Students on F-1 and J-1 visas (and J-1 student dependents - J-2s) are required to have insurance by 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. J-1 Exchange visitors and J-2 dependents of exchange visitors sponsored by UWF in the Professor, Research Scholar, Specialist, or Short-term Scholar categories are subject to the requirements of CFR 22 § 62.14 Individuals in F and J visa status have the following obligations: Failure to comply with these requirements forces the University of West Florida to terminate your immigration status. This process is managed by International Affairs. For help with the process, please email international@uwf.edu or call (850)474-2479. The Requirements for F1 and J1 insurance coverage for Fall 2023 have not changed.
Determining What Insurance Coverage You Need
This table outlines the insurance requirements by visa type at UWF.
F-1 Students Requirements pursuant to Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009) | F-2 Dependents | J-1 Students and J-2 Student Dependents of J-1 Students Requirements pursuant to Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009 and CFR 22 § 62.14 | J-1 Exchange Visitors (Professor, Research Scholar, Specialist, or Short Term Scholars) and J-2 Exchange Visitor Dependents Requirements pursuant to CFR 22 § 62.14 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage Requirements | Coverage Period: Policies must provide, at a minimum, continuous coverage for the entire period the insured is enrolled as an eligible student, including annual breaks during that period. Payment of benefits must be renewable | No state or federal requirement for coverage; however, policies are available should one wish to seek coverage for an F-2 dependent. | Coverage Period: Policies must provide, at a minimum, continuous coverage for the entire period the insured is enrolled as an eligible student, including annual breaks during that period. Payment of benefits must be renewable | Medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness |
| Basic Benefits: Room, board, hospital services, physician fees, surgeon fees, ambulance, outpatient services, and outpatient customary fees must be paid at 80% or more of usual, customary, reasonable charge per accident or illness, after deductible is met, for in-network, and 60% or more of usual, customary, and reasonable charge for out-of-network providers per accident or illness | Basic Benefits: Room, board, hospital services, physician fees, surgeon fees, ambulance, outpatient services, and outpatient customary fees must be paid at 80% or more of usual, customary, reasonable charge per accident or illness, after deductible is met, for in-network, and 60% or more of usual, customary, and reasonable charge for out-of-network providers per accident or illness | Repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000 | ||
| Inpatient Mental Health Care: Must be paid at 80% in-network or 60% out-of network of the usual and customary fees with a minimum 30-day cap per benefit period | Inpatient Mental Health Care: Must be paid at 80% in-network or 60% out-of network of the usual and customary fees with a minimum 30-day cap per benefit period | Expenses associated with the medical evacuation of exchange visitors to his or her home country in the amount of $50,000 | ||
| Outpatient Mental Health Care: Must be paid at 80% in-network or 60% out-of network of the usual and customary fees for a minimum of 30 (preferably 40) sessions per year | Outpatient Mental Health Care: Must be paid at 80% in-network or 60% out-of network of the usual and customary fees for a minimum of 30 (preferably 40) sessions per year | Deductibles not to exceed $500 per accident or illness | ||
| Maternity Benefits: Must be treated as any other temporary medical condition and paid at no less than 80% of usual and customary fees in-network or 60% out of-network | Maternity Benefits: Must be treated as any other temporary medical condition and paid at no less than 80% of usual and customary fees in-network or 60% out of-network | Insurance policies secured to fulfill the requirements of this section: (1) May require a waiting period for pre-existing conditions that is reasonable as determined by current industry standards; (2) May include provisions for co-insurance under the terms of which the exchange visitor may be required to pay up to 25% of the covered benefits per accident or illness; and (3) Must not unreasonably exclude coverage for perils inherent to the activities of the exchange program in which the exchange visitor participates. | ||
