U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance, provided by BCBS Global Solutions (BCBSGS), offers health coverage and assistance services for eligible U-M travelers outside the United States. Benefits include medical care, mental health services, telehealth, prescription medications, emergency evacuation, and more.
This is not comprehensive trip/travel insurance. It does not cover voluntary trip cancellation, lost baggage, or ordinary travel delays. The Education Abroad Plan includes a limited post-departure trip-interruption benefit for certain covered circumstances.
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You may enroll via the University Health & Counseling insurance webpage.
Students from the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses must have U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance when traveling internationally for U-M-related travel (UMRT). This requirement is established by U-M SPG 601.31: International Travel Policy.
U-M Related Travel may include (but is not limited to):
Students must enroll in the BCBSGS Education Abroad Plan even if they already have other health insurance, such as a personal domestic plan or coverage offered by a third-party program
The BCBSGS Education Abroad Plan is available to:
Enrollment depends on your program:
Before departure: Ask your sponsoring unit whether it will enroll you and which travel dates it will cover.
Eligible U-M faculty and staff, including Michigan Medicine employees, are automatically covered by the BCBS Global Solutions (BCBSGS) Business Traveler Plan when traveling internationally on U-M related travel. You do not need to purchase the plan
The plan also covers:
Include accompanying family members in your U-M travel registration.
The BCBSGS Personal/Leisure Plan provides optional health insurance coverage for international travel that is not related to U-M. Coverage is recommended because your existing health insurance may provide limited benefits outside the United States.
The plan is available to:
Eligible students, faculty, and staff may also purchase coverage for family members traveling with them, including:
Purchase the BCBSGS Personal/Leisure Plan before leaving the United States. You cannot purchase the plan after your international trip has begun.
Planning personal or leisure travel before or after U-M-related travel? Check your coverage dates before departure to make sure your entire trip is covered.
Your coverage depends on who purchases your BCBSGS Education Abroad Plan:
Eligible U-M faculty, staff, and Michigan Medicine employees are covered by the BCBSGS Business Traveler Plan for U-M-related travel and personal or leisure activities directly before and after it.
Include these travel dates in the U-M Travel Registry. You do not need to purchase a separate Personal/Leisure Plan for these dates.
For the purposes of U-M SPG 601.31: International Travel Policy, U-M-related travel to a U.S. territory is treated as travel abroad because it is covered by the U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance and its associated political and natural evacuation insurance.
This includes travel to:
If you receive medical care in a U.S. territory, you will need to pay the provider and submit a claim to BCBSGS for reimbursement.
Students, faculty, and staff should complete these steps before departure, regardless of their BCBSGS plan or who arranged their coverage.
Check your destination’s visa requirements to determine which proof-of-insurance documents you need.
The $100,000 amount shown on the standard letter is not your plan’s full coverage limit. U-M plan limits are:
Contact the UHC Campus Insurance Office at [email protected] if you need:
The BCBSGS Pre-Departure Program helps you plan for health care needs at your destination. Complete the program’s questionnaire and request follow-up from a clinician to discuss your needs and available care.
You can use this program before enrolling in BCBSGS. See the video below for additional details.
Link to BCBS Global Solutions (BCBSGS) Pre-Departure Program Overview (Video)
Show your BCBSGS insurance card when receiving care. Before a scheduled visit, review Arrange Payment and Submit a Claim below.
All three U-M plans include telehealth phone or video consultations at no cost for non-urgent health needs.
Telehealth is not intended for emergency or urgent medical care.
Learn About Medical Telehealth
BCBSGS Counseling and Wellness Support are included in the Education Abroad and Personal/Leisure plans, but not the Business Traveler Plan.
Choose either option:
In a medical emergency: Seek care at the nearest doctor or hospital right away. Once you are safe, call the number on your BCBSGS insurance card for assistance and contact U-M as needed, following the instructions on the In Case of Emergency page
For help finding care, arranging payment, or submitting a claim:
BCBSGS may arrange to pay your provider directly, helping you avoid paying upfront and requesting reimbursement.
Do not delay emergency care to arrange payment.
Keep your receipts and supporting documents, then follow the instructions for your plan:
Check your claim’s status in the Claims section. Additional submission options are listed in your member guide.
Getting care in a U.S. territory? Contact BCBSGS using the number on your insurance card to confirm provider and payment arrangements. You may need to pay for care and submit a claim for reimbursement.
For a general introduction to U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance and BCBSGS services, review:
For information specific to your plan, see the member guides and certificates below.
For travelers covered by the BCBSGS Education Abroad Plan:
U-M login required: The certificate linked here is available only to users signed in with a U-M Google account.
For travelers covered by the BCBSGS Business Traveler Plan:
U-M login required: The certificate linked here is available only to users signed in with a U-M account.
For travelers covered by the BCBSGS Personal/Leisure Plan:
U-M login required: The certificate linked here is available only to users signed in with a U-M account.
U-M Travel Abroad Health Insurance includes medical, political, and natural disaster evacuation benefits. Separate enrollment is not required.
Political and natural-disaster evacuation coverage is not automatic for certain higher-risk locations. Travelers must obtain prior approval by completing the Crisis24 Prior Approval Request Form. See “Crisis24 Evacuation Insurance Coverage” page for more details.
Evacuations must meet the applicable coverage requirements and follow an established approval process. They are not available solely at a traveler’s request.
In an emergency, contact U-M as soon as possible and follow the instructions on In Case of Emergency.
The BCBSGS Education Abroad Plan includes a limited post-departure trip-interruption benefit that may reimburse certain expenses if a covered illness, injury, or infectious-disease restriction interrupts your trip.
This benefit is available only through the Education Abroad Plan. It is not comprehensive trip-cancellation insurance.
Quarantine lodging reimbursement applies when the host government requires quarantine outside your existing housing. It does not apply when your existing housing meets local quarantine or isolation requirements.
Coverage is subject to the plan’s eligibility requirements, limits, and exclusions. Review the Education Abroad Plan member guide and certificate of coverage for complete details.
U-M faculty and staff with administrator access may enroll students and non-U-M participants on U-M-related travel in the BCBSGS Education Abroad Plan on their behalf.
View the BCBSGS Administrator Guide (U-M login required)
Use the BCBSGS Administrator Portal to enroll travelers, update coverage, and access invoices. For detailed enrollment, coverage change, and payment instructions, review the BCBSGS Administrator Guide (U-M login required).
Digital insurance cards are available within 24 hours of roster submission under Submitted Rosters or Enrolled Participants.
Under Enrolled Participants, find the traveler and select Change, Renew, or Cancel. Follow the portal instructions and submit any new roster created during the process.
Changes and cancellations are subject to BCBSGS requirements and review. See the Administrator Guide for detailed instructions.
For account access or enrollment assistance, email [email protected].
