Overview

Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan

The Florida Board of Governors requires that all international students enrolled at UWF in a visa status of F or J have health insurance (including those applying for F or J status). For this reason, enrollment in the LewerMark UWF Student Health Insurance Plan is automatic at the time of registration, and the cost of the policy is included in the student’s semester fee charges. In certain cases, students holding comparable coverage may be eligible to waive enrollment in the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan.

UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan meets and exceeds the requirements of the Regulation, and we believe it is a good value for the coverage it provides. More information is available on our insurance resources page about the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan and using health insurance in the United States. More information about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Please be mindful, 

• The UWF Plan for International Student Insurance is the best option if you are unsure about your current insurance.
• Other insurance plans you may find may not meet the requirements of the Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009 requirements for international student insurance. 
• Don't Fall for too-good-to-be-true plans that are offered at prices well below the cost of the UWF Plan. If it's cheap, it will not meet the requirements. 
• Please note, plans from outside of the United States RARELY meet all coverage types and levels for international student insurance at UWF. 

Review the following waiver eligibility categories to determine your eligibility, required documentation, and submission deadline & submit by email to LewerMark for Review.

Waiving the Student Health Insurance Plan

The Florida Board of Governors requires that all international students enrolled at UWF in a visa status of F or J have health insurance (including those applying for F or J status). For this reason, enrollment in the LewerMark UWF Student Health Insurance Plan is automatic at the time of registration, and the cost of the policy is included in the student’s semester fee charges. In certain cases, students holding comparable coverage may be eligible to waive enrollment in the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan.

UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan meets and exceeds the requirements of the Regulation, and we believe it is a good value for the coverage it provides. More information is available on our insurance resources page about the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan and using health insurance in the United States. More information about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Please be mindful, 

• The UWF Plan for International Student Insurance is the best option if you are unsure about your current insurance.
• Other insurance plans you may find may not meet the requirements of the UWF policy on International Student Insurance and the Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009 requirements for international student insurance. 
• Don't Fall for too-good-to-be-true plans that are offered at prices well below the cost of the UWF Plan. If it's cheap, it will not meet the requirements. 
• Please note, plans from outside of the United States RARELY meet all coverage types and levels for international student insurance at UWF. 

Review the following waiver eligibility categories to determine your eligibility, required documentation, and submission deadline & submit by email to LewerMark for Review.

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Students with Individual Insurance

The waiver program was created to honor great plans that students are already enrolled in through their government-sponsored program, family plan from their home country that meets or exceeds the LewerMark plan and adheres to the Florida Board of Governors and UWF regulations, or an ACA plan provided through a parent or spouse's US employer.

Do not purchase a plan for the sole purpose of submitting a waiver request.

International students holding individual U.S. insurance plans compliant with the UWF University Policy AC-06.04-03/24 AND Florida Board of Governors' Regulation 6.009 may submit theInsurance waiver request (PDF) form (find the form and detailed instructions in the Waiver Request Instructions below). The insurance International students holding individual U.S. insurance plans compliant with the Florida Board of Governors' Regulation 6.009 may submit theInsurance waiver request (PDF) form (find the form and detailed instructions in the Waiver Request Instructions below). The insurance policy must comply with all stated requirements, or the waiver request will not be approved. No travel, international, or short-term plans of any kind are accepted, and medical evacuation and repatriation insurance cannot be waived.

Do not purchase a different insurance for the sole purpose of requesting a waiver. 

Travel insurance Travel insurance requiring reimbursement for medical services does not meet the regulation. 

Plans purchased on a healthcare marketplace are not eligible for a waiver. Please be advised that the Office of International Affairs is not equipped to advise on the potential impact government-subsidized healthcare can have on your non-immigrant visa status and tax filing obligation. We strongly recommend you consult with an immigration and/or tax attorney before purchasing a subsidized health insurance plan on the Marketplace Exchange. 

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Waiver Requests may be submitted only if the following statements are true about the insurance plan you are submitting for the waiver:

1. You already have the insurance and it was not purchased specifically for study at UWF with the intent to request a waiver. This means only pre-existing coverage such as coverage you had before you were admitted to UWF can be submitted.
2. Your insurance coverage is the same as the group plan or provides greater than the coverage of the group plan. 

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After your Opt Out Request has been submitted, you will receive an email that your waiver is pending review. The If your request is incomplete, you will be told what documents are missing. Waiver requests must be complete by the deadline for submission. The review takes several days.

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• If your waiver is accepted, you will receive an email confirming your insurance meets ALL the requirements of Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009 and UWF University Policy AC-06.04-03/24
• Students are responsible for maintaining their insurance for the full year: August 15, 20232025, to August 14, 20242026.
  • If a student is approved to OptOut and it is found the student later canceled or let their insurance expire/lapse, their F1 Status SEVIS Record will be terminated for failure to maintain enrollment Requirements as an F1 international student at UWF. 
• The Fee for insurance will be removed from the student's Transact (formerly CashNet). 
• Opt Out approvals are for the current plan year; the Plan year is August 15 to August 14 annually.
• If students Opt out for Spring/Summer, they must submit a new Opt Out Request before Fall. 

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• If you are approved for a partial waiver, you will be charged for supplemental coverage in Fall 2025 for the full year. The estimated cost of the supplemental coverage with a partial waiver is $100 for the year, to be paid in full by August 31, 2025. 

If Waiver Request Denied:

• If you receive an email rejecting your waiver, the reason for the rejection of the waiver will be provided in detail.
• Students with a denied waiver receive an email rejecting your waiver, the reason for the rejection of the waiver will be provided in detail.Students with a denied waiver request can ask UWF International Affairs to issue a refund request letter to send to the company from which to denied insurance was purchased.
  • Students can email international@uwf.edu to ask for a refund request letter. Students will need to provide the name and address of the company. 
  • UWF International Affairs will email the refund request letter to the student who then must send the letter to the insurance company. 
  • UWF cannot guarantee the refund will be granted by the company. However, the refund request letter may be helpful for students who paid for insurance that does not meet requirements. 
• Requests for appeal of the waiver decision or subsequent waivers with altered policies for the same Coverage Year will be denied.
  • For example, If your waiver is denied in Fall, you will be enrolled in the UWF plan for the year.
    • You will be able to submit a new waiver the following July for the next academic year. 
• Students who have not submitted a successful Opt Out Request will be enrolled in the official insurance policy for UWF international students.
• The UWF Plan fees will be charged to their Transact (formerly CashNet) account. 

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1. To maintain insurance that meets UWF University Policy AC-06.04-03/24 AND Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009. Insurance is required to keep your immigration status valid. The regulation specifies the type and amounts of insurance and how long you must possess coverage.
2. To select insurance that meets/exceeds coverage of the coverage of the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Policy with coverage for the full academic year (365 days) 
   1. Students issued F-1 or J-1 visas’ continuous coverage must be in effect until August 14, 20232025, or later, regardless of graduation dates and/or leaving the country for a break. The new student’s effective date should be August 15, 20232024, or prior. 
3. To review the ‘Exclusions and Limitations' section of the policy under consideration.
4. To advise the insurance company that they are attending the University of West Florida.
5. To provide their issued visa information in some instances their passport number

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