| Repatriation: $25,000 (coverage to return the student’s remains to his/her native country) | Repatriation: $25,000 (coverage to return the student’s remains to his/her native country) | Any policy, plan, or contract secured to fill the above requirements must, at a minimum, be: (1) Underwritten by an insurance corporation having an A.M. Best rating of “A−” or above; a McGraw Hill Financial/Standard & Poor's Claims-paying Ability rating of “A−” or above; a Weiss Research, Inc. rating of “B + ” or above; a Fitch Ratings, Inc. rating of “A−” or above; a Moody's Investor Services rating of “A3” or above; or such other rating as the Department of State may from time to time specify; or (2) Backed by the full faith and credit of the government of the exchange visitor's home country; or (3) Part of a health benefits program offered on a group basis to employees or enrolled students by a designated sponsor; or (4) Offered through or underwritten by a federally qualified Health Maintenance Organization or eligible Competitive Medical Plan as determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. | ||
| Medical Evacuation: $50,000 (to permit the patient to be transported to his/her home country and to be accompanied by a provider or escort, if directed by the physician in charge) | Medical Evacuation: $50,000 (to permit the patient to be transported to his/her home country and to be accompanied by a provider or escort, if directed by the physician in charge) | |||
| Deductible: Maximum of $50 per occurrence if treatment or services are rendered at the Student Health Center; maximum of $100 per occurrence if treatment or services are rendered at an off-campus ambulatory care or hospital emergency department facility | Deductible: Maximum of $50 per occurrence if treatment or services are rendered at the Student Health Center; maximum of $100 per occurrence if treatment or services are rendered at an off-campus ambulatory care or hospital emergency department facility | |||
| Minimum coverage: $100,000 for covered injuries/illnesses per accident or illness per policy year | Minimum coverage: $100,000 for covered injuries/illnesses per accident or illness per policy year | |||
| Insurance Carrier must, at a minimum, meet the rating requirements specified in Part 62.14(d) of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations | Insurance Carrier must, at a minimum, meet the rating requirements specified in Part 62.14(d) of Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations | |||
| Policy must not unreasonably exclude coverage for perils inherent to the student’s program of study | Policy must not unreasonably exclude coverage for perils inherent to the student’s program of study | |||
| Claims must be paid in U.S. dollars payable on a U.S. financial institution | Claims must be paid in U.S. dollars payable on a U.S. financial institution | |||
| Policy provisions must be available from the insurer in English | Policy provisions must be available from the insurer in English |
Instructions for F Students, J Students, and J Student Dependents (J-2)
Determine What Insurance to Use
The University of West Florida has a recommended plan you can use from LewerMark. If you would like to use an insurance plan different from the UWF Plan through LewerMark, you must submit a Health Insurance Waiver Form for approval. Waiver Deadlines are hard deadlines. Late Waiver requests WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED OR PROCESSED.
- 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 Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009.
- Please note, plans from outside of the United States RARELY meet all coverage types and levels for international student insurance at UWF.
If you do not submit a waiver form by the deadline, you must purchase the IFS plan.
The UWF International Student Insurance Plan
F1 and J1 students will be automatically enrolled in the UWF Plan through LewerMark AND be charged the insurance fees unless they successfully opt out with their own insurance that meets ALL requirements.
- All F1 and J1 student will be automaticlaly enrolled in the UWF Plan through LewerMark.
- Fees for International Student insurance will be charged in 2 payments: $XXX for Fall and $XXX for Spring/Summer.
- Students will be responsible for the insurance fees UNLESS they successfully Opt Out using the proces below.
- Insurance fees will be posted in student CashNet accounts for payment by the Semester Fee Due Dates for Fall and Spring.
- Insurance fees must be paid in full for the coverage term and cannot be paid in a payment plan.
- Students who begin study at UWF for Summer, will have the summer only fee charged to their CashNet in May.
- Students graduating in Spring semester will have coverage into the summer after graduation - This allows students to have insurance while waiting for OPT approval or if they have a long period between graduation and the start of possible employer insurance.
