement. Remember, trip cancellation insurance will only cover the non-refundable portion of your bookings, and sometimes “non-refundable” airline tickets are actually 100% refundable .
• Gather your documentation : The type of claim will dictate what sort of documentation you’ll need to submit. For example, if you claim a sudden illness or injury, you’ll need a physician’s statement verifying your inability to travel. You may also need to submit your full itinerary, your tour operator’s refund policy, and more.
• Don’t forget your companions’ expenses : As long as their name is on the bookings, too, your traveling companions may also be covered under your trip cancellation insurance. So if one of you falls ill, you may all be entitled to full or partial reimbursement under your policy.
• Tally up your claim amount and file within 90 days: Most trip interruption policies require you to file within 90 days of your trip to receive reimbursement. Keep in touch with your provider to ensure thorough preparation, avoiding delays or denials.

Related: Baggage delay insurance: How it works

What's the difference between trip cancellation and trip insurance?

Trip insurance is a general term that covers a variety of travel insurance policies. Trip cancelation insurance, however, provides coverage if you can't travel at all due to a covered reason.

Can I buy travel insurance coverage?

You can buy travel insurance from private companies such as VisitorsCoverage . This is a great option if you don't have a credit card that provides coverage or if you want to supplement that coverage.  

Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

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I'm an award-winning lawyer and personal finance expert featured in Inc. Magazine, CNBC, the Today Show, Business Insider and more. My mission is to make personal finance accessible for everyone. As the largest financial influencer in the world, I'm connected to a community of over 20 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. I'm also the host of the podcast Erika Taught Me. You might recognize me from my viral tagline, "I read the fine print so you don't have to!"

I'm a graduate of Georgetown Law, where I founded the Georgetown Law Entrepreneurship Club, and the University of Notre Dame. I discovered my passion for personal finance after realizing I was drowning in over $200,000 of student debt and needed to take action-ultimately paying off my student loans in under 2 years. I then spent years as a corporate lawyer representing Fortune 500 companies, but I quit because I realized I wanted to have an impact; I wanted to help real people and teach them that you can create a financial future for yourself.

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