Overview

You may be eligible to waive the UWF LewerMark International Student Health Insurance Plan if you can provide proof of comparable coverage. Learn about the waiver options, eligibility requirements, and deadlines for submission.

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.
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.

Waiver Deadlines

Semester/Coverage Period	Deadline for Waiver
Fall and Academic Year	August 15, by 5 p.m.
Spring/Summer	December 15, by 5 p.m.
Summer (Only for new students beginning study in May)	April 15, by 5 p.m.

The Waiver Request must be completed by the posted deadline. This means you must have the waiver request form AND the required proof of insurance documents submitted by the deadline.
Submission deadline times are for Central Standard Time (the Time Zone location of UWF)
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.

Students with Insurance through Government Sponsorship Programs

UWF has pre-screened the insurance coverage for students in the following government sponsorship programs. Students with support documented on a current financial guarantee letter from one of these programs do not need to submit a waiver request IF they have submitted their current Financial Guarantee from the sponsorship program to UWF by the Waiver Deadline.

Saudi Arabia Cultural Mission
Kuwait Culture Division

Students with Individual Insurance

International students holding individual U.S. insurance plans compliant with the Florida Board of Governors' Regulation 6.009 may submit the Insurance waiver request (PDF) form. 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.

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

Please be advised that 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.

If purchasing insurance that is not the UWF Plan through LewerMark, you must have the company confirm the insurance meets all of the requirements of the Florida Board of Governor's Regulation 6.009 and meets or exceeds the coverage of the UWF LewerMark Plan for International Student Insurance.

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.

Waiver Requests must be emailed to EMAIL LINK.

All Waiver Requests must include the Waiver Request Form AND the required Proof of Insurance Documents.
Proof of insurance must be submitted with a completed waiver request form. (PDF Link)
- 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. A policy "brochure" or "plan summary" is not adequate.
- 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.
Waivers submitted for insurance that 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 foreign insurance companies and travel insurance plans do not meet the State of Florida regulations.
With the improved waiver review 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 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 by the deadline will be enrolled in the UWF Plan through LewerMark and the insurance fees charged to the student CashNet account.

Receiving the Decision

After your Opt Out Request has been submitted, you will receive an email that your waiver is pending review. The review takes several days.

If Opt-Out is Request Approved:

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.
Students are responsible for maintaining their insurance for the full year: August 15, 2023, to August 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 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.

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 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 CashNet account.

Student Responsibilities When Submitting a Waiver to use their own insurance

It is the responsibility of the F1/J1 student to:

To maintain insurance that meets 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.
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, 2023, or later, regardless of graduation dates and/or leaving the country for a break. The new student’s effective date should be August 15, 2023, or prior.
To review the ‘Exclusions and Limitations' section of the policy under consideration.
To advise the insurance company that they are attending the University of West Florida.
To provide their issued visa information in some instances their passport number

UWF reserves the right to

Conduct enrollment audits throughout the academic year.
Request proof of current coverage from students after a waiver has been approved for the current academic year.
Decline/reject installment/monthly payment policies.

FAQs for the Waiver Request Process

Insurance for Students (IFS) is no longer the provider for international student insurance. Any plan you might purchase through IFS would require students to submit a waiver request.

International Student Insurance (ISI) is no longer an approved insurance provider for UWF students. ISI and other insurance companies offer plans you might see labeled as "Student Secure" or "Worldtrips".

The following Insurance Plans have been confirmed they will not meet international student requirements for Fall 2023 and beyond.

World Trips Student Secure Smart - Not accepted by UWF. Does not meet requirements.
World Trips Student Secure Budget - No longer accepted after July 2022. Does not meet requirements.
World Trips Student Secure Select - No longer accepted after July 2023. Does not meet requirements.
World Trips Student Secure UWF - This plan was a special plan through ISI for UWF for 2022-2023 only. There is no UWF plan from ISI for Fall 2023 and beyond, even if you find it on the ISI website. This plan is no longer accepted.
BlueCross BlueShield Plans through the Health Care Marketplace. BCBS contacted UWF regarding these plans NOT MEETING requirements.
Requests from students for waiver with any of these plans will be denied.

The deadline to submit a waiver request are hard deadlines. Late Waiver requests will be denied.

Please see the information on steps to submit the waiver request.
The dates of insurance must be 15 Aug 2023 to 31 Dec 2023 for Fall 2023.
The dates of insurance must be 15 Aug 2023 to 14 Aug 2024 for Academic Year 2023-2024.
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 current insurance 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.
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 failure to maintain visa requirements.

UWF reserves the right to decline/reject installment/monthly payment policies.

Insurance for Students (IFS) is no longer the provider for international student insurance. Any plan you might purchase through IFS would require students to submit a waiver request.

International Student Insurance (ISI) is no longer an approved insurance provider for UWF students. ISI and other insurance companies offer plans you might see labeled as "Student Secure" or "Worldtrips".

The following Insurance Plans have been confirmed they will not meet international student requirements for Fall 2023 and beyond.

World Trips Student Secure Smart - Not accepted by UWF. Does not meet requirements.
World Trips Student Secure Budget - No longer accepted after July 2022. Does not meet requirements.
World Trips Student Secure Select - No longer accepted after July 2023. Does not meet requirements.
World Trips Student Secure UWF - This plan was a special plan for 2022-2023 only. There is no UWF plan from ISI for Fall 2023 and beyond, even if you find it on the ISI website.
BlueCross BlueShield Plans through the Health Care Marketplace that do not pay the required 80% in-network and 60% out-of-network. BCBS contacted UWF regarding these plans NOT MEETING requirements.
Requests from students for a waiver with any of these plans will be denied.

YES! You must take action.

UWF specifically noted the required dates for the 2022-2023 academic year with the August 14, 2023 end date. As noted, in the question above, ISI plans are no longer accepted beginning Fall 2023.

You can try to request a waiver with your current insurance BUT approval is not guaranteed.

If you had ISI Insurance for 2022-2023 and purchased coverage after August 14, 2023, against the advice of UWF AND your waiver request to use that same insurance for 2023-2024 is denied, UWF can provide you with a refund request letter to send to ISI to request a refund for any premium not used after August 14, 2023. Refunds are not guaranteed.

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.

The insurance waiver process is for the coverage period. If you were approved for the 2022-2023 academic year, you must submit a new waiver for 2023-2024 Academic Year BEFORE the August 15 deadline.

It is important to note that previously approved insurance may not be approved Fall 2023 forward as the waiver review process has been improved for compliance and integrity.

Please be advised that UWF 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.