- UWF Student Athletes have an assigned Athletic Trainer to assist with insurance questions. Contact Amy Napier for more information.
Using Your Own Insurance Plan - Opting Out of the UWF Plan AKA Requesting a waiver of the UWF Insurance Plan
You may request to Opt Out of the UWF Plan for International Students if you want to try to use insurance from your home country or a different U.S. policy. All opt Out/Waiver Requests must be submitted by 5 pm CENTRAL STANDARD TIME on the day of the deadline.
- Opt Out/Waiver Requests must be Complete by the deadline.
- Submitting an incomplete request will result in denial.
- The deadline for fall semester or academic year is August 15th - Fall/Year Deadline is for all students continuing study at UWF from the previous plan year or students with a Program Start Date of August.
- The deadline for spring and summer is December 15th - Spring/Summer Deadline is for students with a Program Start Date of January for the upcoming year
- The Deadline for Summer is April 15. Summer Deadline is for students with a Program Start Date of May.
- After the waiver deadlines, waiver requests to use your own insurance WILL NOT be accepted. Students will be automatically enrolled in the UWF Insurance plan for international students. Fees for the UWF Plan will be charged to Student Cashnet accounts.
If purchasing an insurance that is not the UWF Plan through LewerMark, you must have the company confirm the insurance meets all of the requirements of Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009.
- Proof of insurance must be submitted with a completed waiver request form.
- Proof of insurance required documents are
- Your insurance card or letter which confirms you are enrolled in the AND
- The Full Policy Details or "Schedule of Benefits." - This is expected to be a very long document.
- All Proof of insurance documents MUST be in English - provided by the insurance company, not translations you may make.
- Waiver Requests with documents that are not in English will be denied.
- Proof of insurance required documents are
- Waivers submitted for insurance which does not meet ALL of the requirements outlined in BOG REG 6.009 will be denied.
- Please review all emails from International Affairs regarding insurance for important dates and deadline reminders.
- Please note that many foreign insurance companies and travel insurance plans do not meet the State of Florida regulations.
- With updated documentation process, it is possible that plans that have previously been accepted may not be accepted for Fall 2023 and beyond.
- UWF strongly encourages students to verify an alternative insurance will meet ALL State of Florida requirements for international student insurance BEFORE purchasing.
Late Opt Out Requests will not be accepted.
- Students who have not submitted a valid waiver will be enrolled in the UWF Plan through LewerMark and the insurance fees charged to the student CashNet account.
How to Opt Out of The UWF Plan with Your Own Insurance
Opt Out is requested through the UWF LewerMark Website.
The waiver process is not open all year. It is only open when waivers are being accepted and only open for students based on their program start date.
All Requests must be made using the Waiver Request Form.
Submit Proof of Insurance
After entering the insurance company information, you must submit proof of your insurance coverage. It is very important that you do not falsify any of this information. Insurance fraud is a crime, and you can lose your immigration status if you falsify insurance information.
If you choose to submit the waiver with an alternate health insurance plan, you will need to provide electronic copies of the following documents:
- A coverage letter or scanned copy of the front and back of your health insurance ID card indicating the student as a covered member.
- A scanned copy of your complete policy, including coverage amounts, exclusions, and limitations in English using US dollars.
Health Insurance documents must be in English. Submitting documents that are not in English will result in denial of the Opt Out Request.
Receiving the Decision
After your Opt Out Request has been submitted, you will receive an email that your waiver is pending review. Review takes several days.
If Opt Out is Request Approved:
- If your waiver is accepted, you will receive an email confirming your insurance meets requirements.
- Students are responsible for maintaining their insurance for the full year: August 15, 2023 to Augst 14, 2024.
- If a student is approved to OptOut and it is found the student later canceled or let their insurance expire/lapse, their F1 Status will be terminated for failure to maintain enrollment Requirements as an F1 student at UWF.
- The Fee for insurance will be removed from the student's CashNet.
