Insurance

Insurance
 It is advisable to take sensible precautions to safeguard yourself and your possessions while you are on your way to UK and while your are in UK. Insurance is a key element of this. 

Question
I have been advised to take out insurance when I go to UK. What for?

Answer
The FCO and the British Council cannot be held responsible for any losses or liabilities incurred either on your journey to UK or during your stay in UK. We strongly recommend that you take out insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances. There are three types of insurance you should think about before coming to UK

Travel Insurance – to cover you and your luggage during your journey. Ask about this when you book your ticket to travel to the UK. Your travel agent should be able to sell you a policy or recommend someone who will. Some banks offer travel insurance policies – ask at your home bank when you are arranging your currency transfer or exchange or organising travellers’ cheques.

Personal Belongings Insurance – to cover valuable items such as jewellery, musical instruments, cameras or your CD player etc. while they are with you in the UK. If these items are covered by an insurance policy at your home, check whether they will still be covered once you get to the UK.

Health Insurance – to cover you against the cost of sickness or injury while you are in the UK. Find out from your British Council contact whether you will be covered by the UK’s National Health Service (the regulations differ from country to country). If you are not covered, take out a medical insurance policy before you leave home.

Question
Can I take out these insurance policies in UK?

Answer
You can, but remember that you still need to consider cover for yourself and your belongings during the journey to UK. If you want to make separate arrangements once you get to UK, there are a variety of options open to you and a number of factors to take into account. There are many different insurance policies available, so look around until you find one that meets your needs – and is within you budget. Your RSO or your university/college’s welfare adviser will be able to give you advice. Many insurance companies have special policies for students. When you are considering a particular policy, ask yourself the following questions: - What will be paid out to me when I make a claim? Some personal property insurance policies only pay you the second-hand value of your lost possessions. 'New-for-old' policies will pay you the full cost of replacing the item but they tend to be more expensive. - Are there any conditions attached to the policy? Some medical insurance policies will not cover you for pre-existing medical conditions (that is, conditions you already have when you take out the policy). Some personal property policies may not cover your possessions if they are taken away from the place where they are normally kept (for example, if you take your CD player to a friend’s house).

Question
Will I be covered by UK’s National Health Service?

Answer
This is a complex area and there are a number of different categories depending on where you are from. In an emergency, NHS hospital 'Accident and Emergency' (A&E) departments offer free treatment to everyone. However, if you are to be resident in the UK for less than six-months you should take out health insurance, unless you come from an EEA (European Economic Area) country or a country with a health agreement with the UK.
You must remember that, except for EEA nationals, such agreements are limited to hospital treatment for which the need arises during your visit to UK – pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Unless you take out insurance, you might have to pay the full cost of any treatment yourself. Your British Council contact at home is in close contact with the British Embassy or High Commission and will be able to tell you if there is a current agreement between your country and UK. If not, it would be sensible to think about a medical insurance policy.
Your Studying and living in the United Kingdom Handbook has guidelines on which countries have agreements with UK but the list is constantly changing – ask your BC contact for the latest information. If you leave it until you reach UK, your RSO and student welfare officer can also offer advice.

Question
What about insurance if I want to drive a car or a motorcycle?

Answer
Motor vehicle insurance is compulsory in UK if you own a vehicle. The cost of an insurance policy will depend on your age, how long you have been driving, where you are living, the age and value of the vehicle, and the type of vehicle it is (motorcycle, saloon car, sports-car, 4x4 etc). You will also have to get a road licence for the vehicle through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) – the type of road licence also depends on a number of factors relating to type of vehicle and size of engine. You can find more information in your Studying and living in United Kingdom Handbook. The process of licensing and insuring a vehicle can be time-consuming but you can find details on the process you have to go through at http://www.dvla.gov.uk and the Association of British Insurers at http://www.abi.org.uk/consumer2/consumer.htm

Question
Will my driving licence from home allow me to drive in UK?

Answer
If you have a valid driving licence from your own country or an international driving licence, the answer is yes. Depending on where you are from, the length of time you can drive before it becomes necessary to get a UK driving licence varies. Your Studying and Living in the United Kingdom Handbook has details of what the differences are but, as a general rule, an international licence will entitle you to drive for up to 12 months before a UK licence might become necessary. You can find out more details at http://www.dvla.gov.uk and there is an excellent UKCOSA guidance note Arriving in UK: driving in Great Britain; a guide for international students at http://www.ukcosa.org.uk/images/driving.pdf or from your RSO.