- Opt Out approvals for the the current plan year; 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.
If Waiver Request Denied:
- If you receive an email rejecting your waiver, reason for rejection of waiver will be provided in detail.
- Students will not be able to appeal waiver decision or submit subsequent waivers with altered policies for the same Coverage 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 CashNet account.
Instructions for J Exchange Visitors in the categories of: Professor, Research Scholar, Specialist, or Short-term Scholars and J-2 Dependents
Determine What Insurance to Use
The University of West Florida has a recommended plan you can use from Insurance For Students (IFS). There are also other insurance options that may meet the requirements outlined. All plans will require you to submit the Health Insurance Compliance Form completed by you and your insurance carrier.
- The recommended plan from IFS is the best option if you are unsure about your current insurance.
- Other insurance plans you may find aside from IFS (including U.S. insurance plans) may not meet the requirements of CFR 22 § 62.14.
- Coverage must be annual coverage for an academic year or through the duration of the J program, whichever occurs first.
Completed Health Insurance Compliance Forms will be reviewed by the Office of International Affairs. Individuals failing to meet insurance requirements outline in CFR 22 § 62.14, will be subject to termination of their visa status.
International Student Insurance FAQs
Do I need insurance before the semester starts or during breaks? What if I go home for part of the summer?
- F-1 and J-1 students are required to have insurance coverage for the length of their program - including all dates on their Form I-20 or DS-2019.
- The requirement depends on your visa status and program dates - not on where you are currently located, so it applies when you are outside of the US, too.
- We understand that you may not know your plans yet.
Can I wait and purchase my insurance later?
You should take action on your insurance requirement before the posted deadlines.
The deadline to submit your own insurance using the waiver process is August 15 for Fall and the academic year.
The deadline to purchase the UWF recommended policy is August 22, 2022.
If you have not successfully submitted a waiver and you have not enrolled in a pre-approved plan for UWF international students by August 22, 2022, you will be at risk for termination of your F1 or J1 status.
What if I am planning to use my own insurance? Can I submit the International Student Health Insurance Waiver Form later?
The deadline to submit the form is August 15, 2022.
- Please see the information above on steps to submit the waiver form.
- The dates of insurance must be to for Fall 2022.
- The dates of insurance must be to for Academic Year 2022-2023.
- You must have continuous coverage inclusive of the dates shown in the insurance email you have received.
- Your current insurance end date is included in reminder emails from UWF International Affairs.
- If your end date is before August 15, you must submit your documentation before your current policy expires.
- You must purchase insurance before your current policy expires.
- AND you must submit your waiver form and insurance proof document.
- This documentation must show continuous coverage.
- If you purchase after your current insurance expires and have a lapse in coverage dates, your waiver will not be approved and you will be terminated for fsilure to maintain visa requirements.
What if I am planning to enroll in a Pre-Approved policy option?
You may enroll in the UWF policy for international student insurance at any time before the start of Fall 2022.
- Students who have not enrolled in the UWF policy by the start of Fall 2022 classes (August 22, 2022) will have a hold placed on their UWF account.
- You cannot make changes to your course registration if you have a hold on your account.
- You will need to enroll in insurance to have the hold removed.
- Email international@uwf.edu if you have questions.
If I want to purchase an IFS or ISI insurance plan not listed as pre-approved plan, is that okay?
- Only the linked plans are pre-approved. You must use the provided links in Pre-Approved Plans to enroll in IFS or ISI plans that UWF has confirmed meet all requirements.
- For IFS, if you have any questions please email uwf@insuranceforstudents.com and tell them you are a UWF student.
- For ISI, only the UWF plan option is pre-approved.
- Generic Student Secure plans (Smart, Budget, Select, Elite) are not approved for Fall 2022 and beyond.
What if I have more questions not related to insurance?
- You can schedule an advising appointment in Navigate in MyUWF.
- Search for "immigration advising" to see available appointments.